McCartney Had to Prove He Could Play Punk Before Joining Stones on New Album

Paul McCartney is on the new Rolling Stones album, but his presence wasn’t a foregone conclusion. For “Covered In You,” a track from Foreign Tongues (out July 10), Mick Jagger needed a bassist who could drive a punk song without overplaying. McCartney had never played bass on a Stones record before, so Jagger turned to producer Andrew Watt for a character reference.

“I said to Andy, ‘Is he into this?’” Jagger told NME. “Because it’s really a punk tune, and it’s going to go really fast… I want overdriven bass. It’s gonna be simple. No mucking about.” Watt’s reply: “No, no, no. Paul can do that.” And so, McCartney did. “He did exactly what was needed in like, 10 minutes,” Jagger said.

McCartney’s bass was cut during the same session that produced “Bite My Head Off” for 2023’s Hackney Diamonds. That earlier guest spot still left the question open for a more aggressive track—until Watt vouched for him.

For McCartney, the session was a rare turn as hired player. “It was really exciting, because I normally don’t play as a session guy,” he said. “You start playing and they show you the song and I start thinking, ‘I’m playing with the Stones.’ And I’m well chuffed.”

The album arrives as the band’s first since Hackney Diamonds, and McCartney’s cameo isn’t a victory lap—it’s a functional part of a song that demanded a specific, unfussy attack. Watt’s confidence appears well placed.