Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman announces first album in nine years
After nearly a decade of silence in the studio, former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has announced plans for his latest release, Drive My Car.
The latest release sees the musician penning five new tracks as well as covering old songs from revered artists from his past. It also marks the return of Wyman’s frequent collaborators, including drummer Paul Beavis and guitarist Terry Taylor, as well as fresh faces such as blues guitarist Hans Theesink.
Among the covers includes a version of Bob Dylan’s classic ‘Thunder on the Mountain’, taken from his 2006 album Modern Times. Although Dylan was known for his numerous interactions with the Beatles over the years, Wyman remembered the folk-rock icon fondly, stating in a press release, “I’ve known Bob since the mid-‘60s. He used to take me and Brian Jones round the Greenwich Village clubs whenever we were in New York. We were very good friends for a while, he was a really nice guy.”
Of course, Wyman’s musical palette isn’t just limited to strictly rock and roll. Elsewhere on the record, Wyman will revisit various pieces of the world of country music as well, covering John Prine’s song ‘Ain’t Hurtin’ Nobody’ as well as ‘Light Rain’ from Taj Mahal, who had previously worked with The Stones in the 1960s on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus.
When recording the album, Wyman looked to the work of JJ Cale when composing the track listing, stating, “I think the biggest influence on the album as a whole is JJ Cale, his laidback groove has always appealed to me. Friends I’ve played it to have said things like ‘it really sounds like you’, and that makes me happy. I’ve never tried to be anyone else.”
While Wyman left The Stones in 1993, he has remained productive on the musical front for years, including putting together Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings. The bassist has also appeared on the big screen recently, being the centrepiece of the documentary The Quiet One in 2019, which follows his career as the reserved member of the British Invasion legends.
Prior to the latest announcement, Wyman had also returned to the studio with The Stones to work on the song ‘Live By the Sword’ their latest album Hackney Diamonds, which also marked the final performance from original drummer Charlie Watts before his death in 2022. Drive My Car is slated for release on August 9th.
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