Main Offender

For the song by the Hives, see Main Offender (song).
Main Offender
Studio album by Keith Richards
Released 19 October 1992
Recorded 18 March – 6 September 1992
Genre Rock & roll, hard rock, boogie rock, funk rock
Length 49:53
Language English
Label Virgin
Producer Keith Richards, Steve Jordan, Waddy Wachtel
Keith Richards chronology

Talk Is Cheap
(1988)
Main Offender
(1992)

Main Offender is the second studio album by Keith Richards and his last to date, released in 1992 between the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge projects.

Richards teamed with Talk Is Cheap collaborator Steve Jordan and added Waddy Wachtel to the mix both in composing and producing Main Offender. Sessions with Richards' group of musician friends known as "The X-Pensive Winos" took place in California and New York City from March to September 1992, with touring in Europe's autumn and early 1993 in North America.

When Richards reunited with Mick Jagger (who recorded Wandering Spirit while Richards was making Main Offender) in mid-1993 to start work on Voodoo Lounge, Jagger complimented him on Main Offender, and used the single "Wicked as It Seems" as inspiration for The Rolling Stones' next single, "Love Is Strong".

Main Offender was released in October 1992 to generally positive reviews. However, it failed to match the commercial success of Talk Is Cheap, reaching #45 in the UK, and #99 in the US. After the Main Offender tour, Richards returned to recording exclusively with the Rolling Stones and put his solo career on hold.

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Track listing

  1. "999" (Keith Richards, Steve Jordan, Waddy Wachtel) – 5:50
  2. "Wicked as It Seems" (Richards, Jordan, Charley Drayton) – 4:45
  3. "Eileen" (Richards, Jordan) – 4:29
  4. "Words of Wonder" (Richards, Jordan, Wachtel) – 6:35
  5. "Yap Yap" (Richards, Jordan, Watchel) – 4:43
  6. "Bodytalks" (Richards, Jordan, Drayton, Sarah Dash) – 5:20
  7. "Hate It When You Leave" (Richards, Jordan, Wachtel) – 4:59
  8. "Runnin' Too Deep" (Richards, Jordan) – 3:20
  9. "Will but You Won't" (Richards, Jordan) – 5:05
  10. "Demon" (Richards, Jordan) – 4:45

Personnel

Sales chart performance

Album
Year Chart Position
1992 UK Top 75 Albums 45
1992 The Billboard 200 99
1993 The Billboard 200 192
Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1992 "Wicked as It Seems" Mainstream Rock Tracks 3
1993 "Eileen" Mainstream Rock Tracks 17