The Rolling Stones are preparing to release their long-awaited 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, and while the legendary band continues to push forward creatively, one presence still looms large over every session: Charlie Watts.
The iconic drummer passed away in 2021 at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy that helped define rock music for nearly six decades. Yet according to Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood, Watts remains an important part of the band’s journey.
Speaking with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, the trio reflected on the making of Foreign Tongues and revealed that fans will hear Charlie Watts perform once again on the track “Hit Me In The Head.” His drum part was recorded during one of his final sessions with the band and has now found a fitting place on the new record.
For Keith Richards, recording the album alongside producer Andrew Watt felt effortless and unified.
“The only thing you’re fighting is the room and the song, you’re okay as long as you’re not fighting each other,” Richards explained. “Everybody was right on it, including Steve Jordan and Darryl Jones, the new rhythm section. I’m sure Charlie Watts was beaming down on us.”
Replacing a drummer who spent nearly sixty years behind the kit for The Rolling Stones was never going to be easy. However, Richards revealed that Steve Jordan’s arrival came with Watts’ personal approval.
“It felt good to me to get this generation of The Stones on record,” Richards said. “They were playing so good that working with Steve felt like working with family. It was Charlie Watts who suggested to me that if I ever worked with another drummer, it should be Steve Jordan.”
Ronnie Wood shared similar feelings, believing that Watts continues to inspire the band from afar.
“The albums are getting more energetic and punchy, and we’re still raising the bar,” Wood said. “Maybe Charlie is overlooking us and giving us some more inspiration.”
Wood also revealed that “Hit Me In The Head” may not be the last time fans hear Charlie Watts on a Rolling Stones record. The band still has unreleased drum recordings captured during earlier sessions in Paris that may appear on future projects.
Mick Jagger reflected on what made Watts such a unique drummer and why his style could never truly be replaced.
“Whatever style he played always had swing,” Jagger explained. “He wasn’t a loud, powerful drummer. He was more subtle — really a jazz drummer who played rock very well.”
Jagger contrasted that approach with Steve Jordan’s more forceful style, highlighting just how distinctive Watts’ playing was to the band’s sound.
Beyond honoring their late drummer, Foreign Tongues represents another ambitious chapter for The Rolling Stones. The album reportedly features contributions from major artists including Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, and Chad Smith, while also exploring broader themes about modern America.
One standout track, “Ringing Hollow,” uses the structure of a love song to explore the band’s complicated relationship with the country.
“It’s a love song to America,” Jagger said. “You think it’s about a woman at first, but then you realize it isn’t.”
Richards described the song as both affectionate and critical.
“It’s a very tender sort of love song to America,” he noted. “But there are a few cracks in the bell, and they might as well write about that too.”
As The Rolling Stones enter yet another chapter in their remarkable career, Foreign Tongues serves as both a celebration of the future and a tribute to the past. While new collaborators and fresh ideas continue to shape the band’s sound, the unmistakable swing and spirit of Charlie Watts remain woven into the fabric of the music.
For The Rolling Stones, some members may be gone, but they are never truly absent.