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Fans of the Rolling Stones better get their wallets out when A Bigger Bang, their first new album since 1997 is released...

Stones’ Fans May Pay Through Nose for A Bigger Bang

Fans of the Rolling Stones better get their wallets out when A Bigger Bang, their first new album since 1997 is released September 6.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are talking about the album in Billboard magazine. Hidden at the end of the Billboard article is the plan to release multiple versions of the album. The first version of A Bigger Bang will be released September 6 as has been previously reported. The band’s label might release additional versions of the album for the holidays.

“The content will come from the band and it will hopefully include extra tracks, remixes, video content, Web links and ringtones,” according to comments Virgin U.S. executive VP of marketing Randy Miller made to Billboard.

Stones fans ought to be used to the consumer treatment. These guys have been charging outrageous prices (which people have been happily paying) for concert tickets and they have almost as much merchandise as KISS. That the band would try to goad fans into buying multiple versions of the new album is no surprise. It is just a shame. I do not want to wait until the holidays to buy the expanded edition but I also do not want to buy this album twice. Dilemma.

Other interesting items from the Billboard article:

  • Where was Ronnie Wood? According to the article, several songs feature only Jagger, Richards, and drummer Charlie Watts. The only other players on the record are Wood, Darryl Jones (bass), and Chuck Leavell (keyboard/piano).

    I am kind of excited about this! 16 songs is a little too long, but it sounds like they should be 16 leaner songs. It also means Keith played more lead or there are going to be fewer guitar solos without Ronnie. It does make me wonder about Wood’s health.

    The article does not mention whether or not the usual cast of backup singers is on the disc. I guess we can also infer from this there are no horns on the album. The horns might be missed, the backup singers would not.

  • A B-sides and rarities collection will be released in November. The album will be sold at Starbucks as well as other stores. The title, tracklisting, and formal release date of this set have not yet been released.

Here is to hoping for a formal release of “Cocksucker Blues!”

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