Keith, Ronnie, Mick and . . . Blondie?


I've got nothing against the guy but still was surprised to see that on rs.com the Stones have this picture up from Portland:





Obviously they're not hiding the fact that Blondie's playing guitar, but I'm surprised to see such open acknowledgement.

Has this occurred on any earlier tours (pre-Blondie), where there was a regular guitarist other than one of the Stones?

And what the hell is he playing, anyway?

Hell no, the classic line-up had three guitars:

Brian Jones (lead guitar)
Keith Richards (rhythm guitar)
Bill Wyman (bass guitar)

Mick started to play guitar onstage regularly about 1975 and he hasn't stopped ever since. I never really saw the reason for it...probably to give Mick a rest between his long distance running episodes.

So in fact you're talking about the 5th Stones guitarist:

Ronnie Wood (lead guitar)
Keith Richards (rhythm guitar)
Darry Jones (bass guitar)
Mick Jagger (superfluous guitar)
Blondie Chaplin (anti-arthritis guitar)

I think the reason is the change in the line-up. Instead of three people who really know what they're doing they have now four who don't plus the one who deteriorated so much it's just a shame.

camper88 Wrote:
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> And what the hell is he playing, anyway?

Mostly acoustic rhythm guitar. Electric on some songs.

I don't know what Blondie plays, but I guess we would miss it, if it wasn't there anymore.

Didn't he play on the Licks tour?

He played on the Licks tour too.

And Keith always says they have lots of acoustics on their records to make it sound tastier. They can't play electric and acoustic at once...

Blondie played on the Licks Tour. He usually isn't high in the mix - except on Slipping Away where you could really hear him. He seems to have a lot more freedom on stage than the Lisa, Bernard or even maybe Darryl.

I have always enjoyed what I could hear from him - especially when he is playing the acoustic. You probably feel his guitar work more than you can hear it, but bringing back an acoustic in Satisfaction is definitely a good idea.

What is the big deal?

If having Blondie play acoustic on some numbers and the overall sound is better then good for us.

Thank god they are showing Blondie play....these are The Rolling Stones. They need not make excuses.

If having Blondie play helps the music or subs for parts that were overdubbed on the original recording I am all for it. It's not like he is hiding in the wing blasting out solos.

He is a back up player, a support man, no different than the brass, percussion or singers.

Milo, NYC
It's no capital crime

There is a radio show in Chicago called the Eclectic Company and Blondie was the guest for two hours...what a musician and what a voice! No wonder Keith wants him around and if some guitar playing to fill out SOME parts of SOME songs is part of it, all the better! Kind of shows they give a damn about how it sounds, right?

What say the Stones do a Beach Boys song in the "tribute" slot and have Mick and Blondie do a duet on Sail on Sailor? (I'm kidding, of course, but it would probably work pretty well...a nice bluesy tune, it is).


btw - for those who don't realize it - that was a Blondie lead vocal on the original recording.

I think the acoustic adds a lot to the sound, and it's clearly not meant to be fooling anyone. Or was camper's point more about the picture having been posted? I don't visit rs.com so I don't know if it's unusual for one of the back-up musicians to be featured there. Cool pic, anyway.

cc

He did play some guitar on the Licks tour but he is playing on A LOT more songs this tour. At the arena shows they have him hidden behind the speakers, for some reason, on a number of the songs.

I assume they do that at the stadium shows as well but you can't see him there. Does anyone know if he was playing from behind the scenes on Licks?

I know for a fact that on Licks I could hear Lisa during IORR or Tumbling Dice but she was not on the stage yet.

Blondie, Bernard and Lisa sing/play behind the amps for the first three songs. Then they enter the stage for Tumbling Dice.

"Blondie, Bernard and Lisa sing/play behind the amps for the first three songs. Then they enter the stage for Tumbling Dice"

Never heard Lisa singing on SMU....

How much it is paid to play accoustic guitar like blondie because I want the job

country honk Wrote:
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> Never heard Lisa singing on SMU....

But you get my point?

Blondie = crutch.......a sad state of affairs ........ and the second bass player is a Tasmanian dwarf playing a mini p-bass out of a mini ampeg, standing behind the Jack Daniels bottle on Keith's side of the stage



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-11-28 19:36 by Leonard Keringer.

Blondie's a talented cat indeed, and it's not like anyone's been "hiding" the fact that he plays guitar -
he's quite clearly visible playing guitar in Four Flicks.
and it's not all acoustic: on the ABB DVDs i have, it looks like he's got an LP Goldtop for a couple of numbers (including Infamy).
i'm *real* curious what that is he's playing on JJF - an odd boxy-lookin thing. can anyone identify that instrument, please and thank you?


"What do you want - what?!"
- Keith

He was onstage playing on RAIN FALL DOWN at the AMA's. I noticed and thought, "c'mon guys, how much support do you need?". I'm sure he's supremely talented, but I don't want to see him up there. The Stones already have 2.5 competent guitarists.

with sssoul Wrote:
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> i'm *real* curious what that is he's playing on JJF - an odd boxy-lookin thing. can anyone identify that instrument, please and thank you?

He calls it the "oil can". A custom made South African guitar.

cool! thank you Erikjjf.

Blondie surprised me. I heard him solo and was rattled. He is really good. Makes me wonder why he is "settling" for backup man. I know, this is the Stones, but face it, he is a back-up all the way. Someone like him must have some ambition; he spends a LOT of time w/ the Stones.

F.U.C. the Captain Wrote:
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> Hell no, the classic line-up had three guitars:
>
> Brian Jones (lead guitar)
> Keith Richards (rhythm guitar)
> Bill Wyman (bass guitar)
>
> Mick started to play guitar onstage regularly
> about 1975 and he hasn't stopped ever since. I
> never really saw the reason for it...probably to
> give Mick a rest between his long distance running
> episodes.
>
> So in fact you're talking about the 5th Stones
> guitarist:
>
> Ronnie Wood (lead guitar)
> Keith Richards (rhythm guitar)
> Darry Jones (bass guitar)
> Mick Jagger (superfluous guitar)
> Blondie Chaplin (anti-arthritis guitar)
>
> I think the reason is the change in the line-up.
> Instead of three people who really know what
> they're doing they have now four who don't plus
> the one who deteriorated so much it's just a
> shame.


I totally disagree!

Milo Yammbag Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is the big deal?
>
> If having Blondie play acoustic on some numbers
> and the overall sound is better then good for us.
>
> Thank god they are showing Blondie play....these
> are The Rolling Stones. They need not make
> excuses.
>
> If having Blondie play helps the music or subs
> for parts that were overdubbed on the original
> recording I am all for it. It's not like he is
> hiding in the wing blasting out solos.
>
> He is a back up player, a support man, no
> different than the brass, percussion or singers.
>
> Milo, NYC
> It's no capital crime


This I totally agree to!

Blondie is a brilliant multi-musician. He is playing guitar on several songs on this tour, like on previous tours.

Bjornulf

bv Wrote:
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> Blondie is a brilliant multi-musician. He is
> playing guitar on several songs on this tour, like
> on previous tours.
>
> Bjornulf


Never in doubt.

I'm only surprised that he got his picture posted on rs.com with a gitbox in his hands. Like I said, I've got nothing against the man. If you live in Toronto, you know that Blondie and Bernard and true gents.

bv, you gonna be in Memphis?

I love Blondie as a talented guitarist. He's also a friend to Keith, he's on Keith's "Wingless Angels" CD. I love havng him tour with the Stones.
Imagination.

"Pass it on" (Keith talking about the music)

Why not unplug Ronnie's guitar, he probably wouldn't notice, and plug Blondie in full time.....haven't the boys done that before in the late '60's? Sound would most likely be better from what I am reading from all of the ronnie bashers on this board.