Producer Andrew Watt has confirmed he’s reunited to work with The Rolling Stones on follow-up material to Hackney Diamonds.
Watt, whose esteemed resumé also includes work with Pearl Jam, Post Malone and the late Ozzy Osbourne, helped The Rolling Stones win the Grammy for ‘Best Rock Album’ when they joined forces on 2023’s Hackney Diamonds.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, the producer said of teaming up with the rock legends once again: “I’ve said it before, but it’s like working for Batman.”
While he didn’t delve into detail about what the project entails, Watt added, “When the tongue is up in the air, you just go… I can say we did some recording together, but that’s all I can say.”
In June, it was reported that Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Steve Jordan have been busy working on a follow-up to 2023’s Hackney Diamonds since April. It was claimed they had made 13 songs for the record at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, West London, after shelving plans to hit the road this summer.
Then, in a recently published interview with Keith Richards’ son, Marlon, which was conducted in May, he confirmed this to be true. He told Record Collector: “They’re in Chiswick or somewhere like that; I think they’re nearly done. They still maintain these ridiculous hours: after lunch until, like, two in the morning. I’d rather be somewhere else at that time of night! Unless you’re in it, it’s pretty boring.”
When asked about their upcoming project, Marlon said, “I guess an album – they have enough left over from the last one.”
He also said the Grammy win has reinvigorated them creatively, sharing, “They gave them a Grammy, so now they’re all hyped up on that: ‘Oh, yeah – we can do another one like that! We’ve got more like that if you want…’. I think they’re doing the follow-up.”
Watt previously revealed in February, following their victory at the Grammys, that The Rolling Stones had music leftover from the Hackney Diamonds sessions. However, the producer made it clear that it wasn’t up to him whether it would be finished.
He said on the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, “I can’t tell you if [another album’s] gonna happen or not. It’s up to them, but it would be great… Why not finish the material, you know.”
