Keith Richards: “Main Offender” (Review & Stream)

He no longer did it out of creative self-defense against Mick. No, after Talk Is Cheap, Keith Richards just liked the fact that there was this other combo, with co-writers like Steve Jordan and Waddy Wachtel, who weren’t bad at his service. This fun with the X‑Pensive Winos can still be heard on “Main Offender”. And even if there’s little substance behind the fun, who, if not him, could elevate the riff to an art form as an end in itself?

Who, if not him, could elevate the reef to an art form as an end in itself?

Here he succeeds right at the start with “999”, while nine songs later “Demon” seems almost demonic at the end, precisely because it comes along as a fluffy goodnight greeting. In between the expected patented riffs, flanked by replacement soul (“Hate It When You Leave”) and replacement reggae. But even in the epigonal one-drop of “Words Of Wonder” Keef’s appreciation for the original still rings through. The fun was even greater with “Live In London ’92”, now as a CD bonus or double LP in smoke vinyl in an art book deluxe set.

Back then, Richards riffed on his 49th birthday at the Town & Country Club. After eight gigs beforehand, the Winos had been running on all cylinders for a long time, but they also cleverly took the pressure off. So the biggest dare of the set is a dimmed “Gimme Shelter,” tailored to Richards’ vocal prowess, while “Before They Make Me Run” passes as a condensed self-seller.

Otherwise they play all tracks much longer than the templates, which is only partially disturbing – you are too happy to let yourself be carried away by the riff as an end in itself and Jordan’s monster groove. Okay, 8:31 minutes “Happy” is overkill, whereas “Bodytalks” could go on forever, featuring co-writer Sarah Dash. Her real solo spot back then in the Winos program, “Time Is On My Side”, is unfortunately missing here, but would have been a nice tribute as a tribute to the ex-Label chanteuse who died last year. You can’t always get what you want…

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