I’m neither a Beatles or Stones fan (in fact, a lot of the 60s output leaves me cold and I’m old enough to have been around). However, Gimme Shelter is a great song song and a high water mark for me. Start Me Up is also rather fine, but I feel that this song rather defined the Stones’ sound from that point onwards. I think their fame is down to being around (and staying around) at a point when music and pop culture in general was going through a major upheaval. I know I’m in a minority here.
As to there being just the three members, according to BW, perhaps that’s down to him having left and Brian Jones being dead. I wonder if he really felt the same way in the 60s and early 70s? I guess that’s the problem writing in hindsight. I bet it’s a good read though (unlike Keef, which I gave up on, despite having a lot of time for him).