Heart Of Stone wrote on Feb 26
th, 2012 at 3:33pm:
John Lennon on made a comment in a interview that he wouldn't want to see Elvis the way he was before he died, he wanted to keep the memories of Elvis in the late 50's, it was a comment to the question Will The Beatles ever get back together? The Stones were in their peak before Mick Taylor left, there's so many favorite periods I have, but loved The '69 tour, it was when not only I, but a lot of people I know saw "Gimme Shelter" in those days that was the only video we saw of the Stones, besides the T.V. shows, but some people were so taken with Keith in that movie, I actually saw several, including myself Copy Keith's manner, hairstyle, scarfs, the way he walks, you get the point, I feel the hard life has caught up to Keith & there's nothing he can do about it, take him as he is, but really would you pay $200 to see it? or whatever the lowest price ticket is nowdays.
This is the crux and whilst most of us accept him for what he is and acknowledge that he's given us a lifetime of pleasure, the dividing issue is whether or not you'd go to the considerable expense of paying to witness it. To some, its simply a case of being in the same room and giving 'support' no matter what as if its a football team, and thats reason enough to go - to others, its a question of whether what you're listening to merits the financial sacrifice and also whether or not you're comfortable with seeing someone you care about decline before your eyes.
I can see both sides of the argument, to be honest. Maybe I'm at a bit of an advantage in some ways as 2007 was the first time that I had some degree of acceptance that it might be the 'last time' and that after 47 Stones gigs, I didnt 'need' to see more shows in future, even if I would 'like' to see some more. I still pretty much feel the same way. A new Stones tour is a bonus at this point, but I've already made up my mind that for various reasons, the days of feeling compelled to see more shows that I can afford are gone. *
(* I realise of course that once a tour starts, I will end up eating my words, will spend a year obsessively chronicling the tour on the internet, will go to concerts in nine countries like I did last time and bankrupt myself in the process. Don't say you havent been warned. )