Parts of these reviews are nice (most, actually), parts of them are harsh.
They were reprinted exactly as they did appear on the Undercover Mailing List, with no correction of any kind (so this might be a bit long sometimes... not always my fault !).
All reviews posted on the list are published here, with their authors permission.
Click on the dates below to go to the concerned reviews.
Bremen (Germany), Oct 10th 1998
Neu-Isenburg/Frankfurt (Germany), Oct 14th 1998
Hamburg (Germany), Oct 17th 1998
More as soon as they come in, stay tuned ;-)
Bremen (Germany), Oct 10th 1998
-----Message d'origine-----
De : NZB <NZentgraf@compuserve.com>
À : Undercover Mailing List <undercover@majordomo.pobox.com>
Date : dimanche 11 octobre 1998 17:41
Objet : The Rhythm Kings rocked Bremen!
Undercover - The Rolling Stones Mailing List
=============================================
I'm just back from a trip to Bremen (3 hours from Berlin) to see the second German date of the Rhythm Kings. I wasn't that thrilled from their first two gigs one year ago in Hamburg, but this time they have been much better!
Things started at the venue Pier 2 around 8PM when we scored tickets for face value 48 deutschmarks (ca. $30) at the cashbox. There was no need for scalpers as the gig wasn't sold out (but the hall was nearly filled up with maybe 2000 people). We entered (no searching of bags for cameras, recorders, whatever!) just in time for the supporting act whose name I unfortunately forgot (something with Thompson in the name).
As they were quite unspectular we left briefly after their fourth number (which was the CCR number with the words "Willie And The Poor Boys" in it!) and listened to an important soccer game on carradio instead. Around 9PM the game was finished (and lost :-( ) but my mate and me had the luck to see the coach of the band entering on our same parking lot and BW and his band vanishing through a backdoor.
BW waved to the only other witnesses of this - a very old couple (around 90 years of age), looking like the family he was friends with when he was in the army near Bremen in the mid-50's. This couple also entered the backstage door, so I guess Bill invited them as special guests.
We entered the venue again (frontdoor-only for us ;-)) just in time for the final preperations for the Rhythm Kings who entered the stage around 9.25PM. At first I realised that Peter Frampton was missing, although he was listed in ads and on the ticket. But I expected this as I thought he had commitments with Ringo's AllStarrs but BW said in an interview that he tours the US with Lynyrd Skynyrd...? Don't know what's right.
Also Terry Taylor wasn't in the line-up anymore, but IMHO he
is not a great loss. So Albert Lee was the only guitarist from the Rhythm Kings of
1997. His new sidekick (only two guitarists this time) was Martin
Taylor, who was unknown to me, but played absolutely brilliant. Without a hello they
started with Too Late and Motorvatin' Mama, sung by Gary Brooker and Georgie Fame
respectively. BW was doing what he does best - staying in the background and fatten the
sound. The rhythm section with Graham Broad on drums worked perfect. BW didn't sing this
time as he did on a couple of songs in 97, a con for Stonesfans but definitively a pro
musicwise.
After a short hello from the conferenciers Fame and Brooker Beverly Skeete took the vocals for Ring My Bell and Melody. Then Brooker (who was in very good mood) sang the first highlight of the evening Stagger Lee. From this point onwards the band really hit it and sparks were flying until the end of the set after about 90 minutes, which was closed with a stunning and terrific version of Tear It Up featuring Albert Lee on vocals and *duelling* on guitar with Martin Taylor.
We got two encores which got introed by Brooker and Fame with remedies about the legendary Beat Club TV show (from Bremen) and then the evening ended much too soon with Wilson Pickett's Land Of 1000 Dances (during which BW gave autographs to folks in the frontrow) and Little Richard's Good Golly Miss Molly, which was on the written setlist in Hamburg 97, but wasn't performed there.
BW's first and last words of the evening were a "good
night Bremen" and then he and Brooker gave more autographs. Unfortunately I
wasn't able to get one of the few (computer-printed) setlists, so this setlist is most
probably incomplete and in wrong order:
Too Late
Motorvatin' Mama
Ring My Bell
Melody
Stagger Lee
Anyway The Wind Blows
Mystery Train
Green River
Walking On My Own
Spooky
Walking One & Only
He's A Real Gone Guy
Tear It Up
-----------------
Land Of 1000 Dances
Good Golly Miss Molly
If you have the opportunity to catch the Rhythm Kings on their European tour, don't
hesitate!
Nico Zentgraf
author of The Rolling Stones Complete Works Vol 2 1976 - 88
*UPDATE*, out 1.10.98 thru Stoneware Publishing,
P.O. Box 130307, D-20103 Hamburg, Germany
All dates, places, sets, sessions, releases, broadcasts, you name it!!
--
This message may not be retransmitted without consent of
NZB <NZentgraf@compuserve.com>
Undercover - The Rolling Stones Mailing List
==============================================
>
Undercover - The Rolling Stones Mailing List
> I'm
just back from a trip to Bremen (3 hours from Berlin)
>to see the second German date of the Rhythm Kings.
>I wasn't that thrilled from their first two gigs one year ago in
>Hamburg, but this time they have been much better!
I liked them better last year!
>Things started at the venue Pier 2 around 8PM when
>we scored tickets for face value 48 deutschmarks (ca. $30)
>at the cashbox. There was no need for scalpers as the
>gig wasn't sold out (but the hall was nearly filled up with maybe
>2000 people).
In fact, a little more than 1.000. Capacity 2.500 including balcony (which was closed).
Why didn`t you report to me? Me and a friend of mine were in charge of the guest list!
We entered (no searching of bags for cameras,
>recorders, whatever!) just in time for the supporting act whose
>name I unfortunately forgot (something with Thompson in the name).
Thompson Brothers Band from Nashville.
>BW waved to the only other witnesses of this - a very old couple (around
>90 years of age), looking like the family he was friends with when he was
>in the army near Bremen in the mid-50's. This couple also entered the
>backstage door, so I guess Bill invited them as special guests.
Yes that`s true. The woman was Bill`s friend while he spent his national service at RAF
Oldenburg, close to Bremen. The old guy her father. He had not seen them since 1956, or
something.
>We entered the venue again (frontdoor-only for us ;-)) just in time for the
>final
>preperations for the Rhythm Kings who entered the stage around
>9.25PM. At first I realised that Peter Frampton was missing, although
>he was listed in ads and on the ticket. But I expected this as I thought he
>had commitments with Ringo's AllStarrs but BW said in an interview
>that he tours the US with Lynyrd Skynyrd...? Don't know what's right.
US tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Brings probably more cash than Rhythm Kings.
Cheers, Jo
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-----Message d'origine-----
De : Thomas Hoffmann <t.hoffmann@nk.anzeiger.net>
Date : vendredi 16 octobre 1998 00:33
Objet : Bill's Birthday Show ;-)
Undercover
- The Rolling Stones Mailing List
=======================================
Hi all!
You will probably wonder about the subject, but read on....
After the French Glimmer Team posted a great review from Paris, I'd like to add my
impressions from Bill's show in the Hugenottenhalle in Neu-Isenburg (near Frankfurt) two
days later on Oct. 14.
We were lucky to have another support act here, it was the Tompson (sp?) Brothers from
Massachusetts, USA, as they proudly introduced themselves ;-). Well, during the first two
songs, I thought: Is that the Backstreet Boys or what? But then they improved more and
more and the last songs were quite enjoyable IMHO. One of the guys even felt with the
audience and asked "Do you wait for Bill Wyman? Yeah, I met him backstage, he's such
a nice guy!" (??? silly talk...) and later "This is our last song before Bill
Wyman will play for you". They played from 8 pm to 8.45 pm. Then the stage was built
up for Bill, which took until 9:20 pm. I guess the audience was around 1,000 people then.
And it was not a mixed audience like at the Stones, but most people being between 30 and
50. Well, who of the teens knows who Bill Wyman is? ;-)
Only field tickets, no seats, entrance 50 DM (32 $).
Then the Rhythm Kings entered the stage. Quite a large group! I didn't know all the guys
so well, but with the help of an advertisement leaflet of "The Rolling Stones
Basement News" from Dieter Hoffmann (the "Schwarzbuch" author) I think the
line up was:
Bill Wyman (bass and no vocals ;-))
Georgie Fame (organ, vocals)
Gary Brooker (organ, vocals)
Terry Taylor (guitars)
Albert Lee (guitars)
Graham Broad (drums)
Frank Mead (sax)
Nick Payn (sax)
Beverly Skeete (vocals)
Keeley Smith (back up vox)
Melanie Redmond (back up vox)
What impressed me from the first moment: They were so relaxed! Pure fun on stage! Compared
to that guys, a Stones show really looks like hard work :-)).
Everybody just plays his music and enjoys the stuff. No need
for any of them to play the "big star".
I won't do a song-by-song review, just let me say it was a journey through the recent
decades of popular music. Boogie, Rock, R&B, Jazz, Pop, Country .... everything
included, and everything played *very* well! Although I didn't understand all the song
titles, I knew most of that melodies, feelings like "I've heard that before, but
where...?". I think the set list was mostly like Karen posted for Paris. Many
highlights, e.g. Melody (IMO much better than the Stones version), Green River from CCR,
one song by JJ Cale (title?), Staggerlee and Mystery Train.
But what really blew my mind away was, of course, Tear It Up, with the incredible guitars duel Thierry described so well! Wow! These two guys are so great :-). They were really forcing each other again and again to an even more incredible performance, and they almost didn't find an end because they had so much fun in "beating" each other :-)). The thing that makes that so enjoyable is the different styles of these guys: Terry Taylor from the jazz corner, Albert Lee doing a stunning Country style. Also here in Frankfurt, Albert won the battle IMO.
About the guys:
Bill was... just doing his job playing bass, and nothing else :-). He didn't move more
than 2 meters from his position, and sat down on his stool now and then. He played a solid
bass line, nothing spectacular, but well done. Yeah, his legs didn't move, but his eyes
did! He was making eye contact with the audience all the time, always smiling, sometimes
rising his eyebrows and slightly increasing the "normal" smile into a bigger one
:-). He also sometimes went over to the guitar guys when one of them played a solo and
smiled and lifted his eyebrows in disbelieve about their wonderful performance. You *have
to* like this guy, he's so warm and friendly! I tried several times, but couldn't imagine
this man being part of the Stones some years ago :-). You can easily see that he is a
happy, relaxed man now, just struttin' his stuff!
Georgie Fame: What a funny guy! He made several jokes and played very well.
Gary Brooker: Also such a nice guy, and you can easily remember 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale'
when you hear him sing, he lost nothing of his power. He was so great on the Boogie
sets...
Terry Taylor: Great musician playing a Jazz style guitar. Incredible solos.
Albert Lee: This guy fascinated me! He's a Country-Rock man, you cannot follow his fingers
on the guitar 'cause he's so fast! He was also smiling most of the time and had a great
time. Very nice riffs he "threw in" every now and then. He also looks funny with
a youthful face and body, but with long, grey or nearly white hair.
Also the two sax players were a lot of fun to watch and listen. They both dressed with a
"Hawaian" shirt and looked like they just jumped out of the Sixties :-). One of
them was more in the background, while the other one played some really awful solos
frontstage.
Well, Beverly was good, but somehow didn't fit in age to that grandpa band :-))
Well - back to the subject now!
When they were about to start another song, someone in the audience shouted "Happy
Birthday, Bill!". Bill turned around to him with a surprised face and shook his head.
The band was already playing the first chords, but Bill shouted "Wait a
minute!". They stopped, and Bill said to the guy "Why do you always shout Happy
Birthday? It's the wrong date!". The audience and the band started laughing, while
Bill still was discussing with the guy: "It's not today, it's the 24th of
October!". Everybody was laughing, and Gary Brooker immediately said "Well, then
we have to play 'Happy Birthday'!" Then he really started to play this song, and the
whole band joined in :-)))). Bill looked from one to the other, shaking his head and
laughing. Then they made a perfect non-stop-transition into the next song. What a funny
scene! At least here you could see how relaxed they were and how much fun they had!
In one of the last songs there was another thing to mention: The guitar guys played a solo
each, and then Gary Brooker did. At the end of his part, he said "And now
Bill!". Huh, how surprised Bill looked! He didn't want to play a solo at all and
played on as normal, but then slowly turned his back to the audience and started some
"kind of" solo, looking very shy :-)). He didn't like to be in the foreground at
all. And the audience didn't give him a big extra applause, because hardly nobody
realized that this was meant to be a solo :-). After the band joined in again, he heavily
shook his head and smiled to Gary, with a gesture like "You crazy guy, don't do that
again!". Very funny.
Well, they played - no, they rolled until 10.40 pm, and then came back for one encore,
which was a medley of different hits, ending with - YES! - Little Queenie! It was a faster
version than the Stones usually play it and it sounded perfect played by such an
all-star-band! That was much fun to sing along with it, like we did 4 weeks ago in
Mannheim :-)
During this medley, Gary said "We'd like to say 'Thank
You' to the man who makes us have so much fun together: Bill Wyman!". And Bill got a
big extra applause on this.
The final note was played at 11 pm, and Bill said the only words (except the birthday
incident) of the evening: "Thank you and good night!". He took some minutes time
to sign books and other things.
Glimmer related stuff: I met Neil Ebden from Undercover after show, the first time we
shook hands :-). Though, only a short mini-meeting.
This story got somehow too long again, I don't know why this happens to me all the times
:-). But I had to tell you all this to beware you from missing this band when you have the
chance to see them! It's really worth, you'll enjoy a nice evening with great musicians
having a lot of fun on stage!
Yes, there *is* music besides the Stones :-))
Cheers,
Thomas
---
t.hoffmann@nk.anzeiger.net
Stonespage at:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Mezzanine/2195/
--
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t.hoffmann@nk.anzeiger.net (Thomas
Hoffmann)
Hamburg (Germany), Oct 17th 1998
-----Message d'origine-----
De : Dr. Johannes Delmere <j.delmere@castrop-rauxel.netsurf.de>
Date : dimanche 18 octobre 1998 20:04
Objet : Rhythm Kings, Hamburg 17. 10. 1998
Undercover - The Rolling Stones Mailing List
==============================================
The "Docks" is on the Spielbudengasse, just next to the Reeperbahn in Hamburg.
After starting his mini tour in Hamburg in 1997, Bill Wyman came back to Hamburg
with his Rhythm Kings for the last show in Germany (this year).
The Thompson Brothers Band opened exactly 7.00 pm, just pure fun, energy and music. Maybe
you have seen their "Back on the Farm again" video, which was on heavy rotation
on Viva in the summer. They did a couple of their own tunes, but also Johnny B. Goode,
CCR-songs and I saw her standing there as their tribute to the Beatles. I wonder how far
they will go on their second CD, this concert showed, they don't look like it, but they
really have some potential.
Being in the Docks only half an hour before the Thompson Brothers opened we were surprised
that the place was nearly empty, so we could easily make it to the front row, Bill's side
this time (which is LEFT!) and say hello to everyone we have seen so often this summer.
Dieter was there, Peter Fabianke was there, we were with Werner and Helga, Hans came as
well and there were some other people who introduced them as Undercoverites. High spirits
everywhere.
When The Rhythm Kings came on stage at around 8.20 pm, I was shocked that bIll had aged
that much. I had seen him in 1990 and had missed Hamburg 1997, but he looked fragile and a
bit like the 62 year old grandfather he will be in a couple of days. Nevertheless he wore
jeans and cowboy boots.
Let's face it: technically and musically the Rhythm Kings are by far the better
band. Martin Taylor and Albert Lee played their guitars like Keith and Ron would never be
able to play them. They had a bout 5 solos each, during the one in Tear it up Martin went
behind Albert and they played two solos one ONE guitar at the same time. Great.
But I said Technically and Musically. They know their tunes, they know how to play, how to
show what they can do, but they lack emotions. They perform songs, they do not live it.
The Rolling Stones is a way of life, the Rhythm Kings is a very well night out.
Geogie Fame is a great entertainer, he knows how to roll his eyes, the horns "make
show", Gary Brooker is very good as his piano keyboard and knows how to perform
songs. The guitarists are very well, but could play for any job you give them. They both
lack every bit of soul while handling their instruments. Martin Taylor knows every bit
about his guitar and every style you want him to play, he will be able to play. But you
can tell by the moment he comes on stage he is just a hired musician, it's a job for him.
Albert Lee isn't as good a s Martin is, but can play a mean guitar as well. But he seems
to be bored with it all. The Rhythm Queens have nice voices, Beverly gets a bit of a solo
spor there and there (Melody, Spooky), but this could be any other showband.
There are a lot of Rhythms around in the house and they know how to play them, Jazzier
tunes like Anyway the wind Blows and rockier tunes like Little Queenie (faster than the
Stones' version), soul in "Hit the Road Jack" (with lenghty soloing from
everyone), some kind of skiffle rhythm here and there, "Freight" Train",
"Good Golly Miss Molly" (2nd encore after ten minutes of shouting and clapping
by the audience and with the Thompson Brothers Band on backing vocals and dance routines),
"Melody", "Stagger Lee", you name it, they will play it and they can
play it.
Bill was the only one not soloing, playing a solid bass all the times. Sometimes it looked
like he tries to keep his lines simple when everybody else is going over the top. He got
his solo spot on Can't Get Enough, hen Albert Lee took over the bass and he sang, sitting
on a barstool. Nicely done. And I think Bill sings better than Charlie. ;-)) But again, it
was a performance, and he tried to perform it like he was told to perform it. No more, but
no less.
There were more tunes in the set, I did not know all the titles, we will have to check
that later (we wanted to do that last night, but had "technical problems").
Green River comes to my mind and a couple of others.
Bill seemed to be happy and the band is really great live. If they are playing around your
area, go and see them. You will have a splendid night out, but you will not go out into
the streets afterwards and do the revolution or have some other spiritual feeling or
whatever you have after seeing the Stones. You just can't compare them.
--
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"Dr. Johannes Delmere" <j.delmere@castrop-rauxel.netsurf.de>
-----Message d'origine-----
De : DirkStoermann <DirkStoermann@t-online.de>
À : undercover@majordomo.pobox.com
<undercover@majordomo.pobox.com>
Date : dimanche 18 octobre 1998 20:48
Objet : Bill sings in Hamburg...
Undercover - The Rolling Stones Mailing List
==============================================
Hi *.uc,
to make a long story short - Bill Wyman sings the first time on his 'Anyway The Wind
Blows-Tour' in Hamburg Oct., 17!
Proudly announced from Georgie Fame, Bill (smoking a cigarette and sitting on a barstool)
gave us STUFF (Can't get enough). IMO one of the snappiest Wyman-songs. He was so cool!!
Okay, yesterday we got a lot of small funny events during the show and I agree with Thomas
Hoffmann, who said "there *is* music besides the Stones".
Another highlights:
- Asking for some merchandising a staff replies "Later, my friend, the salesman is
the bus-driver as well and he is still at the parking" <ggg>
- Funny starter 'Thompson Brothers' with Hendrix-like guitar-playing sometimes. But
sometimes their orgiastic hopping reminds me on a boygroup...
- T. Taylor and A. Lee played simultaneously on Alberts guitar. WOW!
- They did "Melody" and "Little Queenie" in very suspenseful versions.
- After the one standard encore we've got another. 10 minutes later!!
- Everybody in the frontrow were fishing for autographs after the encores but Bill shook
his head and left the stage without giving any sign :-((
I was glad that I left my 'Stone Alone' at home...
- Glimmers at the Docks: Werner Dwenger, Dieter Hoffmann, Johannes Delmere, R. Knuth and
more.
- I shoot some photos of the venue and Bill though the security was very nasty (never saw
similar assholes before on a Stones-gig)
That's it. For the rest I agree totally with Thomas. Can't wait for Mick Taylor on 12-01
at the Fabrik in Hamburg.
Pleased to meet you...Dirk
Roland: Don't miss Bill in Copenhagen!
--
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-----Message d'origine-----
De : Thomas Hoffmann <t.hoffmann@nk.anzeiger.net>
À : Undercover <undercover@majordomo.pobox.com>
Cc : Dr. Johannes Delmere <j.delmere@castrop-rauxel.netsurf.de>
Date : mardi 20 octobre 1998 01:43
Objet : Re: Rhythm Kings, Hamburg 17. 10. 1998
Undercover
- The Rolling Stones Mailing List
===============================================
"Dr. Johannes Delmere" <j.delmere@castrop-rauxel.netsurf.de>
wrote:
>The Thompson Brothers Band opened exactly 7.00 pm, just pure fun, energy
>and music
(snip)
> but they really have some potential.
Hmmm... I wouldn't call that potential. A very "average" band IMHO, nothing I
will remember more than 2 weeks. But we all have our own ideas.
>I was shocked that
>bIll had aged that much. I had seen him in 1990 and had missed Hamburg
>1997, but he looked fragile and a bit like the 62 year old grandfather he
>will be in a couple of days.
What did you expect? He *is* a 62 year old grandfather! I was not shocked at all, to me he
looked quite happy, relaxed and confident, and of course he can't (and I guess doesn't
want to) look like forever-young Leisure Suite Larry.
BTW, aren't you shocked when looking into Keith's face? ;-)
>Let's face it: technically and musically the Rhythm Kings are by far the
>better band.
You mean the Stones? How can you compare them? Who's better: Ronnie or Mick Taylor?
>But I said Technically and Musically. They know their tunes, they know how
>to play, how to show what they can do,
A perfect description of the Stones, IMHO :-)
>but they lack emotions. They perform songs, they do not live it.
Sorry, if *that* guys lack emotions, I don't know who shows emotions!
Didn't you see how much fun they had, how much they enjoyed playing and what a tight,
emotional connection they had with the audience? (at least in Frankfurt and Paris
(Thierry?), and I don't expect it was so different in Hamburg)
>The guitarists are very well, but could play
>for any job you give them. They both lack every bit of soul while handling
>their instruments.
> Martin Taylor knows every bit about his guitar and every
>style you want him to play, he will be able to play. But you can tell by
>the moment he comes on stage he is just a hired musician, it's a job for
>him. Albert Lee isn't as good a s Martin is, but can play a mean guitar as
>well. But he seems to be bored with it all.
The opposite is true for me - no, your words really hurt me ;-)
Albert Lee bored? Oh man, if all guitarists would play so good while being bored! IMHO,
Albert was fantastic, did play great, inspired solos and the riffs, man, the riffs!
When thinking about bored looking guitar players, another guy comes into my mind....
>Bill seemed to be happy and the band is really great live. If they are
>playing around your area, go and see them. You will have a splendid night
>out, but you will not go out into the streets afterwards and do the
>revolution or have some other spiritual feeling or whatever you have after
>seeing the Stones. You just can't compare them.
Yep, now we come together again :-)
The Rhythm Kings never said they have *anything* to do with the Stones or their music,
although Bill Wyman is with them. So, really don't compare!
Johannes, I don't wanna offend or flame you, just have a totaly different view of this
band, and I enjoyed every minute of the Frankfurt show :-)
Cheers,
Thomas
---
t.hoffmann@nk.anzeiger.net
Stonespage at:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Mezzanine/2195/
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