How 'Tattoo You' Became a Frankenstein Masterpiece of Leftover Stones Tracks at AIR Studios

The most fascinating thing about Tattoo You is that it’s basically a compilation of castoffs stitched together a decade after they were recorded. By 1981, the Stones were in a weird spot — no new album ready, but a tour booked. So they raided the vaults, pulling tracks from sessions as far back as 1972 (Goats Head Soup) and as recent as 1978 (Some Girls). The real hero was producer Chris Kimsey, who spent months at AIR Studios in London digging through reels and figuring out which outtakes could actually work as an album.

Kimsey didn’t just pick leftovers; he remixed and overdubbed heavily to give the songs a cohesive sound. The most famous example is “Start Me Up,” which had been recorded as a reggae groove in 1978 and left unfinished. Kimsey found a version with a stronger rock riff and worked with the band to add new vocals and guitar parts — turning a discarded jam into one of their biggest hits. He also brought in some new recordings like “Waiting on a Friend” (with sax by Sonny Rollins) to balance the old material.

The sessions at AIR were split between Kimsey doing solo production work and the band coming in to punch up tracks. Mick Jagger wrote new lyrics for several songs on the spot. The result was a number-one album that didn’t sound like a scrap heap — it sounded cohesive, thanks almost entirely to Kimsey’s editing and mixing choices. Without him, those leftover tapes probably would’ve stayed in a drawer.