How Don Was used a vintage Neumann U47 for Mick Jagger's vocals on 'A Bigger Bang'

For A Bigger Bang, producer Don Was wanted to capture a more immediate, unfiltered sound than the Stones had gotten on recent albums. Recording at La Fourchette, a converted chateau in France, Was brought in a vintage Neumann U47 condenser microphone—the same model used on countless classic rock and jazz vocal sessions—and placed it in front of Mick Jagger.

The U47 is known for its warm, slightly colored midrange and smooth top end. It doesn’t flatter a voice; it reveals every nuance and imperfection. That suited Jagger’s performance on this album, where he often sang close to the mic with a more conversational, almost wounded tone (the lyrics