Jump to content

Monkey Grip (Bill Wyman album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monkey Grip
Studio album by
Released10 May 1974
RecordedNovember 1973 – February 1974
StudioRecord Plant (Sausalito, California)
GenreRock
Length37:05
LabelRolling Stones/Atlantic
ProducerBill Wyman
Bill Wyman chronology
Monkey Grip
(1974)
Stone Alone
(1976)
Singles from Monkey Grip
  1. "White Lightnin'"
    Released: May 1974
  2. "Monkey Grip Glue"
    Released: June 1974

Monkey Grip is the debut album by Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. It was released in 1974 by Rolling Stones Records.[1]

Although Wyman sings on every track on the album, he had only sung lead on one song in the Rolling Stones, the 1967 song "In Another Land".

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
CreemD[3]
Džuboks(Favorable)[4]

Critical reception

[edit]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic rated the album four stars out of five. They noted "I Wanna Get Me a Gun", "White Lightnin" and "I'll Pull You Thro" as the best songs on the album and hinted approval of Wyman's vocals, describing them as "loose and joy-filled". They also praised the album for avoiding the usual egotism of solo albums: "Though these types of albums can be self-absorbed affairs, Monkey Grip is meant to be a relaxed, unpretentious outlet for the compositions that would never see the light of day in Wyman's main band – and, as a credit to the bassist, it comes off exactly that way."[5]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks composed and arranged by Bill Wyman, except "What a Blow", co-written by Malcolm Rebenack.

# Track title Length
1. "I Wanna Get Me a Gun" 4:57
2. "Crazy Woman" 2:41
3. "Pussy" 2:10
4. "Mighty Fine Time" 3:36
5. "Monkey Grip Glue" 4:56
6. "What a Blow" 5:22
7. "White Lightnin'" 2:42
8. "I'll Pull You Thro'" 4:23
9. "It's a Wonder" 5:30
Bonus Tracks
10. "Wine and Wimmen" [Instrumental] 3:42
11. "It's Just a Matter of Time" 3:03
12. "If You've Got the Feelin'" 3:39
13. "Five Card Stud" 3:47
14. "Monkey Grip Glue" [Single Edit] 3:18
15. "What a Blow" [Single Edit] 3:46
16. "White Lightnin'" [Single Edit] 2:44
17. "Pussy" [Single Mix] 2:11

Personnel

[edit]

Boneroo Horns (Tracks 1, 2, 4-6 & 8)

  • Bill Wyman – horn arrangements
  • Neal Bonsanti – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, English horn
  • Mark Colby – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Peter Graves – trombone, euphonium, horn arrangements
  • Ken Faulk – trumpet, flugelhorn

Production

[edit]
  • Bill Wyman – producer, arrangements
  • Howard Albert – assistant production, engineer, mixing
  • Ron Albert – assistant production, engineer, mixing
  • Karl Richardson – mastering at Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida)
  • Jimmy Wachtel – design, artwork
  • Amanda Finch – design assistant, artwork assistant
  • Bob Jenkins – photography

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1974) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 36
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) 39
United States (Billboard 200) 99

Release information

[edit]
  • United States 10 May 1974 LP Atlantic COC 79100 (Inner Sleeve)
  • United States 10 May 1974 LP Atlantic COC 79100 0698 (Inner Sleeve) (Promo)
  • United States 1974 LP (Quadra Disc) Atlantic QD 79100 (Inner Sleeve)
  • United States 1974 MC Atlantic (Slide Box)
  • United States 1974 8-Track Atlantic TP 79100
  • United States March 1997 CD One Way Records OW 34520 046633452021
  • United States 21 November 2006 CD Castle 02182-36266-2 021823626628 (Expanded Edition)
  • Canada May 1974 LP Atlantic COC 79100 (Inner Sleeve)
  • United Kingdom 15 May 1974 LP RSR COC 59102 (Inner Sleeve and Front Cover Labels)
  • United Kingdom 15 May 1974 LP RSR COC 59102 (Inner Sleeve) (Promo)
  • United Kingdom 24 June 1996 CD Sequel Rec. NEM CD 846
  • Australia July 1974 LP RSR/WEA COC 79100
  • Australia July 1974 MC RSR/WEA M5S 79100
  • Argentina 1974 LP RSR/Music Hall Records 50-14.122 (Inner Sleeve) (Serie Super Lujo Especial)
  • Japan 25 November 1995 CD Trattoria PSCR-5413 4988023032245
  • Japan 25 November 1995 CD Trattoria PSCR-5413 / 381483 4988023032245 (Promo)
  • Japan 24 August 2005 CD Imperial TECI 24302 4988004097119 (Paper Sleeve)
  • European Union 21 November 2006 CD Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 (Expanded Edition)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Rolling Stones database 1974 at The Complete Works Website
  2. ^ Kurutz, Steve. Monkey Grip at AllMusic. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert (September 1974). "The Christgau Consumer Guide". Creem. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  4. ^ Konjović, Slobodan. "Bill Wyman – Monkey Grip". Džuboks (in Serbian) (7 (second series)). Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine: 22–23.
  5. ^ Kurutz, Steve. Monkey Grip at AllMusic
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 344. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.