Mick Jagger on Avoiding Politics at Concerts and Evolving Songwriting with the Rolling Stones

NEW YORK - Mick Jagger says his role as a performer is not to lecture audiences about politics, even as some artists, such as Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello, have made political discussion a regular part of their concerts.

During a recent appearance on The New York Times podcast "The Interview," Jagger discussed his approach to live shows, his relationship with the audience, and his thoughts on mixing politics with music. The episode was posted July 11 on YouTube.

When asked by host David Marchese what his relationship with his audience means to him, Jagger said the answer depends on the type of event and the crowd's expectations.

"For example, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival-we played that for the first time in 2024," Jagger said. "That's a festival, so people didn't necessarily come to see you; they bought tickets before they knew you were coming. At events like British Summer Time Hyde Park in London or Glastonbury, fans buy tickets for the festival, not just for you. They're not always your biggest fans, so you have to treat each audience differently."

Jagger said this variety in audience makeup shapes his approach to performing. He avoids getting political during concerts, focusing instead on giving fans an escape from their daily lives.

"My job in the live music world is to make sure attendees have the best time they possibly can and to help them forget all their problems and the problems of the world," he said. "It's similar to going to a sports event. Everything else is shut out. You're just watching to see who's going to win. You don't want to lecture them."

Jagger noted he is not against mentioning politics in songwriting. He said his process has changed over the years, and he sometimes weaves political lines into songs about personal relationships.

"I wouldn't have written any of the songs on 'Foreign Tongues' when I was 30," Jagger said. "I've gotten into the habit of doing songs about personal relationships and then throwing in a verse about politics. I learned that from other songwriters, because nobody wants to hear a whole song about politics or social commentary. A blues song like 'Rough and Twisted' is mostly stream-of-consciousness. You talk about women and life, then you throw in something political, like 'The only club was called Conspiracy / All they wanted was tyranny.' You find yourself using these tricks."

The Rolling Stones released "Foreign Tongues," their latest studio album and the follow-up to 2023's "Hackney Diamonds," this past Friday on Polydor/Capitol. The album has received positive reviews from outlets including Ultimate Classic Rock and Rolling Stone.

Jagger, 80, also spoke candidly about aging during the podcast.

"There's nothing good about it," he said. "I forgot all my wisdom. I might have had a couple of pearls drop, but I've already forgotten what they are. You can't do things as quickly as you want to. Physically, you've got to be more careful."

On July 8, Jagger and Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood played the previously unreleased track "Ringing Hollow" during the band's "Foreign Tongues" listening party at the St. Clement Hotel in London. In an interview with MOJO magazine, Jagger described "Ringing Hollow" as a reflection on the idea of America and the concept of the American Dream.

"The American Dream is intact for some people, and I'm sure we can find wonderful immigrant stories, but we also read about the decline of the American Empire," Jagger said. "There are a lot of questions about imperial overreach and the lobbying system. The money spent on an election is absurd-it's not corruption per se, but unnecessary. Is it indicative of this administration or something that has been happening a long time? In any case, it's not the same place as it was."

Jagger also told NME he has already started writing songs for possible future projects, and there could be as many as three records to follow "Foreign Tongues." He said some of the new songs could end up being recorded by other artists.

- Compiled from The New York Times, Ultimate Classic Rock, MOJO, Louder, and NME