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Ron Wood
Foxes In The Boxes Vol. Four
Gimme Some Neck Rough Mixes, Early Versions and Outtakes
JEMS Archive

JEMS 2020 Transfer: production cassette > Nakamichi RX-505 azimuth-adjusted transfer > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.0 (24/96) capture > iZotope RX > iZotope MBIT+ resample 16/44.1 > Peak Pro XT (Indexed) > xACT 2.21 > FLAC

01 Breakin’ My Heart v2
02 Lost And Lonely
03 Worry No More
04 We All Get Old
05 Seven Days (Bob Dylan cover)
06 I Got Lost When I Found You
07 F.U.C. Her
08 Don’t Worry
09 Infekshun
10 Tiger Balm
11 Buried Alive
12 Come To Realize
13 Breakin’ My Heart v1

Recorded at Pathé Marconi Studios, Boulogne-Billancourt (near Paris), France, March and/or April 1978 and Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, September-November 1978.

Welcome to the return of JEMS' Foxes In The Boxes series featuring unreleased Rolling Stones-related studio recordings circa 1978-85. Based on our research, along with the expertise of Stones sessionologist nzb/RDP who helped us sort through these tapes, we believe Foxes In The Boxes offers Stones fans a trove of previously uncirculated material.

The series is titled Foxes In The Boxes in homage to its source: boxes of in-house cassette tapes obtained by JEMS from persons "on the inside" of a major record label in the '70s and '80s. It is also a rhyming nod to the bootleg Static In the Attic (Midnight Beat), which mined some of the same sessions for kindred material and to which we believe Foxes makes a worthy companion.

Volume Four departs from pure Rolling Stones, but doesn’t stray too far, presenting an alternate version of perhaps the most Stonesy side project that came out from a member of the band, Ron Wood’s Gimme Some Neck. I call it Stonesy for several reasons, notably the participation of Mike Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts (plus Ian McLagen) on the album sessions. NZB notes it was recorded in the same studio at the same time as Some Girls was being mixed and it includes a song the Stones cut for that album but never released.

Our friend Jim R points out that in 1978, while he was “in” the Stones, Ron Wood was not an official partner in the band as a business. That wouldn’t happen until Bill Wyman left, at which point Ronnie took his share of the band’s underlying four-way split. So the participation of Mick, Keith and Charlie in Gimme Some Neck was out of friendship and respect for Wood.

As nzb explains in great detail below, the early version of Gimme Some Neck features alternate mixes, earlier vocal takes and longer cuts of the key songs from the album. It also includes two unreleased and previously uncirculated recordings of the songs “I Got Lost When I Found You” and the long-rumored “Tiger Balm.”

Like the sources used on Vols. One-Three of the Foxes series, the provenance of the cassette tape source we transferred dates back to 1979 when it was presumably pulled from the studio to provide a reference to outside stakeholders on the progress of the album. The overall quality and stereo separation are excellent, though not perfect, likely owing to the original dubbing of the tracks to cassette from different sources. Still it will not disappoint. No noise reduction was applied to this recording. Samples provided.

Some songs are entirely new, others a little different and some are for the trainspotters to notice the differences. Fortunately, nzb has written a fantastic tour guide below for which we thank him immensely. He’s been a partner on the Foxes In The Boxes series since the start and there is simply no way we could do this without him. RG made a substantial contribution as well, because this fox was in his boxes. Equally essential is mjk5510, post-production chief on nearly all JEMS releases. Shoutout as well to Prof. Goody for blessing the pitch and getting excited about the material and to ethiessen1for his cover art contributions.

BK for JEMS

Foxes In The Boxes Vol. 4
Ronnie Wood
Gimme Some Neck Rough Mixes, Early Versions and Outtakes

Recorded at Pathé Marconi Studios, Boulogne-Billancourt (near Paris), France, March and/or April 1978 and Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, September - November 1978.

JEMS dug out 13 previously unheard rough mixes, alternate versions and outtakes recorded by Ronnie Wood for his third proper solo album Gimme Some Neck. The recordings started at French Pathé Marconi Studios in Boulogne-Billancourt (a suburb southwest of Paris) with a 10-day session in February and/or March 1978. RW was probably filling downtime while The Glimmer Twins, Mick & Keith, did the mixing for Some Girls in the other studio of the building. Bill Wyman was probably long gone by then, but Charlie Watts stayed around and Robert 'Pops' Powell flew in to handle bass duties. Both MJ and KR can only be heard on a couple of the tracks each but Charlie is all over them.

I can't tell if producer Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, The Cars, Journey) was already involved during the early sessions in France, but he surely supervised the later overdubs/mixing/editing sessions in Los Angeles which took about three months starting in September 1978, doing great work polishing up the tracks.

The six month hiatus following the basic recording session in Paris was caused by the many Stones activities during that period: the release of Some Girls, rehearsals and the 1978 US tour and sessions at RCA Studios in Los Angeles. First rule: The Stones always come first!

After finishing his Stones duties, RW moved into his new house in Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles, and Keith, Ronnie and Ian McLagen roadie Chuck McGee moved in with him to lend a helping hand with his upcoming work at LA-based Cherokee Studios.

Gimme Some Neck, RW's third solo album (if you don't count Mahoney's Last Stand, a soundtrack collaboration with Ronnie Lane) was finally released on April 20, 1979 and soon after promoted with a US tour of Ronnie's infamous group The New Barbarians. The band featured three members who also played on the album (Richards, Mac and Bobby Keys), but enlisted a totally new rhythm section with Stanley Clarke on bass and Joseph 'Ziggy' Modeliste (from The Meters) on drums.

The twelve tracks here (plus one additional alternate mix) are not merely the basic tracks which RW took from France to LA for overdubs, mixing and editing. For example Ian McLagan, who did all his overdubs at Cherokee, can already be heard on these takes. But other additions, such as the sax overdubs of Bobby Keys on “Don't Worry” and some of Woods’ guitar overdubs and final vocals are still missing. Unfortunately, some of Keith’s contributions are also not yet present.

But on the positive side, we get a rare chance to hear earlier versions of all the tracks we know from the finished album (minus the short instrumental “Delia”), some of which are unedited (four are much longer than the officially released album versions) and others feature alternate lead vocals.

Best of all are two totally unreleased songs. The first is a surprising re-recording of “I Got Lost When I Found You, a tune Wood already released on his 1975 solo album Now Look. See the notes below for some theories on why he would redo an already released song. The second is the semi-legendary “Tiger Balm,” a title listed on the album’s fantastic but all too tiny liner notes/inner sleeve design. “Tiger Balm” is also referenced in Wood’s autobiography Ronnie but totally unheard until now. Unfortunately the credits on the inner sleeve are incomplete and confusing, so we did some research in an effort to present the correct and complete musician line-ups here.

Breakin’ My Heart II (4:22)
Drums: Charlie Watts (CW)
Bass: Pops Powell (PP)
Lead vocal: Ronnie Wood (RW)
Backing vocals: MJ (same take as heard on version II), RW
Guitars: RW
Organ: most probably Ian McLagan (Mac) (uncredited)
The only track for which we have two alternative rough mixes in this collection. Version 2 is the more developed one, as it already has the finished lead vocal which we know from Gimme Some Neck (GSN), but it also includes guitar licks not heard in the final mix. Mick Jagger does some nice backing vocals doubling RW's chorus, which can be heard much better on this early take than on the released version. It's most probably Mac who plays an uncredited organ. The finished version was later used as the B-side to the US edition of the “Seven Days” single.

Lost And Lonely (4:35)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: RW and ?
Guitars: RW
Organ: Mac
Percussion: Jim Keltner
This version is unedited and thus twenty seconds longer than the GSN version. All the (uncredited) backing vocals are already there, but it's hard to identify who's doing them, apart from RW. In the end section of the final mix the various vocals are panned left and right (the “Lost And Lonelys” to the right, and the ‘Lonely, looking for yous” on the left). That stereo split is still missing here. It´s hard to make out Jim Keltner’s percussion contribution, but I assume it's the percussive clicks which ping pong from the left to the right channel.

Worry No More (2:33)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: RW and Jerry Williams
Guitars incl. dobro: RW
Piano: Jerry Williams
The rough mix of the opening track of the album is very close to the final version, just lacking some guitar overdubs. Jerry Williams, who penned the song, plays great piano here and sings backing vocals.

We All Get Old (4:29)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: RW, Jon Lind and Richard
Guitars incl. pedal steel: RW
Piano: Mark T. Jordan or Harry Phillips > not yet present on this early mix.
Organ: Mac
Another song that is twenty seconds longer than the finished track on the released album. The backing vocals were provided by songwriter Jon Lind along with “Richard.” Some sources suspect this ´Richard´ might be Keith Richards, who stayed in the guest house of RW's home in Mandeville Canyon for some time during the Cherokee sessions, but it´s most likely someone else. The piano on the album version is uncredited, but the lyric sheet on the inner sleeve includes a scribble which says "H. Philips (sic!) or Mark Jordan". Maybe RW couldn't remember not only the surname of Jon Lind's friend Richard, but also which piano player’s contribution he used in the end?

Seven Days (4:14)
Drums: Mick Fleetwood
Bass: RW
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: still lacking from the mix
Guitars: RW
Pedal steel: RW
Organ: Mac
Ronnie Wood got this Bob Dylan composition handed to him by Dylan himself, when both were doing a session for Eric Clapton's No Reason To Cry album in March 1976. It is the only song on Gimme Some Neck with a different rhythm section (RW on bass and Mick Fleetwood on drums), so it is possible that the song was first recorded in Los Angeles. This early version has a different lead vocal and still lacks Keith Richards backing vocals. The finished version became the only single release from the album.

I Got Lost When I Found You (3:56)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: RW and (Jerry Williams?)
Guitars: RW
Electric piano: Mac
Strange that RW did a re-take of “I Got Lost When I Found You” (which he penned with Bobby Womack) as this was already released as the opening track on his second solo album, Now Look in 1975. RW said in an interview that he really likes the song. Maybe he was not satisfied with the Now Look version for whatever reason. With GSN, Wood was aiming for a well-produced sound, hence the engagement of top producer Roy Thomas Baker. As RW said in a May 1979 Rolling Stone interview, "All I wanted on those first records was a one-off, backroom sound. This time, I got a backroom sound produced to the full.”

F.U.C. Her (3:21)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: still lacking from this mix
Guitars: RW
Acoustic guitar: Dave Mason
Piano: ? (uncredited)
Harp: lacking from this mix (haven’t detected this on the GSN version either)
RW's funniest lyrics on the album, but maybe too sleazy for Mr. Charlie Watts, who was left out on the album credits with a blank for this song. Dave Mason is on the track playing acoustic guitar with either Ian McLagan or Mark T. Jordan on piano. RW is also credited playing harp but you can't hear him playing it on either version.

Don’t Worry (3:28)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: RW and ?
Guitars incl. dobro: RW
Piano: ? uncredited, maybe Mac or Mark T. Jordan
Tenor sax: still lacking from the mix
Bobby Keys sax overdub isn't on this version and the cacophony of guitars is much louder and more direct in this rough mix. In the final mix the guitars are toned down for a blander blend (hard to tell if any guitar bits are left off or added) in favor of the sax. I also hear something that resembles trumpet (possibly synthesized) to recreate the Jim Price/Bobby Keys vibe. We hear an uncredited piano (Ian McLagan or Mark T. Jordan?) again as well.

Infekshun (4:05)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: The odd word from MJ
Guitars: RW, maybe also MJ
Piano: Harry Phillips
On “Infekshun,” Mick Jagger had an uncredited hand in the composition and wrote most of the words. You can pick him out in the last two words of the lyric, "Ýou’re killing all the life here, but it ain't in me to turn you loose" that starts at the 1.25 minute mark. Given he was clearly present during the recording of this take, it's even possible that he plays one of the three guitars. The Stones themselves did an unreleased recording of this composition (under title “Infection”) during the Some Girls sessions, so it seems natural that MJ involved himself in the recording of RW's basic track. The rough mix has some different guitar parts compared to GSN and Harry Phillips from Detroit plays a rollicking piano.

Tiger Balm (4:49)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: RW and ? (Mac?)
Guitars: RW
Organ: Mac
Electric Piano: Mac
“Tiger Balm” is the totally unheard composition in this collection, a real outtake so to speak. Ian McLagan is all over it on Hammond organ, also playing electric piano and maybe singing backing vocals. In Ronnie, Wood writes that he gave “Tiger Balm” to Ringo Starr, but there’s no known Starr recording of the song.


Buried Alive (4:12)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: MJ
Guitars: RW
Electric Piano: Mac
Percussion: Jim Keltner
Many Stones fans favorite song on Gimme Some Neck, as it has Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts on the same track. Almost a real Stones-song! Unfortunately, Richards’ backing vocals and guitar part are still missing in this rough mix. But this great early version is more than half a minute longer than the officially released track, it features an alternate, early lead vocal take and you can make out much more of MJ's backing vocals. Jim Keltner's contribution might be an added snare played with brushes.

Come To Realize (4:18)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: Jon Lind, RW plus Richard
Guitars: RW
Piano: Mac
Electric Piano: Mac
At this point the song was probably still under it´s working title, “Over Before It Begun.” This rough mix is about 25 seconds longer than the final version and has less backing vocals and some different guitar parts. The GSN-version was later used as B-side to the UK-release of the “Seven Days.”

Breakin’ My Heart I (4:22)
Drums: CW
Bass: PP
Lead vocal: RW
Backing vocals: MJ, RW
Guitars: RW
Organ: uncredited, most probably Mac
An alternative, earlier mix of track 1, with less guitar, a different lead vocal and Mac's organ in a higher register and more prominently mixed to the foreground.

Liner notes and research by nzb/RDP.

Thanks a lot!
CrazyMama

Just started listening, this is terrific, many thanks, JEMS - and other people involved. Great sound.
2nd best Rolling Stones solo album, IMO, so, nice to hear outtakes and alternates.

Thanks a lot !

HMN

Thanks a lot for another great JEMS release!

Quote
Erik_Snow
Just started listening, this is terrific, many thanks, JEMS - and other people involved. Great sound.
2nd best Rolling Stones solo album, IMO, so, nice to hear outtakes and alternates.

Feel free to share on EL

Quote
Erik_Snow
Just started listening, this is terrific, many thanks, JEMS - and other people involved. Great sound.
2nd best Rolling Stones solo album, IMO, so, nice to hear outtakes and alternates.

With a comment like this I feel like asking the obvious question:

What is the best RS solo album?

Thank you JEMS!

Many thanks! Great post!

thank you kindly !!

Thanks a lot for sharing!

Thank You Very Much....

Great stuff, thanks a lot!

N

JEMS indeed. Many thanks to all concerned in this upload, appreciated.

Quote
Rank Stranger

Quote
Erik_Snow
Just started listening, this is terrific, many thanks, JEMS - and other people involved. Great sound.
2nd best Rolling Stones solo album, IMO, so, nice to hear outtakes and alternates.

With a comment like this I feel like asking the obvious question:

What is the best RS solo album?

for me:
1-talk is cheap - keith richards 1988

2-wandering spirit mick jagger 1993

3-gimme some neck - ron wood 1978

4-1,2,3,4 - ron wood 1981

5-primitive cool - mick jagger 1987

6-main offender - keith richards 1992

-



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-30 22:34 by Erik_Snow.

This is so great, thank you very much!

My favorites:
1. Talk is cheap
2. I've got my own album to do
3. Wandering spirit

Thank you very much my friend, great share.




For me,"Talk Is Cheap" is absolutely the best Stones solo album......than 10 empty places......"Primitive Cool" could be at the top of my list of worst Stones solo albums. "Wandering Spirit" is my favorite Jagger`s solo

Quote
Rank Stranger

Quote
Erik_Snow
Just started listening, this is terrific, many thanks, JEMS - and other people involved. Great sound.
2nd best Rolling Stones solo album, IMO, so, nice to hear outtakes and alternates.

With a comment like this I feel like asking the obvious question:

What is the best RS solo album?

I'm a bit sorry for posting this question here,
this might turn this thread into a wrong direction.

If there is still any interest ( no longer from my side ),
one should start a new thread like:
"Best solo Stones LP" or whatever...

Thanks! Never enough Ronnie Wood. This was his last album to prominently feature the other Stones (although Charlie turned up for a few songs on later albums.) It makes a great companion to Some Girls.

Hearing these early mixes is a treat. Getting Tiger Balm is an even bigger treat! Great work as always from JEMS.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-30 23:12 by afilosa09.

Great! I always liked his solo work.

Thanks! Love it. Gimme Some Neck has always been a favorite. I hear a lot more of Mick's vocals on Buried Alive.

Thank you

excellent - many thanks for sharing

Thanks !

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IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio

Fantastic share, thank you so much Jems.

Spectacular!!!
the descriptions are the best! is what we fans like, having each song with its corresponding descriptions!

Thank you so much JEMS!!! Great stuff and you are the man!!!

Thank you, JEMS!