Mick Jagger's former solo right-hand man, guitarist Jimmy Rip, says that he and Jagger recorded a full solo album with the late-Charlie Watts. Rip revealed that the original version of the Jagger's third album, 1993's Wandering Spirit, was recorded with the Stones' drummer behind the kit.
Jimmy Rip, who in 1988 handled guitar duties on Jagger's one and only solo tour hitting Australia and Japan, recalled working on the material with the Stones frontman, telling Ultimate Classic Rock: (“Mick) and I went to his big chateau in France. We had the Rolling Stones mobile truck come down and park in the parking lot. He and I and Charlie Watts, who lives not far away, the three of us, recorded an entire version of Wandering Spirit. Which for me, is the best version of Wandering Spirit. (Bassist) Doug Wimbish came and played on a few tracks. I played bass on a lot of it and guitar. But that version of the record is blindingly great.”
Rip went on to explain, “The problem with it was that it sounded so much like a Rolling Stones record! It really sounds just like a Stones record. To the point where sometimes I play it for people and I say, 'Hey, have you ever heard these Stones outtakes?' And they go, 'Wow, how come they never put this out?' It’s like, this is not a Stones record! But Mick at the end of it said, 'If I want to make a Rolling Stones record, I’ll make it with the Rolling Stones.'”