I've read there are like factions in the band...
For example, I read that for the longest time Ronnie & Keith were tighter as friends than even Mick & Keith--Especially during the '80s when Mick and Keith weren't on the best of terms.

What other friendships were and are there in the band's history? For example, who was Brian Jones close with when he was in the band--in the early and later days of his tenure in the band? I have read that he had a huge falling out with Keith (over him hitting Anita and Anita going to Keith I'm guessing), but were they tight/friends in the early days? And who was Mick Taylor close with--Keith seems to have not liked him when he was in the band. Who was Bill closest to? And Charlie?

And what about now? Are Keith and Ronnie really close anymore from all accounts? I know Mick and Keith aren't really on best of terms again due to Keith's autobiography....

People talk about this as though its a problem. I work a shift system with shifts of five people, covering nights and weekends. Been doing it for 14 years. Some of us are closer than others, we have fallings out, go through phases, people shift swap due to arguments, etc,etc.
The Stones have been doing it for 50 years. Its amazing they have kept it together that long. Its obvious and inevitable that some are closer than others. I just dont see the point in analysing it. Just thank god its lasted this long.

With the lack of activity (except for tours) in the past 15 years, i'd say they are utterly sick to death of each other. Fair enough too. From teens to grandparents. The thought of recording seems to have no appeal to any of them, except maybe Mick, even though he's been quiet for the past few years. On tour, and earning $$$$$$$$$$$ is one thing. You can see each other maybe 3-4 hours every 2 days. Recording means you can be stuck together for months. Overdubbing not withstanding. I dont think they can be bothered any more. OR more to the point, i wonder if Keith is capable anymore.

corgi37 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2011 at 5:19am:

With the lack of activity (except for tours) in the past 15 years, i'd say they are utterly sick to death of each other. Fair enough too. From teens to grandparents. The thought of recording seems to have no appeal to any of them, except maybe Mick, even though he's been quiet for the past few years. On tour, and earning $$$$$$$$$$$ is one thing. You can see each other maybe 3-4 hours every 2 days. Recording means you can be stuck together for months. Overdubbing not withstanding. I dont think they can be bothered any more. OR more to the point, i wonder if Keith is capable anymore.

What makes you doubt Keith's capability?

I'm sure various "closenesses" have waxed and waned over the years....

Yes, Brian and Keith were very close a couple of times--especially that first, horridly cold winter living at the Edith Grove flat. Mick was still in school by day, and Brian and Keith would practice their "art of weaving" guitar playing, under the covers to keep warm. And later, Keith even lived with Brian and Anita for a time....Brian and Bill roomed together on most tours---they always bagged the most girls. The Stones were different than some other bands in that they often didn't see each other at all socially--only when in the studio or on stage. With the Beatles it was different---some vacationed together, some lived close together.....the Stones, for the most part, just didn't function like that.

StickyStones wrote on Feb 28^th, 2011 at 6:11am:

What makes you doubt Keith's capability?

As I've said before, alcoholism and arthritis.  Have you heard some of his bad nights from the Bang tour? Yikes.

SF90, thanks for getting us talking about the music again.  But don't overdo it.  

Zack wrote on Feb 28^th, 2011 at 10:25am:

StickyStones wrote on Feb 28th, 2011 at 6:11am: What makes you doubt Keith's capability? As I've said before, alcoholism and arthritis.  Have you heard some of his bad nights from the Bang tour? Yikes. SF90, thanks for getting us talking about the music again.  But don't overdo it.

I DON'T THINK MICK WANTS TO SPEND ANY MORE TIME WITH KEITH THAN HE HAS TO.
THE BOOK SEALED IT. :retarded

Zack wrote on Feb 28^th, 2011 at 10:25am:

StickyStones wrote on Feb 28th, 2011 at 6:11am: What makes you doubt Keith's capability? As I've said before, alcoholism and arthritis.

Add in almost total inactivity since 2007 (at his own admission) and problems with motor skills brought on by seizures and absences following his accident.

It's no coincidence that for the final year of the last tour he stopped playing guitar and singing simultaneously.

Zack wrote on Feb 28^th, 2011 at 10:25am:

SF90, thanks for getting us talking about the music again.  But don't overdo it.

agreed.

our frisco friend will definitely need a cooler handle too. that one is for the birds!

Starbuck wrote on Feb 28^th, 2011 at 10:10pm:

Zack wrote on Feb 28th, 2011 at 10:25am: SF90, thanks for getting us talking about the music again.  But don't overdo it.   agreed. our frisco friend will definitely need a cooler handle too. that one is for the birds!

lighten up y'all; let a brother post.

Some Guy wrote on Mar 1^st, 2011 at 8:17am:

Starbuck wrote on Feb 28th, 2011 at 10:10pm: Zack wrote on Feb 28th, 2011 at 10:25am: SF90, thanks for getting us talking about the music again.  But don't overdo it.   agreed. our frisco friend will definitely need a cooler handle too. that one is for the birds! lighten up y'all; let a brother post.

hold on there tex. i ain't sayin we slap a gag order on him.

just sayin' we need a bit of self restraint lest we have another katrina on our hands. or ever worse, joey part deux (shudder!).

postin, like pimpin, ain't easy.

Gazza wrote on Feb 28^th, 2011 at 6:55pm:

It's no coincidence that for the final year of the last tour he stopped playing guitar and singing simultaneously.

You've made the same comment nearly word-for-word in literally dozens of threads, now! You're spot-on, of course  ;)

Last time Keith played in public was with The Crickets in October 2008.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVFIabqjHr4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jevRIpqLprY

Wish he'd have done something - anything - with The Roots on the Fallon show, but he said a broken finger had kept him away from the guitar for a while...  

Honky Tonk Man wrote on Mar 1^st, 2011 at 11:40am:

Gazza wrote on Feb 28th, 2011 at 6:55pm: It's no coincidence that for the final year of the last tour he stopped playing guitar and singing simultaneously. You've made the same comment nearly word-for-word in literally dozens of threads, now! You're spot-on, of course  ;)

It has to be done! I'm just surprised people dont pick up on that. Why would he stop doing that unless there was a medical issue?

He was interviewed about his health a few months later and said that he had stopped taking cocaine because it was too risky as he was taking dilantin after his accident. Dilantin is an anti-seizure medication - so it follows that his accident triggered some form of epileptic-style seizures (maybe just in the short term). That would probably account for a few incidents which fans witnessed at shows afterwards, especially on the late 2006 US tour and some of the Euro shows the following year - little 'absences', erratic co-ordination and even on a couple of occasions, falling over.  If you're prone to seizures, doing tasks which require a lot of precise co-ordination (eg playing guitar AND singing at the same time) can make that problem worse. The fact that it was Keith, most people probably just simply put it down to him being shitfaced, but that (plus the fact that he cut down on alcohol post-Fiji) doesnt compute with the approach he's taken to performing in recent years.

Can't have been easy for him to go out and perform like that - whilst his playing was up and down, it's to his credit that after he came back from his accident he didn't miss a single show.

Oddly enough, he got through the 2006 leg of the European tour after his accident pretty well. It was after the band took 3 weeks off (when he filmed 'Pirates') and resumed with the American tour that the difference was noticeable. Thats when he stopped singing and playing at the same time.

Blondie Chapman has been  the main guitarist for while now.....all based on lighting cues.....To my ears they stopped doing good material well when Bill left....Daryll Jones does not play counterpoint lines and Bill did.

I think all the guys adore Charlie but no one can still play well (Charlie  N Keith are mere shells of their former selves) so it is over.

Wouldn't go as far as calling Chaplin the "main" guitarist, but he's certainly fattened up the sound - both on stage and off.

Woody has righted the ship, and his playing's rebounded too. Check out The Faces and RW solo gigs from last year.

Charlie? I've seen him struggle with the SFTD click track, but apart from that he remains sublime imo.

Mick, as recently evidenced, is still Mick.

Keith's the 800 pound gorilla in the room...