So, here’s the thing…this is a decent set, but it’s not really a documentary called "Mick Vs. Keith." It’s actually a repacking of two separate DVD reviews – one on each artist. They are decent documentaries and buying this way is handy for someone who doesn’t have either of them. Oh, and by the way, I listed this under The Rolling Stones, rather than “Various Artists,” just because it seemed more appropriate. So, since I’ve already reviewed each of these independently (it would have been nice if this had been labeled as what it really is, though), I’ll include those two reviews in this one review.

One the discs included is The Roaring 20s: Mick Jagger's Glory Years DVD.  This is what I said when I reviewed that one; “It seems that the most likely issue anyone might have with this documentary is the contention that Jagger’s work when he was in his twenties has over-shadowed the rest of his output. Yes, the argument can be made, but honestly, a lot depends on what period of the Rolling Stones the person making the call likes more. Once that’s taken out of the equation, though, this is quite an informative and in-depth documentary that works extremely well.” 

Here’s what I said about the other disc (Keith Richards - Under Review DVD): “I get a lot of documentary/biographies. I tend to look at them rather skeptically anymore. In all honesty, particularly with an artist as well known as Keith Richards, what can be said that hasn’t already been talked about a hundred times or more? For that reason, biographies that don’t include a lot of authorized interviews tend to be very similar to one another. This series is an exception to that rule, though. While there is a certain amount of that, I think that what sets this above a lot of similar products is the deep analysis of the musical stylings and influences with samples and examples. This, along with a better than average biography, gives us a DVD that will certainly be of interest to any Stones fans, but also anyone who really wants a glimpse into the roots of a legendary guitarist.”

So, if you haven’t got either one of these, this set is pretty darned good. If you are someone who must own everything Rolling Stones, you’ll want this anyway. Beyond that, you may already have this – so be careful out there.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2013  Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.