Rolling Stones are “nearly done” working on a new album.
The veteran rockers released their 24th studio LP Hackney Diamonds in 2023 and while fans had waited 18 years since the release of A Bigger Bang in 2005 for the new material, it seems they won’t have quite as long a wait for the group’s next record as guitarist Keith Richards’ son Marlon Richards has revealed they have been hard at work in the recording studio.
Speaking to the new Rolling Stones edition of Record Collector magazine, the actor-and-producer said of the band: “They’re in town right now, recording.
“They’re in Chiswick [West London] or somewhere like that; I think they’re nearly done. They still maintain these ridiculous hours: after lunch until, like, two in the morning. I’d rather be somewhere else at that time of night! Unless you’re in it, it’s pretty boring.”
Asked specifically what they are working on, he said: “I guess an album – they have enough left over from the last one.”
The Brown Sugar hitmakers won the Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards and Marlon explained the recognition had spurred them back to work.
He said: “They gave them a Grammy, so now they’re all hyped up on that: ‘Oh, yeah – we can do another one like that! We’ve got more like that if you want…’. I think they’re doing the follow-up.”
And Marlon confirmed speculation that the band will be playing live next year.
He said: “I think they’re planning a tour of Europe.”
Meanwhile, Ronnie Wood – who joined the group in 1975, 13 years after they formed – claimed earlier this year was that he, Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards don’t socialise together too much when they are not recording or touring.
He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “We’re not on the phone to each other every five minutes. When we’re not touring we keep in touch, just to keep the feelers in each other’s camp, but we don’t over-familiarise – we run on faith and truth.
“We have faith in our music, and we always have hope that people will keep turning up, and sure enough they do.”
During his time in the Rolling Stones, Ronnie has played the role of “diplomatic welding torch”, serving as peacemaker amid the volatile relationship between Mick and Keith.
He recalled how the pair were not on speaking terms when preparing to record their album ‘Dirty Work’ in 1984 because of Keith’s unhappiness that Mick was also recording his first solo LP.
Recalling being the intermediary between the duo, he said: “It was, ‘OK, you’re going to speak to one another on the phone.’ ‘He doesn’t want to speak to me.’ ‘Oh yes he does! I’ve rigged it up – in 15 minutes he’s expecting your call.’
“So I got Mick to ring Keith, and the other way round. Patching it up, talking, letting nature take its course. But the thing is, if I hadn’t done that, they’d have grown further and further apart.”
Ronnie insisted it was vital he stepped in.
He added: “They’ve been friends since the sandpit. They’re like brothers — they may argue between them, but in the end it’s family. That was the glue, the foundation of the band. I had to protect the institution, didn’t I? It’s the Rolling Stones! No way was this going to collapse.”