Consistency and longevity makes a High Fidelity Brand

I haven't heard this latest album yet but I know it will be good. Before the cynics swamp me the point is that the Stones couldn't make a bad album if they tried.

Some of their stuff just takes a while to grow in your mind but there is nothing the Stones have made that I don't dig listening to.

Obviously some people are more fans than others but nobody knows anybody that isn't a fan of at least one Stones song. In fact there have been cases where people have admitted tapping their feet and swaying in time to the music until they realised who it was that was playing.

The Stones as a brand are worth billions and for every cynic who says that they lost their edge after the 70's there are hundreds of devoted fans that were born in the 70's.

This is a far cry from the band that in the early sixties did Beatles covers and they have to all intents and purposes perfected the recipe for music longevity.

Jagger snarling and strutting, Keith Richards with trade mark leer and dirty guitar, Ron Wood with the cool grin and relaxed demeanour and Charlie Watts nailing down the rhythm like drummers a third of his age wish that they could handle.

They've had the drug busts, the Hells Angels, Marianne Faithful and the Mars bar and a myriad of other scandals and headlines. But, unlike other bands that earned a reputation for recklessness, they are still alive and kicking.

They have also written tons of hit songs. The apocryphal story of Andrew Oldham locking Keith and Mick in the loo until they wrote a hit is probably just a story. They allegedly came out with the words and music for 'Satisfaction'.

My all time favourite band is Pink Floyd but when it comes down to doing the business year in and year out the Stones are light years ahead of the rest of the pack. That of course includes U2 as well.

For people that haven't gone back through the Stones CV I can recommend 'Exile on Main Street' and maybe 'Sticky Fingers'. The next step is to get hold of a copy of 'Tattoo you'.

Those are my personal faves and any Stones addict will have their own ideas although 'Exile' is generally accepted as their greatest moment.

Their music is one dimensional and hasn't changed in more than three decades is the rallying call from the cynics. My answer is simple. 'It's only rock n' roll but I like it'.

Find me a cynic that would bet against the Stones gearing up for another world tour in ten years time and I'll show you a hundred young bands trying to break through whilst playing Stones cover versions.