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GravityBoy
I would really like to know what has been going on behind the scenes for the last few months.

Keith got his chops back somehow.

But how?

Someone mentioned Steve Jordan?

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rollmops

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GravityBoy
I would really like to know what has been going on behind the scenes for the last few months.

Keith got his chops back somehow.

But how?

Someone mentioned Steve Jordan?

I believe it has a lot to do with simply playing on regular basis. It seems that after 2007 he stopped touching the guitar.
If one person stops speaking a language for a long period of time and then is asked to participate to a conversation, the same problem may appear, lack of immediate fluency. But that doesn't mean that the person can't speak that language anymore. With some practice, one can get back to a very decent level.
Rock and roll,
Mops

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MrMonte
bingo. Mick must have insisted he get his act together or no go

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stonesrule
And Mick wasn't the only one insisting.

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latebloomer
Someone earlier in the thread mentioned Patti's illness, I think that may have played a bigger role in Keith's move away from the guitar than anyone suspects. Patti has been quoted as saying Keith tore out the studio they had in the house, and his daughters and Patti have all said he did not handle her illness well at all. Wasn't he writing the book at the same time? He has said that experience took him to some dark places at times, just remembering everything. All this, along with his own health issues from the fall...seems like the guy had a rough couple of years in his personal life.

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Max'sKansasCity

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latebloomer
Someone earlier in the thread mentioned Patti's illness, I think that may have played a bigger role in Keith's move away from the guitar than anyone suspects. Patti has been quoted as saying Keith tore out the studio they had in the house, and his daughters and Patti have all said he did not handle her illness well at all. Wasn't he writing the book at the same time? He has said that experience took him to some dark places at times, just remembering everything. All this, along with his own health issues from the fall...seems like the guy had a rough couple of years in his personal life.

Good points, something like that happening to the most important person in one's life can rearrange one's priorities. One of the things I have always greatly admired about Keith was his long term marriage to a great woman... It can tell / show more about someone than anything else. I dont know him or her... but I know people who stay in long term marriages, and the yare... are...

there is no way that will be understood correctly...
but I will leave it anyway.... it is mainly a thanks LB, good point.

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StonesTod

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MrMonte
bingo. Mick must have insisted he get his act together or no go

why no insistence heretofore?

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Justin
Someone must have mentioned that his usual performance wasn't gonna cut it. I wonder who gave him the nudge? (And how he took it!)

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carlorossi

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StonesTod

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MrMonte
bingo. Mick must have insisted he get his act together or no go

why no insistence heretofore?

Probably because Keith's sloppiness wasn't *overly* noticeable until the end of the last tour.

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Sighunt

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Justin

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Rokyfan
Actually, someone on the Undercover mailing list is suggesting, seriously, that there is a phantom player stashed under the stage or somewhere playing Keith's licks. 99% sure he's serious, too. (I don't post this to lend an ounce of credibility, just to show that nothing is too ridiculous that you can't find someone who believes it).

(not directed at you Rokyfan but for anyone who wishes to entertain this ridiculous idea of a mystery guitar player helping Keith)

We don't need a phantom player for us to clearly SEE that Keith is playing more rhythm. In addition to that, with all the raw, HD captured footage by fans from different angles throughout the arena we would have noticed a discrepancy with what we hear and see on the screen. There is absolutely no discrepancy. It all matches up. Also, how do we account for Pierre being the mystery guitar player when he is clearly visible walking around behind the stage and also handing Keith his guitars at the start of songs? I don't see Keith checking his back to see if Pierre has run off to his little backroom station ready to play along with him...

Every tour some numbskull wants to suggest that there is someone "in the back" who is really playing guitar for Keith and only a person who has absolutely ZERO knowledge about playing the guitar could suggest that. There is absolutely no way Keith could mime playing a solo while someone else is playing on his behalf. This would imply that every solo Keith plays on every song--each night--is exactly the same to the exact detail. There would be no room for variation since the "phantom guitar player" in the back is prepared to only play what he and Keith rehearsed. It'd be an utter waste of time and a huge pain in the ass to perform this way.

The logistics of arranging something like this is beyond tedious and an utter waste of time to choreography correctly especially with someone as inconsistent and spontaneous as Keith. The person (or people) who want to believe this--deserve it. They're missing out on a rare moment for the band.

Justin, if there is anybody that would know something about Keith's guitar playing, it would be you...BTW, I have been playing guitar on and off for many years (don't consider myself a brilliant player by any stretch of the imagination-just the usual backroom stuff). Anyway, I went on U Tube and wanted to attempt to find out how to play Midnight Rambler and found (which I am assuming is you) demonstrating the RIGHT way to play Midnight Rambler. I have to say that is the BEST sounding version of that song I have seen. Your instruction of this tune is great, by the way. You nailed it, brother. Nice job.