Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
Rolling Stones Unreleased:Hey Negrita (alternate long version)
Inside the Rolling Stones’ Black and Blue Sessions – Munich 1975
In early 1975, the Rolling Stones headed to Musicland Studios in Munich to begin sessions for what would become the Black and Blue album. This period was marked by both musical experimentation and a pivotal lineup change, as the band searched for a new guitarist to replace Mick Taylor. The sessions doubled as informal auditions, featuring a rotating cast of six-string hopefuls including Wayne Perkins, Harvey Mandel, and eventual member Ronnie Wood.
Musically, the band veered into funk, reggae, and jazz-infused territory, a bold shift from their blues-rock roots. Tracks like Hey Negritaand Hot Stuff capture this sonic evolution. The laid-back Munich atmosphere, combined with the Stones’ instinct for reinvention, made these sessions particularly rich and revealing. Black and Blue ultimately emerged as one of the band’s most groove-heavy and stylistically diverse records, reflecting a band in flux—experimenting, reshaping, and defiantly pushing forward.
The Birth of Hey Negrita: A Rolling Stones Jam with Ronnie Wood
Before Ronnie Wood was officially a Stone, he made a memorable entrance into the band’s creative circle during the Black and Blue sessions in Munich. Though still committed to The Faces, Wood showed up with swagger and inspiration. Entering the studio where Mick, Keith, Bill, and Charlie were already gathered, he didn’t hesitate. “I’ve got a song,” he announced. “I’ve played it to you before.”
What followed was pure chemistry. With no formal arrangement, the band jumped in, picking up the groove and jamming seamlessly. The energy in the room was electric, the kind that doesn’t need explanation—just instinct. That spontaneous session sparked the creation of Hey Negrita, a track that captured a fresh, Latin funky edge and marked a turning point in the group dynamic. All that remained was for the lyrics to catch up to the music, which had already roared into life.
Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
