I have mixed feelings about the New Barbarians. My first hearing was a messy bootleeg, with a cranky singer (Ronnie, I guess) and some lousy Stones songs, however played by Richards and Wood themselves. And how did they come to hire Stanley Clarke, who I thought was in the league of Billy Cobham’s jazz rock ? By all means, the First Barbarians made me a stronger impression, but it’s fair to say I did’nt dig much the topic.

In his saucy memoir Every Night is a Saturday Night, Bobby Keys recalls riots during the 79 Barbarians tour because fans expected a Stones show. I found this on Wikipedia, I can’t say if it’s true or BS.

The Barbarians' 18-gig US tour followed. In advance of their April 29 concert in Milwaukee, rumors began to spread that 'special guests' would appear. The list of purported secret guests included Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, Peter Frampton and Rod Stewart. Out of concern over ticket sales, Wood and the promoter helped to spread the rumors. When no extra guests appeared, fans began with catcalls then charged the stage, smashed chairs and broke windows. Police arrested 81 people A similar, less serious incident, occurred when the band played Madison Square Garden on May 7.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-06 18:28 by bv.

I was at the Madison Square Garden show. All I remember is that after they finished with a 10-minute version of JJF, obviously intended to placate the crowd and send everybody home with a smile on their face, they turned on the house lights, and a large number of people in the floor seats near the stage simply refused to leave. For quite a long time, they just continued to stand there, waiting, perhaps in the belief that if they waited long enough, Mick Jagger or Neil Young or somebody would appear.

I hadn't been aware of any of this.

Maybe an early example of Ronnie's big runaway gob getting him into trouble

I went to the Atlanta show. While there were rumors of special guests, no one really expected it. It was my first time seeing any Stones and I was very excited.

A fun, sloppy mess of a concert. I loved it.

I was at the Milwaukee show. I did business with the promoter and got a backstage pass and front row seats. Very relaxed atmosphere backstage, little security (if any). Walked passed Keith leaning up against a wall, smoking a cigarette. I left him alone, didn't want to bother him with requests for photos (I had a Polaroid with me) or autographs.

The concert was good. I figured the show would feature a lot of numbers from Ronnie's solo albums and I was right. I had them in my collection and was familiar with the songs. Most of the audience, however, was not. I remember being perplexed by the fact that Ronnie had a stand in front of him to hold lyric sheets to the songs. (Surely he could remember the words to the music he'd written himself AND the few Stones numbers they played!).

Keith did a few of his songs. I also remember Ronnie singing the lead on Honky Tonk Woman and JJF. What I remember most, however, was the riot that occured when the show ended.

I was in the music business then and, as I said, I knew the promoter so I asked him for a couple of complimentary tix. I distinctly remember being told that there might be 'surprise' guests at the show. I was a Stones and Ronnie Wood fan, so it wasn't the 'surprise' guests which caused me to drive from Chicago to Milwaukee that night. However, the Milwaukee fans at the concert seemed to be expecting more than what they got.

At the end of the concert the band left the stage and the house lights went on. But the audience didn't take that as a cue to leave. They stayed in their seats, cheering...for a bit. Then the cheers turned to boos and catcalls when it became apparent that the music had ended for the night and no 'surprise' guests would be performing. I especially remember attendees on the upper levels of the auditorium throwing their seats (folding chairs) down to the main floor, much to the chagrin of myself and the other main floor ticket holders. I also saw angry fans overturning vending machines and generally being very destructive! It shocked me and made me a little anxious....

As the riotous behavior was occuring inside the auditorium, I am certain the band had long left the building and were unaware of the situation they left behind.

The following morning I called my West Coast office and spoke with a woman in my department who was married to Ronnie's manager. I told her about the unfortunate ending to the previous night's Milwaukee show. But she was sure her husband did not know about it, since he would have mentioned it to her.

In retrospect, this was not to be expected anyway. The 'raison d'etre' of the New Barbarians tour was to promote Ronnie's solo efforts, not an 'all-star' roadshow event. This falsehood was promoted by people eager to sell tickets.

Of course, I'm an old man now and can't remember anything......

Raison d’être of the New Barbarians?

Promoting Ron’s new album.
Keeping a newly clean Keith out of temptation by sending him on the road.

IIrc it was a good deal for Keith as all the tour expenses for the tour were paid by Ron and/or his label.

Thanks you all.
I get a better picture of the New Barbarians, intesting insights
Short-time project...
Commercial, and a bit cynical too, however with interesting results
Not to compare with the X-Pensive Winos.
Yes, again quoting Bobby Keys, Ronnie was supposed to be the leader. He managed the NB to have a permanent base during half of the tour (was it related to Playboy? ). They would fly back after the gig
Bobby said Keith took the lead of the tour at some point over Ronnie, and things went south.

I was at the MSG show. It was during a time when the music scene was very exciting. So many new great bands from UK and US. And the Stones were red hot, off of 'Some Girls'. I was also a big Return to Forever fan, and had met Stanley Clarke several times.
I remember the rumor mill being very active re surprise guests. Since I was such a huge Stones fan, I didn't really care.
However I thought the show was not very good. Our entourage was really stoked about seeing Stanley Clarke and Keith together. As much as I wanted to love it, it was a mess. Clarke's monster Alembic bass did not weave with the twanging Telecaster at all.
Since I knew all the songs I navigated well, but I wonder what the main crowd thought, who were expecting some vocals.

However great the project could have been, it just didn't gel in my opinion. However great Ziggy Modeliste and Stanley Clarke are in their own domain, they didn't know how to rock and roll. Keith and Ron were very rough and unrehearsed, and the quality of the recordings we have does not help much in the listening experience.

Mathijs

I saw them at Knebworth in 79 and they came across as a great pub band basically. But probably the greatest pub band in the world. It was loose but also nice and greasy.

Quote
Silver Dagger
I saw them at Knebworth in 79 and they came across as a great pub band basically. But probably the greatest pub band in the world. It was loose but also nice and greasy.

Knebworth had Phil Chen on bass, a much steadier bass player than Stanley Clarke. Knebworth is a fairly good show IMO.

Mathijs

Saw the show at Largo MD. The crowd enjoyed themselves but the playing was surprisingly haphazard given the lineup and the vocals (I'm looking at you, Ronnie Wood) got grating after a few songs. I know lots of people here enjoy the Buried Alive release... but I cant figure out why.

No matter how hard I try, I just can't listen to the NB.
It's way too messy. Too crappy....

I liked Ronnie's singing on HTW an Stanley Clarke's Slap bass.
"Am I grooving You?" is a racy 3 or 4 minutes though..

But the rest? Oh boy....

---
5 Strings, 2 Hands, 1 A*****e



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-09 14:59 by DeeGee.

Quote
DeeGee
No matter how hard I try, I just can't listen to the NB.
It's way too messy. Too crappy....

I liked Ronnie's singing on HTW an Stanley Clarke's Slap bass.
"Am I grooving You?" is a racy 3 or 4 minutes though..

But the rest? Oh boy....

Keith's Apartment #9 is a classic. And I loved the BTMMR with a triple intro.

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
DeeGee
No matter how hard I try, I just can't listen to the NB.
It's way too messy. Too crappy....

I liked Ronnie's singing on HTW an Stanley Clarke's Slap bass.
"Am I grooving You?" is a racy 3 or 4 minutes though..

But the rest? Oh boy....

Keith's Apartment #9 is a classic. And I loved the BTMMR with a triple intro.

I stand corrected! I've completely forgot BTMMR - most likely due to not listening to the NB very often

---
5 Strings, 2 Hands, 1 A*****e

More on the Milwaukee show. I was at this show and there was a mini riot. The issue here was radio ads for weeks leading up to the show hinting at "special guests" Rumors were flying big time. Even the local news channels were on it The biggest rumor was that the Stones were holed up at the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva, WI. Of course this all bullshit to sell out the place.

The show was actually pretty damn good show. But, after the show many proceeded to trach the Milwaukee Arena. Big problems as the city wanted to sue and on and on. To make up for the mess, there was a "make up" concert later that year at a movie theatre on 49th and Lisbon. Proceeds to charity type deal. Ronnie, Mac, Bobby Keys, McKenzie Phillips, and others. We had great seats and it was a mish mash of a show but still pretty damn good to see a "Rolling Stone" playing at a dumpy theatre in a bad section of town.

So, the saga of the New Barbarians is fun and odd chapter in the adventures of the Rolling Stones and friends.

Quote
Mathijs
However great the project could have been, it just didn't gel in my opinion. However great Ziggy Modeliste and Stanley Clarke are in their own domain, they didn't know how to rock and roll. Keith and Ron were very rough and unrehearsed, and the quality of the recordings we have does not help much in the listening experience.

Mathijs

That is exactly what came to my mind as well.
Especially all the slapping stuff by Stanley Clark sort of ruined it

Quote
roryfaninva
I know lots of people here enjoy the Buried Alive release... but I cant figure out why.

Me neither... it is a very weak gig within a so-so tour.

Quote
Mathijs
Knebworth is a fairly good show IMO.

Mathijs

it has an incandescent version of Worried Life Blues. The way Keith drives his band is breath-taking. YT has a vid of that incredible perf... and yeah they look beyond wasted in that one.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-09 19:33 by dcba.

I saw the Barbs play the International Amphitheater in Chicago. I expected a sloppy Faces/Stones groove and thats what we got. Ronnie solo material, some Stones tunes and a few wonderful surprises via Keith at the piano. What a great band! Sure, were those guys coked up and drinking, yes indeed. Was it fun for Stones and Faces fans, yes again! No mini riot at the Chicago gig. It was an all star band as it was.

Chicago setlist April 30,1979

Sweet Little Rock’n Roller
Infekshun
Buried Alive
Mystifies Me
F.U.C. Her
Rock Me Baby
Sure The One You Need
Breathe On Me
Let’s Go Steady Again
Apartment Number Nine
Honky Tonk Women
Band introduction
Love In Vain
Key To The Highway
Hoodoo Thing
I Can Feel The Fire
Come To Realise
Am I Grooving You
Seven Days
Before They Make Me Run
Jumping Jack Flash

"The Barbarians was a fun gig. It started out kind of under a cloud, though, because at first the promoter was selling the show by advertising that Bob Dylan was gonna be there, that Rod Stewart was gonna be there. He was an idiot. Ticket sales weren’t up to where he thought they ought to be, I guess, and he was afraid he was gonna lose his ass, so he decided to just start sayin’ shit. It was crazy.

I forget where exactly this happened, what city we were in - maybe Detroit because I think we were staying overnight in Wisconsin — but it was sometime toward the beginning of the tour. Anyway, we got to the gig, and usually you could kinda take it for granted at this point in time that people were gonna like you, but the audience was clearly not as receptive as they normally were. Plus, they kept hollering out, “Where’s Bob? Where’s Bob?” I remember thinking, Well, right here.

We had no idea what was going on. It was really, really confusing. The whole thing was a drag, and the papers really slammed everybody, and it pissed Keith off to the point of distraction.
Woody’s manager was a guy named Jason Cooper, a big ol’ beefy guy, and when Keith found out what had happened and how come the papers were saying all these bad things, he grabbed Jason Cooper and put a knife to his throat and told him to get the @#$%& out and if he saw him again he was gonna put a bullet between his eyes. And you know what? There was a helicopter out there to Wisconsin within thirty minutes.
He was on that helicopter and he was gone and we never saw him again."

From Bobby’s autobiography.

Ronnie Wood mentioned in this recent interview below that Neil Young suggested the band name The New Barbarians.

For my taste, the first barbarians gig to promote Ronnie's first solo album was superior. Better performance, good recording quality. Plus, there is video on youtube too.