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| Mikey |
Amazing video from RS.com where Chuck explains his role in the band. He claims that he is part "traffic cop, navigator, set-list organizer, documenter, chartmaker along with various other functions." As such, his role has since changed joining in 1982 and playing alongside Stu ("God rest his soul").
As far as being a traffic cop, he talked about how he needs to sometime direct the band when a change is coming in the song, i.e., bridge or when a solo is coming up. Sometimes "someone forgets what key a song is in. Keith may come up and say, 'Is this in E?' and I give them hand signals to tell them what key a song is in. I try and be descreet, but sometimes I have to be more demonstrative than I would like". (Has anyone ever seen KR approach the him and the piano during the show except for his HTW solo?)
The most amazing part of the video was the his disclosure that HE comes up with the setlist proposal first. "When I write up a setlist, I sent it to Mick and if he has changes, we go through it...then it goes to KR and he chooses his songs and then once it gets approved..."
He mentions that they have a database of all songs performed in each city and in this case (Amsterdam) they would want to produce a setlist that gives the fans "something different" from the last time.
He also mentioned that in rehearsals, he is the documenter who notes the changes in rehearsals that are different from the album, horn and vocal arrangements, etc.
He mentions that he has heard the term "musical director" thrown his way, and while he is "flattered", he believes that KR is the musical director.
He winds up (5 minute segment) by saying that he feels that his job is to make the 4 Stones' jobs easy.
I think his playing with the Allman Bros was really great and there is no denying his musical ability, but his "tickling of the ivories" with the Stones is not a good fit, IMO (Midnight Rambler???).
Mikey |
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| jb |
Thius is further explained in the book I referred to below...The bottom line is that we may hate Chuck, Mick and Keith have delegated all aspects of the live show to him b/c of their inability to play anymore...sad indeed. |
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| Mikey |
I don't even mind the "helping" out on stage with the key or song changes, I don't mind the arrangement help or anything else pertaining to the performance and musical output of what's being played. In fact, one could even say that he is doing a good job based on the review of the bootlegs and shows (Cirkus Krone, Astoria).
But to see that he chooses the setlist first which THEN goes to MJ & KR is a serious joke and disappoints me. I mean, what do you think KR's setlist would look like? |
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| jb |
The book says keith defers on the set list as he feels MJ has the right to sing what he feels comfortable with...Keith goes on to say that Mick feels comfortablw with the safe material and has to be pushed to mix it up. |
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| Joey |
" Keith goes on to say that Mick feels comfortablw with the safe material and has to be pushed to mix it up. "
So why doesn't Keith sing " Coming Down Again " at the club Shows ?
Well ?!?!?!?!?!
I'm waiting for a ................................Oh , Oh :
Yes , THAT is right ................I have to : 
Developing .............................literally
" Bite Me Ronnie "
The Jacky !
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| jb |
Joey....have you figured out our new shctik yet? |
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| Joey |
" Joey....have you figured out our new shctik yet? "
Just as soon as you figure out how to " Cut and Paste "
{ CA - RACK }
Inside the Park Home Run Ronnie
Josh , do you think our old shctik ( Sic ) is necessarily  yet ?!?!?!?!
Developing .................literally ..................again !
The Jacky Boy !
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| jb |
LOL...I guess were in trouble then... |
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| Joey |
LOL...I guess were in trouble then... "
Not Necessarily , these things tend to happen spontaneously --- like the " Rope - a - Dope " ( circa 1974 , Zaire )
SKEE !
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| Mikey |
Can anyone else on the Board please chime in, please...please! |
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| Moonisup |
I WAS RIGHT!!
chuck is the stones
he makes the setlists!!!!!!!
and he is responsible for al the gems like loving cup, Mick said that, i don't know where exactly!!
WE LOVE CHUCK!!!!!!
it's only chuck 'n' roll and we like it, like it, yes we do! |
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| glencar |
I knew Mick was afraid to sing the tough ones. But those are the ones that give me joy. Please Mick, give us joy (and I don't mean that song w/Bono). |
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| Monkey Woman |
quote:
"When I write up a setlist, I sent it to Mick and if he has changes, we go through it...then it goes to KR and he chooses his songs and then once it gets approved..."
Chuck Leavell suggests, Mick Jagger decides.  |
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| UGot2Rollme |
from the IORR board - does this define Chuck?:
"a graceless, high-in-the-mix, swing-less, technically proficient, soul-less bearded buffoon"
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| Keefness |
All this sounds like Mick & Keith don't give a shit anymore or are too burned out or dumb to make decisions...I find this hard to believe. |
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| Jumacfly |
hard to believe and dramatic....where the boys go.... |
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| dealer squealing |
Chuck is right on that he organize the setlist, proof for that is when i met him in Stockholm this summer and he told me that and allowed me to choose an album theme for the Globen gig, i said Exile because i wanted to hear Loving Cup and Sweet Virginia, he said "you got it" it was the first time on the European leg that they played Exile they had only played Let It Bleed. And they played it although Jagger was a little bit confused that night bacause he thought the were going to play Let It Bleed. Anyway i would prefer if Keith and Jagger only would choose. |
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| Diedre |
Dealer Squealing, Chuck was probably impressed because you travelled all the way from Iceland, so he let you make the call. Thank you for your helpful suggestion, as it made for a nice set for the Ahoy boot.
Though I do think that Mick probably has more to do with the setlists overall than Chuck would indicate. And probably Keith (well, you know he probably at least chooses his two songs). There probably is a master set of songs that the band decides to do for each tour leg (and I assume that decision is made by the main guys, depending on the mood and how each song develops or not in rehearsal). Maybe Chuck just helps make the final decision as to how the lists will vary from night to night. Because there really isn't a whole lot of variation (as opposed to say, a Dylan tour, where the setlists can vary more from night to night), I don't think it's rocket science, no matter who does the choosing. |
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| fmk438j |
We heard frmo J. Starbuck taht MJ/KR and only these two choose the setlist. I guess this could still have prior input from Chuck. |
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| gotdablouse |
quote:
UGot2Rollme wrote:
from the IORR board - does this define Chuck?:
"a graceless, high-in-the-mix, swing-less, technically proficient, soul-less bearded buffoon"
Works for me. I would also add "tasteless", when he plays honky tonk piano on the "punk" When the Whip Comes Down! It was appalling to hear and see that in Okland last year. |
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| UGot2Rollme |
agree, Gotda... in recognition of Chuck's showmanship on HTW, here's the new definition:
a graceless, tasteless, high-in-the-mix, swing-less, technically proficient, soul-less bearded buffoon
...anything more to add? |
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| gypsy |
I'm currently taking orders for my new Chuck Leavell t-shirts that feature a photo of Chuck with the words "Who the Fuck is Keith Richards?"
[Edited by gypsy] |
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| Child of the Moon |
quote:
UGot2Rollme wrote:
from the IORR board - does this define Chuck?:
"a graceless, high-in-the-mix, swing-less, technically proficient, soul-less bearded buffoon"
Yeah. It probably explains why "Flight 505" was never performed, even though Keith expressed interest in doing it... y'see, that song requires a certain amount of swing, and since Chuck has none, what's the point in doing it in front of thousands of people? |
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| ChrisTresper |
Exactely - let's all talk bad about Chuck here, the guy who directs the boys through every freakin song, the guy without Mick couldn't even start Worried About You in time (look at Chuck at the club shows, he counts Mick in), the guy who truly is the musical director, in other words the reason why we still get some good live music. It sure ain't Keith or Mick we have to thank here. Now if you don't like his piano playing thats fine, but please cut the crap seriously. He is one hell a musician and VERY important for the Stones. And if anyone gets pissed, please do so but at Mick, Keith and the rest because obviously they can't get shit right without him. If they could he wouldn't be there....
ChrisT |
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| littleredrooster |
PUKE !!!!! |
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| beer |
quote:
ChrisTresper wrote:
Exactely - let's all talk bad about Chuck here, the guy who directs the boys through every freakin song, the guy without Mick couldn't even start Worried About You in time (look at Chuck at the club shows, he counts Mick in), the guy who truly is the musical director, in other words the reason why we still get some good live music. It sure ain't Keith or Mick we have to thank here. Now if you don't like his piano playing thats fine, but please cut the crap seriously. He is one hell a musician and VERY important for the Stones. And if anyone gets pissed, please do so but at Mick, Keith and the rest because obviously they can't get shit right without him. If they could he wouldn't be there....
ChrisT
in some ways, i totally agree with you. Mick and keith are the ones to blame. nothing is left to chance, everything is meticulously planned out, contrived, and hokey.
on the other hand, they do still rock and i really loved seeing them live last year. i will always love the stones.
but seriously, why the fuck should a rock and roll band need a "musical director"? Does Chuck Berry? Does Dylan? Does Macca? i dunno, maybe they do, but Leavell should be playing with Rick Springfield, not the greatest r-n-r band in the world. he's got no soul in his playing. it's plastic.
there's no guts in it. uninspired. bland. blahh.
sterile and harmless like the production of the last 3 stones albums.
No chances taken, nothing worthwhile accomplished. |
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| fmk438j |
Beer, right on.
The 'C' word and the stones' live sound in the modern era is the big question we as stones fans must wrestle with on a daily basis imo. It really is a hard one.
How can we watch what we know are a great band go off on *that* tangent and not loose sleep? For every 'clink clink' moment there's a great keith lick that prevents me from loosing hope. Even in the one show I went from despair to ecstacy.
Bottom line is they just practically sold out a WORLD tour. Just contemplate what an acheivment that is. For any kind of perfomer(s) it's an amazing accomplishment.
So whether or not the entire web stones community voted that chuck sucks, our opinion means diddly squat because the coffers are overflowing with pounds, dollars, yen, euros and fuck knows what else.
Oh yeah, btw, who's the better guitar player? Woddy or MT?
[Edited by fmk438j]
[Edited by fmk438j] |
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| fmk438j |
Also, I agree that there's no point in blaming Chuck for the whole thing. It is Mick and Keith who should get any flack. All chuck is doing is what he's , ahem, 'good at'. If I was a crap musician (and that's the type I would be if I were one) and the stones said "come and tour with us and we will pay you lots of money plus you'll see the world 9 times over", I would say, ok, you got it.
It would be like blaming cane toads or rabbits in Australia (or whatever introduced pests you have in other parts of the world) for living and flourishig in the new environment. They never chose to be introduced, they're just eating and fucking and having babies, and why wouldn't they?
This analogy makes sense too. Mick and Keith introduced Chuck thinking he would do good things, just like rabbits were good for sport. Things were ok for a short while, but before they knew it everything got way out of control and moved to a point of no return. It was all too late. They can't just boot Chuck and expect to play like they did before he was so involved. Chuck is a rabbit and he's breeding hard and fast.
[Edited by fmk438j] |
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| UGot2Rollme |
I don't think there are too many keyboard players in rock n'roll who can make Respectable and Whip Comes Down sound sometimes sound like commercial jingles. Given their repetoire now, the Stones need someone LIKE Chuck, but it's too bad they didn't chose someone with more bluesy, soulful feel to their instrument, because that's exactly what Keith, Ronnie, Charlie, Mick and Bobby all have. |
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| luxury1 |
I think they hired him for his hair. |
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