Monkey Grip (Bill Wyman album)

Monkey Grip is the debut album by Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. It was released in 1974 by Rolling Stones Records.[1]

Monkey Grip
Studio album by
Bill Wyman
Released10 May 1974
RecordedNovember 1973, February 1974
GenreRock
Length37:05
LabelRolling Stones/Atlantic
ProducerBill Wyman
Bill Wyman chronology
Monkey Grip
(1974)		 Stone Alone
(1976)
Singles from Monkey Grip
  1. "White Lightnin'"
    Released: May 1974
  2. "Monkey Grip Glue"
    Released: June 1974

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".

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
CreemD[3]
Džuboks(Favorable)[4]

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."[5]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Bill Wyman, except where noted.

# Track title Length
1."I Wanna Get Me a Gun"4:57
2."Crazy Woman"2:41
3."Pussy"2:10
4."Mighty Fine Time"3:36
5."Monkey Grip Glue"4:56
6."What a Blow" (Wyman, Malcolm Rebenack)5:22
7."White Lightnin'"2:42
8."I'll Pull You Thro'"4:23
9."It's a Wonder"5:30
Bonus Tracks
10. "Wine and Wimmen" [Instrumental]
(Imperial TECI 24302 4988004097119, Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 10)		 3:42
11. "It's Just a Matter of Time"
(Imperial TECI 24302 4988004097119, Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 11)		 3:03
12. "If You've Got the Feelin'"
(Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 12)		 3:39
13. "Five Card Stud"
(Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 13)		 3:47
14. "Monkey Grip Glue" [Single Edit]
(Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 14)		 3:18
15. "What a Blow" [Single Edit] (Bill Wyman/Malcolm Rebenack)
(Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 15)		 3:46
16. "White Lightnin'" [Single Edit]
(Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 16)		 2:44
17. "Pussy" [Single Mix]
(Castle CMRCD1362 5050749413628 only Track 17)		 2:11

Personnel
  • Bill Wyman – lead vocals, bass guitar, guitar, piano, clavinet, Jew's harp, horn arrangements
  • Leon Russell – piano
  • Dr. John – organ, piano
  • Hubert Heard – organ, piano
  • Lowell George – guitar (5, 14)
  • Danny Kortchmar – guitar
  • Joey Murcia – guitar
  • Wayne Perkins – guitar
  • John McEuen – acoustic guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin
  • Byron Berline – fiddle
  • Gwen McCrae – backing vocals
  • Betty Wright – backing vocals
  • Abigale Haness – backing vocals
  • Mark Colby – saxophone
  • Neal Bonsanti – English horn, saxophone, clarinet
  • Joe Lala – percussion

Charts
Chart (1974) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 36
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) 39
United States (Billboard 200) 99

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
  1. Rolling Stones database 1974 at The Complete Works Website
  2. Kurutz, Steve. Monkey Grip at AllMusic. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  3. Christgau, Robert (September 1974). "The Christgau Consumer Guide". Creem. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  4. Konjović, Slobodan. "Bill Wyman - Monkey Grip". Džuboks (in Serbian). Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine (7 (second series)): 22–23.
  5. Kurutz, Steve. Monkey Grip at AllMusic
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 344. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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