I mentioned over the weekend that, while watching Gimme Shelter, I was struck by how little sense we get of the Rolling Stones as a group of people. Not so much when they are onstage, because I always sort of knew that what we saw up there was "The Rolling Stones" rather than Mick, Keith, Charlie, Bill, and Brian/Mick/Ron--there are bands who have a performance persona, and there are bands who are up there being pretty much themselves, and I am cool with both (even though I seem to prefer the latter.)

No, it was the offstage stuff that was a little unsettling, like they never ever let their guard down around the cameras.

It occurred to me that a really good example of the opposite reaction is (of course) Festival Express. I mean--every time I watch that damn movie I feel bad about Janis Joplin all over again, because she is just so darned likable.

Also, as I commented during the cake-eating party, when she breaks out that raucous, exuberant wail on the beginning of "Cry Baby"--well, imagine you were out there in the audience on a hot summer night, and it was dark, and you were a bit high, and suddenly there was a light and that voice coming from the stage. You'd be apt to think, "That must be God! And she likes us!"

Also, while re-watching the movie last night for the God-knows-how-manyth time, it also occurred to me that, while the Stones were really good in the Madison Square Garden footage from Gimme Shelter--The Band could kick all their asses. I don't know if everything really does sound better with keyboards, or if it was just the natural tension caused by simmering hatred under the surface (I don't even know if there was simmering hatred at that point) but wow, The Band was much more exciting on the Festival Express stage than the Stones were at Madison Square Garden.

YMMV, of course.