Mick Jagger Discusses SuperHeavy Collaboration

The Rolling Stones rocker has teamed up with Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart, reggae maestro Damian Marley, soul songtress Joss Stone and “Slumdog Millionaire” composer A.R. Rahman for SuperHeavy, a new group fusing their different styles on an as-yet untitled album set for release Sept. 20 in the United States, and a day before in the rest of the world.

“What bit of iTunes genres does it go on? The unknowable? Isn’t there an unknown section?” Jagger joked during a preview event last week at Jim Henson Studios, where the group recorded some of their eclectic music.

Stewart called the collaboration wide-ranging. The recording process began in Hollywood with the entire group, but they also recorded separately. Other recordings took place in Florida, France, Greece, Turkey, India and the Caribbean. Stewart said the group recorded about 35 hours of music with some songs originally lasting “an hour and 10 minutes” before they were whittled down.

One of seven tracks teased Thursday included “Miracle Worker,” the first single off the album, which features the vocalists crooning: “Ooh, you’re a miracle worker/Ooh, you’re the surgeon of love.” The group filmed a music video last Wednesday for the mid-tempo track, which like most of the music previewed, combined rock, soul, reggae and world music.

“Working with four other vocalists was interesting to me,” said Jagger. “I’ve never actually done it before. Normally, I have to do everything, which I’m quite happy to do. Don’t worry. It was kind of fun because when we had to finish it off, I realized we all had a part to play.”

Jagger said the group would wait for reaction to the album before deciding if the supergroup will go on tour.

“We’ll probably end up playing in the unclassified gig section,” Stewart quipped.

“Yeah, in a tent at Glastonbury with the unclassifiable acts,” Jagger added.