Just stumbled on this excerpt from Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers... he pretty well describes why the "average" Stones gig today doesn't have the energy of "yesteryear"...

NOTICE: He doesn't "blame" Ronnie... he puts the responsibility most squarely on the aging fan base....

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Here's Kiedis on being the opening act for the Rolling Stones:

".....But opening for the Stones is a crummy job anyway. I can't recommend it to anybody. You get the offer and you think, "Historically speaking, they're the second most important rock band in the history of music, after the Beatles. So we should have a brush with history."

But the fact is, the Rolling Stones audience today is lawyers and doctors and CPAs and contractors and real estate development people. This is a conservative, wealthy group. No one's rocking out. The ticket prices and merchandise costs are astronomical. It's more like "Let's go to the Rolling Stones mall and watch them play on the big screen."

The whole experience is horrible. First you get there, and they won't let you do a sound check. Then they give you an eightieth of the stage. They set aside this tiny area and say, "This is for you. You don't get the lights, and you're not allowed to use our sound system. And oh, by the way, you see that wooden floor? That's Mick's imported antique wood flooring from the Brazilian jungle, and that's what he dances on. If you so much as look at it, you won't get paid."



"It's just that demon life has got me in it's sway..."



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2005-12-16 10:56 by BornOnTheBayou.

Thanks, interesting coments!!

:-)

BornOnTheBayou Wrote:
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>
>
> Here's Kiedis on being the opening act for the
> Rolling Stones:

>
> But the fact is, the Rolling Stones audience today
> is lawyers and doctors and CPAs and contractors
> and real estate development people. This is a
> conservative, wealthy group. No one's rocking out.
>

I guess this is where I disagree with Kiedis a bit... just because someone is a "lawyer doctor or CPA or real estate pimp"... that doesn't make them necessarily conservative OR a "non-rocker".... doesn't necessarily make them wealthy either...

How many CPA's are closet Stones freaks or Harley freaks... alot.

"It's just that demon life has got me in it's sway..."

This guy sounds quite bitter.He needs to realise his station in life.These Peppers are nothing more than a jumped up garage band.

stargroover Wrote:
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> This guy sounds quite bitter.He needs to realise
> his station in life.These Peppers are nothing more
> than a jumped up garage band.


Groover, I beg to differ with you...

IMO, the RHCP is the best band of the past 20 years... these guys are the "real deal" if you want UNIQUE and INTRICATE sound that nobody else plays... there is NO BAND that sounds like the RHCP....

....and they haven't even hit their prime yet.

"It's just that demon life has got me in it's sway..."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-12-16 11:06 by BornOnTheBayou.

Very funny read! I guess he's not too far from the truth...

"He doesn't "blame" Ronnie..."

I don't see any mention of Ronnie at all?????

stargroover Wrote:
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> These Peppers are nothing more
> than a jumped up garage band.


The Stones are the biggest jumped up garage band that I know - and that's what makes them so good.

The bottom line with the RHCP is that they are dull.

Born on the Bayou what is this band like as a live act?

sjs12 Wrote:
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> stargroover Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > These Peppers are nothing more
> > than a jumped up garage band.
>
>
> The Stones are the biggest jumped up garage band
> that I know - and that's what makes them so good.
>
> The bottom line with the RHCP is that they are
> dull.


Ever seen the peppers?
Beats the crap the Stones have become by far...

LOL! classic stuff

i can't stand the RHCP's and their cod-funk abominations. but that is brilliant stuff. and just about sums it all up for me

the Stones of now are about as far away from rock n roll as you could possibly be

andy js Wrote:
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> >
> LOL! classic stuff
>
> i can't stand the RHCP's and their cod-funk
> abominations. but that is brilliant stuff. and
> just about sums it all up for me
>
> the Stones of now are about as far away from rock
> n roll as you could possibly be


Well you're just a dumb f*ck on this subject...

1) Never been to an RHCP gig

2) Wouldn't know "Coffee Shop", "Taste the Pain", "Parallel Universe" or probably even "Californication" even if the song was playin' in your headphones.

"It's just that demon life has got me in it's sway..."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-12-16 12:46 by BornOnTheBayou.

andy js Wrote:
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> >
>
>
> the Stones of now are about as far away from rock
> n roll as you could possibly be

Unfortunately andy is right. It's a Las Vegas act for wealthy people.

In one way they are very right.
In another way, its kind of cool that Mick dont want anybody else to use his floor!

CPA and Stones freak here.

RHCP show is 75 minutes ALWAYS so Anthony should be embarrassed. RHCp is not as they used to be. last 2 albbums even didn't touch it after single. by the way , Stones is firs band in history )))

Do I understand it correctly that, reading this, there is an unwritten rule that says: a band that invites another band to open for them, has the obligation to take good care of their opener (who brings with him a part of the audiance)? It would mean actually investing time in your opener, making sure he gets good sound as well, can make a good show, and is not restricted in any way by petty housekeeping rules.

Which is something the Stones apparantly don't do (or didn't do in this case, perhaps the Peppers were troublemakers?).

I remember ACDC had the liberty to bring their own props, use whe stage wings, and use the walkway to the b-stage. I can't recall whether or not they brought their own soundsystem. They did not use the screens however, but brought their own screens (obviously, those made part of the Licks tour). The drumkit tends to be set up in front of Charlie's, so there's a little limited space.

Who is that guy anyway. The dude from that burned out rock/funk act right? I wouldn't listen too much to that dude.

JumpingKentFlash

funny story, but the middle paragraph has a certain ring of truth about it

Where did they open for the Stones? In the States, i think... If they opened for them in Argentina, Italy, Spain, or Brasil for instance, i think he would think different.

Nobody's rocking out? Boh...

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

JumpingKentFlash Wrote:
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> Who is that guy anyway. The dude from that burned
> out rock/funk act right? I wouldn't listen too
> much to that dude.
>
>
> JUNE 8TH 2006 IN DENMARK BABY!!!!!!!! COUNT ME
> IN!!!!!!!!


burned out? their last couple of albums have each sold about 10-12 million copies

they're actually at their commercial peak

Wild Slivovitz Wrote:
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> Where did they open for the Stones? In the States,
> i think... If they opened for them in Argentina,
> Italy, Spain, or Brasil for instance, i think he
> would think different.
>

yeah but its a different tyupe of audience in those countries.

People get very defensive for no reason. The guy's not even criticizing the Stones' music or their abilitya s a live act, just expressing how hard it is to open for a band like them (which hes in a better position to judge than any of us, lets face it) and making a valid point about the experience of what a Stones show is like these days (and lets face it, it HAS become something of an elitist experience to some degree - which isnt really very 'rock n roll').

Little Anthony only wishes The Chili Peppers could be what the Stones were, still are and what may come.

Sounds like he wanted to open for the band and was not asked. Every opener knows the deal....you don't get all the eye candy.

Anthony ain't no Mick Jagger either, he don't deserve the Brazillian wood

Milo, NYC
How come you're so wrong

Brazilian wood?

the dude from RHCP, doesn't deserve IKEA wood,Ronnie or Art Wood

Well, if the Peppers are around for 40 years, maybe their audiences will be different as well.

Why is everybody critisizing this guy?!?!?!?!
He only says that it is hard to open for them and he is right!


Cheers,
Wuudy

Wuudy Wrote:
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> Why is everybody critisizing this guy?!?!?!?!
> He only says that it is hard to open for them and
> he is right!
>
>
> Cheers,
> Wuudy


When it comes to the Stones some people tend to be very defensive, sometimes even blind for facts.

I don't like Kiedis very much. He is stuck up. Bu the Peppers are not only a dynamite band, they are also a great liveact, and have really done a lot for music in the USA. To deny that is just silly. And I have to agree with him. Stones audiences in USA are o9lder people with a lot of money. Last three times I saw them in USA the crowd was TERRIBLE! Aided by an army of eager ushers. I don't see why Kiedis is uppoosed to sound bitter. He sounds right on the money. At least he has been there which non of us have. And I have aLWAYS THOUGHT that aprt from the histrical impact, the opening ig for Stones has got to be the WORST gig around. 1) the crowd doesn not want to see you, no matter who you are 2) they don't give you the sound system

I do agree with him about Stones shows - but in the UK, the rot only set in from 2003 onwards. Before then, I would disagree with him entirely.

It seems to me that the reason that the audience is like that is because of the insistence of having the stadium as seating only. Coupled with high prices, no-one under 30 (except the most hardcore of fans) will want to see them. This is also the reason why the Stones no longer want to challenge their audience. After all, a 60 year old accountent doesn't want to be challenged - he/she wants to sit back and listen to the songs they remember from their youth.

If the Chillis were to open for the Stones in Europe (not UK or US) then they would have a very different opinion.

The Chillis are still dull though - I saw them in 2000.