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How ‘Beggars Banquet’ From 1968 Saved The Rolling Stones From Psychedelic Failure
The Rolling Stones' 1968 album Beggars Banquet marked a turning point for the band, arriving after a difficult period that included drug charges against Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones, and the commercial disappointment of their psychedelic detour Their Satanic Majesties Request. Bringing in producer Jimmy Miller, who took over after the band had produced themselves, proved crucial in steering them back towards the rootsy, bluesy rock sound that would define their most celebrated era, making the record an important stepping stone towards their later legendary status.
The sessions were complicated by the deteriorating state of founding member Brian Jones, whose drug problems and unreliability meant he rarely contributed meaningfully; he would be dismissed from the band shortly after the album's release. Despite this, the record was well received and is anchored by "Sympathy for the Devil", inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita, which became one of the defining songs of the era.
In short
- Beggars Banquet (1968) revived The Rolling Stones after a rocky period.
- Producer Jimmy Miller helped restore their bluesy rock sound.
- Brian Jones's decline during sessions led to his exit from the band.
Explained simply
By the late 1960s, The Rolling Stones were in turmoil, facing drug-related legal charges against band members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones. Their recent shift into psychedelic rock had also proved commercially disappointing, threatening to derail one of rock music's most important bands.
Beggars Banquet, released in 1968, saw the Stones return to the blues-influenced rock sound that had originally made them famous. With new producer Jimmy Miller at the helm, the album became both a critical and commercial success, beginning one of the most successful and celebrated periods of their career.
The recording sessions were hampered by founding member Brian Jones, whose drug problems made him increasingly unreliable and led to his dismissal shortly after the album's completion. Despite this, the album produced "Sympathy for the Devil", inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita, which became one of the era's most iconic songs.