The Rolling Stones - Some Girls

In 1978, The Rolling Stones put out an album where they seemed to be playing like their life depended on it. For the most part, it did.  Keith Richards was out on bail facing charges of heroin trafficking in Canada.  A guilty verdict would have meant many years in the cooler.  Punk energy and attitude was edging into mainstream rock and roll.  Young punks, ironically adopting the 'sneer at authority' attitude pioneered by the early Rolling Stones, were ridiculing the classic rock bands as 'old dinosaurs.'

This was their first full fledged album with new member Ronnie Wood.  Rather than go into luxury studios as they had for their last few recordings, the band opted to go into EMI Paris - not in the big fancy room, but a tiny one in the back.  

The spark of creativity and prolific output was probably driven by the potential loss of Keith and the inevitable demise of the band as a result.  Enough material was generated here to seed the next two albums.

The Rolling Stones - Some Girls (Rolling Stones 1978)

And what a record it was. Some of their fiercest riff rockers.  The introduction of the Keith/Ronnie weaving technique with each guitarist playing both lead and rhythm on the same track.  Even forays into country and disco that don't seem dated.  Punk energy abounds.

The initial release came in a die cut cover modeled after an actual wig ad.  Famous faces peered though the die cuts from the inner sleeve.  The sleeve could be put in both ways and still line up with the die cuts

And there were color variations.  Dark and faded versions were available as well as different orders of the color bands.  Here's a sample of each - with the inner sleeve put in forwards and backwards.

...And here's a crappy xerox of the wig ad from the National Enquirer.

Many of the famous faces on the inner sleeve objected to their inclusion on the inner sleeve.  Rumor says it was Raquel Welch and Lucille Ball.  Someone told me it was Ruta Lee.  Who?   I would have taken it as an honor, but who am I?

Later pressings just blotted out the offending pictures with gaudy 'under construction' signs.  The early pressings are collectible, but not that rare as there are probably about a million of them pressed in the first run.

Many of the pictures come from well known sources.  Here's a still from the film 'Blacula' with Elisha Cook, Jr.  See if you can find it on the sleeve.

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In addition, I threw a bunch of stuff in the record when I got it. 

A free promotional 'head shot' from the record company....

...And an ad from a magazine...

...And an ad for a local concert.  The bullet bra was a bit too much for The Los Angeles Times

Etta James was later added to the bill.

Some Girls and the Rolling Stones dominated my summer of 1978.