The long-awaited return of the Rolling Stones comes with a carefully calibrated strategy: a single released on vinyl in an extremely limited run, distributed in just a handful of selected shops. In the days leading up to this, the English band had been fuelling anticipation with a series of clues appearing across the UK.
The Rolling Stones' new track is titled “Rough And Twisted”: a song built on unmistakably blues coordinates, marking the start of their new album cycle. The single serves as the first taste of “Foreign Tongues”, expected in the coming months, with an informally estimated release date around July 10th.
The vinyl distribution was almost symbolic in nature. Only a single copy reached Italy, put up for sale by Psycho Records. The buyer then shared the listening experience with those present in the shop, as documented on the store's own social media channels.
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In recent days, the British band had been fuelling anticipation with an enigmatic campaign that appeared in London: posters signed "The Cockroaches", the Stones' historic pseudonym, accompanied by a QR code that led to a teaser site set in a room straight out of the Seventies. Among the objects visible was also a copy of "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" by David Bowie, a visual clue placed within a setup built to spark speculation and anticipation.
Meanwhile, castings for the video of the lead single have been held in London, with filming already carried out between March 30 and 31. Indications about the concept point to an imagery that blends blues, punk, northern soul and glam aesthetics, in keeping with the band's visual and musical tradition.
On the live front, plans for a European tour — reportedly including a date at Rome's Stadio Olimpico — are said to have been shelved even before the announcement, partly due to Keith Richards' health. Production of the album is reportedly once again in the hands of Andrew Watt, who also worked on the previous “Hackney Diamonds“.
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This article is an English translation of the original Italian text by OndaRock Staff, published on OndaRock.it. It was translated with the help of artificial intelligence, under the editorial responsibility of OndaRock's editor-in-chief, Claudio Fabretti.