The Rolling Stones
Their Satanic Majesties Request
The psychedelic detour Rolling Stone called an insecure misstep
Released in the UK on 8 December 1967, Their Satanic Majesties Request was the Rolling Stones' first self-produced album and their only full excursion into psychedelic rock. A contemporary hostile review, alongside chart results with their dates.
The verdict at the time
Landau judged the album 'an insecure album in which they try too hard to prove that they too are innovators', blamed poor production and studio gimmicks, dismissed the songs as 'nothing new' beneath the surface, and mocked the 'mandatory eight minute freak-out' as merely 'Groovy'.
Chart peaks
European positions are listed by country. Later chart entries are labelled separately.
Sources & context
One critic's opinion, summarised from Jon Landau's original Rolling Stone review of 10 February 1968. The album is now recognised as the Rolling Stones' sole psychedelic studio statement, a cult touchstone of acid rock whose 'She's a Rainbow' and '2000 Light Years from Home' have outlived the hostility.
