Credit: Inez & VinoodhRolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has signed a new worldwide deal with BMG that brings most of his solo recording catalog to the label. BMG will handle the four solo albums Richards released from 1988 to 2010, as well as his 1978 holiday single.
Regarding the latter, a 12-inch red-vinyl version of Keith’s cover of the 1958 Chuck Berry tune “Run Rudolph Run” will be released on November 23 in conjunction with the 2018 Record Store Day Black Friday event. The single also will include Richards’ renditions of Jimmy Cliff‘s “The Harder They Come” and Toots & The Maytals‘ “Pressure Drop,” along with a “Santa Keith” holiday card offering a seasonal greeting from Richards.
The BMG agreement also includes Richards’ respective 1988 and 1992 studio albums, Talk Is Cheap and Main Offender; the 1991 concert album Live at the Hollywood Palladium, December 15, 1988; and the 2010 compilation Vintage Vinos.
Talk Is Cheap, Main Offender and Vintage Vinos recently were made available on streaming platforms, while Live at the Hollywood Palladium will gets its first-ever digital release soon.
Other planned future releases include deluxe and expanded CD and vinyl-LP reissues, box sets and various special projects. Prior to the new deal, BMG already handled Richards’ publishing.
“Looking forward to working with [BMG CEO] Hartwig Masuch and everyone at [the label],” says Keith in a statement.
Adds BMG executive Peter Stack: “This agreement paves the way for a reappraisal and repositioning of the solo work of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s true originals and arguably its most pre-eminent guitarist. Fans can expect a program of releases which truly does justice to these great recordings.”
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