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17/01/2005 Rolling Stones legacy undermined
The Rolling Stones story has many chapters. Sex, certainly; drugs, well, yes. And, lest we forget, rock and roll. As the quality of Stones album releases has dropped over the years, the focus has switched from the musician Stones to the cartoon Stones - the super-rich rakes, the role models of excess. These days, when the Stones are news, it's usually for the wrong reasons. Recent Stones covers in music mags have promoted features on yet another investigation into the death of Brian Jones, and the context of that tawdry little film, Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, released last year on DVD. In the face of all this silly stuff, the Stones's legacy as the greatest band of the rock era, with a long, glittering list of top singles and half a dozen era-defining albums, is ignored. The Rolling Stones catalogue, which would keep any new fan enthralled for weeks, is sidelined in favour of a tiresome fixation with the musicians as somewhat wayward celebs, leading a life of louche luxury. Over the years, the focus on the sex, drugs et al has served the band well, ensuring unparalleled attention. But, as a result, they're figures of fun, vastly under-rated as creative musicians. Just pull out the Singles Collection or Let It Bleed, Beggars Banquet or Exile On Main Street, crank up the volume on the headsets and listen very carefully. What you once heard as party music, perfect for singing along to, dancing and drinking, now reveals itself as a peerless collection of expertly crafted and beautifully performed music for grown-ups. The Stones catalogue is a beacon of 20thC popular culture. OK, let's risk it - great art. But you wouldn't know that from the salacious focus on the Stones as bad boys: a timeless legacy is in danger of being undermined.
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