Keith Richards Autobiography
 

I spent the last couple of days at the cabin and couldn't put this down. One of the best books of its kind I've read—full of great insights into the history of the blues, the creative act of writing music and of course the usual rock-star shenanigans. And written in an extremely original and charming voice. Can't recommend this highly enough to anyone interested in the genre.

It's on my list. I've met Keith, but it was before I became a huge Stones fan.

awsome. was waiting for this and didnt realize it was out already. i just read ron wood's book...dont have much good to say about that one. hope keith's is written and edited better

A friend just sent me this review of the book that appeared in the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/books/26book.html?_r=1

Just bought it on ibooks, thanks for the heads up!

Nice review. Cant wait to get it. Love Keith!!!!! Hang fire!!

Keef's a lovely bloke. The heart and soul of the Rolling Stones. Modest. Sincere. Huge musician.

He kind of slid into the bad-boy image, and has tried hard to live up to it.

But who knew that he's been clean for 30 years?

Or that he was a passionate Boy Scout as a teenager, who worshipped Baden-Powell?

Or that he listens to Mozart to relax?

And of course I knew this—but had forgotten—that the Stones started out just doing covers of American Blues classics. Only once they achieved considerable fame in the UK did they move over to pop/rock, and start writing their own tunes.

Some of the best parts of the book are Keef describing the creative process through which various songs came to be. And he also really dumps on Mick—who he considers an egotistical, self-important prat—albeit a very creative one.

Great read. Couldn't put it down.

i recently read "according to the rolling stones"...very interesting. its a collection of interviews presented in chronological order. many interesting insights, especially by ron wood. highly recommended. Bill Wyman's coffee table book, now out of print, was also very cool...i found a copy at the library

the new film "Stones in Exile" is also really great and worth buying on dvd

just picked it up. about to get into it

What is new about Keith always being a low key self effacing guy. For decades now I had figured he was living up to the outlaw image.rather than being a real outlaw Which BTW years ago on this Board I argued, that the rubber of being a real outlaw hit the road when they saw what real outlaws were in the He11s Angels at Altamont. After that they knew they were just playing the part and were just a RR band makin a living playing the muszak. Up till Altamont Jagger really thought he was a real bad boy Lucifer.

Further Richards knows he plays a bad guitar that others are far more virtuoso's than he is. Yet it is a sound that he carries in his head that for lack of a better term makes him a visionary of the sound he wants to create..call that the RS sound, which is unique.

Gimme Shelter was written by Keith when his GF Anita was off making the movie Performance with Jagger. He feared that she was fking Jagger and that accounts for the on the edge feeling in the song. That was bout the time he started chipping on the H.

The High water mark for the RS was the 69 Tour, as that was where they EARNED the sobriquet the Greatest RR band on earth. That was the moment where hey blazed the night away. They may have had more success and money after that but they never played the same way again.

every few pages i find a page where the ink is so light that i can barely make out the words...arrrggg. wonder if i got a bad copy or if the whole batch is bad. otherwise, a great read so far

My copy was fine. Maybe worth exchanging.

Not rushing out to buy the book, but in a couple of months I will. Michael Caine's (2nd) autobiography has also just been released, and is also getting very good reviews.

That was quite an era, and they all have stories about each other and John Lennon and basically all partied together.

exchanged for a better copy.

Haven't read this one yet but plan to- thanks for the reminder. The last one I read was called "Old Gods Almost Dead". Very good and also offered a lot of insight into all the Stones as well as the Mick/Keith (and initially) Jones relationship. As I recall Keith stole Anita from Brian Jones- who really was a whacked out MF, not creative but a very capable musician.

I don't understand the technical aspects of music, but Richards guitar always seems very slightly off pace. It as if there is a second, loose rhythm is the sound. The effect is brilliant. You can hear similar effects in good calypso and reggae. I'm probably not describing what I'm hearing very well, but it's why I like the Stones.

I also hold the unpopular opinion that Jagger's vocals weren't so great. The songs were amazing, but to me, I'd rather have had a different lead singer. Just my opinion...

one of my favorite mick/keith vocals

Oh the gal I'm to marry
Is a bow-legged sow
I've been soakin' up drink like a sponge

haha gotta love it

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recent 44 minute NPR (Fresh Air) interview with Keith

The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards Looks Back At 'Life' : NPR

half way through the book and really loving it.

I think this is true of many bands. I think several great bands have been ruined by (IMO) crappy singers: Led Zeppelin is at the top of that list, and Guns and Roses is a very close second. I'm not a huge fan of Roger Daltrey, but I think I've got used to him. Jagger doesn't bother me too much.