I've been a big Stones fan for years. I try to keep an eye on www.iorr.org so I can keep up with the latest on the band. One thing I've never understood is the hate thrown at Chuck Leavell. I think he does a great job with the Stones and always liked his work with other bands (Allmans, Black Crowes...). Anybody have any opinions on Leavell and why he is so loathed by Rolling Stones fans?
Bill
She'll be standing on the bar soon
With a fish head and a harpoon
and a fake beard plastered on her brow.
He's a fantastic piano player. I always liked what he brought to the Allman Brothers Band. I saw him perform with Gov't Mule about 12 years ago now, I guess. Really liked what he added to their sound as well.
Have no idea why Stones fans might hate Chuck, other than the fact that he's not Ian Stewart, or perhaps because some fans don't want any auxiliary musicians on the stage, they just want the Stones to play as a five piece, which they haven't done in a very very long time.
I hadn't heard about any animosity toward Chuck Leavell. Great piano player. I saw him once with the Allman Brothers Band.
We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
It won't be visible through the air
And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973
Just thought I'd mention this link I posted to a thing in the NY Times recently about Chuck Leavell, in case you're interested:
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...hlight=leavell
Hate for Chuck Leavell? That's hard to imagine.
Sea Level!
no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone
Leavell not being Ian Stewart is beyond unfair. That the Stones have been on autopilot for the last 25 years is hardly Leavell's fault, but I think that's where much of the criticism comes from. I admittedly haven't seen too much of it, but yes, some diehards think he's holding them back. We all know it's the sidemen who run the show in the Stones and not the Glimmer Twins.See also: Don Was as the reason Steel Wheels, etc. are horrible albums.
As for Leavell's playing, I've always thought him pretty tasteful. Love the piano solo in ABB's Jessica.
In my former life working in land/timber, I got to meet him a couple of times through work. Nice guy, very down to earth and well-rounded. He is every bit as passionate and knowledgeable about timber/land conservation as he is music, which is saying something.
I think it's just kind of insanity. Even at their live peak (early 70s), they had a horn section, Ian Stewart, sometimes Billy Preston. Yeah, it would be nice to hear them stripped down instead of the massive band they've used for decades but that ship sailed long ago. Blame Mick if you don't like that ensemble.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
I don't think the Stones have been on auto pilot for 25 years. Listening to Sweet Summer Sun as I type, they sound pretty damned good to me! I must admit I scratch my head about the Leavell business. I think he's terrific. I've always enjoyed his work with the Stones and anyone else he cares to tickle the ivories for.
As far as the extra musicians, Bernard Fowler and Lisa Fisher are great. Bernard is on a couple of Watts' solo records and he is an excellent singer. Daryl Jones has done quite an admirable job of filling Wyman's shoes. Oh, I'd love for Bill to still be there but I have no problems with Jones. Bobby Keys is almost a member of the band. Tim Ries has done an excellent job as well. And it's nice to see, thanks to Ron Wood, Mick Taylor involved again. So I'm happy with the way the line up works at the moment.
You'd think, by reading some of the posts at IORR, that Leavell was Satan. I just don't see it. Now I have, admittedly, had some negative thoughts on Don Was. However, I like the way the Sweet Summer Sun sounds. So I can't complain about this album. He started with them on Voodoo Lounge and there are times I wish the Stones would get someone else but lately he's been better. I like what he did on the new songs that were on Grrr! If the Stones do record a new album and he can keep his good work up I will think better of him.
Anyway, I like Chuck Leavell and feel he has done the Stones as good as it could be done. I hope Leavell sticks around as long as the Stones want to play.
Bill
She'll be standing on the bar soon
With a fish head and a harpoon
and a fake beard plastered on her brow.
We workrd with him and Wood last year. Nice guy, but he wanted a free amp ( Keith pays, you pay). I saw him with the Brothers, and he was good then, also.
Love Chuck Leavell. And glory be, this thread prompted me to check on the Sea Level albums that have been out of print for years and they are back! Or at least two of them are. The label Real Gone Music has released a CD containing both Cats on the Coast and On The Edge. I'll be ordering.
I love his work in Sea Level.
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
Me, either.Originally Posted by Adm.Kirk
35.
Yeah +1 for Sea Level. Great stuff.
Without a doubt, the best piano solo in classic rock history, Allman Bros - Jessica.
You'll never see Greg attempt that!
JG
"MARKLAR!"
Chuck is a great keyboard player. His piano and organ work in Sea Level is tremendous. What a great
band that was! He was also killer with the Allman Bros. After Duane died, bringing Chuck in was a great move.
No one could possibly replace Duane. They were not ready for another guitarist. Chuck on piano in that band
was brilliant. We're playing Jessica on Friday evening and a whole lot more. http://allmanstepbrothers.com/
I'm on various Allman related pages on FB and no one mentions anything negative about Chuck.
Let's not forget Nicky Hopkins and Billy Preston with regards to Stones keyboard players.
I feel that The Rolling Stones use far too many other musicians on-stage, but I never had a problem with there being a piano player- I didn't find Chuck Leavell particularly objectionable. It's the backing vocals on 'Satisfaction', for instance, that I dislike, and all the posing. I'm not a big fan of that grandstanding apparently needed for the stadiums, and I think The Stones have been affected by that.
I watched their Glastonbury performance and felt Mick Jagger delivered, but Keith Richards didn't seem to be doing much. I've never been a huge advocate of Ronnie Wood within The Stones (however, playing Rod Stewart's 'Every Picture...' recently, he's terrific on that!) but he seemed to be carrying the load there.
Last edited by JJ88; 11-19-2013 at 01:02 PM.
I don't see how anyone could have a problem with Chuck Leavell as either a musician or as an all around solid guy. He's probably way too normal and pedestrian to those who expect drug-addled clowns in their favorite rock bands!
I've got to give the Stones, and maybe Ron Wood, if he's the driver, for getting Mick Taylor to play with them again. It's really a shame what happened to him later in his life. I don't think he was equipped emotionally or physically for being in the Stones during their heyday. The lifestyle pretty much wasted him and he was living a ramshackle life above a nondescript bar somewhere in Britain, barely able to make ends meet.
^Agreed. The Stones without Mick Taylor bore me. I saw Mick a few times here in the SF Bay Area, just
incredible. Max Middleton on piano!!!!! Mick looks like Richard Nixon too!
Didn't Chuck do some work with Joe Walsh as well?
The older I get, the better I was.
I think they reached a peak in terms of musicianship with Mick Taylor. Some of the live recordings with him from the 70s are just amazing.
I'm not sure when the creative decline began for them- there's some weaker stuff on some of the 70s albums but it really started to show in the 80s, probably. The frustrating thing is, on almost every album they've done since 'Tattoo You' (generally seen as the last great Stones album), I hear something which makes me think they still have the ability to make good music, but you have to wade through formulaic rockers all the time. I can't think of a memorable riff on any of those- from the band who had some of the most memorable riffs ever recorded, that's bad.
I'd also agree that the later albums, starting from 'Dirty Work', have been too slick from a production perspective. Parts of 'A Bigger Bang' had a rawer feel, which was good, but the mastering was loud.
No doubt Taylor was the best guitarist to grace the band, but when he was there there was a loss of the "ancient art of weaving" that Richards had with Jones and now has with Wood. Taylor was also more boring on stage than Bill Wyman. The Stones, like Yes, will never reach that peak of the early 70's. I don't expect either of those bands to recreate that kind of magic. How could they? Those classic albums by the Stones and Yes (and lot's of other great bands/artists) were created under conditions that will not exist again. I think the Stones have made some terribly under rated albums since Tattoo You. In particular Bridges to Babylon which I think is latter day classic. "Saint of Me" is one of the all time great Stones tracks in my book. I also thought both of the new songs on Grrr! were really quite good. Darryl Jones has said they had tons of great stuff in the can as well. Undercover, and Dirty Work were both under rated too. Yeah, Lillywhite was not the best choice of producer for DW. Steel Wheels I thought was good but a tad over rated.
As far as Keith not doing much, I think he's really working on playing instead of posing. It's paying off from what I can tell. On the last few tours Keith has maybe taken the posing thing a bit too far. This recent tour he seems to be concentrating on his guitar work. And Wood has definitely stepped up his game since he got sober. Wood pushed for Taylor to be involved and he was the guy who convinced the rest of the band to play Glastonbury.
They supposedly have some big announcement coming later today. I assume it's a new tour. I hope there is new music involved as well. They really need a new album. If I have one complaint about the band is that they take way too long between albums for my taste. Although Sweet Summer Sun has been very enjoyable. Between it, Hendrix's Miami Pop LP, The Beatles' BBC Vol. 2, McCartney's latest album, the new PFM and Rush I've got plenty of good stuff to listen to.
Back to Leavell for a minute: He's the latest in a long line of great keyboard players (Stewart, Hopkins, McLagan, Preston) After Ian Stewart, I think Leavell has been the best fit although all have had moment.
Bill
She'll be standing on the bar soon
With a fish head and a harpoon
and a fake beard plastered on her brow.
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