20 August 2007

STONES WARNED OVER CIGS

ROLLING Stone Keith Richards has been warned not to light up as the band play their first gig at home since the smoking ban.

A council have issued a stern warning to Richards and band-mate Ronnie Wood not to spark up when the band take to the stage at London's O2 Arena.

The ageing rockers regularly light up while playing and seem unlikely to modify their behaviour during the three show finale of the band's two-year Bigger Bang World tour.

The guitarists have been told they face a £50 fixed penalty every time they light up. But this would be small change for the band, who are charging up to £150 a ticket.

The venue could be taken to court and fined £2500 if officials do not attempt to stop them. Under the ban, some performers are allowed to smoke on stage.
The legislation states it is permitted "where the artistic integrity of a performance makes it appropriate for a person who is taking part to smoke". But officials are in no mood to compromise.

Sally Dobbs from Greenwich Borough Council's Environmental Health said: "I do not think a musician playing a live gig could argue smoking was essential.

"In that situation, we would expect somebody from the venue to ask them to put it out."

Jeez ... and I always thought that at least one of us Brits' redeeming qualities was that we had a sense of humour. That obviously doesm't include employees of the local county council. What a bunch of tosspots !!

Well I hope Keith and Ronnie CHAIN SMOKE through the bloody shows !!

Reminds me of the story that the mayor of New York called police to arrest Keith while they were playing MSG 2002. He watched the concert on TV, saw Keith smoking. and because smoking is prohibited in MSG, wanted him to get arrested. I guess the story finishes with policemen being held back by Stones people until the band left the building... someone knows more details?

I can't wait to see some council d1ck take the stage. Cue Keith with swinging axe.

OILY_DIPSTICK Wrote:
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> I can't wait to see some council d1ck take the
> stage. Cue Keith with swinging axe.


That would indeed be great.

JumpingKentFlash

OILY_DIPSTICK Wrote:
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> I can't wait to see some council d1ck take the
> stage. Cue Keith with swinging axe.


"He may be a fan, he may be a nutter, but if he comes on my turf I'm gonna chop the mother down...!"

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

they've probably pre-paid all the potential fines -
smile: there should be an oyster card for that :E

come ON london!! make that whole joint smell like bob marley's garden; like snoop dog's iso booth when he's cuttin' vokes...make a beautiful blue love haze explode in every row; those idiots got to be kidding.

About time. Smoking is not a private matter. It is killing millions of people and filling up hospitals. Fans look up to the Stones and do what they do. When Keith and Ronnie are smoking on stage they approve smoking and make it harder for people to quit smoking I am sure.

On the bus back from the Slane show to Dublin - a bus ride of one hour - there was numerous people smoking. In the bus. I get sick of cigarette smoke. I have many friends who smoke but this is 2007 and smoking will go away at least in the public. Also, I don't understand how people can smoke in a packed crowd of people. Totally lack of respect I think. Sure smokers have plenty of excuses but it is totally unacceptable, and to stop this somebody have to start - the guys on stage.

Bjornulf

Manofwealthandtaste Wrote:
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> Sally Dobbs from Greenwich Borough Council's
> Environmental Health said: "I do not think a
> musician playing a live gig could argue smoking
> was essential.

That silly woman don't know Keith and Ronnie :-)

I expect she doesn,t.

bv Wrote:
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> About time. Smoking is not a private matter. It is
> killing millions of people and filling up
> hospitals. Fans look up to the Stones and do what
> they do. When Keith and Ronnie are smoking on
> stage they approve smoking and make it harder for
> people to quit smoking I am sure.
>
> On the bus back from the Slane show to Dublin - a
> bus ride of one hour - there was numerous people
> smoking. In the bus. I get sick of cigarette
> smoke. I have many friends who smoke but this is
> 2007 and smoking will go away at least in the
> public. Also, I don't understand how people can
> smoke in a packed crowd of people. Totally lack of
> respect I think. Sure smokers have plenty of
> excuses but it is totally unacceptable, and to
> stop this somebody have to start - the guys on
> stage.

Like always in life - for decades guys like me could smoke wherever they wanted. No matter if children where near or not and I remember my first London-trip in 1981 when it was still a common thing to smoke in the tube - again, no matter if packed or not, with children or not. Silly and extreme, isn't it?

And now the pendulum swings back - with all the new laws which should protect non-smokers it seems they feel endless power to ban smoking everywhere they can. I mean if you're "getting sick" in a bus with smokers why don't you catch a cab? do yourself a favour, we need you here!

silkcut

...and I'll be smoking in the O2 as well

If I'm not mistaken, only an incredibly small percentage of non-smokers have ever gotten cancer from being exposed to second hand smoke, and those were all people who worked in bars or in other very smoky places for multiple decades. So the danger of second hand smoke is practically nil, it's just an inconvenience for non-smokers. Well boo-@#$%&-hoo. Either man up and put up with a little inconvenience or stay away from places where smokers congregate, like concerts and bars.

"It wasn't my fault ... liquors drunkened me!" Homer Simpson

I used to smoke. You know what made me give up? Because one day I came to realise that it made me unattractive to my wife...smelly clothes, breath etc. I'm sorry for you smokers and your crap excuses for smoking...like "should have got a cab." The bus is a public place and smoking in a confined public space is not socially acceptable anymore.

Give it up. You will a) smell better, b) live longer, c) save more money, d) be more socially acceptable.

Keef and Ron are actually the only two guys who look cool when smoking. The rest of us mere mortals just look a bit sad and pathetic.

Rant over.

NickB

You can't always get what you want.....

www.myspace.com/thesonkings

silkcut1978 Wrote:
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> And now the pendulum swings back - with all the
> new laws which should protect non-smokers it seems
> they feel endless power to ban smoking everywhere
> they can. I mean if you're "getting sick" in a bus
> with smokers why don't you catch a cab? do
> yourself a favour, we need you here!
>
> silkcut
>
> ...and I'll be smoking in the O2 as well

I do think that smokers should consider smoking less, when with non-smokers. And I do think non-smokers shouldn't be so 100% fanatical.
Anyway all the laws, rules and regulations have become totally rediculous.
It's by no means the most healty thing to do...smoking that is, but many smokers started smoking many years ago, before all the campaigns against smoking. So give us a break and educate the younger generations :-)

NickB Wrote:
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> Keef and Ron are actually the only two guys who
> look cool when smoking. The rest of us mere
> mortals just look a bit sad and pathetic.

Why do you think that those two look cool when they smoke?

Coz they just do, don't know why? Hey it's only an opinion;-) It's because they're rock stars and I suppose it's kind of expected.

NickB

You can't always get what you want.....

www.myspace.com/thesonkings

It's funny, because ex smokers are even stricter than people who never smoked.
There have been a lot of excessive behaviour, against non smoking people 1st, and now against smokers.

Not smoking in transportation, movie theaters, hospitals is the least people could do, but the rules are sometimes excessive.
Bars, restaurants, should IMO have separate places, for smokers and non smokers.

At the Giants Stadium, which is an open venue, you are not allowed to smoke.
In 2005, I went in to see Alanis Morissette's opening set. I had absolutely no one close to me (at least 3 meters away), but I was asked to go to the stairways to smoke.
It is completely ridiculous...

NickB Wrote:
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> Coz they just do, don't know why? Hey it's only an
> opinion;-) It's because they're rock stars and I
> suppose it's kind of expected.

Well I aggree, but just wanted to know why ;-)

I have to agree with Doc that if it's open air and there's no one around then yeah by all means light up.

But you know everyone has an opinion about smoking which they're entitled to. But remember folks "opinions are like arseholes.....everyones got one" ;-)

Laters

NickB

You can't always get what you want.....

www.myspace.com/thesonkings

haven been to gigs in dublin/cork/glasgow/edinburgh since the no smoking was introduced in those respective terrotories, i'm used to the no smoking now. it was allways a ritual to burn up a big one as they band came one, i kinda missed that

When I was in Rome and we were packed all together in the front rows and a guy didn't realize who, burnt me under my hand.I thought it was stupid to smoke there because you could barely move your hands and it was possible to hurt someone so I didn't smoke there.However it's up to people to understand where they should smoke and where not.I don't smoke for example near children when their stupid parents smoke right next to them.But to make laws stopping us from do this and that it's pathetic.
But that's why is cool to be rich.You just don't care for anything.You make your own rules for yourself and not somebody else.Come on relax a bit.

my god, why talk about such sh*t?

My god!! If we gonna take care of each other..and all of the people on this planet..its over the top ..you know i dont like diesel..and diesel is killing!!!...So many more things you here absolutely nothing about!! So lets just Rock!!And let the R&R lers Smoke!

50£ for cigarett ? i think the can afford it

thrak Wrote:
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> 50£ for cigarett ? i think the can afford it

Well if they smoke enough, they might go bankrupt and do another tour ;-)

the heck with cigarettes, now if people light up a joint at a rock and roll concert the gestapo comes on down and you're in jail?

Whoa; the Seattle Hemp Festival last weekend was so peaceful and clean and fun and family oriented. and a lot of bands and a lot of cannabis and a lot of good clean healthy fun; very rare did i see a cigarette. Everywhere you see folks tokin' up. The cops looked very relaxed, obviously a situation without violence or trouble makers. They just wanted to be together and rock and smoke the bud.

Is this a cigarette rule or Big Brother regulating how much fun you can have at a concert, unless you're getting pissed drunk on alcohol, a substance that kills verifiable millions a year. They can't even find a mortality ratio on cannaboids. To die from herb you'd have to have a cargo plane filled with it crash land on your chest.

All right!! Woo!!

Keef & Ron both lit up so they didn't pay any notice at all to the stupid stage ban on smoking touted in today British press, I'm pleased to report.

tomcat2006 Wrote:
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> Keef & Ron both lit up so they didn't pay any
> notice at all to the stupid stage ban on smoking
> touted in today British press, I'm pleased to
> report.


excellent news! i'll now smoke a gitane in their honour . . .