The Rolling Stones are working on a blues-themed studio album, and we know for sure that Eric Clapton will be making a guest appearance on the disc.
Clapton "dropped by for a couple of numbers," Richards told BBC 6 Music, adding that the recording sessions were lke "like old times down in Richmond."
No, he's not talking about Richmond, Virginia; he means the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, Surrey, England, where the Stones and Clapton's old band, the Yardbirds, used to perform in the early to mid-Sixties.
The Stones confirmed that they were working on a new album at the launch of Exhibitionism, a career retrospective at London's Saatchi Gallery, earlier this year. The sessions have included new material and several blues covers, including tunes by Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter. Richards said the album would include "lots of Chicago blues" and would be released sometime "in the autumn."
To whet your appetite, check out this (top) video of Clapton and the Stones performing "Little Red Rooster" during their Steel Wheels tour in 1989. Clapton's pretty outstanding guitar solo starts at 1:56; it is boosted by some stellar guitar work by Richards and Ronnie Wood. Below that, watch Clapton and the Stones play Muddy Waters' "Champagne and Reefer" in late 2012. Clapton's solo starts at 2:25.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
