The Lost Sessions Vol. 1 (Empress Valley EVSD-332)
Loving Cup, Shake Your Hips (early long version), Good Time Woman (early version of Tumbling Dice), Sweet Virginia, Stop Breakin’ Down (early version, no harp), Shine A Light, Sweet Black Angel (instrumental), Let It Loose (instrumental), Dancing In The Light (instrumental), Potted Shrimp (instrumental), Aladdin Story (instrumental), Leather Jacket (instrumental), I’m A Country Boy (instrumental), I’m Goin’ Down, I Don’t Know Why, Hamburger To Go.
This is the first in a projected series of Rolling Stones outtake material. Obviously inspired by the Zeppelin series (of which there are now six), the first volume shares the same packaging and presentation. Empress Valley chose to focus upon material from 1968 to 1972, arguably their most creative period. Certainly one of their most interesting. The sources for each of the tracks are:
Tracks 1-6: October 17-31, 1970 at Olympic Sound Studio, London & Mobile Recording Unit at Newbury.
Tracks 7-8: July 10 & October 14 – November 23, 1971 with Mobile Recording Unit at Nellcote.
Tracks 9-12: November 1972 at Elektra Studios, Los Angeles.
Track 13: May 13 – mid June, 1968 at Olympic Sound Studio, London.
Track 14: October 17, 1969 at Elektra & Warner Brothers Studios, Los Angeles.
Track 15: June 30, 1969 at Olympic Sound Studio, London.
Track 16: May 13 – mid June, 1968 at Olympic Sound Studio, London.
All of the material on this disc, the “Trident Mixes”, have been released before most prominently on both Archives Pathfinder on Tarantura (TR-001) and Hillside Blues on Vinyl Gang (VGP-214). The quality of this new release by Empress Valley is, according to one Japanese commentator, similar to the previous two. The main difference between this and the earlier titles is the speed adjustment of “Aladdin Story”, “Hamburger To Go” and “Shake Your Hips” which the label slowed down to the proper pitch. The necessity of this has again been questioned, but the tracks sound correct to my ears so I’d argue that EV made the right decision.
This is an intelligently thought out collection of material of the late Brian Jones to the early Mick Taylor era and there are many interesting tracks. “I’m Going Down” was one of the first songs written by Taylor (although never credited) and features he and Steven Stills on guitars. “I’m A Country Boy” is an instrumental that was never officially issued, and “Good Time Woman” is “Tumbling Dice” with typical blues inspired lyrics. Lost Sessions Vol. 1 is a good beginning to EV’s project, but I hope they are able to surprise us with some never-heard-before outtakes that will stun us all.
