LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - August 8, 2007) - THE VERY BEST OF MICK JAGGER, the first
overview of his distinguished solo career, is set for release in
the U.S. on October 2, on Atlantic/Rhino Records. It's a vivid reminder of
the compelling gifts that brought Jagger fame in the first place. As an
embodiment of all that rock 'n' roll can mean, he is virtually without peer
and that is made plain on this compelling 17-track collection, which
includes three previously unreleased performances.
But Mick, for better or worse, is also one of those figures who has far
eclipsed the realm of rock 'n' roll to become one of the most recognizable
names and faces in the world, as celebrated for who he is as for what he's
accomplished. Indeed, he is a "musician and songwriter," one of the
greatest singers in rock 'n' roll history, and a restless, adventurous
artist.
The earliest track on the album is "Memo From Turner," a raw, R&B burner
(showcasing Ry Cooder on slide guitar) that was featured in the seminal
1970 film "Performance," in which Jagger also starred. The most recent
track, "Old Habits Die Hard," also references Jagger's film career. It
originally appeared on the soundtrack (produced by Jagger and former
Eurythmic Dave Stewart) of the 2004 film "Alfie," and it won a Golden
Globe® for "Best Original Song."
In between those two peaks, separated by more than three decades, Jagger
released four solo albums: "She's The Boss" (1985), "Primitive
Cool" (1987), "Wandering Spirit" (1993), and "Goddess In The
Doorway" (2001). Ten selections from those albums appear on THE VERY BEST
OF, including "God Gave Me Everything," which Jagger cowrote with Lenny
Kravitz; "Joy," on which Bono contributes a guest vocal; "Sweet Thing," the
singer's irresistibly sensual 1993 single; and "Evening Gown," a paean to
lasting love that closes out this set.
THE VERY BEST OF also includes two dynamic collaborations on Motown songs,
a favorite source of material for Jagger over the years. Reggae legend
Peter Tosh, one of the founding members of The Wailers, was among the first
artists signed to Rolling Stones Records in the late '70s. For Tosh's 1978
album, "Bush Doctor," he and Jagger collaborated on a seductive duet on The
Temptations' hit, "(You Got to Walk And) Don't Look Back," which was
written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White.
Then, in 1985, Jagger teamed up with David Bowie to scorch Martha & The
Vandellas' classic "Dancing in the Street," which was released as a single
as part of the Live Aid effort to raise funds for famine relief
in Ethiopia. The song went to #1 in England, and the video for it premiered
at the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia.
The sizzling "Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)," was produced by John Lennon
and recorded by Jagger in 1973 in Los Angeles. The track features an
all-star lineup that includes guitarists Danny Kortchmar and Jesse Ed
Davis, keyboardist Al Kooper, bassist Jack Bruce, drummer Jim Keltner, and,
on background vocals, singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. It has never
previously been released.
The album's two additional previously unreleased tracks are demos from
Jagger's "Wandering Spirit" session with producer Rick Rubin. Jagger had
sketched out "Charmed Life" (with his daughter Karis on backing vocals) but
then decided the track didn't fit with the rest of the album. The
rhythmically charged version on THE VERY BEST OF has been remixed by
producer Ashley Beedle. "Taking the bare bones of the song and getting to
the finished version with Ashley Beedle was a great creative
collaboration," remarks Jagger.
Meanwhile, as they were making "Wandering Spirit," Rubin suggested that
Jagger spend a day recording with The Red Devils, a torrid L.A. blues band.
"The difficult decision I was faced with when listening to the tracks I
recorded with The Red Devils, and having to choose only one, reminded me
what a great band they were," says Jagger. One of the results of that
session is Jagger's previously unreleased rollicking version of Sonny Boy
Williamson's "Checkin' Up On My Baby."
While, for the most part, Jagger shuns self-revelation in his songs, this
collection constitutes as rich a portrait of the singer as can be imagined.
It shows him embracing a wide variety of musical forms -- blues, reggae,
rock 'n' roll, dance music, ballads -- and impressing his own inimitable
mark on them. It shows him addressing matters of the body and the spirit
and celebrating all the ways that music engages us in our lives and in the
lives of others. It shows Mick Jagger as a musician, singer, and
songwriter, in short, and that's finally who he is. The very best of him is
very good indeed.
"It was such a disparate time with lots of ups and down -- fortunately
mostly up -- like you do generally have in life," explains Jagger. "For me,
it's a great thing to listen to since all the songs speak to a certain time
and make things come alive for me."
THE VERY BEST OF MICK JAGGER will be available at all retail outlets
and at
www.rhino.com for a suggested list price of $18.98. The album will
also be available at digital retail outlets for a suggested price of
$11.99, with ringtones available for six of the tracks.
THE VERY BEST OF MICK JAGGER
Track Listing
1. God Gave Me Everything
2. Put Me In The Trash
3. Just Another Night
4. Don't Tear Me Up
5. Charmed Life*
6. Sweet Thing
7. Old Habits Die Hard
8. Dancing In The Street
9. Too Many Cooks*
10. Memo From Turner
11. Lucky In Love
12. Let's Work
13. Joy
14. Don't Call Me Up
15. Checkin' Up On My Baby*
16. (You Gotta Walk And) Don't Look Back
17. Evening Gown
*Previously Unreleased
Contact Information: CONTACT:
LELLIE CAPWELL (FOR RHINO)
PHONE: (818) 238-6246
E-MAIL:
ARTWORK: www.rhino.com/media
CONTACT:
FRAN CURTIS (FOR MICK JAGGER)
PHONE: (212) 445-8423
E-MAIL: