MICK JAGGER ADMITS KEITH RICHARDS AND RONNIE WOOD AREN’T EXACTLY THRILLED WHEN HE PICKS UP A GUITAR—BUT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, HE’S STILL DOING IT ANYWAY. The Rolling Stones frontman believes his playing brings something different to the band’s unmistakable sound, creating a fascinating bit of creative tension between three rock legends who have shared stages for decades. Now Jagger’s candid confession is sending fans back to watch those performances for themselves—and decide whether his unexpected third guitar really does add something Keith and Ronnie can’t.

Mick Jagger has shared some insight into the making of the Rolling Stones’ new record – revealing how his guitar contributions helped bring a new element to their music.

Jagger says he’s the man responsible for the more raucous songs on the new album. As he explains, he took to the guitar to smash out some riffs during the writing process, despite Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood not taking too kindly to it.

At face value, Jagger is the band’s mouthpiece, their enigmatic and energetic frontman. Keef is meant to be the riffs. But in many cases on Foreign Tongues, their new Andrew Watt-produced LP, several riffs have come from Jagger’s fingers. He believes his playing style fills some important gaps.

“I write different kinds of songs to Keith,” he tells Variety during a breakdown of the song Mr. Charm alongside Watt. “It sounds like the wrong way round, but I write a lot of the more punky rock songs.”

The song is driven by a punching kick drum and some dirty blues licks reminiscent of Brown Sugar, and the Stones at their most swaggering. Yet it comes from the half of the Jagger-Richards partnership that most wouldn’t have expected.

“I want to hear this distorted slashing guitar sound,” Jagger explains. That means he was prone to taking one of Keith Richards or Ronnie Wood’s guitars off them, so he can better present the idea he has in mind.

“I don’t think Ronnie and Keith really like me doing it, but I do it anyway,” he laughs. “Sometimes I’m hearing something that they’re not doing. They’re doing great things, but I still want that original thing on it, you know?”

As Watt explains, in the chorus, what fans are hearing is Wood on the left, Richards on the right, and Jagger straight down the middle “doing the power.”

Mick Jagger & Andrew Watt – Mr. Charm | Behind the Song – YouTube

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The lick that the other two guitarists are trading off, meanwhile? “That’s my lick,” Jagger shouts with great enthusiasm. “It’s his now,” Watt returns, laughing.

Another one of Jagger’s upbeat numbers is Covered In You, which features Paul McCartney on bass. Richards, meanwhile, recently explained why the guest spot meant the world to McCartney.