STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF STONES

You may have heard Bobby Keys died today, reportedly from cirrhosis. If you don't know that name, to put it simply, you're an ass. You've identified yourself as someone who doesn't read liner notes, at least on Stones LPs. Keys played on every Stones LP from 1969 through 1974, considered by many to be their peak, and from 1980 up until their latest (whatever the hell that was). He played with a lot of others as well, back as far as Dion's "The Wanderer" (that one uncredited).

His illness required the Stones to hire a replacement for their latest tour of Australia and New Zealand, a guy named Karl Denson. That name may not be recognizable to many, but if you were around San Diego in the mid-late nineties, you may know him as as a co-founding member of the Greyboy Allstars, an acid jazz combo capable of some really, really funky stuff. More recently he's led two bands, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe and the Karl Denson Trio.

It's sad, really, what happened to Keys. Dude just partied too much. May that be a lesson to us, at least those of us who need it. We're given a finite amount of party passes in life. Take it from one who knows, if you want to party your whole life, space out use of those passes. When they're through, you're done. And, obviously, nobody has as many party passes as Key's brother from another mother, Keith Richards. I think Bill Wynman's went to him by default.

Really, what motivated this post was Denson, and that short time that the Greyboy Allstars ruled the roost at the Green Circle back in the mid nineties. Keys's passing, sad as it is, just gave me the tangent. I think you know where to find Stones music, and liner notes.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Bobby Keys - Steal From a King (streaming) at YouTube Tons more at YouTube
The Greyboy Allstars - Still Waiting mp3 at Ear It Now (?)
The Greyboy Allstars - V Neck Sweater mp3 at Fish Heads
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe - Five shows at Internet Archive Click on the selected show venue/date to go to another page with the entire set (scroll down for mp3s)
Visit:
Bobby Keys: Five great performances at The Guardian
Bobby Keys at Wikipedia
Karl Denson at Wikipedia