Bobby Keys was one of those legendary sidemen who.added an extra dimension of energy and soul to recordings by some of the biggest performers of the 70s (mostly). Unlike the session men in major recording centers, Keys took to the road with many of the acts he played with, which exposed him to the hedonistic side of touring, but also provided a lot of material for outrageous stories of life on the road. (Bobby Whitlock in particular has a great one with accompanying commentary by Jim Keltner.)
You can almost trace the history of rock by tracking Keys' career, beginning with the tail end of the first generation of rockers (Buddy Knox, Buddy Holly, Bobby Vee) through the 70s and beyond, when things became both more corporate and decadent. Keys helped bridge the two generations by bringing the fire to the slicker, multi-tracked productions.
There were ups and downs over the years, but the doc doesn't dwell on the low points. This makes for a more positive experience and also sets it apart from an oft-repeated trope in these films.
Another positive is how Keith Richard came through for his old pal when Keys was climbing his way back up from one of those low points. He stuck by him when others wouldn't and that says a lot about his character, as well as Keys' vital contribution to the Stones' sound.
There are a lot of great Keys tenor solos on a lot of records (as well as the unison riffs he and Jim Price created on records by Harry Nilsson, the Stones, Delaney & Bonnie, etc.), but a few that stand out include 'Live with Me' and 'Brown Sugar' by the Stones, and my favorite, 'Slunky' on Clapton's first LP. If you need a nudge to decide whether to watch the doc (or read the excellent book of the same title), listening to these tracks might persuade you.
You can almost trace the history of rock by tracking Keys' career, beginning with the tail end of the first generation of rockers (Buddy Knox, Buddy Holly, Bobby Vee) through the 70s and beyond, when things became both more corporate and decadent. Keys helped bridge the two generations by bringing the fire to the slicker, multi-tracked productions.
There were ups and downs over the years, but the doc doesn't dwell on the low points. This makes for a more positive experience and also sets it apart from an oft-repeated trope in these films.
Another positive is how Keith Richard came through for his old pal when Keys was climbing his way back up from one of those low points. He stuck by him when others wouldn't and that says a lot about his character, as well as Keys' vital contribution to the Stones' sound.
There are a lot of great Keys tenor solos on a lot of records (as well as the unison riffs he and Jim Price created on records by Harry Nilsson, the Stones, Delaney & Bonnie, etc.), but a few that stand out include 'Live with Me' and 'Brown Sugar' by the Stones, and my favorite, 'Slunky' on Clapton's first LP. If you need a nudge to decide whether to watch the doc (or read the excellent book of the same title), listening to these tracks might persuade you.
