Rolling Stones Sax Player Hints At More Gigs

The Rolling Stones' longtime saxophonist Bobby Keys confirmed that the band is prepping more shows than just their still-unannounced London and New York City dates. Keys first performed with the Stones on the 1969 Let It Bleed classic, "Live With Me," before touring with the band in 1970 and being featured on the 1971 chart-topping "Brown Sugar." He revealed to Billboard that the Stones are "gonna do some more concerts, starting in November with two in England and then a couple here in the States, then there's a few added concerts after that. Keith (Richards) told me a couple months ago there was something in the wind and just be ready to go. I'm waiting for them to send me the plane ticket and the information, and then I'll go."

Keys hinted that he feels as though this might be the final go-around for the Stones: "The reality is this train is going to pull into the last station pretty soon -- I don't know how soon. I've been saying this since 1980, but I feel like it's kind of winding down. This may be sort of the 'Sayonara, see you later, had a good time, keep in touch.' I don't know that for sure. I haven't officially been told anything. . . I just take my cue primarily from what Keith says, so we'll have to see."

Keith Richards is well aware of the importance of the Stones in grand scheme of rock n' roll -- especially to the younger generations -- and has always considered their road work to be the core part of their job: "But, y'know, younger generations born after 1963, or 4, y'know, you have the sun, you have the moon, you have the air they breathe (laughs) and you've got the Rolling Stones. Y'know, I mean, they've just been there all the time. . . and I intend to stay."

Stones sideman, vocalist/guitarist Blondie Chaplin, who's been on the road with the band since 1997, told us that the Stones never fail to be consistently hot in concert: ["It's such a high, heavy energy show. I mean people ask me all the time, I go, 'Hey that was pretty good,' or 'That was real good.' But it's just measuring emotional highs. It's just, "Oh, that energy was incredible,' and I'll say it that way, as opposed to, "This is better than. . .' -- y'know what I mean?"