| August 16th, 2005 07:06 AM |
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| justinkurian |
Tomorrow (Aug. 17th will be with Keef)
Stones Talk With Mick & Keith
By Melinda Newman
The Rolling Stones' first studio album in eight years, "A Bigger Bang," is due Sept. 6 via Virgin. The band's iconic frontman, Mick Jagger, and guitarist, Keith Richards, talked to Billboard first about the new project, life after drummer Charlie Watts' cancer scare and hitting the road again for an article that ran in the Aug. 6 issue of the magazine.
The separate phone conversations took place as the band was gathered in Toronto to rehearse for its latest world tour, which opens Aug. 21 in Boston.
Today's (Aug. 16) Q&A with Jagger and tomorrow's with Richards are exclusively available on Billboard.com.
Q&A MICK JAGGER
When you went into the studio, producer Don Was says he really stressed a team approach, almost from a Zen perspective, based on [Los Angeles Lakers coach] Phil Jackson's coaching techniques. How did that change how you made this album?
I told him, "forget it." I've never heard such a load of bollocks in all my life. (laughs)
So his trying to create this team approach had no effect?
None. I know what he means, you know, he just wants everyone to work together and I said, of course we're going to work together, but there's a lot of times when it was just me and Keith and Charlie and we all work together pretty good. And then a lot of times we put Ronnie on afterwards and Keith and I have played a lot of bass, and that was kind of fun. Charlie wasn't available because he was sick so Keith and I started off, it was just Keith and me. So I know what kind of basketball team that is, it's one-on-one.
I was playing drums and all that sort of stuff I never usually do, and that was fun. So it was very different. What it really was is you know Keith and I started doing a lot of stuff just on our own, and then we were just having a laugh with a lot of it. I'd already written quite a lot of material, and Keith had written some, so it wasn't like we start from nothing.
Is that your usual writing style?
Well, I always sit down on my own first because I hate to come in a room with nothing. That's not an approach that I favor. It's good to come with things and then they can be altered, changed, you know, stuff like that. And then also you're going to get new things, obviously. But if you come with nothing you're really pushing it.
So how did this differ from how you'd recorded previously?
What I'd say it was a better vibe than last time but you never know why that is.
The recording process sounds monastic: the band, engineer, producer, waiter, and a cook in your house in France.
We weren't only in my house in France, but wherever we were, yes it was. We were in places where there wasn't a lot of distraction. And there wasn't a lot of sort of hangers on and all that sort of thing.
Is that abnormal?
If you record in the studio in L.A., for instance, like we've done before in the past, you do get a lot of distractions and you do get a lot of hangers on. So there wasn't any distraction so we just got on and did what we did with this small group of people and we were very focused.
In virtually every song on "A Bigger Bang," there is a moment where you tap into the most basic emotions, so whether you're a garbage man or a millionaire, it's all the same emotion. How do you do that instead of bitching when the private plane is late?
Well I don't like bitching about the private plane. It can be annoying when the wrong one comes, but I'm not going to write a song about it. (laughs) As a writer, it doesn't matter if you've got money or not. You do have to observe life as it is. You observe other people's lives as well as your own.
There's a lot of humor also.
For example with the song, "Oh No, Not You Again."
Yeah, there's a lot of stuff like personal stuff, but it's leavened with a lot of humor and odd rhymes and things to keep it [from getting] too serious. And there's other stuff like "Streets of Love" which is perhaps more serious and it doesn't have any levity. It's kind of quite a dark piece.
Musically, this album is one of your more diverse.
My idea of that, which I discussed a lot with Don, was I like all kinds of different music, popular and otherwise, but I do think it's very important to do great rock tunes, to provide the essential core and, you know, a couple of great ballads, but not too many ballads because I don't like too much. I like the very good ones and then I don't want anything mediocre. And then outside of that, there's other strands of the musical themes that I like to touch on. You know dance music and country music, and just about anything, so as long as you've got that central core you can go outside it and no one is unhappy.
The music sounds so vibrant. Does that come from the fact that you played bass and drums? Did that keep it fresh?
I gotta tell you I don't get to play drums on the record apart from one or two little hits that were saved, sadly. Happily for the listeners, my drums never made it. Yeah, I mean I think so, it's also a very small group, there's no hiding place if there's only three of you in the room. You know if you have the groove or not.
Is Charlie well?
He's very well. I think you can tell from the tracks that he's playing very well with lots of verve and brio.
You keep talking about a different vibe, but was there something specific?
Well, we got to know the songs better, and we spent quite a lot of time on them. And we got to play them in all kinds of different ways, so it was a function of the fact that we did a lot of stuff and spent a lot of time and it was a lot of time just three of us.
Do you care about having a hit single?
It would be very nice. I like hit albums, hit singles, hit anythings is very good. The thing is you just want people to hear what you've done, I think most people do, whether they want to admit it or not. You don't want to be making music in the dark.
You guys are the top touring band of all time. Is it frustrating that you don't hear yourself on radio that much?
I wouldn’t really worry about that. We’ve being doing it for 40 years, do you know what I’m saying? You don’t worry too much about that but you want the stuff heard, you know? When you do these songs, and I think we’re pretty excited about this record, we think there’s really good things on it, and you want people to hear it. It’s a different kind of world now whether you hear it on a live show or on the TV or you hear it on the radio or you just download it or just buy the CD, or as they’re doing in England buying 45s. All these avenues, you want people to hear the songs and people to say, Oh yeah, that was a good song, glad that you got to hear it.
It's been eight years since your last studio album, and virtually everything in the music industry has changed since then. Do you think a major act like the Stones still needs a major record label?
I think that it's an important component, but it's not the only component anymore. There's a lot of deals that everyone makes outside of labels now to get your music disseminated. Of course, it's important, it's very, very important. I mean it's not the only game you have to play any more, but it's a very important part of it.
Every tour, you do something new. This time there's fan seating on stage, fans can pick tickets online, there's a webcam on your rehearsal...
I think its just fun to do this stuff, just to see what the options are. I think you always want to give really good value and do whatever you can as far as, I mean the choices are just bigger, mainly through a lot of technology, so it's good to be able to offer them.
It also shows a respect for your fans.
I mean, it's not a cheap ticket, so you want to give them the best you can.
This year's slate of openers includes Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, John Mayer Trio. How involved are you in picking openers?
Well, we've had some great openers and I've had some people say to me, well, you know you should open with someone more, kind of your own age group, and I said, if we're not trying to sell tickets to our age group, we've already sold them, why can't we have fun? And I enjoy watching on the last tour we had a really good slew of people, and it was very fun. You get to meet new people and you see a lot of bands. I haven't seen all of these bands live either, so for me it's fun.
Michael Cohl, the tour promoter, and I make a big list of who is around, who wants to do it -— not everyone wants to do this -— and we pick who we think is going to be good on the stage. It's not just who's successful, it's you always have to be kind of entertaining too.
You guys took your time deciding how you wanted to roll out your music online. Are you happy with that?
Yeah, overall digital sales have really shot up, say in Europe they've really taken off. Most of that, like 70-80% of that or more is on iTunes. Steve Jobs and his company showed me iTunes while it was still in preparation, and I thought it was a really good idea cause the whole thing of it, yeah, it seems to be slowly building. The percentages are quite low compared to worldwide CD sales, it's really small if you think about it. But it's certainly increasing. When it gets up to like 10, 15 percent, I think everyone will be quite pleased with it.
Do you download music?
Yes, I don't really go to stores a lot, a lot of music that I like sometimes is not that available, I might have to go to specialist downloads which is a bit boring.
So you really actively download stuff?
Since the beginning of time.
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| August 16th, 2005 07:20 AM |
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| Jumacfly |
quote:
justinkurian wrote:
Do you download music?
Yes, I don't really go to stores a lot, a lot of music that I like sometimes is not that available, I might have to go to specialist downloads which is a bit boring.
So you really actively download stuff?
Since the beginning of time.
I love this guy  |
| August 16th, 2005 07:25 AM |
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| Gazza |
Excellent interview. thanks
whats this about a webcam at rehearsals? I must have missed that one! |
| August 16th, 2005 08:12 AM |
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| corgi37 |
Good stuff, but what Jagger said about SOL is hilarious. |
| August 16th, 2005 09:06 AM |
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| throbby |
They may have a webcam rig set up at rehearsals, but they sure as hell aren't using it. Wasn't one of the two songs shown on RS.com even edited/spliced? |
| August 16th, 2005 11:47 AM |
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| jb |
Another boring interview..ask some real tough questions like why it took 8 yrs, why prices so high, why Ronnie sucks.. |
| August 16th, 2005 11:52 AM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
jb wrote:
Another boring interview..ask some real tough questions like why it took 8 yrs, why prices so high, why Ronnie sucks..
..and why some of the same people who whinge about the ticket prices then boast about paying thousands of dollars for them, thereby helping to ensure this rip-off farce will get worse from one tour to the next... |
| August 16th, 2005 12:00 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
jb wrote:
why it took 8 yrs, why prices so high, why Ronnie sucks..
1. Unlike you they have lives and they tour reguarly!
2. To keep out the riff raff you stuck up asshole!
3. Ronnie sucks b/c you blow! |
| August 16th, 2005 12:42 PM |
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| jb |
quote:
pdog wrote:
1. Unlike you they have lives and they tour reguarly!
2. To keep out the riff raff you stuck up asshole!
3. Ronnie sucks b/c you blow!
I know you like me, but feel you need to impress those on that other board thatyou are down with them.....it's time to spread you wings and not let what others think taint you opinion...you know want a shake and brisk hug......... |
| August 16th, 2005 01:02 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
jb wrote:
I know you like me, but feel you need to impress those on that other board thatyou are down with them.....it's time to spread you wings and not let what others think taint you opinion...you know want a shake and brisk hug.........
What board? You flatter someone too much with that comment, but I'm not sure which of the three of the big four Stones boards you're talking about. As far as handshakes and hugs, really, I have enough friends, I actually may have too many friends.
I'll tell you what I tell my children, I feel it applies, right now as well:
"I don't care if you like me, right now or ever. I have plenty of friends and I'm not trying to be your friend. My job is teach you and to do the best I can at helping you to be a good person and grow up to be a good man. Stop acting like a baby, you're making it very difficult for me to love you right now"
Parenting and posting 101.
It's not about me liking you. It's about you lving with your comments of how much you despise me ect. Which is the b-side to me having alot of friends. I have alot of people who don't like in the world too! I'm not looking for me of those by the way either.
[Edited by pdog] |
| August 16th, 2005 01:18 PM |
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| jb |
So people who have posted they dislike my posts or me should not be greeted asd they have to live with there comments? |
| August 16th, 2005 01:22 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
jb wrote:
So people who have posted they dislike my posts or me should not be greeted asd they have to live with there comments?
Do what you gotta do... |
| August 16th, 2005 01:42 PM |
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| voodoopug |
quote:
pdog wrote:
Do what you gotta do...
Macky and I have made peace and shall share a firm handshake and a "man hug" cant you guys do the same???? |
| August 16th, 2005 01:45 PM |
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| jb |
http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/1686471.html
Another family value republicam kind of guy................ |
| August 16th, 2005 01:49 PM |
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| Joey |
Look for the Omaha , NE " Rolling Stones at the QWEST CENTER " concert to be confirmed within the next couple of weeks ( early February date ) .
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,165740,00.html
...........................................................
[ Edited by www.OmahaMeca.com ]
[Edited by Joey] |
| August 16th, 2005 01:59 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
voodoopug wrote:
Macky and I have made peace and shall share a firm handshake and a "man hug" cant you guys do the same????
Where? Are you going to be in NYC? I will film the event.
We can do whatever we (Jb & Me) want, anything and everything and no matter what it is, it's gonna turn out....Great! |
| August 16th, 2005 02:01 PM |
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| jb |
I enjoy swimming in my pool and taking the small bugs out and watching the lizards quickly come out and eat them. Then, there are 2 Black Crowes who go behind the large Ficus tress and eat the Lizards...............this is nit 'Intelligent Design", but fucking Darwinism at work...........Republicans don't understand this either!!!! |
| August 16th, 2005 02:08 PM |
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| voodoopug |
quote:
pdog wrote:
Where? Are you going to be in NYC? I will film the event.
We can do whatever we (Jb & Me) want, anything and everything and no matter what it is, it's gonna turn out....Great!
we are in negotiations to work this out in Chicago |
| August 16th, 2005 02:10 PM |
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| jb |
The only one I really would greet is Gazza and Joey. They have alwasy been there for me................................ |
| August 16th, 2005 02:12 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
jb wrote:
The only one I really would greet is Gazza and Joey. They have alwasy been there for me................................
..............It's Coming ! ™
www.Omahameca.com
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| August 16th, 2005 02:14 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
Joey wrote:
..............It's Coming ! ™
I see you're still typing with my penis! |
| August 16th, 2005 02:26 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
Joey wrote:
" I see you're still typing with my penis!"
Focus... I'm almost done! |
| August 16th, 2005 02:32 PM |
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| jb |
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/4856517/detail.html |
| August 16th, 2005 02:32 PM |
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| lucasd4 |
Always been there for you....yeah right...They wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire...I, on the other, would piss on you...and I'd drink plenty of lighter fluid before I did it too
quote:
jb wrote:
The only one I really would greet is Gazza and Joey. They have alwasy been there for me................................
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| August 16th, 2005 04:33 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
lucasd4 wrote:
Always been there for you....yeah right...They wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire...I, on the other, would piss on you...and I'd drink plenty of lighter fluid before I did it too
Cold shit and fucking funny as hell too1 |
| August 16th, 2005 04:47 PM |
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| voodoopug |
quote:
pdog wrote:
Cold shit and fucking funny as hell too1
There is a bunch of anger here, and there shouldnt be the, the fucking tour starts in a few days!
Remember, i have clean slated everyone, and will shake everyones hand at this point.
Pdog...will i see you in Chicago? |
| August 16th, 2005 05:12 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
voodoopug wrote:
There is a bunch of anger here, and there shouldnt be the, the fucking tour starts in a few days!
Remember, i have clean slated everyone, and will shake everyones hand at this point.
Pdog...will i see you in Chicago?
You keep asking me this same question and you must either not have listened or you think you'll suddenly get a different reply.
either way you're annoying as all hell, so dirty up your slate...
I'll be in NYC MSG
Philly 2
SF both nights...
If you're anywhere near me I will not only shake your hand, I'll put on a sweater and french kiss your dogs! |
| August 16th, 2005 05:14 PM |
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| Joey |
quote:
pdog wrote:
If you're anywhere near me I will not only shake your hand, I'll put on a sweater and french kiss your dogs!
I guess it is safe to assume that you like Sweaters ?
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| August 16th, 2005 05:21 PM |
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| voodoopug |
quote:
Joey wrote:
I guess it is safe to assume that you like Sweaters ?
It seems that he will not be in Chicago....I will check again when i return from Boston to make sure plans have not been altered. |
| August 16th, 2005 05:25 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
voodoopug wrote:
It seems that he will not be in Chicago....I will check again when i return from Boston to make sure plans have not been altered.
You guys are such dorks. I will call my tailor to see about altrations and my lawyer to see if Jb is still expecting altercations!
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