Will They or Won’t They? Rolling Stones Plans Remain Uncertain
It’s beginning to feel a bit like the whole Led Zeppelin hoopla nearly three years ago. The three surviving members of Zeppelin joined forced with Jason Bonham in December of 2007 to perform at London’s O2 Arena to honor late Atlantic Records exec Ahmet Ertegun. The event set off a firestorm of speculation about a reunion and world tour that never came to pass and seems more and more unlikely with each passing year.
Although the Rolling Stones are still alive and kicking, whether or not they will tour or record again remains in question. Comments from Keith Richards recently suggested that the Stones still had more in them and that they had a stash of unfinished material to work on that was not included in the last album.
Richards went on to say that they will get together in December or January to begin working on ideas, although he did not indicate that he had talked to other members of the group regarding that plan.
Richards’ new book may have caused some unrest within the ranks of the group, particularly with frontman Mick Jagger who was might be understandably insulted by some of the comments Richards wrote about his anatomy, among other things.
Most recently, a Stones spokesman has said that the group currently has no plans to tour or spend time in the recording studio in the coming year. The band’s press office released the following statement: “There are no concrete plans for The Rolling Stones to tour. The same applies to rumors that they are going into the studio soon to record a new album.”
Perhaps Richards and Jagger are working out their personal differences before they decide to work together again. Perhaps not.
Maybe they all just need a break from one another before they feel the desire to get back to business. Nothing is for certain and fans will simply have to wait until all of the Stones agree on whether it’s time to soldier on or fade quietly into retirement.