Ron Wud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Quite simply, Mac was in Keith's camp, along with
> Woody and Bobby. That was too lop-sided for Mick.

......... bullseye

It seems obvious that once you're out with the Stones, you're OUT.

Bobby is one of the few exceptions to this rule. Even founding member Bill couldn't get the guest shot he was asking for in the papers a few years back.

I've spoken to Mac on and off over the years, but could never bring myself to ask him what the hell happened with the Stones

To me, what made Mac's exile seem really serious was his exclusion from a book the Stones put out about ten years ago. (Can't recall the title. It was one of those huge coffee table numbers--Life on the Road maybe?) At any rate, there was a page with photos of all their keyboard players over the years, EXCEPT FOR IAN!!

That sort of Stalin-esque erasure from their history made me think that Mac must have REALLY pissed them off. And this was BEFORE he came out with All The Rage, which had the most candid descriptions of Stones drug use from an insider since Spanish Tony's book....

I'll bet that put him on the permanent shit list.


Sure they threw him the bone of letting him open for them in Austin. But no offer to join them onstage. I'm guessing it will never happen.

>Bill couldn't get the guest shot he was asking for in the papers a few years back


Uh, I'd love to see proof of this.

Mathijs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Never change winning team -those were my words
> when Wyman left!
>
> Mac partied a bit too hard on the 1981 tour, so
> they asked Chuck for the '82 tour.
>
> I find Chuck a terrible pianist. His sound, the
> 'sweet' melodies he plays, it's just not rock and
> roll, and I just find it not fitting for the
> Stones. Of course, a bear and tucked in tye-dye
> shirt don't help either.
>
> Mathijs


Glad that you don´t focus on his hair

You are right, of course, but "the winning team"
just has 100 meters left to run.

Beelyboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My Stones Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Chuck can play better than most guys with both
> > hands tied behind his back.
>
> ok, hyperbole & fervor is good when u love
> someone's music.
>
> Listen to his solo
> > piano playing at the Stones vocal rehersals.
> > Flawless with passion and soul. The man is
> gifted
> > and great.
>
> sure, he's a gifted player...nice warm smiles,
> cool parts and dosen't over-do it with his stage
> presence...
> lawd hep me...PLEASE listen to the 'sweet little
> sixteen' link on a pretty recent thread...(a
> recent concert footage 'find' with mac...think it
> was a youtube link)
>
> *** PLEASE, at least check this clip out so we
> have some basis for stylistic comparisons as it
> might relate to this specific music and these
> specific players and the spirit from which this
> stuff naturally emanates...
>
> i'm strongly in agreement with mathijs, laforum
> and others here tho...don't want a pissing contest
> and always sad to see a thread go in that
> direction but...musically speaking, imo, ian
> maclagan has the rockin' pnuemonia and the boogie
> woogie flu, and he's got it bad...it's
> terminal...it's natural...he couldn't get rid of
> it if he wanted to...
>
> it's another 'dynamic'...an intrinsic stylistic
> natural approach that some people will have and
> some peopel won't, for whatever reasons...
>
> i'm just talking ROCK AND ROLL, talking music and
> stayin' away from the politix as much as possible
> cause i don't presume the stones care about fan
> advice on personnel matters or anything else,
> ...they are in control of their own day to day
> destiny...but i also appreciated houndog's
> response to bv's post also...things change a lot,
> and things keep going...and may it ever be
> such...for many more years to come...
>
> That sweet little 16 clip will say it all,!!!****
> and immediately...!
> people will 'hear' it or they won't...this is why
> i personally rate chuck behind nicky, stu, billy,
> jack nitsche and mac...
>
> tho all very different players, nicky, stu,
> mac...u hear their respective versions of live bs
> from whatever tour...and the chorus
> EXPLODES...it's almost frightening...it's too
> killer...it's a HUGE part of what they do, and
> did...
>
> it's the difference between an EXPLOSION and
> playing a part...check the clip.
>
> so i'm talking about music...nicky and stu
> obviously tragically gone, and r.i.p.
> same with billy...jack's recorded work is, for me,
> much more meaningful than chuck's recorded history
> with the band...(tho i am a BIG VL fan...so i'm
> certainly not just trashing the guy as if he isn't
> a good player, with a good melodic sense and
> interesting parts in the stuff he's had a chance
> to record as an organic part of that record)...
> and i've certainly heard some solos with the
> stones here and there that were way fun etc...(i
> don't particularly appreciate his 'rhythm' support
> particularly, but there's that boogie quotient
> comin' up again...
>
> i'll offer qualifications forever so nobody's damn
> ass get burnt...endless mea culpas, mea culpas...
> these are issues of stlyistic dynamic and
> power...does it have to descend into haircut
> references...especially when hair seems to be very
> important to the stones and their stylists...i
> mean are those old guys just refusing to cut their
> hair and get real hip and modern!!?? jeeze
> louise...
> old hippies up there i tell ya...living in the
> past...playing music from thirty five and more
> years ago almost exclusively and now it's about
> haircuts and woodstock?? sigh.
>
> then again, it's alarming (and also touchingingly
> protective) that bv would characterize them as
> falling apart without chuck's musical
> direction...
> maybe that's true...he's closer to the day to day
> action then i'll ever be...
> but i sometimes think the 'right' piano or bass
> guy would help things along, and they are not so
> much 'falling apart' as maybe resisting the next
> evolutionary step creatively...one that will
> sustain them thru ten more years of great records
> and shows...even if arenas or theatres or dang web
> concerts from the theatres...whatever...they are
> the stones...i have faith...
>
> i like to look at long term possibilites of the
> band, regardless of who's playing what...and i
> hope they are not falling apart...but maybe they
> are...in which case...well, i don't know what to
> say about that...i just plain don't believe that
> rchh and beacon and all that couldn't have
> happened if it weren't for chuck propping the old
> girls up...i think he could be replaced overnight
> and a gig might not even be postponed...my
> opinion. i don't think they will change personnel
> any time soon, if ever, and i don't care if they
> do or don't at this point in the discussion...but
> that's my opinion....and it's offered only in the
> context of sharing musical observations and
> opinions and feelings.
>
> ...but he really dosen't add that boogie
> push...it's not an inherent part of the soul of
> the magical thing they've got going imo...he's not
> exciting...he dosen't play exciting...he dosen't
> come from the same rockin' boogie place that is an
> organic integrous part of the whole...
>
> the stones are deep...this rockin' boogie thing
> (like in that clip) is an instinsic element in
> certain musician's personal missions...and not in
> others...
>
> (which, in my usual too longass way, is simply
> saying, he dosen't really sound like an
> intrinsically soul informed rock and roller to me,
> never got that kind of buzz from him...some
> sparkles and smiles and hey, he's been a loyal
> road dog and sort of orchestra leader/musical
> director for a long time now...that deserves the
> historical respect that it already has, and that
> resume will never leave him, and he's earned every
> dollar i'm sure...talented guy? of course...nice
> guy? i'll take it on everyone's word that chuck is
> a sweet and great person...butttt.....it's about
> rock and roll for me....sure, i know it's only
> rock and roll but...

Great post!That ''Sweet LIl Sixteen clip indeed tells a lot....Mac can play much better on for example HTW..than Chuck and if they need Chuck...they can hire both of them.

They need Chuck. He keeps the band together and he's gotten more than a few new songs in the setlist over the years. Mac was great but the Stones need Chuck at this point.

I can't stand Chuck. He is about the luckiest guy on the planet. Chuck is like the little hopeless dorky kid in school, that everyone picked on, but now the cool kids want to hang around with him. His presence is just WRONG. He overplays, run out during the band intro's like he is the star of the show, and that grin makes me cringe.

I know Mac will never be back with them, but he was the greatest. I was listening to the Faces boxset the other day,and Mac was/is a genius. Love the guys playing.

Mac is indeed splendid and listening to the Faces ... it doesn't surprise me
if the man digs having his own band more than serving as a great great sideman

Mac is coming to Atlanta soon...I must be there!

Thursday, July 12 - Five Spot, Atlanta, GA (8pm)
1123 Euclid Avenue
Variety Playhouse presents Ian McLagan & the Bump Band
With special guests The Lizardmen & The Back Yardbirds.
Purchase tickets through the Variety Playhouse Ticket Club and ticketmaster.com.

I will be there!

Mac rules...and just as nice as Chuck....a true gent!

I wonder what the chances are he would sign my Faces boxset for me? That would be great.

He would do that!!

Mac is the one who put the box set together - sure he'll sign it!

ChrisM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mac fits the Stones mold better than Chuck does,
> at least in my opinion.


Yes, Mac is British, looks it, and plays a better rolling-style, honky-tonk, barrelhouse piano than Chuck. Chuck may be more versatile, but that isn't everything as the Stones learned with Woody over Taylor.

Mick always said'''Here we have ''Mac'' from the Small Faces popgroup!! thats so funny!

Mac and the Bump band never disappoint. Mac has become a great front man and his band is terrific. After the show he will sign whatever you bring. I am so happy the Bumps are touring again. It's always a fun night out. They play Fitzgeralds in Berwyn/Chicago early next month. I'll be there.

pay pay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder what the chances are he would sign my
> Faces boxset for me? That would be great.

That's a good one! Mac is the most approachable Rock Legend ever! Anything you buy from him on his macspages website (including the Faces box) he will sign for you.

After a gig I'm 100% positive he'll sign anything (except another contract with Don Arden!)

Enjoy the show. I couldn't get the smile off my face for a week after I saw him play at the Lucky Lounge in Austin last summer.

loog droog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pay pay Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----

>
> After a gig I'm 100% positive he'll sign anything
> (except another contract with Don Arden!)
>

Don Arden is human garbage.

>Mac is coming to Atlanta soon...I must be there!

Thanks for the heads up!

Yeah, thanks for that info. Luke? 5string? Return trip to ATL?

"No Anchovies, Please"