Live Licks [Edited] by Rolling Stones (The) (CD, Nov-2004, 2 Discs, Virgin Records USA)

After the Stones came out with 40 Licks, they decided to do another tour, and this is the result. At 60 years of age, how can they keep doing what they're doing? They must really enjoy playing. Most people that age are retired and sitting in their chairs just content to watch the weather or an occasional ballgame, or sit in a casino and gamble. Not these guys. Instead they go on a tour that includes 23 different countries. Wow! Not bad for guys who should be ready to retire and check into old folks homes. And I'm not making fun of their age, I'm in awe of them. They are modern marvels.

Too bad Bill Wyman wasn't around to do the tour with them. He's even older than the rest, so it's understandable to see why he didn't tour. He quit in 1993 and he's around 70 now. But everyone else did the tour. Mick still singing, Ron and Keith still playing tasteful licks on the guitar, and Charlie still keeping time.

The double album starts off with Brown Sugar and never stops rocking 'til you pull the disc out of your stereo. Awesome versions of just about everything-You Can't Always Get What You Want goes from it's usual ballad style to rocking with excellent piano playing. Sheryl Crow sings along with Mick on Honky Tonk Women and it's actually pretty cool. There are a lot of songs on here that you don't hear the Stones do every day on their live albums. Can't You Hear Me Knocking never sounded better. Thank you. Happy, a cool tune off of Exile, sounds pretty cool with Keith singing lead. As good as Angie is on the studio album, I think it's even better here live. The guitar playing is superb. That can be said about a lot of songs on this collection. The Stones haven't digressed a bit with age, not according to this. They've actually gotten better. I love all of the Stones live albums, but I have to say that I like this one the best. It doesn't have the unpredictable energy that their really early live albums have (Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out and Got Live If You Want It), but they seem more professional. I suppose it doesn't hurt that they're that much older and have an even bigger catalog of songs to play from, and they've played so many live shows that they know what works best for them now. Plus they've been around so long, they can afford to have a big production and have all the instruments they want, and have the best sound equipment and sound men that money can buy. It really shows. This is the best sounding live album they've released. I know there all kinds of live recordings on Ebay (you'd have to have unlimited money and time to listen to them all), I'm just talking about their mainstream ones, not all the special imports and limited edition live albums.

Anyway, these guys have been doing this now for over 4 decades, and there seems to be no reason for them to quit anytime soon. They still rock, and they're productive doing something that a lot of guys half their age would maybe get sick of, which is doing a worldwide tour. I think there's a reason these guys continue touring and recording even though they're wealthy enough where they don't need to do anything but sit back and enjoy life. Maybe they do it as a tribute to their fans, or maybe this is the only way they know how to live. They've been doing it so long, maybe they don't know any other way. And maybe that's what keeps them alive. They sure sound alive to me.

Never received the disc. This is a awful seller. I didn't check seller reviews before I bid on this disc. Had to get my money refunded by paypal. Ebay should police their sellers much better than they apparently do. This guy has a list of not sending merchandise a mile long. Yet ebay still lets him post. Feel better now ebay.