You know that he has been defying death for years, all the while snorting, drinking, and inhaling anything under the sun. But guitar legend Keith Richards (of the Rolling Stones, for those who stopped paying attention to pop music when Elvis started shaking his hips) has managed to shock the world yet again with his latest answer to “what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?â€
“The craziest thing I’ve tried to snort? My father,†Richards said in a quote given to British music publication NME and widely quoted around the world. “I couldn’t resist grinding him up with a bit of blow. My dad wouldn’t have cared…it went down well, and I’m still alive.â€
Is anyone surprised that he is? In the rest of the article, Richards also bemoans losing his place on the top of the “To Die†lists each year, saying, “I was really disappointed when I fell of the list.â€
But stranger still is the rest of the article, where Richards takes on the latest crop of rockers (including Pete Doherty, The Libertines, Bloc Party, and The Arctic Monkeys by name) calling them “all crap†and criticizing their determination to follow in his footsteps. “Grow up,†he says. “I mean, who do you think you’re gonna be?...It’s just copycat [expletive]. I did it because I did it, now people think it’s a way of life.â€
Truth be told, my first reaction to the story was, “if it wasn’t for the April 4 stamped on the top, I’d be sure this was an April Fool’s Joke.†A look at my fellow correspondent Fred Bals’ article (available here and full of interesting tidbits) on the topic led me to an article at Yahoo, where Richards’ publicists claim the same thing.
So which is it—a strangely cannibalistic act, a late April Fool’s Joke, or something somewhere in between? I can say this right now, with complete certainty:
Keith Richards doesn’t care what we think.
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Comments: 21
Did he do it? Who knows. I'm with Connie W., though, in the thought that just thinking of the act is repulsive. Did the news shock me? Sure did, so if that was the intent, he got his success from the media and the public.
Keith Richards is an exceptionally talented musician who managed to get connected with a group of other exceptionally talented musicians who hit the market at exactly the right time, got a few good breaks, lost a few good friends, and continued to read the market adequately enough to remain successful during FIVE decades.
Keith and Mick and Charlie have been playing, touring, and recording as a team (along with various and sundry other people) since 1962. Keith and Mick are now 63 years old. Methinks they have earned the right to a bit of eccentricity and spoofing at the media.
Yes, I am a fan.
Otherwise, I don't think he did it. I know my fair share of people who would joke about something similar and find it hilarious and irreverent. What that says about me, I'm not sure.
To answer your question, Joan, there's no reason why Keith Richards should care what we think, but that doesn't mean that everyone doesn't have the right to have their various reactions to what is, essentially, a tasteless and crude joke or action.
As to my db10, that means I left you a tongue-in-cheek "drive-by 10." I loved the post, but was racing out for an appointment and couldn't really comment.
Good to see you back alive.
Rock on KR!
Personally, I think the man has done entirely too much of whatever it is he's doing. But then, I wasn't as big of a fan as some.