Bernard seems to slide on by when we roast all the sidemen. Blondie, Leavell,the Horns, that awful Matt Clifford, and DJ too have all gotten their fair share of hatemail. Now in the reviews form the surprise gig the other night I see that BF is stagefront. Was that because of the small stage and they had to fit everyone wherever they could? Or has he moved even furhtre up the hierarchy? he has participated on every Stones solo album at some time. On Charlie and Ron's he takes on a central role. And it seems obvious that Jagger need a strong second voice with him on stage. A good tenor, but one that is ultimately devoid of too much personality. That's what makes a ideal Backup vocalist. Someone like Lou Reed, Greg Allman, J Fogertyu, voices that instantly recognized do not make good BU vox. So there I see the strengths of Bernard.
And why would the Stones get someone new just to have to teach him all the ins and outs again?
Then why do I dislike him so much? I was watching that 5 disc set "Just for the Record". You know the one with no original Stonesmusic; the one that for FIVE dics keeps reusing the same identical loop of music that is supposed to sound like typical Stones sound? Anyway BF is one of the people who is interviewed a lot. He is so filled with selfimportance. He bugs me to no end. Every sentence of his comes out with this gigantic exhale. As if he is letting us in on soemthing SO BIG. When all he is doing is reiterating all the clicheed promolines made up by Keith and the press. "Charlie?...Well Charlie is the beat...he is da man. He is the beat." Huh? I know, he is the drummer!And the nicest guy. "Nothing moves until Keith says it moves. And then better watch out!"
I'm just talkin here, whiling away the hours until the Stones come to my town; and until the Bigger Bang is legal to buy. Maybe I should get drunk like the rest of the Board.

Bernard seems to do all the backing parts that Keith can no longer do. I hope he is not up at the front of the stage during the tour like he was in Toronto. I did think he was great doing the vocals for Ronnie's solo material and tour.

CD, I'm totally with you. I think up to know it was only the backup singer so nobody cared about him. I don't know who he thinks has shit him out? I remember very well when Ronnie plays the Royal Theater in Drury Lane and the bus arrived. BF was sitting in front and when he saw the fans waiting outside he felt really pissed and rolled his eyes.

What I hate is when he moves to the synthi to play the percussion starting Sympathy. If he's some kind of musician why isn't he able to play real congas? You should be able to answer this by yourself... in comparison to BF Blondie is a really cool cat.

Chelseadrugstore we all have our shall we say pet peeves as far as albums, sidemen, tours, blah blah blah, but wheras Chuck (who I admit is a competent player i.e. the Allmans and likely a nice guy) bothers me due to the nature of his function w/in the band - and the relative banality (& lack of finesse) compared to Ian McLagan, Nicky, Stu, or even Billy circa '73, before his head got too big for his afro, I like most of the other musicians they've been touring with since '94 (after they dumped Matt Clifford). Bernard I met twice and was a warm, approachable, sharp guy who seemed pretty self-effacing. This was during the Ron Wood "Slide" of '92 - 93 & he fit perfectly, and was exactly what the New Barbs tour could have used - a strong co-lead vocalist, comfortable supporting RW, singing songs originally done by Rod and Mick (RW-associated Stones songs i.e Black Limo, Pretty Beat Up, IORR, etc), and he is excellent imo on the Charlie albums as well. I'd already liked his stuff w/ Bill Laswell (countless Laswell projects inc Material's One Down - I'd guess Laswell intro'd BF to Jagger during the Shes the Boss sessions), Tackhead, & Nickelbag. Check out N'bag's covers of Bowie's 'Win' or "I Don't Know Why I Love You' or their scorching version of "Only Happy When It Rains" (shreds the original) - the guy is very much a pro, & a bit chameleonlike, but projects plenty of heart & hot buttered soul & lead-vocalist high energy as well (more soulful, nuanced, appealing, & rounded a singer than Cory Glover of Living Colour, a band I like)...And if Keith doesn't want to sing much backup anymore, I'm fine w/ Bernard, Lisa, & Blondie - who's an asset for any auxiliary bass/keybs/guitar/perc as well as having a pretty cool resume (btw all over the new Hubert Sumlin, on a variety of instruments)...The issue w/ all these people is degree - The Stones whould be front & centre, mix wise, w/ a sax solo here or keys on tracks as appropriate, not as a sonic bed on which the guitarists can occasionally snooze...

I met Bernard Fowler in `98 in my hometown The Hague, a couple of days before the stones concert at the malieveld. He and the back up band were playing in a pub called The Paap. Before the gig i whas standing outside, with a friend of my, and a couple of other people. Then i saw two men standing outside, one of them i look in the eyes, and i saw that it whas Bernard. I walked to him, and ask him if he whas BF, and he said yes, whe shaked hands, and we spoke about the music before he whas a back up singer by the stones. I made a compliment to him, about the Slide on Live cd, and he whas very kind about that. My friend made a view pictures from him and me, and with the whole group.
Then he said that he had to perform, but if we wanted we can talk after the concert again.
He made a great performance, and i was standing in front of the whole gig, I was turning mad when they started Little Red Rooster, and I sung the whole song with them.
I even get a high five from him during that song.
After the concert, he jump of from the stage, get to us, and we drink a couple of bears, Pierre de beauport was also by him. Whe had a vieuw laughs, i get a compliment about my voice haha.
And we talked for more than 1,5 hour with each other.
I really met a nice person, who was quite normal about his position as a back up singer by the stones.
And to playing conga`s in`t easy as it seems, the guy knows what he can, and the most importde thing is, he knows what can`t.

I find Bernard Fowler's interviews in "Just For The Record" very interesting, especially when he speaks about Prague 1990. He also states that The Rithym Section works better with Darryl Jones than with Bill. That is debateble, even only because a rithym section that has been playing together for 30 years has a confidence that can't be reinvented in a few months... oooops, maybe I'm going off topic....!

"got to be worked on
don't have no bark nor bite..."

I first saw him in the mid eighties doing vocals
for Herbie Hancock in a small club gig. I first
had the pleasure to see thim at Stone Place
On Queen, here in Toronto, during his club
gig with Blondie. He seems very personable
and it was quite interesting hearing him
sing lead on aquite esoteric Stones set,
not but a few feet away from us.

Like it or not, the boys probably sometimes
need help nowadays to flesh out the vocal
parts, especially in a large stadium
setting. They were pretty upfront
at the Phoenix, but then so was
everybody, it was quite a small
set, and I didn't notice them
overpowering or filling in
too much. They danced, clapped
and helped out with the chorus'.

Bernards just a really nice guy,
with a good voice, who helps the
Stones out as requested. I'd say
leave him alone............

a small stage I meant........

I have two very different viewpoints of Bernard, one personal, one professional. I may as well start with how I met him on the NO SECURITY TOUR in Philly at an after-party at the FOUR SEASONS and he is a very sweet, soulful guy, not at all arrogant, very into his music. We all were at another party in honor of the Stones, Mick came with his bodyguard and Bernard was the entertainment along with Lisa, Blondie, Bobby Keys, Tim Ries and a few players I didn't recognize. They kicked ass, very heavy rock, altogether different from anything the Stones ever produced. Mick was really enjoying the band, moving to the music; I was standing about 6 feet from Mick until some folks in the audience spotted him and he was forced to leave! Anyway, Bernard and I chatted after the set and we all went to yet another party that started at 3am. He shot some pool, sat with me and was attentive and chatty and very cool. Bernard has a very strong voice when he sings on his own. Professionally, I think he adds alot to the band without being a microphone HOG, or too loud! Actually, I think when Keith sings, Bernard should sing LOUDER!! I've seen lots of his interviews and he can come off slightly arrogant but I think it may be shyness interpretted as snobbery.

Had the chance to meet him outside the Stones hotel in Stockholm in 2003 and he talked to us for almost an hour about how he first met Keith and Mick. He sure is a great storyteller and a very, very nice guy, I think. And - what is more important - Mick needs him on stage !!!

I was surprised to see the following in Johnny Rotten's new memoir ANGER IS AN ENERGY: "I learned a lot doing that track ['World Destruction']: there was a backing singer there, Bernard Fowler from the Peach Boys, who taught me how to hold a tone—technically, how to hold a note and not let it waver, for emphasis and power." p. 306

It took you 10 years to respond?

Quote
NEWMAN
It took you 10 years to respond?

I didn't want to start a new thread just for one John Lydon quote about Bernard, and this one's title fitted. But I think it's funny that the Stones now have a 50+ year career and people say, "Gawsh, why did you dredge up this old thread?!"

I'll respond to that in 2037

I wouldn´t wanna miss BF on stage with the RS. Him and Lisa (and Blondie) is one of my favorite background teams any band could ask for.

His solo works as well - great stuff! Especially N´bag and his Friends w/ Privileges Album still rock!

"Meeting" him in Vienna in front of his hotel last year gave me a slightly changed view. He seemed (at least in that situation) not quite as "cool" as he does onstage, he was almost a little "scary". Ran into the fans who were waiting there, but he was what I would call "aggressively reserved". (German English, sorry ´bout that.)

Blondie played in a small club in my hometown a few years ago, he was the same cool guy I had remembered him from his Stones-days. On and off stage.

Two great musicians anyway, be it background or up front.
Just my two cents.

Fillmore

I will take Bernard over the shreiking and screaming washed up Lisa any day....Bernard understands his roll with the band.....unfortunately Lisa does not and tries to make a spectacle of her self by trying to hit notes she hasn't hit since 1999

I think we like him because he is accessible unlike
the core band and does not usually over step his
boundaries on stage. I spoke to him many times in
hotels and always nice. Took pics with my kids. Talked
to his very nice daughters in Brooklyn pit. They were
so excited to watch him perform.

I saw him at The Mercy in Nashville (BK tribute). I was at the top of the stairs, next to the bar when he walked in to the club. I said hello and he waved and smiled.

Seemed nice. He sung one hell of a BS and CYHMK that night.

I was a hooker losing her looks.

Thanks.

Tim

Quote
mjmjr
I will take Bernard over the shreiking and screaming washed up Lisa any day....Bernard understands his roll with the band.....unfortunately Lisa does not and tries to make a spectacle of her self by trying to hit notes she hasn't hit since 1999

Amen. What's Lorelei McBroom up to these days?

If I had one complaint about Bernard it's that he's too high in the mix sometimes but that's not his fault.