In a new interview with Bass Player, Darryl Jones talked about the chemistry between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
“The first thing that happens is Mick and Keith get together and throw around different riffs and ideas,” the rocker replied when asked how the band writes their songs. “Keith once told me that sometimes he’ll play an old tune on piano, like something by Hoagy Carmichael, or a blues tune, and his hands will fall to different places. That’s how he’ll come up with a song.”
He also shared, “Then Charlie comes in and they start adding people. Recently, I’ve discussed basslines with Mick more than l ever have, because he has a better idea of what he’s looking for. Then we’ll try a bunch of different stuff. We’ll try straight eighths, we’ll try a full-blown line, we’ll try doubling the guitar – until we come up with something he’s satisfied with.”
“Keith is much more hands-off. He just puts the idea out there and lets you develop it in a way that’s more organic to you,” Jones also added about the process.
“The interesting thing about Keith’s writing is that I know a bit about the way he plays bass guitar, so now I have a repertoire of things Keith will do to make the bassline his, to give it those ‘Keith’ characteristics. Like, instead of playing the root note, he’ll play a 3rd lower. I try to add those things to their writing to try and make it a little more Stones-ish,” he said.
In the documentary ‘Darryl Jones: In the Blood,’ Jagger expressed respect for Darryl as a musician, and Richards agreed. “Darryl is the most solid cat. My solid left arm, one of the best bass players in the world,” Keith said.
“It’s funny because I feel the same way about Keith. I feel like he’s my older brother,” Jones also told SPIN. “He’s a lovely guy. And it’s not just in the way that he plays guitar. It’s in the way he writes music. He has an artful way of doing everything.”
In 1993, Jones tried out to join the Rolling Stones after bassist Bill Wyman retired. He got the job and toured with them in 1994. Since then, Jones has been touring and recording with the band.