The Rolling Stones tease new album ‘Hackney Diamonds’ in local newspaper
Are the Stones about to return with a new record?
By Nick Reilly
The Rolling Stones have seemingly announced news of their new album in a local newspaper.
As eagle-eyed Stones fans noticed, a recent advert for Hackney Diamonds appeared in the Hackney Gazette, with the firm labelling itself as “specialists in glass repair”.
But when a closer look is taken, an array of clues seemingly point to the fact that it’s a new album from the Stones.
These include the inclusion of their iconic lips logo, which is used to dot the i in diamonds. There’s also a selection of not-so-subtle nods to their own songs including ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, ‘Gimme Shelter’ and ‘Shattered’.
The advert also states that the firm was established in 1962, the same year that the Stones formed, while NME reports that the font used for Hackney Diamonds is also the same used by the band on their 1978 record Some Girls.
In addition, a link to the Hackney Diamonds website allows users to register interest but a T&C at the bottom lists Universal Music Group, which controls The Rolling Stones’ back catalogue.
The group’s last album came in 2016’s Blue & Lonesome – a record entirely consisting of blues covers – while 2005’s A Bigger Bang marked their most recent album of original material.
It was also suggested earlier this year that the group are reportedly working with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on the new album.
The two surviving Beatles members are set to contribute instrumentals to the album, according to Variety.
As per multiple sources, McCartney has recorded bass parts for the forthcoming project, while there are also plans for Starr to contribute to the currently unannounced new album, which is said to be produced by Andrew Watt.
While it’s not clear if the tracks will make it onto the album, recording has apparently taken place in Los Angeles. It has also been suggested that ex-Stone Bill Wyman could make an appearance on the album.
Back in 2021, Keith Richards told the LA Times that the band “might’ve finished the damn thing” if COVID-19 hadn’t closed everything down and halted work on the album.
“We have a lot of tracks done, so when the tour’s finished we’ll assess where we are with that and continue.”
While Richards and Mick Jagger were tight-lipped about what their new music might sound like, they did share that fans “haven’t heard the last of Charlie Watts,” the band’s late drummer of more than 50 years who died in August 2021.
Richards also shared in a New Year’s Instagram post last month that “there’s some new music on its way”