Rolling Stones release new song 'Living in a Ghost Town'

NEW YORK — The Rolling Stones on Thursday released their first new original music since 2012, a single aptly named "Living in a Ghost Town."

Frontman Mick Jagger announced the surprise release on Twitter, saying, "The Stones were in the studio recording new material before the lockdown & one song -- Living In A Ghost Town -- we thought would resonate through the times we're living in."

Speaking to Apple Music moments later, Jagger said he and Keith Richards wrote the song over a year ago, but that it was uncannily fitting to current times.

"It wasn't written for now, but it was just one of those odd things," he said.

"It was written about being in a place which was full of life but is now bereft of life so to speak... I was just jamming on the guitar and wrote it really quickly in like 10 minutes."


Before releasing the moody song heavy on twang, Jagger tweaked some of the lyrics to fit the contemporary moment.

"Some of it is not going to work and some of it was a bit weird and a bit too dark," Jagger said. "So I slightly rewrote it. I didn't have to rewrite very much, to be honest. It's very much how I originally did it."

The 76-year-old sings of chaos and destruction and the seemingly infinite loneliness of isolation.

"Life was so beautiful / Then we all got locked down," Jagger sings.

"Please let this be over / Stuck in a world without end."

Also speaking to Apple Music, Richards said the song was cut in 2019 at a Los Angeles studio and re-worked for release recently.

"It's sort of eerie when suddenly it's coming to life," he said, adding that he'd been thinking the pandemic was an appropriate time for release.

"Then Mick called me and said the same thing and that great minds think alike."

The iconic British rockers have spent much of the past two decades touring, though the coronavirus halted those plans.

The band was set to play 15 shows across North America starting May 8, but all have been postponed due to the pandemic.

"Living in a Ghost Town" is the Stones' first original work since 2012's "Doom and Gloom" and "One More Shot" came out on the greatest hits album "GRRR!"

The band hasn't released an original album since 2005's "A Bigger Bang" but have said they've slowly been working on a new collection over the past several years.

Over the weekend, the Stones headlined a marathon virtual concert put on by the international advocacy organization Global Citizen in collaboration with Lady Gaga.

Appearing ageless, Jagger delivered the classic "You Can't Always Get What You Want," as his fellow Stones played from their respective homes, including a grinning Charlie Watts on the air drums.

Agence France-Presse

If One Direction ever feel a bit worn out by their hordes of young screaming fans, Mick Jagger can relate. In an interview with CNN on Tuesday before the premiere of the film Crossfire Hurricane, the rock veteran said that the boy-band reminds him of the Rolling Stones in their early days.

"I watched a concert of One Direction on the TV the other night, you know just to check [it] out," Jagger said. "It reminded me very much of our early concerts, when we were pushed around among the audience and we would kind of float. [T]hey were like, floating above the audience, and they looked like, really distinctly uncomfortable.


"I remember feeling that same uncomfortable feeling of being pushed around in this very weird place about 50 years ago," he said. "It was a very funny moment, because it was very similar to the things we’ve been through."

Ronnie Wood also spoke of his friendship with Harry Styles and company, who are about to star in their own 3-D concert movie:

"I remember them before they made it and I said, 'come on stick with it boys, you can do it,'" Wood said. "They still want me to come and jam with them I said, 'yeah, I’ll come and play with you anytime.'"

Crossfire Hurricane, the retrospective documentary that aired on HBO last week, offers a look back at the Rolling Stones in those early days, as the band embarks on their 50th anniversary tour.

source: rollingstone.com

If One Direction ever feel a bit worn out by their hordes of young screaming fans, Mick Jagger can relate. In an interview with CNN on Tuesday before the premiere of the film Crossfire Hurricane, the rock veteran said that the boy-band reminds him of the Rolling Stones in their early days.
"I watched a concert of One Direction on the TV the other night, you know just to check [it] out," Jagger said. "It reminded me very much of our early concerts, when we were pushed around among the audience and we would kind of float. [T]hey were like, floating above the audience, and they looked like, really distinctly uncomfortable.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/mick-jagger-one-direction-remind-me-of-the-rolling-stones-20121118#ixzz2Cg3DMO36

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/mick-jagger-one-direction-remind-me-of-the-rolling-stones-20121118#ixzz2Cg3DMO36

If One Direction ever feel a bit worn out by their hordes of young screaming fans, Mick Jagger can relate. In an interview with CNN on Tuesday before the premiere of the film Crossfire Hurricane, the rock veteran said that the boy-band reminds him of the Rolling Stones in their early days.
"I watched a concert of One Direction on the TV the other night, you know just to check [it] out," Jagger said. "It reminded me very much of our early concerts, when we were pushed around among the audience and we would kind of float. [T]hey were like, floating above the audience, and they looked like, really distinctly uncomfortable.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/mick-jagger-one-direction-remind-me-of-the-rolling-stones-20121118#ixzz2Cg3DMO36

Stones tickets not a rip-off insists Jagger

Ticket prices for the Rolling Stones’ reunion shows are not a rip-off, insists frontman Mick Jagger.

And he says the evidence lies in the fact that secondary ticket markets are offering passes for many times more than the band charged.

The Stones will play London’s O2 Arena on November 25 and 29 followed by two further shows in the US in December.

Some fans were upset when ticket prices were revealed. While low-quality seating was available for £106 a standard seat cost £406, with a VIP option on sale at over £1100.

Now Jagger tells Billboard: “You might say, ‘the tickets are too expensive.’ Well, it’s a very expensive show to put on, just four shows – because normally you do a hundred shows and you’d have the same expenses.”


He adds: “Most of the tickets go for a higher price than we’ve sold them for, so you can see the market is there. We don’t participate in that profit. If a ticket costs £250 and goes for £1000, I want to point out that we don’t get that difference.”

The singer wants an end to the secondary market. “I don’t think it should be legal,” he says. “There has to be a better way of doing it. But we’re living with the way the system functions. We can’t, in four shows, change the whole ticketing system.”

Meanwhile, guitarist Keith Richards says fans can expect a stripped-down performance, with the show revolving around the Stones’ four members rather than extensive additional musicians.

He reveals: “Charlie Watts said, ‘We should have the stripped-down thing.’ I said, ‘Charlie, you realise how much pressure that puts on the guitar lineup?’

“But at the same time, it’s a challenge – and he’s right. You want the blues band, the rock’n'roll, stripped down? You’re going to get it. It’s going to be fun.”

Some rumours have suggested former members Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman could make guest appearances.

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Macca still leads singer rich list

Paul McCartney is still the world’s richest singer, with around $800m in the bank, according to pop culture website Celebrity Net Worth.

Their list of 58 financial bigshots includes Mick Jagger, Phil Collins and Dave Grohl in their top ten.

But the former Beatle – recently subject of an online joke poking fun at his frequent anthemic performances of Hey Jude – is $200m better off than second-place U2 singer Bono.

CNW, who last month released a drummer rich list topped by Macca’s colleague Ringo Starr, say: “There’s no better job on the planet than being frontman or woman for a major rock band. Not only to lead singers get most of the glory, attention, accolades and groupies – they also make a ton of money.

“It definitely helps if you also happen to a prolific songwriter.

“The fact that many of the richest lead singers are still performing today is a testament to their talent – or maybe they just love making millions of dollars and getting showered with adulation.”

The figures are compiled from publicly-available information from a range of income and outgoing streams, and includes adjustment for taxes, management fees and lifestyle costs.

CNW’s singer rich list

1. Paul McCartney: $800m
2. Bono: $600m
3. Jimmy Buffett: $400m
4. Elton John: $320m
5. Mick Jagger: $305m
6. Sting: $290m
7. Phil Collins: $250m
8. Dave Matthews: $250m
9. Prince: $250m
10. Dave Grohl: $225m
11. Rod Stewart: $220m
12. David Bowie: $215m
13. Bruce Springsteen: $200m
14. James Hetfield: $175m
15. Axl Rose: $150m
16. Roger Waters: $145m
17. David Gilmour: $130m
18. Steven Tyler: $130m
19. Jon Bon Jovi: $125m
20. Anthony Kiedis: $120m
21. Sammy Hagar: $120m
22. Robert Plant: $120m
23. Bruce Dickinson: $115m
24. Eric Clapton: $115m
25. Brian Johnson: $90m
26. Ozzy Osbourne: $90m
27. Gwen Stefani: $80m
28. Eddie Vedder: $80m
29. Bob Dylan: $80m
30. Brian Wilson: $75m
31. Michael Stipe: $75m
32. Trey Anastasio: $75m
33. Joe Elliott: $70m
34. Peter Gabriel: $70m
35. John Fogerty: $68m
36. Stevie Nicks: $65m
37. Roger Daltrey: $65m
38. Chris Cornell: $60m
39. Mark Hoppus: $60m
40. Tom DeLonge: $60m
41. Chris Martin: $60m
42. Billie Joe Armstrong: $55m
43. Liam Gallagher: $50m
44. Zack de la Rocha: $50m
45. Vince Neil: $50m
46. Steve Perry: $45m
47. Jon Anderson: $45m
48. Maynard James Keenan: $45m
49. Jonathan Davis: $45m
50. David Lee Roth: $40m
51. David Byrne: $40m
52. Thom Yorke: $35m
53. Jack White: $30m
54. Geddy Lee: $28m
55. Rob Halford: $25m
56. Geoff Tate: $17m
57: Gregg Allman: $15m
58: Scott Weiland: $10m

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Sir Mick Jagger hosts SNL season finale

Sir Mick Jagger is set to host the season finale of 'Saturday Night Live'.

The Rolling Stones rocker - who has appeared on the comedy sketch show twice as a musical guest - will take charge on May 19 where he is expected to particiipate in a number of skits with series regulars and perform live in the studio.

Mick's appearance will follow New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Rihanna on Saturday (05.05.12), and Will Ferrell with musical guest Usher on May 12.

It will also coincide with the 50th anniversary of The Rolling Stones, which was founded in 1962.

This is a busy year for Mick as Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood was recently overheard saying the band were planning to get together to 'play around with some ideas in the studio' after the lead singer and guitarist Keith Richards finally ended their long running feud earlier this year, in time for them to tour next year

Their relationship became acrimonious when Keith made claims his bandmate had a small penis in his autobiography .

source: http://www.skynews.com.au/showbiz/article.aspx?id=746703&vId=

Richards apologizes to fellow Rolling Stone Jagger

LONDON - Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has apologized to Mick Jagger for derogatory comments he made about the lead singer in his 2010 memoir "Life", which caused a rift within the band.

In comments reported by Rolling Stone magazine, the two rock'n'roll veterans agreed it was time to move on.

Fans will be relieved to see them burying the hatchet, as the row had threatened to undermine plans to celebrate the Rolling Stones' 50th anniversary this year and to go on another world tour.

"Looking back at any career you are bound to recall both the highs and the lows," Jagger was quoted as saying. "In the 1980s for instance Keith and I were not communicating very well.

"I got very involved with the business side of the Stones, mainly because I felt no one else was interested, but it's plain now from the book that Keith felt excluded, which is a pity. Time I reckon to move on."

Richards added: "Mick's right. He and I have had conversations over the last year of a kind we have not had for an extremely long time and that has been incredibly important to me.

"As far as the book goes, it was my story and it was very raw, as I meant it to be, but I know that some parts of it and some of the publicity really offended Mick and I regret that."

An eagerly anticipated world tour by one of the world's biggest music acts is now not expected to happen until 2013 at the earliest, according to the same magazine.

Some industry sources had put the delay down to the argument between Richards and Jagger, but Rolling Stone said it may be more closely linked to concerns over Richards' health.

"The quality of the guitarist's performances declined after he suffered a head injury on vacation in Fiji in April 2006, midway through the Bigger Bang tour," the magazine said.

As well as the tour, the Rolling Stones have announced the July 12 release of a picture book tracing their rise to global fame. The band debuted at the Marquee Club in London's Oxford Street on the same date in 1962.

There will also be a "groundbreaking" documentary film released in September. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com