''Monkey Grip'' is the debut album by

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

bassist

Bill Wyman William George Wyman (né Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who achieved international fame as the bassist for the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member ...

. It was released in 1974 by

Rolling Stones Records Rolling Stones Records was the record label formed by the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman in 1970, after their recording contract with Decca Records expired. The label was initia ...

. 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".

Critical reception

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."

Track listing

All tracks composed and arranged by Bill Wyman, except where noted.

Personnel

*Bill Wyman – lead vocals, bass guitar on tracks 1-5,8,9, electric guitar on "What a Blow", Jew's harp and acoustic guitar on "Pussy", piano, acoustic guitar and backing vocals on "Mighty Fine Time", acoustic guitar on "White Lightnin'" and "I'll Pull You Thro'", horn arrangements *

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

– piano on "Mighty Fine Time" *

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from ...

– piano on "I Wanna Get Me a Gun", organ and pedalboard on "What a Blow" *Hubert Heard – organ on "I'll Pull You Thro'", piano and organ on "It's a Wonder" *

Lowell George Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat. Ear ...

– lead guitar on "Monkey Grip Glue" *William Smith - piano on "Monkey Grip Glue" *

Danny Kortchmar Daniel "Danny Kootch" Kortchmar (born April 6, 1946) is an American guitarist, session musician, producer and songwriter. Kortchmar's work with singer-songwriters such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, David Crosby, Carole King, David Cassidy, Gr ...

– electric guitar on tracks 1,2,4-6,9, 12-string guitar on "White Lightnin'" and "I'll Pull You Thro'" *

Joe Lala Joseph Anthony Lala (November 3, 1947 – March 18, 2014) was an American musician and actor. In 1966, he co-founded the rock band Blues Image. Life and career Lala was born in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, to parents from Contessa Entellina (an ...

- percussion on tracks 1-3,5-9 *Joey Murcia – electric guitar on "Crazy Woman" *Duane Smith - piano on "Crazy Woman" and "I'll Pull You Thro'" * George Terry - slide guitar on "Crazy Woman", electric guitar on "I'll Pull You Thro'" * Wayne Perkins – guitar *

John McEuen John McEuen, born December 19, 1945 in Oakland, California, is an American folk musician and a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Career Solo work John McEuen was born in Oakland, California. In 1964, at age 18, he became interested ...

– banjo on "Pussy", dobro and mandolin on "White Lightnin'" * Byron Berline – fiddle on "Pussy" and "What a Blow" *Peter Graves - trombone and euphonium on tracks 1,2,4-6,8, trombone on "Pussy", horn arrangements *Gwen McCrae – backing vocals on tracks 1,2,5,8,9 *George McCrae - backing vocals on tracks 1,2,5,8,9 *

Betty Wright Bessie Regina Norris (December 21, 1953 – May 10, 2020), better known by her stage name Betty Wright, was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter and background vocalist. Beginning her professional career in the late 1960s as a teen ...

– backing vocals on tracks 1,2,5,8,9 *Jackie Clark - electric guitar on "Mighty Fine Time" and "I'll Pull You Thro'" *Abigale Haness – backing vocals on "Mighty Fine Time" *Mark Colby – tenor and soprano saxophone, clarinet on tracks 1,2,4-6,8 *Neal Bonsanti – English horn, tenor and baritone saxophone on tracks 1,2,4-6,8 *Ken Faulk - trumpet and flugelhorn on tracks 1,2,4-6,8 *

Bruce Rowland Bruce Rowland (born 9 May 1942 in Melbourne) is an Australian composer. Biography Rowland composed the soundtrack for the 1982 movie '' The Man from Snowy River'', as well as the soundtrack for its 1988 sequel '' The Man from Snowy River II' ...

– drums ;Technical *Howard Albert, Ron Albert - assistant production, engineer, mixing *

Jimmy Wachtel Jimmy Wachtel is an American photographer, art director and designer based in Los Angeles. He has designed album covers for big artists such as Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Michael Stanley, Jo Jo Gunne, John Cougar, and Buckingham Ni ...

- design, artwork *Bob Jenkins - photography

Charts

Release information

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

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monkey Grip) 1974 debut albums Rolling Stones Records albums Albums with cover art by Jimmy Wachtel Bill Wyman albums