When Foreign Tongues arrived on July 10, it delivered The Rolling Stones their fifteenth UK Number One album, drawing them level with The Beatles in the record books. Reaching that sort of landmark after seven decades together might persuade most groups to take a prolonged rest. Instead, barely three months after the record hit the shelves, the band is already cutting fresh music, with British jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine brought into the fold.
Pine revealed the news during a recent appearance on BBC Radio 3's Private Passions, explaining that he had spent time in the studio alongside Mick Jagger just a couple of weeks back. The saxophonist laid down instrumental parts specifically earmarked for the Stones. Pine spoke warmly of the encounter, calling Jagger an amazing artist while observing the sheer contrast between the stadium rock world and his own background in jazz. The wider pop sphere, Pine noted, operates on terms entirely different from the musical environment he usually inhabits.
This is not the first time Jagger has leaned on Pine's phrasing. Their creative relationship dates back to Jagger's 1993 solo album, Wandering Spirit, an experience Pine remembered as an exercise in spontaneous decision making. An early take had initially been put aside, only for Pine to receive a telephone call the following day urging him to catch an immediate flight to Los Angeles so he could tackle a reworked arrangement. When the call arrived to contribute to this new batch of Stones material, Pine proved just as ready to step up.
Whether these studio sessions are the opening stages of a twenty sixth Rolling Stones album remains to be seen, but the activity aligns with Jagger's ongoing creative rhythm. Even before Foreign Tongues reached the public earlier in the summer, the singer revealed that he had already started writing fresh material. When asked if the band might be working toward a three album run, Jagger admitted that a trilogy was entirely possible, noting that the songwriting momentum from the last sessions had simply continued without a pause.
Jagger does not box himself in when composing either. He explained that he writes with an open mind, to the point where an unfinished idea might strike him as better suited to an act like the Red Hot Chili Peppers rather than the Stones. Keith Richards offered his own assessment of that relentless drive earlier this year, remarking that Jagger will not bloody stop once he gets going. That kinetic energy built up during the making of Foreign Tongues clearly has not subsided.
That studio speed stands in stark contrast to what is happening on the live front. The prospect of seeing Foreign Tongues played on stage is currently on hold. A planned 2026 stadium tour across the UK and Europe was scrapped after Richards found himself unable to commit to the dates. The differences between the members regarding live performances have been made quite plain. Jagger has voiced a strong desire to get out on the road, hoping that concerts might still take place next year and keeping a headline slot at Glastonbury in 2027 under consideration.
Ronnie Wood has mirrored that enthusiasm, stating that he would take on Glastonbury at the drop of a hat. At the same time, Wood spoke candidly about the internal deadlock, acknowledging that Jagger is bursting to get back out touring while Richards remains far more hesitant. As Wood pointed out, any major tour demands that every member of the band shares the exact same drive. Until all three can find that common ground, Jagger seems determined to direct his restless focus into the studio, making music on his own timetable rather than sitting around waiting for the touring machine to restart.
