The Rolling Stones have opened up about the making of their forthcoming album Foreign Tongues, revealing that the record bridges multiple eras of the band’s recent history. Speaking to Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2’s Tracks Of My Years, Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood detailed how the project evolved from years of demos and unfinished ideas into a 14-track album featuring both newly recorded material and performances from late drummer Charlie Watts.
by Paul Cashmere
watch the excellent BBC 2 interview by Vernon Kay with Mick Jagger and Ron Wood here:
The album, due for release in July, arrives as the band’s first major studio project since Hackney Diamonds and reflects a songwriting process that has changed dramatically since the group’s early years. While modern technology now allows Jagger to develop ideas at home using digital tools, he said the essence of The Rolling Stones’ creative identity remains unchanged.
According to Jagger, Foreign Tongues consists of 10 newly recorded songs alongside four tracks sourced from earlier recording sessions. One of those archival performances includes Watts, whose presence remains a defining element of the record.
” We did 10 songs from this all new and then four from sessions before,” Jagger explained. “This is one that Charlie did in a previous session.”
The song he referenced, “Hit Me In The Head”, dates back to sessions in Los Angeles in 2021. Jagger described it as a fast-paced punk-inspired track and noted that Watts’ instinctive feel for tempo helped shape the final recording.
The inclusion of Watts gives the album an added emotional dimension. Ronnie Wood reflected on the drummer’s importance to the group, recalling how Watts was often involved in early demo sessions with Jagger long before tracks reached the full band.
Wood said many of the songs originated as rough sketches developed by Jagger over several years. “Me and Charlie often worked a lot with Mick over the Europe side and we’d go to Paris and play it in studios and stuff, just put demos down,” he said.
Another high-profile contributor is Paul McCartney, whose relationship with The Rolling Stones stretches back to the early 1960s when Lennon and McCartney supplied the band with “I Want To Be Your Man”. Jagger confirmed that McCartney played bass on two songs recorded in Los Angeles.
One track features what Jagger described as a punk approach, while the second showcases a more funk-oriented bass performance.
“It was great,” Jagger said. “We were in Los Angeles and he did two days and he played on one song that was a punk song and then this one’s more like a funk bass.”
The collaboration marked the first time McCartney had played an instrument on a Rolling Stones recording. Jagger noted that while the pair had shared vocal performances before, they had never previously recorded together as musicians.
Jagger said, “We never played with him before. I sung with him before, but we never actually played music or instrument. So that was very exciting.”
The conversations also highlighted the band’s continued commitment to musical evolution. Jagger rejected the idea of chasing trends, arguing that artists who attempt to copy current fashions often arrive too late.
Instead, he described The Rolling Stones as a group whose sound has always drawn from a broad palette of influences including blues, soul, country and contemporary music. He believes that approach remains evident on both Hackney Diamonds and Foreign Tongues.
Wood echoed that sentiment, suggesting younger listeners may discover the band’s
roots through the new album.
He said the music still carries traces of the influences that inspired the group more than six decades ago, particularly the blues foundations established by Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry.
The release also arrives amid ongoing speculation about future touring plans. While Jagger stopped short of announcing dates, he indicated that another tour remains a possibility.
“I don’t think it’s going to be this year,” he said, “but hopefully as soon as possible.”
For a band now more than 60 years into its recording career, Foreign Tongues appears to function as both a continuation and a reflection. The album brings together fresh material, long-developed ideas, a contribution from McCartney and some of the final recordings made with Charlie Watts, creating a project that connects several chapters of The Rolling Stones’ history into a single release.
Tracklisting for Foreign Tongues:
Rough And Twisted
In The Stars
Jealous Lover
Mr. Charm
Divine Intervention
Ringing Hollow
Never Wanna Lose You
Hit Me In The Head
You Know I’m No Good
Some Of Us
Covered In You
Side Effects
Back In Your Life
Beautiful Delilah
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