I was hanging out with Kami Lyle (Great horn player) recently, the wife of Joey Spampinato at a gig that was 3/4 NRBQ and I had to ask her if Joey had any KEITH stories since he was picked by KEITH to play bass for "Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll" and she gave me one..

He was flown out to audition for Wyman's gig, and totally nailed it...and even though Charlie got to pick, he said he did'nt have a chance because Mick thought he was allready way too friendly Keith and got along very well with ROnnie..Mick did'nt want another Keith buddy in the Band..

Kami and Joey are very cool and nice people, and are very excited about the release of "Hail Hail Rock 'n' ROll" Allthough he said he'll probably have to buy his own copy, how funny is that, he plays bass in the movie and he does'nt think any one will send him a copy.

HE also said Keith rolls the biggest Joints he's ever seen..and leaves them around half smoked and will still lite up another..

Kami plays the Triad in New York every month and Joey plays bass in the 3 piece, most of the time..if he's not with NRBQ or Baby Macaroni...he woulda been killer with the Stones, but like he said, that would've meant alot less NRBQ gigs...The Greatest Bar Band in the WORLD...he also played on "Talk is Cheap"..



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-03-02 20:10 by BostonStrangler.

That's a really interesting story. Poor Joey. To get that close to being in the Rolling Stones, he must have been really bummed out.

I can see Mick's point though.

CindyC Wrote:
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> I can see Mick's point though.


what do you mean by that? What's wrong with a Keith buddy? Were Mick and Keith on such bad terms at that time? (We're talking about after the Steel Wheels tour, right?) and do you think there's still that kind of a relationship between them? these kind of stories make me really sad...

Who the f*ck is Mick Jagger?

maybe its a good thing???

I think it's cool that Keith, who could afford to hire someone to roll his joints, instead rolls his own. Always a class act...


...unlike the late great Rick James, who, during the pinnacle of his career, had a guy on the payroll to travel with the band and cook the freebase coke for him. Seriously, the guy was nicknamed Chef Boy R D. I can't make this shit up.

gia43, I agree with you 100%.

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

I was rooting for Joey to get the gig - his bass playing style is very lyrical, much like Bill's....

gia43 Wrote:
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CindyC Wrote:
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I can see Mick's point though.

what do you mean by that? What's wrong with a Keith buddy?

Nothing's wrong with a Keith buddy, but I just think that Mick thinks of the band more as a business that Keith does. It would just be a shift in power if Keith had 3 people on his side (Keith, Woody, Joey), then it would be Mick on one side and Charlie kind of in the middle.

That's all I meant. I think they were on ok terms at that point, but probably still not great. There are all items about Mick somewhat resenting Keith's desire to regain some band control after he got off drugs - after Mick had been handling it for 10 years.

I don't know, these are just my little theories. All I meant was I can see how Mick wouldn't want those types of odds. Especially if they came in as "Keith's guys", ya know. The RS all came in as kind of equal initially. The ones that came in later, never really have the same power, more like a hired hand. Therefore, I think Keith's guys would be less inclined to speak their mind being that if they lost Keith's favor, they might be kicked out.

Remember,these replacements (Daryl or whoever) aren't Bill Wyman. They are just hired hands and have NO say I would think.

I remember reading somewhere that it was Bill who supported Ronnie in his request for an equal cut.

straycatuk Wrote:
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Remember,these replacements (Daryl or whoever) aren't Bill Wyman. They are just hired hands and have NO say I would think.


I agree, however, as Mick was the one who didn't want him since he was too friendly with Keith, what other reason can you come up with? I don't know Joey's background, but I don't get the impression that he's a drug addict who could be a bad influence on Keith.

Cindy, I get what you mean, it's just what I said before, maybe I'm too romantic but I don't want to think of sides inside the Stones... Of course the newer ones won't have the same power, but I consider the old ones equal... Even if Mick and Keith were always considered as the "leaders", I don't think that Charlie is treated with less respect..and he shouldn't be..!! The idea of sides ruins a little bit of what I like about them.. That's why that idea never crosses my mind!!

Who the f*ck is Mick Jagger?

Hi Gia,

I can relate. I still like to pretend that Mick and Keith and their women are hanging around Redlands, getting stoned, listening to music, and just hanging out and letting the music happen; rather than what it seems to be now, scheduled studio time somewhere.

I completely romanticize the 60's though, it must have been great in certain ways.

If you can ever see Nrbq, you gotta go. What a wild time. I have seen them several times ,every time in small bars and well what can I say...I am glad I can remember each time.Joey is a great bass player and I thought he would have been a good choice for the Stones. Check out Nrbq's Yankee Stadium .Great disc...

I really think if Joey had got the job, the Stones Studio stuff would have WAY WAY more swing to it..A Bigger Bang would be a completely different sounding album if they used a guy like Joey Spampinato, nothing against Keith and D.Jones bass tracks...but Joey plays real traditional mean rock and roll bass...and lets not forget thats why KEITH picked him as his bass player for "Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll"...nuff said right there...
maybe next tour and album...might as well mix it up a bit right..

CindyC Wrote:
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> gia43 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> CindyC Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> I can see Mick's point though.
>
> what do you mean by that? What's wrong with a
> Keith buddy?
>
> Nothing's wrong with a Keith buddy, but I just
> think that Mick thinks of the band more as a
> business that Keith does. It would just be a
> shift in power if Keith had 3 people on his side
> (Keith, Woody, Joey), then it would be Mick on one
> side and Charlie kind of in the middle.
>
>

And more than that Mick might see it as a "shift in musicianship" which he wants to have plenty of influence on...

OR... it might just be that Mick thought Darryl is a better choice...


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

Wasn't uo to Charlie to make the choice?

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

NRBQ often gets this "World's Greatest Bar Band" tag and I don't buy it.

They are The Greatest, period.

Now that they are on an extended hiatus, Joey would be an excellent choice to play bass with the Stones. In fact, I was wishing he would play with them the other night at the screening of the Rio show during "Wild Horses" Daryl might as well been driving over his bass with a truck, the way it sounded.

As it's already been said, the man can swing. Speaking about "Hail Hail Rock and Roll," Keith called him the bands "secret weapon."

Great post...thanks!

I think Keith once said that Joey was the only other bass player aside from Wyman who could make an electric bass sound like an acoustic stand-up.

I guess those great days at Redlands HAD to end because they are more responsible adults now, at least MICK IS! Keith is still a stoned pony but Patti does watch out somewhat for him in terms of over-doing the stuff he loves best! And LUKE, I totaly believe that about Rick James, a guy I always disliked intensely, especially after he dissed the Stones publicly a few years before he checked out! I did not forget about sending my story to you Luke, just had no time to get my boyfriend to dig it out and send it.

When the auduitions started I thought it was a given that Joey was going to get it. Musically it made all the sense in the world. Plus he had Keith's endorsment already; I was very suprised when they reveladed their choice.
Charley Drayton IMO would have been another good choice. I have a strong feeling that yes, Charlie made the choice and all, but that it was AFTER Jagger had okayed DJ.
I wonder how much the shift in balance could have affected history. Would the Stones be a different act today, had they chosen a "Keith" man on Bass?

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Well its settled Joey Spampinato should get a chance next go around..hell why stop there...Lets have Terry Adams (NRBQ KeyBoards) take the place of Chuck..
Now that would be a sick..even if it were just for a show or two, or a studio track or two..

Debra Wrote:
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> I guess those great days at Redlands HAD to end
> because they are more responsible adults now, at
> least MICK IS! Keith is still a stoned pony but
> Patti does watch out somewhat for him in terms of
> over-doing the stuff he loves best! And LUKE, I
> totaly believe that about Rick James, a guy I
> always disliked intensely, especially after he
> dissed the Stones publicly a few years before he
> checked out! I did not forget about sending my
> story to you Luke, just had no time to get my
> boyfriend to dig it out and send it.

Have you ever seen Dave Chapelle's Rick James parody? Hilarious! F*** your couch, Eddie Murphy, f*** your couch!

You know it Ohno... funny stuff.

Hey, I knew it was just a matter of time before you responded on that Amsterdam thread about Pulp Fiction.

Debra, thanks, I can't wait to get your email. No rush.




Y'all have a nice day. I need to pick up my baby girl from school.

Suggesting that Terry Adams take Chuck's place is like saying Hendrix should have replaced Brian....

Terry Adams has briefly taken on the roll of a sideman (Carly Bley, John Sebastian) but he is too much of an artist with his own vision to stay put as a mere piece in the Stones puzzle (not to mention showman--it would be like putting Mick behind a keyboard!)

I agree it would be great for him to guest on a track or two, sort of like when Leon Russell played on Let It Bleed.

NRBQ does shows without a setlist (Adams calls out the songs as they go). He really works on a whole other level.

Terry onstage is a force of nature, and touring with the Stones would be a waste of his talent