Has the boose and Ganja caught up with keith? His playing is still beautful and talented and what he does play on ABB is great,but his playing is really getting laid back. The drive on alot of these songs is actually mick's guitar. On ONNYA for example, keith plays fills but it is Mick with the rhythm guitar.


Everyone complains that Mick is using the Stones to show off his solo songs. But what is keith doing? He is writing slow ballads my Grandad would have liked. If you take off keiths (TPIE and INFAMY) and Micks solo stuff (SOL, RFD and NEOCON ) you have their best album in years!

I wish he would explain to fans where he is going musically instead of just stupid one liners about letting the tiger out e.t.c

I would dearly like to hear him write a long guitar intro that builds instead of just riffs. I can't remeber the last time he wrote a long, building intro like Gimme Shelter. I want to hear something like Hells Bells (ACDC) from him, but I guess I am dreaming..

Had to get that off my chest.

yes you are dreaming

he's an old man for @#$%& sake, he may prefer to write late night ballads now. that's his choice. if u don't like it, skip it!

he's not going to be writing anymore classic riffs that's for sure. and neither is Angus Young. so you'd just better get used to it

there are a million other bands out there you can listen to too if u want vibrant new stuff

<I would dearly like to hear him write a long guitar intro that builds instead of just riffs.>

What's wrong with It Won't Take Long and She Saw Me Coming? The songs are built up around Keith like before. Infamy is simple, but also a cool riff - skah-ish, reminds me of Shattered.

Who? Keith and Angus still kick any bands of my agegroup.

>......What's wrong with It Won't Take Long and She Saw Me Coming?


Yep. love these songs. RJ too. Keith can still riff, but I am talking about a song that builds, A nice picked intro, building and building, and in come the drums, in comes Mick. Can't quite explain what i mean. I know keith can do it.


I guess what I am saying is: I like songs that create an atmosphere and build into something before Mick starts singing. Sometimes he is almost singing before the song is even off the starting line. If you get my drift. Love Is Strong is the last decent intro i can remember.

I love those "late night ballads" even LOSING MY TOUCH is a good one!

Damn right! Noone I know of can rock as hard as Keith and Angus! I know someone coming close, like Norways Backstreet Girls (guess where the name is from?), who´ve been keeping it on since 1984, but they are the first to tell you that Stones and Ac/Dc is nothing to do about. And I really like Losing My Touch, The Worst, This Place Is Empty is even better than Infamy, I think.

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>..he's an old man for @#$%& sake,

Yep, but he is the coolest old man I Know! I just think he is tooo laid back these days and smokes to much grass.

Moaning old fart.... keith plays outstanding on ABB! What more do you expect after 40 odd year?

I am not old.

but are you a moaning fart ?

)

Can a moaning fart write? If so I am

Why does every song which COULD have been a solo song necessarily bad? Imo RFD is a real great song, groovy and with a great atmosphere. I really feel the loneliness of small people in a big city when I hear this. Both of Keith's solo tracks are great too IMO. Let's not forget that Keith already wrote melancholy piano songs in 1977! On the other hand, to me SSMC is one of the weakest tracks. Maybe I don't understand the song well enough, but it sounds so trivial to me, no suspense there, nothing rough.

I think Keith without Mick as a writing partner often (not always) doesn't develop songwriting ideas well.

Jagger is the craftsmen of their songwriting partnership.
I guess distance makes this less possible over the years, but his creative spunk is dorment I believe without Mick.

"Infamy" is a good idea gone nowhere.
"Rockawhile" is a similar example.

Both sound jammed and not written. If Jagger had been given both to format and organise we may have ended up with very good songs.
I feel they're just recorded tracks that are good but incomplete.

kyle m

Have you ever lent somebody $20 and never seen them again? It was probably worth it.

I see what you mean Kyle... in fact I agree. Still, even if unfinished (well, not finished like they would be if Mick joined in the writing), I like the tracks. What do you think of Main Offender? To me, this whole album suffers from what you're describing. Even then, it rocks - but it could have been better.

Monkey, I have to disagree with you based on their solo material that Mick is "the craftmens" of their songwriting. Keith's solo material sounded like the Stones without Mick (Talk is Cheap would have been a GREAT Stones album if Mick was singing) while Mick's solo attempts have been accepted as weak (personl tastes aside..I mean music critics, general public,etc) and bombs. Goddess in the Doorway sank like the Titanic. About half of She's the Boss is OK, Primitive Cool is 80% shit, Wndering Spirit was strong. Bottom line: I count about 6 potential Stones albums thrown to the wind between both of them. The Apex of them not writing together was Bridges To Babylon, essentially each did half a solo album and then glued it together

In reality, according to them and those around,THEY have not written together in a manner like they originally did since Some Girls. One could argue before that when KR knocked himeself out with Exile then went on a bender.

The THREAD: I do not believe that KR is losing it. He has written pretty good songs on the last few albums. As far as classic riffs, it is amazing how many he came up with in the first place ! I do believe that KR has grown as a musician. His arthritis, in my opinion, has led him on a path that has made him find new ways to play and to structure songs. Think how it must kill him that his fingers won't let him play "Carol", "Little Queenie", "Let It Rock" like he used to.

Instead we are hearing another side of this particular guitar player and songwriter. His playing still rocks (live shows/ A Bigger Bang) but on his own he chooses a slower, more emotional path. His singing has improved and his guitar playing is still very dynamic and punctual. Technically, he may actually be a better guitar player now than when he made Bleed or Exile.

I also think age has much to do with it. For KR to write a T & A type song in 2005, it would come off silly or sick. I think KR is writing mature songs, the ones that he sings.....and I use the word "mature" loosely, the TONE is mature.

Ultimately he is at his best with MJ, as MJ has proven to be in the same boat.
Time will test the music of the late 80's to present music. I don't think he lost his touch, his touch has just evolved.

Milo, NYC
Share your thoughts....

Wow! Sometimes I can't believe what I read! Has Keith lost his Touch? Nope. Why would that even be a topic of discussion? Keith generally has two songs on each record that he does. Just Keith, Mick leaves the stage for that. (as per contract, so I was told)
Keith always has written sweet lovesongs, or painful ones. And happy little ditties...That is what he does. And he does it well. I don't understand why people complain or compare.

((( this is just so I can say this while I'm on a roll... And lets drop the age factor thing, come on now. The press has been complaining about The Stones age since they turned 40, and they've always posed the question "is this your last tour?"...Isn't that beating a dead horse by now?
The Rolling Stones shouldn't be expected to Retire when they are so amazing and have so much left to give, now should they?! What if they did stop recording in 1975, what the hell would we have missed?? Think about it!!! They can't be expected to do anything OTHER than Rock N ROLL. That is what they do, and that is what they do best, and no matter how 'old' they get, we also get 'old' with them, but we are still out there Rockin along with them aren't we??)))

Now back to the MUSIC!!
Why would you want 'another' Cant you hear me Knockin? First, any Stones song can't be replaced. They were Perfect the first time, and when we hear it we love it, each and every time!! Especially when it's on the radio in our car, isn't it the song you turn up and roll down the windows so everyone else can hear it too??? LOL!!
Songs like Gimme Shelter,Sympathy, Saint of Me,You got me Rockin,and now, Rough Justice? Oh my goodness People! The list goes on and on! You know it!! Each Stones song is Great, and they all stand alone as PERFECT!
I mean, listen if the Stones did the same things all the time they wouldn't be The Stones! They wouldn't be called The Worlds Greatest Rock N Roll Band.
And if you have to compare each song to something else that they've written, then we'd say that they are stale and not doing anything new. Correct?
So listen to this new record, again... And tell me it's not a STRONG and AMAZING Album. It is just that, F#*kin AMAZING!!! And this is why they are The Greatest Rock N Roll band in the world, because no one can do it like they do! NO one EVER will....
God Bless The ROLLING STONES!!
Man, aren't we the LUCKIEST GENERATION EVER to have them as "our" Band!?!?!
Bands come and go, but The STONES... ROCK FOREVER!!!!

They should have done what Aerosmith did
an album of covers

Yes keith is losing his touch. He has recorded some great songs but now he is doing nothing or perhaps he can't. I think if he wants to sing, he records a solo album.
Don't forget one thing about feeling and quality of a song or an album. THEY DON'T GIVE US THE MUSIC FOR FREE, THEY SELL IT TO US, FOR MILLION DOLLARS. We have the right to have our own opinion.

If you would have heard him in St. Paul or Milwaukee this week the answer would be clear...NO! He still has it BIG TIME!

<They should have done what Aerosmith did
an album of covers>

I like Aerosmith, but "Honkin' On Bobo" got 3 spins only, unfortunately.

Think the stones still is too big for such stunts.

I say it is just totally unreasonable to expect an artist like Keith to not move on, to develop. He might develop away from what soem peple want. But IMO it is vital and integral that they keep moving. If keiht was still writing Gimme Shelter, then Gimme Shelter itself would have lost much of it's power. It is unique and should be. I know what uz2 is saying; not talking specifically avbout GS. I am using GS as an example. Keith does not se a song in that way anymore. It's like wondering why Miles Davis did not play like Sketches or Blue anymore in the 80's. because they move on. I think it's greta. I try to move with them. I have learned that artists more than often drift towards the credo that less is more. In paintings, Jazz and Rock and classical music. You try to say it all with less lines. Your craft becomes so much stronger if you are able to say it all with less strokes. Imagine if you wan to delver a message. At age 18 it takes you hours and pages. At 50 you find you're able to say it in minutes and flourishes. Which do you go with? It's a question of power.
Keith might know he has much more power now at midvolume, and skwtches. Infamy is a sketch. But it's all there. It's for you to find the interpretation. Where in the past Keith had it all spelled out for us. It's prettier and easier but ultimately less challenging and rewarding.
Totally agree with monkeyman about "Rockawhile" and Jagger's input. That song, Body Talks and some others I saw as jams. Jagger would have turned them into songs, but Jagger is also a bit more literal and pedatic than keith. Not as open and vague. Together they are untouchable and unbeatable. As one they falter once in a while.
I thought Main Offender was brilliant. Keith actually superseded himslef and made himself present finished songs.

Well said, Chelsea! Agree about Main Offender too, but one thing bothers me there: Didn't Keith see the similarity between Running Too Deep and Will But You Won't before placing them next to each other on the album???

Covers album? Why prey tell? You just got a new album, the longest in years, mostly quality and you want a covers album! Muppet!! Some people just wanna moan.....

DP, LOL!!! This cracks me up always. Every time I listen to the album I say to myslef he must have done it on purpose, maybe create a "suit" of sorts. A riff - suite LOL Yeah they are so similar. In the same key too.
There is a similar situation on Use your Illusion II by GnR. They go from Knockin on heaven's Door into (I think) Get in the Ring. And it sounds exactly like they are still in the same tune.

Nobody forces anyone to go see a Stones concert or buy their albums. If they don't move you anymore, listen to what you like and ignore the rest, in my opinion.

I agree with MICKSHICK

Milo, NYC
I'm like Jello

Why on earth would the Stones put out an album of covers? The Stones write the tunes that others use for an album of covers!

I'd like to see Keith write one more hard rocking song that he sings lead vocals on before he dies. I like most of the ballads (love this place is empty, not too crazy about Infamy), but must it now be all ballads all the time. Come on Keith, rock a while!

Keith can still rock out when he wants ,but relentless riffing is probably out ,due to the sad fact that he has arthritis. He must be in pain when playing.

look at his hands !

Is keith LOSING HIS TOUCH?

Nope....

Regards,

Ian.

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