Friday 4 April 2014 – Powerstation, Auckland
Question: What musician has played with The Rolling Stones longer than Brian Jones and Bill Wyman combined?
Answer: Bobby Keys. The hard-blowing sax player from Texas who once got thrown off a Stones tour for drinking a bathtub
full of Dom Perignon.
Here’s a man who knew how to earn Keith Richards’ respect. It’s probably no coincidence that the two rockers where born
of the same day, under that same bad sign. An almost telepathic connection was made when the two met back in 1964.
They’ve been best mates on and off the stage ever since.
But Bobby Keys’ musical legacy surpasses his ability to party hard. This is the man who has played on virtually every
Stones album and tour since 1969, laying down immortal sax solos on tracks like Brown Sugar, Bitch and Can’t You Hear Me
Knockin’. His influence reaches well beyond The Stones going back to his ripping sax break during Dion’s The Wanderer
and continuing through classic recordings by Joe Cocker, Dr. John, Eric Clapton and all four Beatles.
John Lennon’s Whatever Gets You Thru The Night: that’s Bobby Keys… George Harrison’s What Is Life: that’s Bobby Keys…
Warren Zevon’s Poor Poor Pitiful Me: that’s Bobby Keys… The Rolling Stones’ Happy: that’s Bobby Keys
With all of his time filled up playing with his friends, it’s a rare thing when Bobby Keys plays on his own…his 1972
album featured Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. So, New Zealand fans are in for a very special treat when
Bobby Keys performs at Auckland’s Powerstation on Friday April 4th. Keys and his band The Suffering Bastards will put their own stamp on the songs that he has become such an important part of.
The Suffering Bastards features some of the best and most respected musicians in the world. Dan Baird (The Georgia Satellites) on Guitar and vocals; Chark Kinsolving (Spoonful) on Guitar, Michael Webb (John Fogerty, Poco) on Piano and Hammond Organ, Robert Kearns (Lynyrd Skynyrd) on Bass and Brad Pemberton (The Cardinals) on Drums. Put simply – a stellar line up of musical legends you’ll seldom see any place else.
ENDS