Main Offender
Main Offender is the second studio album by Keith Richards, 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 for the next 23 years, when he would record Crosseyed Heart.
Track listing
- "999" (Keith Richards, Steve Jordan, Waddy Wachtel) – 5:50
- "Wicked as It Seems" (Richards, Jordan, Charley Drayton) – 4:45
- "Eileen" (Richards, Jordan) – 4:29
- "Words of Wonder" (Richards, Jordan, Wachtel) – 6:35
- "Yap Yap" (Richards, Jordan, Watchel) – 4:43
- "Bodytalks" (Richards, Jordan, Drayton, Sarah Dash) – 5:20
- "Hate It When You Leave" (Richards, Jordan, Wachtel) – 4:59
- "Runnin' Too Deep" (Richards, Jordan) – 3:20
- "Will but You Won't" (Richards, Jordan) – 5:05
- "Demon" (Richards, Jordan) – 4:45
Personnel
- Jack Bashkow – woodwind
- Crispin Cioe – woodwind
- Sarah Dash – vocals, backing vocals on "Bodytalks"
- Charley Drayton – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, piano, organ
- Babi Floyd – vocals
- Bernard Fowler – vocals
- Arno Hecht – woodwind
- Steve Jordan – vocals, organ, drums, conga, percussion, castanets
- Ivan Neville – bass guitar, piano, organ, harpsichord, clavinet, vibes
- Keith Richards – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, percussion
- Waddy Wachtel – vocals, guitar, piano, celesta
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 |
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