Launching out of Barcelona with a huge passion for rock n’ roll, Whisky Sugar’s stomping new single Tannen’s World served as a memory and a reminder of the corruption of capitalism and a scream for freedom. For any Back To The Future fans among you, the song is also a mockery of the Biff Tannen’s of the world! A reference to the political upheaval and new world order ordained by a certain Biff lookalike touching on a key part of Back To The Future Part II: you don’t recognize the world you’re in.

Packed with the many influences that inspire the band, from the grunge-soaked Nirvana, through to the legendary choruses of Guns N’ Roses, Tannen’s World offers a fresh spin on the icons that inspired Whisky Sugar.

With two albums recorded and a wide variety of covers from the 70s and 80s in heavy rotation, they are currently playing concerts in Spain and now have their eyes set on world domination. The trio take time out to share with us their love for The Rolling Stones.

NOT JUST A CLASSIC ROCK DISCOVERY

There are bands you admire, and then there are bands that shape the way you understand music. For us in Whisky Sugar, The Rolling Stones belong firmly in the second category.

The first time we heard them, it wasn’t just another classic rock discovery. It felt dangerous. Raw. Slightly untamed. There was groove before we even understood what groove really meant. There was attitude before we even knew we needed one. Songs like Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Brown Sugar didn’t just play through speakers — they moved something physical inside us.

But loving The Rolling Stones isn’t only about the riffs or the swagger. It’s about the feel. That loose, elastic, almost lazy-but-never-sloppy rhythm that somehow swings harder than anything polished to perfection. The moment it really clicked for us was when we stopped just listening to the songs and started paying attention to how they worked. The space between the notes. The push and pull between the guitars. The way the drums didn’t dominate but controlled everything quietly from underneath.

CHARLIE…

Which brings us to Charlie Watts.

In a world of flashy drummers, Charlie was restraint, taste and precision. He never overplayed. He never needed to prove anything. Yet without him, the Stones wouldn’t sound like the Stones. His swing was subtle but undeniable. His groove was the engine room. As a rock band ourselves, that lesson has stayed with us: sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is serve the song. In fact, we were so inspired by him that we wrote a song called Charlie Watts — our small tribute to a musician who showed us that rock and roll doesn’t have to shout to be powerful. It can smirk. It
can strut. It can breathe.

FEEL FIRST

There isn’t one single favourite song, because the catalogue is absurdly rich. Gimme Shelter still feels apocalyptic and urgent decades later. Tumbling Dice swings like it’s alive. Wild Horses proves vulnerability belongs in rock music. Even album covers like Sticky Fingers remind you that The Rolling Stones understood image and identity as much as sound.

They taught us that rock and roll is feel first. That groove matters. That imperfection can be magic. That identity is everything. Most importantly, they showed us that longevity comes from authenticity. From knowing who you are and leaning into it fully.

We don’t sound like The Rolling Stones. No one truly does. But without them, Whisky Sugar wouldn’t sound like Whisky Sugar either. And that’s why we love them.

Our thanks to the guys in Whisky Sugar for writing on such a smart choice …

Here’s Whisky Sugar on Out For The World:

You can read more from our extensive archive of Why I Love pieces from a wide array of artists on an even wider array of subjects, here.

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