Last month saw the release of Hackney Diamonds, The Rolling Stones’ first album of new original songs in 18 years, but in a recent interview with France’s Brut TV, frontman Mick Jagger revealed that his band is already well on their way to finishing a follow-up record.
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“We’ve recorded more than half of the next album,” the 80-year-old rock legend told the Brut interview. “We recorded 23, 25 songs in this session [for Hackney Diamonds]. And I’m going to write even more songs to record, to make a second album soon.”
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Hackney Diamonds features 12 tracks, and a variety of music stars contributed to the album, including Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, and Stevie Wonder.
Asked how those artists wound up recording with The Rolling Stones, Jagger explained that they were all in Los Angeles at the same time that his band was there laying down tracks for Hackney Diamonds.
“Paul McCartney was in Los Angeles to work. It was a coincidence,” Jagger noted. “And Stevie Wonder, he was in Los Angeles. He’s friends with [Hackney Diamonds co-producer] Andy [Watt]. And I also talk to him on the phone. And [as] for Lady Gaga, she was working in the studio next door. But that’s all, they were all just there.”
McCartney played bass on a punk-influenced tune called “Bite My Head Off,” while Lady Gaga and Wonder contributed vocals and keyboards, respectively, to the gospel/soul-inspired song “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.”
The Brut journalist also asked Jagger if he had a favorite rap artist, and he picked the young U.K. artist Dave, whom, he pointed out, “was born in … almost the same neighborhood as me.” He added that besides Dave, there “are many, many very good [rappers].”
Jagger also revealed that he recorded a rap-influenced song during the Hackney Diamonds sessions that may appear on the next Stones album.
Jagger spoke fluent French in the Brut TV interview, and you can check out a video of the full Q&A on Brut’s official YouTube channel.
In its debut week, Hackney Diamonds debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and topped the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart.
Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
