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treaclefingers

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keefriff99

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Rocky Dijon
Sorry, guys. When I look back on 2004 and see Mick and Keith soldiering on with writing and demoing A BIGGER BANG; I never once think if Charlie didn't pull through they would have told Virgin Records, "I'm sorry we can't deliver an album after all" and they would have told Michael Cohl, "I'm sorry, but the huge world tour you put together is off."

Remember what they did when Ronnie needed rehab before BRIDGES TO BABYLON? They brought in Waddy and cut most of the album without him and then when Ronnie was well enough, they let him replace some of Waddy's parts. Had Ronnie not been tour-ready, do you think they would have changed plans at the eleventh hour? Scrapped the album and world tour?

I think it's nice you believe in sentimentality. You probably believe it was Stu's band to the bitter end and they considered him a Rolling Stone even though there are albums where he played no piano at all. He was a sideman. A friend from the start who worked for them in an important capacity and was allowed to sit in when he and they thought it made sense. Fans respond to Keith's sentimental view of Stu. Look honestly at what he contributed after 1965 and you'll see it's precious little. He was surpassed by Nicky, Billy, Mac, and even Chuck as far as recording and touring.

Ronnie would have been gone if he couldn't cut it. No matter what they may say, I don't believe they would have walked away from A BIGGER BANG album-in-progress and the tour Cohl had packaged for them if Charlie couldn't make it.
Again, it's nice so many of you think so. I'm more cynical.

I tend to agree with this assessment. It's not cynical...it's just common sense based on what we know about the Stones an organization.

I concur with this assessment.

But 15 or so years later is a different time. I think anyone, including Ronnie's exit would be the end now.

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Rocky Dijon

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GasLightStreet

I hung out with Recille in 1997 or early 98 in New Orleans... a few months later I was at Jazz Fest and there he was, drumming for Bob Dylan. It was supreme - but he'd've never worked with the Stones.

I don't think George even knew Keith then or at least not well. He and Larry Campbell seemed to have started hanging out with Keith at Studio L in Autumn 1999. If I'm remembering right it was with Al Green.

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Hairball
Charlie was and is indispensable, but I could see them carrying on without Ronnie if they had to - then and now.

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FlyoverStones
This is not really worth discussing. We will never know the timing of Charlie's diagnosis, treatment and prognosis as it related to the band's contracts and activities. Could it be that they knew he would be ok and needed treatment/recovery and they went ahead and cut the album and made the plans with the assumption he would be alright and ready to tour? We'll never know if it was the opposite either.

And what of Ronnie's lung cancer? It was dealt with quickly and the band rolled on. So here we are guessing again.