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ROLLING STONES: Diamonds Are Their Best Friends

By Jim Cartwright Sep 6, 2023 | 4:24 PM

After a few weeks of teasing with an ad in a London newspaper and with social media clips, The Rolling Stones have announced their new album.

Hackney Diamonds is their first album of original material since 2005’s A Bigger Bang (released, coincidentally, 18 years ago today — September 6th, 2005), and first studio album since their blues covers collection Blue & Lonesome in 2016.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood made the announcement this morning (Wednesday) during a YouTube livestream Q&A from the Hackney Empire in East London hosted by The Tonight Show‘s Jimmy Fallon. (Despite the venue dating back to 1901, the Stones never played there.)

The album contains 12 tracks and was recorded in various locations around the world, including Los Angeles; London; Nassau, Bahamas; and New York. It’s their first collaboration with producer Andrew Watt, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, Post Malone and Iggy Pop. Jagger said that the bulk of the album was recorded between last December and this February with Watt and that they gave themselves a deadline to make sure they would get it done.

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The first single is “Angry” and is accompanied by a music video directed by Francois Rousselet, who did the video for “Ride ‘Em on Down” off Blue & Lonesome. It stars actress Sydney Sweeney, known for her roles in The White Lotus, Euphoria and The Handmaid’s Tale. She was on hand for the premiere along with her mom Lisa.

The album does contain guest appearances from their former bassist Bill Wyman, who plays alongside the late Charlie Watts on “Live By the Sword,” as well as Paul McCartney. The other track that Watts appears on, which was recorded in 2019, is called “Mess It Up.” Woody did let it slip that Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder also appear on the album.

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Photo by Premiere’s Sal Cirrincione

Fallon also revealed the album’s track listing:

  1. “Angry”
  2. “Get Close”
  3. “Depending on You”
  4. “Bite My Head Off”
  5. “Whole Wide World”
  6. “Dreamy Skies”
  7. “Mess It Up” (w/Charlie Watts)
  8. “Live by the Sword” (w/Charlie Watts & Bill Wyman)
  9. “Driving Me Too Hard”
  10. “Tell Me Straight”
  11. “Sweet Sound of Heaven” (w/Lady Gaga)
  12. “Rolling Stone Blues”
It got called Hackney Diamonds because I think we were between — we were flinging ideas around for titles and we went from Hit n’ Run to Smash n’ Grab and somehow between that we came up with Hackney Diamonds, which is like a variation on them both. And also, it’s a London band, you know.”

Mick also added that when car windows in Hackney are smashed, the broken glass is referred to as Hackney diamonds.

“We wouldn’t have put this album out if we hadn’t of really liked it. We didn’t want to make just any record and put it out. So we wanted to make a record — before we went in we all said we’re going to make a record that we really love ourselves. People make like it, other people may not. We must say that we are quite pleased with it. I’m not saying we’re big headed about it. We’re pleased with it — I’ll drink to that — and we hope you all like it.”

The Rolling Stones – “Angry.” OC: cold with short sustain 3:44