Keith Richards says he’s been “playing a lot of bass” on The Rolling Stones’ new tracks

nme.com:

Keith Richards has revealed that he’s been “playing a lot of bass” on The Rolling Stones‘ upcoming new material.Speaking to the Daily Star newspaper’s ‘Wired’ column (via Music-News.com), the musician spoke about spending a week in Jamaica to work on music with Stones frontman Mick Jagger.Richards told the newspaper that him picking up the bass guitar provided “another angle” to the legendary band’s sound. “It’s quite interesting – at the same time it’s Stones man,” he said.Asked how many new tracks emerged from the sessions, the guitarist replied: “More than I can count – it was a very productive week.”Richards went on to say that he and Jagger “got a very good sound going”, adding: “Jamaica is good for sound.”Elsewhere, he told the Daily Star that the Rolling Stones are currently “gearing up” for their recently-announced UK and European 60th anniversary tour, which takes place this summer.“Once a year I like to keep my hand in – there’s nothing like playing on stage,” Richards said of his desire to head back out on the road.The forthcoming tracks will serve as the first new music from the Stones since the death of their drummer Charlie Watts last summer.

Steve Jordan, who initially stepped in so that Watts could recover from surgery, is now the group’s permanent touring drummer.Richards previously revealed that Jordan had worked with him and Jagger on “eight or nine new pieces of material”, explaining: “It’ll be interesting to find out the dynamics now that Steve’s in the band.”The Rolling Stone’s most recent album of original new material, ‘A Bigger Bang’, came out in 2005.