Keith Richards was the last Stone to venture a solo album and even when he did so in 1988 with "Talk Is Cheap", it was with a minimum of fuss and promotion. He wrote some songs together with drummer/producer Steve Jordan, assembled a band he named The X-Pensive Winos and took them on a brief tour around America. It seems that his main motivation was to stretch his musical muscles while co-founder of the Rolling Stones Mick Jagger was busy promoting his solo albums. The Hollywood Palladium concert was recorded as a personal souvenir of the Winos' short existence, but Richards decided to release it commercially after he heard some inferior quality bootlegs that had already gotten out. Musicians that night included, among others, guitarist Waddy Wachtel, Ivan Neville on keyboards and bass and longtime Stones associate Bobby Keys on sax. The band were obviously relaxed and enjoyed playing together. 9 out of 11 songs from "Talk Is Cheap" get an airing, together with a few Rolling Stones numbers. Of those, "Time Is On My Side" is sung by Sarah Dash and gets an excellent soulful treatment. Reggae-ish "Too Rude" sounds great, liberated from "Dirty Works"'s stiff production and Bobby Keys' sax solos really bring it to life. "Happy" and "Connection", from '72 and '67 respectively, get sprightly arrangements and Talk Is Cheap's "Take It So Hard" opens the album swinging, with its big guitars and rolling pianos, easily topping everything the Stones had produced in the preceding years. "I Could Have Stood You Up" serves up old-time rockabilly, "How I Wish" and "Whip It Up" some fiery solos, "Big Enough", "Struggle" and "Rockawhile" funk-rock, and "Make No Mistake" and "Locked Away" are a couple of emotionally honest ballads. All in all, a reminder that Richards is the beating heart of The Rolling Stones, while Jagger is - I don't know...The lips? Ass maybe?
**** for Take It So Hard, Time Is On My Side, Locked Away, Struggle
*** for I Could Have Stood You Up, Too Rude, Make No Mistake, Big Enough, Whip It Up, Happy, Connection
** for How I Wish, Rockawhile
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