History
Many, including The Rolling Stones, consider this their first official full-length live release, despite the appearance of the US-only Got Live If You Want It! in 1966 as a contractual obligation product. One reason for releasing a live album was to counter the release of the Live'r Than You'll Ever Be bootleg recording of an Oakland performance on the same tour, a recording which was even reviewed in Rolling Stone magazine.
Having not toured since April 1967, The Rolling Stones were eager to hit the road by 1969. With their two most recent albums, Beggars Banquet and Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) being highly praised, audiences were anticipating their live return. Their 1969 American Tour's trek during November into December, with Terry Reid, B.B. King (replaced on some dates by Chuck Berry) and Ike and Tina Turner as supporting acts, played to packed houses. The tour was the first for Mick Taylor with the Stones, having replaced Brian Jones shortly before Jones' death in July; the performances prominently showcased the guitar interplay of Taylor with Keith Richards. While featured on only two tracks from Let it Bleed, this was the first album in which Taylor's abilities were fully represented.
The performances captured for this release were recorded on 27–28 November 1969 at New York City's Madison Square Garden, while "Love in Vain" was recorded in Baltimore, Maryland on 26 November 1969. Overdubbing was undertaken during January and February 1970 in London's Olympic Studios. No instruments were overdubbed, although on bootlegs, examples are known of Richards trying out different guitar parts (e.g. a guitar solo on "Jumpin' Jack Flash"). The finished product featured new lead vocals on half the tracks, and added backing vocals by Richards on several others.
Some of the performances, as well as the photography session for the album cover featuring Charlie Watts and a donkey, are depicted in the documentary film Gimme Shelter, and shows Jagger and Watts on a road in Birmingham, UK in early December 1969 posing with the donkey. The actual cover photo however was taken in early February 1970 in London, and does not originate from the 1969 session. The photo, featuring Watts with guitars and bass drums hanging from the neck of a donkey, was inspired by the lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" (although these lyrics refer to a mule).
Read more about this topic: Get Yer Ya-Yas Out! The Rolling Stones In Concert
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