I have always felt bad that Bill Wyman, the Rolling Stones’ original
bassist, left the band for so many disparaging reasons that unless I hear it
straight from him, I will not fully understand the reason. Be that as it may,
and as much as I am still a “Mick and the boys” fan, I was curious
to see how Wyman’s solo career would develop. I am old enough to have
been around to follow the impetus of and subsequent formation of such a career,
and began to wonder if there would ever be a collection of songs that transcended
the “greatest hits” moniker so many bands use, producing only one
or two hits and filling the rest with B-sides. With A Stone Alone –
The Solo Anthology 1974-2002, I am pleased to say that isn’t
the case, especially since Wyman has never had a real “hit” in the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (the Grammy guys) sense, yet
had “sense” enough to call this a “solo” anthology. That
made it easy going in having no expectations other than to enjoy the ear candy
from this 40-song set covering the years 1974 to 2002, including tracks with
the Rhythm Kings.
One thing I’ve noticed about Wyman’s solo career and, perhaps that
is why he’s never actually produced a real hit, is that he sometimes abandoned
his rock roots for arrangements to accommodate the era of his songs. Songs like
“Peanut Butter Time” (1976) are fun but have tones of dance. “Come
Back Suzanne” (1982), playing off the new wave theme of the early 80s,
only worked for groups like those on the Fast Times At Ridgemont High
soundtrack. It might be debated that versatility is the sign of a true musician,
but Kiss would never put out a Teletubbies-style song that would alienate the
true fan. Unfortunately for Wyman, his repertoire consists of some songs I would
never imagine being remade, like “If You Want To Be Happy.” I like
consistency and this collection is a bit inconsistent.
Then there’s the hook-up with Willie & the Poor Boys and the Rhythm
Kings where Wyman is back doing Wyman’s thing: playing bass. If someone
is going to be a solo act, I prefer that to involve the vocal aspect as well.
I like Wyman’s voice, so I wish there was more of him. That being said,
there are some gems I really dug and thanks to one of the greatest technological
advances ever made — the CD skip button — I am able to move through
to those favorite songs, which include:
- “What A Blow” (1974) — True rock with a head trip riff, and a classic
psychedelic lick (my personal style of choice). - “I’ll Pull You Through” (1974) — Reminiscent of Ringo Starr. There
is a similar style to Ringo on many of the songs, with his familiar paradiddle
beats surrounding poppy and catchy phrasing. - “This Strange Effect” (1992) — Ephemeral with the feeling of John
Lennon’s “Woman” and “”Beautiful Boy.”
A Stone Alone – The Solo Anthology 1974-2002 might offer enough
variety for everyone from the rock and pop fan to the bar room denim and leather
king, but for me it plays a bit too scattered.
~ Dave Shelton
