Original released on CD ABKCO 1268-2
(UK, October 1996)
The "Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus" became a thing of legend when the Rolling Stones refused to air it. Recorded in early December 1968, the show became famous for several reasons before it was officially released in 1996. First, fans of the Who were allegedly in for a treat with a performance of their mini-rock-opera "A Quick One While He's Away." Second, it featured an appearance by a supergroup known as the Dirty Mac, consisting of John Lennon and Eric Clapton on guitar, Keith Richards on bass, and Mitch Mitchell (of the Jimi Hendrix Experience) on drums. Last, it reportedly featured the last appearance of Brian Jones with the Rolling Stones before his death. This just had to be great. Right?! Well, in retrospect it is easy to see why this was shelved. the Who's performance is tight, but not as exciting as some claim it to be. Jethro Tull and Marianne Faithfull's performances are dull. The Dirty Mac is just okay, worth it mainly to hear Keith Richards play some thumpin' bass, an instrument he only turned to on occasion. (I must admit that I love the loathed "Whole Lotta Yoko" - I am clearly the target audience for that shit!) the Rolling Stones' set is relatively listless, save for "Parachute Woman," which is a revelation, far and away better than the version on "Beggars Banquet". They even mime over "Salt of the Earth," which is unfortunate. Probably the best thing on here apart from "Parachute Woman" is Taj Mahal's banger "Ain't that a Lot of Love," which gives the album a pulse it is lacking elsewhere. This expanded edition, available officially on vinyl for the first time, sounds fantastic. The bonus material is largely mediocre, of historical interest only, though the Dirty Mac's "Warmup Jam" provides some sloppy fun. Diehard fans of the various groups represented here will all probably claim to like this more than they really do. The event, with its ill-conceived circus theme, the Stones' version of Magical Mystery Tour (which at least had some brilliant music), is nothing more than a decent set of performance across what amounts to a missed opportunity. (in RateYourMusic)
This is the most interesting archival release of the Rolling Stones since "More Hot Rocks", 20 years ago, and the first issue of truly unreleased material by the Stones from this period. And the Stones have some competition from the Who, Taj Mahal, and John Lennon on the same release. Filmed and recorded on December 10-11, 1968, at a North London studio, "Rock and Roll Circus" has been, as much as the Beach Boys' Smile, "the one that got away" for most '60s music enthusiasts. The Jethro Tull sequence is the standard studio track, but the rest - except for the Stones' "Salt of the Earth" --is really live. The Who's portion has been out before, courtesy of various documentaries, but Taj Mahal playing some loud electric blues is new and great, the live Lennon rendition of "Yer Blues" is indispensable, and the Stones' set fills in lots of blanks in their history - "Jumpin' Jack Flash" in one of two live renditions it ever got with Brian Jones in the lineup, "Sympathy for the Devil" in an intense run-through, "Parachute Woman" as a lost live vehicle for the band, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" as a show-stopping rocker even without its extended ending (no Paul Buckmaster choir), and "No Expectations" as their first piece of great live blues since "Little Red Rooster." (Bruce Eder in AllMusic)
