Gazza wrote on Dec 12
th, 2015 at 6:59am:
I still maintain that after the ABB tour ended in 2007 they had no intention of ever making another record.
They'd allowed their EMI contract to expire and eventually got around to signing short term deals with UMG which didnt even oblige them to produce new material. That makes their intentions at that time pretty evident to me (add in various other subsequent factors like Mick and Keith's relationship breakdown over the latter's autobiography, Keith having his basement studio removed from his home, saying that he was contemplating retirement and his decision to write songs for a solo album instead of a Stones record).
They've simply IMO come to the logical conclusion that having milked another spell of touring behind a greatest hits package, there's a bit of credibility and legacy at stake and it makes sense to at least pay lip service to the notion that they're not exclusively an oldies act.
10 years isnt just a long time between an artist's records - it's also a long time in anyone's career when theyre in their 60s and 70s. Mindsets can change. I dont think it'll change to the degree where we'll see shows that'll deviate much in content and presentation from what has been so lucrative in recent years, but at least they'll make some new music. And I think it might be pretty good.
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I don't think many here looked at the <big picture> provided their health held up. The Stones do things as they feel like it... They dont plan five years ahead. They just couldn't do it and the timing wasn't right on some of those years to record.. but I dont think they consciously thought "No more records" or "enough of all that" or anything like that lol. I think they still held the possibility of a new album very open in the future.. just not on board at the moment is how I think it was. I dont think any of them was turned off or <dis-interested> at the notion what so ever as so many here felt...?
Now personally I was much more concerned and actually for the most part thought Keith was physically unable to perform much anymore... Incredibly ... boy was I wrong lol. He plays now better than he did Their last tour ...
I thought his health had deteriorated or something had happened which would mean he could not tour or maybe not even perform whole shows anymore... there was a lot of talk.. and even some truth to his not being ready just yet. Incredibly he pulled through and is doing just fine in a fully functioning Rolling Stones band again... it's amazing. .. Who would of ever thought
Anyway Keiths health was my big concern ...I knew they would eventually get to doing another album again in time.. and provided their health held up. Sure.. they never said we want to record another album .. but they never said they really didn't have any interest either. It just took some time to come around.. What the hell else were they gonna do ... solo albums constantly and from here on out Lol Nahhhhh.? That would be them fooling themselves.
The only thing I thought that would stop them from doing another record was the possibility of someones health failing in the band was my opinion.
*I mean ... Look ... they did another record after Dirty Work and Bridges to Babylon didn't they? .. and those sessions were not exactly smooth. A Bigger Bang went just great between Mick and Keith ... Sooner or later I expected them to get on with another record at some point. Look at it that way ... I did.