Keith Richards claimed Mick Jagger is still ‘an a-hole’ as he admitted he ‘still talks’ to the late Charlie Watts in a rare interview on Friday.
Ahead of the Rolling Stones’ upcoming new album, Hackney Diamonds, the legendary guitarist, 79, discussed the band’s new chapter.
Keith and Mick, who were once nicknamed The Glimmer Twins, have suffered many rifts over the years, but Keith insisted there was never any love lost for the ‘amazing frontman’.
Speaking with Sun, explained: “People just hear about the crashes. After 60 years, if you had a brother, you would have had a few ups and downs, and ours usually deal with business.
“I’m like, ‘That’s too sassy,’ and he’s like, ‘I like it,’ and I’m like, ‘You’re a jerk!'” But the abrasiveness pales in comparison to the harmony that goes on throughout. Of course I love him.’
Bandmates: Keith Richards, 79, claims Mick Jagger, 80, is still ‘an a-hole’ as he admitted he ‘still talks’ to the late Charlie Watts in a rare interview on Friday
In what will be their first album of original songs in 18 years and their first since the death of their beloved Charlie, Keith admitted he was ‘hit hard’ by the loss.
“I still have conversations with the man, which I fully expect to continue,” he added.
Last month, The Rolling Stones paid tribute to Charlie when they announced the release date of Hackney Diamonds, during a special live event with Jimmy Fallon in London.
Arriving at the Hackney Empire in London to a crowd of screaming fans, sir Mick, Keith and Ronnie Wood, 76, revealed the record will fall on October 20.
Speaking on stage, Keith reflected on Charlie’s death, saying: ‘Since Charlie’s gone it’s different, he’s number four.’
The guitarist continued: “He’s missed, of course he’s incredibly missed, but thanks to Charlie we have Steve Jordan who was his go-to if anything happened to him.”
‘He was a friend of ours so it was a natural progression, it would have been a lot harder without Charlie’s blessing.’
Sir Mick added that there are 12 songs on the album and while Jordan features the most, there are two songs recorded in 2019 with Charlie.
Ahead of the Rolling Stones’ upcoming new album, Hackney Diamonds, the legendary guitarist, 79, discussed the band’s new chapter since Charlie’s death
Trouble: Keith and Mick, once dubbed The Glimmer Twins, have suffered many rifts over the years, but Keith insisted love was never lost for the ‘amazing frontman’ (Ronnie Wood, Mick and Keith pictured last month)
On Live By The Sword, the trio is backed by Charlie and former bassist Bill Wyman, reuniting the original Rolling Stones rhythm section. The second song with Charlie is called Mess It Up.
Charlie died aged 80 in August 2021, surrounded by his family in hospital – weeks after pulling out of a US tour to recover from emergency heart surgery.
The London-born drummer joined the then-young band in 1963 after meeting Mick, Keith and Brian Jones while playing in rhythm and blues clubs.
Along with Mick and Keith, he appeared on every studio album by the band. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest drummers of all time