The Rolling Stones - Black And Blue

Black And Blue is an album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1976. It is notable for being their first studio album following guitarist Mick Taylor's departure. Ron Wood became a full member of the band while this album was being produced. However, he only appears on about half the songs: Wayne Perkins and Harvey Mandel play lead guitar on the remaining tracks.


History:

With barely any time to catch their breath following Mick Taylor's quitting, The Rolling Stones returned to Munich, Germany - the site of It's Only Rock'n Roll's recording - in December 1974 and began the recording of their new album at Musicland Studios, with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (at the time under a heavy heroin addiction) - as The Glimmer Twins - producing again. With a view to have it released in time for the summer 1975 Tour of the Americas, the band broke for the holidays and returned in January in Rotterdam, Netherlands to continue the good work - all the while auditioning new guitarists as they recorded. Among the hopefuls were Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, Harvey Mandel, Wayne Perkins, Peter Frampton, and Ron Wood, although only Mandel's, Perkins' and Wood's guitar work would appear on the finished album. With much work to follow, it was decided to delay the album for the following year and release the Made in the Shade compilation instead. "Cherry Oh Baby" (which was a cover version of an early reggae song) would be the only song from the upcoming album even sporadically played on the Americas Tour.
Following the conclusion of the tour, The Rolling Stones went to Montreux, Switzerland in October for some overdub work, while returning to Musicland Studios in Munich in December to perform similar duties. Upon their arrival at Musicland Studios, the Rolling Stones were reportedly amazed that Led Zeppelin had recorded and mixed their entire album Presence in a mere seventeen days, with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page having stayed awake for two days straight to perform all of the guitar overdubs just before the arrival of the Rolling Stones.
After some final touch-ups, Black and Blue was completed in New York City in February 1976.
Stylistically, Black and Blue - so named for its black music influences - embraces funk with "Hot Stuff", reggae with their cover of "Cherry Oh Baby" and jazz with "Melody", featuring the talents of Billy Preston - a heavy contributor to the album. Musical and thematic styles were merged on the seven-minute epic "Memory Motel", with both Jagger and Richards contributing lead vocals to a love song embedded within a life-on-the-road tale.
Released in April 1976 - with "Fool to Cry", a worldwide Top 10 hit, as its lead single - Black and Blue reached #2 in the UK and spent an interrupted four week spell at #1 in the US, going platinum there. Critical view was polarized, with some finding its emphasis on jamming a reflection of the perceived weak songwriting, while others consider it an undervalued gem.
The album was promoted with a controversial billboard on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood that depicted a bruised, bound woman under the phrase "I'm Black and Blue from the Rolling Stones — and I love it!" The billboard was removed after protests by the feminist group Women Against Violence Against Women, although it earned the band widespread press coverage.[1]
Two extra tracks recorded in the Rotterdam sessions were later released on 1981's Tattoo You.
In 1994, Black and Blue was remastered and reissued by Virgin Records.

Track listing:

All songs by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, except where noted.

"Hot Stuff" – 5:20
"Hand of Fate" – 4:28
"Cherry Oh Baby" (Eric Donaldson) – 3:53
"Memory Motel" – 7:07
"Hey Negrita" – 4:58
"Melody" – 5:47
"Fool to Cry" – 5:04
"Crazy Mama" – 4:34

Musicians:

Mick Jagger - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Guitar, Piano, Electric Piano
Keith Richards - Guitar, Backing Vocals, Vocals, Electric Piano, Bass
Charlie Watts - Drums, Percussion
Bill Wyman - Bass, Percussion
Ron Wood - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Ollie Brown - Percussion
Nicky Hopkins - Electric Piano, Organ, String Synthesizer
Harvey Mandel - Electric Guitar
Wayne Perkins - Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Billy Preston - Backing Vocals, Piano, Vocals, Organ, Keyboards, String Synthesizer
Ian Stewart - Percussion

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