OT: Stones!
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:06 amSaw the IMAX Rolling Stones flick last night. After I got over the horror of seeing Woody, Keef, and Mick on a 6 story screen, I had a pretty good time. Dang, these guys have wrinkles in their wrinkles. Funny, Charlie Watts doesn't have nearly as many, yet from a distance, he looks the oldest.
The Stones are THE sloppiest band I've ever seen, yet there's something about them that works. None of them are fast players or great singers. I'd have to say out of all of them, I respect Ron Wood's musicianship the most, but that's only because I've heard him outside the of the Stones. I remember after seeing Keef in "Hail Hail Rock and Roll" that I respected Richards more because in that movie, he played really well and actually was the musical director for the band. Anybody that can play with Berry and not quit after a week earns my respect. Berry's a notorious jerk. But Keef is definitely an original.
Then you come to Mick. NOT a great singer by any stretch. As a front guy, he's okay, but wiggles his ass waaaaay too much, especially for a guy his age. He's like a white guy at a party that can't dance. But dang, the guy's got a TON of energy. Never stops moving. He also pretty much talks through most of his tunes. He did do a good version of "As Tears Go By", but the other stuff was practically spoken. To hear this version of Satisfaction... ugh, terrible.
The curiosity in the band to me is Watts. How this guy rates as one of the 'best' drummers in rock is beyond me. I've never seen a drummer that is SO stiff and wooden. Ringo is a drummer that gets slammed for not being very good, but for my dough, he plays so much better than Watts. Watts looks like he's barely making the timing and it's just weird to watch him. He also seems like a savant where, yes, he can drum, but he can't do anything else. He definitely doesn't come across articulate or even aware in any sense and just seems to be out of it. It's like they drove up to his house, got him out of bed, and sat him at his kit.
The movie itself was enjoyable. Funny in spots. Great sound and fun time if you like the Stones (which I do believe it or not) but when you watch these guys and compare them to other bands old or new, they just seem so very sloppy in their playing. Go see it. Go see U2/3D too. That's a great movie.
It's so strange that a band this sloppy can be as iconic as they are and a virtuoso group like Journey is constantly slagged by critics. I don't get it.
The Stones are THE sloppiest band I've ever seen, yet there's something about them that works. None of them are fast players or great singers. I'd have to say out of all of them, I respect Ron Wood's musicianship the most, but that's only because I've heard him outside the of the Stones. I remember after seeing Keef in "Hail Hail Rock and Roll" that I respected Richards more because in that movie, he played really well and actually was the musical director for the band. Anybody that can play with Berry and not quit after a week earns my respect. Berry's a notorious jerk. But Keef is definitely an original.
Then you come to Mick. NOT a great singer by any stretch. As a front guy, he's okay, but wiggles his ass waaaaay too much, especially for a guy his age. He's like a white guy at a party that can't dance. But dang, the guy's got a TON of energy. Never stops moving. He also pretty much talks through most of his tunes. He did do a good version of "As Tears Go By", but the other stuff was practically spoken. To hear this version of Satisfaction... ugh, terrible.
The curiosity in the band to me is Watts. How this guy rates as one of the 'best' drummers in rock is beyond me. I've never seen a drummer that is SO stiff and wooden. Ringo is a drummer that gets slammed for not being very good, but for my dough, he plays so much better than Watts. Watts looks like he's barely making the timing and it's just weird to watch him. He also seems like a savant where, yes, he can drum, but he can't do anything else. He definitely doesn't come across articulate or even aware in any sense and just seems to be out of it. It's like they drove up to his house, got him out of bed, and sat him at his kit.
The movie itself was enjoyable. Funny in spots. Great sound and fun time if you like the Stones (which I do believe it or not) but when you watch these guys and compare them to other bands old or new, they just seem so very sloppy in their playing. Go see it. Go see U2/3D too. That's a great movie.
It's so strange that a band this sloppy can be as iconic as they are and a virtuoso group like Journey is constantly slagged by critics. I don't get it.
.. then we all sat down or ran to the batchroom......
, What are they, 70 and 80 now?