What if Jimmy Page Played Lead Guitar in the Rolling Stones? (It Actually Happened)

[toomanycats]

On the 1986 Rolling Stones album Dirty Work, the lead guitar on the opening track “One Hit to the Body” is played by Jimmy Page. If you've incorporated into your soul the unique artistic vocabulary Page employed on later Led Zeppelin tracks like "Ten Years Gone," and subsequently on tracks on the 1985 The Firm album, then you will recognize this unique tone and language of double stops and hypnotic droning. In 1986 Jimmy Page is still the uncredited ringer brought in to sweeten the track, just like he was on the James Bond soundtrack for Diamonds are Forever, and on Kinks tracks from the same era.

To emphasis Page's lasting and profound influence into the late 80s, I also present as evidence Tesla, Kingdom Come, and Salty Dog.

In the official Rolling Stones video for “One Hit to the Body” Keith prances around the stage set while the video editor makes cuts at a jarring pace. The stage reminds me of what Van Halen used on the 5150 tour.

For the record, I love this Stones album. It's still the mid/late 1970s lineup, with Charlie's off kilter backbeat, to which Bill Wyman circles like one half of a binary star system, with the amazing guitar and amp tones from Keith and Ronnie. The Stones are struggling to remain relevant in the mid 80s, and succeeding spectacularly.

[tonebender]

I love the Stones. I just added Honky Tonk Women to my acoustic show. I do not think I would cover the song with a band anymore but it really works well acoustically. Clearly the Stones tune I have covered the most is Dead Flowers. Ironically 9 out 10 people never heard of it (just my guess based on my experience). At least 100 times I got kudos for writing that song from a patron at a gig, only to inform them it was the Stones.

[tlarson58]

I can hear it but would have had no idea if you didn't bring it up.

[glasshand]

I love the Stones. I just added Honky Tonk Women to my acoustic show. I do not think I would cover the song with a band anymore but it really works well acoustically. Clearly the Stones tune I have covered the most is Dead Flowers. Ironically 9 out 10 people never heard of it (just my guess based on my experience). At least 100 times I got kudos for writing that song from a patron at a gig, only to inform them it was the Stones.

That's why I always say, "If you liked that last song, we wrote it. If you didn't like it, it was someone else."

[Lamf77]

I clearly remember this era Stones. Keith was pissed Mick wanted to prance around and be suspended on Cherry Pickers above the crowd....Keith wanted to rock. A bit of that animosity shows at the beginning of this video....the shove had intent. Not one of their "great" albums...but better in retrospect than most of their subsequent efforts.
Regarding Page....loved early Zeppelin...after and during "Physical Grafitti" not as much. Page seemed to gradually start to suck, seemily to rely more on unique tones than skill....most of his live performances are terrible. Most blame the drugs. Decent work here though!

[toomanycats]

I clearly remember this era Stones. Keith was pissed Mick wanted to prance around and be suspended on Cherry Pickers above the crowd....Keith wanted to rock. A bit of that animosity shows at the beginning of this video....the shove had intent. Not one of their "great" albums...but better in retrospect than most of their subsequent efforts.
Regarding Page....loved early Zeppelin...after and during "Physical Grafitti" not as much. Page seemed to gradually start to suck, seemily to rely more on unique tones than skill....most of his live performances are terrible. Most blame the drugs. Decent work here though!

1986

Van Halen's 5150.

Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet.

Motley Crue's Theatre of Pain.

This was the zeitgeist which, whoever was at the helm of, "The Stones," struggled to come to terms with.

[andrewsrea]

I recently saw a documentary of the 'Sticky Fingers' era. Watts and Wyman were a unit, no doubt. And if you listen to the sometimes busy bass lines, they do not match watching him, as he is an awkward thumb picker.