The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood staged an impromptu three-song performance last night (July 8) at a London listening party for their imminent new Capitol album, Foreign Tongues.
Backed by Stones touring keyboardist Matt Clifford, the rock legends played stripped-down versions of their classics “Dead Flowers” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” in tandem with the fresh tune “Ringing Hollow.” Guitarist Keith Richards’ no-show was not addressed or explained; last night was the Stones’ first time onstage since the final show of their 2024 tour on July 21 in Ridgedale, Mo.
The Foreign Tongues event was held at the St. Clement Hotel and followed a massive Stones-themed drone show over the London skyline featuring the band’s iconic lips-and-tongue logo. A similar listening party was held in New York on May 5 with host Conan O’Brien, but the band did not perform for that occasion.
Speaking to Mojo, Jagger said “Ringing Hollow” ruminated on the current state of a country with which the Stones have been obsessed since they were teenagers. “The ‘American dream’ is intact for some people, and I’m sure we can find some wonderful immigrant stories that happened in the last 12 months, but we read about the decline of the American Empire,” he opined. “Is the Iran war America’s Suez moment? Well, it’s not the same at all, but there are a lot of questions about imperial overreach, and the lobbying system. The money spent on an election is absurd – it’s not corruption per se but unnecessary. Is it indicative of this administration, or is it something has been happening a long time? In any case, it’s not the same place as it was.”
Produced by Andrew Watt, Foreign Tongues was recorded in under a month at London’s Metropolis Studios and features an eye-popping array of guest stars, including Paul McCartney (who also made a cameo on the band’s 2023 album Hackey Diamonds) Steve Winwood and both Robert Smith of the Cure and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
In related news, the Stones are launching their own immersive game on Roblox on Friday (July 10), in which fans move through decades of band iconography while attempting to shatter crystals inspired by Hackney Diamonds. The group has also teamed with more than a dozen high-level Roblox creators for new virtual and physical merchandise. Watch a trailer below.