The Beatles & The Rolling Stones Are Finally Collaborating

Music

— 24 February 2023

WORDS

Henry Garnett

WORDS BY
Henry Garnett

Few music rivalries can claim the level of significance of the one shared by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

While it might’ve been a question of which British rock group held your allegiance once upon a time – the clean-cut Beatlemania vs the bad-boy Stones – suffice it to say, nowadays, most of us can simply admit to liking both. Now, the remaining members of the original Rolling Stones as well as the surviving Beatles are uniting to further bury the ancient debate.

In a report published by Variety earlier this week, it was suggested that both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr would be featured on the currently untitled forthcoming 31st studio album from The Rolling Stones. Since then, The Guardian has confirmed that it’ll only feature the former playing bass guitar on one song.

Putting to bed a five-decade-long rivalry is definitely a way to get us excited about the band’s first album comprised of new material since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. Their last full-length LP was Blue & Lonesome circa 2016, which was a collection of blues covers with the contributions of another legendary guitarist in Eric Clapton on a few tracks.

(Original Caption) All aboard the “love” train… Beatle Paul McCartney, wearing an Indian-style jacket, and Mick Jagger (left) of the Rolling Stones, walk toward train en route to a love pilgrimage to Bangor. The Beatles and Jagger are to hear the Himalayan mystic Maharishi Yogi give a series of meditation lectures.

McCartney, on the other hand, last issued an album titled McCartney III in 2020, which he wrote and performed every instrument for. Ringo Starr last released an album in 2019 with What’s My Name?, and is set to resume a US tour through April and May with his All-Starr Band.

Despite not having been formally announced just yet, the upcoming Rolling Stones project is said to be entering the mixing stage of production with accomplished producer Andrew Watt. Parts have been recorded by the Stones’ original drummer, Charlie Watts, who passed away in August 2021, hence the absence of Starr.

With respect to the Stones’ current touring drummer Steve Jordan, a lineup of Ringo Starr on the drums, Mick Jagger’s vocals, Keith Richards on lead guitar, and Paul McCartney on any of the 40+ instruments he plays would be a pretty unbelievable sight to behold. Or rather, an unbelievable sound to hear. We aren’t quite there, but considering there are about fifty years worth of snarky comments between the bands, it’s not a bad start.