Keith Richards And The X-pensive Winos - Live At The Hollywood Palladium (Mindless Records)

Keith Richard has decided to take his 'other band' the X-Pensive Winos on the road in America at the end of the 1980s to promote his debut solo album, Talk Is Cheap.

On December 15th 1988 they played a legendary gig at the Hollywood Palladium which was released as a live album. There is now a full re-issue of the album with a box set as well as vinyl, CD and digital editions.

On the album you can hear Richards saying: “Welcome to the Palladium, a stage I’ve been thrown off many times”, referring to the time when he tried to join his hero Chuck Berry on the same stage in the early 1970s.

The live foray starts off with 'Take It So Hard,' a guitar riff driven song, though they are not all out and out rock songs on the album as there is a ballad with the track 'Locked Away'.

You might be surprised to hear a reggae track on the album with 'Too Rude'; perhaps it was inspired by Richards time when he lived in Jamaica?

'Time Is on My Side' is a track I remember the Rolling Stones covering, the Irma Thomas classic is given a fine rendition by Sarah Dash.

Hopefully live music will be allowed again soon, in the meantime though here is what a classic rock concert sounds like.

I rate the album 4 out of 5.