Stars: The Rolling Stones

Summary: A TV special filmed by the BBC on 12th December, 1968, but was not televised and has never seen the light of day until now. Features The Stones, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, The Who, Mitch Mitchell, Marianne Faithfull, Taj Mahal and Jethro Tull plus a super group, The Dirty Mac, comprising John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell, Yoko Ono, Keith Richards and violinist Ivry Gitlis.

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Unavailable at all for nearly three decades, then issued in a VHS edition in 1996, the Rolling Stones' legendary Rock and Roll Circusfinally gets the full treatment with this DVD release documenting the 1968 event. The Stones were reportedly unhappy with their performance (hence the long delay), and it isn't their finest moment; performing "Jumping Jack Flash" and a variety of songs from their then-new Beggars Banquetalbum, Keith Richards is game, but Jagger's preening (especially on "Sympathy for the Devil") is over the top, and guitarist Brian Jones looks dissolute and well on his way to his death the following year. A certain weirdness permeates some of the other musical acts as well: Jethro Tull lip-syncs unconvincingly, Taj Mahal and band were obliged to perform before the circus set was completed and the audience had arrived, and John Lennon's outing with impromptu supergroup the Dirty Mac (with Richards, Eric Clapton, and drummer Mitch Mitchell) is hampered by Yoko Ono's caterwauling, although their version of the Beatles' "Yer Blues" is cool. Still, the Who are brilliant, Marianne Faithfull is beautiful, the various circus acts are fun, and the crowd clearly loves it.

The DVD comes with some fascinating bonus features, including three extra songs by Mahal, some lovely classical piano by Julius Katchen, and a "quad split-screen" version of "Yer Blues". Best of all are a new interview with the Who's Pete Townshend and the various commentary tracks added for the DVD--especially those by Tull's Ian Anderson, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and Stones Jagger, Richards, and Bill Wyman (who dryly attributes Jagger's reluctance to issue the show to his dissatisfaction with his own performance, not the band's). Flaws notwithstanding, this is a treat. --Sam Graham

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Leavin Trunk By Taj Mahal, Ritual Fire Dance By Julius Katchen, Sonata In C First Movement By Julius Katchen, Yer Blues The Alternate Version By The Dirty Mac, Backstage Footage With Mick Jagger And John Lennon And Yoko Ono, Sympathy For The Devil By Fat Boy S
Release Date:	October 25, 2004
Runtime:	65 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	982 489 9
Label:	U M3
Keywords:	Music, Rock, Circus, Stones, Pop, Roll, Rolling, Performing, Arts, Popular
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts