The Rolling Stones have a new album under their thumb, and it’s their first of original music in 18 years: Hackney Diamonds, the most British diptych of words you’ll read today. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood confirmed their very loud return to the studio at a September 6 press conference, where they revealed the energizing lead track, “Angry.†(Our current contender for best lyrics: “Don’t just bitch at my face!â€) The glaring absence is, of course, their former glue of a drummer, Charlie Watts, who died unexpectedly in 2021. As Richards now reveals, Watts personally anointed the band’s new drummer, Steve Jordan, to be his replacement in the event he could no longer perform.
“Ever since Charlie’s gone, it’s different. He’s number four. Of course he’s missed incredibly,†Richards explained. “Thanks to Charlie Watts, we have Steve Jordan, who was Charlie’s recommendation. If anything should happen to him, Steve Jordan is your man.†Richards, who worked with Jordan for decades as part of his side project, the X-Pensive Winos, said Watts made this declaration “way, way, way back†to his bandmates. “He’s been a friend of ours. I’ve worked with Steve. So it was a natural progression,†Richards added. “It would’ve been harder without Charlie’s blessing on that.†Jagger also confirmed that out of Hackney Diamond’s 12 tracks, two of them — “Live by the Sword†and “Mess It Up†— were recorded with Watts on drums prior to his death. The album will be released on October 20, giving Google enough time to organize “Angry†and “Angie.â€