Bands that Use Touring Musicians (Hidden or Upfront)

Danny1969

lol @Samgb

Rolling Stones live now  like sound like cabaret to me, everything over-egged backing vocal wise and too much keys and horn 

That Police concert is in proportion I think, the basic parts are so well put together the songs always shine through

Samgb

RocknRollDave said:

^ Problem with the Stones is that the non-members are by far and away the best musicians/ singers  on-stage.

I was watching the Hyde Park gig on BBC4 and ranting away to my Mrs about how poor they are musically now. This isnt about age, its about respecting your audience, yourselves and your band. Keith and Ronnie appear to be playing two completely different songs these days. They look like a pair of blokes who dont play much guitar anymore - sure they remember the chords but any suggestion of a nuance or an idea is long gone.

 

Its one of my pet theories that Ronnie is one of the great lost talents in rock n' roll. Utterly wasted in the Stones.  Always has been.   

EricTheWeary

I was reading a thing with Paul Stanley ( bit random, I know) and he was listing his great bass players of all time. The list was something like Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Gene Simmons (sic),James Jamerson and Ronnie Wood. Maybe Ronnie should have stuck with the bass.

Samgb

EricTheWeary said:

I was reading a thing with Paul Stanley ( bit random, I know) and he was listing his great bass players of all time. The list was something like Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Gene Simmons (sic),James Jamerson and Ronnie Wood. Maybe Ronnie should have stuck with the bass.

I thought he was great in the Faces and his 70s solo albums have some really good funky little tunes on them...and then he joined the Stones and thinks its a good idea to play guitar solos during the main riff to Jumpin Jack Flash and Brown Sugar  

RocknRollDave

Samgb said:

RocknRollDave said:

^ Problem with the Stones is that the non-members are by far and away the best musicians/ singers  on-stage.

I was watching the Hyde Park gig on BBC4 and ranting away to my Mrs about how poor they are musically now. This isnt about age, its about respecting your audience, yourselves and your band. Keith and Ronnie appear to be playing two completely different songs these days. They look like a pair of blokes who dont play much guitar anymore - sure they remember the chords but any suggestion of a nuance or an idea is long gone.

 

Its one of my pet theories that Ronnie is one of the great lost talents in rock n' roll. Utterly wasted in the Stones.  Always has been.   

"utterly wasted" is part of the whole Stones experience, no...?

Samgb

RocknRollDave said:

Samgb said:

RocknRollDave said:

^ Problem with the Stones is that the non-members are by far and away the best musicians/ singers  on-stage.

I was watching the Hyde Park gig on BBC4 and ranting away to my Mrs about how poor they are musically now. This isnt about age, its about respecting your audience, yourselves and your band. Keith and Ronnie appear to be playing two completely different songs these days. They look like a pair of blokes who dont play much guitar anymore - sure they remember the chords but any suggestion of a nuance or an idea is long gone.

 

Its one of my pet theories that Ronnie is one of the great lost talents in rock n' roll. Utterly wasted in the Stones.  Always has been.   

"utterly wasted" is part of the whole Stones experience, no...?

'utterly wasted' is what your money would be should you choose to spunk a few hundred quid away on seeing them live.

Phil_aka_Pip

@RocknRollDave the utterly wasted thing occurred to me too but you beat me to it

I always wondered what Ronnie Wood actually contributed to the Rolling Stones. Can anyone enlighten me?

Lixarto

He's stopped fisticuffs many times.

not_the_dj

He's the lukewarm water between the fire and ice of Mick/Keef.

Samgb

Phil_aka_Pip said:

@RocknRollDave the utterly wasted thing occurred to me too but you beat me to it

I always wondered what Ronnie Wood actually contributed to the Rolling Stones. Can anyone enlighten me?

Sod all. He's mainly gurning and not playing very much. Pulling the occasional cum face to make it look like he's feeling it. 

mike_l

Samgb said:

I always wondered what Ronnie Wood actually contributed to the Rolling Stones. Can anyone enlighten me?

Sod all. He's mainly gurning and not playing very much. Pulling the occasional cum face to make it look like he's feeling it. 

How do you know what Ronnie's "cum face" is?

Samgb

mike_l said:

Samgb said:

I always wondered what Ronnie Wood actually contributed to the Rolling Stones. Can anyone enlighten me?

Sod all. He's mainly gurning and not playing very much. Pulling the occasional cum face to make it look like he's feeling it. 

How do you know what Ronnie's "cum face" is?

Its kind of a half-smile followed by a grimace, then a nod of the head.

Thats his Guitar Cum Face.

I have no wish to imagine his Real Vinegar Strokes Expression.  

Phil_aka_Pip

Lixarto said:

He's stopped fisticuffs many times.

but with the possible exception of a gunshot wound to a guitar

ChrisMusic

A bit late to the discussion, I know it's moved on, but...

The Police track, just had a quick listen on my iMac speakers.

If I remember things correctly from my past life that is definitely a harmoniser, has that signature sound IMO.

A for the Stones, you guys have said it all pretty much.  Mick is still cool though, at least he is still alive, not sure about the others.

PolarityMan

Weird thing is no-one bats an eyelid about hordes of backing singers so why is it that having an extra guitarist or 2 somehow feels like cheating?

not_the_dj

PolarityMan said:

Weird thing is no-one bats an eyelid about hordes of backing singers so why is it that having an extra guitarist or 2 somehow feels like cheating?

It was more about hidden musicians playing from off stage....which is a bit cheaty

chrispy108

Yeah, same objection from me.

I'd normally rather a band just cut songs down with their main members, but if they want to add more stuff, they should have the guys on stage. Musicians hiding under the stage or in the shadows is a bit "pop" to me.

Reverend

Surely Mick was never actually cool? He dances like a drunk uncle at a wedding.

not_the_dj

Reverend said:

Surely Mick was never actually cool? He dances like a drunk uncle at a wedding.

Indeed, I watched the Hyde Park gig on BBC4 last week, and he's pretty much become a caricature of him self.

I'm sure they're great to see live these days for the atmosphere and experience, I saw them on the Voodoo Lounge tour and they were fantastic (but that was 20 years ago)

freakboy1610

I saw REM on the Green tour in about 1990 and they had a second guitarist, Peter Holsapple. He was confined to tiny area right at the back of the stage from which he never ventured out. He could be glimpsed for about two seconds in the tour video.

The Cult usually have a touring guitarist (or is it the whole band apart from Ian and Billy?) At least he gets the stand at the front and rock his socks off.

Finally who can forget Craig Gannon, the fifth Smith who I saw at Brixton Academy on the Queen is Dead tour. I guess he doesn't count as he was, albeit briefly, an actual band member!
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