KEITH RICHARDS PRIVATE LISTING FOR 'NICHOLAS A'

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'KEITH RICHARDS' RECORD FOR NICHOLAS A.
KEITH RICHARDS (OF THE ROLLING STONES) "JAM ~ IN TUNE WITH CITY JAM" RARE 2-LP 'COLLECTOR' RECORD ~STUDIO SESSIONS & SOLO LABEL: 'MUSIC OF DISTINCTION' MOD 1011 RELEASED: CIRCA 1981/82 MATRIX: HLP-2773 A/B
CONDITION:  VINYL: EX  JACKET: VG+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This 2-LP set is basically a compilation of various Keith Richards recordings over the years, some with the Stones, some with other artists, and many performed solo during various sessions over the years. The sessions range from the famous 'Toronto' tapes recorded while awaiting trial for his drug bust in 1977, up to some solo tracks recorded during the 1981 Tattoo You' sessions.
Thru it all, the bluesy, raspy sound of Keith Richards voice is unmistakable. ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keith's guitar playing was rarely 'Flashy', but always exactly what the song needed, spot-on, and always had one foot in the roots of Rock, blues and country music.
Keith would often perform 'solo' songs while he was tuning up at Stones recording sessions or while waiting for band members to show up, but most of those were never caught on tape.
Very little of Keith's Solo material, played with the Stones, was ever caught on tape and this album is a compilation of some of the highlights of the few studio sessions that exist. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keith, the swashbuckling, drug-fueled Rock star, who made a career out of defying death has always had a sensitive soul, and many of the songs here show a different, more personal side of Keith.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This 2-LP 'compilation' contains Keith Richards solo material and some Rolling Stones studio outtakes. Some of these songs seem to be unique to this pressing.
This 'Music of Distinction' MOD version was one of the very first releases of this material. 
The photo used for the cover is a B&W alternate print taken from a 1979 Japanese Music magazine from April 1979 called "Jam" with the subtitle "In Tune with City Life."
Most of the songs on this 2-LP set are all very personal performances by Keith that were never intended for others to hear. The quality of the material on this album is fantastic and really shows off a different side of Keith. They’re mostly  a departure from his typical style, but they serve to illustrate Keith's inner groove and underscore Keith's tender side. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The fantastic Keith songs on this great 2_LP set include:
Over The Rainbow Blue Moon Nearness Of You Whole Lotta Shakin' Honey Don't We Had It All Let's Go Steady Little T & A Key To The Highway What A Feeling I Let You Know (Instrumental) All About You It Won't Be Long Still In Love Over The Rainbow II Nearness Of You II Before They Make Me Run Truley (Instrumental) Shine Eye What A Joy Instrumental The Harder They Come Instrumental ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here's a rundown of the songs on this album and their sources. Very little information is given on the record itself and this has been collected by myself from various books, other 'collector' records in my collection, and on-line sources.
SIDE 1 OF 4:
"Over The Rainbow" I "Blue Moon" "Nearness Of You" I "Whole Lotta Shakin Goin' On" "Honey Don't"  These 5 songs were recorded May 1981 at Longview Farm Studios ~ Brookfield, Massachusetts 
"We Had It All" III Recorded sometime in the summer of 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios in Boulogne-Billancourt (Paris) France 
"Let's Go Steady" "Little T & A II" Recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau Jan/Feb 1979
SIDE 2 of 4:
"Key To The Highway" Likely recorded to cassette in a Hotel Room in NYC circa 1978/79
"Oh, What A Feeling" Recorded March 12, 1977 Interchange Studios, Toronto
"I'll Let You Know" (instrumental) Recorded at RCA Studios, Los Angeles summer of 1978
"All About You" I Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, NYC, in the winter of 1979/80.
"It Won't Be Long" Recorded sometime in the summer of 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris France 
"Still In Love" I Recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau Jan/Feb 1979
SIDE 3 OF 4:
"Over The Rainbow" II "Nearness Of You" II Recorded March 12, 1977 Interchange Studios, Toronto
"Before They Make Me Run" II Recorded January 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris as an unreleased Promo mix. 
"Truly" (Instrumental) This one is tough to nail down. Some say it's from Cherokee Studios in Paris, October 1979. Others claim it's from a rehearsal Jam with The New Barbarians and Ian McLagan at Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, California on May 21, 1979. Both are plausible as the source.
"Still In Love" II (instrumental) Recorded March 12, 1977 Interchange Studios, Toronto
SIDE 4 OF 4:
"Shine Eye Gal" "What A Joy" "Beast" (Instrumental)
Recorded in early 1979 at a Channel One Studios Jam in Kingston Jamaica with Sly Dunbar of the Reggae band Black Uhuru.
"The Harder They Come" II Recorded August 1978 RCA Studios, Los Angeles (Official Take)
"Untitled Piano Piece" March 1981 Eldorado Recording Studio, Los Angeles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's some discussion of the songs themselves...
The first 5 songs are 'must-have' classic Keith and have been circulated for years among Stones fans as the "Longview Farms' sessions, recorded at Longview Farm studio in North Brookfield, MA in May 1981, prior to the 'Tattoo You' tour.
Keith and his Wife Patti Hansen were checking out the sound and feel of the studio, as a potential place for the band to rehearse for the upcoming tour, and Keith sat down at Pat Metheny's Steinway, left from a previous session, with an ice cold bottle of Gin, and spilled out 9 or 10 classic 'oldies' off his head.
Merle Haggard's 'Sing Me Back Home', Hoagye Carmichael's 'The Nearness of You', Everly Brothers hits, and a few more. 
Some Stones 'experts' claim that this is actually recordings from Eldorado Recording Studios in Los Angeles in March 1981, but you can hear Keith's manager Jane Rose's Polaroid camera clicking at the very beginning, which helps confirm the source as Longview. She wasn't with him in LA in 1981.
On several songs, Keith is joined by his pal Bobby Keys who adds to the reflective atmosphere with his great sax playing. Bobby wasn't there, and the Sax may have been overdubbed onto Keith's pitch corrected tape copy at Eldorado Studios later, leading to the confusion.
These 'Longview' songs are great tunes with Keith tickling the ivories and singing with amazing soulful passion. A truly unique, emotional side of Keith that most fans have never heard. 
These songs are all very personal performances by Keith that were never intended for release. ~~~~
Later on this album, there are a couple of Keith gems from Compass Point Studios in Nassau in 1979, where the Stones were camped out, working on tracks for the  'Emotional Rescue' album.
There's a great early version of “Little T & A” where Keith is still trying to figure out the lyrics and how to approach his vocals. Keith tries out some Dylan-esque phrasing, and even sings harmonies with himself on the second chorus. Very cool.
“What a Feeling” is another great tune from Compass Point and a rare 'love song' from Keith. When his smokey raw voice sings the words “It must be Love, although it’s bitter” you can sense he really means it.
Keith & Anita's relationship was going thru a rough period around this time, although he would stick with her a little longer till Patti Hanson came along. When the hard drugs went, Anita went with them. “I'll Let You Know” has a great smooth groove.
“It Won’t Be Long” features Keith's songwriting partner Mick on the backing vocals. ~~~~
Side 3 of the record kicks off with a different version of one of Keith's favorite songs, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow” but this time from the 1981 L.A. sessions. This has Keith playing some Guitar over the Piano parts, and again, Bobby Keys adds nice Sax.
“The Nearness of You” is another fantastic, heartfelt, song.
“Truly” is a terrific long groove with a cool Reggae beat. There's a difference of opinion on where this was recorded and who actually plays on it. ~~~~
There are several songs from the famous 'Toronto' tape on this album as well, and they are among the best songs on here.
Most every Stones fan knows the long history of Mick and Keith's drug busts. Keith Richards has made a lifelong habit of flirting with disaster and coming out on the winning end, but he's had a few close calls along the way. 
In February 1967, both Mick and Keith were arrested at Richards’ home, Redlands, for drugs possession. Exactly ten years later, the law came pounding on his door again.
In early 1977, the Rolling Stones were putting together their live double album, 'Love You Live'. The band felt that they needed more material, so decided to travel to Canada and record some live shows at Toronto's famous El Mocambo club.
The Stones chose to play in Toronto because Keith didn't need a visa to get into Canada, and most other countries wouldn't let him in.
The Canadian shows seemed like a good idea but trouble started immediately. Keith, with Anita in tow, showed up four days late and already missed some rehearsals. Upon entering the country customs found a chunk of hash and a blackened spoon in Anita's purse and she was arrested. Keith was 'clean',  so far.
Keith checked into his hotel in Toronto, and on Feb. 27, 1977, he suffered one of his most infamous brushes with the law.
On a 'tip', 15 Royal Canadian Mounties entered his Hotel room and found an ounce of heroin, five grams of cocaine, and 'paraphernalia'. 
Keith was zonked out after staying up for days and getting high, and it took several hours for the police to get him conscious enough to arrest him and haul him off to jail.
Due to the large amount of drugs found, they charged him with 'trafficking', not realizing it was just Keith's 'usual' personal stash.
Keith claimed it was "No more than a man needs..." 
He was charged with possession and intent to traffic, which, if convicted, could have carried a life sentence. Keith was in deep trouble, plus his Passport was confiscated. He was 'stuck' in Toronto.
Convincing the authorities that the drugs really were his 'weekend supply', his charges were reduced, but he was still facing a minimum seven-year prison term if found guilty of possession.
Richards was now facing the most serious criminal charge of his life.
Released on $25,000 bail, and multiple court appearances later, he was eventually released into Detox/Rehab and required to perform a free benefit concert for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
The Judge decided that "because of Mr. Richards' continuing treatment for drug addiction and his long-term benefit to the community, to the large community" that he should not be jailed.
Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones continued to rehearse, sometimes with Keith, sometimes without, and finally on March 4-5th, the Stones, with Keith, preform two unannounced concerts at the El Mocambo Club, both recorded for use on the upcoming live album.
Keith got permission to move to Philadelphia to attend Detox and was finally out of Canada. His life as a musician  was back on track, and the Stones were back on the road and recording. ~~~~~~~~ While Keith was out on bail in Toronto, and awaiting his fate, he decided to lay down some music, possibly his last.
On the night of March 12, into the early morning hours of March 13, 1977, the night before his final court date where he would receive his sentence, Keith sat down at the Piano in Sounds Interchange Studios in Toronto, and recorded some solo Country songs.
Keith played fantastic, soulful, heartfelt, spontaneous Solo piano versions of tunes by George Jones, Tammy Wynette, The Everly Brothers and others, including Merle Haggard's classic prison lament 'Sing Me Back Home'. 
Remember, Keith was British, and these were all classic American Country songs that Keith's close pal Gram Parsons taught him, while they hung out at Villa Nellcôte in France together during the making of 'Exile' and that they played together often after that, until Gram's unfortunate overdose and passing in 1973. Keith recalls: "I got time to put down on tape all these songs I learned from Gram Parsons...I thought I would put them down...I took this opportunity to sort of rack my brains and put down everything I had floating around in my head: songs, half-songs, rifs... So that killed some time in Toronto..."
Keith was staring down a bleak future, and he spent the night summoning up the ghosts of the past. "It was quite likely that jail time was on the cards. I was facing a probable two years, according to my lawyers. It was Stu [Ian Stewart] who suggested that I should use the waiting time to put down some tracks on my own — put something down to remember the man by. There was a certain poignancy about it because at that moment things looked a bit grim... Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home” is pretty poignant anyway. The warden is taking the prisoner down the hall to his execution".
Certainly, Keith's vulnerability is present on these takes. His voice is raw, emotional and honest. Richards, in a soulful, reedy voice, is taking solace in the music he loves, while facing the possible consequences of a life lived too close to the edge. 
As he was getting ready to say goodbye to whatever was left of his life, Richards chose this moment to document his feelings in song, as his life was crumbling.
If he was going to be put away, these songs would be his final moments on tape for some time, a form of comfort for him, and a goodbye letter in the form of a tape.
As we know, that gloomy scenario never happened, but Keith didn't know that at the time.
These are essentially the first recordings ever of Keith as a solo artist. It's a fascinating peek into the private thoughts of a Rock star thinking about spending the rest of his live in a Canadian prison.
In Toronto that night, he recorded several extremely somber and poignant old country songs, several of which are sprinkled throughout this record.
"Sing Me Back Home" was originally recorded by Merle Haggard in 1968. This is a fitting tune for Keith to sing while awaiting trial. The song tells the story of a death row inmate on his way to the chair. His final request is to have someone sing him the same song his mama used to sing him as a child, to take him back, and overcome his imprisonment and impending death. Keith's rendition of this song actually sounds more sorrowful and depressing than Merle's original.
"She Still Comes Around" was a song first recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1969. It's about a drunken fk-up who is always disappointing his wife. But despite his flaws his wife is always there to love him and take care of him when he is at his lowest.
"Apartment #9" was a Johnny Paycheck song about a rejected man who sits alone in an apartment shrouded in darkness hoping his ex-lover will forgive him and come back home.
There's a common theme of regret and remorse over failed opportunities and a wasted life that runs through these songs that Keith sings. They're all written from the perspective of a man who has pissed away the best days of his life in a drunken, strung-out stupor. 
It's amazing that these were the songs Keith chose to sing the night before his sentencing. They show Keith at his most raw and vulnerable. Fascinating to listen to, once you know the circumstances in which they were performed.
The whole 'Toronto Tape' is out there on the InterWeb and it's worth hearing. Some of the highlights are sprinkled around this 2-LP set.
The most remarkable aspect of these recordings is Keith's voice. It's soulful, bluesy, expressive and he unleashes edge-of-tears emotions that he had never expressed verbally or on record before. 
Keith threw his entire life and soul into these songs and they are a 'must hear' for any Stones fan.
The last song on this album is untitled and just features Keith gently playing the piano. A great way to end this long album of heartfelt, soulful tunes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sound of this 'Collector' album obviously varies, as it's from several different sessions and sources. The fidelity of the sound is not 'audiophile' and was often recorded as a second thought or side project, but it's better sounding than many 'Collector Records' of this type. Very listenable and a real treat to hear. The 'collector' record sound actually adds to the mood and listening enjoyment of these tracks. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These were hard to find, back when released, and nearly impossible to find in great condition today.
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