Beggars Banquet

I make no secret of my disdain for the Rolling Stones. They were the ‘bad boys’ of 1960s rock music and the Beatles' wicked rivals. They were certainly important role models for anyone who found the Beatles too well-behaved. But above all, the Stones were a blues band, and I find blues rock deadly boring. For 50 years, the Stones have been the dinosaurs of rock music: a case of self-plagiarism that comes across as a bizarre caricature. However, there are certainly songs — and perhaps even albums — that even I, a sceptic when it comes to the Stones, cannot completely dismiss: "Beggars Banquet", their last album with Brian Jones (although he no longer plays a musically significant role), is certainly one of their better albums. They skilfully blend white blues with psychedelic country and folk. Furthermore, the songwriting duo Jagger and Richards produced two excellent tracks in the form of “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Street Fighting Man” – three if you include the single “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, released around the same time but not actually part of the album. Their fusion of folk and country in particular came across as astonishingly authentic. So, if you're looking for a musically accomplished Stones album, you can't go wrong with "Beggars Banquet". Not even Mick Jagger’s dreadful vocals can completely ruin it.

The Rolling Stones are a difficult band for me to evaluate. There is no denying their importance to rock history and the enormous influence they have had on generations of musicians. However, when I reach for music from that era, there are many other bands I would rather listen to. As part of this challenge, I have now listened to this album for the third time. It is perfectly fine and I can understand why so many people regard it as a classic. That said, it simply does not connect with me on a deeper level. I do not dislike it, but I also do not feel any real need to return to it once the album is over. It is one of those records that I can acknowledge as good without feeling personally invested in it. The same applies even more to the band’s later career. From the 1970s onward, including their more recent releases, the Rolling Stones have never really held my interest. While I respect their legacy and longevity, their music is not something I actively seek out or feel compelled to revisit. In the end, this is an album I can appreciate more with my head than with my heart. A respectable listen, but not an essential one for me.