I downloaded the show, listened to it and read the reviews again
[www.iorr.org]
In two reviews somebody named "Blondie" playing guitar is mentioned - who is it and what is he doing at Stones shows? The reviews suggest that he plays guitar parts which Keith and/or Ronnie are too lazy to play… is this true ?

from pecmans review: "CONNECTION (…)...but thankfully Blondie was playing along under the stage as I heard two guitars going and one of them wasn't Keith's because his hands were barely on the guitar."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-30 15:14 by slewan.

Blondie Chaplin is on the left.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-30 15:36 by sweet neo con.

[www.blondiechaplin.com]

Blondie Chaplin is a great singer & musician, and I have no problem whatsoever with him playing guitar as part of the ensemble. If Keith allowed it, why in the world would a few disgruntled fans have an issue with it? Some kind of weird "purist" notion?

Get over it, people. I suppose these same folks take issue with the Stones incorporating horn players onstage in 1972.

Incredible. "Exile on Main St" has backup musicians all over it. So, is it not considered a "Stones" record?

bassplayer617 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Blondie Chaplin is a great singer & musician, and
> I have no problem whatsoever with him playing
> guitar as part of the ensemble. If Keith allowed
> it, why in the world would a few disgruntled fans
> have an issue with it? Some kind of weird "purist"
> notion?
>
> Get over it, people. I suppose these same folks
> take issue with the Stones incorporating horn
> players onstage in 1972.
>
> Incredible. "Exile on Main St" has backup
> musicians all over it. So, is it not considered a
> "Stones" record?

no purist notion, but I was quite surprised by the information. Like most people I did believe that guitars are only played by Keith and Ron live ON stage (and not by someone else UNDER the stage (see: pecmans review) - and I think it's a shame when Keith & Ron concentrate more one show case than on really playing their guitar (and still get most of the applause and the hugest cheers for doing (or not doing so). I know that a lot of musicians fake playing nowadays, but - hey - the Stones?

Get your terms straight, slewan. The Stones aren't "faking", they simply have augmentation on acoustic/electric rhythm guitar. If Keith or Ron felt they needed a standby lead guitarist, they could've brought X-Pensive Wino Waddy Wachtel aboard. That will never happen.

Historical note: Waddy IS on a couple of the tracks on "Bridges to Babylon". Check out the credits.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-31 00:37 by bassplayer617.

Have you actually seen a show in this century???



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-31 01:17 by No Expectations.

Blondie does not play "under" the stage. He's always on stage (left side), mostly at the beginning of the show he's sitting behind the amps, playing his oiltank guitar during jjf. He always plays guitar on stage while Keith plays his set.

If you have ever seen the setlists you'll recognize for most of the backup musicians that they will play or sing "off stage". Background vocals are on from the fist song, but Bernard, Lisa and Blondie will show up mostly for the third song. That's it.

Well, I might be a little naïve. But until very recently I did believe that Keith and Ron (and occasionally Mick) are doing all guitar playing at Stones’ concerts. And I’m sure that more than 90% of the concertgoers believe that, too.
But don’t get me wrong! My point is not that someone else is also playing guitar for the Stones. It’s okay to add as much musicians as the like. My point is rather that I don’t think that it’s okay if the partly hide the other musicians or make their audience believe that the Stones are playing all the music by themselves.
Thus the fact that there are background vocals even on songs where the background singers are not on stage is not comparable to the case that there’s another partly hidden guitar player. Nobody would ever think that the male and female background vocals (or the keyboards or the horns) are provided my Keith, Ron or Charlie (which would be a great laugh, I suppose). The plain difference is that most of the people believe (and are made to believe!) that the guitars that they hear are played by the guys they seen on (center) stage, i.e. Keith and Ron (and not by someone else, who is “sitting behind the amps”). And as far as I can tell, Blondie is not introduced as a guitar player, but only as a background singer.
So, if the Stones think they need additional musicians, guitar players etc on stage that should say it aloud (and there’s no sense in comparing that to studio albums, where everyone can read in the liner notes who is playing on which song).

In any case if the Stones need a guitarist they should ask Waddy Wachtel. Saw him back in 1992 with Keith in Colonge…
By the way I haven’t seen the Stones live since 98 (a quite disappointing show in Hannover/Germany). Had no opportunity to see them in 02/03. In 2006 wasn’t able (nor willing to) afford some 100 Euros to see them in a football stadium (though I’d gladly spent quite a lot of money to see them in a small(er) venue – without additional guitarists (or at least not (partly) hidden ones).

Anyway – as said before – I might be too naïve… but my point is simply that what is not or could not be done in public, should not be done at all.

slewan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, I might be a little naïve. But until very
> recently I did believe that Keith and Ron (and
> occasionally Mick) are doing all guitar playing at
> Stones’ concerts. And I’m sure that more than 90%
> of the concertgoers believe that, too.
> But don’t get me wrong! My point is not that
> someone else is also playing guitar for the
> Stones. It’s okay to add as much musicians as the
> like. My point is rather that I don’t think that
> it’s okay if the partly hide the other musicians
> or make their audience believe that the Stones are
> playing all the music by themselves.
> Thus the fact that there are background vocals
> even on songs where the background singers are not
> on stage is not comparable to the case that
> there’s another partly hidden guitar player.
> Nobody would ever think that the male and female
> background vocals (or the keyboards or the horns)
> are provided my Keith, Ron or Charlie (which would
> be a great laugh, I suppose). The plain difference
> is that most of the people believe (and are made
> to believe!) that the guitars that they hear are
> played by the guys they seen on (center) stage,
> i.e. Keith and Ron (and not by someone else, who
> is “sitting behind the amps”). And as far as I can
> tell, Blondie is not introduced as a guitar
> player, but only as a background singer.
> So, if the Stones think they need additional
> musicians, guitar players etc on stage that should
> say it aloud (and there’s no sense in comparing
> that to studio albums, where everyone can read in
> the liner notes who is playing on which song).
>
> In any case if the Stones need a guitarist they
> should ask Waddy Wachtel. Saw him back in 1992
> with Keith in Colonge…
> By the way I haven’t seen the Stones live since 98
> (a quite disappointing show in Hannover/Germany).
> Had no opportunity to see them in 02/03. In 2006
> wasn’t able (nor willing to) afford some 100 Euros
> to see them in a football stadium (though I’d
> gladly spent quite a lot of money to see them in a
> small(er) venue – without additional guitarists
> (or at least not (partly) hidden ones).
>
> Anyway – as said before – I might be too naïve…
> but my point is simply that what is not or could
> not be done in public, should not be done at all.


Have you been to a recent show or seen a DVD of any show since 94? Blondie doesn't "hide" anywhere. He occasionally plays acoustic guitar at his customary spot stage left. Are you saying that if someone straps on a guitar, they have to be center stage under a spotlight? Most studio tracks have acoustic guitar to give the song texture. Sometimes it's more noticeable than others. Ever hear It's Only Rock n Roll?? Regarding the background singers: they're not hiding either. They sing backing vocals on the B stage set, but they sing from the main stage. The only reason you don't see them is because they obviously can't fit on the small moving stage. There isn't anything fake or contrived about a Stones show. And NO...90% of people DON'T think that KR and RW are the only guitar players. Did you do a poll?

Go easy on slewan please. I see where he's coming from. When Ronnie @#$%& up the whole show in Rotterdam 2003, Romours said that Blondie did a great deal of 'cover up' guitar work during that show. And I heard two guitars all the way during that gig and Wood was not playing his instrument for 60% of the time....

man..lots of over-reaction on this thread. no need to defend keith & ron...oR blondie. we get it.

i regret not going up to Blondie when he was hanging out
in a Milwaukee hotel lobby looking for attention. everybody was hanging
out looking to rub elbows with mick, keith ronnie or charlie...while blondie
and others flew under the radar.

how did this thread make it over to the BUY/SELL/TRADE side anyway..?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-31 15:48 by sweet neo con.

Slewan is correct,on some songs Blondie does play behind the speakers. I think were looking for a "meaning" behind all of this, when there really isnt one. The Stones on some songs want a melodic sound that an acoutic guitar can add.

blondie are playing with the stones for a long time.he appeared with Liza and Bernard on stage.

sweet neo con Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> man..lots of over-reaction on this thread. no need
> to defend keith & ron...oR blondie. we get it.
>
> i regret not going up to Blondie when he was
> hanging out
> in a Milwaukee hotel lobby looking for attention.
> everybody was hanging
> out looking to rub elbows with mick, keith ronnie
> or charlie...while blondie
> and others flew under the radar.
>
> how did this thread make it over to the
> BUY/SELL/TRADE side anyway..?

It made it here because on the 2006 boots Blondie is occasionally audible with his acoustic guitar backup. I repeat -- I have NO problem with this, but some folks really get worked up about it. It's ridiculous.