‘The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus’
Video and CD Release Date: 14th October 1996:
DVD Release Date: October 12, 2004
Run Time: 63 minutes
Filmed at Intertel
Studios, Wembley,
Middlesex, December 11-12, 1968.
Incl.
Mick Jagger’s introduction of Rock And Roll Circus
Mick Jagger’s introduction of Jethro Tull
Keith Richards’ introduction of The Who
Charlie Watts’ introduction of Marianne Faithfull
Mick Jagger’s and John Lennon’s introduction of The Dirty
Mac
Yer Blues (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) by The Dirty Mac
Whole Lotta Yoko (Yoko Ono) by Yoko Ono, Ivry Gitlis and
The Dirty Mac
Jumping Jack Flash
Parachute Woman
No Expectations
You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Sympathy For The Devil
Salt Of The Earth
The Stones were off the road for
nearly two years when they decided to do this film showcase in December of 1968,
and then promptly shelved it. As it turns out, they get some competition in
their own 1968 showcase from the Who, Taj Mahal and John Lennon. The movie looks
like it was shot for television (which it was), so the color isn't what one
would hope for; and as a feature it recalls Renoir's The Little Theatre of Jean
Renoir (another circus based showcase, done around the same time), except this
has rock & roll in it. We glimpse the early Jethro Tull miming to the
pre recorded track of "Song for Jeffrey" (with future Black Sabbath guitarist
Tony Iommi subbing for Mick Abrahams); The Who, in their top pre Tommy form,
doing their mini opera "A Quick One" (a clip that the Stones have allowed out
before), providing a great showcase for Keith Moon's scene stealing antics and
not enough of John Entwistle; the oft forgotten Taj Mahal, sounding more like
the Spencer Davis Group than the Spencer Davis Group could, rasping his way
through "Ain't That a Lot of Love," which sounds like an improved version of "Gimme
Some Lovin'"; Dirty Mac, the name given to the John Lennon Keith Richards Mitch
Mitchell Eric Clapton super group doing a killer version of "Yer Blues" Lennon's work shows just how good he was on stage even after a
two and a half year layoff from concerts; Marianne Faithful (in the only really
good looking sequence, introduced by Charlie Watts) doing her best Edith
Piaf inspired work on "Something Better," the B side of "Sister Morphine"; the
playing on Yoko Ono's spot is fine until she starts singing. And between it all
we get some broken down circus acrobatic and fire eating acts.
The Stones' portion is better than articles about the Circus over the years have
led one to believe. The band is in top form throughout, though perhaps not as
animated as they might've been if this performance had been shot at, say, one
o'clock in the afternoon instead of one o'clock in the morning. "Jumpin' Jack
Flash" gets only its second live performance, and Jagger and Richards swing
right into their first formal concert in two years, ripping through their best
single in three years. "Parachute Woman" is a song the Stones otherwise didn't
do much (or at all) on stage, and it's so good here, that it makes one wish
they'd been able to play more concerts during the Beggars Banquet era; Brian
Jones plays slide on a Gibson Firebird 7 for "No Expectations," this very last
contribution to the group, while Keith strums an acoustic his contribution on
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is more tenuous; "Sympathy for the Devil"
gets a beautifully dramatic introduction, and the performance here combines the
best components of the studio original and the vibrancy of the Stones'
performances on their 1969 tour. Finally, "Salt of the Earth" not only works
well as music, but consciously parodies the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love"
video, which Jagger appeared in. The laserdisc is mastered in AC 3, with sound
that matches the CD version and a picture so sharp that you can see dirt on the
camera lenses. The videocassette is less sharp but still a worthwhile investment musically and visually, this is much more than a 1960s artifact
10th 12th December1968: London, Intertel
Studios.
Shooting of 'The
Rolling Stones Rock'n Roll Circus'. Director: Michael Lindsay Hogg.
Music produced by Jimmy Miller; recorded by sound engineer
Glyn Johns with the Olympic Mobile Recording Truck.
Rehearsals were made on the 10th December, recordings
on 11th and the wee hours of the 12th December.
various announcements by all members of The Rolling Stones
Rehearsals MJ & John Lennon, Eric Clapton 10.12. (all
unverified):
It's Now Or Never (di Capua/Aaron Schroeder/Arthur Gold) Peggy Sue (Buddy Holly/Jerry Allison/Norman Petty)
Hound Dog (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller) Lucille (Little Richard/Al Collins) Sweet Little Sixteen (Chuck Berry)
Yer Blues (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) vocal duet MJ/Lennon
only
Dirty Mac (Super
group):
Jam (KR/John Lennon/Eric Clapton/Mitch Mitchell) Yer Blues 1 (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) “feel like Dylan’s
Mr. Jones“ version
Yer Blues 2 (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) “just like Dylan’s
Mr. Jones“ version; official released version
Whole Lotta Yoko (Yoko Ono) Yoko Ono on vocals, Ivry Gitlis
on violin
Line up: KR (bass)/John Lennon (gtr, voc)/Eric Clapton (gtr)/Mitch
Mitchell (dr)
Rehearsals Rolling Stones:
Route 66 (Bobby Troup)
Confessin' The Blues (Walter Brown/Jay McShann)
Jumping
Jack Flash
Look On Yonder Wall (James Clark)
Walkin’ Blues (Robert Johnson)
Parachute Woman
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Sympathy For The Devil
Love In Vain (Robert Johnson)
No Expectations
Salt Of The Earth
The Rolling Stones set:
Jumping
Jack Flash
Parachute Woman
No Expectations
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Sympathy For The Devil
Salt Of The Earth playback with live vocals by The
Rolling Stones and backing vocals by many spectators.
Additional musicians: Nicky Hopkins (p)/Rocky Dijon (perc)