Rolling Stones confessions half way through Bigger Bang tour

His band have been branded with such nicknames as wrinkly rockers and the strolling bones, so Mick Jagger will be no stranger to jibes about his age.

But for the first time the Rolling Stones frontman has admitted that he takes lessons to preserve his distinctive singing which has endured a wide repertoire during more than three decades of touring.

The singer, who is renowned for his energetic stage performances, said he had done without a singing lesson for 35 years but had now hired a coach - because he found that the teaching helped him warm up his famous vocal chords.

Jagger, 63, told Virgin Radio: "Better late than never. I did a bit of voice coaching a couple of years ago, after 35 years with no voice coaching.

"A bit of voice coaching and warm-ups ...really helps. I always tell these younger singers 'I never used to do it either but you should'. A lot of people have voice problems - not just older people, younger people too.

"I was speaking to Joss Stone and I mean you sing a lot, every night you are singing for hours and hours and your voice gets tired, like anything, like running every night, that's why you have to warm up properly. I just learnt that so that's probably helped me."

The Stones are currently midway through their Bigger Bang tour, which resumed in Milan last month once Keith Richards recovered in New Zealand from a head injury sustained when he fell out of a tree.

Some of the concerts will be staged this summer and the remainder have been rescheduled for next year.

During the interview with Virgin Radio's Ben Jones, guitarist Ronnie Wood admitted that he had not seen Kasabian despite the fact they are supporting the Rolling Stones on their world tour.

He said: "If I get time I may check them out." Wood plans to release a two-disc retrospective in September, collecting tracks from his solo outings and his work with the Stones, the Faces, the Jeff Beck Group, and the Creation.

Drummer Charlie Watts took a swipe at Jamie Cullum, saying: "Bill Evans is a jazz artist to me, Jamie Cullum isn't."

- INDEPENDENT