April

Flashpoint

Recorded across the Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour, and their last album for CBS, Flashpoint was unique for the Stones’ live albums in that it included two exclusive new studio tracks, ‘Highwire’ (inspired by the First Gulf War) and ‘Sex Drive’. Wyman played on both of these, but he refused to appear in the ‘Highwire’ promotional video, making the songs his last for the group – though he wouldn’t officially retire until 1993. Taking in a lot of hits, and some more obscurer catalogue songs like ‘Factory Girl’, Flashpoint was a fair reflection of the Stones’ live shows as they were recorded.

November

Sign With Virgin Records

Come the end of their CBS deal, the label had been sold to Sony, and its charismatic head, Walter Yentikoff, no longer worked there. Though the rumour was that Richard Branson wanted to sign the Stones to make his Virgin record label more attractive for selling on himself, Mick was interested in signing with the label, and the Stones received a rumoured $45 million for a three-album deal. Wyman refused to sign the contract, so its terms and conditions allowed him a year to think about it. Within four months, Branson sold the label and used the money to start Virgin Air.

Personalities | Introducing The Rolling Stones
Personalities | The Rolling Stones (1992) | Key Events