1) It was back in July that I started speculating about no Stones tour in 2025.
I based this on both market uncertainties and market saturation in Europe.
These two factors are still very much in play.

2) On November 18 the London Evening Standard reported that the Stones
would announce their Euro tour "in the next several weeks" (this is the
"news" that was bizarrely re-printed on Chuck Leavell's facebook
recently). We also had various Stones sources publishing "firm" dates
for Paris and several other cities. People started reserving flights and hotels.

3) FYI the farthest B Vik has gone so far is to state that the Stones are
"definitely planning to tour Europe"

4) However I think it is clear at this point that they are definitely not planning
any such thing. This is the exact same tease they did in late 2022 for
a 2023 tour when they knew (and I correctly predicted) that 2023 was
reserved exclusively for the new album.

5) And, as I reported a few weeks ago, we now have it on very good
authority (IORR's rocky dijon) "in November of this year, the Stones were
moved from Geffen to the reactivated A&M Records roster indicating a
release is expected in 2025... the decision to assign an artist to a particular
division is to allocate resources for marketing and distribution".

6) Since there's been no major recording sessions recently, this new
record is obviously the one I've been calling "Hackney Diamonds Redux".
As far as I'm concerned, it is GREAT news that Universal has determined
that "Redux" is a major release with major marketing, and not just
an archive thing.

7) Major marketing means major involvement by CEO Mick throughout
2025. Everything from planning all the rorshach splotch vinyl editions
to the videos and mag covers and podcast interviews and getting
influencers on board, and promotional gigs etc. A tour on top of all this
would be truly driving Mick too hard. (And now we'll finally get the
"making of hackney" documentary)

8) so I'm psyched. A grittier Stones album this time, and only 10 months away

Yep exactly 10 months. The Redux logo is based on a Day of the Dead symbol
(end of Oct start of Nov, depending on which country).

For purposes of the record release, Friday, Oct 31 !

Here's a version available on amazon-netherlands

a very rich tradition

Keithmas? Yes. Of course. But also of course JAGGOWEEN !

and rarest of all, Mick Taylor wearing a smile...

This track (and its flip side "england lost") famously emerged from one
of the Don Was sessions. It was acknowledged that it is Charlie and Ronnie
playing, but supposedly Keith's parts were wiped.  I think Keith's parts
actually were wiped from "lost" and from the first half of "grip" (though they
still leak through at times, in my opinion). But from 2:20 on we are getting
Rolling Stones the full monty. Only Keith can crunch like that. Some of the
fiercest Rolling Stones music ever.

So it is my fondest wish and prayer that we get a lot more of such music
on HD REDUX 

(also wtf is that smoking thing she's holding at 2:17?}