What’s in Stone Soup Show?
This article by Peter McAlevey, written nearly four years ago on January 5th, 2010, while an exciting read; is somewhat inaccurate. The Laurel Canyon mansion Mr. McAlevey alludes to was rented by George Harrison not Paul McCartney (wrong Beatle). Also, it was originally rented for the purpose to help that “stunningly beautiful ex-model” Judy Keys (Debin-Keys not Deben-Keys as written in his article) and her three-year-old daughter, Amber Keys.
George had respectful thoughts towards the better part of the Keys family at the time. Amber’s father, Bobby Keys, was still in a post-coital heroin fog (aka the late 60s/early 70s form of la petite mort) with Bianca Jagger’s best friend, French model/actress Nathalie Delon; the estranged wife of French movie star Alain Delon, aka the French Brad Pitt of the 60s.
Morality and family aside (like those two aspects of life ever got in the way of a good rock moment) even Bobby’s best friend Keith Richards didn’t think it was such a hot idea at the time considering the very real danger surrounding his buddy’s new infatuation.
Read the last part of that sentence again. KEITH RICHARDS pondering whether or not something…ANYTHING…is a good idea is akin to Idi Amin stroking his chin reflectively with one hand while patting his chest with the other wondering “Maybe I should lighten up a little.”
Judy and Amber returned from New York with George & Pattie Harrison back to Ascot, England. There they sought refuge in the family cottage which Bobby had originally rented from John and Yoko Lennon.
George and his new female protégé Judy performed one of several songs they practiced and worked on at the Ascot cottage. Originally written by Judy Keys, the song George chose to debut was called, “I May Look Like a Lady.” The venue chosen to perform it at for the first time you ask? Just the afterparty for that little event known as The Concert for Bangladesh.
Keith Moon gave Judy a standing ovation after it was over. Keith might have also thought Judy was a bottle of Jack Daniels before he smashed up Mike Gibbins’ drum kit later that night/morning. Keith did have a propensity for drums spontaneously combusting.
Amber Keys, the owner to the copyrights and original recordings of Judy & George’s entire catalog of songs, has been keeping busy for the last two years.
Following her mother’s shadowy death in December 2011, Amber has been preserving a library’s worth of hysterical, tragic and outrageously entertaining stories from the rock icons of the 60s and 70s. Some of the stories come from artists who are no longer with us but are preserved on digital recordings discovered by Amber.
Amber Keys has created an episodic Reality Rocudrama©documentary series called “Surviving the Artists.” Produced by her company, “Stone Soup Show,” Amber is armed with only a laptop, a digital handheld HD Sony camera, her late mother’s Mustang and a ferocious spirit as she reconnects with her long lost rock ‘n’ roll family.
You know, just another big-budget production with an army of one behind it. Well into the fourth episode of the series, Amber’s hope is to open lines of communication for artists worldwide as well as to revive these lost and unearthed treasures in order to preserve some of the most historical moments in music history.
Her first point of interest is the man who helped establish, along with a few others, the “Mad” in “Mad Dogs & Englishmen,” longtime “Rolling Stones” sax player and intermittent father Bobby Keys. It would turn out to be the hardest interview so far in the process. This is just one of many reputable and infamous names that Amber has interviewed in her journey to date.
However you perceive or sneer at the unlikely ingredients, they work symmetrically to form an intoxicating platform for the treasure trove of vintage films, audio recordings and long-lost interviews.
Many stories, like the one Mr. Mc Alevey talks about with slight inaccuracies, will all be elaborated on with precise details, audio testimonials and cataloged events.
Amber's Blog 