Paranoid Android Wrote:


Well...I am sure Chuck wants to keep his job...and would NEVER say something like: "Keith is having trouble keeping up...with certain chords...remembering to go to the bathroom...etc..."
What else would you expect him to say about his employer??


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I understand your point however If what Chuck was saying is not factual I would expect Chuck to blow off the question, be vague, or at the very most just simply lie and say Keith's doing "well". That is more the more realistic case. Instead, Chuck emphatically made it a POINT to say how healthy and energetic they all were....and how the meeting on all fronts showed that infact they seem quite healthy and all ready to go. Lying is one thing... going way overboard is another. I don't think Chuck went way overboard in lying. Doesn't make much sense.  



Paranoid Android Wrote: 

Also...nothing against Chuck...but what is it with Jagger to ask Chuck to figure out 20-30 songs they could practice/play in Paris? Doesn't Jagger know the names of 30 RS songs?


I know that Chuck is the "musical Director"and figures out the nightly set list ( give me that fucking job for a 10th of his pay, and I can email it to Mick), but how different could a list by Chuck be from one made by Mick? They haven't all played together in 5 years...it's not like there is any real insight right now...except maybe...no falsettos...no Dirty Work stuff  ...and perhaps Let's open up the show with a real surprise...SMU!!!   [/quote]



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Here is where I cannot agree more. How hard is it for Mick Jagger to think of some Stones songs to rehearse???? The guy knows everything eles and he has his say in all the other decisions but on this he always reverts to Chuck? It aint that hard a list to come up with pal .. .. .... especially if your name is Mick Jagger and you penned the fuckers, as well as been playing em for decades on end.....

Not for anything but Mick (and Keith) strangely give more "say-so" to Chuck Levell in a few departments more than he ever did Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, and Mick Taylor... it's odd. Chucks a good keyboard player and all and I have nothing truly against the guy but seriously... isn't he just that... their keyboards player? He isn't even officially part of the band by any long shot yet Jagger always gives him so much say??? I never understood it??




Ian

Whatever the reason, Chuck is highly regarded by the band. This guy played his cards right. Imagine having Mick and Keith defer to your judgement on all setlists. That's some serious respect. Chuck knows the band maybe better than anyone else.  Dude's lucky. I wish I could play the keyboard for the Stones.

I finally figured out the meaning of the title.

Ian Billen wrote on Sep 15^th, 2012 at 9:49pm:


Different era. Different band, to all intents and purposes.

Wyman, Taylor and Jones are all long gone. Back then Keith was the band's musical director and driving force.

He abdicated a lot of authority in the way this band is run from the late 80s onwards in order to get Mick Jagger to agree to keep it together.

Since 1989, the band's sound has reverted closer to the original records than the more free-form, random way they played before. Jagger has obviously given Chuck more of a role in recent tours because its more in keeping with the musical 'vision' Mick has of the present day Stones show. It may also be a reflection on the declining skills and reliability of the two guitarists and also perhaps an acknowledgement of Mick's own limitations as he gets older - Chuck has said on one or more occasion that when he pitches song ideas to Mick - and some of these can be quite ambitious - Mick will basically cross out any song from the Brian Jones era that isnt a warhorse and will also try and keep the number of ballads down to one per show (either to protect his voice or because he doesnt want the audience's interest levels to drop too much)

Musically, Keith has gone from being the most musically influential band member onstage to third place in recent years. It's not as if this is down to Leavell's doing - clearly the band, and especially Mick and Keith, are quite content to defer this degree of responsibility to him.

Gazza wrote on Sep 16^th, 2012 at 11:01am:



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I agree with everything you say, and to be honest, I realized every bit of it, in detail...for a while now. Sad part is I needed someone to sort of remind me the reality of it and the situation that has transpired over the years. In honesty, and in hind site... Keith first started to give away the reigns as the bands musical director on stage in 81. It was here, that he first started to take a more "group" oriented role versus being the bands musical guide on that tour.  Sure, It isn't as bad as it is now...but that is when the torch started being past to the keyboard player from my ears and eyes.

Since then, it sort of evolved into what it is now, and has been for twenty years. Not that it's a "bad" idea, or concept, and not that it hasn't helped the band cope, just noting I agree with your synopsis. Like you said, different era, different years. In a sense your synopsis is not an opinion, but more so a factual account of what's taken place. I knew that, just as you and many, I guess I just overlook the reality of the situation... I mean heck, many even joke on here that it's "Chuck's" band anymore hehe.


Truth be told, poke fun at it as you will, I think Chuck has kept it together for them musically in a sense at times....and he's certainly carried some direction. ***Sure Man, I miss The old 72 Stones like the next guy, but it's a different time, year, and era now as you noted. Chuck does a lot in trying to glue the band together and carry the band forward onstage now-a-days and I give him credit that much. Not doing so would be being unrealistic. In a sense, he's critical in the type of huge production they have today. 




Ian

If next year is the true 50th celebration, as far as Keith is concerned anyway, then they should give free tix to anyone who is 50 next year.

I'll take front row, please.

Monkey works for banannas. I pray that is wrong. 

Mel Belli wrote on Sep 17^th, 2012 at 9:12am:



This is all true, although I wouldnt absolve Keith totally. The 'he's the singer, I let him decide as he has to work the crowd' excuse is a bit of a cop-out for me.

Keith's never been shy of praising Mick's ability as a showman and ability to work a crowd. He could push him a bit more if he's so confident.

I'd like more info on how the new tunes sound.

corgi37 wrote on Sep 17^th, 2012 at 8:43am:

Or anyone who turns 50 this year, hey you're not a real fan unless you turn the same age as the band.

Some Guy wrote on Sep 17^th, 2012 at 2:02pm:



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So would I .... !
 

This is what holds my true interest... THEN I will worry about the upcoming little set of shows (IF they happen) and how they can perform anymore .. ..


Chuck Levell gave us some nice tid-bits of info on them. "BV" from iorr always hears their material first while Gazza's inside track seems to know of their plans and schedule. BV however, always hears their stuff waaaaaayyyy early. The songs are probably just finished being mixed by now... if they took a few days each to mix each of them. I wonder if anyone has heard them?

I wish they would ask him over there. He doesn't post much... I'd ask him but I don't have a log-in (... I always felt more comfy right here at R.O  ... certainly not that I'd shun or feel above the idea.... just sayin). I wonder if ANYONE has at least heard through some sort of grape vine how they are.

Anybody....?


Ian

Ian Billen wrote on Sep 17^th, 2012 at 11:09pm:



He does? Since when???

Wouldnt say there's much info coming out about their schedule at the minute, to be honest.

Gazza wrote on Sep 18^th, 2012 at 6:46am:

I thought I caught a riff in lasts night game that I hadn't heard before right as they went to commercial. My tummy felt funny when I heard it. I was half cocked though.