Taking the Mick! Rolling Stones legend Sir Mick Jagger caught cheekily poking fun at Sir Paul McCartney in the studio as the Beatle recorded a track for Hackney Diamonds

Rolling Stones legend Sir Mick Jagger was caught cheekily poking fun at Sir Paul McCartney in the studio as the Beatle recorded a track for the latest Stones album Hackney Diamonds.

Jagger, 80, can be heard giving McCartney a ribbing over his accent on Bite My Head Off, the fourth track on the album released in October by the legendary band.

Producer Andrew Watt said: ‘Paul hit the switch during his bass solo and Mick literally goes, in a Liverpool accent, “Come on, Paul, let’s hear something”. You can’t make it up. It was the Stones and the Beatles. And the smile on Paul’s face kept getting bigger and bigger.’

Watt told Rolling Stone magazine: ‘It wasn’t heavy for them, it was a blast. We did three or four takes. Everyone was on fire. We did another tune because we were having so much fun. When I was walking Paul out, he literally was like, “I just played bass with the Stones – and I’m a Beatle”. These guys were like they were 18 again and you can hear it in the recording. It’s ferocious.’

The groups have been rivals since the sixties. McCartney, 81, once called the Rolling Stones ‘a blues cover band’ while guitarist Keith Richards said the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was a ‘mishmash of rubbish’.

The Stones became the first band to have a number one album in six different decades with Hackney Diamonds. It was their 14th UK album chart topper, with the record-holding Beatles two in front.

In October, Keith Richards claimed Jagger is still ‘an a**hole’ as he admitted he ‘still talks’ to the late Charlie Watts in a rare interview.

Ahead of the release of Hackney Diamonds, the legendary guitarist, 79, discussed the band’s new chapter.

Richards and Jagger, once nicknamed The Glimmer Twins, have endured many rifts over the years, but Richards insisted that no love has ever been lost for the ‘unbelievable frontman’. 

Speaking to The Sun, he explained: ‘People only hear about the downs. After 60 years, if you had a brother, you’d have had a few ups and downs, too, and ours is usually concerned with work.

‘I say, “That’s too schlocky”, and he says, “I love it”, and I go, “You’re an a**hole!” But the abrasiveness is minor compared to the harmony that goes on all the time. Of course I love him.’

Hackney Diamonds marked the first album by the Rolling Stones since the death of beloved Watts, and Richards admitted that the loss ‘hit him hard’. 

‘I still have conversations with the man, which I fully expect to continue,’ he added.

In September, the Rolling Stones paid tribute to Charlie as they announced the release date of Hackney Diamonds, during a special live event with Jimmy Fallon in London.

Speaking on stage, Richards reflected on Watts’ passing, saying: ‘Ever since Charlie has been gone it’s different, he’s number four.’

The guitarist continued: ‘He’s missing, of course he’s missed incredibly, but thanks to Charlie we have Steve Jordan who was his recommendation if anything should happen to him.

‘He’s been a friend of ours so he was a natural progression. It would have been a lot harder without Charlie’s blessing.’

The Rolling Stones have released a special live edition of their album Hackney Diamonds performed in New York City.

The band performed seven tracks at the launch event on October 19 at Racket in Manhattan, including the debut performance of Shattered, Tumbling Dice, Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Sweet Sounds Of Heaven alongside Lady Gaga.