MovieChat Forums > The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (1996) Discussion > The Who Blow the Stones Away (at Least H...

The Who Blow the Stones Away (at Least Here)

posted 19 years ago by tommy_amoeba
35 replies | jump to latest

The Who's Rock and Roll Circus performance
of A Quick One While He's Away is the stuff
of rock and roll legend and quite possily
the finest rock 'n roll performance ever captured!!!

I don't think that this sat too well with Sir Mick.
Especially when a visibly drugged-out Brian Jones
kept his own band from showing them up...
It's not surprising he that it didn't take to long
to find a replacement . . .
(Can you say "waiting in the wings," Mr. Taylor?)

Not that Pete took his time in finding a square peg
to fill Moonie's roundest of holes or even miss a beat
let alone a show with Entwistle's more recent shoe-filler.
But I digress...

A Quick One is the main reason The Stones buried
the tape of this show for 30 odd years.

I'm not crazy for the studio take on The Who's 2nd album
but all the subsequent live versions I've heard are amazing...
I'm upset I never got to see them do it live with Entwistle
on any of their recent reunion tours.

[–] PopArtTart 19 years ago

Though I like the Stones as well (it aches me to see Brian Jones in such obvious decline) the Who were definitely the main attraction of Rock and Roll Circus. It gives me thrills and chills to watch "A Quick One". It never gets old. The harmonizing at the end just floors me every time. They really caught something special there... the sheer bombast of the performance was elevated further by how much the band (especially Townshend and Moonie!) seemed to be enjoying themselves! You just couldn't beat the Who in their prime.

-J.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] kissgreyflowers 18 years ago

I agree. Though to some the Who and the Stones seems easily comparable because of their mere Englishness, they are very different bands... But, I mean, the Stones' performance is great to watch, not to mention oddly heartwarming, but I absolutely love the performace of the Who. It's amazing.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] rockdrum1 18 years ago

The Who for sure owned that night... i think they are way better than the stones. Dont get me wrong i like the stones but they are very over rated. There was so much more to the who that the stones could ever create.

[–] garyb12001 18 years ago

The Stones were a better STUDIO band. The Who were (and still are) the best LIVE band of all time. Proof? 3 words: Live at Leeds.

[–] elaterium 14 years ago

You can't be serious. The Who totally blow away the Stones here, in fact just about everyone in the movie is better than the Stones in terms of musicianship. Jagger in general can barely sing, he's often off key, his rhythm is often sloppy. He attempts to make up for his shortcomings by prancing around the stage like some fop peacock. Bill Wyman better than John Entwistle? Richards better than Townsend? Give me a break.

[–] pete_beck-1 18 years ago

<I'm not crazy for the studio take on The Who's 2nd album
but all the subsequent live versions I've heard are amazing...>

I couldn't agree more. If you can get your hands on a copy of The Who at the Fillmore East on April 8th(I think), 1968, you will here what might be THE BEST version of "A Quick One". It is completely different than "The R&R Circus". You can hear that The Who are tired of playing it (3 years straight) and their hatred of the song makes it even more violent and powerful. Awesome!

[–] vicky_lc2001-1 16 years ago

I'm not sure if Fillmore's 'A Quick One' is the best as I love the different renditions of Live At Leeds, R&R Circus & Fillmore 1968 versions equally, they're all so equally powerful, letting you appreciate different aspects to this magnificent song. I agree, this is a very powerful version of th song though, I am absolutely astounded by it (& the band's live persona) every time I listen to this version particularly! It's April 4, 1968 btw & I highly recommend everyone to check it out! Below is a link to where you can hear the music for free, you might have to sign up btw.

http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/aum-concert/426-7962.html

Oh,WhatABigManYouAre! HeyLetMeBuyYouAPackOfGum,I'llShowYouHowToChewIt

[–] tsrts 18 years ago

Funny how in one of the comentaries, Michael Lindsay-Hogg says that they turned down Led Zeppelin and chose Jethro Tull. I like this DVD the way it is, but had Zep made it onto the Circus, they would have blown The Who away.

[–] tommy_amoeba 18 years ago

i actually agree, the who just might have been
blown away by the band keith moon named
and not only because of the come-out-of-nowhere factor
and maybe only in retrospect, as a lot of people
didn't get zep when they first came out...

did he say why the stones didn't book them?
i think they just didn't wanna get shown up by them,
i dont think they would have booked the who if they
had an idea they were gonna be as good as they were!

===========================
Funny how in one of the comentaries, Michael Lindsay-Hogg says that they turned down Led Zeppelin and chose Jethro Tull. I like this DVD the way it is, but had Zep made it onto the Circus, they would have blown The Who away.

[–] Iam_the_walrus896 17 years ago

I seriously doubt that. Zeppelin's good, but the Who are unbeatable when it comes to playing live. Zep was great in the studio, and I'm a fan of both, but the Who was just... better.

[–] skirk-2 18 years ago

That performance of the Who is THE best rock and roll performance ever! It captures rock on so many levels. If aliens came to earth and wanted to know what rock and roll was - I would play them that performance. Ever see the pictures in that large Who picture/history book out there? I guess the who had one run through and then the acutal performance. There is shots of them in different outfits on the set and Moon has a clown hat on and his face painted. I still want an explanation of the water spraying out of Moon's drum kit during the finale. How did they do that? It is the coolest effect. It should be done more. Totally cool for 1968. The WHO are at such a live peak here. They have some differnt angles of the performance in "The Kids Are Alright".

[–] jregester 18 years ago

I think the water trick was done simply by pouring water on top of what is called a rack-tom. I looked at it a bit closely and it seems to be the large rack tom on the right, which is his left. I think it has water poured on top before the song, and when he wants the effect, he simply hits it hard, likely with the mallet end of his stick. The vibration and energy from the strike, bounces the water up. It is kind of weird because it is set at an angle and you would think if it has water on it, it would drain off. Not quite sure about it, but maybe it was filled with water with no drum head, becasue he does splash a lot of water about, but I am sure when he goes at that tom, the water starts splashing.

[–] mhspiper 18 years ago

I read it was beer on the rack-tom.

[–] Swedenborg 18 years ago

Noooo! definitely the Dirty Mac stole the show, without Yoko's vocal Whole Lotta Yoko would be the best act in the show

[–] laughing_madcap15 18 years ago

Keith Moon has an extra "floor tom" he never used except to put drinks on while he was playing, i think he simply got into playing and started hitting the floortom and all the beer started boucing off of the drumheads...

D.L. Bailey

[–] lucy_naribola 18 years ago

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree, it's the best rock and roll performance ever. Pete just kills me!!! I think he is so hot in those shoots where you can see his huuuge blue eyes (I missed you and I must admit...). And I love Keith's faces (do my eyes deceive me, hahaha)and the harmonies... I have to jump every time they go "you are forgiven", it's just the energy of the song!!! Love it, love it, love it, love it... oh, and YES, they are the best performers (and I like them better than the Stones).
Did I mention that I love it??

[–] fireblade6012 17 years ago

The Who were without doubt the best rock band of their time. I was priveliged to see them twice live during their peak (giving my age away now!) and believe me they were awesome. If there was (or is) a better drummer than Kieth Moon, then tell me who it is. "A Quick One" on Rock and Roll Circus was the best by streets.

[–] CaptMal 17 years ago

The Rolling Stones were never a great band, despite a few flashes of genius (including "Sympathy for the Devil," though their performance of it here is largely underwhelming).

The Who are an amazing band, and their performance here is simply brilliant. It's by far the best performance here, along with the Dirty Mac. I can't decide.

--The Artist Formerly Known as UnpluggedCrazy Before My Account Got Hacked--

[–] altafayejones2 17 years ago

If you never saw the Who live, you never saw rock and roll.

[–] jjman1 17 years ago

I have seen the Who seven times spanning 1982 to 2006, and the amazing thing is they got better in live performances with age while so many bands tend to get stale. The last version of the live act with Entwhistle in 2000 were legendary.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Noir-It-All 17 years ago

I think the Stones were more glamorous, what with the type of women they attracted and their ability to deal with the media. But, they were also blues-based. The Who were Heavy Metal early in the day. (I remember buying a 45 of "I Can See for Miles" in 1966. Just loved it.) So, it's really about which genre you like. Led Zeppelin! They sort of had the medieval quality of the Rock and Roll Circus but were Heavy Metal #1. Poor Brian Jones. NOW I understand why he was pushed out. I noticed Keith Richards didn't really look at him when they sat together in the end. It was THE END for Brian.

"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne

[–] pcarlson-2 17 years ago

I wonder what all you people have been somking. The Who were absolutely boring; they sound like they're performing some Broadway musical crap. Also that Marianne Faithfull song is lousy. The best performance is the Dirty Mac's Yer Blues, followed by Taj Mahal and then the Stones with Parachute Woman. The Stones were much better than the Who!

[–] Tashtago 17 years ago

Agree with Pearson-2 . I like the Who but I dont like this song or the performance. Too clever by half ,jumpy, and boring. But there are other highlights well worth a look Jethro Tull, Dirty Mac (Lennon singing Yer Blues one of the greatest rock vocals ever), and the Stones themselves particularly Parachute Woman, No Expectations and Jumpin Jack Flash.

Hey Who fans I agree they probably were the best live band but Live at the Isle of White is a much better showcase.

[–] wigger_slayer 16 years ago

you suck at listening to music

--
Only living to die