Today 60 years ago, on 26 February 1965, eternal rock emperors THE ROLLING STONES released their third number-one hit in their home country (UK) with THE LAST TIME with that awesome Keef riff. It was the first No 1 credited to songwriters Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, nicknamed The Glimmer Twins. The song was recorded in California.
The resemblance with The Staple Singers‘ tune This May Be The Last Time was
pretty obvious, but no claim was filed. On the other hand, the money greedy former Rolling Stones business lawyer Allen Klein, whose company ABKCO Records owns the rights to all 60s Stones music, sued English rock band The Verve for using samples of the AndrewOldham Orchestra (the band’s young, but tremendously clever manager) recording of
The Last Time for their mega-hitBitter Sweet Symphony.
Power pop champ and former The Verve (1990–1995, 1996–1999, 2007–2009)
frontman RICHARD ASHCROFT (aged 52 now) came, saw, and conquered Belgium
last Monday at Lokerse Feesten.
He did it with only 9 songs (with long outros) over a one-hour set. 6 epic ones from The Verve‘s grand 1997 opusUrban Hymns and 3 solo songs. This is what all artists/bands should do at festivals (to my ears), limiting their show to 1 hour, performing all the fans’ favorites in 60 non-stop ecstatic minutes.
Ashcroft is an expert in the matter. Every song was sung-along by the exultant crowd.
Every song was worth a gold medal. Everybody had a big smile, from left to right and
back on their faces even long after the show. Passionate music unites people.
And that’s what former weirdo Richard‘s goal is at every one of his concerts (as I witnessed myself several times), connecting the audience in an over-the-moon rapture. This time he got a big helping hand from his new guitarist, who got space and time for some mind-boggling guitar solos à la, yes, Jimi Hendrix. Exhilarating, just exhilarating.
Of course, as expected, RA closed the near-spiritual spectacle with all-time classic Bittersweet Symphony (more than one billion streams on Spotify). One of the best ever concert closers in my extensive concerts book. Watch fan footage here… Hail hail Ashcroft!
Hail hail Ashcroft!
SETLIST
1. Space and Time
2. Sonnet
3. Weeping Willow
4. Music Is Power
5. A Song for the Lovers
6. Break the Night With Colour
7. The Drugs Don’t Work
8. Lucky Man
9. Bitter Sweet Symphony
Today 58 years ago, on 16 March 1965, imperishable rock icons THE ROLLING STONES scored their third number-one hit in their home country (UK) with rad rocker THE LAST TIME with that awesome Keef riff. It was the first No 1 credited to songwriters Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, nicknamed The Glimmer Twins. The song was recorded in California.
The resemblance with The Staple Singers‘ tune This May Be The Last Time was
pretty obvious, but no claim was filed. On the other hand, the money greedy former Rolling Stones business lawyer Allen Klein, whose company ABKCO Records owns the rights to all 60s Stones music, sued English rock band The Verve for using samples of the AndrewOldham Orchestra (the band’s young, but tremendously clever manager) recording of
The Last Time for their mega-hitBitter Sweet Symphony.
No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I’m here in my mold
I am here in my mold
And I’m a million different people
From one day to the next
I can’t change my mold
No, no, no, no, no
(Have you ever been down?)
I can’t change, oh, no
I can’t change, oh
‘Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony, that’s life
Tryna make ends meet, tryna find somebody then you die
I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet, yeah
