Album Mini-review: Bill Wyman — Back to Basics
During his time (1962-1993) with the Rolling Stones, bassist Bill Wyman released three albums that displayed his particular (if low-key) musical sensibilities. After the success of his friends-and-all project Willie & the Poor Boys, he adopted that approach for his long-running aggregation, The Rhythm Kings. That busman’s holiday aggregation was a low-pressure way for Wyman to hang out with talented friends, focusing on live dates and albums that presented beloved covers from early- and pre-rock’n’roll eras. Back to Basics employs a similar method: it features straightforward, polished musicality, wry lyrical wordplay, and Wyman’s gravelly, unprepossessing vocals that recall the late Ian Dury. Whether one would call the album “consistent” or “samey” likely has much to do with how one feels about Wyman’s understated and unpretentious musical approach in general. The bottom line is that it pleases Wyman, and as he approaches his eightieth birthday in October 2016, that’s success enough.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.