''Flashpoint'' is a live album by the English rock band

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...

, their first live album by the group since 1982's ''

Still Life A still life (plural: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or man-made (drinking glasses, bo ...

''. The album was compiled by Chris Kimsey with the assistance of Chris Potter. The album was recorded in 1989 and 1990 on the

Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels Tour was a concert tour which was launched in North America in August 1989 to promote the band's album '' Steel Wheels''; it continued to Japan in February 1990, with ten shows at the Tokyo Dome. The European leg ...

and released in 1991. '' Steel Wheels Live'', released in 2020, is another release from the tour, with a complete 1989 concert and a selection of live rarities. The tour and the two studio tracks recorded for ''Flashpoint'' were the last for bassist and long-time member

Bill Wyman William George Wyman (né Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who achieved international fame as the bassist for the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member ...

as a Rolling Stone.

History

Recorded across North America, Europe and Japan, ''Flashpoint'' is also the first Rolling Stones release of the 1990s and, unlike previous live sets, includes two new studio tracks: " Highwire" and "Sex Drive"; the former was released as a single earlier in 1991 and was a comment on the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

. The latter was described as a "basically a dance-track" by Chris Jagger, and a remix 12" would be released of it later that year. Although the live selections are mostly familiar hits mixed in with new tracks from ''Steel Wheels'', ''Flashpoint'' also includes lesser-known songs like " Factory Girl" from 1968's ''

Beggars Banquet ''Beggars Banquet'' is the 7th British and 9th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 6 December 1968 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States. It was the first Ro ...

'' and "

Little Red Rooster "Little Red Rooster" (or "The Red Rooster" as it was first titled) is a blues standard credited to arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon. The song was first recorded in 1961 by American blues musician Howlin' Wolf in the Chicago blues style. His ...

", originally a No. 1 UK hit single in 1964, featured here with special guest

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list o ...

on guitar. According to Chris Jagger, some of the backing vocals were re-recorded and Ron Wood added guitar to three tracks afterwards. ''Flashpoint'' was recorded using

binaural recording Binaural recording is a method of recording sound that uses two microphones, arranged with the intent to create a 3-D stereo sound sensation for the listener of actually being in the room with the performers or instruments. This effect is ...

. This gives the effect that the concert audience is behind the home listener. The audience cheer track was taken from the Rolling Stones' 1970 live album '' Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!'', complete with an audience member shouting out a request: "'

Paint It Black "Paint It Black" is a song recorded in 1966 by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of the songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it is a raga rock song with Indian, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European in ...

', 'Paint It Black', you devil".

Bill Wyman's departure

As ''Flashpoint'' was The Rolling Stones' final release under their contract with

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

, the band signed a new lucrative long-term worldwide deal with

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a world ...

in 1991, with the exception of

. After 30 years with the band, the 55-year-old Wyman decided that he had other interests he wanted to pursue and felt that, considering the size of the recently completed ''Steel Wheels'' project and tour, it was fitting to bow out at that time. Although he would not officially announce his departure until January 1993 – during the interim the rest of the band had repeatedly asked him to reconsider – he had talked about leaving the band for at least ten years. After Wyman's departure,

Ronnie Wood Ronald David Wood (born 1 June 1947) is an English rock musician, best known as an official member of the Rolling Stones since 1975, as well as a member of Faces and the Jeff Beck Group. Wood began his career in 1964, playing guitar with a ...

was taken off salary and made a full member of the Rolling Stones partnership, eighteen years after he joined the band.

Release

''Flashpoint'' was released in April 1991 and was generally well-received, with "Highwire" becoming a rock radio hit, and managed to reach No. 6 in the UK and No. 16 in the US, where it went gold. In 1998, ''Flashpoint'' was remastered and reissued by

, and again in 2010 by

Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and it ...

Track listing

All tracks written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, except where noted.

CD

#"(Intro) Continental Drift" – 0:26 #"

Start Me Up "Start Me Up" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1981 album '' Tattoo You''. Released as the album's lead single, it reached number one on Australian Kent Music Report, number two in Canada, number two on the '' ...

" – 3:54 #"Sad Sad Sad" – 3:33 #" Miss You" – 5:55 #"

Rock and a Hard Place "Rock and a Hard Place" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1989 album '' Steel Wheels''. It is the second single from the album, and remains the most recent ''Billboard'' top 40 hit by the band. Recording Credited ...

" – 4:52 #" Ruby Tuesday" – 3:33 #"

You Can't Always Get What You Want "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones on their 1969 album ''Let It Bleed''. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by '' Rolling Stone' ...

" – 7:26 #" Factory Girl" – 2:47 #"Can't Be Seen" – 4:17 #"

" (

Willie Dixon William James Dixon (July 1, 1915January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was proficient in playing both the upright bass and the guitar, and sang with a distinctive voice, but he ...

) – 5:15 #"

" – 4:02 #"

Sympathy for the Devil "Sympathy for the Devil" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones and the opening track from the band's 1968 album ''Beggars Banquet''. The song is a product of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' songwriting partnership. It is consi ...

" – 5:35 #"

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

" – 4:06 #"

Jumpin' Jack Flash "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released as a non-album single in 1968. Called "supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London" by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, the song was perceived by some as t ...

" – 5:00 #"

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' songwriting partnership, it features a guitar riff by Richards that opens and drives the song. The rif ...

" – 6:09 #" Highwire" – 4:44 #"Sex Drive" – 5:07 "Rock and a Hard Place" and "Can't Be Seen", were not included on the vinyl version.

Cassette Tape

Side one #(Intro) "Continental Drift" – 0:29 #"Start Me Up" – 3:54 #"Sad Sad Sad" – 3:33 #"Miss You" – 5:55 #"Rock and a Hard Place" – 4:52 #"Ruby Tuesday" – 3:34 #"You Can't Always Get What You Want" – 7:26 #"Factory Girl" – 2:48 #"Sex Drive" – 4:28 Side two #"Can't Be Seen" – 4:17 #"Little Red Rooster" (Dixon) – 5:15 #"Paint It Black" – 4:02 #"Sympathy for the Devil" – 5:35 #"Brown Sugar" – 4:10 #"Jumpin' Jack Flash" – 5:00 #"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" – 6:08 #"Highwire" – 4:46

Other songs/B-sides and charity single

The following songs were recorded during the same set of concerts and later released as

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

s: *"

2000 Light Years from Home "2000 Light Years from Home" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on their 1967 album ''Their Satanic Majesties Request''. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it also appeared as the B-side to the American sing ...

" – 3:24 (13 June 1990; Olympic Stadium; Barcelona Spain) – Only released on "Highwire" singles *"

Gimme Shelter "Gimme Shelter" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones. Released as the opening track from band's 1969 album ''Let It Bleed''. The song covers topics of war, murder, rape and fear. It features prominent guest vocals by American singe ...

" – 4:47 (26 November 1989; Memorial Stadium; Clemson, South Carolina) – Charity single released in 1993 *"

Harlem Shuffle "Harlem Shuffle" is an R&B song written and originally recorded by the duo Bob & Earl in 1963. In 1986, it was covered by the British rock band The Rolling Stones on their album '' Dirty Work''. Bob & Earl The original single, arranged by Ge ...

" ( Bob Relf, Ernest Nelson) – 4:35 (27 February 1990; Korakuen Dome; Tokyo, Japan) – Only released on one of the variations of the UK "Ruby Tuesday" single *" I Just Want to Make Love to You" (Dixon) – 3:58 (6 July 1990; Wembley Stadium; London, England) – Only released on "Highwire" singles *" Play with Fire" (

Nanker Phelge Nanker Phelge (a.k.a. Nanker/Phelge) was a collective pseudonym used between 1963 and 1965 for several Rolling Stones group compositions. Stones bassist Bill Wyman explained the origins of the name in his 2002 book, ''Rolling with the Stones'': ...

) – 3:31 (26 November 1989; Memorial Stadium; Clemson, South Carolina) – Released on "Ruby Tuesday" single *"

Street Fighting Man "Street Fighting Man" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, written by the songwriting team of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Considered one of the band's most popular and most controversial songs, it features Indian instrume ...

" – 3:43 (25 August 1990; Wembley Stadium; London, England) – Only released on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" Maxi-CD singles *"

Tumbling Dice "Tumbling Dice" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' songwriting partnership, the song has a blues, boogie-woogie rhythm that scholars and musicians have noted for its ...

" – 4:12 (24 August 1990; Wembley Stadium; London, England) – Only released on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" singles *" Undercover of the Night" – 3:59 (19 December 1989; Atlantic City Convention Center; Atlantic City, New Jersey) – Released on the "Ruby Tuesday" single All tracks besides "Gimme Shelter" released in 1990.

Personnel

The Rolling Stones *

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

– lead vocals, guitars, harmonica *

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

– vocals, guitars *

– guitars *

– bass guitar *

Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an i ...

– drums Additional personnel *Matt Clifford – keyboards,

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...

Chuck Leavell Charles Alfred Leavell (born April 28, 1952) is an American musician. A member of the Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the band Sea Level. He has served as the pri ...

– keyboards, backing vocals *

Bobby Keys Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who performed with other musicians as a member of several horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Ni ...

– saxophone *

Horns Horns or The Horns may refer to: * Plural of Horn (instrument), a group of musical instruments all with a horn-shaped bells * The Horns (Colorado), a summit on Cheyenne Mountain * ''Horns'' (novel), a dark fantasy novel written in 2010 by Joe Hill ...

by The Uptown Horns – Arno Hecht, Paul Litteral, Bob Funk, Crispin Cioe *The Kick Horns - horns on "Rock and a Hard Place" *

Bernard Fowler Bernard Fowler (born January 2, 1960) is an American musician. He is known for a long association with The Rolling Stones, providing backing vocals since 1989 and on their studio recordings and live tours. Fowler has been a featured guest vocali ...

– backing vocals *

Lisa Fischer Lisa Fischer (born December 1, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She found success with her 1991 debut album ''So Intense'', which produced the Grammy Award–winning hit single "How Can I Ease the Pain". She has been a back-up singer ...

– backing vocals *Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals *Lorelei McBroom- backing vocals *

– guitar on "Little Red Rooster" *Live recordings by

Bob Clearmountain Bob Clearmountain (born January 15, 1953) is an American recording engineer, mixer and record producer. He has worked with many major acts, including Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Toto, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams, with whom he has a ve ...

, David Hewitt *Mastered by

Bob Ludwig Robert C. Ludwig (born c. 1945) is an American mastering engineer. He has mastered recordings on all the major recording formats for all the major record labels, and on projects by more than 1,300 artists including Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, Que ...

at Gateway Mastering Studios *Mixed by Christopher Marc Potter *Bernard Fowler – backing vocals on "Highwire" *

Katie Kissoon Mac and Katie Kissoon are a pop soul duo, consisting of brother and sister Mac Kissoon (born Gerald Farthing, November 11, 1943, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) and Katie Kissoon (born Katherine Farthing, March 11, 1951, Port of Spain). E ...

– backing vocals on "Sex Drive" * Tessa Niles – backing vocals on "Sex Drive" *Studio tracks mixed by Chris Kimsey and Mark Stent *Engineered by Mark Stent *Assistant Engineer Nick Hartley on "Sex Drive" and "Highwire" *Art direction and design by Garry Mouat and David Crow

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1991 live albums Albums produced by Chris Kimsey Albums produced by the Glimmer Twins Rolling Stones Records live albums The Rolling Stones live albums Virgin Records live albums