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Nov. 29, 1968: The Stones appear on Frost On Saturday (LWT, British TV) premiering ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ (live vocals on prepared backing track)

The group had finished recording “Sympathy for the Devil” only 4 months before, although the band’s future album Beggars Banquet was not scheduled for release until December of that year. Still he Stones decided to preview their new song for a British television audience appearing on the Frost On Saturday show.

The performance, who also included persussionist Rocky Dijon was recorded towards the end of Brian Jones’ tenure with the band. The Stones mime the pre-recorded backing track, while Brian adds a nice touch to Nicky Hopkins’ piano part. Jagger is the only one performing live in real time, while the rest of the band make several attempts to pretend they are singing along. For most of the set, Keith Richards only sits and plays a tambourine, sometimes opting for a Gibson Les Paul for the short guitar solos.

The Stones appearance at the David Frost Show made it rare one for the band in 1968 along with their performance at the NME Pollwinner’s Concert and later on at the Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus, Brian Jones’ last performance ever.

READ:
Mick Jagger previews ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ (1968): “It has a very hypnotic groove…”
Mick Jagger on ‘Sympathy for the Devil’: ‘I wrote Sympathy for the Devil as sort of like…”
Mick Jagger, on ‘Sympathy for the Devil (1968): “I wrote Sympathy for the Devil as sort of like a Bob Dylan song…”

*Listen to ‘SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL’ (alternate take, 1968)