listen to billy preston's B3 solo on i got the blues off sticky fingers .it will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck .i also mention BOBBY KEYS because he is DA MAN blowing that sax like no one else !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ronne Wood

From 66-76 Spanish Tony. For the last 30 years Prince Rupert Loewenstein.

Quote
Silver Dagger
From 66-76 Spanish Tony. For the last 30 years Prince Rupert Loewenstein.

...not to forget Freddy Sessler.

Nicky Hopkins!
What happened to Jim Price btw...?

Ian Steward by miles for me (with all my respect to the long line of all the other truly great musician) - he not only contributed to the music, he was a member of the family and his opinions were always very much respected by the Stones, that's a well known fact. Of course it would not be fair to mention Nicky Hopkins, Bobby Keys, Billy Preston, But Ian simply wins.

Ian Stewart - of course. He was there from the beginning.

Maybe not the most valuable sideperson in the end, but I'd like to mention Ernie Watts on the 81 US tour. Thanks to his long melodic stitches the guitars really could take off.

----------------------------
"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"

Nicky Hopkins was cool until he became a damn Scientologist. (And if you do not see the problem with that, Google Scientolgy and see the horrors for yourself).

Quote
The Greek
listen to billy preston's B3 solo on i got the blues off sticky fingers .it will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck

That solo kills!!!!

Quote
Greg
Maybe not the most valuable sideperson in the end, but I'd like to mention Ernie Watts on the 81 US tour. Thanks to his long melodic stitches the guitars really could take off.

right on! EW gets slagged here from time-to-time - but his eventual inclusion on that tour helped define it and as you said propelled ron and keith into some very interesting musical territory....

Bill Wyman and the roadies lining up the groupies

Quote
NICOS
Bileeboy it does't matter it's Jack Nitzsche

doohhhhh

Quote
Richard from Canada
In terms of most valuable - Chuck wins easily. He has far more input than any of the earlier session players ever had.

respectfully disagree here. chuck came in after almost everything important was released by the stones years and years and years before chuck. i would rate him mediocre sesh guy and the absolute vanilla ruination of much of the stones live shows....musical director egghead or not....
possibly you're a younger fan! and have chuck mostly as a frame of reference for live shows u've loved...can surely understand and appreciate if that's the case...but historically and musically chucks contribution not even rated post nicky, stu and jack...really feel strongly about this...not a diss on you !!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-03-16 23:55 by Beelyboy.

it was nice having prestons little set ruin the pace and beauty of a stones concert...

nice in that u get mega pee break, enuf time to read the newspaper, have dirty times under the balcony, have a meal and a drink and another pee and slowly walk back to your seat and that horrible horrible noise is finally over...

Nicky was a scientologist! WOW! I am shocked. I never knew he was in that cult.

Quote
Beelyboy
it was nice having prestons little set ruin the pace and beauty of a stones concert...

nice in that u get mega pee break, enuf time to read the newspaper, have dirty times under the balcony, have a meal and a drink and another pee and slowly walk back to your seat and that horrible horrible noise is finally over...

LOL...I saw it in '75 and didn't think it was that bad, though I am in the camp who believes his influence became way to big in the group. Ollie Brown and Charlie got a nice rapport going I think. I may be a little charitable in my opinion, as it was my first-ever Stones show, and my excitement made up for a multitude of musical sins.

Without a question - Nicky Hopkins.

[thepowergoats.com]

Stu, Hopkins and Ry Cooder (Without him, I doubt Keith's playing on Let It Bleed would have been that great).

Of course, Bobby Keys and Billy Preston also were important, although I liked Mac better as a keyboardist.

Quote
S.T.P
Nicky Hopkins!
What happened to Jim Price btw...?

[en.wikipedia.org]

Michael Cohl

rOBBIE sHAKESPEARY * sLY

Quote
DandelionPowderman
Stu, Hopkins and Ry Cooder (Without him, I doubt Keith's playing on Let It Bleed would have been that great).

Of course, Bobby Keys and Billy Preston also were important, although I liked Mac better as a keyboardist.

whoa good call! i totally forgot ry for a minute here shame shame shame on me.

they recorded (according to ry) "EVErytHING" he could play at the time, dozens of hours of tape i believe. slightly before taylor's asension Ry had made an incredible HUGE stamp on keith's tunings, slide, american country blues style....think he had huge influence on bleed and after actually. yes thanks for remembering ry and reminding me.

ry is so brilliant; new project astoundingly good!! He felt pissed and mishandled by the glims for years but i think he's past it....he was incredible incredible influence on keith....

I would say Bobby Keyes, up until 1997; I think he's lost a bit of his edge since then. I didn't mind Billy Preston as much as some of you did and I always loved Nicky Hopkins' style. Recently, I'd say Chuck has become the most valuable non-Stones member.....and yes, even musically!

Ian Stewart: he bought so much more to the Stones than his excellent boogie woogie piano skills.