The Rolling Stones have steadily gained artistic momentum during the '90's. First they replaced the aging Bill Wyman with hip jazzman Darryl Jones on bass, then the band began varying the set lists while adding more improvisatory feel. In fact, The Stones played a request off the internet as song #10 each night on the Bridges to Babylon tour.

Getting more comfortable on the road in '99 (the first time touring three years in a row since '64-'66) they are pushing a live release which uncorks a few oldies and profers outstanding performances of recent pick-hits like "Out of Control", "Thief in the Night" and "Saint of Me".

Keith continues to polish his mastery over rhythm, lick and swagger, while Jagger has cut down on the aerobics and staging of prior tours to concentrate more on delivering a deeper blues vocal and harp. The band motivates to prove you wrong if you think age hinders musical ability. In the 90's The Rolling Stones have released more well thought out lp concepts than during the 80's, incorporated set design more artfully, and introduced rare material ("Crazy Mama", "Memory Motel", "The Last Time" on Bridges tour, songs that you thought they had forgotten).

In the Oakland arena 1999 No Security tour opener, Mick Jagger clearly tweaked by the tabloid treatment of his pending divorce, spat out the sordid mantras of the title track of Some Girls. "Some girls give me children, I only made love to her once". Twenty years ago he wrote the song in the wake of his last divorce just before the band's last arena tour. After that number, as he moved uneasily toward Charlie Watts with his back to the crowd Mick muttered: "Well I hope I've offended everyone now." You really got the feeling that he was happier on stage than off.

"Some Girls" was only one of many songs performed onstage for the first time in over 20 years. The band dropped "Satisfaction" and "Miss You" for the first time since 1981, while including: "You Got The Silver" ("the first time I've done that, since I did it"- quipped the perma-partied Keith), "Moonlight Mile" and "Midnight Rambler" in a two hour set which heated up after a slow start. When the band reached the small mid-floor stage they burst into a raucous "Route 66" and "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" two songs off their self-titled 1964 lp. Now The Stones have lived long enough to get it the way they wanted it as teenagers. Experience has deepened the grooves.

The spartan black stage design set the tone, feauturing live video only -- no animations, no funny business just some in your face rock as pioneed by well, these same guys. The invented the blues cover band, write your originals, go on tour thing. Their story is on wax and in museums.

If you can't catch them live, get the cd titled No Security, it features an incredible version of "Live With Me" which the band keeps as a fixture in the set, stamping out another killer version in Oakland. As Jagger states in this cryptic 1968 song "My butler he shoots water water rats, and feeds them to his geese". Now in 1999, The Stones don't shock like they used to with their bad taste, seediness and misogyny -- they just fit in. The lyrics remain crisp over Richard and Wood's crunching guitar syncopation. Still setting a high standard begun on Stripped in 1996, the Stones have continued to gather only green stuff which is not moss.