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Like I said, my original post about "hiding" the Stones extra help was rather tongue in cheek. I have mixed emotions here. While in some respects, I enjoyed finally hearing Tumbling Dice with proper vocals and horns, I miss the stripped down earlier days. Die hard Stones fans used to love the way the band adapted their songs into guitar-driven arrangements, no matter how they were done in the studio. I used to love the way the Stones felt free to jam at length, which sometimes resulted in euphoric moments...and sometimes horrendous train wrecks - but they weren't afraid to take the chance. What I heard was that in '89 Jagger wanted everything pre-arranged so that the chances of a "jamming" train wreck wouldn't give people the chance to say the Stones suck, or were too old to play anymore. Granted, there's freedom to improvise during guitar solos, but if it's decided that the soloing will last for twelve bars, it will last for twelve bars. No more open-ended solos; less change of bungling the chord change, etc. I'm sure Keith resisted the changes, but he'd rather give Mick his way than risk not having the Stones tour at all. I think that was pretty much the ultimatum Mick laid down. So - OK, I'll concede that the extras and the precise arrangements have yielded their moments, I do miss the rougher, rawer, jamming days.
recently HEART has a keyboard player on stage with them
Yup I hope for them that Bono will never wear a kilt onstage...
Tell us!
You're smart enough to know that's been pranked by a hater, right?
I think Gazza is referring to Blondie occasionally playing electric guitar behind the amps out of site.
I already have!
Do the same with Stones and you see them all.....
I would bet that's fake. Maybe the band sounds like that, but the vocals are comically bad, and I would bet that's not really Bono's voice. I don't think Bono is one of the best vocalists ever, but he CAN sing better than that. I think somebody is having some fun with us there.
Of course this video is fake...that's what makes it funny. I think so, anyway. Bono might disagree!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-19 04:54 by TornAndFried.
+1
It could be like one of those Pink Floyd laser shows. Would it matter that the band wasn't there or that the music is pre-recorded? No, not really.
Russ Irwin and Spike Edney aren't really hidden. They are in view of the audience they just stand behind amps so they aren't in the forefront. Spike Edney often came out the front to play piano or rythem guitar. Russ Irwin gets just as big an annoucement from Steven Tyler as the rest of the band!
Whew! I was getting a bit distressed over the whole thing. Thanks MH! Appreciate the real info here. We tend to believe what we read, gotta have sanity checks every now and then. Credit where credit due always works for me! peace.
You can see Danny Q. playing onstage here around the 4:45 mark while Sting is fooling around with the camera. Sting has always acknowledged him over the years.
if its about u2 would it be "i still haven't found the backup band"?
Why this is an outrage! They should be stripped of their tour gross dollars title immediately! Always knew that Bono was a pious fraud! Just kidding!
Talk about your favorite band.
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Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
stonesdan60
()
Date: December 18, 2011 02:12
Quote
SighuntQuote
stonesdan60Quote
tatters
BILLY JOEL OUTS U2 LIVE ACT
12/16/2011
Is there more to a U2 show than just the four members of the Irish band? Billy Joel says there's more than meets the eye. During a lecture and performance this week at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Joel told the crowd that "Bono's gonna kill me for this..." before saying that when he attended a U2 show in New York he learned that additional musicians were underneath the stage supporting the quartet. U2's use of supporting players, not unlike Pink Floyd during the 70s, has long been rumored but never openly reported. The U2 camp has not commented on Joel's bombshell.
Maybe there's something the Stones should have considered if Mick insisted on having all those singers and horns along to better recreate the studio versions. I might not mind all the hired help if I didn't have to SEE them. Seeing all those extras for the first time in'89 put a damper on my idea of what a Stones concert should look like. I just want to see THE STONES onstage and focus on them; maybe the piano player and Bobby Keys could be allowed to be seen. Although I prefer the sound of the stripped down Stones ala '78, I'll say they do still sound pretty damn great live. I just hate when the cameras focus on the extras instead of the Stones. Good idea U2. Keep the hired help hidden and out of the way!
When I saw the Stones on the Steel Wheels tour for the first time along with the extra singers, horns, keyboards, etc, I didn't know what to make of it. My initial reaction was that they sold out. However, upon hearing the then "new" arrangements of songs like You Can't Always Get What You Want & Gimme Shelter with all the subtleties and nuances thrown in just like the recorded versions, I changed my own tune (so to speak). At that time, I liked the more professional sound. For me, it added something to the Stones live performances.
I was recently re-reading Bill German's Under Their Thumb and in one of the chapters, German reported that it was Jagger who wanted the Stones to play their hits to resemble the recorded versions which was more a less a business decision,rather than for artistic reasons. German summed it up aptly: "He (Jagger) learned that the way to reach the vastest audience (referring to Jagger's solo tour in 88), not just hardcore Stones freaks, was to play the hits the way people remembered them. Don't ask people to indulge the Stones' onstage idiosyncrasies, and don't assume the Stones' unpolished sound would be endearing."
Relating back to this particular thread, as music fans we know that of the several artists mentioned (Who, U2, Pink Floyd), they have produced great works in the studio that aren't easily replicated on stage without utilizing technology and/or having additional personnel to recreate said music. Haven't the Stones best studio works (Exile on Main Street,Aftermath, Let It Bleed) benefitted from additional layers (marimba, dulcimer, extra guitars, female vocalists) that have made those records classics? I guess my long winded point is, you can't have it both ways-meaning, I would rather have all the additional players on stage TO BE SEEN, rather than hidden away somewhere like you're trying to hide something or deceive your audience. Just my two cents.
Like I said, my original post about "hiding" the Stones extra help was rather tongue in cheek. I have mixed emotions here. While in some respects, I enjoyed finally hearing Tumbling Dice with proper vocals and horns, I miss the stripped down earlier days. Die hard Stones fans used to love the way the band adapted their songs into guitar-driven arrangements, no matter how they were done in the studio. I used to love the way the Stones felt free to jam at length, which sometimes resulted in euphoric moments...and sometimes horrendous train wrecks - but they weren't afraid to take the chance. What I heard was that in '89 Jagger wanted everything pre-arranged so that the chances of a "jamming" train wreck wouldn't give people the chance to say the Stones suck, or were too old to play anymore. Granted, there's freedom to improvise during guitar solos, but if it's decided that the soloing will last for twelve bars, it will last for twelve bars. No more open-ended solos; less change of bungling the chord change, etc. I'm sure Keith resisted the changes, but he'd rather give Mick his way than risk not having the Stones tour at all. I think that was pretty much the ultimatum Mick laid down. So - OK, I'll concede that the extras and the precise arrangements have yielded their moments, I do miss the rougher, rawer, jamming days.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
keefriffhard4life
()
Date: December 18, 2011 09:20
Quote
stonesdan60
Oh well, great bands have used various tricks to enhance the live sound. I don't think Led Zeppelin ever did, but consider The Who. In an era when anything not actually played live was detested, Townshend insisted that tapes of his intricate synth parts be used onstage because he felt they'd be impossible for someone to recreate live and they were an essential part of the song's musical stucture. Granted, songs like Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again do need those parts. I'll forgive Townshend for using tapes just because I think he's a freaking creative wizard and those synth parts are his own work....Totally unrelated, I remember seeing Heart many years ago and was rather amused to hear a lot of keyboard parts with nobody onstage but two guitars, bass and drums. Tapes? Hidden player? Lots of bands cheat.
recently HEART has a keyboard player on stage with them
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
stones_serb
()
Date: December 18, 2011 09:35
I don;t see the point in hiding additional players.The fans are supposed to know the songs and be aware of how elaborate some of the arrangements are and thus they shouldn't feel cheated because of the presence of any extra players on stage.The Stones have always had a t least a couple of sidemen because that has been the only way to truly recapture the essence of their songs.
Anyone listening to U2 is perfectly aware that most of their songs require keyboards
Anyone listening to U2 is perfectly aware that most of their songs require keyboards
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
aprilfool
()
Date: December 18, 2011 09:39
We all know Bono is a fighter for human rights. Cool, he gives some work to musicians in the basement under the stage and perhaps they are young chinese people. I always thought and think currently Bono was just a Bonobo with glasses.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
TornAndFried
()
Date: December 18, 2011 10:58
I found this rare soundboard recording of U2 playing "Magnificent" on David Letterman in 2009 without all the reverb, guitar effects and electronic razzmatazz that you usually hear in the mix when they play live. Perhaps now you can understand why they employ a keyboarist to help flesh out their live sound.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-18 11:01 by TornAndFried.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-18 11:01 by TornAndFried.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
dcba
()
Date: December 18, 2011 12:19
Quote
Justin
They're literally under the stage? Seems uncomfortable.
Yup I hope for them that Bono will never wear a kilt onstage...
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
dcba
()
Date: December 18, 2011 12:27
Quote
GazzaQuote
its good to be anywhere
At least the Stones have all the backing musicans visable and on stage....
Not always.
Tell us!
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Papo
()
Date: December 18, 2011 12:42
Bono introduced Terry Lawless openly during "Unknown Caller" on the 360-Tour, at least at the many shows I have been to. He said "Underneath the Stage: Terry Lawless on the keyboards!". They even showed Terry Lawless on the screen, several times.
Terry played keyboards during "Unknown Caller" and of course "Streets". And he triggers/ starts the backing tapes, clicks, just like Chuck L. does with the Stones.
Terry and U2 talk about it openly - when asked. And they have been asked and interviewed about this. It's just no big deal.
There are other musicians/ bands that "perform(ed)" and don't/didn't even play or sing live, e.g. Madonna, Michael Jackson, Britney and countless others...
Terry played keyboards during "Unknown Caller" and of course "Streets". And he triggers/ starts the backing tapes, clicks, just like Chuck L. does with the Stones.
Terry and U2 talk about it openly - when asked. And they have been asked and interviewed about this. It's just no big deal.
There are other musicians/ bands that "perform(ed)" and don't/didn't even play or sing live, e.g. Madonna, Michael Jackson, Britney and countless others...
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Munichhilton
()
Date: December 18, 2011 14:59
Quote
TornAndFried
I found this rare soundboard recording of U2 playing "Magnificent" on David Letterman in 2009 without all the reverb, guitar effects and electronic razzmatazz that you usually hear in the mix when they play live. Perhaps now you can understand why they employ a keyboarist to help flesh out their live sound.
You're smart enough to know that's been pranked by a hater, right?
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
phd
()
Date: December 18, 2011 18:27
Does that change my view on U2 ? No.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Zack
()
Date: December 18, 2011 18:38
Quote
dcbaQuote
GazzaQuote
its good to be anywhere
At least the Stones have all the backing musicans visable and on stage....
Not always.
Tell us!
I think Gazza is referring to Blondie occasionally playing electric guitar behind the amps out of site.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
melillo
()
Date: December 18, 2011 18:39
at least they write their own songs unlike the MIGHTY ZEP
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Gazza
()
Date: December 18, 2011 19:35
Quote
dcbaQuote
GazzaQuote
its good to be anywhere
At least the Stones have all the backing musicans visable and on stage....
Not always.
Tell us!
I already have!
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
mtaylor
()
Date: December 18, 2011 20:15
Go on IMDB or U2 homepage and read about additional U2 musicians on their consert movies - nothing / no information.Quote
Papo
Bono introduced Terry Lawless openly during "Unknown Caller" on the 360-Tour, at least at the many shows I have been to. He said "Underneath the Stage: Terry Lawless on the keyboards!". They even showed Terry Lawless on the screen, several times.
Terry played keyboards during "Unknown Caller" and of course "Streets". And he triggers/ starts the backing tapes, clicks, just like Chuck L. does with the Stones.
Terry and U2 talk about it openly - when asked. And they have been asked and interviewed about this. It's just no big deal.
There are other musicians/ bands that "perform(ed)" and don't/didn't even play or sing live, e.g. Madonna, Michael Jackson, Britney and countless others...
Do the same with Stones and you see them all.....
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
NoCode0680
()
Date: December 18, 2011 20:28
Quote
TornAndFried
I found this rare soundboard recording of U2 playing "Magnificent" on David Letterman in 2009 without all the reverb, guitar effects and electronic razzmatazz that you usually hear in the mix when they play live. Perhaps now you can understand why they employ a keyboarist to help flesh out their live sound.
I would bet that's fake. Maybe the band sounds like that, but the vocals are comically bad, and I would bet that's not really Bono's voice. I don't think Bono is one of the best vocalists ever, but he CAN sing better than that. I think somebody is having some fun with us there.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
TornAndFried
()
Date: December 19, 2011 04:51
Quote
NoCode0680Quote
TornAndFried
I found this rare soundboard recording of U2 playing "Magnificent" on David Letterman in 2009 without all the reverb, guitar effects and electronic razzmatazz that you usually hear in the mix when they play live. Perhaps now you can understand why they employ a keyboarist to help flesh out their live sound.
I would bet that's fake. Maybe the band sounds like that, but the vocals are comically bad, and I would bet that's not really Bono's voice. I don't think Bono is one of the best vocalists ever, but he CAN sing better than that. I think somebody is having some fun with us there.
Of course this video is fake...that's what makes it funny. I think so, anyway. Bono might disagree!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-19 04:54 by TornAndFried.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
71Tele
()
Date: December 19, 2011 06:30
Remember a few years ago when Billy Joel toured with Elton and Joel was drunk most of the time? There must be some video of that around in case U2 fans want revenge.
<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="
?version=3&
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-19 06:37 by 71Tele.
<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="
?version=3&
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-19 06:37 by 71Tele.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
frankotero
()
Date: December 19, 2011 08:45
It's kind of like "The Killer" when he kicks his chair back, ha-ha. Wonder if Elton was thinking dammit Billy's drunk again!
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
billwebster
()
Date: December 19, 2011 14:25
U2 should make a guest appearance in the next "Men in Black" movie ;-)
Terry Lawless even guests as keyboardist on several of U2's studio recordings from the 2000s.
Terry Lawless even guests as keyboardist on several of U2's studio recordings from the 2000s.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Doc
()
Date: December 19, 2011 15:32
Quote
tatters
U2's live act is the stage. They should all be under there; U2, the 'supporting' players, everybody. Just disappear and let the crowd concentrate on watching all the pretty lights.
+1
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
The Sicilian
()
Date: December 19, 2011 15:37
I think soundboard engineers should be interogated.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Doc
()
Date: December 19, 2011 15:48
Seriously, lots of well known bands have or had hidden musicians :
Aerosmith toured during the 90ies with a keyboardist who wasn't on stage : Russ Irwin or Thom Gimbel
Iron Maiden has a keyboardist backstage since the late 80ies : Michael Kenney. He never is on stage with the band
The Stones kept Bernard, Lisa and Blondie OFF stage for the first songs of all the ABB Tour shows, but they were in the mix.
Queen had Spike Edney on keyboards but he wasn't to be seen either
[doctorstonesblog.blogspot.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-19 17:14 by Doc.
Aerosmith toured during the 90ies with a keyboardist who wasn't on stage : Russ Irwin or Thom Gimbel
Iron Maiden has a keyboardist backstage since the late 80ies : Michael Kenney. He never is on stage with the band
The Stones kept Bernard, Lisa and Blondie OFF stage for the first songs of all the ABB Tour shows, but they were in the mix.
Queen had Spike Edney on keyboards but he wasn't to be seen either
[doctorstonesblog.blogspot.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-19 17:14 by Doc.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
superrevvy
()
Date: December 19, 2011 15:51
think terry lawless and some joujoukkas and u2 morocco, sorry drunk stoned,
will do better next time
will do better next time
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
tatters
()
Date: December 19, 2011 17:25
Quote
DocQuote
tatters
U2's live act is the stage. They should all be under there; U2, the 'supporting' players, everybody. Just disappear and let the crowd concentrate on watching all the pretty lights.
+1
It could be like one of those Pink Floyd laser shows. Would it matter that the band wasn't there or that the music is pre-recorded? No, not really.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
mr_c_ox
()
Date: December 19, 2011 17:59
Quote
Seriously, lots of well known bands have or had hidden musicians :
Aerosmith toured during the 90ies with a keyboardist who wasn't on stage : Russ Irwin or Thom Gimbel
Iron Maiden has a keyboardist backstage since the late 80ies : Michael Kenney. He never is on stage with the band
The Stones kept Bernard, Lisa and Blondie OFF stage for the first songs of all the ABB Tour shows, but they were in the mix.
Queen had Spike Edney on keyboards but he wasn't to be seen either
Russ Irwin and Spike Edney aren't really hidden. They are in view of the audience they just stand behind amps so they aren't in the forefront. Spike Edney often came out the front to play piano or rythem guitar. Russ Irwin gets just as big an annoucement from Steven Tyler as the rest of the band!
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Naturalust
()
Date: December 19, 2011 18:14
Quote
Munichhilton
Naturalust they do get credit. This whole thing is bogus.
Even Sting had a bass player (Danny Quatrochi) on Walking On The Moon backing him on the Synch tour.
Whew! I was getting a bit distressed over the whole thing. Thanks MH! Appreciate the real info here. We tend to believe what we read, gotta have sanity checks every now and then. Credit where credit due always works for me! peace.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Jah Paul
()
Date: December 19, 2011 18:33
Quote
NaturalustQuote
Munichhilton
Naturalust they do get credit. This whole thing is bogus.
Even Sting had a bass player (Danny Quatrochi) on Walking On The Moon backing him on the Synch tour.
Whew! I was getting a bit distressed over the whole thing. Thanks MH! Appreciate the real info here. We tend to believe what we read, gotta have sanity checks every now and then. Credit where credit due always works for me! peace.
You can see Danny Q. playing onstage here around the 4:45 mark while Sting is fooling around with the camera. Sting has always acknowledged him over the years.
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
Max'sKansasCity
()
Date: December 19, 2011 21:32
Now awaiting Weird AL's cover of "Under my Thumb" done as "Under my Stage".
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
keefriffhard4life
()
Date: December 19, 2011 23:27
Quote
Max'sKansasCity
Now awaiting Weird AL's cover of "Under my Thumb" done as "Under my Stage".
if its about u2 would it be "i still haven't found the backup band"?
Re: OT: Billy Joel Says U2 Has Additional Musicians Playing Under The Stage
Posted by:
thewatchman
()
Date: December 20, 2011 00:49
Quote
tatters
BILLY JOEL OUTS U2 LIVE ACT
12/16/2011
Is there more to a U2 show than just the four members of the Irish band? Billy Joel says there's more than meets the eye. During a lecture and performance this week at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Joel told the crowd that "Bono's gonna kill me for this..." before saying that when he attended a U2 show in New York he learned that additional musicians were underneath the stage supporting the quartet. U2's use of supporting players, not unlike Pink Floyd during the 70s, has long been rumored but never openly reported. The U2 camp has not commented on Joel's bombshell.
Why this is an outrage! They should be stripped of their tour gross dollars title immediately! Always knew that Bono was a pious fraud! Just kidding!
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