With the Rolling Stones 50th anniversary under their belt, I ‘m wondering if it ever gets any better for a rock band. Fifty years. That means the Stones have been around nearly as long as I have been alive! That’s an impressive career no matter how you slice it and it looks like these living legends are gearing up to celebrate their 50th with some new music and a few live dates.

Amid stories regarding Ron Wood’s divorce and a public spat between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, rumors and speculation regarding the band’s future have bubbled up and settled back down a few times over the last few years. It’s looking like the Stones have put their problems behind them for the time being and are preparing to give their fans what they have been waiting for.

After the Stones were spotted and photographed by a fan leaving a recording studio in Paris, it was suspected that they were working on some new music to include on a 50th anniversary compilation. Now it appears that speculation was spot on. The two new tunes, “One Last Shot” and “Gloom and Doom,” will be included in the new 3-CD set entitled GRRR! The new set is set for release in November and vinyl fans will be glad to hear that it will also be available in their favorite format.

Rolling Stones fans have been suffering through a bit of a drought where live shows are concerned since the group has not toured since 2007 when they wrapped up their “Bigger Bang 2007” tour at London’s O2 Arena. That drought will reportedly come to an end in November when the group is said to be set to play two shows each at London’s O2 and New York’s Barclays Center.

Fans will also want to catch the new HBO special that celebrates the Rolling Stones 50-year career. Crossfire Hurricane premiers November 15th. “This is not an academic history lesson,” director Brett Morgan said, and further explained that viewers will  “experience firsthand the Stones’ nearly mythical journey from outsiders to rock & roll royalty.”

Although many have wondered whether or not the Stones were preparing to retire after the last note of the “Bigger Bang 2007” tour faded away inside the O2 Arena, it appears that they still have at least a few more shows and a couple of new songs left in them. Will they call it quits after the four shows set for November? Perhaps they haven’t even decided yet, but who could blame them after 50 years?