They have used additional musicians for decades.
They used horns even on the legendary 1972 tour. The horns are a part of the sound: Imagine Sticky Fingers or Exile without them.
Chuck is not a stone, but the piano (or the keyboard) IS a very big part of the Stones' sound, and of course they need a piano/keyboard player on tour - as they always had. In 1981 they used two. Bobby Keys, Ian Stewart, Jim Price and Nicky Hopkins have all had their great influence on Stones records and live shows. To hire these extra musicians just make it easier to play whatever song they want to play, and it makes the music more interresting.

Hasse78 Wrote:
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> vocals, guitar, guitar, bass, drums and keys. The
> rest is just overload.


the honourable Mr Watts will not agree with you......

Could you imagine what the stones would sound like live today if it was just the 4 of them plus Darryl? I don't think I would even want to know.

bv Wrote:
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> So you would rather have it like with U2. A tape
> with all the sound they don't make with real
> people on stage?


and you can prove this i suppose, or is it just the reality that u2 does it with four and the stones with what seems like hundreds, btw i do not believe u2 uses tapes, and what about the stones intro to sympathy, DID SOMEONE SAY TAPE

U2 uses tape? I haven't seen them since the late 80's, am I missing anything?...or should I savor how great they were when they were so fresh?

Do they still use tapes nowadays??? I think blu ray is better

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U2 NEVER USES TAPES ,its just four fantastic musicians confident in theyre ability to use no frills

OK simple trivia, who had the comment "no Synthesizers" located on their first few albums?

Paul Kersey Wrote:
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Hey Paul, Frank Ochoa says hello.