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Rocky Dijon
By the time Andrew left, Nicky Hopkins was their piano player. Stones fans make much of Stu because of Keith's memorializing of him (largely at Brian's exclusion and to push Keith's somewhat disingenuous purist image to counter his portrayal of Mick constantly chasing fashion). The truth is, over the course of time between SATANIC MAJESTIES and DIRTY WORK, Stu didn't contribute enough to be considered a full band member.
To be sure, many of his contributions were gems and beloved by the band and fans, but he was still a sideman. His last tour as sole piano player was in 1970. Most people wouldn't have noticed his playing in 1969 and 1970 in contrast to Nicky, Billy, Mac, Chuck, and Matt in the decades that followed.
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DandelionPowderman
Didn't he play piano in 1981-1982, and Mac/Chuck played keyboards?
Just to knitpick a bit
My understanding is that Stu got to play on the songs he wanted to play on live, and he did.
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DandelionPowderman
'Broke' with mansions...
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Doxa
Yeah, ALO was the one who presented the idea of taking Stu out of picture and seemingly is nowadays accounted for it. However it wasn't his decision - The Stones were not his puppets - but an idea he sold to the group. The band bought it and it was their decision to accomplish it. They wanted money and to be pop stars like ALO had promised to make of them. So they agreed with ALO and asked Brian to do the dirty job - 'you supposed to be leader, right?'- to inform Stu about it. Stu didn't take that easily, and that also ruined his relationship with Brian. Other wise, as we know, Stu swallowed his pride, and accepted the role he was given - sideman, driver, road manager, minder, a tea-maker, whatever.
Probably it was a tough decision, and I guess they felt bad about it, since everybody seemed to like Stu. But you know, shit happens. They were young and hungry and the world was there ready to conquer, like The Beatles has just shown. One cannot really morally condemn young ambitious souls, and you know, the results speak for themselves. But what I find honourable is that they - the band - have always taken the responsibility of it. Not like, blaming ALO for it. It was their decision. Especially Keith, when looking back with a reflection, seems to feel guilty about it.
So that of ALO being around or not later doesn't really mean anything. The image and nature of the Stones as a five-member unit with pretty specific roles was sealed by the time Andrew left. They all were big, well-known pop stars. Stu was nobody. Yeah, in a way "Andrew's philosophy" was very much taken for granted, be the man around or not.
- Doxa
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sf37
Very interesting, with the view that there was no single scapegoat to blame for what transpired, but rather a shared responsibility. With Brian having to deliver the news on behalf of the others, presumably somewhat reluctantly, he comes off almost as much aa a sympathetic character as does Ian. And then when the tables are later turned and Brian himself is summarily dismissed, well.....what goes around comes around, I guess.....
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CaptainCorella
My understanding is that Stu was only sidelined with respect to on-stage/public issues. eg Photo shoots etc.
I was very reliably told that he was always a Rolling Stone and had a vote at meetings.
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DGA35
Apart from the Stones, Ian also played on Boogie With Stu off of Physical Graffiti and got a song writing credit for it. Probably some nice royalty cheques from that over the years.
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DandelionPowderman
Didn't he play piano in 1981-1982, and Mac/Chuck played keyboards?
Just to knitpick a bit
My understanding is that Stu got to play on the songs he wanted to play on live, and he did.
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Silver DaggerQuote
DandelionPowderman
Didn't he play piano in 1981-1982, and Mac/Chuck played keyboards?
Just to knitpick a bit
My understanding is that Stu got to play on the songs he wanted to play on live, and he did.
He played piano on the 1976 European tour.