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Mathijs
Just to note -Ernie Watts apparently hated touring with the Stones, even so much that he declined for the 1982 tour. He stated in a 90's interview that he spent 23 hours per day on his hotel room, and then was dragged out onto the stage. He said that he didn't have a social life for two months, and that he didn't have any interaction with any of the Stones when they weren't on the stage. He did admire Bobby Keys deeply for not complaining, as Keys was in the same position and even only played on two tracks per show.

Mathijs

That's interesting. Maybe the rigors of a long tour wore him out and changed his opinion. But the radio interview I heard was done mid-tour, and when asked what it was like touring with the Stones, he said, "It's fantastic. It's the greatest road trip in the world. They spare no expense to provide the greatest comfort, the greatest food, the greatest travel arrangements. I'm having a great time. Everything is luxury to the max." (may not be verbatim, but I know I got the gist of it right.)

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Munichhilton

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Mathijs
Just to note -Ernie Watts apparently hated touring with the Stones, even so much that he declined for the 1982 tour. He stated in a 90's interview that he spent 23 hours per day on his hotel room, and then was dragged out onto the stage. He said that he didn't have a social life for two months, and that he didn't have any interaction with any of the Stones when they weren't on the stage. He did admire Bobby Keys deeply for not complaining, as Keys was in the same position and even only played on two tracks per show.

Mathijs

This sounds like mythological nonsense.
Why would a grown man not leave his hotel room in city after city to enjoy the town. It had to have been his choice if true at all.

Even Chuck Leavell gets out and grinds out some grub on the town!

It's not that easy. Touring is an awful lot of traveling and waiting, with not much else to do than party in a hotel room. And if you're not a party guy, or not part of the inner circle, it can be quite lonely. Of course you can leave the hotel and wander around in a town, but that is quite lonely as well. Charlie Watts has mentioned the same many times.

Mathijs

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StonesTod
let it bleed was made for the saxophone...and i believe that's bobby wailing away on the hampton version...

you mean made for a Mick Taylor live slide solo (like on the studio track)...now I would listen to that !

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Eleanor Rigby

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StonesTod
let it bleed was made for the saxophone...and i believe that's bobby wailing away on the hampton version...

you mean made for a Mick Taylor live slide solo (like on the studio track)...now I would listen to that !

ronnie handles the slide chores just fine on this during the tour...combined with keith's country-cum-berry licks and keys' wailing sax...let it bleed in '81 is about as good as it gets....don't think even the great mt could've improved matters...

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Mathijs

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Munichhilton

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Mathijs
Just to note -Ernie Watts apparently hated touring with the Stones, even so much that he declined for the 1982 tour. He stated in a 90's interview that he spent 23 hours per day on his hotel room, and then was dragged out onto the stage. He said that he didn't have a social life for two months, and that he didn't have any interaction with any of the Stones when they weren't on the stage. He did admire Bobby Keys deeply for not complaining, as Keys was in the same position and even only played on two tracks per show.

Mathijs

This sounds like mythological nonsense.
Why would a grown man not leave his hotel room in city after city to enjoy the town. It had to have been his choice if true at all.

Even Chuck Leavell gets out and grinds out some grub on the town!

It's not that easy. Touring is an awful lot of traveling and waiting, with not much else to do than party in a hotel room. And if you're not a party guy, or not part of the inner circle, it can be quite lonely. Of course you can leave the hotel and wander around in a town, but that is quite lonely as well. Charlie Watts has mentioned the same many times.

Mathijs

That could be why my band 'The Twenty Beer Buzz" crashed and burned.
I wish I'd known...

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Eleanor Rigby

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StonesTod
let it bleed was made for the saxophone...and i believe that's bobby wailing away on the hampton version...

you mean made for a Mick Taylor live slide solo (like on the studio track)...now I would listen to that !

Thats Keith on slide

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Eleanor Rigby

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StonesTod
let it bleed was made for the saxophone...and i believe that's bobby wailing away on the hampton version...

you mean made for a Mick Taylor live slide solo (like on the studio track)...now I would listen to that !

Keith plays the slide on the studio track. Taylor only plays on Country Honk and Live With Me on Let It Bleed.

I don't think I have heard a good version of Let it Bleed since the '81-2 tour. Great song..but seems later versions were unispiring.

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chrism13
I don't think I have heard a good version of Let it Bleed since the '81-2 tour. Great song..but seems later versions were unispiring.

they dropped it part-way through the '82 tour in favor of...gasp...angie!

i agree...'81 set a standard for this song that was never even approached on subsequent tries...i'm sure someone will blame chuck if you give it a few minutes....

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chrism13
I don't think I have heard a good version of Let it Bleed since the '81-2 tour. Great song..but seems later versions were unispiring.

Its because Chuck wouldn't stay in his room like he was told. Too busy out on the town enjoying local culture and cuisine and destroying Let It Bleed.

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Munichhilton

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chrism13
I don't think I have heard a good version of Let it Bleed since the '81-2 tour. Great song..but seems later versions were unispiring.

Its because Chuck wouldn't stay in his room like he was told. Too busy out on the town enjoying local culture and cuisine and destroying Let It Bleed.

munichhilton...aka someone

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Mathijs

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Munichhilton

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Mathijs
Just to note -Ernie Watts apparently hated touring with the Stones, even so much that he declined for the 1982 tour. He stated in a 90's interview that he spent 23 hours per day on his hotel room, and then was dragged out onto the stage. He said that he didn't have a social life for two months, and that he didn't have any interaction with any of the Stones when they weren't on the stage. He did admire Bobby Keys deeply for not complaining, as Keys was in the same position and even only played on two tracks per show.

Mathijs

This sounds like mythological nonsense.
Why would a grown man not leave his hotel room in city after city to enjoy the town. It had to have been his choice if true at all.

Even Chuck Leavell gets out and grinds out some grub on the town!

It's not that easy. Touring is an awful lot of traveling and waiting, with not much else to do than party in a hotel room. And if you're not a party guy, or not part of the inner circle, it can be quite lonely. Of course you can leave the hotel and wander around in a town, but that is quite lonely as well. Charlie Watts has mentioned the same many times.

Mathijs

What a drag touring can be is all shown in great detail in the C***sucker blues film



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-03 23:19 by 68to72.

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chrism13
I don't think I have heard a good version of Let it Bleed since the '81-2 tour. Great song..but seems later versions were uninspiring.

I liked the Chicago 1997 version with three guitars (Mick). Later on the tour there were only two guitars.

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Munichhilton

Its because Chuck wouldn't stay in his room like he was told. Too busy out on the town enjoying local culture and cuisine and destroying Let It Bleed.

Yup! "Too much culture kill bands" - Ted Nugent

Very interesting discussion by the experts here. I'm learning a lot. I'll be listening to these shows differently now.

How was Gene Barge on Let It Bleed in 1982?

I'm sorry that I don't know the details of all of the saxophone on 1981 and 1982 tours and I appreciate the help!

So, Bobby and Ernie played together on songs on the 1981 tour? The is an awesome forum. Thank you for sharing.

I think that is ridiculous. I play guitar and I would absolutely love to go on tour with a band like the Stones. And there is no way I would sit around my hotel room all day - imagine all the great things there would be to see in South America, Europe, the USA or wherever. And then as an added bonus every few nights you get to play on stage with the Stones. Man that Ernie Watts must be one miserable bastard. If he thinks that being on the road with the Stones sux he should spend a few days sitting behind my desk at work putting up with all the crap I have to deal with. Try joining the real world Ernie.

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exilestones
Very interesting discussion by the experts here. I'm learning a lot. I'll be listening to these shows differently now.

How was Gene Barge on Let It Bleed in 1982?

I'm sorry that I don't know the details of all of the saxophone on 1981 and 1982 tours and I appreciate the help!

So, Bobby and Ernie played together on songs on the 1981 tour? The is an awesome forum. Thank you for sharing.

Aside from the Hampton PPV show was Bobby on the '81 tour? I saw a few shows in '81 & he was not present at any of them. i thought he was still exiled at that point.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-02-10 22:47 by keithglimmer.

Great sax on the Roundhay gig.The guy was amazing at that show.

Ernie was fantastic in 81. Incredible...

very soulfull saxplayer...he really added something

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stargroover
Great sax on the Roundhay gig.The guy was amazing at that show.

That was Gene Barge.

ooops.Thanks for the correction.

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Munichhilton

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dcba
"Lee Allen was there for a few shows prior to that..."

He sucked badly and he was sent home quickly. EW obviously was a fast learner and he developped a fantastic musical chemistry with the band.

Keith was very much into chemistry on this tour.

& Ronnie, too!><

Glad to see there's a lot of love for Ernie Watts here. His saxophone playing with the Stones is one of my favorite parts of the 1981 tour. The live versions of "Neighbors" and "Beast of Burden" from Tempe as still my favorite for these songs: the band--and especially Ernie Watts---perform inhuman magic.

Furthermore, his playing on those songs as well as "Black Limousine," "Miss You," "Just My Imagination," and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" from that tour in general are also perfection.

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stevecardi
Glad to see there's a lot of love for Ernie Watts here. His saxophone playing with the Stones is one of my favorite parts of the 1981 tour. The live versions of "Neighbors" and "Beast of Burden" from Tempe as still my favorite for these songs: the band--and especially Ernie Watts---perform inhuman magic.

Furthermore, his playing on those songs as well as "Black Limousine," "Miss You," "Just My Imagination," and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" from that tour in general are also perfection.

Agreed, but Waiting On A Friend also deserves a mention here, imo

To each his own, I guess, but to me there's a bit too much Ernie on some of the songs
from Hampton. Never mind, if others enjoy it, that's cool. I've got my own favorite
moments from that show.

Regarding Let it bleed after 1981: I do like the version on Stripped.
It gets me dancing every time.

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

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marcovandereijk
To each his own, I guess, but to me there's a bit too much Ernie on some of the songs
from Hampton. Never mind, if others enjoy it, that's cool. I've got my own favorite
moments from that show.

Regarding Let it bleed after 1981: I do like the version on Stripped.
It gets me dancing every time.

I like the MSG 2003 version of LIB as well. Can't remember if it's on Live Licks, but it is at least on Four Flicks. I like the guitars there better than on the Stripped version. But that's a good one as well

[www.youtube.com]

I was never a fan of the horn section for The Rolling Stones. One saxophone is the ideal for a rock and roll band. Ernie did his part and more thereto. I'm sad to hear he didn't rub along with the band.

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DandelionPowderman


I like the MSG 2003 version of LIB as well. Can't remember if it's on Live Licks, but it is at least on Four Flicks. I like the guitars there better than on the Stripped version. But that's a good one as well

Yeah, guitars firing on all cylinders

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

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Stoneage
I was never a fan of the horn section for The Rolling Stones. One saxophone is the ideal for a rock and roll band. Ernie did his part and more thereto. I'm sad to hear he didn't rub along with the band.

What do you feel when you're hearing Let It Loose?