Rolling Stones roll back the years with chart-topping album
LONDON: The Rolling Stones on Friday scored their first British number one album in over 20 years, a day after frontman Mick Jagger became a father for the eighth time, aged 73.
“Blue & Lonesome”, a tribute to the blues legends who inspired the iconic British band, sold 106,000 copies, making it the second-highest opening-week sales for an album in 2016, behind David Bowie’s “Blackstar”.
“We are absolutely delighted with the success of ‘Blue & Lonesome’ in the UK and around the world,” said the band, according to the Official Charts Company.
It is the band’s first album to feature only cover songs, drawn exclusively from the 1950s blues scene of Chicago.
“This album is a homage to our favourites, people that kicked us off in playing music, that was the reason we started a band,” charismatic singer Jagger said.
Songs by Little Walter, Eddie Taylor, Howlin’ Wolf, Magic Sam, Jimmy Reed and Willie Dixon all feature on the record.
Completing the full circle, the band recorded the album at the British Grove Studios, close to the west London pubs where they honed their all-conquering sound in the early 1960s.
Already celebrating
The band’s last studio album to score a home number one was 1994’s “Voodoo Lounge”, although a re-release of their 1972 “Exile on Main St” became number one in 2010.
Their “Bridges to Babylon” (1997) reached number six and 2005’s “A Bigger Bang” peaked at number two.
It is their 10th chart-topping studio album in Britain, the first coming in 1964 with their eponymous debut.
Jagger was already celebrating after his 29-year-old ballerina partner Melanie Hamrick gave birth to a son in New York on Thursday.
Jagger already has seven children ranging in age from 17 to 46 from four previous relationships.
He has five grandchildren
and, since May 2014, a great-granddaughter born to his granddaughter Assisi.
Meanwhile, Jagger made a lastminute dash across the Atlantic to attend the birth.
He boarded a private jet to New York City to be at the bedside of Hamrick, who took Jagger by surprise when she rang to inform him of the impending birth.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “Mick knew the baby was imminent but did not believe his services would be needed so quickly. As soon as he found out, he caught the first plane he could to JFK Airport. There was no way he was going to miss it.”
Jagger’s private flight ensured he arrived just in time for the birth of his son.
The insider added: “It was all very hectic, but thankfully he made it just in time. His relief was nearly as huge as the pride he felt when he welcomed his new son into the world.”
Although Jagger and Hamrick are no longer a couple, the Rolling Stones star is keen to be hands-on with his son.
The London-based rock icon has already promised to provide financial support to his baby boy and Hamrick, both of whom are doing well following the birth.
Jagger, in fact, bought Hamrick a £5 million townhouse in New York, while he also intends to see his as-yet-unnamed son as much as possible.
Jagger and Hamrick started dating in 2014 following the suicide of fashion designer L’Wren Scott, who had been the singer’s partner for the previous 13 years. — AFP/BANG Showbiz
This album is a homage to our favourites, people that kicked us off in playing music, that was the reason we started a band. — Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones frontman