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A Bigger Bang Tour 2006

Twickenham Rugby Ground, London 20th August
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Topic: from The Sunday Mail: 'We'd be lost without Keef" Return to archive
20th August 2006 06:18 PM
PiotrRS EXCLUSIVE: WE'D BE LOST WITHOUT KEEF
SLOAN WITH THE STONES
On the week of their Scottish gig The Stones reveal their horror at guitarist Keith Richards' brain surgery and drummer Charlie Watts' cancer but insist nothing will stop them rock 'n' rolling.
Billy Sloan Backstage In Portugal
ROCK legend Keith Richards looked out at a sea of fans waving inflatable palm trees and said: "It's good to be here. In fact, it's good to be anywhere."

The venue was Estadio do Dragao, home of F.C. Porto in Portugal. And I was the only Scottish journalist invited to join the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world on tour.

Guitarist Keith is now 62 but is showing no lasting effects of the emergency brain surgery he required after falling out of a tree while on holiday in Fiji in May.

The accident provided much mirth backstage in the Rolling Stones hospitality area, dubbed Camp X-Ray.

"Keith should never go up anything without a parachute," Mick Jagger, 63, told me.

"It's all very funny and everything. You can't help laughing 'cause it's got this comedy side to it.


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"When he sees people in the audience waving blow-up palm trees at him, he's got to take that with a sense of humour.


"But I was worried about Keith. It's never funny to get concussion. It can take six months to get over it.


"It was serious and I'm sure for Keith it wasn't very funny at all."


Guitarist Ronnie Wood, 59, added: "In Fiji, Keith dropped right behind me and I thought, 'What the f*** was that?'


"He thought he was Tarzan for a second and lost his grip.


"It was quite frightening because over the next few days I could see him get bad headaches and begin to feel depressed.


"That's when I knew he had to have proper medical attention.


"I knew he'd come through. But you just never know - lots of people have died after simple accidents like that."


The European leg of the Stones'ABigger Bang tour was delayed for six weeks following Keith's surgery.


But the band are adamant the Scots fans who pack into Hampden Park in Glasgow for their show next Friday will see a band at their live peak.


Just don't mention the "R" word - for they have NO plans to retire.


They are already talking about a new studio album plus more live dates in 2007.


The last two years have been a worrying time for the veteran rockers - Mick, Keith, Ronnie and drummer Charlie Watts.


In 2004, Charlie, 65, was diagnosed with cancer after doctors removed a lump from his throat. After radiotherapy he has beaten the disease.


Ronnie - still regarded as the new boy o f the band despite having joined in 1975 - has come out of rehab after alcohol addiction.


Could the Stones have rolled on if doctors had ordered Keith to take a more lengthy recovery period?


"I wouldn't have carried on without Keith. I think The Rolling Stones could tour without me but we couldn't do it without Mick or Keith," said Charlie, frankly.


"It was never thought of in that way. If Keith had to take 12 weeks off we'd have started again after that."


The drummer is remarkably forthright about his own illness. He told me: "It's good to be here. I was quite ill before this tour. Then when it started I thought, 'It's amazing I'm still sitting here doing it.'


"When the doctor said I had cancer of the throat it was like hitting a brick wall.


"I went from playing drums with my jazz group at Ronnie Scott's club in London to thinking, 'I'm gonna die.'


"I didn't feel ill. I just thought that's what happens when you get cancer.


"I attended the Marsden Hospital and there were people in there in a much worse state than me.


"The worst bit was going for my radiotherapy and seeing young people in a pretty bad way. It was very sobering, especially in the world I live in."


Charlie never once considered giving up his place on the Stones' drum stool.


He said: "Why did I keep on playing with the band? It's all I know. What else was I going to do? Mick and Keith were writing songs for our album, A Bigger Bang. Mick would ring each week to see how I was getting on and say, 'Whenever you're ready, give us a call.'


"Eventually, I said, 'I'll come next week.' Then it was a worry to see if I could do it. I didn't know if I could still play.


"I didn't want to retire. I always think you get a bit older when you retire, not that I'm not old now."


After a spell in rehab, Ronnie admitted he is STILL an addict - but only to episodes of crime drama CSI and coffee.


"I think Keith and Charlie having neardeath experiences taught us all a lesson," he said. "You only live once and you've got to look after yourself.


"It's hard not to go out after a great show and celebrate.


"Now, I go back to my hotel and stick on CSI or a movie. I also get coffee-ed out a lot. I'm addicted to the stuff."

20th August 2006 09:07 PM
mrhipfl Thank you for another great, positive article!!
20th August 2006 09:13 PM
aladdinstory hopefully this will put to the rest all the "nasty rumors" like how much mick & keith loathe each other, charlie's one cymbal smash from retirement, this is the "victory lap" tour and all the other assorted BS various people on this board and others have tossed about like so much dirty laundry. quit bitchin', whinin' and slaggin' just turn up the stones real loud and grab a nice cup of "shut the fuck UP!"
20th August 2006 10:13 PM
GotToRollMe Great article! Thanks!
21st August 2006 07:39 AM
corgi37 Very re-assuring article, except about Ronnie. Now the bastard is hooked on something else! What next?
21st August 2006 11:49 AM
Ihavelotsajam
quote:
PiotrRS wrote:
They are already talking about a new studio album





-sigh-

Why bother? How much support will they give this one?
21st August 2006 11:59 AM
Joey

Outstanding Article .....


OUTSTANDING !!!!!!!

Thanks
21st August 2006 12:23 PM
jb Word is that Keith played like shit at Twickham..sad that he is in such a decline.
21st August 2006 01:33 PM
Gazza
quote:
jb wrote:
Word is that Keith played like shit at Twickham..sad that he is in such a decline.



Whoever "word" is, he is full of fucking shit!
21st August 2006 01:35 PM
jb
quote:
Gazza wrote:


Whoever "word" is, he is full of fucking shit!


We have learned that he was "off" more than on-particularly on his set. Please admit or deny.
21st August 2006 02:22 PM
PiotrRS
quote:
jb wrote:
Word is that Keith played like shit at Twickham..sad that he is in such a decline.



first:
wtf it has to do with article above?
second:
who word are you reffering to? actually I don't even care, I've heard tons of reviews of yesterday show, some just right after the show. From people who attended the show.
Not from some guy tousands miles away in States for FUCK'S SAKE stop this negative bullshit all around.
21st August 2006 02:24 PM
jb Keith, by many reports, had an off night, whereas Woody, incredibly, played well.
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