Legendary English rock band The Rolling Stones release their first album in almost two decades. Here's what critics say about it.
Keith Richards (left), Ronnie Wood (center) and Mick Jagger launched their new album 'Hackney Diamonds' at Hackney Empire in LondonImage: Toby Melville/REUTERS
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English rock band The Rolling Stones on Friday released "Hackney Diamonds," their first album of original music in 18 years and the first album the band ever recorded without drummer Charlie Watts, who died in 2021.
The three surviving Stones — Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood — are the backbone of the album, which features cameos from Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Paul McCartney — who plays bass on the song, "Bit My Head Off" — and former bassist Bill Wyman. Charlie Watts drums on two songs recorded before his death. Steve Jordan drums on the other 10 tracks.
Music critics have lauded the comeback record, even if its return to classic Stones rock and blues was sometimes too polished.
"Hackney Diamonds feels like a self-aware, historically mindful party, Jagger’s remarkable vocal thrust utterly unimpaired," wrote UK music magazine Mojo.
"The dove-tailing guitars on 'Get Close,' Keef’s instinct-led ballad 'Tell Me Straight' and the 'Exile On Main Street'-ish country honk of 'Dreamy Skies' are 24-carat Stones," continued the four star review.
An album launch party took place in New York on the eve of the album release, with Lady Gaga joining the band on stage.
'An amazingly solid album'
Recorded in New York, Los Angeles, London and the Bahamas, "Hackney Diamonds" finishes with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards getting back to their blues roots with a raw cover of Muddy Waters’ "Rollin' Stone" — which inspired the name of the band when they started it in London in 1962.
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Was the song closing the loop on the band's six-decade long career?
German music magazine Musikexpress was happy to report that, according to Mick Jagger, the next album is already three-quarters done, adding this was a "good thing" on evidence of "an amazingly solid album."
Keith Richards said the band rediscovered its mojo in the studio, with "Hackney Diamonds" completed in a relatively rapid two months.
"I've never ever not had fun recording, but this one had real urgency and energy," he said in an interview with The Telegraph. "We blitzkrieged that thing."
The album also sees the Stones team up with Grammy-winning producer Andrew Watt.
The Stones roll on
The Rolling Stones were one of the leading lights of the 1960s global boom in British music that began with the rapid international success of their great northern rivals from Liverpool, the Beatles.
Their first album, the self-titled "The Rolling Stones" was released in 1964 and became a big hit in Great Britain. They have since sold an estimated 200 million records.
The Stones show no sign of planning to retire and last year played a 60th anniversary European tour before releasing their 24th British studio album.
With the band back to form, another record will be much-anticipated.
As Rolling Stone magazine said of the "collection of bangers" released on October 20, "Hackney Diamonds isn’t just another new Stones album, but a vibrant and cohesive record — the first Stones album in ages you’ll want to crank more than once."
Rolling Stones celebrate 60 years as a band
Their first concert was at London's Marquee Club on July 12, 1962. Six decades later, the Stones' concerts are still among the world's greatest rock'n'roll events.
Image: Robin Utrecht/picture alliance
60 years of Rolling Stones
They keep on rolling: The Stones are still touring across Europe, 60 years after the band played their first-ever gig, at London's Marquee Club on July 12, 1962. A new four-part BBC documentary series, "My Life as a Rolling Stone," focuses on the four core members, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and the late Charlie Watts. Here's a look at how they became so legendary.
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Starting out with rhythm and blues
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met each other at school. In 1962, they founded The Rolling Stones. Also performing at their first concert in London were Tony Chapman (drums), Dick Taylor (bass) and Ian Stewart (piano). Another line-up followed with Brian Jones (second guitar), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums), who performed on the first album, The Rolling Stones, in 1964.
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Bad boy band
With their feel-good pop, The Beatles were already achieving world fame in 1964. That's why Andrew Loog Oldham, then manager of the Stones, wanted to create a group to counter the Fab Four. They were to become famous as the "bad boys" — though during their first TV performance in the show "Ready Steady Go," they came across as harmless good guys.
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A different image
One year later, on September 11, 1965, the Stones gave their first concert in West Germany — in the somewhat conservative city of Münster. The police had a hard time keeping their fans under control. Most residents in Münster, however, eyed the Stones with suspicion. In fact they were lucky. Fans in Berlin demolished a stage during a later concert, which would take seven years to rebuild.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Otto Noecker
Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll
During the late 1960s, no other band came to embody the image of the hedonistic rock band more than the Stones. Groupies and heavy drug use were par for the course. Hard drugs eventually took their toll on Stones guitarist Brian Jones. He left the band in June 1969 and a short time later, drowned in his swimming pool under mysterious circumstances.
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An ingenious idea
In May 1965, the Stones went on their third tour across the US, playing cover versions of rock hits once more. They still hadn't produced enough songs of their own. One night, Keith played a new melody on his guitar, and loved it so much that he recorded it and had Mick listen to it. It was the hookline of their first worldwide hit, "Satisfaction."
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Shock in Altamont
The Altamont Free Concert, initiated by the Stones management, was intended as a peaceful counter event to Woodstock. Alongside the Stones on stage were, among others, Santana, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Jefferson Airplane. When the Stones appeared, the crowd got out of control and the concert had to be interrupted. Hells Angels were behind the commotion.
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The end of the hippie era
When the Stones started playing "Under my Thumb," a man collapsed in front of the stage after a member of the Hells Angels stabbed him in the back. The band was deeply shocked. "If Woodstock was the dream," said British photographer Eamon McCabe later, "then Altamont was the nightmare." This day, December 6, 1969 is said to mark the end of the hippie era.
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1973, still with Mick Taylor (2nd from left)
The band faced tax troubles in the 70s, which led them to flee to France, where they recorded "Exile On Main St." in 1972, considered by many to be the best Stones album ever. In 1974, guitarist Mick Taylor left and was replaced by Ron Wood.
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Drug-fueled 1970s
Drug busts complicated the band's international tour plans. Charged with "possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking," Keith Richards was sent to rehab to avoid a long prison sentence, while Mick Jagger continued his jet-set lifestyle. Musically, they experimented with different musical genres, dabbling in funk ("Miss You" in 1978) and disco ("Emotional Rescue" in 1980).
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An amazing live band
Overcoming those problems, by the 1980s the band was back to doing what they do best: performing live concerts. They were in such demand that they easily filled entire football stadiums — including in Germany in 1982, where they played many legendary shows.
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Rocking around the world
Even after founding member Bill Wyman left in 1993, the Rolling Stones simply carried on into the next millennium, playing stages around the world. The idea of a farewell tour popped up a few times, but they kept on rocking. Despite their age, they never failed to put on spectacular shows. This photo was taken in 2003 in Moscow.
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'I'm a rolling stone'
In 2006, Japanese fans enjoyed a Stones concert in the city of Saitama, north of Tokyo (pictured). Some time later, the Stones performed in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. True fans know where the band's name came from: Apparently, Brian Jones was inspired by the blues hit "Mannish Boy" by Muddy Waters, which contained the line, "I'm a rolling stone."
Image: AP
2021: Charlie Watts dies
He was the Stones' backbone. But in 2004 drummer Charlie Watts was diagnosed with cancer. Radiation therapy led to recovery, and he continued touring with the Stones for many years. His last concert was in August 2019, as part of the "No Filter" tour. Two years later, he died at the age of 80.
Image: Ian West/PA/picture alliance
The new man on the drums
At 65, he is way younger than all other members: Steve Jordan was first hired to fill in for a few gigs and finish the Stones' "No Filter" tour in the US after Charlie Watts' death. Now he has joined the world's longest-serving rock band on their European tour.
