“[ A new album ] looks closer,” said Richards to Rolling Stone (the magazine, that is) in a recent interview. “Don’t know where, don’t know when yet … We had a little chat. We were just saying, ‘We gotta get in the studio right? Right?’ ‘That’s agreed. Okay, boys, that’s agreed.'”
Updated 11/13/2015 by Ryan Waniata: Following Richards’ statements, longtime member Ronnie Wood has told ABC Radio that the band may get into the studio even earlier than originally stated, saying “We’ll maybe go in the studio in December and cut a few tracks and see what happens.”
If and when the record does come, it will be their first since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. Their 24th American studio album, A Bigger Bang was well-regarded by critics and sold over a million copies in the states. After touring alongside the record from 2005 until 2007, the band took a break from recording. They left their label, the now-defunct EMI, for Universal Music, re-recorded and re-released Exile on Main St., celebrated their 50th anniversary with shows, and toured stateside and abroad in 2013 and 2014 on a limited run.
But it’s been some time since we’ve heard anything new from Mick, Keith and Co. Richards told Rolling Stone that, while he’s unsure exactly what will happen, the band may begin recording after their South American tour next February. “But you never know,” said the now 71-year old rocker. “We might try to get into the studio before Christmas. I think that’s sort of doubtful, with Christmas being Christmas, all that buildup. But at the same time, it’s definitely in the works.”
In the meantime, Richards has his hands full: he’ll release his solo album Crosseyed Heart — his first since 1992’s Main Offender — on Friday, and he’s made headlines lately for some controversial music critiques. Earlier this month, while promoting the new record, he said that rap is for the ‘tone-deaf.’ And last month, his opinion du jour was calling the Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers ‘a mishmash of rubbish.’
Regardless of his thoughts, though, Richards, Mick Jagger, and the rest of the Stones have made great rock ‘n roll since 1962. We’ll be excited to see what they come up with for their next record.
