I'll tell you upfront that the highlight and (oddly and simultaneously) uneasiest moment of the show for me last night was Keith's solo set. He played You Got The Silver and Little T and A.

Or rather, the band played those songs. Keith sang them.

I'm not kidding. Keith didn't even pick up a guitar in YGTS. He sang, and honestly, it was the most impassioned, beautiful singing I've heard Keith do in years. There were tinges of the young Keith 1966 voice, he sang without that huge measure of raspiness and raggedness he normally dishes out.

I was very impressed....and I was _very_ uneasy. I turned to my friend and said "WTF, he's not going to play guitar on this?!?!" And he didn't. Ronnie played the lead guitar and Blondie was playing guitar behind him.

What did/does this mean? Was this just an artistic choice? Or a sign that Keith simply can't play and sing simultaneously and well anymore?

I know B.B. King says he's never been able to play guitar and sing at the same time. But I remember the 1999 Keith YGTS performances, and they were raggedly beautiful. Keith's singing last night was spectacular....but it made me uneasy to see him not play a guitar at all, especially on one of his signature pieces.

And Little T and A mostly had Keith posing with his guitar, though he fired off a few riffs, but again, it was mostly Keith singing.

Did the brain injury cause long-term problems for Keith, and this was a manifestation? Or perhaps the arthritis is that much worse so that Keith can't/won't showcase his guitar-playing solo on stage anymore?

Or as I said, is it just an artistic choice?

good questions

Blondie Plays Keith - coming to a stadium near you!

were the back-ups singing 'shes my little rock and roll' on little t&a? and was the horn section playing? lmao if they were.

Doom and gloom again.......

Can't really see how it matters? Anyone worry about Simon playing with Pete Townshend?

Probably wanted to concentrate more on the signing which as you suggest was very good.

Blondie backed Keith up on guitar for some years now. So what's the problem?

Some amazing photos of YGTS by nursejane over at Shidoobee....

[p081.ezboard.com]



ROCKMAN

Excellent photos - thanks to Rockman for alerting us to them and to nursejane. And also to PiotrRS for all his shots, including two particularly great ones of Keith.

ablett Wrote:
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> Doom and gloom again.......

Good lord, what a silly comment.

Keith made a career of playing guitar.

Name another time in the last 40 years when the only thing he did on stage with the Stones that he _didn't_ have a guitar in hand and at least play a few notes.

You almost certainly can't.

If he did, it's news to me.

Those questions are legitimate. Yes, his singing was fantastic (for Keith). But Keith sans guitar? That struck me as a very unique moment in his career, and well worth examining. No doom and gloom, but plenty of questions, unless you've drank the Kool-Aid that these guys are going to live and play as a band forever.

well maybe there's no problem
but sure it is a news
and one that can certainly and reasonably rise questions

maybe it is nothing but a good thing that keith concentrates on singing instead of holding his guitar up in the air

Keith has never played much guitar when he does his ballad on stage. He often just fires off the odd solo and a few fills at various points in the song.
If he's holding the guitar...folks don't notice. If he puts it down...they do.
That's the only difference.
It's no big secret that Keith doesn't sing and play at the same time particularly well. He never has done.
Watch the live Wino's stuff for example. Keith will often sing over a ringing or suspended chord... but won't actually play the guitar again til the end of the vocal line.
Keith's arthritis in his fingers has also been much discussed recently. [I suppose in the wake of focussing on his other health scare this year]. But that's not news either! Keith's fingers have been in a similar apparent condition for the last ten years or so. It obviously detracts from his dexterity to some degree...but we aren't witnessing a new or sudden decline in Keith's abilities as a musicain or performer.
Folks are just adding two and two to make five... as usual

The snaps are great, but it just does'nt look right. I know he poses more than he plays on some songs now, but could'nt he of at least just played the intro and swung the guitar over his shoulder?

Just seen highanddry's post.
On the Licks tour, Keith quite often took off the guitar and propped it on the floor when delivering his ballad. Maybe he's finally gained the confidence to let go of it ;^)

Spud Wrote:
> It's no big secret that Keith doesn't sing and
> play at the same time particularly well. He never
> has done.

True. So no big deal! Better this way maybe.

highanddry Wrote:
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Those questions are legitimate. Yes, his singing was fantastic (for Keith). But Keith sans guitar? That struck me as a very unique moment in his career, and well worth examining. No doom and gloom, but plenty of questions, unless you've drank the Kool-Aid that these guys are going to live and play as a band forever.


You need to chill out with this nonsense man. I think the Def Leppard board is calling you back.

I hope you are not serious when you argue that Keith can't play guitar and sing together anymore.

If he wants to sing, let him sing!

C

Well it's well known that B.B.King can't
play and sing at the same time and he's
been performin' that way for over half a century......



ROCKMAN

let him sing....2 great tracks...if he sings better not playing the guitar---go for it...its the sound baby!

I think there is a remedy for your condition, let me qoute one of the biggest scientist to have ever walked upon this planet:

SMOKE TWO JOINTS!

southboundtrain Wrote:
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> highanddry Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> You need to chill out with this nonsense man. I
> think the Def Leppard board is calling you back.


Yeah, right, the Def Leppard board.

I wouldn't know Def Leppard from southboundtrain, nor would I care.

OTOH, if you want to talk Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Charley Patton, and Son House, you'll find me on _that_ board.

And Keith not even touching his guitar for one of his two solo performances last nite is news, whether the likes of you See Nothing/Hear Nothing/Know Nothing types want to admit it or not.

a reliable souce...i mean source, reminded me of the hired-hand midget guitar player hidden inside Charlie's kick-drum

highanddry Wrote:
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And Keith not even touching his guitar for one of his two solo performances last nite is news, whether the likes of you See Nothing/Hear Nothing/Know Nothing types want to admit it or not.


Well it's not really news. It his heavily rumoured that this will be the last world tour anyways. There are other factors that are probably just as important in them making that decision (charlie's lack of desire to do so for example).

highanddry Wrote:
--------------------------------------------------
Yeah, right, the Def Leppard board.

I wouldn't know Def Leppard from southboundtrain, nor would I care.

And Keith not even touching his guitar for one of his two solo performances last nite is news, whether the likes of you See Nothing/Hear Nothing/Know Nothing types want to admit it or not.


My comment again: I think you need to chill out. I don't care, nor do a lot of the others that have posted above, that Keith didn't play guitar on YGTS. It means nothing to me. He played guitar on the 18 other songs. You're persistence at getting this topic going--especially by invoking everything from his brain injury to some irrelevant historical connection--is mind boggling.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-09-21 17:52 by southboundtrain.

well said!

in all sincerity - Keith struggled with this song bigtime in '99 - and it was clear then that trying to play his slide parts in tandem with Ronnie AND sing the song with any conviction (and accuracy - he messed up the lines many times, as many will recall) was a big problem for him. So, in that light, it seems reasonable that Keith just said to himself "f*uck it" - I'll just sing the damned thing.

Tod is right, in '99 it was like this "hey baby.. what will I do.. is that the diamonds? And thirsty too.. you fill my cup babe.. that's allright. At your kit............chen door!!".

Agree with StonesTod. In '99 both Ron & Keith played slide, didn't they? It's pretty difficult to sing this song and play slide at the same time. So it's a smart choice to leave the guitar parts to Ronnie & Blondie if this results in a better performance. And judged by the reactions the performance was great!

StonesTod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> in all sincerity - Keith struggled with this song
> bigtime in '99 - and it was clear then that trying
> to play his slide parts in tandem with Ronnie AND
> sing the song with any conviction (and accuracy -
> he messed up the lines many times, as many will
> recall) was a big problem for him. So, in that
> light, it seems reasonable that Keith just said to
> himself "f*uck it" - I'll just sing the damned
> thing.


I agree completely. He did struggle in '99 with YGTS.

And his decision to sing only last nite produced a lovely, exquisite version. It just wasn't the version we might have expected from Keith based on his past.

It's not without precedent that a musician known for great guitar work gives it up to sing only. The great Muddy Waters played a mean electric slide, but in his later performing years rarely pulled it out on stage, opting instead to sing only. And while he was a great blues singer, we who loved his slide playing could not help but be disappointed that we didn't get to see the Muddy who played killer slide guitar. And reviewers constantly noted that guitar's absence from his hands and the setlist during the 70s.

Why would Keith somehow be exempt from being noticed for making a similar decision?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-09-21 18:26 by highanddry.

Man, I haven't been THIS right since the Reagan administration!

Stop complaining! even if he didn't play guitar-the set list rocked and based on the reviews, the show was awesome.


See everyone in Halifax and Atlantic City.