News

Keith Richards is set to have a busy year.  He and The Rolling Stones recently announced a headlining slot at the 50th New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival as part of the band’s U.S. No Filter Festival.  Now, Keith and BMG have teamed up for a special look at his debut solo album, Talk Is Cheap, due out March 29.  Originally released in 1988, Talk Is Cheap found Richards leading an impressive roster of musicians, including Ivan Neville, Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker, The Memphis Horns, and even former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor.

For its 30th Anniversary edition, Talk Is Cheap will be presented as a 2-CD deluxe mediabook edition, a 6-disc deluxe edition, and a 6-disc super deluxe edition that includes enhanced packaging.  Also available are a 180-gram black vinyl edition and a limited-edition, 180-gram red vinyl pressing of the core album.  The centerpiece of each edition is a newly remastered version of Talk Is Cheap, which was undertaken by original producer Steve Jordan from the original tapes.  The mediabook version includes a second disc with six unreleased bonus tracks that include the likes of Mick Taylor, Chuck Leavell, Bootsy Collins, Johnnie Johnson, Joey Spampinato, and Bernie Worrell.  Among them is Keith’s new single, a cover of the blues standard “My Babe.”

The 6-disc deluxe box set includes both CDs, plus the remastered album and the six never-before-heard tracks on on two 180-gram LPs, a 7″ single of “Take It So Hard” b/w “I Could Have Stood You Up,” and another 7″ single with “Make No Mistake” b/w “It Means A Lot.”  What’s more, there’s an extensive, 80-page hardback book featuring rare and unseen photos, and a new essay by Anthony DeCurtis that incorporates new interviews with Keith Richards.  There’s also a wealth of memorabilia included, too: a replica tour laminate, two lyric sheets, a reproduction of an invitation to the album playback party, a Talk Is Cheap Tour guitar pick, and two posters–all housed in special folio packaging.

If that’s not enough, BMG is also offering a signed (or unsigned, if you prefer) super deluxe edition exclusive to the Keith Richards Online Store.  It’s housed in a wooden case that was hand-built and aged at Fender’s Custom Shop using the same materials as Keith’s iconic Fender Telecaster.  Inside the box is the folio pack with all the contents of the deluxe box set.  The super deluxe set also includes an exclusive steel guitar pick.

All the configurations of Keith Richards’ Talk Is Cheap: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will be available on March 29 from BMG.  Take a look below for the pre-order links and track listings, and whet your appetite with the previously unheard Talk Is Cheap outtake, “My Babe.”

Keith Richards, Talk Is Cheap: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (BMG, 2019)

2-CD Deluxe Media Book Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
6-Disc Deluxe Box Set: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Black LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Limited-Edition Red LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
6-Disc Super Deluxe Box Set (unsigned):  Keith Richards Store
6-Disc Super Deluxe Box Set (signed):  Keith Richards Store

CD 1 / LP

1. Big Enough
2. Take It So Hard
3. Struggle
4. I Could Have Stood You Up
5. Make No Mistake
6. You Don’t Move Me
7. How I Wish
8. Rockawhile
9. Whip It Up
10. Locked Away
11. It Means A Lot

CD 2 / LP 2 of deluxe box set editions

1. Blues Jam
2. My Babe
3. Slim
4. Big Town Playboy
5. Mark On Me
6. Brute Force

7″ Single 1 (exclusive to deluxe box set editions):

1. Take It So Hard
2. I Could Have Stood You Up

7″ Single 2 (exclusive to deluxe box set editions):

1. Make No Mistake
2. It Means A Lot

Disc 1 originally Talk Is Cheap, Virgin LP 209 265-630, 1988.
Disc 2 previously unreleased.
7″ Single 1 originally Virgin 7″ single VS 1125, 1988.
7″ Single 2 originally Virgin 7″ single 7-99240, 1988.