Talk Is Cheap
Encyclopedia
Talk Is Cheap is the solo album debut by Keith Richards
of The Rolling Stones
, released in 1988. Recorded and released following a brief creative and personal fallout with Mick Jagger
, Talk Is Cheap received glowing reviews upon its release.
Relations between Jagger and Richards had grown tense over the course of the 1980s, as they began to differ on the musical direction of their famous band; "You Don't Move Me" would be written about their feud. The image-conscious Jagger was keen to follow the trends and keep The Rolling Stones current, while Richards wanted to preserve their reputation and roots. When Jagger was more interested in pursuing his solo career instead of touring for Dirty Work in 1986, Richards was stung by Jagger's move and began contemplating a solo project for the first time.
Teaming up with Steve Jordan
, who had worked on Dirty Work, the pair wrote several new songs (one of which, "Almost Hear You Sigh", would be placed on The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels
in 1989 with lyrical modifications by Jagger). Recording began in August 1987 at Le Studio
in Morin Heights, Quebec and continued sporadically until the following May with visits to Montserrat
and Bermuda
. In order to assert his independence further, Richards would sign with Virgin Records
, while The Rolling Stones were currently under contract with Sony Music. The band would follow to that label in 1993.
Many guest artists took part in the recording, including Waddy Wachtel
, Ivan Neville
, Sarah Dash
, Bootsy Collins
, Maceo Parker
, and Patti Scialfa
, and the only musician from the Stones to appear, guitarist Mick Taylor
. Outtakes later surfaced that included an eight-minute version of "Struggle" and two passes at "Almost Hear You Sigh," as well as two unreleased jams, the 14-minute "She Put the Mark On Me" and the 12-minute "Breakin'."
Released in October 1988, Talk Is Cheap was released to a very receptive critical reaction (many reviewers half-jokingly called it the best Rolling Stones album in years) and it peaked at #37 in the UK and #24 in the US, where it went gold.
"Make No Mistake" was later featured in an episode of The Sopranos
and on the 2001 soundtrack album, The Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs: Music from the HBO Original Series.
Additional musicians
Singles
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, released in 1988. Recorded and released following a brief creative and personal fallout with Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Talk Is Cheap received glowing reviews upon its release.
Relations between Jagger and Richards had grown tense over the course of the 1980s, as they began to differ on the musical direction of their famous band; "You Don't Move Me" would be written about their feud. The image-conscious Jagger was keen to follow the trends and keep The Rolling Stones current, while Richards wanted to preserve their reputation and roots. When Jagger was more interested in pursuing his solo career instead of touring for Dirty Work in 1986, Richards was stung by Jagger's move and began contemplating a solo project for the first time.
Teaming up with Steve Jordan
Steve Jordan (musician)
Steve Jordan is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical director and Grammy Award-winning artist, who has made a name for himself as a producer from the Bronx in New York City. A graduate of the Fiorello H...
, who had worked on Dirty Work, the pair wrote several new songs (one of which, "Almost Hear You Sigh", would be placed on The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels is the 19th British and 21st American studio album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1989. Heralded as a major comeback upon its release, the project is notable for the patching up of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' relationship, a reversion to a more classic style of music and...
in 1989 with lyrical modifications by Jagger). Recording began in August 1987 at Le Studio
Le Studio
Le Studio was a recording studio located just south of the tourist town of Morin Heights, Quebec. It was the first ‘environmental’ recording studio outside a major urban center...
in Morin Heights, Quebec and continued sporadically until the following May with visits to Montserrat
Montserrat
Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
and Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. In order to assert his independence further, Richards would sign with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, while The Rolling Stones were currently under contract with Sony Music. The band would follow to that label in 1993.
Many guest artists took part in the recording, including Waddy Wachtel
Waddy Wachtel
Robert "Waddy" Wachtel is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work...
, Ivan Neville
The Neville Brothers
The Neville Brothers, an American R&B and soul group, was formed in 1977 in New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art , Charles , Aaron , and Cyril The Neville Brothers, an American R&B and soul group, was formed in 1977 in...
, Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash is a singer and actress. Her first notable appearance on the music scene was as a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles...
, Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
, and Patti Scialfa
Patti Scialfa
Vivienne Patricia "Patti" Scialfa is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is married to Bruce Springsteen and they have three children.- Early life :...
, and the only musician from the Stones to appear, guitarist Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
. Outtakes later surfaced that included an eight-minute version of "Struggle" and two passes at "Almost Hear You Sigh," as well as two unreleased jams, the 14-minute "She Put the Mark On Me" and the 12-minute "Breakin'."
Released in October 1988, Talk Is Cheap was released to a very receptive critical reaction (many reviewers half-jokingly called it the best Rolling Stones album in years) and it peaked at #37 in the UK and #24 in the US, where it went gold.
"Make No Mistake" was later featured in an episode of The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
and on the 2001 soundtrack album, The Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs: Music from the HBO Original Series.
Side one
- "Big Enough" – 3:17
- "Take It So HardTake It So Hard"Take It So Hard" is the first single from Keith Richards first solo record, Talk is Cheap. The long-time Rolling Stones guitarist recorded the record after band mate Mick Jagger refused to tour in 1986 in support of the album Dirty Work...
" – 3:11 - "Struggle" – 4:10
- "I Could Have Stood You Up" – 3:12
- "Make No Mistake" – 4:53
- "You Don't Move Me" – 4:48
Side two
- "How I Wish" – 3:32
- "Rockawhile" – 4:38
- "Whip It Up" – 4:01
- "Locked Away" – 5:48
- "It Means a Lot" – 5:22
Personnel
- Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
– lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Sarah DashSarah DashSarah Dash is a singer and actress. Her first notable appearance on the music scene was as a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles...
– backing vocals, duet on "Make No Mistake" - Charley DraytonCharley DraytonCharley Drayton is an American multi-instrumental musician and producer, who has played as a drummer and bass guitarist for many bands and artists and is currently the drummer in Australian rock bands Divinyls and Cold Chisel....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Steve JordanSteve Jordan (musician)Steve Jordan is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical director and Grammy Award-winning artist, who has made a name for himself as a producer from the Bronx in New York City. A graduate of the Fiorello H...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, backing vocals - Ivan NevilleIvan NevilleIvan Neville is a multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, and songwriter. He is the son of Aaron Neville and nephew to members of The Neville Brothers....
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Patti ScialfaPatti ScialfaVivienne Patricia "Patti" Scialfa is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is married to Bruce Springsteen and they have three children.- Early life :...
– backing vocals - Waddy WachtelWaddy WachtelRobert "Waddy" Wachtel is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work...
– acousticAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electricElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, and slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
, production consultantRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Additional musicians
- Bootsy CollinsBootsy CollinsWilliam Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
– bass guitar on "Big Enough" - Michael DoucetMichael DoucetMichael Doucet is a Cajun fiddler, singer and songwriter who founded the Cajun band BeauSoleil from Lafayette, Louisiana.In 2005 Doucet was one of 12 recipients of the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA award, which recognizes artistic excellence, cultural...
– violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "Locked Away" - Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural – accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
on "You Don't Move Me", "Rockawhile" and "Locked Away" - Johnny JohnsonJohnny JohnsonJohnny Johnson may refer to:* Johnnie Johnson , RAF pilot* Johnny Johnson , Major League pitcher* Johnny Johnson , American football player* Johnny Johnson , a musical by Kurt Weill...
– piano on "I Could Have Stood You Up" - Bobby KeysBobby KeysBobby Keys is an American saxophone player, and has performed with other musicians as a member of one of the notable horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by The Rolling Stones, The Who, Harry Nilsson, Delaney Bramlett, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Eric Clapton and Joe...
– tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
on "I Could Have Stood You Up" and "Whip It Up" - Chuck LeavellChuck LeavellChuck Leavell is an American pianist and keyboardist, who was a member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout the height of their popularity, a founding member of the jazz-rock combo Sea Level, a frequently-employed session musician, and later, the keyboardist for Eric Clapton and The Rolling...
– organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
on "I Could Have Stood You Up" - Maceo ParkerMaceo ParkerMaceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
– alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
on "Big Enough" - Joey SpampinatoJoey SpampinatoJoey Spampinato was a founding member and bass player of NRBQ. He was also one of the band's lead singers and chief songwriters. Before NRBQ he played in several bands, including The Seven of Us, which in 1967 while in Miami, Florida, met another band, The Merseybeats USA. The bands merged to form...
– bass guitar on "I Could Have Stood You Up" and "Rockawhile" - Mick TaylorMick TaylorMichael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
– guitar on "I Could Have Stood You Up" - Bernie WorrellBernie WorrellGeorge Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
– organ on "Big Enough" and "You Don't Move Me", clavinetClavinetA Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
on "Make No Mistake" and "Rockawhile" - Jimmi Kinnard – bass guitar on "Make No Mistake"
- The Memphis HornsThe Memphis HornsThe Memphis Horns are an American horn section made famous by their many appearances on Stax Records. They have been called "arguably the greatest soul horn section ever." Originally a sextet, the Memphis Horns gradually slimmed down to a duo, Wayne Jackson on trumpet and Andrew Love on tenor...
– horns - Willie MitchellWillie MitchellWillie Mitchell is the name of:*Willie Mitchell , , musician and record producer*Willie Mitchell , MLB player*Willie Mitchell , NHL player...
– horn arrangements
Production
- Produced by Keith Richards and Steve Jordan
- Engineers: Robert Berry (also assistant engineer), Joe Blaney, David Dorn (also assistant engineer), Richard Ealey (also assistant engineer), Joe Ferla, David Kennedy, Paul Milner (also assistant engineer), Julio Pena (also assistant engineer), Don Smith, Roger Talkov (also assistant engineer)
- Mixing: Joe Blaney, Don Smith
- Mastering: Greg Calbi
Sales chart performance
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | UK Top 100 Albums | 37 |
| 1988 | The Billboard 200 | 24 |
| 1989 | The Billboard 200 | 54 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Take It So Hard" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
| 1988 | "You Don't Move Me" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 18 |
| 1989 | "Struggle" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 47 |