Recording at Chess Studios: Stewed And Keefed

One year after Andrew Oldham forced him to step back from the band's basic line-up, Ian Stewart joined the Rolling Stones during their first US tour (June 5-20, 1964). The tour was timed to coincide with the release of their first US album and was promotional in purpose. But the band lacked hit material, and therefore the tour wasn't a great success, although it did include a highlight, as Martin Elliott recalls:

For the previous six months, the Stones had been trying to emulate the American blues and soul sound. They had played hundreds of gigs and the BBC radio sessions had also tightened and fused their sound. It was all to culminate when they were to realize an ambition and actually record at the renowned Leonard Chess Studios, previously used by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, Etta James and Chuck Berry.

In fact the Stones were one of the first white acts to be recorded at Chess. The band were in their element with engineer Ron Malo at the controls and were not over-awed by the occasion. During a two-day session (June 10-11) the band recorded some 15 tracks. Stu played piano and organ on many of those tracks, thereby underpinning his ever valuable role in the musical output of the band. The first Chicago session was to produce a number of unreleased tracks, of which "Stewed and Keefed" was one.

It's an instrumental track which features two duelling instrumentalists, bar room shuffling Ian Stewart and the lazy blues guitar of Keith Richards. Like the Mississippi the track meanders inexorably to the blues delta. "Stewed And Keefed" is undoubtedly a worthy jam track, typical of the laid-back ambience achieved at Chess.

Adapted from the following source:
Martin Elliott, The Rolling Stones. Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2002, Cherry Red Books, 2002.

Confusion

After their third UK tour the Rolling Stones continued their hectic touring schedule, including a performance in Montreux (Golden Rose International TV Awards), the first time the band had gone abroad to play! During March, April and May, 1964 the band also recorded some UK radio sessions (BBC's 'Saturday Club', 'Blues In Rhythm', and 'The Joe Loss Pop Show'). As usual Ian Stewart didn't play during these sessions, with the exception of the May 25 show, where he played organ on "You Can Make If You Try".

In the meantime the Rolling Stones had become central figures in London's and British blues and R&B scene. But who knew who, and who played with whom? In his book Stone Alone, Bill Wyman confused everybody by stating that "the sixties were a great period for impromptu jam sessions as well as mass-hysteria concerts. Stu and I went on 6 May to Eel Pie Island and got onstage and had a jam session, with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck on guitars, Stu on piano, myself on bass, Stu's friends Wint on drums and Knocker on harmonica. As we had no singer, everyone had a go at singing. I sang three or four songs. Stu said: "Nobody knew we were going, and we had a marvellous evening, just playing the sort of music we all like".

Who are Wint and Knocker, and did this jam session really take place? Just to add to the confusion: somewhere in 1965 Bill and Stu once again jammed with Jimmy Page, this time around accompanied by Eric Clapton, Chris Winters (Wint?) and Mick Jagger (credited as Knocker!). Is it very likely that Bill Wyman didn't recognize his bandmate in the first place? Who's who and when's when...anybody?

Source: Bill Wyman, Stone Alone, Penguin Books, 1991.

Tell Me (You're Coming Back)

On February 8, 1964 the Rolling Stones embarked on their third UK Tour (All Stars '64), this time with, amongst many others, the Hollies and John Leyton. During the tour the band once again returned to Regent Sound Studios, London, to record one more track for their upcoming debut album. "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" became the longest track on the album and also the most controversial.

It was the first Jagger-Richards composition to be released by the Stones, and the influences on the song stemmed from commercial-type Beatles songs and their Merseyside counterparts....a cross over into the pop mainstream. "Tell Me" is most notable for Keith Richards' cavernous, Hank Marvin-like twang during the break. Ian Stewart plays piano on a tune which sound and feeling were lightyears away from the Stones' American blues and R&B roots.

Adapted from the following sources:
Martin Elliott, The Rolling Stones. Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2002, Cherry Red Books, 2002.
James Hector, The Complete Guide To The Music Of The Rolling Stones, Omnibus Press, 1995.

The Spector and Pitney Sessions (not so clean)

After the successful recording of several single and album tracks, the February 4, 1964 recording sessions then degenerated into a hilarious, quasi-drunken free-for-all. Everybody involved had a great time cutting "Mr. Spector and Mr. Pitney Came Too" and "Andrew's Blues", both of which were quite rude. The first track perfectly encapsulates the uniqueness of the session.

A false piano intro was laughed at before Phil Spector takes control and starts it off with a 1-2, a 1-2-3-4. The band charge in with an infectious assault of rhythm and blues. Harmonica, Ian Stewart's boogie piano, lead guitars and a cognac bottle chiming in the background provide an alternate take to "Now I've Got A Witness".

At the very end of the sessions the air turned blue for a rude stab at manager Andrew Oldham and Decca, the band's record company at the time. Regarding "Andrew's Blues", Gene Pitney recalls with fondness the good fun and the 'pornographic' overtones of the track. Yes indeed, the sessions ended into a hilarious free-for-all.

Adapted from the following sources:
Martin Elliott, The Rolling Stones. Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2002, Cherry Red Books, 2002.
Andrew Loog Oldham, Stoned, Vintage, 2001.

The Spector and Pitney sessions (clean)

On February 4, 1964 the Rolling Stones recorded more tracks for their upcoming debut album, simply called The Rolling Stones. With the attendance of both record producer Phil Spector and pop singer Gene Pitney the sessions at Regent Sound Studios became quite special. Ian Stewart, pounding out basic R&B chords on his piano, played an important role during the sessions, which were originally intended to nail down the "Not Fade Away" single (recorded January 10) and to provide a B-side, since Decca were anxious to release a follow-up single.

Pitney and Spector, whom Andrew Oldham adored, had both been traveling in Europe and returned from Paris for an overnight stop before returning to the United States. The bottles of spirit they brought from France revived a flagging recording session with Pitney helping out on piano. Two members of the Hollies, Allan Clarke and Graham Nash, accompanied the Stones on backing vocals and Phil Spector grabbed Mick Jagger's maracas. All in all the band recorded five tracks, of which three ended up on their debut album.

Phil Spector created an ambience in the studio and a spirit which was hard to emulate. As a result the Stones, with the maestro, created a 'wall of noise', as opposed to the 'wall of sound' which Spector had created with the Crystals and the Ronettes. "Little By Little" is a composition made up of selections from various parts of Jimmy Reed's "Shame, Shame, Shame". It is essentially a 12-bar blues jam, made after the successful finishing of "Not Fade Away". Gene Pitney is on piano, and Phil Spector and Ian Stewart play maracas.

On "Can I Get A Witness", previously recorded by Marvin Gaye, Stu pounds out the basic chords and Mick Jagger contributes particularly up-front vocals. Following the recording of this Motown classic, Gene Pitney played on Stu's prized piano to create "Now I've Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene)", basically a reworking of "Can I Get A Witness". Ian Stewart, having given away the piano to Pitney, plays very prominent organ with Brian Jones on outstanding harp complementing the prime drive of Ian.

Adapted from the following sources:
Martin Elliott, The Rolling Stones. Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2002. Cherry Red Books, 2002.
Bill Wyman, Stone Alone, Penguin Books, 1990.

365 Rolling Stones (One For Each Day Of The Year)

During their second UK tour (January 6-27, 1964) the Rolling Stones returned twice to Regent Sound Studios to record tracks for both their upcoming first album and the Andrew Oldham Orchestra. The band helped Andrew Oldham out on some tracks that would mostly end up on B-sides. Eric Ford (guitar), Andy White (drums) and Reg Guest (piano), all members from the Nashville 5, were also to feature on the tracks

An instrumental song was released by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra as a single on April 10, 1964. In order to create some mystique that the Stones were involved it was given the title "365 Rolling Stones (One For Each Day Of The Year)”. It became the soundtrack for Ready Steady Go!, the ITV television programme launched to combat BBC´s Top Of The Pops.

Adapted from the following source: Martin Elliott, The Rolling Stones. Complete Recording Sessions 1962/2002, Cherry Red Books, 2002.

You Can Make It If You Try

On January 6, 1964 the Rolling Stones embarked on their second UK Tour (Group Scene 1964), this time with the Ronettes. A couple of days before the band started work on their first album at Regent Sound Studios, London. On January 3-4 the Stones recorded five tracks, among which "You Can Make It If You Try", a slow, hollering song led by Mick Jagger's pleading vocals.

Ian Stewart plays organ and Keith Richards and Brian Jones strum on acoustic guitars. Stu's gospel-type organ playing lends a warm feeling to this calm soul ballad, a 1957 Gene Allison original. Recordings for the band's debut album were continued on January 10, once again at Regent Sound Studios.

Adapted from the following sources:
Martin Elliott, The Rolling Stones. Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2002.
James Hector, The Complete Guide to the Music of the Rolling Stones, Omnibus Press, 1995.