The streams crossed when Keith Richards intoned: "Ladies and gentlemen: Phish" introducing Loving Cup on the Fallon show recently. We are wearing the grooves out of the Exile on Main Street re-release, and decided to put it head to head against Phish's tour de force Festival 8 Musical Costume of Exile performed 10/31/2009.
The home team won Musical Costumes 1, 2 and 3 (Beatles, The Who, Talking Heads) and Phish won a spilt decision in Musical Costume 4 improving on The Velvet Underground's Loaded. So, how does the re-mastered Exile on Main Street hold-up against the talented Vermont jazz-rockers?
Rocks Off (RS 4:31; PH 5:34 ) "The sunshine bores the daylights out of me…" Country twinged builder racing along at Mick pace. Good pleated skirt song. Ph super-syncopates it but cant match Mick's punching vocals. Winner: Stones.
Rip This Joint (RS 2:22; PH 2:47) "Wham bam Birmingham…" Keith is almost too much of a distraction, but Mick's english-articulation pushes this close call in his direction. Winner: Stones.
Shake Your Hips (RS: 2:59; PH 4:01) "Gonna tell you about a dance, that's goin around.." Somehow, Page is more convincing. Winner: Phish.
Casino Boogie (RS 3:33; PH 6:12) "Judge and jury walk out hand in hand…" Phish is tighter (supertrampy if you will); and Mick is a bit too loose. Winner: Phish.
Tumbling Dice (RS 3:45; PH 5:51) "You can be my partner in crime…." The original is infectiously groovy and slidy – and much more powerful. Keith's crescendo. Phish is pip-poppy. Winner: Stones.
Sweet Virginia (RS 4:25; PH 5:07) "Thank you for your wine California…" Stones have better finger-picking, but Jonny B. Fishman carries the day, the sarcastic tone, and the tune. Winner: Phish.
Torn and Frayed (RS 4:17; PH 8:54) "Bound to follow you down…." Mick sounds a little too torn and frayed. Page and Trey somehow manage to cockney-free the lyrics, but then tear the song a new one. Winner: Phish.
Sweet Black Angel (RS 2:54; PH 3:25) "Not a red loving school mom…" Phish does the light touch well, but the Stones pick it deeper. Floater song. Winner: Stones.
Loving Cup (RS 4:23; PH 7:50) "I'm the man that brings you roses when you aint got none…." The Stones are all perfectly bo-jangly, but as Trey is quite aware, Phish owns this song (I can run and jump and fish!"). Winner: Phish.
Happy (RS 3:04; PH 4:21) "Always took candy from strangers…." Phish up-tempos it, but Fish is about 10,000 Marlboros from ready to hit Keith's parts on this one. Keith is happy in his own way, yes? Winner: Stones.
Turd on the Run (RS 2:36; PH 4:10) "Well I lost a lot of love over you…." Phish gets the sarcastic undertone, but Keith's handlers have him sounding more jaunty. Winner: Stones.
Ventilator Blues (RS 3:24; PH 5:15) "Everybody's gonna need a ventilator" This time, the Stones are tighter, but Page keeps the song out of the dirt. Winner: Phish.
I Just Want to See His Face (RS 2:52; PH 7:23) "You don’t want to walk and talk about Jesus, you just want to see his face…" Mick as demi-deus again, combining the devil drums, angel choir and bottom of the tube vocals; but Phish has 30,000 in rapt amazement. Winner: Phish.
Let it Loose (RS 5:16; PH 6:54) "Take the shine right off your shoes…" The Stones are popping all over; Page takes it slower with more harmony (and talent?) but the Stones hit the higher emotion. Winner: Stones.
All Down the Line (RS 3:49; PH 5:39) "Well you cant say yes and you cant say no...." Considering how perfect this song seemed in real time at Festival 8, the Stones' version plucks, twinkles, blows, and shimmys it out of the water (three decades earlier….) Winner: Stones.
Stop Breaking Down (RS 4:34; PH 4:38) "Gonna make you lose your mind…." Keith is slidier, but Page is groovier. Winner: Phish.
Shine a Light (RS 4:14; PH 5:45) "Make every song you sing your favorite tune…." Phish nails every aspect of this – the revival, the subtle vocals, the pounding piano, the audience sing along. The Mick/Keith version is also nice. Winner: Phish.
Soul Survivor (RS 3:49; PH 7:05) "I've got the bell bottom blues…." Mick sounds a bit dehydrated, but like he is living the song. Page's soul is bought and sold. Winner: Stones.
Final winner: 9-9 tie!
See you in Camden.