Sunday, December 11, 2011

Jumping Jack Flash

The Rolling Stones' new studio album, "Beggars Banquet", was recorded during three (March 17 - April 3, May 13-23, June 4-10, 1968)  lenghty sessions at Olympic Sound Studios, London, with producer Jimmy Miller and sound engineer Glyn Johns. Final mixing and overdubbing of the album took place at Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles (July 7-25).

For the first time in the band's history, Ian Stewart didn't appear on the new Stones album, although he contributed to the recording of one of the band's signature tunes, "Jumping Jack Flash". Author Martin Elliott puts the recording of "Flash" in some fine perspective: "The band's decision was to return to rhythm and blues in English studios, and this they did with the precision of Jimmy Miller at the controls.

The song's  foundations were laid by Bill Wyman during the Surrey rehearsals as he 'mucked around' with a chord sequence on the piano. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger knew instantaneously that the sound had great possibilities. The heavy guitar chords which run throughout the track immediately assault the senses. They are heavy but acoustically based. Jagger shouts 'one two' and the band join in supplying the incessant riff around the uplifting vocal. Brian Jones shuffles his demonic maracas as Richards' distorted lead guitar provides the Stones with their most powerful rock sound to date. Ian Stewart contributed a background piano".


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

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