Thanks, Irix!

There're direct links - and here're direct thanks!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-09-30 17:24 by Topi.

[sverigesradio.se]

Mick interviewed in Swedish radio.

h/t redlands/rocksoff.org

Blood records Zoetrope just dropped
10,000
Blood-records.co.uk
&29.99

2000 gone already
Be quick!

Quote
biggzee

Blood records Zoetrope just dropped 10,000

[Blood-Records.co.uk] - Large picture . See also RS official [Twitter.com] , [www.Facebook.com] , [www.Instagram.com] - (Story).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-09-30 22:50 by Irix.

Just under three weeks to actually holding a new album of original Rolling Stones material. Time can be strange, ABB doesnt seem like 18 years but it is.

A whole generation have popped up into adulthood since the last original album. My eldest nephew was one in 2005, he's now 19 and finished school! Incredible to think of how time has passed and just how much time since an original album.

'Angry' was wonderful three weeks ago, and I'm still playing it. Superb video and a sparkling Stonesy swagger to it. 'Sweet Sounds' is even better, what a storming gospel blues. A top notch performance and a solid gold track. A stunner, so many reviews these past two days have been euphoric. Jagger excels throughout.

A song of that quality, 60 years after their very first single, that in itself is an amazing achievement.

Quote
Irix

Quote
biggzee

Blood records Zoetrope just dropped 10,000

[Blood-Records.co.uk] - Large picture

just ordred it, couldn't resist, but I will still head over to Coventry on release day to get hold of a copy old school. Can't wait to drop the needle.

\m/

Quote
NilsHolgersson
I wonder why they didn't record with Dua Lipa.. well.. maybe on the Hackney Diamonds Remixed album.. could be a hit!

I thought she was going to be in the new album, but she isn´t

It’s getting harder to hold out from listening to anything until I get that record in my hands. Across multiple music sites and forums I haven’t read a bad comment about the tracks kicking around so far. Really looking forward to this record.

Quote
Irix

Quote
biggzee

Blood records Zoetrope just dropped 10,000

[Blood-Records.co.uk] - Large picture . See also RS official [Twitter.com] , [www.Facebook.com] , [www.Instagram.com] - (Story).

This one there was no resisting!!! HD is very easily going to be the album with the most copies bought!!! Who would have ever thought!?!?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-01 11:38 by UrbanSteel.

Quote
amg077

Quote
NilsHolgersson
I wonder why they didn't record with Dua Lipa.. well.. maybe on the Hackney Diamonds Remixed album.. could be a hit!

I thought she was going to be in the new album, but she isn´t

Maybe she is on next album

Be interesting to see who does a good cover of Angry and other songs on Hackney Diamonds

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ColonialstoneNZ
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From Guitar Player December 2023 issue. Thanks, Rockman.





[iorr.org]

What a great interview!

Great read. Thanks for posting, bye bye johnny.

Thatnks for sharing this fantastic interview! That kid seems really clever to me!

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HardRiffin

Quote
amg077

Quote
NilsHolgersson
I wonder why they didn't record with Dua Lipa.. well.. maybe on the Hackney Diamonds Remixed album.. could be a hit!

I thought she was going to be in the new album, but she isn´t

Maybe she is on next album

That would be great!

Excellent read, Excellent post ...
Thanks Rockman & bye bye johnny



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-02 21:03 by schillid.

wow, great read thanks bye bye johnny and rockman

hard not to develop great expectations from that story, as if I had not got yet



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-02 19:29 by maumau.

Wow, what an interview! The 'kid' seemingly knows his shit!

And the story about the birth of "Rollin' Stone"... Dying to hear that one. The original by Muddy truely is one of the most powerful recordings ever done, and I have never heard anyone even remotely recreating the efficiency of it. Neither singing or guitarwise. Muddy is transcendental there. But damn, I trust Mick and Keith. They know what to do with it, and make it theirs. And in a way, it is theirs...

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-02 19:55 by Doxa.

[issuu.com]

There is also an interview with KR in that same issue. Hopefully this link works for others.

Quote
bye bye johnny
From Guitar Player December 2023 issue. Thanks, Rockman.





[iorr.org]

Wow, without a doubt one of the most interesting interviews I have read in a long time. Really looking forward to the album and eventually also the promised documentary. Thanks for posting!

I've not seen any mention of special album launch events in the UK, only in Germany (the bus and fixed stores), which is kind of strange given the album title!!

Cheers,
SonicD

Wow, amazing interview indeed ! They let the freak in and they mustn't regret it a bit, finally someone who re-energized them and challenged them after they'd seen it all over the past 60 years. Can't help but thinking they felt rejuvenated by the whole process. Mick found someone who could help them make the "great" album he wanted, amazing when you think that he said before they got him involved (I think).

Great to read about the session with Macca too, I mean they told the story at the PC, but he put words on why Macca was happy to be there, just being one of the boys, with equals for the first in decades...


PS - I wonder, since he's a "freak from the other side of the barrier", did he ever pop up/post on IORR in the past ? ;-)

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IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-03 00:05 by gotdablouse.

Sounds like we all now like Andrew Watt!

I nerded around a bit and extracted the text from the pics. Not perfect but easier to read:

"The Jewel Maker: How Producer Andrew Watt Helped the Rolling Stones Cut 'Lackey Diamonds'

"So, who does every kid that picks up a guitar want to be?" producer Andrew Watt asks. "You want to be Keith Richards, right? That's the whole thing! Making this record and working with the Rolling Stones, earning their trust, was the honor of my lifetime." Watt, at 32, is still a little giddy from working with the World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band on their new album, 'Lackey Diamonds,' and who can blame him? Even though he's arguably the music industry's hottest producer, having collaborated with everyone from Ozzy Osbourne to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Miley Cyrus, the native New Yorker is still buzzing from his time producing the Stones and their legendary guitar duo of Richards and Ronnie Wood.

Creative Roadblocks: There was a lot of back and forth with Richards and Wood. "I've seen the Rolling Stones play countless times," he continues. "I said to Keith, 'It's like you plucked a fan from behind the barricade and let him produce your album.'"

Watt is a fan, for sure, and his enthusiasm - not to mention his impressive collection of guitars and amps - resonates throughout 'Lackey Diamonds,' arguably the Stones' best work since 1978's 'Some Girls.' But despite his genuine love for the band, he was no pushover, prompting singer Mick Jagger to comment, "He got a producer called Andy Watt who kicked us up the ass." Watt told 'Guitar Player' just how hard he put the boot in.

How Did This Project Come Together?
In their initial conversations, the band explained that they were facing some challenges with the songs, and they would stop-and-start in their initial process, so it became my job to help facilitate bringing the project to completion.

It must've been intimidating to tell Keith Richards to get his act together.
"I don't think that ever happened. He's armed with a knife at all times!" [laughs] But the band had given me a clear directive, and in my line of work, results are what matter. I didn't waste time bullshitting. I just tried to make it clear that it was time to focus and get to work.

How Did You Do That?
I sat down with Keith and just started playing with him. I was of the mind that if I could earn his respect as a player, then I could communicate with him musically and offer suggestions chord-wise or inversion-wise or tone-wise or whatever. And we just got into it. When we started recording the basic rhythm tracks in L.A., I sat next to Keith in the live room. It was an important part of the process for me. I wanted to make sure the sounds were good, and as we were going through the takes, I was able to remember the performances because I was right there. If we got a good take, we just moved on immediately. After we did the basic tracking of roughly 23 songs, we got into overdubs. I think it was during the overdub sessions that I really earned Keith's respect and trust. It was very important to me that all of his parts were done before Mick added his final vocal, and we really worked hard together to accomplish that.

What Was It Like to Work with Keith and Ronnie?
They were very prepared, and we worked out arrangements in the studio. Many of the songs had been developed over time. After we listened to the most recent demo, everyone would start familiarizing themselves with it, and we'd play it a few times until everyone had it down cold. Instead of using the final take, we would often use the previous take because it still had that spark of spontaneity - the take where people were still searching. The worst part of contemporary music is how producers often kill a performance in search of perfection.

Can You Talk a Bit More About How Keith and Ronnie Work Together?
Listen to a classic Stones song like 'Beast of Burden.' You can't tell who's playing lead and who's playing rhythm, and if you mute one of them, it would sound incomplete. They complement each other beautifully, and that's apparent on the whole record. Take a song like 'Angie.' They pause to exchange licks, one handling the rhythm while the other responds. They watch, listen, and engage in this incredible musical dialogue. If you want to really check it out for yourself, I purposely mixed it so that 90 percent of Keith's parts are on the left and Ronnie's are on the right.

There are at least two tracks I'd love to know more about. The first is 'Slide My Head Off,' featuring Paul McCartney on that early buzzing bass.
This is part of a much longer story, but essentially, I was working with both Paul and the Stones during roughly the same period. The Stones' regular bassist, Darryl Jones, isn't on the album at all because he was on tour, so everybody was taking turns playing bass, including me, Keith, Ronnie, and Paul. One day, while speaking with Paul, I thought, "Why not invite him to play bass on a song?" I realized it was a significant request: Can we get someone from the Beatles to play with the Stones? But surprisingly, both Mick and Paul were like, "Sure, no problem, sounds like fun." They were so nonchalant about it.

Reviewing the list of songs slated for recording, the typical choice might have been to place him on one of the ballads, such as 'Dreamy Skies.' However, I thought, how cool would it be to have him play on the most aggressive rock track on the album? I knew Paul loved to rock, and they had a great time recording 'Slide My Head Off.' They were all laughing like teenagers.

Now, how did Paul achieve that fantastic distortion on his bass?
As Paul and I were becoming friends, I decided to get him a gift. I got him another left-handed '64 Hofner, similar to the one he played in the Beatles. However, I added a twist: my guitar tech installed a Univox Super Fuzz circuit on the Hofner that could be activated with a switch. When I gave it to Paul, he said, "This is an incredibly thoughtful gift, but why? I already have my Hofner - why another one?" I was like, "Just plug it in and give that extra switch a try." Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he just started riffing on it. I asked him how he met Mick, and he told me the story. He said he saw this kid getting on the train in Hartford, and under his arm were two albums: 'The Best of Muddy Waters' and the first Chuck Berry album. Both were Chess Records imports, which were almost impossible to find in England at that time. Mick said, "He was either going to be my best friend, or I was going to rob him." [laughs] They, of course, wound up being best friends and started playing together. But 'The Best of Muddy Waters' was important for another reason. One of the tracks on the album - 'Rollin' Stone' - gave the band its name. The idea of asking them to play that song didn't hit me right away, but the germ of the idea was there.

When Did the Idea of

Having Mick and Keith Play 'Rollin' Stone Blues' Click?
It didn't happen immediately. One day, while hanging out with Keith in New York, he was sitting with me talking. But I found it hard to focus on his words because he had an old Martin acoustic guitar in hand, and he was playing the most primal blues I had ever heard in my life. Not many people can play blues like that. Robert Johnson could, Muddy Waters could, and Keith Richards certainly can. He seemed possessed by something, channeling the essence of the blues. It wasn't about complexity; it was about having it in your soul, and Keith had it in spades. It was surprising. I never really thought of him playing a slow Robert Johnson blues, but it's what he really loves. So I made a mental note of it.

After that experience, I told Mick that I thought he and Keith should do a straight acoustic blues for the album. Mick found the idea intriguing but was initially noncommittal, given the many other songs we had to complete. But as the record started falling into place, I pushed him again on the idea. Sometimes that goes well, and other times it does not [laughs]. Suddenly, I heard a change in his voice, and he said firmly, "I have 23 songs I'm trying to write lyrics for. I don't have any more songs for us to record, and if there were ever two guys who could do it, it was Keith and me."

Keith, along with his guitar tech, Pierre LePort, and I listened closely to Muddy's original recording as a reference. We were like, "Is that an electric guitar?" It seemed unlikely; he was playing acoustic back then, yet the sound was so heavy because of the way he played and how it was recorded. "I have a caustic 1930 Gibson L-4 with me," which is like the L-1 guitar associated with Robert Johnson. Keith was like, "Oh, let me see it." And so he started playing the song. He could play it beautifully, but it's not an easy guitar to play. It was made before guitars had truss rods, so there was no way to really adjust the action. But this is when the universe does its thing. He started looking at these two pictures of Robert Johnson. There's the one of him with a cigarette, and there's the other one of him with the hat [shot from further away]. And we noticed in the photo of him with the cigarette that he had a capo on the second fret of his guitar. Keith caught that. So we all asked, "Why is there a capo on the second fret? What does that mean?" Most of us said, "I just asked the dumbest question: Have you guys ever played 'Rollin' Stone Blues' before?" Keith thought for a second and said, "No, we haven't," which sort of surprised him. They had played every other Muddy Waters song, but ironically, never that song. And that's when I pounced and asked whether he would consider playing it for this record. Keith said he knew it backward and forward, but the decision ultimately rested with Mick. I said, "Give me a second and I'll call him." So I went in the other room and called him. I was excited and said, "You won't believe this."

Robert Johnson songs are in the keys of E and A. Keith theorized that maybe he tuned down the guitar a full step, to D, and put a capo on the second fret to bring the guitar back up to E so that the strings were loose and he could play and bend them more easily. So Pierre did exactly that with the L-4, then he handed it to Keith, who found it played effortlessly - like butter. When we debated whether to record using an acoustic or an electric guitar, Keith said, "Let's do both." Meanwhile, Mick was on his way, and we needed a plan. Ultimately, we settled on trying it both ways and deciding later. We set up microphones for the L-4's acoustic sound, and Pierre added a lipstick pickup to it so we could route a signal through all four amps in Keith's amp setup, located in another room. The funny thing was that the electric sound from the other room began bleeding into the acoustic mic, creating a fantastic blend. Mick used a bullet microphone for his harmonica, which we routed through one of my custom-modified Fender Champs from the '60s. He also used another mic for his vocal. However, the volume was so loud that it was like a live performance.

It had been a long time since Mick was with equals, just plugging in his harmonica and doing a session. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face for a very long time.

Did Keith and Ronnie Use Any Unexpected Guitars or Amps on the Album?
Keith brought in his usual amp rig, which consists of four amps that he's been using for a long time - a setup that's well-documented. However, just to switch things up, I brought in five amps that had been worked on by the late and legendary Ted Newman Jones. Keith was particularly drawn to one of the Ted Newman Jones-modified 1958 Fender Twins, which he used for a bunch of his overdubs. It just had a magical sound. Also, in addition to his '54 Les Paul and Gibson ES-355, Keith also played a Dan Armstrong guitar on a few tracks. One of my all-time favorite performances by Keith is a version of 'Midnight Rambler' at a gig at the Marquee Club in 1971. You can watch it online. He's playing a clear Dan Armstrong guitar, and it sounds incredible. Unfortunately, it was stolen years ago, so I bought a '69 just like it and brought it in, and he used it on some tracks. Keith also used a '55 Gibson Les Paul Junior on 'Angie' and 'Rip It Up.' Ronnie used the Junior on 'Slide My Head Off,' but most of the time he played his Zemaitis, which is either a '54 or '55, and the Zemaitis he used on the Faces' hit 'Stay with Me.' It was pretty funny. Every time he plugged the Zemaitis in, we'd make him play 'Stay with Me,' and everyone would sing along at the top of their lungs.

"One of the best tracks on the album is Mick and Keith's powerful rendition of Muddy Waters' classic 'Rollin' Stone Blues' (called 'Rolling Stone Blues' on the album). From what I understand, that was your idea."
Yeah, during our overdub sessions, Keith and I started talking in a more personal way. One day I just asked him, "Why don't we tackle Muddy's 'Rolling Stone Blues'? There was a long pause on the phone. At first, I thought he was going to be angry that I was pushing the blues idea again, but then he just said, "Okay, when do you want to do it?" We were finishing up our overdub session, so I suggested doing it that day. As Mick made his way to the studio, Keith began playing the song, and now the hairs were raising on everyone's arms in the studio. They were finally going to record the song that inspired the band's name.

The sound of Keith's guitar is so powerful on that track. How did you accomplish that mixture of acoustic resonance and electric distortion? It's undeniably unique.
I made the decision with Paul Lamalfa, my engineer, that we would record on tape because there was no better way to capture the essence of the moment. The goal was to capture the magic of two musicians in a room. We aimed to make the vocal mic unnecessary because we knew that capturing Keith's guitar was the priority. Ultimately, the recording consisted of a subtle mix of the four amps, and that added an extra layer of edge to the harmonica. Neither of them wore headphones. It was simply the two of them, playing off each other, trying to anticipate each other's moves and complete each other's musical sentences. While Keith drafted the guitar parts, Mick followed, and they synchronized perfectly. It was an incredible demonstration of their in-sync chemistry that had been developed over six decades. Without overtaking it, I feel this recording encapsulates the essence of their enduring relationship.

You were a witness to a genuine moment of music history.
It was heavy. It's probably the most important thing I'll ever record.

Yeah it’s not perfect. You’ll make sense of it or I might edit later to fix…