In the first week of September, the Rolling Stones surprised fans by announcing their new studio album, Hackney Diamonds .
This is the Stones' first album of new material in 18 years and will be officially released on October 20th. Expectations for the project are high, not only to hear the band's new music, but also because this is the group's first album since the death of drummer Charlie Watts .
Check out everything we know so far about the new Rolling Stones album:
What does the album title mean?
" Hackney diamonds " is an English expression that refers to broken glass – more specifically, glass that breaks in a car window or a glass pane when committing a robbery.
The name was among other possible titles with the same connotation, such as " hit and run " and " smash and grab ," according to Keith Richards . All the expressions refer to acts of theft and escape, bringing a bit of the rebelliousness that is the Stones' trademark.
When was it recorded?
Hackney Diamonds emerged in a notoriously short space of time, according to the Rolling Stones. According to Mick Jagger , the band admitted they were being "lazy" about new music and decided to set a deadline for having a new album ready.
“The three of us sat down and said, ‘Okay, let’s start this album at Christmas and finish it by Valentine’s Day,’” he says. “So we went to the studio in December, recorded 23 tracks really quickly, finished everything in January, and mixed it in February.”
The album was produced by Andrew Watt , who worked with Ozzy Osbourne on the albums Patient Number 9 and Ordinary Man .
Another album of unreleased material may be on the way
As Mick Jagger mentioned, the band recorded around 23 tracks in the studio, but only 12 were used on Hackney Diamonds .
During an interview with Jimmy Fallon , Ronnie Wood let slip a comment saying "we made two albums," but the subject wasn't developed further during the conversation.
What can we expect from the music?
In an interview with host Jimmy Fallon , Mick Jagger revealed that, initially, the band wanted the album's concept to revolve around songs about "anger" and "disgust." Later, however, they decided to do something more eclectic, including love songs and ballads.
The album was also carefully crafted by the current members of the Rolling Stones. “We didn’t want to just make any old record and release it,” comments Mick Jagger. “Before we started, we decided we would make a record that we truly loved. Maybe people will like it, maybe they won’t. But I have to say we’re quite happy with it.”
A taste of what's to come can be heard in the first single, "Angry," which has a music video starring Sydney Sweeney ( Euphoria ).
Charlie Watts plays drums on two tracks
In August 2021, the Rolling Stones lost their drummer and longtime friend Charlie Watts , who passed away at the age of 80.
Charlie didn't live to see a new album of unreleased material from the Stones, but two tracks he recorded in 2019 made it onto the Hackney Diamonds : "Mess It Up" and "Live By The Sword".
Steve Jordan plays drums for the Rolling Stones , and according to Keith Richards, Charlie himself suggested he replace him eventually.
“Since Charlie passed away, everything is different for us,” comments Keith Richards. “He’s number 4, we miss him terribly. But thanks to Charlie Watts, we have Steve Jordan today, who was Charlie’s recommendation in case something happened to him […] It would have been much more difficult without Charlie’s blessing .”
Bill Wyman, former bassist for the Rolling Stones, also participates in the album
In addition to the drums recorded by Charlie Watts in 2019, the track "Live By The Sword" also features former bassist Bill Wyman .
Wyman was a member of the Rolling Stones from its founding in 1962 until 1993, when he decided to leave the band. With his participation in the song, "Live By The Sword" officially features four original Stones.
Lady Gaga and Paul McCartney are expected to be on the album
During an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Ronnie Wood briefly mentioned that Lady Gaga sings on the new song "Sweet Sounds of Heaven".
In addition to the pop singer, the album may also feature Paul McCartney . In February, a representative for the Rolling Stones reportedly confirmed that Paul played bass on "just one track" that would supposedly be on the new album. To date, the band has neither confirmed nor denied the rumor.
