The Rolling Stones won't release another album for at least 12 months.

Rolling Stones

Rolling Stones

The 'Satisfaction' rockers have been working in the recording studio on their first record of original material since 2005's 'A Bigger Bang' but because they have an upcoming stadium tour in the US next year, it's unlikely the LP will be finished in the near future.

Guitarist Keith Richards told Rolling Stone magazine: "Mick [Jagger] and I got together for a few days a month or so ago in the studio, just playing around. Apart from that, there might be a session sometime in December, but I'm not crossing my fingers on that.

"It was [a] great [session], man. We knocked out a few songs together with [producer] Don Was. We're just working things through. We had a great time -- got some nice stuff out of it."

Asked if he knows when the album will be released, he added: "Oh man, no. Like I say, early stages. I would say if I'm looking at it, we're going to do this tour, so maybe this time next year, I would say. Maybe. That looks like a reasonable projection."

Despite the band members' advancing years, the 74-year-old rocker insists they haven't thought about retirement but he's not sure if it's something many musicians plan.

Discussing 'retirement tours', he said: "You can look at it either way. If you mean it, that's the way it is. I just haven't gotten around to thinking in that head yet. I don't know if you never know. Maybe this will be the last one, I don't know."

But Keith also admitted he'd love to see the band perform in smaller venues again.

He said: "I love stadiums when the weather's perfect, when there's not too much wind, because you're kind of in God's hands. I do like to play indoors; it's a controlled environment. But at the same time, you take chances outside. It could be p***ing rain...

"I take it one tour at a time really. I don't really plan out. I'd love to [do a theatre tour]. I love playing theatres: that's heaven, you know."

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