Rolling Stones Release New Classic, ‘Living in a Ghost Town’ by Best Classic Bands Staff
The Rolling Stones have released a new song, “Living in a Ghost Town.” The surprise release at 12 noon ET on April 23 comes at a time when the group was expected to be getting ready for the 2020 edition of its No Filter tour. That 15-date North American run was scheduled to begin May 8 and continue through July 9, but the band postponed it on March 17, citing “the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.”
Two hours later, at 2 p.m. ET, the band released a video of the song.
When they released the track, the Stones noted that they “had been in the recording studio working on new music before the COVID-19 lockdown and one particular track they’ve been working on, ‘Living In A Ghost Town,’ really resonates with what we’re living through right now, so they wanted to share it with you.
“Recorded in LA, London and in isolation!”
A scene from “Living in a Ghost Town” of London’s empty Regent Street in the age of the Covid-19 pandemic
A video for the song was released two hours later. It includes photos and video images of empty streets in London, Los Angeles, Kyoto and other cities, often juxtaposed with members of the band in a recording studio. “You can search for me,” sings Mick Jagger, “I have to go underground.”
“Life was so beautiful,” he sings to a reggae beat, “then we all got locked down.”
The song, the Stones’ first of original music since 2012, was recorded “well over a year ago,” says Keith Richards, “part of a new album… ongoing thing, and then shit hit the fan [and] Mick and I decided that this one really needed to go to work right now. Stay safe.”
Mick Jagger told Beats 1, “It wasn’t written for now but it was just one of those odd things. It was written about being in a place which was full of life and then now is all bereft of life, so to speak.
“When I went back to what I had written originally, it was all full of plague terms. I never actually used that, though.” (More of the interview below.)
The new song’s release comes five days after their well-received performance of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” on last Saturday’s One World: Together at Home event that was broadcast and streamed around the world.
Joining Richards, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood on the track are Darryl Jones on bass guitar and Matt Clifford on keyboards, French horn, sax and flugelhorn. The song is being released on 10-inch orange-colored vinyl on June 26.
The Stones’ last studio album was Blue & Lonesome, released Dec. 2, 2016. All of its songs were covers of vintage blues tunes originally recorded between 1955-71. Of the dozen tracks, several were originally cut by artists who recorded for Chicago’s Chess Records; four of them alone came from the discography of Little Walter, a harmonica player and vocalist who recorded for the Chess subsidiary Checker Records.
Since then, they have released numerous live recordings and yet another compilation, 2019’s Honk.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-04-30 05:49 by exilestones.
Ron Wood, Bob Dylan, Lionel Richie and Keith Richards perform at Live Aid at Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia, PA, July 13, 1985. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
SiriusXM to launch Prince, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin channels Friday ByAnnie Martin
April 29 (UPI) -- SiriusXM will launch a new collection of music channels dedicated to Prince, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and other artists on Friday.
The satellite and online radio company announced plans Wednesday for nine channels featuring curated music from Prince, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, David Bowie, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, George Strait and Guns N' Roses.
The channels will feature career-spanning songs, greatest hits and exclusive content, including rare tracks and personal insights. SiriusXM is offering free access to its full lineup of content to listeners in North America through May 31 on its app.
"It's like catching lightning in a bottle for SiriusXM to be able to offer authorized channels from these iconic artists, not only to our subscribers, but at a time when our app is free to everyone," SiriusXM president Scott Greenstein said in a press release. "These channels, combined with out already incredible set of artist-dedicated channels, makes SiriusXm the ultimate audio destination to bring fans closer to the artists they love, and at a time when people can use some great music."
SiriusXM said the Prince Channel will feature music from the late singer's catalog, including early recordings and greatest hits. The company will also release a never-before-heard demo of a conceptual radio show that Prince created for a Sirius Satellite Radio channel in 2005.
Rolling Stones Radio, which originally debuted in 2008, has been updated and expanded to reflect the band's nearly six-decade career. The channel also features thoughts and memories from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood.