Keith Richards has said he is working on a new album with his side-project the X-Pensive Winos. The Rolling Stones guitarist revealed the news on the American talk show Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.
In the interview, Richards said that his work with X-Pensive Winos was ‘starting to blossom’. Richards makes up the Winos with co-songwriter Steve Jordan.
The band formed back in 1987, although they haven’t done anything together since 1992, when they released their second studio album Main Offender, followed by a tour. The reason for the length of time since they last did anything is, Richards says, because they only get together ‘when inspiration hits’.
Other artists to play with the X-Pensive Winos include Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, guitarist Waddy Wachtel, saxophonist Bobby Keys, keyboardist Ivan Neville and bassist Charley Drayton. Their first album, Talk Is Cheap, came out in 1988.
It was thought that Richards and the rest of the Stones had been mobilising for a tour towards the end of 2011 and into 2012, which might still occur, even though Richards’ enthusiasm seems more directed in the Winos’ direction. Richards said of the Stones’ plans, “I’m trying to nail them down but I don’t want to crucify them.”
They aren’t the only Richards side-project, mind you, with Wingless Angels, the Jamaican Rastafarian ensemble that enjoys Richards in an executive producer role, released some new recordings last year following the death of their singer Justin Hinds.
No release date for the album from the X-Pensive Winos has been announced as yet.
