More "hammer" style in 1975 than in 1973 for the drummer, Charlie strkes harder, swings less, logically Bill Wyman follows, clutching louder. Think it comes more for funky newcomer Ron than from Billy Preston or O.Brown.

They reached there peak in '78 and '81.

Cheers,
Wuudy

IMHO, 1975-76 was a "feeling-out" period, with Charlie & Bill trying to adjust to the "new guy". By 1978 & 1981, the rhythm section reached an apogee in the "swing" factor", and it played a huge part in the transformation of the band into a "rhythm machine". Charlie & Bill provided the swing, allowing Keith & Ronnie more room to play around the rock-solid beat.

Now, to be fair, I see the development of the "new" rhythm section as heading that way. It isn't Charlie adapting to Darryl, but the converse. They had their moments during the "Licks" tour, but the recent PC performance demonstrated a noticeable change in Darryl--he is playing "with" Charlie, and this bodes well for the new tour.

Also, Bill was using a Travis Bean bass on the '81 tour
and got a much brighter sound than from the Dan Armstrong bass used in "75 and '76.
and (I think) most, if not all, of '78.

Personally I'd like to hear these two guys playing together....on a future Bob Dylan album.

No big production, no stress to re-create the Stones old sound. Just a chance to hear them as musicians, PERIOD.

I preferred the rhythm section in 73. I agree about the "hammer" in 75. Even more so in 81. As time went on I feel like the band grew further and further apart. It became more and more a set of individuals pl;aying together to fuse a whole. Granted, that is as should be and no one did it better. Still in 72/73 it seems like they didn't even have to start out as seperate players and fuse together. They were together right from the start. It was always a unity coming at you.Bill and Charlie were one. The big big plus in the Taylor days was that Keith was PART of the rhtyhm section. In 75 and 81 he was no longer a part of them since he was busy playing more up front. So the arrival of Ron while changing guitars for the better actually seemed to hurt the rhy. section.
Now 78 is an exception to it all. In 87 all four (even 5) of them played as one huge punk monster.
The different equipment also IMO has to do with different overall feel. That Steinbeger Bass was awful. Bill playing very clean, trebly, with a pick through a small amp set him apart. Now it did make us realize what GREAT lines he was plying down there, but ity changed it all up. Gone was this driving undefinable groove train like on Yaya's Rambler, Queenie, Sympathy. LYL had SOME moments of this. Mainly the Side 3 and 4.
Forget about today's rhy. section. Again DJ is a competent session bassist. Very good, perfect for someone like Stoing or Clapton.
And as far as studio goes there is too much seperation these days. I actually feel that the closest the Stones have come to their sound is on B2B.

Great post, Chelsea. You encapsulate it smartly.