Defend the Indefensible: The Stones' Black & Blue

I agree! "Hand Of Fate" is a lost Stones gem, IMO!

I loved this album, since day one. Unfortunately, it gets knocked more than praised. A shame, IMO!

 

I'd like to add my appreciation for Hand Of Fate and call attention to the guitar solo, played by Wayne Perkins. (It was rumored that Perkins was slated to be Mick Taylor's replacement, before the Stones finally settled on Ron Wood.)

I also agree about this being one of the finest SOUNDING Stones productions. There is space between the instruments, and you can really hear the band interact.

 

I bought this album the first time I saw it--maybe May, 1976--and never warmed up to it too much. "Hot Stuff" was boring, as was "Cherry Oh Baby" "Hey Negrita" and "Melody." Of the half that WASN'T dull, "Crazy Mama" was not much more than a revisiting of "Tumbling Dice," and "Fool To Cry" was a touch tedious. I like "Memory Motel" OK now and then, but there are times (like when I saw them on the Voodoo Lounge tour) that I'd prefer to skip it. That leaves "Hand Of Fate" as the truly redeeming moment, and that's not enough for an album--I prefer both sides of a SINGLE to be good!

JcS

 

Black and Blue is one of my favorite albums ever by anyone

 

My pat saying for years about this album is as follows. It may not be a classic album, but it is a very underrated album whereas the Some Girls album that came after it is considered a great classic and a comeback, yet it may be overrated in it's importance. I'm not neccesarily sure about just how ultra-great it is. My other pat saying is that I think Ron Wood's Gimme Some Neck from 1979 may have more genuine attitude than most of posturing on Some Girls (with the exception of "Before They Make Me Run"). My reasoning is that I don't think the Stones ever really left to begin with when they put out Black and Blue. They were still the beloved, ragged Rolling Stones in my thinking, at least.
Jagger's vocals on this album, which I think is also mentioned in the old blue edition of The Rolling Stone Record Guide, are really impressive on this album. A song like "Fool To Cry" shows the late '60s-early '70s Soul influences on him.
BTW, I'll also add myself to the list of people throwing kudos to "Hand of Fate". It is always the first song I think of when I word-associate the Black and Blue album to myself.
As time as gone on, I frequently think to myself that this album is part of the period in Stones (especially in Keith) history that I refer to as a survival album. I also like the fact that the band decided to take some chances and dove into some different textures instead of directly attempting to imitate what was lost when Mick Taylor left.
I will always dearly love the Black and Blue album. It came out when I graduated from 8th Grade. It comforted me when I began to sail the uncertain waters from Grade School into High School. It gave me something to fall back on when the comfort rug of the last vestiges of my childhood got pulled out from underneath me and I was introduced to the utter confusion of full-blown teenage craziness.
I have a print print of the Black and Blue album cover which I can't wait to eventually have put into a very nice frame and double matting. It's fascinating to look at exactly because of the condition Keith was in at the time. It's all about survival in so many ways.

 

I just like the music. I listen to this more than some of their "classic" albums. But that goes for a lot of other groups as well. I don't think I am alone on this one.

BTW which album is "it". "Some Girls" or "Black and Blue"?

 

"Kieth of course is completely straight."

I have always liked this album. I have the CD version in the larger case with the re-creation of the original album cover and graphics. It sounds very nice. My favorites are Hand of Fate, Crazy Mama and Memory Motel.

I always thought Wayne Perkins would have made a better choice of guitar players, but that is another topic altogether.

 

Great Timing for this thread as I listened to this just the other day. I'll agree that it needs no defending. Hand of Fate is great. The album that may need defending is Love You Live. I listened to this the other day and although it's sloppily played, there's a lot of energy there.

 

I like this album a lot, special the funky playing, electric piano, and Mick´s voice is in a perfect moment. The first time I heard "Memory Motel" was on the "No Security" album, great version.

This is the famous cover.

 

My opinion:
Black and Blue is a GREAT album, much better than the prior album It's Only Rock'n'Roll.

Hot Stuff: A
Hand of Fate: A
Cherry Oh Baby: C
Memory Motel: A-
Hey Negrita: B+
Melody: B
Fool To Cry: A-
Crazy Mama: B+

Not bad at all. Lots of fun, funky stuff.
-George

 

Hot Stuff is truly fluff, and there's lotsa boring stuff here, but I agree Hand of Fate is great, and I'm a sucker for Memory Motel, Melody and Fool to Cry. An album you gotta own for sure, but not a great Stones album by any stretch...
but a great threat and makes me want to play the sucker!

 

An excellent album. It really has a great groove and I agree with others here that it ranks right up there with Some Girls in the quality of songs. Emotional Rescue is another one that I think is better than it is typically rated.

Mike

 

The rest of the album is just OK to me (personally I would in no way compare BLACK AND BLUE musical quality wise with the masterpiece that is SOME GIRLS - though the LP does really SOUND great) - but "Hand of Fate" is the quintessential freakin' latter day Stones song. Simply the best.

Too bad Mr. Perkins lost out in the guitarist audition, that is one killer solo.

NOBODY can touch those Stones on that kind of tune.

 

Just last week I was at my in-laws' cabin, and they have Sirius sattelite radio, which includes an all-Stones channel. I turned it on, and for the first time I heard "Hand of Fate." I'm sitting there with my mouth open, because I'm a huge Stones fan, but I'm going, "Where the hell did this come from, and why wasn't I aware of it?" Well, because, like a dork, I never bought Black And Blue, that's why!

Reading this thread, after that musical experience, REALLY makes me want this album now! But the dillemma remains - vinyl or CD?

Aw, who am I kidding? I'm getting them both!

 

The mastering on the LP is really great. Originals used to be found for 2.99 in Stone mint cond. Now they might be 5.99.

The Virgin remaster CD is beautiful. It is directly from the real masters (not like the White Album) by Bob Ludwig

 

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who actually likes this album.
It's also good to see a couple of people mention Wayne Perkins.
I saw him playing with The Alabama Power Band in the late 70's.
Great player in my opinion.
DB

 

Not my favorite Stones album although I do like several cuts on this one. "Fool To Cry" and "Melody" are a couple of great Stones classics in my book. I also like the cover. The Cover is one of my favorite Stones Photo's of them. I always thought this album was one of their better produced and mastered releases too. The Original Vinyl sounds great . I also have the Japan Mini LP release and it sounds pretty decent.

 

The Dutch Blue Vinyl LP pressing sounds spectacular. They used the STERLING cut from NY.

If you have the time, you might look over at ebay, find a mint blue one for $24.00.

It includes the Keith written inner sleeve and deluxe gatefold jacket.

 

Defend the Indefensible!

 

I always thought "Hand Of Fate" wasn't too bad a rocker, and "Hot Stuff" got a lot of airplay on urban radio in the summer of 1976. The single ran the LP length, but the DJ edit is much tighter. I really enjoy "Fool To Cry".

The only real clunker, IMO, is "Cherry Oh Baby".

 

Word going round the halls in High School at the time was that the Stones had delivered a clunker. Not many of my friends had it, so I didn't get to really hear it until 78.

I was busy picking up Wish You Were Here, Who By Numbers, a new copy of the UK White Album, etc. I ran out of money before I could take a chance on this new disco / reggae Stones. At 16 years old, I wanted to rock!

Then when the late 70s Colored Vinyl craze happened, I grabbed every colored vinyl Beatles and Stones title that came along. Black and Blue complete with all the trimmings on Blue Wax! How could I refuse.

 

Make that Wayne Perkins...............Beautiful solo. Whatever happened to him?

 

He released an album this year
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rjuh6jo471t0

Here is his bio from All Music:

Biography by Charlotte Dillon

Guitarist Wayne Perkins started life in Birmingham, AL, in (1951). He was raised in a house filled with six sisters, one brother, and parents who loved music and played guitar. It seemed only natural for Perkins to pick up one of those guitars when he was about six years old. With a lot of practice he taught himself to play the instrument.

At only 15, Perkins got his first gig as a session musician, in the Prestige Recording Studio. Shortly after that he found work performing with a couple of small-time bands. One group was called the Vikings. Charles Nettles was a fellow member.

In 1968, drummer Jasper Guarino helped Perkins land a steady job as a session guitarist in a studio owed by Quin Ivy. Perkins made a whole 100 bucks a week at first. After a while he left session work temporarily to form another band, Smith, Perkins and Smith. The trio recorded a couple of albums and toured in England. When the group split, Perkins moved on to bands like the Gap Band, the Shelter People Band, Take No Prisoners, Fever, and Problem Child. Another group he performed with was the Alabama Power Band that had been formed by his brother Dale. It later became known as Crimson Tide and completed a couple of albums.

In 1995, Perkins at last recorded a solo debut album, Mendo Hotel, that carries tracks like "Big Stratocaster," "Little Girl Eyes," "Money No Good," and "Where Did Love Go." Through all his bands and even his solo, Perkins is probably best known in the music world for his powerful work as a session guitarist. His name is listed in the credits of recordings by artists including the Alabama State Troupers, Ben Atkins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Michael Bolton, Angela Bofill, the Everly Brothers, Louise Miranda, the Oak Ridge Boys, Billy Ray Cyrus, the Rolling Stones, and many others.

BTW great thread! "Exile" would have been too predictable and boring

EDIT: Looks like half the songs on the "new" album http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...bs_b_2_2/002-8106261-4980847?v=glance&s=music come from the previously released "Mendo Hotel" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...002-8106261-4980847?v=glance&s=music&n=507846 - decisions, decisions. . .

 

Judging by the posts here, it doesn't sound like there's much to have to defend about "Black & Blue", & you can count me in as another. I'd kill to be able to write a song like "Hand of Fate" or "Memory Motel". As another poster said, I don't think the Stones have ever released a truly bad album. It kills me how this album & "Goat's Head Soup" are regarded as "bad" albums. Sure there's some filler on them, but I've got news for you: the holy, exalted, "Exile on Main Street" has it's share of filler on it too.
No more or less than any of their other 70's albums, IMO. But Rolling Stones filler is usually not bad at all, it's just not as good as their "great" stuff. Everything is relative.

 

I'm gonna have to go spin this one now...because of this thread.