Steel Wheels

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Steel Wheels
Studio album by The Rolling Stones
Released	29 August 1989
Recorded	29 March - 5 May 1989, 15 May - 29 June 1989, Air Studios (Montserrat)
Length	53:03
Label	Rolling Stones/Virgin
Producer(s)	Chris Kimsey and The Glimmer Twins
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link Robert Christgau (B-) link
The Rolling Stones chronology
Dirty Work (1986)	Steel Wheels (1989)	Flashpoint (1991)

Steel Wheels is an 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 classicist style of music and the launching of the band's biggest world tour thus far. It is also founding bassist Bill Wyman's final studio album with The Rolling Stones, preceding the announcement of his departure in January 1993.

Contents 1 History 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 4 Charts

[edit] History

Following the release of 1986's Dirty Work, and Jagger's active pursuit of a solo career, relations between him and the Stones-committed Richards worsened considerably. While Jagger released the tepidly-received Primitive Cool in 1987, Richards recorded Talk is Cheap, his solo debut, which would be released in 1988 to rave reviews. The couple of years largely apart appeared to have healed the wounds sufficiently that they could begin contemplating resurrecting their partnership - and their band.

Meeting in January 1989, just preceding The Rolling Stones' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the chemistry between Jagger and Richards easily outshone whatever differences they had and after composing some fifty songs in a matter of weeks, Ron Wood, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts were called in to begin recording what would become Steel Wheels, beckoning Undercover co-producer Chris Kimsey to perform the same role.

Recording in Monserrat and London during the spring months, Steel Wheels was designed to emulate a classic Rolling Stones sound, one that forsook the uncharacteristic production and weak songwriting that - most felt - had marred much of Dirty Work and returned them squarely in the context of a guitar-centered rock group. The only real diversion would prove to be "Continental Drift", an Eastern-flavored piece, with the Master Musicians Of Jajouka, that was as much an appreciation of world music as it was a tribute to Brian Jones who had recorded with the same troupe back in 1967. With much of the past disagreements behind them, sessions for Steel Wheels went fairly harmoniously.

The massive, worldwide Steel Wheels Tour was launched in late August 1989, concurrently with Steel Wheels' arrival and the release of lead single "Mixed Emotions", a partially-biographical reference to Jagger and Richards' recent woes that proved to be The Rolling Stones' last major hit single in the US, reaching #5. (Pundits noted that the song's title could be read as "Mick's Demotion" in reference to Richards' increasing role within the band.) Critical reaction was warm, with Steel Wheels reaching #2 in the UK and #3 in the US where it went double-platinum. Follow-up singles were "Rock And A Hard Place", "Almost Hear You Sigh" and "Terrifying". The mammoth Steel Wheels Tour - which finished in mid-1990 after being re-titled the Urban Jungle Tour - was an enormous financial success, cementing The Rolling Stones' return to full power.

The album was the Rolling Stones' first digital recording. In 1994, Steel Wheels was remastered and reissued by Virgin Records.

[edit] Track listing

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

1. "Sad Sad Sad" – 3:35
2. "Mixed Emotions" – 4:39
3. "Terrifying" – 4:53
4. "Hold On To Your Hat" – 3:32
5. "Hearts For Sale" – 4:40
6. "Blinded By Love" – 4:37
7. "Rock And A Hard Place" – 5:25
8. "Can't Be Seen" – 4:10
9. "Almost Hear You Sigh" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards/Steve Jordan) – 4:37
10. "Continental Drift" – 5:14
11. "Break The Spell" – 3:07
12. "Slipping Away" – 4:30

[edit] Personnel

• Mick Jagger - guitar, harmonica, vocals, shaker
• Keith Richards - guitars (acoustic, classical), vocals
• Ron Wood - guitar, guitar (Bass), background vocals
• Bill Wyman - guitar (Bass)
• Charlie Watts - drums
• Matt Clifford - keyboards, piano (Electric), clavinet
• Phil Beer - fiddle, mandolin
• Chuck Leavell - organ, piano, keyboards
• Luis Jardim - percussion
• Kick Horns - horn, brass
• Roddy Corimer - trumpet, brass
• Simon Clarke - brass
• Tim Sanders - brass
• Paul Spong - brass
• Sarah Dash - background vocals
• Lisa Fischer - background vocals
• Bernard Fowler - background vocals
• Lisa Fisher - background vocals
• The Master Musicians Of Jajouka - percussion
• Christopher Marc Potter - engineer

[edit] Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1989 1990	UK Top 75 Albums UK Top 75 Albums	2 20
1989 1990	The Billboard 200 The Billboard 200	3 10

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	"Mixed Emotions"	The Billboard Hot 100	5
1989	"Mixed Emotions"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	1
1989	"Mixed Emotions"	Modern Rock Tracks	22
1989	"Mixed Emotions"	UK Top 100 Singles	36
1989	"Sad Sad Sad"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	14
1989	"Terrifying"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	8
1989	"Rock And A Hard Place"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	1
1989	"Rock And A Hard Place"	The Billboard Hot 100	23
1989	"Rock And A Hard Place"	UK Top 100 Singles	63
1990	"Almost Hear You Sigh"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	1
1990	"Almost Hear You Sigh"	The Billboard Hot 100	8
1990	"Almost Hear You Sigh"	UK Top 100 Singles	31
1990	"Terrifying"	UK Top 100 Singles	82

The Rolling Stones
Mick Jagger | Keith Richards | Charlie Watts | Ron Wood
Former members
Brian Jones | Bill Wyman | Mick Taylor | Ian Stewart | Dick Taylor
See also
Chuck Leavell | Darryl Jones | Andrew Loog Oldham | Allen Klein
Related articles
Discography | The Glimmer Twins | Nanker Phelge | Rolling Stones Records | Rock and Roll Circus
Categories
The Rolling Stones | Members | Albums | Singles | Songs | Tours
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