Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Gimme Shelter

It has become a rite of passage for female singers to sing Gimme Shelter with Mick Jagger.

They all approach it differently and they all ignite a different dynamic with Mick. But they all give it their all. It's a great song to perform because it wails - it gives these women a chance to show off their chops, to really cut loose. I'm sure many invitees have declined in fear of not being able to handle it.

Lady Gaga recently joined the list during a Stones 50th anniversary concert.  I didn't know what to expect because I haven't paid much attention to Lady G. She belted it out pretty good, she definitely held her own. She also made a lot of eye contact with Mick. I love to watch the interaction between these femme fatales and The Mickster. They all want to express their individuality and avoid looking like sycophants, but you know they are awestruck. Ain't no avoiding it.

And there is always sexual tension (real or affected) in the air.

That's what legend is all about. Mick is 69 now and has more lines on his face than cocaine on Charlies Sheen's mirror, but he is STILL Mick Jagger. He is in great shape and he has the mystique; the mystique of success and excess and fame and creativity. The mystique of being the lead singer and co-founder of one of the most famous and ground breaking bands in the world. In history.

Women want him.

By the way, Lady G wore a pair of shoes on stage that night that amazed me. They made her a foot taller and how the hell she rocked on them is beyond me. I'm gonna get me a pair and wear them to my next job interview.

Florence Welch did the duo at another of the 50th anniversary concerts. I didn't know what to expect because I didn't know who the hell she was. She is Florence from Florence + the Machine, a British indie rock band.

She blew me away with attitude. The women jump into the song about a minute and a half into it. The band cranks it up, Mick builds to wail and the women strut onto the stage. Florence walked across the stage and got right in Mick's face. I mean right in his face. She wailed pretty good but I got the feeling the song was right at the edge of her range.

But she kept up the attitude. Got close to Mick, staked out a chunk of his space and delivered emotion raw and suggestive. I loved it.

Mary J. Blige took a whack at it at another 50th anniversary gig. I wasn't as impressed. She didn't establish a presence on stage and she didn't give the vocal the power it needs.

The best I have seen recently was Fergie. She took it on a few years ago at the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. U2 was playing, and Mick Strutted on stage as Fergie stood up back and ramped up her intensity slowly. She made her way to center stage and WAILED. Nailed it. And she kept teasing Mick and then walking away from him. Like, yeah, you turn me on but I don't NEED you.

Very cool.

Lisa Fischer earns the title The One Who Comes Closest. Lisa has been touring with The Stones since 1989 as a back up singer. She steps up for Gimme Shelter and rocks it to the moon. She has a powerful presence and even more powerful voice. Let's face it, The Stones are not going to keep anybody around for 23 years who cannot deliver the goods. She vibrates the rafters and  raises emotion to quintessential expression. She can handle Mick.

Nobody can beat Merry Clayton. She's the original. On Let It Bleed. She redefines the meaning of the word wail. She put her heart and soul into it and raises goose bumps on my weary, aging arms every time I hear her raging voice.

Magic.

There are 6,374 women I have omitted. Do some homework if you care. I did mine this morning. Watched a bunch of YouTube, which brings me to a predictable aside.

I have said it a million times and I will be saying it on my death bed. Charlie Watts' smirk, his sardonic smile, is one of my favorite things in the world. Check out The Stones live, check out videos and you will always catch Charlie smirking. You will always catch eye contact between him and Keith and a smile.

You will also see the reverence with which Keith approaches every song. Even on the 347,000th performance.

I have pledged to myself, when I get personal in here, not to make promises any more in this blog. To try not to talk about what I want, to talk only about what I have accomplished.

Gonna break that here. I have set certain short term goals for myself in 2013 that I WANT. Not gonna tell you what they are.

But I will say that I hope to get Carol up on stage to sing Gimme Shelter with Mick when The Stones come back around.

She would dig that.

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