According to the interview on Virgin Radio Ronnie is not really involved in making the new album. He is allowed to do some overdubs! Kinda sad, isnt't it?

Ronnies role is to be a clown, and someone for Mick and Keith to kick and yell at when things go wrong onstage. Sadly, his contributions to the Stones have been minimal, even to the point now that he only adds overdubs. Sad, sad, sad.

Whatever happened to the outrageous and raw guitar talent that Ronnie once was before he joined the Stones?
His "voice" has been silenced forever I'm afraid to say.

Yes and no. Keith is my guitar man!
I like Ronnie but can't help wondering
if the lifestyle choices aren't taking
their toil. Granted by most accounts he
seemed to put on a pretty good show recently
but it was quite short and he had a lot of help
from his friends. Perhaps the Stones are
trying to give him a wakeup call?

I have a feeling that the Rolling Stones see this as their last album and they want to kind of go full circle with it...those who are left from the first will be those doing the work on the last...Mick, Keith and Charlie. The 3 survivors. Why else would Mick and Keith actually be writing songs together, at Charlie's behest, for the first time in decades?

I love Ronnie and have always wished he had been allowed to contribute more to the songwriting duties and arrangements...he certainly proved himself with the Faces and Rod Stewart's early solo albums...but perhaps after "Dirty Work" he was unable to do so.

It's too bad that just when he's finally at a point where he would be able to make a valid contribution to the songwriting and music, it's too late!

But I will always, always contend that had Ron not joined the Rolling Stones in the Seventies and brought them a visual and musical upgrading, the Stones would have gone the way of the Who. He still is an invaluable musical and visual component of the show...if you've seen recent pictures of Mick Taylor you will see how sad a spectacle it would be visually had he stayed on! Ronnie makes a Stones show a Stones SHOW.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-03-22 14:30 by Jack Knife.

I would say that Ronnie is safe and sound as a Stone, especially since Mick showed up at Ronnie's Gig, that speaks volumes.

"But I will always, always contend that had Ron not joined the Rolling Stones in the Seventies and brought them a visual and musical upgrading, the Stones would have gone the way of the Who. He still is an invaluable musical and visual component of the show...if you've seen recent pictures of Mick Taylor you will see how sad a spectacle it would be visually had he stayed on! Ronnie makes a Stones show a Stones SHOW."

I agree. Take a look at him...

I hope he plays better than he looks!

Cheers,
Wuudy

who cares about the image its all about the music and being able to still play
at a high level.Taylor's got the vibrato.Jagger and Wood look silly on stage still trying to look like their in their 20's.

I saw Buddy Guy at the Birchmere in Alexandria last night and Buddy Guy played
the blues from his heart and mixed it up with funk,rock and told the audience
I never reherase and just play what I feel.He went into the small crowd and
played his guitar up close and personal to the fans letting the fans touch his
guitar and strumming the strings while he played notes and chords.He mentioned
being inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame and then went into Strange
Brew and told the audience that Eric told him he ripped of his licks way back.
I then thought about the stones current lineup and said to myself it would sure
be nice if they could play from their hearts and forget about the backup singers
and horns but then I had to remind myself they can,t play live like they once
did when they were the greatest rock and roll band with taylor.So the stones
look pretty on stage with those costumes and stage set but Taylor can still
play is instrument and hit all the right notes and not stand behind all the
glitz and glimmer the stones need to get by these days.

OpenG,

Why do you say that they can't play that way? They don't play that way because of all the backing musicians. By all reports, Ronnie has proved that he can still play recently, and we know that Keith can, when he can be bothered. If you put the boys on stage without all the backup musicians, they would still play a hard rocking set all the way through, just like they do on the B stage.

Ronnie's roel in the Stones has always been as a sort of middle man and peacemaker, as well as a versatile musician. I acknowledge that this may mean that he is a jack of all trades and master of none, but he still does have a valuable role to play in the Stones.

ps. I personnally believe that Keith always plays from his heart, even if the results are often shakey.

IMO,the set lists are canned and have been that way since 1981.yes keith plays
from his heart but its the same chuck berry riff angular pattern he plays all
the time.I rather just listen to his open rhythm tunings these days and not
his soloing.It was sad to watch his solo on TB from the HBO special.I know he
has arthitis but he used his chuck berry angular pattern on the solo which was
sad for me to watch.He sounded real bad.

One of the greatest moments in rock and roll is when the stones play all down
the line and keith lays down his open rhythm against taylor's blistering slide.
Thats what rock and roll is all about laying it all on the line and playing
your hearts out.

What's TB?

TB?
Must be Tubular Bells. Mike Oldfield-cover.


'In the sweet old country...'

tumbling dice

OpenG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Taylor's got the vibrato.Jagger
> and Wood look silly on stage still trying to look
> like their in their 20's.
>

Good lord, why are you Taylor fans always yap about "the vibrato"?!?!?!



> I then thought about the stones current lineup and
> said to myself it would sure
> be nice if they could play from their hearts and
> forget about the backup singers
> and horns but then I had to remind myself they
> can,t play live like they once
> did when they were the greatest rock and roll band
> with taylor.So the stones
> look pretty on stage with those costumes and stage
> set but Taylor can still
> play is instrument and hit all the right notes and
> not stand behind all the
> glitz and glimmer the stones need to get by these
> days.


I don't understand what you are doing on a stones board after reading this. If you have so many complaints about them stick to Taylors solo stuff.

Cheers,
Wuudy

I agree Wuudy.

Open G says "IMO,the set lists are canned and have been that way since 1981"

Prior to 81 the Stones played practically the same set list every night so I am not sure what you are talking about. The last tour the Stones mixed up the set lists more than they ever did in the past. Also you refer to Keith's solo in TD, since when has Keith played the solo in this song. I am not sure what you are listening to by your points you make.

Also, everytime the Stones come around, for the past 25 years, they get "steel wheelchairs" "geezer rock" 'wrinkled rockers' & referances to their audience as "ageing boomers" among other cynical comments, then rave reviews from grizzled critics and young ones alike. I've taken several young (20s) friends, musicians & serious music fans, to shows since '99 who have come away saying shows exceeded their expectations. Ron has been marginalized initially, perhaps, due to his coke & alcohol problems, now I suspect more due to the deteriorating friendship w/ Keith, who seems to be freezing him out just as he did Brian, Taylor, & Bill - the usual passive aggressive Stones dynamics. Obviously if Ron has been sober & playing many shows during the past year, including the March 13 one that exceeded everyone's expectations, then his marginalization can't just be blamed on his addictions anymore. He has contributed a great deal musically & as a strong personality to the Stones, & is the only non J/R member to have a significant number of songwriting credits (10 from '78 - 86, not counting unissued tracks listed on the Gimme Some Neck inner sleeve under 'the stackroom' or non-credits, like IORR & Hey Negrita). And lest we forget the Stones to this day always do several songs minus the horns, & bv's, with only a pianist, and manage to kick ass? I have no problem with any of the extra vocalists, who funtion both as soul-revue backup (Famous Flames, Ikettes) and because Keith clearly doesnt want to sing with Mick. Like (especially) the Chuckster & horns, they can be overused, but they are all talented & fit quite nicely on many songs. It's a matter of balance - but it is imo very depressing that Ron, just as he's really pulling his s*** together, seems more sidelined than ever on the current sessions. "Not For Beginners" (2001) is a haunting, mature work, & it was made prior to most of the rehabs. No wonder he wants to do more Fiends shows and pines for the 70s, the give-and-take of collaboration. Its too bad one of my childhood faves (RW, Faces) cant seem to be properly reintegrated into my favorite band. I remember the relief & excitement I felt upon hearing he would join in '75, and the unexpected triumph of Some Girls, and the unprecedented level of boundary-blurring guitars on ER thru DW. He's added some great playing to tracks since (including his great, rumbling bass on a third of Steel Wheels), but not the same sense of he & Keith having that special intuitive connection. Finally, drug abuse and addiction, have been part of the Stones' lives & mythology for nearly 40 years, for better and, eventually for those who cross the line & cant come back, worse.

It' s funny wondering after 30 years what does this guy do within the Stones. I guess he just allows Mick and Keith stay together fo a while. By comparison, nobody asks this kind of question with the 5 years of Sir Mick T
He contributed to the greatest albums the Stones ever made on a musical standpoint. So it is irrelevant to post such a disgusting photo.How would have he looked like if still with the band. Ron has never been able to perform a solo.
Listening to his Taylor's parody on the last tour was pityfull.

Mr Edward, if it's youthful, untarnished looks you're after, why not attach yourself to one of the many boy bands that are out there. You can put their pictures and posters all over your bedroom wall and kiss them last thing at night.

Imagine the unparallelled joy it will provide for you at being able to brag that your band is better looking than all of the rest. Hey, and you'd be able to talk to girls about your band as well. Imagine that!

john r wrote:
"Ron has been marginalized initially, perhaps, due to his coke & alcohol problems, now I suspect more due to the deteriorating friendship w/ Keith, who seems to be freezing him out just as he did Brian, Taylor, & Bill"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Couldn't agree more. Instead of helping his friend, Keith apparently seems to push Ronnie apart. If I recall correctly, Ronnie and Mick were the more active Stones in the last seven years, as Keith seems somewhat lost in his pirate role. So maybe it's time for Mick and Charlie (who seem to be the most hard-working Stones nowadays) to bring Ronnie back to front, letting him showing his songwriting abilities and releasing at least one J/R/W composition. I'd bet Ronnie's problems and lack of confidence were due to his bandmates getting him apart almost as much as due to the booze, IMO.

[There'll be no wedding today...]

with taylor they never turned down his volume thats the key he had the ability
to improvise and take the band to a higher level musicially.

with wood - THEY had to make canned arrangements and for the most part they turned him down in the MIX or OFF and used chuck leavell to carry the weight.

phd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
So it is
> irrelevant to post such a disgusting photo.How
> would have he looked like if still with the band.
> Ron has never been able to perform a solo.
> Listening to his Taylor's parody on the last tour
> was pityfull

Purely right.

phd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
So it is
> irrelevant to post such a disgusting photo.How
> would have he looked like if still with the band.
> Ron has never been able to perform a solo.
> Listening to his Taylor's parody on the last tour
> was pityfull

Purely right.

Never been able to perform a solo? I guess we havent been listening to the same band

OpenG wrote:
"with taylor they never turned down his volume"
---------------------------------------------

I'm pretty sure Keith wished to do it more than once...

[There'll be no wedding today...]

To John r,

Yes we have but not searching excatly the same things or notes. I prefer Taylor
in CYHMK or YCAGWYW blues touch in 1971-1973 ( re-Brussels Affair) than Wood's rock one.
Regards

I have never been afraid to admire what work MT did with the Stones, tho I have been willing to enjoy the work they have done without him, unlike some.

However, Open G, only you have made me come to hate an abstract term. I nearly puke now everytime you fawn over VIBRATO!!! If that was all that MT had going for him, none of us would remember him. For Christ's sake find a new way to pay your repsects to the fabulous musician he is.

LOGIE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mr Edward, if it's youthful, untarnished looks
> you're after, why not attach yourself to one of
> the many boy bands that are out there. You can put
> their pictures and posters all over your bedroom
> wall and kiss them last thing at night.
>
> Imagine the unparallelled joy it will provide for
> you at being able to brag that your band is better
> looking than all of the rest. Hey, and you'd be
> able to talk to girls about your band as well.
> Imagine that!


BS. I wasn't aiming at making fun of Mick Taylor or trying to say that he's too fat or old to play with the Stones. There was a comment by Jack Knife on his looks and I just added a picture. I'm sure Taylor would have looked different if he didn't leave. I agreed with Jack that it would be strange to see Mick Taylor perform with them NOW because of his looks, because all the Stones are so damn skinny. And I think Ronnies afghan hound like face suits the Stones better.

To say that I should attach myself to boybands is just stupid. Someone who gets so irritated by seeing someone post a picture of one of his aging heroes is probably more in to the looks of bands then I am.

edward

kahoosier Wrote:

>
> However, Open G, only you have made me come to
> hate an abstract term. I nearly puke now everytime
> you fawn over VIBRATO!!!


I thought i was the only one who that reaction. Thank god someone else has the same!!!



Cheers,
Wuudy

Point taken Mr Edward!

It's also a fact that Taylors vibrato isn't what it used to be.