While heading home after grocery shopping, I walked on a short bridge. It spans a branch of the river, and apparently there's a bar/club on one side of the river. So from a point far above them I could hear this band outdoors playing Rolling Stones covers. It was a little poignant.
The Stones themselves have in some sense become their own cover band now. The two guys credited with writing the songs are still there, but it's just them. The larger organism responsible for putting the songs together has dissipated. And Ron Wood, a veteran of Rod Stewart's Faces, appears to have joined at about the last moment where newcomers had a chance of becoming official Rolling Stones someday.
2 comments:
Considering the circumstances I don't know if I can say I met Charlie Watts but I certainly was in close conract with him at one point. It was 1972 in Montreal as the Stones were preparing for their big No. American tour that all their equipment was stolen. (Why the world assumes Canada is a nice place without criminals has always been beyond me.) I'd been visiting my friends Pat and Randy in their little downtown shop (Pat was a leather worker who'd made Eric Clapton's famous tassled coat - I know what you're thinking, pretty boring at this late date - and Randy was a well known luthier and musician. Anyway, I was at the door turning to say good-bye to Pat when all of a sudden who should barge in but Charlie Watts and his two body guards. I was knocked to the floor. Charlie, being the consummate gentleman, helped me up and made sure I was okay. I was and I left. So not really a meeting at all in any formal sense but I do recall he wasn't much taller than me.
Even though we were never Stones fans it's sad to know he's gone to join the big jam session in heaven. It's stunning to consider how many have made the ultimate transfer. A couple of days ago I came across a story about the time Charlie Watts punched Mick Jagger told by Keith Richards. I hadn't heard about it before but it's worth sharing.
Why does everyone assume that Canada is nice and crime-free? Probably because funny business in Canada goes on in a relatively subtle way. Subtle in comparison to its most immediate neighbor, anyway.
One thing I thought at first about your story was that it was strange for a rock musician in 1972 for most rock musicians to have security. My understanding is that it didn't become standard even for big stars until after John Lennon died. But then the Rolling Stones were only a couple of years past Altamont, where part of the problem was who they had chosen to do security work. And of course there's the factor of their gear being stolen, which must have put everybody on edge. Anyway, I'm glad he had the gallantry to help you back up. Your observation about him not being much taller than you made me wonder. Ringo is fairly little so was it something about the drummers of the time? So I looked up the Who. Keith was about average height but he was three inches taller than Roger Daltrey. You wouldn't guess that from the way they were generally photographed.
That is a great story. "I'm not your drummer, you're my fucking singer!" See, that's the thing. Whoever they hire to do their drums from here on out won't have the standing to put Mick and Keith in their place, and won't be professionally suicidal enough to try.
Post a Comment