The Rolling Stones-Metamorphosis (1975)


 Artist: The Rolling Stones

Title: Metamorphosis

Label: ABKCO

Format: 8-Track

Catalog Number: AB1T-4229

Year of Release: 1975

Country and Year of Edition: US 1975

Sell Price: $4.27

Sell Date: 5/31/26

Condition: VG/G+ name in pen on cover, tested start to finish

Discogs Last Sold: 4/17/25 VG+/VG+ $5.00

Low: $0.50

Median: $4.00

Average: $3.46

High: $5.00

Current low price: $4.00

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 7

Have/Want: 55/25

Where Sold: Fort Worth, TX

Time It Took To Sell:  3 years

Where and When Bought: Ebay 8-track lot

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B+

Sad To See It Go: No 

When it came out, Metamorphosis was lambasted as it joined a line of archive clearance albums (notable Dylan by Bob Dylan) after the artist switched labels.  While this one didn't quite go Gold, it did make it into Billboard's top 10 peaking at #8 in July 1975 on a 13 week run.  That is better than many compilations issued since.    The focus was Jagger/Richards songs from 1964-1969 after Bill Wyman compiled Black Box with a completely different track listing.  Wyman's version was scuttled by manager Allen Klein for publishing reasons.

The 8-track further shuffles the track listing and the presentation was made to look like a cohesive Stones album instead of the hodge podge of alternate takes, publishing demos with backing tracks used on other artists versions and Beggars Banquet/Let It Be outtakes from the end of the 60's.  Surprising there hasn't been an expanded version of this with a more reverential archival treatment, but ABKCO did reissue the title in 2002 when it revamped the whole catalog for SACD masters.  The US version shorted us two songs from the UK version which were restored upon worldwide reissue: "Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind" (issued with the same backing tracks by Dick and Dee Dee in 1965, then another version came out by Vashti Bunyan) and "We're Wastin' Time" (issued by Jimmy Tarbuck in 1965)

The seemingly Gay "I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys" was one of the 1964 demo tracks that made it from Wyman's Black Box.  It was issued hererofied by The Toggery Five as "I'd Rather Be Out With The Boys" in 1965.  Also covered were "Each and Everyday Of The Year" by Bobby Jameson, "Walkin' Thru The Sleepy City" by The Mighty Avengers and Chris Farlowe's stringed version of  "Out Of Time" which Mick added vocals.  "Heart of Stone" is here as well in demo form with Jimmy Page on guitar.

"If You Let Me" is the lone Between The Buttons outtake from 1966.  The 1968 Beggars Banquet outtakes include the unreleased "Family" and an earlier version of "Memo From Turner" which Mick redid on the Performance soundtrack.  The Let It Bleed sessions from 1969 include "Jiving Sister Fanny," "Downtown Suzie," "I'm Going Down" and a track recorded the night Brian Jones died, "I Don't Know Why."

It seems like this era is ripe for official revision and annotation.

FOR FURTHER REVIEW:

Rolling Stones-Around and Around (1964)

Rolling Stones-Aftermath (1966)

Rolling Stones-Hot Rocks 1964-1971 (1971)

Rolling Stones-Exile On Main Street (1972)

Rolling Stones-More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies) (1972)

Rolling Stones-Made In The Shade (1975)

Rolling Stones-Some Girls (1978)

Rolling Stones-Forty Licks (2002)

Ron Wood-1234 (1981)

Mick Jagger-She's The Boss (1985)

Various Artists: Artist's Choice; The Rolling Stones: Music That Matters To Them (2003)

Bob Dylan-Dylan (1973)




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