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Yesterday’s Papers. The Rolling Stones in the press: ‘Black & Blue Blockbuster’

*From the Record Mirror & Disc, England, April 24 1976

*Click for more YESTERDAY’S PAPERS

Mick Jagger learned to dance by watching James Brown and a close inspection of ‘Hot Stuff’ as a curtain raiser on the album reveals a large dose of the JB’s. It’s the usual Stones technique of coming in strong but without reaching the top. With ‘Hand Of Fate’ the most formularised song (you know the ‘Street Fighting Man’ type intro and all that), you wonder if they ever will. Your first pitfall could be in thinking the 16 month old reggae of ‘Cherry Oh Baby’ is for real.

Actually the Nicky Hopkins’ organ playing, even more than the descending vocal ‘yeahs’, puts the whole thing straight into the satirical class. Even so it might have worked better if they’d got more of a recorded in the garage sound. ‘Memory Motel’ turns out to be the big string synthesiser track in the tradition of ‘Moonlight Mile’ and ‘Fingerprint File’.

So far you might be wondering why we’ve had to wait so long for such fairly unoriginal Stones stuff. The track one. ‘Hey Negrita’ is simply the best thing they’ve done since the Exile On Main Street outing, being a hypnotic combination of a rocked out reggae rhythm and the first time such a blending has really worked. It’s special, original, neat and worth the price of the disc. New Orleans camp blues come into the stew on ‘Melody’ with a nice bit of Southern brass and ever-changing vocal effects.

The latest single sounds particularly weak but the album finishes nicely with ‘Crazy Mama’ which, with only a minimal amount of Ron Wood, still sounds more like a Faces song and a good one at that. It concludes a mature album full of well-known Stones riffs but which at its best (i.e. ‘Hey Negrita’) is devastating. The Stones have delivered more product which comes in a frankly disposable sleeve and enters as the third really top class album this year. How many stars make five?

Mixed Reactions for a New Era

When the Rolling Stones released Black and Blue in 1976, critics and fans were split. The album marked a transitional period for the band, as they searched for a permanent replacement for Mick Taylor. Guitar duties were shared among Wayne Perkins, Harvey Mandel, and future full-time Stone Ronnie Wood. This gave the album a scattered feel for some, though others appreciated the diverse sonic textures.

Some reviewers praised the Stones’ willingness to experiment, noting the reggae-infused Cherry Oh Baby, the funk groove of Hot Stuff, and the soulful balladry of Fool to Cry. But others criticized it for lacking cohesion and the raw edge of previous records like Sticky Fingers or Exile on Main St. In Rolling Stone magazine, the album was described as “slick but shallow,” while NME was more generous, calling it “a fascinating if uneven ride.”

Chart Success Despite Criticism

Despite the critical divide, Black and Blue was a commercial blockbuster. It hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and reached No. 2 in the UK. Fool to Cry became a hit single, showing the band still had major radio appeal. Many fans embraced the album’s looser, jammier feel, especially live audiences who heard the songs on the 1976 tour.

Over time, Black and Blue has gained more appreciation for its stylistic exploration and for capturing a band in flux. While not considered among their all-time best, it’s often seen as a bold experiment—and a stepping stone toward the more polished Some Girls era that followed.

Whether loved or loathed, Black and Blue proved the Stones could still surprise listeners even after more than a decade of rock dominance.

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