VOA文化艺术2023--Rolling Stones Announce First New Album in 18 Years

Rolling Stones Announce First New Album in 18 Years

The Rolling Stones said this week that their first new collection of songs in almost 20 years comes out on October 20.

The album will be called Hackney Diamonds. The name comes from broken glass often seen on the streets of east London's Hackney area.

Three of the band's original members - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood – came to the Hackney Empire, a historic theater, for the announcement.

The Rolling Stones are still traveling the world and performing concerts, but they have not made an album since 2016. That recording¹ did not include new material.

Richards, 79, said the band only made a new album because Jagger wanted to sing. So they went to record new songs after almost 20 years.

"When you have a singer that wants to sing," Richards said, "you grab him and throw him in the studio." Richards said the songs came together with "energy and urgency."

Jagger, who is 80, said, "we are quite pleased," with the new album. He said the group would not have put a recording together if "we hadn't really liked it. We said we had to make a record we really love ourselves ... we hope you all like it."

They released the first song, called Angry, this week. But Jagger said the rest of the songs are not angry. He said the album contains "love songs, ballads³, country..." sounds.

The new recording includes songs with Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder and Charlie Watts⁴, the Rolling Stones drummer who died in 2021. Watts recorded sounds for two songs in 2019. Steve Jordan is the drummer for the other 10.

"Of course, he's missed incredibly," Richards said about Watts. But he added that Jordan was Watts' suggestion for a replacement⁵.

Jagger said the addition of Lady Gaga to the album was unplanned. The Stones were recording at a studio in Los Angeles and Lady Gaga just happened to be in the studio next door. So, she recorded the song Sweet Sound of Heaven with the band.

"She walked in next to me and we started singing together," Jagger said.

Wood said McCartney of the Beatles played the bass⁶ guitar on one track. "You know, he was loving it." McCartney's band was perhaps the Rolling Stones' biggest rival in the 1960s.

Taric Fioravanti was one of the fans who lined up outside hoping to see the band arrive. He is from Brazil. "I love these guys," he said. "They're 80 years old. Most bands have stopped making music by that age," he added.

The Rolling Stones started in 1962. They celebrated⁷ their 60th year with a tour of Europe in 2022 and they said they have plans to visit North America in 2024.

Wood, 76, plays guitar. He said the idea of retirement⁸ is "Impossible. You've got to keep playing," he added.

Words in This Story

resident –n. a person who lives in a region, city; a home or land owner

original –adj. the first or existing at the beginning

grab –v. to quickly take hold of something with your hands

ballad² –n. a kind of slow, romantic song

drummer –n. a person who provides the beat in music, usually using drumsticks and drums to make a sound

replacement –n. a person who steps in if someone is not available to do a task

studio –n. quiet room used to record music or voice

track –n. one song of a group that are included in an album

 

rival –n. a person or thing trying to be more successful than another

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 ballad   

n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲

参考例句：

• This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
• This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。

3 ballads   

民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴

参考例句：

• She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening. 她整晚一个接一个地大唱民谣和乡村小调。
• She taught him to read and even to sing two or three little ballads,accompanying him on her old piano. 她教他读书，还教他唱两三首民谣，弹着她的旧钢琴为他伴奏。

4 watts   

（电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• My lamp uses 60 watts; my toaster uses 600 watts. 我的灯用60瓦，我的烤面包器用600瓦。
• My lamp uses 40 watts. 我的灯40瓦。

5 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

6 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

7 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

8 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。