The darkness that slinks into the room through the door left ajar by the first few guitar notes of The Rolling Stones’ 1969 release “Let it Bleed” is undeniable. The eerie and evocative tones from the apocalyptic opening track, “Gimme Shelter’, almost seem to prophesy the death of the flower-power-free-loving 1960s. Released in December, a mere day before the tragic events of the infamous free concert at the Altamont Speedway in California, “Let it Bleed” seemingly became the soundtrack of a dying era giving way to a new age of innocence lost. I’d tentatively argue that the bold and unimpeachable heart of the national counterculture stopped beating that night on December 6 at the edge of a stage in Northern California while over 300,000 witnesses looked on. It was over. A new decade was just about to begin. This time, however, it would be without the graceful virtue of its predecessor. The Beatles had imploded and were exiting stage left while the Stones were burying the last remnants of their psychedelic experimentations along with an ex-band member. Things were different. Things were real. Things were complicated. Things were getting dark for the baddest band on the planet just as their rise was bordering on meteoric. Fuck, things were getting dark for everyone everywhere.

“Let it Bleed” is now 50 years old and as I sit here on a cool December night in 2019, I can’t help but compare (and perhaps contrast) the times that we live in today to those of 1969. We live in a similarly chaotic period where discord and madness reign supreme, civility is an afterthought, and the mantra “All You Need is Love” is sardonically laughable at best. I am also unable to ignore the blatant likenesses in the national discourses and political climates. Here we are again with an embarrassing criminal at the helm. The bastards have once again won the day and are running amok. Nixon, Trump, nationalism, impeachment, war, storms, fires, floods, rape and murder. It’s just a shot away, baby.

We covered this tune with all the trepidation one might feel the night before major surgery. Klinck first offhandedly mentioned the idea of recording “Gimme Shelter” while I was making food in our kitchen. I almost dropped my plate. Being the resident “Stones Guy” of the band, I felt both unadulterated excitement and soul-sickening fear at the thought. This song carries so much nuance along with it. “Gimme Shelter” isn’t just the chords and the beat and the melody and the riffs. No, as stated above, it exists in an incarnation that is much more than that. It is a feeling. It’s the vibe and the tone. It’s the setting of something dark and raw. It’s compost. It’s decay. It is a death-rattle. So we treated it as such during the few days we spent in the recording studio.

With that said, Nowherebound humbly and respectfully presents to you our version of “Gimme Shelter” (Chris Klinck on vocals, Chelsea Barbo on vocals and keys, Natchet Taylor on guitars and vocals, Clint Baker on bass and vocals, and Rob Williamson on drums and percussion). I am honored and proud to have produced this recording. Every member of Nowherebound came into the process with respect and reverence to the original while bringing their own rage and fury to the mix. “Gimme Shelter” is one of those timeless songs and, unfortunately, it rings just as true today in the midst of such rotten and depraved times as it did at the end of 1969. But fuck it. Put the needle to the wax, man. Let “Let it Bleed” again be the soundtrack to the mayhem and maybe I will see you on the other side when all of this is over. There is hope though. Punk rock was born in the 70’s. I wonder if something similar is just around the corner. You know, just a shot away.

All you need is love,
~Natchet