Who plays lead guitar on 'Gimme Shelter'?

Cafe Society
1

I know that the recordings on Let It Bleed came from a hodgepodge of sessions, some still with Brian Jones, some already with Mick Taylor and some without both of them, with some Ry Cooder in the mix (that’s him on slide on Let It Bleed, isn’t it?), so I really don’t know who plays which on that album, especially who plays lead on Gimme Shelter. The rhythm guitar is unmistakably Keith, and I have a hunch that it’s also him on lead, but I just don’t know. Do you?

2

If the wiki is too be believed, it was all Richards on that one.

3

Well thank you, but I’m a bit embarrassed that I didn’t check wiki myself :smack:. At least my hunch was right.

4

Note that Brian Jones doesn’t play *any *guitar on Let It Bleed. He appears on just two tracks, playing percussion on “Midnight Rambler” and autoharp on “You Got the Silver.”

5

I didn’t know that. But while we’re at it, on which tracks is Mick Taylor?

6

“Country Honk” (playing slide) and “Live With Me.”

7

Ah, thanks. Next time I listen to the album (after having listened to it tonight in a Stones binge :)), I’ll keep an ear on those tracks.

8

Without a doubt the best Stones track ever.

9

There are some strong contenders, but yes it is. Arguably the best song that was never a single.

10

I read an interview of Charlie Watts in Creem many years ago where he discussed this. Watts said that one of the main reasons the Stones lost Mick Taylor and had issues with guitarists not wanting to join the Stones was that Keith insisted on recording all the guitar parts himself. This was many years ago this interview took place, but that was related by Watts to Lisa Robinson (from memory, I’m pretty sure is was to Robinson).

FWIW.

11

I would add Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ to that list. My two favorites by them.

Yeah, it sounds all Keith - he did a lot of the rhythm parts using his distorted reel-to-reel approach, using its input like a preamp, like he did with JJFlash and Street Fighting Man.

Such a wonderful track. The studio and Merry Clayton matter so much to that track. The live versions I have heard from the 70’s, like on The Belgian Affair former-bootleg-now-official, which is my favorite live recording by them, it sounds different. Great, but different.