LONDON — The Rolling Stones unveiled details of their first studio album of original material in 18 years — and the band’s first since the death of drummer Charlie Watts – at a packed-out press conference in London on Wednesday (Sept. 6).
Hackney Diamonds, the group’s 24th studio album, will be released Oct. 20, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards announced at an invite-only launch event at London’s historic Hackney Empire theatre.
The event, which was hosted by Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and streamed globally on YouTube, culminated in the premiere of the band’s new single “Angry” — a classic Stones-style rock tune built around a funky guitar riff, catchy chorus and Jagger’s instantly recognizable yelped vocals — and its accompanying video starring Emmy-nominated actress Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus, Euphoria), who was at the launch.
Hackney Diamonds is the Stones’ first studio album of new songs since 2005’s A Bigger Bang.
Talking about the 12-track record, which features two songs the band recorded with drummer Charlie Watts in 2019, Richards paid tribute to his former band mate, who died in 2021 aged 80.
“Ever since Charlie’s gone, it’s been different. He’s number four. Of course, he’s missed,” said Richards.
The guitarist said that Watts had personally recommended drummer Steve Jordan, who toured with the band last year and plays on 10 tracks on Hackney Diamonds, to replace him if ever “anything should happen to him.”
“It would have been a lot harder without Charlie’s blessing,” Richards, wearing a trademark trilby hat and dark glasses, told Fallon.
Referring to the almost two-decade-long gap between the new album and A Bigger Bang, Jagger pointed out that the band has “been on the road most of the time,” but joked, “maybe we were a bit too lazy.”
The 80-year-old singer said he got together with Richards and Wood just before Christmas last year and gave themselves a deadline of Valentine’s Day to make “a go of” a new record.
23 tracks were recorded in total, said Jagger, before the group settled on the final 12 songs. Track titles revealed by Fallon included “Mess It Up,” “Whole Wide World,” “Live By The Sword and “Depending On You,” which Jagger said was about “relying on someone and they let you down.”
Another song entitled “Sweet Sound Of Heaven” features Lady Gaga, one of a number of superstar musicians rumoured to feature on the LP, the group confirmed.
The Rolling Stones’ original bassist Bill Wyman also plays on one track, Jagger confirmed, while Richards sings “Tell Me Straight,” although he confessed “I have no idea what it’s about.” Hackney Diamonds was produced by Andrew Watt, who Jagger said, “kicked us up the arse.”
The singer — who was in jovial mood, joking with his bandmates and Fallon throughout the press conference and at one point joined the host in an impromptu version of 1965’s “Off The Hook” — said the mood of the album was “angry” and “eclectic” and spanned a range of genres, including love songs and ballads.
Richards said alternative titles they considered for the album included “Hit And Run” and “Smash And Grab” before the trio agreed upon Hackney Diamonds – a reference to the London district of Hackney, where the launch took place. The band choose the title as they are “a London band,” said Richards.
“I don’t want to be big-headed, but we wouldn’t have put this album out if we hadn’t really liked it,” Jagger told the audience, made up of media and journalists from around the world.
“We said we had to make a record we really love ourselves,” said the vocalist. “We are quite pleased with it. We are not big-headed about it, but we hope you all like it.”
Richards said that the album contained a collection of “damn funky riffs.”
According to a press release from the Rolling Stones’ label Universal Music Group/Geffen, Hackney Diamonds was recorded in various locations around the world, including Los Angeles’ Henson Recording Studios, London’s Metropolis Studios and New York’s Electric Lady Studios and The Hit Factory/Germano Studios.
