Stones Keyboardist Says Don’t Expect Rarities

Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell shed some light into the band's recent Paris rehearsals which helped shape their newer setlists. Leavell, who joined the band in time for their 1982 European tour in support of Tattoo You, is now the band's musical director and personally crafts each night's setlist with Mick Jagger.

He spoke about the current Stones dates, telling Rolling Stone, "I can't remember the last time Charlie Watts or Ronnie Wood have come up and offered (set list) suggestions. Mick and I talked about it on several occasions, really, in the early stages of the rehearsals, and I made up varied lists. I make up a list every day of what I think the band should be rehearsing, and then I also had a separate list that is songs that we have yet to try to play that I think may have merit. We have tried to look very hard at all of the various eras of the band's career and tried as best as possible to represent those eras. 50 years is a long time, man!"

He went on to add: "The bottom line is that, only having a limited number of shows, obviously we're not gonna go crazy with swapping around songs in the set list. In other words, we don't want to go too, too deep at this juncture."

The Rolling Stones will next perform on Thursday night (November 29th) at London's' O2 Arena.