Frontman Mick Jagger spoke on a Canadian Podcast, ‘Q with Tom Power’ to promote the new album and he revealed that a follow-up is already being worked on as he said: “This won’t be the last album. We are two-thirds through the next one.”

This will come as a massive shock to long-time Rolling Stones fans as before Hackney Diamonds, which is due for release on October 20^th, the last full-length album of original music the band had released was 2005’s A Bigger Bang.

The new album, Hackney Diamonds, will feature original drummer, Charlie Watts – who unfortunately died in August 2021 from cancer. Watts plays on 2 songs whilst his replacement Steve Jordan plays on the rest of the tracks. Jagger earlier this month confirmed this as he said: “There’s 12 tracks on the album. Most are with Steve, but two are tracks we recorded in 2019 with Charlie. We used two of the tracks that we recorded with Charlie before.”

Commenting at a special event at Hackney Empire in London earlier this month, guitarist Keith Richards commented on Watts’ absence, saying: “Ever since Charlie’s gone it’s different, of course, he’s number four, he’s missing. Of course he’s missed, incredibly. But thanks to Charlie Watts we have Steve Jordan – who was Charlie’s recommendation should anything happen to him, Steve Jordan is your man. It would have been a lot harder without Charlie’s blessing.”

It can only be assumed at this point that the follow-up album is being worked on with replacement drummer, Steve Jordan, however that is ultimately unknown.

First and foremost, the band is currently gearing up for the release of Hackney Diamonds with lead single ‘Angry’ already released.

The album features star studded collaborations including Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

Talking about Paul McCartney making it on the album, Jagger claims it was unexpected, as he said: “Paul was in LA when we were recording and he was supposed to work with Andy one week. Andy had said, ‘I am working on this record and I will be on it for six months if I do nothing else. Andy said, ‘Why don’t we get Paul to come in?’. We suggested he played on this tune, and he really rocked it. We were all in a room together. “It seemed so natural and Paul was so relaxed and he enjoyed it. John [Lennon] was a close friend of mine and he was so acerbic. Paul is a different kind of personality. We don’t see each other that much but we do text.”

The Stone’s new album released after teasing the idea, comes almost two decades after their last album was released back in 2005, and their first since the death of Charlie Watts.

Mick said, “Most are Steve, but two are tracks we recorded in 2019 with Charlie and so we, er, we used two of the tracks we recorded with Charlie before.” Ronnie Wood then picked up from that and confirmed the name of both singles, he said “Live By The Sword” and “Mess it up.”

Fans will have to patiently wait until October 20 when the album is officially released. You can access the Rolling Stones web page and pre-order the album now.

Charlie Watts previously proclaimed as the greatest drummer of his generation, sadly died in 2021; however, the reason behind his death has never been disclosed. Charlie was previously diagnosed in 2004 with throat cancer but was in remission in 2005.

Keith Richards recalls and tells Jimmy during their press conference that Charlie had recommended Steve Jordan. “Thanks to Charlie Watts also we have Steve Jordan, who was Charlie’s recommendation, If anything should happen to him, Steve Jordan’s your man.”

Charlie Watts, appearing on two tracks from the new album, wasn’t the only surprise that the Rolling Stones had up their sleeve for their comeback release.

The first long-awaited new single off the album, to be released, is entitled Angry. The band reunited with host Jimmy Fallon in Hackney London on September 6, to premier their iconic new music video.

At the conclusion of the premiere, Jimmy Fallon had another special guest, Sydney Sweeney, the star of the Rolling Stones’ new music video. Famous for her acting performances in ‘Euphoria’, ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ and, most recently, ‘Reality’.

In the video, Sweeney is being driven down Los Angeles Boulevard, in a Stones-branded convertible, passing billboards of the Rolling Stones through the decades. She is seen enjoying the open top, lip-syncing to the lyrics, and playing air guitar.

After the Rolling Stones leave the stage, Jimmy steps down to the front row, where Sydney Sweeney and her Mum, Lisa, are sitting. Jimmy asks Sydney “What goes through your brain when you get asked to do a Rolling Stones video?” Sydney replies with, “Oh gosh, Freaked out, called my family and brought my mum.”, Sydney then turns to the seat behind her, where her mum is sitting.

Jimmy, turns and says to Lisa, “Hi mom, You’ve gotta be very proud of your daughter.” With a beaming smile on her face, she nods and says, “Very proud.”

Fallon asks “Have you done a video before?”.  Although Sydney has appeared in one other music video, she goes on to add, “But nothing like this” and “This is the biggest thing ever.”

September 20, Rolling Stones, new album, Hackney Diamonds featuring Charlie Watts, and it is clear, that his contributions to the band over the past 58 years and talent as a drummer will be sorely missed on tour and from the recording studio.

The Rolling Stones appear to have revealed the title of their next album with an advert for a fictional glass repair specialists in the Hackney Gazette and Islington Gazette. https://t.co/VSRM35BrnN

— Hackney Gazette (@hackneygazette) August 23, 2023

Fans of The Rolling Stones are convinced that an advert taken out in London’s Hackney Gazette about a new window repair business is actually a cleverly cryptic album announcement by the band. The advert is for a store called Hackney Diamonds (reputed to be the title of the new record) opening in September 2023 and many, especially those that are shrewd fans of the band, have noticed that the so-called business’s advert features many Rolling Stones songs embedded in the writing.

Taking a closer look, the Rolling Stones famous tongue and lips logo forms the dot in the i of Diamonds at the top of the advert and some have claimed that the font style is the same as the one used on 1978’s Some Girls. Perhaps most intriguing, the bottom of the advert makes the claim that the ‘business’ was established in 1962-the very year the Rolling Stones formed as a band.

The advert also includes a link to its website. When followed, a privacy terms window opens on behalf of the band’s music label Universal. There is also a number people can call, featuring a voice that welcomes callers to Hackney Diamonds, specialists in glass repair.

The Rolling Stones having fun with an ad teaser for their new album in the Hackney Gazette pic.twitter.com/2l4sZCVj6k — simon read (@simonnread) August 23, 2023

Not surprisingly, the advert, noticed by eagle-eyed fans, has cued excitement for every Rolling Stones fan as the prospect of the band’s first new original music in 18 years is enough to make considerable waves in the music scene. The new album will also mark the first ever Rolling Stones release not to feature drummer Charlie Watts after the musician’s passing two years ago.

Guitarist Keith Richards has previously hinted that, although Watts may be gone, his drumming contributions to the band may not be finished just yet, with the drummer having recorded new tracks prior to his death. Speaking about the recording of new material, Richards teased, “let me put it this way, you haven’t heard the last of Charlie Watts.”

Should the Hackney Diamonds advert prove genuine, it will be the first new Rolling Stones record since 2016 when the band released a blues covers album called Blue & Lonesome. It will, however, be the first new original studio material the group has released since 2005’s A Bigger Bang.

The Rolling Stones were most recently immortalised in their hometown of Dartford when two bronze statues of frontman Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were revealed in the city centre. Named The Glimmer Twins, the statue acknowledges the pair’s first meeting on the platform of Dartford train station.

The Rolling Stones releasing new material will follow their previous album release, Blue and Lonesome, which was released 7 years ago in 2016. The upcoming Stones album will be their 31st studio album and the first since the death of their drummer, Charlie Watts. It has not yet been confirmed if Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will collaborate with the band on the same tracks, or if their recorded material will even be released with the album. There has been no announcements of an expected release date and no statements from members of The Rolling Stones confirming a new album or a collaboration with the surviving member of The Beatles.

Recording sessions have reportedly been taking place recently, in Los Angeles, with the 32-year-old American music guru, Andrew Watt, being said to be producing the album. The 2021 Producer of the Year Grammy award winner, Andrew Watt, has worked with pop stars and rock stars throughout the music industry, such as Ozzy Osbourne, Pearl Jam, Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Iggy Pop and Dua Lipa. On January 11 2023, the guitarist for The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards, confirmed that there will be some new music being released at some point in the near future in a video uploaded to his Instagram . ‘’There’s some new music on its way and hopefully we’ll get to see you.’’ Stones haven’t toured since 2017, on their European and North American ‘The No Filter Tour.’

It is extremely likely that the Stone’s next album will include tracks which were recorded with the group’s legendary drummer, Charlie Watts, who passed away at the age of 80 in the summer of 2021. In a Los Angeles Times interview, Keith Richards was quoted saying ‘’You haven’t heard the last of Charlie Watts.’’ Watts was the drummer for the band for 60 years and reportedly only ever missed one concert throughout those six decades.

The collaboration of The Rolling Stones and the surviving members of The Beatles comes as a surprise to many fans, as throughout their phenomenal music careers, the two bands haven’t always seen eye-to-eye and faced a fiery feud during their successful careers. John Lennon was once quoted in a 1970 Rolling Stone interview, which was about the release of his solo debut album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, stating that Mick Jagger was ‘’a joke.’’ Although there has been phases of rivalry, the bands have also shared moments of appreciation, such as Mick Jagger inducting The Beatles into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. The Stones and Beatles have been known to briefly work together even with their differences, as they teamed up in 1967 for a cameo, as the Beatles performed backing vocals for the single, ”We Love You.”  Variety have said they have reached out to reps for McCartney, Starr, Watt and The Rolling Stones for a comment on the reports of a collaboration.

First of all, Mick Jagger knows all about the comparisons to Harry Styles. For a relatively new artist to have been compared to both Jagger and The Beatles at different points in his career, you could argue that Styles is on the right track. Either way, Jagger doesn’t agree, only accepting a “superficial resemblance“ between the two.

He explained further that Styles “doesn’t have a voice like mine …[and he doesn’t] move on stage like me; he just has a superficial resemblance to my younger self, which is fine — he can’t help that.”

Another point of pride over Styles was Jagger’s androgynous look back in the day, saying “I mean, I used to wear a lot more eye make-up than him. Come on, I was much more androgynous”.  

But don’t worry, there’s no bad beef between the two. Jagger admitted that “I like Harry — we have an easy relationship”, so the Rolling Stones/One Direction crossover fans can rest easy tonight.

However, there was one topic Jagger couldn’t ignore – the death of Rolling Stones’ drummer Charlie Watts, who passed away aged 80 last year. Watts had played with the Stones at every gig since his joining in 1963, but Jagger has now stopped expecting “him to be there any more if I turn round during a show”.

“I do think about him. Not only during rehearsals or on stage, but in other ways too. I would have phoned him up and talked about last night’s Arsenal game because he supported Tottenham and I’m Arsenal. I miss him as a player and as a friend.”

The band are celebrating their sixtieth anniversary in style, with a UK/European tour as well as a new box set release collecting all their singles from 1963-66, which will be released via ABKCO Records on June 10^th. You can pre-order it here.

The tour starts off in Spain next month, taking them around the likes of France, Germany and Switzerland. It will also feature their first show in Liverpool for over fifty years, with Echo and the Bunnymen supporting. The UK dates for their new tour can be seen below, with tickets available here.

Getting ready…

STONES SIXTY pic.twitter.com/GexYHNRCbk

— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) May 21, 2022

The Rolling Stones UK Tour Dates
09/06/2022 – Anfield Stadium – Liverpool
25/06 – American Express Presents BST Hyde Park – London
03/07 – American Express Presents BST Hyde Park – London

Despite having a combined age of 229, that’s just the 3 of them by the way, Jagger believes that he, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards will keep touring for as long as they remain fit, well, and continue to love being on the road. Jagger even added that he is “sure we’ll do shows.”. With this in mind, the beginnings of the band without core member Charlie Watts were tough on Richards, he stated “’I can’t pick this up without Charlie.’. But later the apprehension of playing without his old friend was ironed out as Richards and Jordan locked themselves in as “Once Steve and I got into it: ‘Hey, this is the way it’s supposed to be.”. The band have since done 10 shows together, with another 4 confirmed including a show in Detroit tonight.

The No Filter tour has motored in to Detroit! Tonight the Stones play @fordfield Stadium, we’ll see you there! pic.twitter.com/eiyZ9yQvbd

— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) November 15, 2021

With such an immense position to fill, The Stones began to reflect on just how well Jordan fits into the band. Not as a replacement, but as a respectful ode to Watts. “From a musical point of view, it’s incredibly energetic and wonderfully inspiring.”. As well as revealing just how daunting it can be to join a band in such a high calibre position, “Steve is so aware of the seat he’s sitting in.”, “[he] said to me: ‘Charlie played the drums. He didn’t hit them.’”.

Prior to Jordan’s involvement, Richards also confessed his worries about the future of the band, stating, “Charlie Watts was my bed. I could lay on there and know that not only would I have a good sleep, but I’d wake up and it’d still be rocking.” Adding, “It was something I’ve had since I was 19. I never doubted it. I never even thought about it. Only now am I thinking about it.”.

As well as touring, the band are also re-releasing a 40th-anniversary version of their 1981 album Tattoo You.  The package also contains a bonus disc, with a 26 song live show recorded at Wembley Stadium in 1982.

The 40^th anniversary re-issue of the album features nine additional tracks on top of the eleven original songs, including an alternate version of “Start Me Up” and a cover of R&B group Chi-Lites’ “Trouble’s a’ Comin”. Another bonus disc on the album includes a 26-song live album entitled Still Life: Wembley Stadium 1982, which is a recording of a show from the Tattoo You tour. The album is available on all streaming services, and physical media can be found here.

Most excitingly, the album features a previously unheard track entitled “Come To The Ball”; a swaggering, danceable tune packed with attitude, introduced by a razor-sharp earworm riff by Keith Richards. The song was produced by Jimmy Miller, who had previously worked with The Rolling Stones on albums such as Let It Bleed and Exile on Main St. You can listen to the song at the YouTube link below.

The original Tattoo You is made up almost entirely of outtakes from previous studio albums from the ‘70s. The album also features one of the group’s biggest songs, “Start Me Up”. The album was considered a critical and commercial success for The Rolling Stones, however it was the result of numerous difficulties, namely the band facing touring obligations and personal feuds (particularly between Jagger and Richards) that prevented them from arranging recording sessions for a follow up to their 1980 album Emotional Rescue. A few songs were released as they were, but the majority of the album consisted of half-finished songs that the members would come in to work on when they were available to do so.

In other recent news concerning The Rolling Stones, the band are presently on tour in the United States on the No Filter tour, A North American/European tour which has been ongoing since its commencement in Hamburg on the 9^th of September 2017. As with many tours at this current time, it was originally supposed to reach its end in 2020, however this was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. No Filter officially resumed on the 20^th of September 2021, a date which not only marked the band’s first time on tour since August 2019, but their first time out on the road without their late drummer Charlie Watts. More information on the tour can be found here.

The tracklist for the second CD on the re-issue Lost & Found: Rarities is listed below.

1). ‘Living In The Heart Of Love’
2). ‘Fiji Jim’
3). ‘Troubles A’ Comin’ (Chi-Lites)
4). ‘Shame Shame Shame’ (Jimmy Reed)
5). ‘Drift Away’ (Dobie Gray)
6). ‘It’s A Lie’
7). ‘Come To The Ball’
8). ‘Fast Talking Slow Walking’
9). ‘Start Me Up’ (Early Version)