Hackney Diamonds
Their first album of new songs in 18 years, with Charlie Watts's last studio drumming and guests from Paul McCartney to Lady Gaga.
The Rolling Stones, 2023
- Released
- 20 October 2023
- Recorded
- 2019 to 2023
- Studio
- Electric Lady and Hit Factory (New York); Henson (Los Angeles); Metropolis (London); Sanctuary (Nassau)
- Label
- Polydor
- Producer
- Andrew Watt
- Length
- 48:23
Andrew Watt produced it after Paul McCartney recommended him in 2022. The sessions took place between 2019 and 2023, but the principal recording took about four weeks, and Jagger said they recorded the whole thing in three or four weeks. Serban Ghenea mixed it and Matt Colton mastered it. Richards explained the title as broken glass after a good Saturday night that went bad.
Watts played drums on Mess It Up and Live by the Sword, his last studio work, and Steve Jordan played on the other tracks. Wyman returned on bass for Live by the Sword, and McCartney played bass on Bite My Head Off. Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder joined Sweet Sounds of Heaven, Elton John played piano on Get Close and Live by the Sword, and Benmont Tench played Hammond organ. The album closes with Rolling Stone Blues, a Muddy Waters song that gave the band its name.
It was number one in the UK, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands, among others, and number three on the Billboard 200. It won Best Rock Album at the 67th Grammy Awards. David Browne of Rolling Stone called it a vibrant and cohesive record, and Mojo's James McNair gave it four stars, finding far more jewels than paste.
Track listing
- Angry3:46
- Get Close4:10
- Depending on You4:03
- Bite My Head Off3:31
- Whole Wide World3:58
- Dreamy Skies4:38
- Mess It Up4:03
- Live by the Sword3:59
- Driving Me Too Hard3:16
- Tell Me Straight2:56
- Sweet Sounds of Heaven (feat. Lady Gaga)7:22
- Rolling Stone Blues2:41
Personnel
- Mick Jagger vocals
- Keith Richards guitar
- Ronnie Wood guitar
- Charlie Watts drums on Mess It Up and Live by the Sword
- Steve Jordan drums
- Andrew Watt producer, bass
- Paul McCartney bass on Bite My Head Off
- Bill Wyman bass on Live by the Sword
- Lady Gaga vocals on Sweet Sounds of Heaven
- Stevie Wonder keyboards on Sweet Sounds of Heaven
- Elton John piano on Get Close and Live by the Sword
- Benmont Tench Hammond organ
- Serban Ghenea mixing
- Matt Colton mastering
More from The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones (1964), Out of Our Heads (1965), Aftermath (1966), Beggars Banquet (1968), Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main St. (1972), Goats Head Soup (1973), Some Girls (1978), Tattoo You (1981)
Sources
- Hackney Diamonds, Wikipedia
- Hackney Diamonds review, Rolling Stone (2023-10-10)
- The Rolling Stones, Hackney Diamonds review, Mojo