You wouldn’t have thought that Keef likes to relax these days listening to Mozart and reading history books, wudjya ?
I’m not particularly a Rolling Stones fan. I don’t have a “Tongue” T-shirt or keyring. The last album I bought was “Undercover” and that after a missing a couple. I think the best stuff they ever did, with an odd exception, was with Mick Taylor. After that they didn’t quite cut it for me. But I was interested to read Keith Richards’ autobiography “Life”. I reckoned that if anybody has had an interesting rock ‘n’roll life it’s got to be Keith Richards.
Having read several musician bios and autobios they are generally an easy read and this is straight in the genre. His voice does come through though (written with the help of his journalist friend James Fox) and I suspect his “Ghost” probably did a lot of editing and pulling together. As you read this it is Keith you hear.
There is much about his drug addiction – obviously; his marriages (including Etta James !); his family; the early years; his brushes with the law and the press. But what really comes through for me is his love of music for the sake of it. He clearly just loves to play and has a great deal of respect for those who have earned their stripes in the biz and who are players themselves.
There are some particularly interesting moments around his love of Caribbean music and musicians as well as his tangles with Mick. He also has some interesting thoughts about Society and how it was challenged by all that was new in the 60’s. I guess you see it from a different perspective when you are a potential target, as Keith clearly believes he was for a long while – and with some justification.
And he is open about his propensity to have a temper and the descending of the “Red Mist”, as he calls it. But the furore over the Shepherd’s Pie was a bit petulant, Keith, wasn’t it ? A bit star-struck ? Grow up, man. Oh, and having said that, please don’t throw your knife at me.
Having read the book then – “Do I like Keith Richards ?” Actually, I think I do. I’d definitely want him on my side……..and I would NEVER touch his Shepherd’s Pie.
singlemaltmonkey 
So far as I can determine, Mr. Richards has been married only once, to Patti Hansen, an enduring marriage of some 27 years. He had a previous long-term relationship with Anita Pallenberg, some 12 years, and has two surviving children with each.
Etta James married Artis Mills (according to the article on her in Wikipedia) and has two children with him. There was no date given for the marriage.
Hi Carole, thanks for stopping by and commenting. Technically you are right…….you will have to read the book to understand the comment. I don’t want to spoil it for you. 🙂
Actually, I >have< read the book. . . or at least, listened to the CD version of it. That said, I have discovered a drawback to CDs: They are hard to search. With a book, I could easily find out whatever, but not on CDs. So, you wouldn't be spoiling anything for me. Do tell.
Keith Richards was married to Etta James?!?! In any case, years ago i was working at the Denver Hyatt. The Rolling Stones were playing in town and were staying at the hotel. Celebrities of course register in with fake names- and in a devious attempt to silence us staff, the management never let us know which names they were registered under. I had a chap call in who asked for John Smith or something similar0 very “common” named chap and I said, sorry, don’t have him registered. Then he tried another name – similarly unremarkable… in the end he gave up and said: “I give up- do you have by any chance an aging rocker falling down stairs completely blotto in your hotel at the moment?” He was looking for Keith of course… yeah, we did… but I never found out what his alias was…lol.
Hey, fantastic. Actually Mixtape I dropped by your site this afternoon and listened to Noah etc and really liked it. Should have clicked the button. The Etta James marriage is a bit of grabber in the review…but you really got to read the book to understand the comment and I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Thanks for having a read of my site. Keep up the good work. 🙂