have been listening to loads of Stones in the last week, inspired by reading Nick Kent's new book, actually, which I heartily recommend.

If you haven't heard Stripped (a kind of Stones unplugged) you really should. It's a terrific live album from smaller venues in the mid 90s.

never really did it for me. It reads like a great set list, but I don't think any of the versions are much cop. Their cover of Like A Rolling Stone is misguided, in my opinion, to say the least.

But, thanks to Spotify, I'll give it another go.

but the HTWH * beat 'em all ends up for energy, edge and excitement. If you could only ever listen to these 2 bands, well, it wouldn't really be all that bad, would it?

* Honky Tonk Women Hitmakers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_of_The_Outlaws:_Green_Grass_and_High_T...

...featuring this, my current favourite track by the HYSYMBSITSHs

Very much on "heavy rotation" chez Mickey in the late 70's, and about 10 years later came this documentary which sealed them in my affections, probably for life, surely one of the best music docs ever, shamefully never revised and/or released on DVD

Glorious solo from Keith Richards. Just how much can he get out of one note?

Didn't we all blog about the Stones very recently?

Ah, but I never tire of talking about them.

One song that never fails to stir my soul is 19th Nervous Breakdown. It's got that lazy rhythm, the weird bass run towards the end, and that great line about sealing wax. And it's an object lesson in how good 60s echo chambers sounded.

...but meant the world to me 25 years ago: Heart Of Stone, Little By Little. I rejected Time Is On My Side in favour of Irma Thomas a few years back, and now it's like welcoming back a very good, very old friend.