1992 Keith Richards – Main Offender

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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,[citation needed] 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 No. 45 in the UK, and No. 99 in the US. After the Main Offender tour, Richards returned to recording exclusively with the Rolling Stones and would not release another solo album until Crosseyed Heart in 2015.

Tracks

1  999 (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan; Waddy Wachtel) 05:51
2  Wicked As It Seems (Charley Drayton; Keith Richards; Steve Jordan) 04:45
3  Eileen (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan) 04:29
4  Words Of Wonder (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan; Waddy Wachtel) 06:35
5  Yap Yap (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan; Waddy Wachtel) 04:42
6  Bodytalks (Charley Drayton; Keith Richards; Sarah Dash; Steve Jordan) 05:20
7  Hate It When You Leave (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan; Waddy Wachtel) 04:59
8  Runnin’ Too Deep (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan) 03:20
9  Will But You Won’t (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan) 05:05
10  Demon (Keith Richards; Steve Jordan) 04:46

Musicians

1 999

BassCharley Drayton
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
ClavinetIvan Neville
OrganIvan Neville
Background VocalsSarah Dash
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
VocalsKeith Richards


2 Wicked As It Seems

BassCharley Drayton
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
ClavinetIvan Neville
PercussionSteve Jordan
Background VocalsBabi Floyd
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
VocalsKeith Richards


3 Eileen

BassKeith Richards
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
PianoWaddy Wachtel
PianoIvan Neville
CastanetsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsCharley Drayton
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
VocalsKeith Richards


4 Words Of Wonder

BassKeith Richards
DrumsCharley Drayton
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
GuitarSteve Jordan
ClavinetIvan Neville
OrganIvan Neville
PianoIvan Neville
PercussionSteve Jordan
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsBabi Floyd
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
VocalsKeith Richards


5 Yap Yap

BassKeith Richards
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
GuitarCharley Drayton
VibraphoneIvan Neville
PercussionKeith Richards
Background VocalsBabi Floyd
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
VocalsKeith Richards


6 Bodytalks

BassCharley Drayton
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
PercussionSteve Jordan
Background VocalsBabi Floyd
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsSarah Dash
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
VoiceIvan Neville
VocalsKeith Richards


7 Hate It When You Leave

BassIvan Neville
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
CelesteWaddy Wachtel
Hammond OrganCharley Drayton
KeyboardsKeith Richards
OrganSteve Jordan
PianoCharley Drayton
WoodwindsArno Hecht
WoodwindsCrispin Cioe
WoodwindsJack Bashkow
CongasSteve Jordan
Background VocalsBabi Floyd
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
Background VocalsCharley Drayton
VocalsKeith Richards


8 Runnin’ Too Deep

BassCharley Drayton
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
HarpsichordIvan Neville
PianoIvan Neville
PianoKeith Richards
PercussionSteve Jordan
Background VocalsBabi Floyd
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
VocalsKeith Richards


9 Will But You Won’t

BassCharley Drayton
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
ClavinetIvan Neville
PercussionKeith Richards
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
VocalsBabi Floyd
VocalsKeith Richards


10 Demon

DrumsCharley Drayton
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarKeith Richards
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
PianoIvan Neville
PercussionSteve Jordan
Background VocalsBabi Floyd
Background VocalsBernard Fowler
Background VocalsSteve Jordan
Background VocalsWaddy Wachtel
VocalsKeith Richards

Liner Notes

Producer – Keith Richards, Steve Jordan, Waddy Wachtel
Coordinator (Production) – Tony Russell
Coordinator (Recording) – Linda Smith, Robyn Lipp
Engineer (Additional)– Tim Hatfield
Engineer (Assistant) – Andy Grassi, Carl Glanville, David Merrill, Julio Pena, Kevin Scott, Richard Scott, Ron Allaire, Steve Neat, Tim Hatfield, Tom Fritze
Mastered By – Ted Jensen
Mixed By – Niko Bolas (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)
Mixed By – Don Smith (Tracks 3, 8)
Mixed By – Joe Blaney (Track 4)
Recorded By – Don Smith, Joe Blaney

Art Direction – Mick Haggerty
Design – Tom Dolan
Photography – Dewey Nicks, David LaChapelle

Mastered At Sterling Sound
Mixed At The Hit Factory
Recorded At Master Sound Astoria
Recorded At The Site
Recorded At Studio 900
Recorded At Giant Recording Studios
Phonographic Copyright (p)Virgin Records America, Inc
Copyright (c) Virgin Records America, Inc