Hot Rocks 1964-1971 [DSD Remastered]

I'll start with the former.

This is one of those few, special, greatest hits sets that is, in every way, perfect! Most best of's always leave off important tracks and have moments of worthless filler. Others are made obsolete by better, more complete sets. Not Hot Rocks. Merely because it covers only the best, most famous, and most influential songs of the 7 years when the Stones were at their peak, mountains above the rest of rock and roll. (except the Beatles, Dylan, and Hendrix). Sure Not Fade Away, The Last Time, and 2000 Light Years (among others) were fine, but how can you say they aren't dwarfed by the looming presence of every song on this album? (Which includes Time is on my Side, Satisfaction, Paint it Black, Let's Spend the Night Together, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Sympathy for the Devil, and Brown sugar)

In conclusion this is a perfect sampler of everything that was great and magical about the Rolling Stones, and remains great and magical today. Words can not describe the greatness of the songs in this album, so I can only say this, I can only say that you are not a rock and roll fan until you are Stones fan. So for everybody who wishes to sink their teeth into the glory days of the Rolling Stones, Hot Rocks is the place to begin. (Note: While you're at it, get Exile on Main Street and Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out as well.)

Now for those who already who need a reason to buy this again.

Most everyone who collects music knows how badly one can be screwed out of well-earned money by remasters. (i.e the Ozzy Osbourne "remasters" released this year) Not this time around. You will never Rolling Stones recordings that sound so fresh and clear. New musical bits are brought to the surface for the first time in years. (Most notably on Honky Tonk Woman where horns and new guitar licks can be heard for the first time) And all those classic old songs now sound sharper and more distinct than ever. You can hear those wonderful guitar riffs, drums, and bass licks (oh those wonderful Bill Wyman bass licks) like never before. (i.e. Brian Jones' sitar on Paint it Black is at last brought to the front of the mix, and you can actually hear two different guitars on Midnight Rambler). It gets even better for those that have bought SACD players, for on the SACD layer it sounds even more incredible. It almost sounds as if you are sitting there in the studio watching the Stones make the master takes. And for those that think this isn't worth buying, because all these songs are on other discs, think about this; you won't be hearing the original Brown Sugar and Wild Horses sounding so good for a while.

So in conclusion anybody who is anybody owes it to themselves to buy the new version of Hot Rocks. New fans get a sampler of some of the greatest music ever made, and the older fans get the best sounding glory-day Stones you'll ever hear. The Rolling Stones Remasters is one of the best (if not the best) of its kind. It is definetely worth checking out. And Hot Rocks ain't a bad place to start. Get it today!


awesome set from The Stones   May 30, 2008
a music fan
15 out of 17 found this review helpful

Hot Rocks 1964-1971 is an awesome two CD Stones compilation set that has so many of their best hits. This also makes a great introduction to the band, too, just as other people have said. The sound quality is excellent and the artwork is really nicely done.

The first CD starts with "Time Is On My Side;" this classic Stones tune really rocks well and they deliver this with lots of positive energy! The percussion is great; and The Stones sing and play this to perfection! "Heart Of Stone" has a great beat; and Mick Jagger sings this passionately--with all his heart and soul. He sings of a woman he knows and it all works very well. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is easily one of their best hits ever--and one of the best rock songs ever written, too. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" explores the frustration a man can feel when he doesn't have a girlfriend; and that's something many guys can relate to. The song rocks well anyway; and I could never tire of hearing The Rolling Stones doing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Excellent!

"Get Off Of My Cloud" is another classic by the Stones; this song has a great beat and they handle complicated tempo and key changes like the pros they were and still remain! Mick sings great and "Get Off Of My Cloud" is a major highlight of this two CD set; the lyrics are very creative, too. "Mother's Little Helper" uses some pretty awesome electric guitar; and listen for The Rolling Stones to do their very best on "Paint It Black." "Paint It Black" has one of the best arrangements The Stones ever wrote and sang; and the music is also very well done. "Under My Thumb" is yet another classic tune by this incredible band; they ace this easily and I always like to hear this song.

The first CD ends strong with The Rolling Stones doing "Let's Spend the Night Together." "Let's Spend the Night Together" celebrates the happiness of attraction between a man and a woman and that's terrific.

The second CD continues the hits. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" has a pretty cool flavor to it; those electric guitars work well and Mick Jagger sings this very well. "Sympathy For The Devil" was always one of my very favorite Stones tunes; "Sympathy For The Devil" keeps the new listener guessing at who the song is about until the song is well along and that draws in the listener really well. There's also the poignant "You Can't Always Get What You Want" with its sublime female chorus; this song about life makes its point well and that's the strength of this song in addition to the music. "Brown Sugar" rocks so hard that I love hearing this--even if it's over and over again! "Brown Sugar" is easily one of their best songs ever and the topic is interesting, to say the least...

The second CD ends with "Wild Horses;" "Wild Horses" is a passionate love song that always tugs at my heartstrings when I hear it. It moves me a lot and it's a total masterpiece. Good for them!

Overall, The Rolling Stones turned out a "greatest hits" set so strong it DID take on a life of its own. Even all these years later, this album sells quite well and newcomers are always buying it. This two CD set proves that The Rolling Stones were-and are--one of the best rock and roll bands of all time. It will be a long, long time before we see another band this good again.



DSD Revives The Classics!   May 3, 2007
Martin A Hogan (San Francisco, CA.)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

There's not much to add about the immense quality of the basic stereo versions of these songs. They are all immortal. However, this DSD (similar to SACD) brings out the subtle (and not so subtle) highs and lows of all tracks by accenting their high quality. Be aware that this is DSD and NOT SACD. It has to have the SACD logo to be SACD. That being said, you've never heard so clear a version of, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" or "Wild Horses". The most fantastic version is of, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" which not only sounds like the first time you heard it - it sounds like they are in your living room! I jest not!


Even better than before!   August 29, 2002
Matthew A. (San Francisco, CA)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

I'm not an expert on the sixties era Rolling Stones
but I was very familiar with the Hot Rocks collections,
both this edition and the More Hot Rocks collection. I was
very impressed with the mastering job on this to say the least.
The '86 CD edition fell flat in a number of ways, this corrects the muddy and flat sound. This is probably over kill, but here's a number of thoughts on the tracks. Even if you don't own a SACD player, you hear a huge difference on a conventional CD player.

Time Is On My Side - This sort of represents the R n B side of this band. Great stereo mix of this track with a lot of clarity.
Huge difference over the mono version from the '86 CD print.

Heart Of Stone - Another stereo mix, the lead guitar alone is so much clearer. the lyric just shows how edgey with tounges in cheek this band was back then.

Play With Fire - Same mono mix as before but with better clarity,
check out the mix on that keyboard track!

Satisfaction - Of course their all time classic, great and welcomed stereo mix with the acoustic guitar filling the sound and clear.

As Tears Go By - A favorite, yet one of the reasons why people complained about why the Stones were imitating the Beatles too much during the early sixties. Even if it's a bit of a take off
on 'Yesterday', still a great song. Same mono mix.

Get Off Of My Cloud - Great tune, seems imitavtive of what The Kinks were doing around that time. Much better mono mix of this.
great lead guitar fill!

Mother's Little Helper - The Mono Mix of this, not that fake stereo mix from the '86 CD. Another classic.

19th Nervous Breakdown - Probably my all time favorite of their
sixties era, the bass line is so much clearer on this mix, fantastic!

Paint It Black - Of course another classic of that time, this stereo mix is just wonderful.

Under My Thumb - This songs is one of the reasons why anyone could never accuse the Stones of being politically correct. J/K Not much of a difference between this mix and the 86' edition, still a major improvement though.

Ruby Tuesday - Great ballad, brings back memories, again simply
reinforces why this remaster is such an improvement.

Let's Spend The Night Together - You can hear the left channel guitar so much better on this edition

The stereo mixes on the following tracks are just an major improvement, Jumpin' Jack Flash - Street fighting Man - Sympathy
For The Devil.

Honky Tonk Women - Welcome edition of the stereo mix of this, the horns don't feel as cluttered as they did in the 86' edition
which had the mono mix of this great song.

Again, different, yet not different are the remaining tracks -
Gimmie Shelter - Midnight Rambler (live) - You Can't Always Get
What You Want - Brown Sugar - Wild Horses

Everything has so much more presence and clarity, my only complaint is that I wish they had included lyrics with this
remaster. Oh Well, You Can't Always Get What You Want, indeed.


Been a LONG time comin' -- WELL worth it -- Incredible sound   September 18, 2002
tunestony (Dayton, OH)
13 out of 16 found this review helpful

Tired of buying CD's that claim to be "remastered" only to bring them home and not be able to tell them apart from the original? You won't be disappointed here.

The Stones CD's of their 60's material were some of the most poorly mastered in history. The original Hot Rocks disc from 1986 is full of tape glitches, pops, hiss, and songs mastered at the wrong speed. Finally, justice has been served. This newly upgraded version blows away the original, fixing all the above-mentioned problems and then some. Even the most untrained ear will easily notice the vast improved sound quality.

And to those complaining about certain songs like "Satisfaction" and "Get Off My Cloud" not being in stereo...have you actually HEARD those versions? They stink! "Satisfaction" is sped WAY up and the wide stereo effect on both songs (drums in one speaker, etc) gives them less "punch."

Hooray to ABKCO records. They got it right this time.