Don’t get me wrong. The Stones are one of my all-time favorite bands. But what’s the point of releasing a double-disc “best of” live album recorded during the band’s latest tour? It’s not that these versions of “Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Paint It Black” and “Rocks Off” aren’t solid; they’re fine. But they pale in comparison to the album versions and offer nothing new arrangement-wise. Besides, if you want to relive a Stones concert in your living room, you can pop in Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! or even Love You Live—both recorded when the band was still making music that mattered.
I’m not saying the Stones should quit touring stadiums, peddling their $150-a-nosebleed-seat tickets—they’ve got to make a living. And, besides, it’s great that fans old and new can still catch a show. But, honestly, since the late ’70s, has the World’s Greatest Rock ’n’ Roll Band recorded anything worth the plastic it was packaged in? To quote ever-so-subtle Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Mick Jagger “should’ve died after Some Girls, when he was still cool.”