| 8th January 2008 11:56 AM |
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| moy |
Frequent Flier
Rolling? We’re More Like the Flying Stones
By CHUCK LEAVELL; as told to JOAN RAYMOND
Published: January 8, 2008
TWO years is a long time to be on tour. We started the Rolling Stones’ “A Bigger Bang” tour in August 2005 at Fenway Park in Boston, and ended in August 2007 in London at the 02 arena. We traveled the globe, playing North America, South America, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, China and Australia. We even did full-stage rehearsals at a hangar at Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
Chuck Leavell, keyboardist on the Rolling Stones’ two-year “Bigger Bang” tour, enjoyed the quiet time on the flights.
It was a lot of work. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable tour, setting new standards and breaking all previous records, including the fact that we racked up more than a million miles in the air.
Aside from playing keyboards with the band, part of my gig is keeping track of the arrangements and doing set lists. I do almost all of that work while flying.
That’s when it’s quiet. At one time, of course, there were few quiet times, even in the air. But I’ve been with the band for about 25 years, and I can tell you this is one disciplined and, let’s just say, more mature group of guys. They want to give the best performances they can, and they look to me to make sure that happens in terms of arrangements and songs played for the fans.
I enjoy the task. In an airplane you have a captive audience, which makes everything easier. I’m well versed in the huge catalog of songs the Stones have written, recorded and performed. Obviously we can’t get to all of them since there are more than 400, but I try to find a balance of the new, old, interesting and unusual.
After writing up the set, I’ll consult with Mick, Keith and the others on the particulars of a concert. And a lot of work gets done while we are en route to various destinations.
Of course, while touring we fly private. But in my other life as a conservationist and a session musician, I fly commercial. Despite the well-known miseries of flying, I enjoy it.
Again, it’s quiet time. I write a lot of my speeches while in the air. The idea for my first book, “Forever Green: The History and Hope of the American Forest,” came while I was on a flight back home to Georgia after giving a speech in Ohio. Much of my ongoing diary, which served as the basis for my autobiography, and my tour diary blog, is written in the air as well.
Sometimes when I fly I’ll get a melody in my head. Maybe the sound of the engines sparks some creative juices. Some of those melodies have actually made it into my solo recordings.
One of the favorite parts of flying commercial is meeting people. When chatting with seatmates the conversation inevitably turns to what you do for a living. Everybody, it seems, has a Stones story. It always surprises me how many people have told me that they’ve gotten engaged during a Stones concert.
Some of the best stories have come from the buttoned-up middle-aged business travelers. And some will admit that in their youth, they did Mick Jagger imitations. Maybe some still do.
It really is a pleasure to talk about the music. Despite the hard work and the travel, rock ’n’ roll brings people together. Like the man says, I know it’s only rock ’n’ roll. But I like it.
By Chuck Leavell, as told to Joan Raymond. E-mail: [email protected]
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| 8th January 2008 11:58 AM |
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| moy |
"we're"? must be "they're" 
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| 8th January 2008 11:59 AM |
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| glencar |
This article is on Page C10 of the Business Section. You know, C10, what sucks. |
| 8th January 2008 12:36 PM |
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| Mr Jurkka |
Chuck is so much involved with their set lists.. Why doesn't Mick or Keith make the set lists? Why not Charlie? |
| 8th January 2008 01:18 PM |
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| Sioux |
So, Chuck does the set lists....very interesting. Not as much variety as maybe he thinks?  I sure would love to have a seat next to him in a plane. Think of all the things you could talk about... |
| 8th January 2008 01:31 PM |
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| Le chef |
If a tree falls on a piano player in the woods when no one else is around does it make a sound?
No. But the piano gives out an ungodly CRUNCH!
(Yo! Just joking!) |
| 8th January 2008 01:34 PM |
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| gimmekeef |
Must be tough writin down the same 18 songs every night for like 2 years.... |
| 8th January 2008 01:47 PM |
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| Riffhard |
I'd be willing to bet that if not for Chuck we'd have never have gotten Sway,CHYMK,HOF, and may other of the more obscure songs. He runs them up the flag pole and then Mick and Keith either approve them or shoots them down. I wouldn't be too harsh on ol' Chucky on this issue.
Riffy |
| 8th January 2008 02:03 PM |
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| Mikey |
quote:
Riffhard wrote:
I'd be willing to bet that if not for Chuck we'd have never have gotten Sway,CHYMK,HOF, and may other of the more obscure songs. He runs them up the flag pole and then Mick and Keith either approve them or shoots them down. I wouldn't be too harsh on ol' Chucky on this issue.
Riffy
I agree.
In fact, in reading some of Chuck's blogs during the tour, he expresses outright frustration with Mick/Keith's insistence on playing the warhorses in the set list. I think he said something to the effect of, "I can't understand why a band with a body of work such as theirs, relies on the same songs night after night."
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| 8th January 2008 02:10 PM |
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| CrissCrossMind |
Why? ... it works ... the ole Hot Rocks ... have the Rolling Stones well on their way to the second Billion Dollars in Gross Tour Money ... why, why ask why ... CCM |
| 8th January 2008 02:35 PM |
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| Moonisup |
Chuck is a rolling stone |
| 8th January 2008 03:43 PM |
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| mojoman |
the oldest airline in the world |
| 8th January 2008 03:48 PM |
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| Saint Sway |
quote:
moy wrote:
It was a lot of work. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable tour, setting new standards and breaking all previous records, including the fact that we racked up more than a million miles in the air. Aside from playing keyboards with the band, part of my gig is keeping track of the arrangements and doing set lists. I do almost all of that work while flying. That’s when it’s quiet. At one time, of course, there were few quiet times, even in the air. But I’ve been with the band for about 25 years, and I can tell you this is one disciplined and..........
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ! |
| 8th January 2008 04:00 PM |
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| gimmekeef |
Yes I can be too harsh on Chuck....at least on ABB Tour his mix was not too loud.....His presecence though I |
| 8th January 2008 04:28 PM |
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| tumbled |
quote:
gimmekeef wrote:
Must be tough writin down the same 18 songs every night for like 2 years....
lol  |
| 8th January 2008 04:58 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
gimmekeef wrote:
Must be tough writin down the same 18 songs every night for like 2 years....
More likely to be very tough seeing a pair of big lips repeatedly sayin' "no fuckin' way" every night, I would imagine... |
| 8th January 2008 05:04 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
Mr Jurkka wrote:
Chuck is so much involved with their set lists.. Why doesn't Mick or Keith make the set lists? Why not Charlie?
They defer to Mick and what he feels like singing - ie if his voice is up to certain songs (expect very few ballads if it isnt, or even certain songs brought forward to early in the show in case his voice isnt as strong towards the finale) - and because he's shit scared of singing anything that might affect the corporate blow-ins short attention span and have them lose interest.
Keith chooses his own set - which used to have a reasonable amount of variety from one night to the next. Not so much on the last tour. Draw your own conclusions there.
[Edited by Gazza] |
