Rolling Stones confirm new album

The Rolling Stones have confirmed they’re working on a new, blues-inspired album for release this year.

“We’re actually in the studio in the moment cutting new stuff,” Keith Richards told BBC 6 Music.

Guitarist Ronnie Wood added that the band recently “cut 11 songs in two days. Just ‘bang’ – like that.”

“It was a surprise to us. We didn’t intend doing it,” he told Matt Everitt. “I wish I could play them to you now. I’m so excited about them.”

The sessions have included new material and a series of blues covers, including songs by Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf.

“They sound so authentic it’s frightening,” said Wood.

“We didn’t spend any time rehearsing them or anything. We just picked a song that suited Mick’s harmonica or a guitar riff… and they worked out pretty good.

“It was like, ‘this is what the Stones do, we play blues.”

“It’s sounding really good,” added Mick Jagger. “We did one session before Christmas. We’ll probably do more.”

The Rolling Stones haven’t released a studio album since 2005’s A Bigger Bang, although they wrote two new songs for the 2012 compilation record Grrrr!