Mick Jagger likes Harry Styles, but the Rolling Stones legend is no fan of people comparing the two singers. The two often draw comparisons for their on-stage performances and androgynous fashion choices, but the Rolling Stones frontman thinks he pushed style boundaries even further than the “Late Night Talking” singer has. Jagger’s comments come just after Styles released his third solo album, Harry’s House.
“I like Harry – we have an easy relationship,” Jagger, 78, told The Sunday Times, via Variety. “I mean, I used to wear a lot more eye make-up than him. Come on, I was much more androgynous. And he doesn’t have a voice like mine or move on stage like me; he just has a superficial resemblance to my younger self, which is fine – he can’t help that.”
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Styles has often cited Jagger as an inspiration, and the “Satisfaction” singer has been complimentary of the 28-year-old in the past. “He’s got it going on. I know him, he comes to see me in lots of shows,” Jagger told The Mail on Sunday in 2015. “And yeah, I can see the influence. But I don’t say anything to him, I just tell him he looks nice. I like him. He’s very decent.”
Jagger’s interview with The Sunday Times was one of the first since Rolling Stones drummer and founding member Charlie Watts died in August 2021 of complications from heart surgery. Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards are now the only founding members of the band still members. Bassist Ronnie Wood became an official member in 1976. Steve Jordan played drums for the band during the No Filter Tour, and every show on the tour started with a video tribute to Watts.
Jagger no longer expects to see Watts drumming behind him, but he still thinks about him when they perform. “Not only during rehearsals or on stage, but in other ways too,” Jagger told The Times, via Yahoo! Entertainment. “I would have phoned him up and talked about last night’s Arsenal game because he supported Tottenham and I’m Arsenal. I miss him as a player and as a friend.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Jagger admitted that most people aren’t built to be performing pop music in their 70s. “Doing anything high-energy at this age is really pushing it,” Jagger said. “But that makes it even more challenging. So it’s, like, ‘OK, we’ve got to f-ing do this right,’ but it’s got to be as full-on as possible. Of course, you could do another type of music – we’ve got lots of ballads. I could sit on a chair.”
The Stones will celebrate their 60th anniversary with a summer tour in Europe this year. The tour kicks off on June 1 in Madrid and ends on July 21 in Stockholm. As for Styles, his new album is earning rave reviews. He also stars in the upcoming thriller Don’t Worry Darling, directed by his girlfriend Olivia Wilde. The movie opens on Sept. 23.
