Rolling Stones 50th celebrated with live set, ‘GRRR Live!’
Vinyl of the Week is Creed, ‘My Own Prison: 25th Anniversary’
It’s hard to believe the Rolling Stones are still going so strong after six decades, defying the odds of those who predict whatever the most current tour they’re on will be their last, which has been happening since the early ’70s.
This week the band announced the release of “GRRR Live!,” which they’re calling the definitive live hits album from a long and storied career.
Sort of a thumb in the eye to those critics who think Mick Jagger and Keith Richards should have called it a day a half century ago then that on the heels of doing more than a dozen dates in 2022 to celebrate their 60th anniversary, the upcoming “GRRR Live!” comes from the group’s 50 & Counting Tour.
The Stones commemorated their golden anniversary in 2012 and 2013 by embarking on the trek, a 30-show itinerary laid out across North America and Europe.
Included in the run was a two-night stand at the Wells Fargo Center in June 2013, but “GRRR Live!” pulls from the year prior on Dec. 15 when they took the stage at New Jersey’s Prudential Center for what was the final of four shows in the New York area.
The concert has been re-edited and the audio has been remixed.
Three songs from the Dec. 13 show — also in Newark — will be available as bonus features on the DVD and Blu-ray when it lands on shelves Feb. 10. The album version will be available in various formats, including a three-LP black vinyl, three-LP white vinyl exclusive to indie record stores and a three-LP red vinyl direct-to-consumer edition.
There’s also a two CD, DVD + two CD, Blu-ray + two CD. The Blu-ray and digital versions will include Dolby Atmos.
The guest heavy gig, one of the most memorable in band history, originally aired on payper-view that year but hasn’t been available to fans until now. Appearances include Lady Gaga on “Gimme Shelter,” the Black Keys on “Who Do You Love?,” former Stone Mick Taylor reprising his live ’70s guitar centerpiece on “Midnight Rambler,” Gary Clark Jr. and John Mayer teaming up for “Going Down” and New Jersey’s favorite son Bruce Springsteen on “Tumbling Dice.”
Additional songs on the “GRRR Live!” set are indisputable classics like “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It),” “Honky Tonk Women,” “Start Me Up,” “Wild Horses,” “Sympathy for The Devil” and “Dead Flowers” among others.
Time will tell, but here’s to the Rolling Stones putting out a live collection from their 2022 tour, simply dubbed “Sixty,” sometime around their 70th anniversary.
Vinyl of the week
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary act. This week, it’s the debut effort from one of hard rock’s more divisive bands in recent history.
• Creed, “My Own Prison: 25th Anniversary”
When Creed exploded onto the scene in the late ’90s, it was a shot in the arm to rock ’n’ roll.
Front to back, their 1997 debut “My Own Prison” gave hope to what many were considering a near dead genre given the influx of nu-metal and teen pop dominating the airwaves. This Friday, Craft Recordings celebrates the 25th anniversary of the bestseller, appearing on vinyl for the first time.
The multi-platinum record features the chart-topping hits “Torn,” “What’s This Life For,” “One” and the title track.
In addition to a wide release on classic black wax, fans can also find the album in a variety of limited-edition, exclusive variants, including opaque orange via the magazine Revolver, metallic silver exclusively at Walmart and root beer vinyl, available only in the Craft Recordings official webstore.
“My Own Prison” marked the beginning of a rarified journey for singer Scott Stapp, guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips.
Formed in Tallahassee, Fla. in 1994, Creed was the brainchild of longtime friends Stapp and Tremonti, who first started writing together while attending Florida State University. Soon, the group gelled into a four-piece and set up shows around the city.
It was at one of those gigs that Creed caught the ears of club owner and artist manager Jeff Hanson, who paired the group with producer, songwriter and musician John Kurzweg, who recorded “My Own Prison” in his home.
The self-released album became a hot commodity at local radio stations, selling more than 6,000 copies within its first month. Before long, Wind-Up Records discovered the young act, promptly signing them and re-mixing the record for wide release.
Over the following year-and-ahalf, the Creed’s profile grew exponentially, as did sales of “My Own Prison,” which first topped Billboard’s Heatseeker Albums chart in November 1997 and peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 the following May.
The four singles from the album would have chart success too, including “My Own Prison,” “One,” and “What’s This Life For,” which all broke the Top 10 of Billboard’s Alternative and Mainstream Rock charts.
The title track also landed in the Canadian Top 50, while “One” entered the Billboard Hot 100.
“My Own Prison” would later be certified six times platinum and — boosted by the global success of Creed’s sophomore album, 1999’s “Human Clay” — topped Billboard’s year-end Top Pop Catalog charts in both 2000 and 2001.
Like any act that experiences a rocket ride to explosive popularity, the backlash was swift against Creed, especially given the perceived inflating ego of Stapp, eventually leading to the breakup of the band in 2004.
The group briefly reunited in 2009 to release the LP “Full Circle” and tour before returning to their respective individual projects, including Alter Bridge, the hard rock quartet featuring all the members of Creed except Stapp, with Myles Kennedy handling vocals.
Look for the variants of “My Own Prison” online and in stores from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.