The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards has labelled America as “a bit of a disappointment at the moment” given the current political climate and social unrest.
The comments come as the rock icon has lived in Connecticut for over four decades, moving there in 1985.
Speaking to the Sunday Times about the Stones’ upcoming album ‘Foreign Tongues’, which is set for release on July 10, Richards addressed speculation that the song ‘Ringing Hollow’ is set to be an anti-Trump track.
While he didn’t specifically say whether or not the song alluded to the US president, the guitarist did say that the song in question is about having “a nostalgic love affair with America, and [it being] a bit of a disappointment at the moment.”
After quipping that he has “got my steel helmet and live[s] in a bunker”, Richards added that he has felt the concern from people around him over financial strain. “All you hear is the moaning about the price of gas. This is where it hurts people,” he said.
In a separate interview, frontman Mick Jagger spoke to MOJO about the inspiration between ‘Ringing Hollow’ and said that while it isn’t “only about” Trump’s America, it does centre around “America generally and your experiences of it.”
“The American Dream is intact for some people, and I’m sure we can find some wonderful immigrant stories that happened in the last 12 months, but we read about the decline of the American Empire,” the singer shared. “It’s not the same at all, but there are a lot of questions about imperial overreach, and the lobbying system.”
According to Far Out, the song will feature lyrics including: “Lady Liberty don’t look so good when there’s a tear in her gown.”
While the band haven’t said that the song is a direct criticism of Trump, they have clashed with the president multiple times over the past decade.
In May 2016, the Stones issued a statement saying they hadn’t given permission for Trump to use the 1969 song ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ and requested for him to “cease all use immediately.” Trump then defied this, and played it at the end end of his 75-minute speech to Republican party members in Cleveland that July.
In summer 2019, Jagger made a dig at Trump on-stage following his comments in that year’s Independence Day speech, and later that year the singer also condemned Donald Trump over his stance on climate change.
“We are in a very difficult situation at the moment, especially in the US, where all the environmental controls that were put in place – that were just about adequate – have been rolled back by the current administration so much that they are being wiped out,” Jagger said at the time.
“The US should be the world leader in environmental control but now it has decided to go the other way.”
In 2020, The Rolling Stones issued another warning to Trump to stop using their music at his rallies and events, saying that he could face a lawsuit if not.
‘Foreign Tongues’ is set to feature contributions from Paul McCartney, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Bruno Mars, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and more, as well as a cover of Amy Winehouse’s ‘You Know I’m No Good’.
Speaking to NME as part of a recent In Conversation interview, Jagger opened up about the “easy” experience working with McCartney, the collab with Robert Smith, his love of Sam Fender, and whether or not they have more music planned. Read it in full here, or watch it above.
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