With “Hackney Diamonds,” the Rolling Stones released their first studio album with their own songs since “A Bigger Bang,” which was released in 2005, on October 20, 2023. 18 years is a long time – Mick Jagger agrees, as he admitted in an interview with the British “Guardian”.
“Yes, in a way,” he answered when asked whether he regretted the long break. “That I didn’t hit the table. Keith kept saying in interviews: ‘If Mick’s ready to make a record, I’ll do it’. I said, ‘Okay? If that’s all I have to say, then great! We just got used to the big tours. But there’s no reason to cry about it now.”
Jagger: “I write all the time”
The 80-year-old also said that he and his bandmate Richards never stopped writing together. “I write all the time. You just have to keep writing, and now anyone can [in der Band] see that they can easily record. It was only three weeks in the studio. That’s not hard. Before, we were too scared while recording. If it’s not good, it’s not good; if this track doesn’t work, another one will work. Let’s just do it!”
Is the tour coming in 2024?
It can be assumed that the Stones will present the new songs on a big tour. Keith Richards confirmed tour plans for next year in a recent interview with the BBC – “if we’re all still there,” as he noted. “We are all in good shape. We don’t look at each other and say, ‘Time’s up,'” the guitarist said at the time. The fact that the legendary British rock band rehearsed perfectly that evening and was in an excellent mood could be an indication that they had already spent some time in the rehearsal room. Finally, the seven-song setlist also included several pieces from “Hackney Diamonds” that the Stones had not yet played live – for example the ballad “Sweet Sounds Of Heaven,” which Mick Jagger performed that evening. As with the studio recording, US superstar Lady Gaga was welcomed as a duet partner.