"Look @ that Stupid Girl" -Summer, 1980/ Rolling Stones Week 4/5

To this day, a transistor radio has found use around the house. There always seems to be a huge premium about them about them coming from my father. When we went to Ireland in 1980, Dad sent one along for his brother Pete- it was my mom who sent along one to Pete when I visited first time as a man in 1997. They were handy for many reasons, but one reason over arched- portable access to all Sox games. Back then all games were on TV, but there were many times one was away from Ch. 44 and needed to hear Harry's mid game call. Since I don't have cable, to this day I always have it handy for all games- Sox, Bulls, Hawks, etc etc etc... In times of emergencies I have even listened to Fire games in generally incomprehensible Spanish on AM 1200. It's a great and valued tool.

And the transistor had another jury rigged purpose as well, especially happily for our purposes today; in the summer of 1980, it helped me successfully hunt for another of the reasons I got into the Rolling Stones: the song "Stupid Girl". And although I went in looking for “Stupid Girl”, what I found instead was Aftermath.

Aftermath was the first whole body of work which I flipped about- instantly, and for a real long time afterwards- this beacme the LP to spin. There were many others to follow, but one remembers especially the first, n'est pas? I love this LP, I think it's their best (but yes; I nod to the 'time and place' argument on this one- it's one of their best though), and it's always fresh even today.

But first- 'the song of the moment', before this post turns into 'the LP of all time'. It was one of those “Rolling Stones Weekends” they used to have on The Loop or WMET. These radio stations used to devote a whole weekend devoted to just Stones stuff. Intoxicating, exotic; a presentation of all these wonderous far off songs way more comprehensive than my pitiful little collection of Summer 1980. I loved these weekends, but summer of 1980 I had a real real special mission: to hear that “Stupid Girl” song I wasn't sure yet- but I strongly suspected- was by The Stones. But I had to make sure.

So, all weekend. Friday nite, early in the morning Saturday, listening, listenng, listening. All this new shit, glory times. But no "Stupid Girl". Yet. But Saturday afternoon presented a difficult callenge: I had a little league game baseball game that afternoon. "What to do"? I really did't know.

So, I brought my radio along. On the bus. No song. Game starts. No song. I listen to it during the game, putting it down when I was on the field and when I batted. And then it happened. right when my team got th third out, on came "Stupid Girl". Confirmation- it was a Stones song. Confirmation- it was as perfect as I remembered. Confirmation- from the coach- GET ON THE FIELD!! Halfway through, I put down the radio and went out to center, sad I couldn't hear ir all but happy I knew it was a Stons song. Got it!!

But what actions by me. I guess in my years of coaching I've let things slide. But I'd've been assualted if it was football. Coach made a point of saying “we have to pay more att’n to game. Some of us are playing, talking, listening to radios during the game, joking around, anything than watching the game." It was the last time i did it- It was just enough to capture "Stupid Girl".

There were a number a strange things about this LP. One was it's contents. It was standard practice in the mid 1960’s for two LP’s- both with the same title, but one released in America and one in England-- to contain vastly different material. Why? I dunno- just the record industry still being young and trying to figure itself out. Something about the latest singles for the American market....... or something. "Aftermath" is a perfect example. The two different versions share nine songs but the UK vesion has 14 total to the American 11. Not only that, but "Aftermath" was their 4th UK release but their sixth American. This resulted in a confusion of releases from all the bands- from the stones and beatles to the lessor groups.

Another was the huge "stereo ness" of this LP. I’ve always loved to play big time with the balance on this track. I’m sure they’ve balanced this out on later CD mixes, but it’s super pronounced on my vinyl copy. In fact, “Stupid Girl” sounds best on the track that has minimal organ. On my fave half of the balance, the drums are incredibly powerful shoving the song along, and the lead guitar sounds great. The drum intro sounds echoy great. Then put it over to the organ side. Slow. Disjointed. Missing the other half. If you have a copy of “Aftermath” that allows yuo to fuck well with the balance, try it on “Under my thumb”

With “Aftermath“, the Stones finally recorded a LP with all songs their own compositions. Like most rock groups, they started out mainly with covers. Although they mixed in more and more “Jagger/Richards” compositions on their releases as time went on, even around “Satisfaction” they still had a lot of covers on their LP’s. Then the Beatles released an all Beatle penned LP. Often in the ‘60’s it seemed that the Stones had the attitude “Why, if the Beatles did it, then we must too!” But the decision to record only their own songs for “Aftermath” almost certainly was based on the fact that they were in the midst of a prolific period of writing- witness the mad stash of songs spread over the two different versions.

Whichever version of “Aftermath” one has, it has that flowing flowering consistency over its length - like “Sister”, “Inflammable Material”, “The Specials”, “London Calling”, “Kings and Queens”, “Hatful of Hallow”, “Holiday” or any similar LP of great stature. The songs all just seemed to fit to-gether seamlessly - completely seamlessly. And yet, the songs didn’t sound like each other- from a deep dependence on the blues, the Stones now displayed country elements (“High and Dry“), Elizabethan Era stylings (“Lady Jane”), and the sitar- played by one Brian Jones- on “Paint it Black”. This is especially impressive for “Aftermath” because there were so many tracks spread over the two different versions- substitute "What to do", "Take it or leave it", "Mothers Little helper", "Doncha bother Me" and "Out of time" for "Paint it, Black" and it's essentially the same fantastic LP- well, actually it's a lot better. But, my "American" version was potent enough to this piker at the time. Still is.

The Stones were not just prolific in both number of songs and style - this LP was incredibly good. The songs were just great, and it never quits over the whole 40m or whatever. Sounds so good- the drag of the bass in “Under my Thumb” (the "Gallo" version of "Thumb"- play it!!), some of Charlies best drumming in “Stupid Girl”, great use of piano throughout; track after track after track. There have been many great Stones LP’s and I’m not going to claim this LP as uberLP of all time. For me, surely it is the greatest of ALL Stones LPS. But in no way will I attempt to dictate to y’all and say “But you must accept this as the best Stones as well !! ”- there are too many great choices over the decades. However, as I was developing into a proper music fan, the stunning breath of this Lp hit me hard: I knew great work when I heard it. I had developed enough taste to know that my somewhat recently bought “Goats Head Soup” and “Love you Live” were well below the standard of “Aftermath”.

Although “Stupid Girl” is one of my three absolute favourite Rolling Stones songs- it’s one of just three- it is “Aftermath” in its entirety that truly has left me with the biggest impression.

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some notes
two nice wiki lynx- a patty smith art part on "Aftermath", and a web site for fans of the LP- Me, I guess.

The Beatles around this time humorously talked of using “After Geography” as a title for their next LP.