In the last couple of weeks I've had other things on my mind, but I will resume posting soon. In the meantime I would like to recommend an awesome book on....Nicky Hopkins. Author (and musician) Julian Dawson wrote a great book about "the extraordinary life of rock's greatest session man". Ian Stewart and Nicky Hopkins were good friends, but their ways of treating the keys were quite different.
Stu's widow, Cynthia, had a lot to say about her husband's and Nicky's time with the Rolling Stones. Both men died too young but one positive memory spoke eloquently of their talents: "I can remember Nicky coming round to the house where there was a little sunroom and in this tiny space was Stu's old 'joanna' upright piano and a baby grand that the Stones had lent him. I remember Nicky sitting at the grand and Stu at the upright, making unbelievably beautiful music.
Stu never read a note of music in his life, whereas Nicky was a classically trained pianist, and I noticed the difference between their hands. Nicky's fingers were long, pale, thin and hairless and Stu's were hairy with strong fingers. Stu did not finger the keyboard the way a proper pianist would, but Nicky changed chords professionally, classically. Their music was very beautiful".
Adapted from the following source: Julian Dawson, And On Piano....Nicky Hopkins, Backstage Press, 2011
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