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71Tele
they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer
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71Tele
Put me down in the "despise" camp...It's not so much him personally. It's the fact that they are willing to tolerate mediocre keyboard playing precisely because they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer. Those who point out how "necessary" he is sometimes don't realize the full context of what they are saying.
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71Tele
Put me down in the "despise" camp...It's not so much him personally. It's the fact that they are willing to tolerate mediocre keyboard playing precisely because they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer. Those who point out how "necessary" he is sometimes don't realize the full context of what they are saying.
Chuck has evolved in this band. Now that the guitars are holding their own he's beginning to actually play and he's been really good.Quote
71Tele
Put me down in the "despise" camp...It's not so much him personally. It's the fact that they are willing to tolerate mediocre keyboard playing precisely because they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer. Those who point out how "necessary" he is sometimes don't realize the full context of what they are saying.
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DoomandGloomChuck has evolved in this band. Now that the guitars are holding their own he's beginning to actually play and he's been really good.Quote
71Tele
Put me down in the "despise" camp...It's not so much him personally. It's the fact that they are willing to tolerate mediocre keyboard playing precisely because they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer. Those who point out how "necessary" he is sometimes don't realize the full context of what they are saying.
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StoneburstQuote
71Tele
Put me down in the "despise" camp...It's not so much him personally. It's the fact that they are willing to tolerate mediocre keyboard playing precisely because they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer. Those who point out how "necessary" he is sometimes don't realize the full context of what they are saying.
+1. Also, if Chuck is necessary despite his musical contributions being mediocre, what does that say about the others' musicality?
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Naturalust
mediocre keyboard playing
Yeah tele and if he was playing more than mediocre, you'd be complaining that he was taking away from the Stones and trying to showboat. Obviously, his job is to please Mick and Keith and I'm pretty sure he has learned that virtuoso playing is not what they are looking for, and Chuck is certainly capable of virtuoso playing.
I am curious as to where specifically you think his playing is mediocre and what you think he should be playing instead of what he is. Any videos from the current tour that you can show us to support your comments? I know you haven't been happy with his plinky tone in the past but it seems to me that this tour he is blending in much better and the guitars are out front where they belong. with respect. peace
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treaclefingers
I think we should leave the poor guy alone.
If they feel that he adds to the equation, who the hell are we to second guess them?
It's not as though this is the first tour with him. He's been 'with' the band longer than Brian Jones and Mick Taylor combined.
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backstreetboy1
chuck is a tremendous talent,anyone that thinks otherwise is a fool.do we forget he played with the allman brothers,he never would of played with both the stones and allmans withourt skill.
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71TeleQuote
Naturalust
mediocre keyboard playing
Yeah tele and if he was playing more than mediocre, you'd be complaining that he was taking away from the Stones and trying to showboat. Obviously, his job is to please Mick and Keith and I'm pretty sure he has learned that virtuoso playing is not what they are looking for, and Chuck is certainly capable of virtuoso playing.
I am curious as to where specifically you think his playing is mediocre and what you think he should be playing instead of what he is. Any videos from the current tour that you can show us to support your comments? I know you haven't been happy with his plinky tone in the past but it seems to me that this tour he is blending in much better and the guitars are out front where they belong. with respect. peace
As to paragraph one: No, I wouldn't, and you have no idea what I'd be saying.
See all my posts complaining about Nicky Hopkins and Ian Stewart "showboating". Oh wait, there aren't any.
As to paragraph two: Basically everything he plays. It's mid-rangey, unsoulful, and unimaginative. I have offered lots of specifics before and don't find it necessary to repeat myself.
As to "improvements" it's a matter of degree. The improvements you mention don't overcome the stylistic deficiencies.
Chuck Leavell with the Rolling Stones is a Musical Director who happens to play keyboards rather than the best possible keyboardist for the Rolling Stones, and none of his many apologists here have made a cogent mucial defense of his playing.
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Naturalust
Well I may be wrong about the specifics but it's a fair bet you would be criticizing him no matter how he played. peace
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71Tele
I did this little test before and none of the Chuck apologists stepped up, so I will try again:
Without mentioning that he does the setlists, that Mick & Keith (or Ian Stewart) chose him, that they need him to count the songs off, that he played really great on the Allman Brothers "Jessica", that he's been in the band for a million years, or any OTHER reasons superfluous to the musical point, please SOMEONE say something specific that they love or think is indispensible about Chuck Leavell's keyboard playing with the Rolling Stones.
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JustinQuote
71Tele
I did this little test before and none of the Chuck apologists stepped up, so I will try again:
Without mentioning that he does the setlists, that Mick & Keith (or Ian Stewart) chose him, that they need him to count the songs off, that he played really great on the Allman Brothers "Jessica", that he's been in the band for a million years, or any OTHER reasons superfluous to the musical point, please SOMEONE say something specific that they love or think is indispensible about Chuck Leavell's keyboard playing with the Rolling Stones.
I already did that above. Nothing to add to that?
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stonehearted
For a band that's primarily guitar driven, a lot of people sure get worked up about a hired keyboard/piano player.
I barely notice to the keys when listening to the albums--except for No Expectations and Time Waits For No One, where they really become a factor. But then again those numbers aren't the standard rock and roll for which the Stones are known.
When I saw the Stones in concert last year, I don't believe I listened to a single piano note. I just kept marveling at the gloriously loud volume of the guitars and the thwack and pop in Charlie's drums, especially on Paint It Black.
In rock and roll, the keys are just there, underneath, like the pistons working with the rest of the engine, and aside from Jerry Lee Lewis, it's never really front and center. So, what's the big deal?
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stonehearted
<<keyboards - though usually not the featured instrument - are an important part of the overall musical blend, a spice if you will, if not the dominant flavor.>>
I'll leave you to fuss over the "spice" and the "flavor"--you seem to have quite a gourmet cuisine in the works on the stove at your house.
I'll just warm up some meat and potatoes in the microwave and have my usual feast--a veritable beggar's banquet, if I may say.
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JustinQuote
DoomandGloomChuck has evolved in this band. Now that the guitars are holding their own he's beginning to actually play and he's been really good.Quote
71Tele
Put me down in the "despise" camp...It's not so much him personally. It's the fact that they are willing to tolerate mediocre keyboard playing precisely because they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer. Those who point out how "necessary" he is sometimes don't realize the full context of what they are saying.
Correct. Chuck has been freed up a bit more on this tour. With the band gelling as well as they have, I would say the reason is because it appears that mick is paying more attention to the guitars and using them as a guide more and actually playing off them.
On past tours, he's relied so much on Chuck (ABB tour) that there was a weird separation between the members in the band. Keith and Ronnie were sort of on their ownn little island while mick and Chuck were on another. Today, everything appears slightly more unified due in large part by the guitar department stepping up to the plate and providing mick a level of support he hasn't seen in a long while.
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You Got to Roll MeQuote
JustinQuote
DoomandGloomChuck has evolved in this band. Now that the guitars are holding their own he's beginning to actually play and he's been really good.Quote
71Tele
Put me down in the "despise" camp...It's not so much him personally. It's the fact that they are willing to tolerate mediocre keyboard playing precisely because they do need him in the role of setlistmaster-song counter-offer. Those who point out how "necessary" he is sometimes don't realize the full context of what they are saying.
Correct. Chuck has been freed up a bit more on this tour. With the band gelling as well as they have, I would say the reason is because it appears that mick is paying more attention to the guitars and using them as a guide more and actually playing off them.
On past tours, he's relied so much on Chuck (ABB tour) that there was a weird separation between the members in the band. Keith and Ronnie were sort of on their ownn little island while mick and Chuck were on another. Today, everything appears slightly more unified due in large part by the guitar department stepping up to the plate and providing mick a level of support he hasn't seen in a long while.
well said!!! also, to those who say he's mediocre, do you think keith would play with him if he was mediocre?????
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71Tele
You sure are good at figuring what I WOULD say. Or rather, you think you are good at it.