What do you think?
I don’t want to poison the well with my answer just yet, but I’ll say that, for me, it isn’t clear.
Grr, you left off the obvious answer. because Mick Taylor is the only real lead guitarist they had, IMHO. Ron is pretty good, and Keith has some godlike moments, but Mick beats 'em both.
Ronnie plays most of the lead parts as far as I know, and it’s true the Taylor was the “best” guitarist in the band. But The Stones live guitar attack is more of an interplay vs. the “standard” lead/rhythm guitar presentation.
I don’t have the Stones’ new album, but I’ll throw this out there:
Their last studio album, A Bigger Bang, included six songs without Ronnie, and zero songs without Keef.
Bridges to Babylon included one song without Keef.
Voodoo Lounge included three songs without Ronnie and zero songs without Keef.
Right - I think Richards himself said that when Taylor was in the band there was at least some lead/rhythm dichotomy, but both before and after there was really no distinct lead guitar. The current answer would therefore probably be “neither” ( or both, but saying which is more important probably varies between live vs. studio and if we are including questions of composition ).
I suspect the OP is playing with the term lead. Mick Taylor was the most traditional Lead guitarist in the typical use of the term. But Keith leads the band. Charlie follows him, Ron weaves based on Keith’s groove, etc.
But I’m a Mick Taylor guy. Their Brussels Affair live version of Tumbling Dice is some of the finest lead/rhythm guitar interplay I’ve ever heard. Just floors me.
It has to be Keith. He has a very distinct sound that is immediately recognizable when he guests on other artists albums, and allows us to identify a Stones song from the intro before Mick ever opens his mouth.
C’mon man.
Yeah, I agree.
But I can’t recall a Keef solo that shouts “lead guitar”. Even George Harrison was more lead-y.
Yes, but he’s not the lead guitar in the Slash vs Izzy o even co-lead like JY vs Tommy.
Taylor’s da man.
I remember an interview that Ron said that between Keith and himself on guitars he is second banana.
Sympathy for the Devil. Keith plays some great lead guitar on that track.
Yep, easy answer. He stings that one. Keith can play lead but he prefers to be the leader*. Hence, to my mind, the reason for the OP. Aji de Gallina, you didn’t comment on the other point in my post. You’re playing with the term Lead, yes?
Lead guitar, in its typical sense, sits on top of the band. Hmm, let me try it this way: when you’re playing in the band, there are spots where you can ignore the lead artist*. You can zone out while they dweedle provided you know when the changes come. The lead is the cherry on top, but tha cake is its own thing first, if that analogy makes sense to anyone but me.
When Keith is pumping his groove, and mixing it up a bit while doing it, he has everyone’s attention. Charlie, you’re leading this bit of groove while I do a weird Keef move; Ronnie, you handle this expected bit because I want to play something else, etc. To beat that metaphor to death, he’s in the cake batter real time, mixing it up a bit differently, and pulling different amounts and approaches from the different ingredients.
That’s a form of leadership that isn’t as flash as lead playing, but any musician gets immediately. He’s the straw that stirs the drink. Which tastes great with cake. Ugh, I’ll stop now.
**with exceptions being legendary, e.g., James Brown fining the Famous Flames for mistakes in real time; Prince calling out changes mid-lead, and Sinatra, who apparently was always listening to the band and called out missed notes no one heard until the playback.
Yes.
I thought something like this had been discussed here before, and upon searching, I found this thread: Who plays lead guitar on ‘Gimme Shelter’?
Adding links to a couple of other Stones threads:
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about how they main their groove in a song with a “wobbly pocket”: The Wobbly Pocket of The Rolling Stones - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board
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how they approach songwriting: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=806787
So you’re saying that Pete, Roger, Keith and The Ox were the lead guitarist of the Stones? Or Jon, Steve, Chris, Bill and Rick? Man I’m confused.
Being lead guitarist isn’t an honorific. It’s not a point of pride. It’s a job. Keith writes the songs and keeps the rhythm. Ronnie is a pro (who was only an employee by the way for almost 20 years AFAIK) who has played quite a bit of lead in his career. I voted Ronnie because I’m pretty sure this is his job, regardless of how the songs come out eventually.
Ok, so you understand the problem the poll leaves me.
Since you specified the Rolling Stones, I’ll vote both, but mostly Keef. Just because he’s had the part-time job longer.
Didn’t Keith himself address that once? As I recall he said something along the lines of “you know, you can’t go into a store and buy a ‘lead guitar’ or ‘rhythm guitar’. They’re all just guitars.”
I vote “The Stones spit on your foolish attempts to put art into narrow-minded categories”
Yep. Totally.
Plus the last time I saw them play Keith had pretty much forgotten how to play, and that was age not any indulgents.
I wasn’t playing at all. I meant “the guy who plays the solo”.