I don’t know about you, but as the years go by, I find that I really have to struggle to justify buying a CD or DVD anymore—not to my wife, I mean, but to myself. There’s a higher threshold for me spending ten bucks on a Blu-ray today than there ever was for me spending $59 for a VHS back in 1985 when I had far less disposable income.

Like with movies, if there’s little chance of repeat viewings, why would I want to own it? The last time I went to LA’s gigantic record emporium, Amoeba Records in Hollywood, I came home with seven DVDs and Blu-rays purchased with store credit and not one of them has even had the cellophane cracked on it yet. In fact, I doubt that I will watch ANY of them in the next twelve months. And perhaps not during the year after that. Or ever. And do I really, really NEED to own The Wizard of Oz on Blu-ray when it’s probably streaming in HD on Netflix? Why? What’s the real difference if it’s on a disc or digitally pumped into my house like a utility? Why did I bother?

Furthermore, I’m planning to move soon so I’m sizing up everything in my office with a wary eye, and most of what I’m keeping are straight up “in concert” DVDs with 5.1 soundtracks and stuff like that. Gorillaz. Pulp. Nick Cave. The Grateful Dead Movie. Born to Boogie. Paul McCartney and Wings’ Rockshow. Magical Mystery Tour. Yellow Submarine. The Monkees movie, Head. Tommy. The Last Waltz. Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones. Things like that. Things with “playability.”
 

 
I’m only boring you with this information, dear reader, to let you know that the latest release “From the Vaults” of the Rolling Stones, The Marquee Club Live in 1971, which comes out tomorrow on SD Blu-ray (and various other formats) from Eagle Vision, is one such “keeper.” If you’re a serious Stones fan, this short set showcasing some songs from the soon-to-be-released Sticky Fingers album and shot for American television (it doesn’t say for what exactly, or if this ever aired in the liner notes) is a must own. To my mind, this release, which has been lovingly remastered in DTS-HD Master Audio by Bob Clearmountain from the original multitrack masters (and they’ve done a great job with upscaling the video) belongs in the “essentials” of a Rolling Stones collection. Next month sees their Hyde Park concert of 1969 coming out, too. Can an unexpurgated release of Robert Frank’s notorious document of the Stones’ drug and groupie fuelled 1972 American tour Cocksucker Blues be far behind?

Tonight at the The Perfect Exposure Gallery in Los Angeles is the opening of a show of photographs taken at the Marquee by Alec Byrne from 7-9pm. The show will be running until the 28th.

Below, “Dead Flowers,” a clip from the Rolling Stones famous Marquee Club performance of 1971, shot in front of an audience of VIPS that included Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.