Mick Jagger Details Working With Paul McCartney on New Rolling Stones Album

Via NME:

Last week, it was revealed that Beatles icon McCartney had played bass on a song called ‘Bite My Head Off’. He’ll appear on [the Stones LP] ‘Hackney Diamonds’ alongside Lady Gaga, Elton John and Stevie Wonder.

During a recent interview with Q on CBC, host Tom Power asked Jagger how the collaboration with Macca came about.

“Paul was in LA when we were recording, and he was supposed to work with Andy [producer Andrew Watt] one week,” the frontman replied. “Andy said, ‘I’m working on this record [‘Hackney Diamonds’], and if it takes six months I’m gonna do nothing else’.

“Suddenly we get to this one week and he says, ‘I forgot to tell you – I’m supposed to work with Paul this week’. So we worked out the schedule and [Watt] said, ‘Why don’t we get Paul to come in and play on something?'”

Jagger continued: “So I said, ‘On what?’ I’ve never played bass with Paul – I’ve sung with him but I haven’t played bass.

“We suggested he played on this punk tune. I didn’t know how it was gonna work out, but he really rocked it and he loved doing it. He said, ‘It’s great playing with a band! Really enjoyable playing with a band’.”

Jagger went on to confirm that McCartney and the Stones were all in the same room together for the session. “I’m playing guitar, Keith’s playing guitar, Paul’s playing bass, Ronnie’s playing guitar,” he recalled.

Power noted how meaningful the collaboration feels in terms of music history, given the perceived longstanding rivalry between The Beatles and the Stones. “Yeah, it does,” Jagger agreed. “And it’s fun. But it seems so natural, you know?”

He added: “Paul was so natural and relaxed and he enjoyed it. We knocked it out really quick.”

Speaking about his personal relationships with members of the Fab Four, Jagger explained: “John [Lennon] was a close friend of mine. He was very acerbic and funny and witty and intelligent and everything. But I also knew Paul who’s a different kind of personality. I’ve always been friends with him.

“We don’t see each other that much but we do text each other and keep in touch. I’ve always got on well with him. And Ronnie and Paul also see each other quite a lot. So we have this sort of communication.”