Mick Jagger Shares How Robert Smith Ended up on the Rolling Stones’ New Album

The Rolling Stones joined Conan O’Brien at a special announcement event in Brooklyn today to discuss their upcoming album Foreign Tongues, where Mick Jagger revealed how The Cure’s Robert Smith ended up appearing on the project.

“I turned up one day to do my vocals in London, and there’s this bloke standing there with his back to me with this long black gown on, and when he turned around, he was covered in lipstick” recalled Jagger. “I’d never met him before, and I said ‘You’re Robert Smith of The Cure.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, we’ve never met.” And I said, ‘Well, while you’re here then you better go do something!’ That’s how collaborations work sometimes. Go out and sing the backing vocal!”

Robert Smith isn’t the only major guest on The Rolling Stones’ forthcoming 25th (!) studio album: Paul McCartney, The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, and Steve Winwood all made contributions. The album, out on July 10th, also features posthumous contributions from longtime drummer Charlie Watts.