How Producer Andrew Watt Stood Up to Keith Richards

Ron Wood is praising producer Andrew Watt for giving the Rolling Stones a new lease of life through youthful energy and a strong character. Watt, 35, oversaw the Rolling Stones’ 2023 album Hackney Diamonds and returned for this year’s Foreign Tongues. His resume also includes production work with Ozzy Osbourne, Paul McCartney, and Pearl Jam.

Wood explained that Watt’s background as a genuine fan who can back up his musical ideas earned the band’s respect. “He’s a young guy with a passion,” Wood told Classic Rock. “He’s a fan. He can back up what he says because he can play. So we listened to him.”

Channeling the Jimmy Miller Era

Foreign Tongues is the second consecutive Rolling Stones album produced by Andrew Watt.

Wood compared their current working relationship to the late producer Jimmy Miller’s tenure in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Miller oversaw a string of classic albums including 1968’s Beggars Banquet, 1969’s Let It Bleed, 1971’s Sticky Fingers, and 1972’s Exile on Main St.

This dynamic has put the band back on a steady recording pace reminiscent of those classic years. Wood noted that people no longer have to wait 10 or 12 years between new records.

Bossing Around Keith Richards

According to Wood, the band relies on Watt to keep them disciplined in the studio. Wood recalled an exchange where Watt demanded that Keith Richards finish his guitar parts on a strict timetable.

When Watt told Richards he needed to start recording his parts immediately, Richards pushed back, asking, “What do you mean? I’ll do them when I want to.” Watt reportedly answered, “No, you won’t. You’ll do them when I tell you. And you’re going to start now.” Wood said Richards simply replied, “Oh, okay then,” adding that it takes an unusual man to successfully boss Richards around.

More Archive Recordings From Charlie Watts?

Foreign Tongues featured an appearance by the late drummer Charlie Watts on the track “Hit Me in the Head.” Wood revealed that future material could feature even more archive recordings to keep Watts’ memory alive.

Wood stated that Mick Jagger maintains an archive of Charlie Watts tracks, mentioning that sessions recorded in Paris could potentially be utilized. Alongside working with unreleased drum tracks, Wood emphasized that the band intends to maintain a grounded element of social commentary in their music while keeping a sense of humor about the state of the world.