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

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...

, released in 1987. As the follow-up to Jagger's 1985 album '' She's the Boss'', ''Primitive Cool'' was another attempt by Jagger to become a solo star.

Background

Following the release of the

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

album '' Dirty Work'' in 1986, relations between Jagger and Keith Richards 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 and Keith Diamond in the producer's chair, Jagger used

Jeff Beck Geoffrey Arnold Beck (24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023) was an English musician. He rose to prominence as the guitarist of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, ...

as the regular guitarist for the sessions, seeking to have more uniformity in the recordings.

Reception

Released in September 1987 with " Let's Work" as the lead single, the commercial reaction to ''Primitive Cool'' was not as welcoming as the reception for '' She's the Boss'', with the album merely reaching No. 26 in the UK and No. 41 in the United States with " Let's Work" 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, Australia & New Zealand, not feeling confident enough to attempt American or British shows.

Reissue

Although originally released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

, ''Primitive Cool'' was acquired and reissued by

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

in 1993, following the release of Jagger's third album, '' Wandering Spirit'', which was issued by Atlantic.

Track listing

Personnel

* Mick Jagger – vocals, guitars, autoharp,

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

, percussion * Phil Ashley – keyboards * Richard Cottle – keyboards *

– lead guitar * G. E. Smith – guitars * Doug Wimbish – bass * Simon Phillips – drums Additional musicians * Denzil Miller – keyboards * Greg Phillinganes – keyboards * Patrick Seymour – keyboards * Keith Diamond – programming * Olle Romo – programming * Jim Barber – rhythm guitar * Vernon Reid – rhythm guitar * Jimmy Rip – rhythm guitar * David A. Stewart – rhythm guitar * Dean Garcia – bass * Omar Hakim – drums * Ernst Hanes –

gamelan Gamelan (; ; , ; ) is the traditional musical ensemble, ensemble music of the Javanese people, Javanese, Sundanese people, Sundanese, and Balinese people, Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussion instrument, per ...

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American alto saxophonist. He worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age o ...

– saxophone * Jon Faddis – trumpet *

Paddy Moloney Paddy Moloney (; 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 particularly associated with the re ...

– whistle, Uilleann pipes * Seán Keane –

fiddle A fiddle is a Bow (music), bowed String instrument, string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including European classical music, classical music. Althou ...

* Jocelyn Brown – backing vocals * Craig Derry – backing vocals * Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals * Brenda White King – backing vocals * Harrison College Choir, Barbados – backing vocals

Production

* Mick Jagger – producer * David A. Stewart – producer (1, 2, 4, 6) * Keith Diamond – producer (3, 5, 7, 8, 10) * Jon Bavin – engineer * Manu Guiot – engineer * Bob Rosa – engineer * Ed Stasium – engineer, mixing (1, 3-10) * Michael Barbiero – mixing (2) * Steve Thompson – mixing (2) * Albert Bucholz – assistant engineer * Michiel Hoogenboezem – assistant engineer * Glen Johansen – assistant engineer * Scott Mabuchi – assistant engineer * Moira Marquis – assistant engineer * Danny Mormando – assistant engineer * Paul Hamingson – mix assistant (1, 3-10) * Rhonda Schoen – digital editing * Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY) * Tony King – album coordinator * Roger Davies – creative consultant * Christopher Austopchuk – package design * Francesco Clemente – package concept, illustration

Charts

Certifications and sales

Singles

References

External links

Miami Herald articleMick Jagger
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Todomusica.org
{{Authority control 1987 albums Albums produced by Mick Jagger Albums produced by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) Atlantic Records albums Columbia Records albums Mick Jagger albums