''Primitive Cool'' is the second solo album by English singer

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

and was released in 1987. As the follow-up to Jagger's 1985 album ''

She's the Boss ''She's the Boss'' is the debut solo album by English singer Mick Jagger, released in 1985. When Jagger's group The Rolling Stones signed with Columbia/CBS Records in 1983, one of the options available to them was for individual projects, an ...

'', ''Primitive Cool'' was another attempt by Jagger to make him a solo star.

Background

Following the release of the Rolling Stones album '' Dirty Work'' in 1986, relations between Jagger and

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

soured after Jagger decided to not tour to promote the album in favour of starting his second solo project. Richards was vocal about his discontent in the media—which Jagger replied to, also publicly; "Kow Tow" and "Shoot Off Your Mouth" were reportedly written in response to disparaging remarks made about Jagger by Keith Richards. Undeterred, Jagger promptly began work on ''Primitive Cool'', recording in the Netherlands and Barbados. Joining up with

David A. Stewart David Allan Stewart (born 9 September 1952) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for Eurythmics, his successful professional partnership with Annie Lennox. Sometimes credited as David A. Stewart, he won Best British ...

and Keith Diamond in the producer's chair, Jagger used Jeff Beck as the regular guitarist for the sessions, seeking to have more uniformity in the recordings.

Reception

Released in September 1987 with "

Let's Work "Let's Work" was the second single from the 1981 album '' Controversy'', by Prince. The song originates from a dance called "the Rock" that local kids were doing at the time in Minneapolis. Prince responded quickly with a track called "Let's Rock ...

" as the lead single, the commercial reaction to ''Primitive Cool'' was not as welcoming as the reception for ''

'', with the album merely reaching No. 26 in the UK and No. 41 in the United States with "

" and follow-ups singles "Throwaway" and "Say You Will" were minor hits, not at all rivalling "Just Another Night" in commercial success. As a result, although Jagger toured ''Primitive Cool'', it was only in Japan and Australia, not feeling confident enough to attempt American or British shows.

Reissue

Although originally released by Columbia Records, ''Primitive Cool'' was acquired and reissued by Atlantic Records in 1993, following the release of Jagger's third album, '' Wandering Spirit'', which was issued by Atlantic.

Track listing

Personnel

*Mick Jagger – vocals, guitar, autoharp, harmonica, percussion *Phillip Ashley,

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

– keyboards * Jeff Beck - lead guitar * Jocelyn Brown, Craig Derry, Brenda White King, Pamela Quinlan, Cindy Mizelle, Harrison College Choir, Barbados – backing vocals *Richard Cottle, Patrick Seymour – keyboards * Keith Diamond,

Olle Romo Olle Romö is a Swedish music producer, songwriter, and drummer. Romo rehearsed with Swedish progressive rock group Kaipa in early 1982, however he left the group after a few weeks to join Eurythmics, and he was a drummer for them from the mid-to ...

– programming * Bill Evans,

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 19 ...

– saxophone * Jon Faddis – trumpet *

Dean Garcia Dean Garcia (born 3 May 1958) is an English multi-instrumentalist musician, best known as a member of the alternative rock duo Curve from 1990 to 2005. He also released solo work and collaborated with many other artists. Biography Garcia was ...

Doug Wimbish Douglas Arthur Wimbish (born September 22, 1956) is an American bass player, primarily known for being a member of rock band Living Colour and funk/dub/hip hop collective Tackhead, and as a session musician with artists such as Sugarhill Gang ...

– bass guitar *

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music drummer, producer, arranger and composer. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sting, Madonna, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Journey, Kate ...

, Simon Phillips – drums * Seán Keane – fiddle *

Paddy Moloney Paddy Moloney ( ga, Pádraig Ó Maoldomhnaigh; 1 August 1938 – 12 October 2021) was an Irish musician, composer, and record producer. He co-founded and led the Irish musical group the Chieftains, playing on all of their 44 albums. He was part ...

–

whistle A whistle is an instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a small slide whistle or nose flute type to a lar ...

Uillean pipes The uilleann pipes ( or , ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland. Earlier known in English as "union pipes", their current name is a partial translation of the Irish language terms (literally, "pipes of the elbow"), from their ...

*Denzil Miller – keyboards, backing vocals *

Vernon Reid Vernon Alphonsus Reid (born 22 August 1958) is an English-born American guitarist and songwriter. Reid is the founder and primary songwriter of the rock band Living Colour, Reid was named No. 66 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's 2003 list of the ...

, Jim Barber,

Jimmy Rip Jimmy Rippetoe (born 1956), better known by his stage name Jimmy Rip, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer, who is known for his work with Jerry Lee Lewis, Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry, Paul Collins & The Beat, Michael Monroe ...

– rhythm guitar * G. E. Smith – guitar

Production

*Produced By Mick Jagger, David A. Stewart & Keith Diamond *Engineers: Jon Bavin, Manu Guiot, Bob Rosa,

Ed Stasium Ed Stasium is an American record producer and audio engineer, who has worked on albums by the Ramones, Talking Heads, Motörhead, the Smithereens and Living Colour. History Stasium began his recording career in 1970 fronting the band Brandywine. ...

*Assistant Engineers: Paul Hamingson, Michiel Hoogenboezem, Glen Johansen, Scott Mabuchi, Moira Marquis, Danny Mormando *Mixing: Michael Barbiero, Paul Hamingson, Ed Stasium, Steve Thompson *Digital Editing: Rhonda Schoen *Mastering:

Greg Calbi Gregory Calbi (born April 3, 1949) is an American mastering engineer at Sterling Sound, New Jersey. Biography Greg Calbi was born on April 3, 1949, in Yonkers, New York, and raised in Bayside, Queens, New York. He graduated in 1966 from Bishop ...

*Christopher Austopchuk, Francesco Clemente - cover design

Charts

Weekly charts

Certifications and sales

References

External links

Miami Herald article
{{Authority control 1987 albums Albums produced by Mick Jagger Albums produced by David A. Stewart Atlantic Records albums Columbia Records albums Mick Jagger albums