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Keith Richards – The World’s Most Elegantly Wasted Human Being

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Keith Richards

1. The Fort Harrison Hotel (known at the time as the Jack Tar Harrison Hotel) where Keith Richards rolled out of bed with the idea for the riff for “(I Can’t Get No), Satisfaction” was bought by the Church of Scientology in 1975 and now frequently hosts religious retreats.

2. In his autobiography, Keith said he once cleared a hotel room of unwanted guests by getting a gun out and firing it through the floor.

3. During 1993, Keith Richards adopted a stray cat in Barbados which he named Voodoo, he dubbed the terrace of the house, “the Voodoo Lounge”, which is where the name of the Stones’ 1994 album was taken.

4. From September 1950, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger were classmates at Wentworth Primary School in Dartford, Kent.

5. In 1976 when Keith Richards arrived two and a half hours late for a UK court appearance, on drug and driving charges, he blamed his late arrival on the fact that his trousers had not been returned from the cleaners on time.

6. In his “Life” autobiography, Richards reckons that on average, he slept only two nights a week for many years of the Stones’ glory years. “This means that I have been conscious for at least three lifetimes,” he calculated.

7. On the night of the infamous 1967 Redlands drug bust, Keith was so far gone on LSD that when the police arrived at his Sussex country mansion, he mistook them for uniformed dwarves, welcoming them in with open arms.

8. A heavy smoker since his teens, we worked out that smoking a packet a day of Marlboros, Keith has smoked over half a million cigarettes! Venting his anger at smoking bans he said: “It’s a bit of a drag because you’ve got to freeze your balls off to light a cigarette. You’ve got to go outside. It’s draconian, social, politically correct bullshit.”

9. Keith Richards recorded the rough version of the riff for “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” in a hotel room. He ran through it once before falling asleep. He said when he listened back to it in the morning; there was about two minutes of acoustic guitar before you could hear him drop the pick and “then me snoring for the next forty minutes”.

10. Richards and Ronnie Wood supported Led Zeppelin at the Knebworth Festival in 1979 in The New Barbarians.

11. Perirehaedulus richardsi is a species of prehistoric trilobite named after Keith Richards.

12. Richards was once almost crushed by a pile of heavy books. He was in his home library, standing on a chair to reach a book about Leonardo da Vinci’s study of anatomy when he slipped. Many tomes came pouring down on top of him. The accident resulted in three broken ribs for Richards and a tour postponement for the Stones.

13. In 1974, Keith Richards was nominated ‘The World’s Most Elegantly Wasted Human Being’ by the New Musical Express.

14. According to Keith Richards’s autobiography, ‘Life’, “Ruby Tuesday” was written about his then girlfriend Linda Keith. Linda had taken up with Jimi Hendrix and had got involved with drugs. She left Keith, and he tried to get her back.

15. Richards’ 1953 butterscotch Fender Telecaster is nicknamed “Micawber”, after a character in Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield. One of his main stage guitars, its used to play “Brown Sugar“, “Before They Make Me Run” and “Honky Tonk Women”.

16. It was reported that publisher Little, Brown and Company paid an advance of $7.3 million for Keith’s memoir “Life” after seeing a ten-page extract.

17. Keith says he got the music bug at just three years old. His favourites were Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Big Bill Broonzy and Louis Armstrong.

18. Keith has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics for “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” while staying at Richards’ country house, where they were awoken one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded: “Oh, that’s Jack – that’s jumpin’ Jack.”

19. As a choirboy Keith Richards sang in a trio of boy sopranos at, among other occasions, Westminster Abbey for Queen Elizabeth II.

20. During the 1944 Nazi bomb raids over London, Richards and his mum evacuated to a region that was out of the line of fire. When things died down, they returned to find that some of their neighbours had been killed and that baby Keith’s cot had been blown up by V-1 bomb.

21. Rolling Stone magazine said Keith Richards has created “rock’s greatest single body of riffs”, and named him the 4th greatest guitarist of all time.

22. He once nearly burned down the Playboy Mansion. At a party in the 1970s, he and sax player Bobby Keys accidentally set fire to a bathroom.

23. Richards played bass with John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell in The Dirty Mac for The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus TV special, filmed in 1968.

24. Richards is an avid reader with a strong interest in history and owns an extensive library. An April 2010 article revealed that Richards yearns to be a librarian.

25. As a boy, Richards was a Boy Scout.

26. He’s coined a name for his preferred tipple. According to the man himself, “Whiskey wasn’t agreeing with me anymore. The old body couldn’t take it. Brandy is a killer, and wine is best with food, so somehow I settled on this.” His recipe is 2 oz. premium vodka. 1 oz. of orange soda and plenty of ice. Keith calls it Nuclear Waste.

27. Richards made a cameo appearance as Captain Teague, the father of Captain Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp), in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, released in May 2007, and won the Best Celebrity Cameo award at the 2007 Spike Horror Awards.

28. During the making of 1972’s Exile on Main St., mostly recorded at Richards’s rented villa Nellcote in the south of France, Richards and Pallenberg were deep in the throes of heroin addiction. Richards had a penchant for passing out, sometimes with the needle still in his arm or – on one occasion – a lit cigarette in his hand. The bed went up in flames, and Richards and Pallenberg woke up just in time to escape.

29. Richards is known for loving shepherd’s pie. He demands it on tour.

30. In April 2006, on holiday in Fiji, Keith suffered a head injury after falling out of a tree; he subsequently underwent cranial surgery at a New Zealand hospital. The incident caused a six-week delay in launching the Rolling Stones’ 2006 European tour.

31. In 2008 fashion house Louis Vuitton unveiled an advertising campaign featuring a photo of Richards with his ebony Gibson ES-355, taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz. Richards donated the fee for his involvement to the Climate Project, an organisation for raising environmental awareness.

32. Nellcôte, which was leased during the summer of 1971 by Keith Richards, and used for recording sessions for their Exile on Main St. album, had previously served as the headquarters of the local Gestapo during the Nazi occupation of France in the early 1940s.

33. After the Rolling Stones signed to Decca Records in 1963 their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, dropped the ‘s’ from Richards’ surname believing ‘Keith Richard’ in his words ‘looked more pop’. In the early 1970s Richards re-established the ‘s’ in his surname.

34. His grandfather ‘Gus’ Dupree gave him his first guitar.

35. Richards, along with Mick Jagger and numerous other guests, sang on The Beatles‘ 1967 TV broadcast of “All You Need Is Love”.

36. Richards has been tried on drug-related charges five times: in 1967, twice in 1973, in 1977, and 1978.

37. Keith has worked with Tom Waits on three occasions: Waits’ album Rain Dogs (1985); co-writing, playing and sharing the lead vocal on “That Feel” on Bone Machine (1992); and adding guitar and vocals to “Bad As Me” (2011).

38. As the guitarist revealed in an interview, then confirmed in his autobiography ‘Life’, he once snorted the ashes of his dad. “The truth of the matter is that after having Dad’s ashes in a black box for six years, because I really couldn’t bring myself to scatter him to the winds, I finally planted a sturdy English oak to spread him around,” Richard wrote. “And as I took the lid off of the box, a fine spray of his ashes blew out onto the table. I couldn’t just brush him off so I wiped my finger over it and snorted the residue. Ashes to ashes, father to son.”

39. When it was published in 2010, ‘Life’ was showered with critical acclaim from all quarters, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd anointed Richards “the consummate gentleman.”

40. Richards’ beach-front Caribbean holiday home at Parrot Cay Resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands is available for rent, at £35,000 ($52,000) a week.

Important Dates In The Life Of Keith Richards:

On this day in music
20 Sep 2021
American singer and actress Sarah Dash died unexpectedly at the age of 76. She first appeared on the music scene as a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles and later was Dash was a member of Labelle, and worked as a singer, session musician, and sideman for The Rolling Stones, and Keith Richards.
24 Aug 2021
English musician Charlie Watts died at a London hospital at the age of 80. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an interest in jazz at a young age and joined the band Blues Incorporated. He also started playing drums in London's rhythm and blues clubs, where he met future band mates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones. In January 1963, he left Blues Incorporated and joined the Rolling Stones as drummer and remained with the group for 58 years.
23 May 2019
Richard Ashcroft regained rights to his song ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ after more than two decades. The Verve singer lost the rights to his most recognisable song, which ended up in the possession of The Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Released in 1997 on Urban Hymns, the track sampled The Rolling Stones’ song ‘The Last Time’, using a composition by Andrew Oldham, and became the centre of lawsuits, which saw Ashcroft stripped of rights and royalties.
13 Jun 2017
Anita Pallenberg, the model and actress best known for her relationships with members of the Rolling Stones, died at the age of 73. Pallenberg was the girlfriend of Brian Jones but left him for fellow Rolling Stone Keith Richards. She was also alleged to have had an affair with Mick Jagger while they were making 1970 film Performance, though she always denied it.
4 Sep 2015
Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards told The New York Daily News that Rap music was for "tone deaf people." He went on to say "All they need is a drum beat and somebody yelling over it and they're happy. There's an enormous market for people who can't tell one note from another."
3 Mar 2015
Keith Richards objected to a planned £1.5million cafe being built on a beachfront near his country mansion. The guitarist lodged an objection against the new development which is near his Redlands estate where he was famously arrested with band mate Mick Jagger in 1967 in a drugs raid. Richards is opposed to the planned restaurant which was earmarked for West Wittering beach in West Sussex.
30 Jan 2013
Mick Jagger was named the most stylish rock star of all time by lifestyle website Complex. Jagger lead their top 50 list ahead of Prince, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Sid Vicious and Keith Richards. Complex stated, "Even today, he wears silk scarves and suits with more rakish appeal than most men – and he’s pushing 70."
21 Dec 2012
Rolling Stones guitarist, 65-year-old Ronnie Wood married his fiancee Sally Humphreys during a private ceremony in London. Keith Richards, Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney all attended the wedding.
22 May 2012
British newspaper The Sun, reported that Mick Jagger's lavish Caribbean holiday home on Mustique was available for hire, at £9,500 a week, but added that Mick, demanded full details of applicants’ backgrounds, including professions, before they were even considered. Bandmate Keith Richards' beach-front Caribbean holiday home at Parrot Cay Resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands was also available for rent, at £35,000 a week.
13 May 2011
'Like A Rolling Stone' was voted as Bob Dylan's best-ever song by Rolling Stone Magazine, who had asked the opinions of a panel of writers, academics and musicians to compile a poll to mark Dylan's 70th birthday on 24th May. 'Like A Rolling Stone', was described by U2's Bono as 'a black eye of a pop song', while Mick Jagger praised the simplicity of 'Desolation Row'. Keith Richards argued that the original 1963 solo version of 'Girl From The North Country', ranked 30th, was superior to Dylan's 1969 duet of the same song with Johnny Cash.
5 Nov 2010
Keith Richards' autobiography Life was at No. 1 on the New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller list. The book by The Rolling Stones guitarist went on to be a million seller.
17 Oct 2009
Johnny Depp presented Keith Richards with the 'Rock Immortal' Award at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California, as part of this years Scream Awards.
27 Jan 2009
Road Chef, the Watford Gap UK Motorway services operator, paid £1,000 at an auction for a collection of celebrity signatures, which were collected by former employee, Beatrice England. The book included signatures of Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, the Eagles and Dusty Springfield. The Blue Boar services as it was once known received so many famous guests in its 50-year history that Jimi Hendrix mistook it for a London nightclub as it was mentioned so often by his contemporaries.
12 Dec 2008
The town where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards grew up announced it was to name streets in a new estate after Rolling Stones hits. The 13 streets in Dartford, Kent, were to be given names such as Angie Mews, Babylon Close, Sympathy Street, Little Red Walk and Satisfaction Street. Leader of the council, Jeremy Kite, said he thought Ruby Tuesday Drive sounded a "fantastic" place to live, but police were concerned the street signs might be stolen by fans.
12 Nov 2008
Mitch Mitchell, the British drummer with the Jimi Hendrix Experience was found dead in his US hotel room aged 61. As a teenager, he starred in a children's television programme, Jennings and Derbyshire, and starred in a leading role in the 1960 British film Bottoms Up with Jimmy Edwards. Mitchell had been working with Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames when in 1966 he was invited to audition for a new band being formed to back Jimi Hendrix. In December 1968, Mitchell played with the Dirty Mac, an all-star band assembled for The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (with John Lennon, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards).
27 Oct 2007
Keith Richards marched with campaigners protesting against possible Sussex hospital cuts. The Stones guitarist joined 15,000 people for the walk through Chichester to oppose plans which could see St Richard's Hospital downgraded. A spokeswoman for the guitarist said: "Keith is a long-standing member of the West Wittering community and is pleased to lend his support to local efforts to save St Richard's Hospital.’
21 Apr 2007
Doris Richards died of cancer. The 91-year-old mother of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards bought her son his first guitar for his 15th birthday. He learned some chords from her father, Gus Dupree, a musician who instilled him with an early passion for music.
3 Apr 2007
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards denied that he snorted the ashes of his late father. Jane Rose, Richards' manager, told MTV News the remarks were made ‘in jest’, and she could not believe they had been taken seriously. Richards had said in an interview with the NME: ‘He was cremated and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow.’ But NME interviewer Mark Beaumont was convinced that Richards was not joking when speaking to him about the alleged incident. ‘He did seem to be quite honest about it. There were too many details for him to be making it up,’ he later told BBC news.
2 Mar 2007
Jimi Hendrix was crowned the 'wildest guitar hero' of all-time in a poll of music fans for Classic Rock magazine. Hendrix beat Keith Richards into second place, with Stevie Ray Vaughan in third. Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page made it to number four, followed by Dimebag Darrell, who played for several heavy metal bands including Pantera and Damageplan.
8 May 2006
The Rolling Stones called off their forthcoming European tour after guitarist Keith Richards underwent emergency brain surgery. The 62 year-old guitarist suffered "mild concussion" when he fell out of a coconut tree on holiday in Fiji.
2 May 2006
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was released from hospital in New Zealand after the 62 year-old suffered "mild concussion" when he fell out of a coconut tree while on holiday in Fiji. He was airlifted to Auckland's Ascot Hospital for observation, where he underwent a brain scan.
5 Aug 2005
Bob Dylan's song 'Like a Rolling Stone' topped a poll of rock and film stars to find the music, movies, TV shows and books that changed the world. The 1965 single beat Elvis Presley's 'Heartbreak Hotel' into second place in a survey for Uncut magazine. Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher, Robert Downey Jr, Rolling Stone Keith Richards and Lou Reed were among those who gave their opinions.
26 Aug 2003
Rolling Stone Magazine named Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist in Rock history. Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Chuck Berry Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ry Cooder also made the top 10 list.
19 Mar 2001
Keith Richards inducted Johnnie Johnson and James Burton at the 16th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame award ceremonies at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Richards also took part in the closing jam with Bono, Paul Simon, Kid Rock, Solomon Burke, Robbie Robertson and others.
18 Mar 2001
American singer, guitarist, and songwriter John Phillips of Mamas and The Papas died of heart failure aged 65. His first band, The Journeymen, were a folk trio, Mamas and The Papas had the US No.1 'Monday, Monday'. Phillips was married to Michelle Gilliam, they had one child together, Chynna Phillips, vocalist of the 1990s pop trio Wilson Phillips. His second solo album was released on Rolling Stones records and featured Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor and Ronnie Wood.
21 Mar 2000
Kurt Cobain and Happy Monday's singer Shaun Ryder both beat older stars such as Keith Richards and Keith Moon in a league of rock 'n' roll excess compiled by UK music weekly Melody Maker. Liam Gallagher, Robbie Williams, Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson all featured in the Top 10.
16 May 1998
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards fell while reaching for a book of nude art in his Connecticut home. The fall broke his ribs, causing the Stones to postpone many dates on their Bridges To Babylon tour.
12 Oct 1996
28 years after its creation, The Rolling Stones' Rock & Roll Circus was finally released. The 1968 event put together by The Stones comprised two concerts on a circus stage and included performaces by The Who, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull and Jethro Tull. John Lennon and Yoko Ono performed as part of a supergroup called The Dirty Mac, along with Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell and Keith Richards. It was originally planned to be aired on BBC TV.
26 May 1995
The Rolling Stones played two semi-acoustic concerts at the Paradiso Amsterdam over two days. Keith Richards later said that the Paradiso concerts were the best live shows the Stones ever did. The venue is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century, subsequently squatted in 1967 by hippies who wanted to convert the church into an entertainment club. Artists who have recorded concerts at the Paradiso include Joy Division, Willie Nelson, Phish, Nirvana, The Cure, Lenny Kravitz, Nick Cave, Dave Matthews and Amy Winehouse.
25 May 1995
The earliest known recording of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, from 1961, was sold at Christies in London for £50,250 ($85,425).
3 Jan 1987
Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Despite the enormity of the milestone, Franklin wasn't actually able to attend the ceremony herself, so instead, Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards, Clive Davis and her brother Cecil inducted Franklin with her poignant speech, "To be the first woman inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a historical moment and indeed a milestone in my career..."
16 Oct 1986
Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Robert Cray joined other artists on stage in St Louis, for Chuck Berry's 60th birthday concert, as featured in the film 'Hail Hail! Rock & Roll'.
2 Jan 1985
Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood married his girlfriend Jo Woodin Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England. Guests included Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck. The couple divorced in 2009.
18 Dec 1983
Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards married 27-year old Patti Hansen on his 40th birthday.
26 Jul 1980
The Rolling Stones started a seven week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Emotional Rescue', the group's eighth US No.1. Emotional Rescue was the first Rolling Stones album recorded following Keith Richards' exoneration from a Toronto drugs charge that could have landed him in jail for years.
23 Nov 1979
Keith Richard's girlfriend Anita Pallenburg was cleared by a court of shooting a man found dead at her home. A 17-year-old, Scott Cantrell, had shot himself in the head with a gun owned by Keith Richards, while in Pallenberg's bed, at the South Salem, New York house shared by Richards and Pallenberg. Cantrell had been employed as a part-time groundskeeper at the estate and was involved in a sexual relationship with Pallenberg.
17 Aug 1979
The New York Post reported that Anita Pallenberg (the wife of Keith Richards) was linked to a witches coven in South Salem, New York where Richards owned a house. A policeman claimed he was attacked by a flock of black-hooded, caped people and a local youth claimed he had been invited by Pallenburg to take part in ‘pot smoking sex orgies’. Locals also claimed they found ‘ritualistic stakes’ and small animals that had been ‘sacrificed’ near the house.
24 Oct 1977
Rolling Stone Keith Richards was fined £205 after admitting having cannabis, Chinese heroin, mandrax tablets and a revolver at his Chelsea home in the UK. Later in the evening, Keith and Anita Pallenberg accidentally set fire to their London hotel bedroom.
27 Feb 1977
Keith Richards was arrested at Toronto’s Harbour Castle Hotel, after an ounce of heroin was found following a raid of his hotel room by 15 Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Richards, who was charged with possession with intent to traffic, faced seven years to life in prison. Bail was set at $25,000 (£14,705).
12 Jan 1977
Rolling Stone Keith Richards was fined £750 ($1,275) for possession of cocaine found in his car after the guitarist had been involved in a car crash.
19 May 1976
Rolling Stone Keith Richards crashed his car near Newport Pagnell, Bucks, after falling asleep at the wheel; marijuana and cocaine were found by the police resulting in another fine for the guitarist.
5 Jul 1975
Rolling Stone Keith Richards was arrested by the highway patrol in Arkansas on charges of reckless driving and possessing an offensive weapon, a seven-inch hunting knife.
15 Oct 1973
Keith Richards was found guilty of trafficking cannabis by a Court in Nice, France. The Rolling Stone was given a one-year suspended sentence and a 5,000 franc fine. He was also banned from entering France for two years.
26 Jun 1973
Rolling Stone Keith Richards and his girlfriend Anita Pallenberg were arrested at their home in Chelsea, London on drugs and gun charges.
6 Dec 1972
While reading the morning newspaper in Nice, France, Rolling Stone Keith Richards was surprised to learn that arrest warrants had been issued for him and his girlfriend, Anita Pallenberg for drug possession.
19 Jul 1972
Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were arrested in Warwick, Rhode Island on charges of assault after a fight broke out with a newspaper photographer.
30 Aug 1969
Two weeks after the Woodstock festival, the second Isle Of Wight festival took place. Over 150,000 turned up over the two days to see Bob Dylan, The Band, Blodwyn Pig, Blonde On Blonde, Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band, Edgar Broughton Band, Joe Cocker, Aynsley Dunbar, Family, Fat Mattress, Julie Felix, Free, Gypsy, Richie Havens, The Moody Blues, The Nice, Tom Paxton, Pentangle, The Pretty Things, Third Ear Band and The Who. Tickets 25 shillings, ($3.00). Celebrities who attended include Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, John & Yoko, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jane Fonder, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton.
23 Aug 1969
The Rolling Stones started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Honky Tonk Women' the group's fifth US No.1. The song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards was inspired by Brazilian gauchos at the ranch where Jagger and Richards were staying in Matao, Sao Paulo.
23 Jul 1969
The Rolling Stones were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Honky Tonk Women,' the group's eighth and last UK No.1. The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards while on holiday in Brazil and the Stones initially recorded the track as Country Honk in London in early March 1969 with Brian Jones present during these sessions.
10 Jul 1969
The funeral of Rolling Stone Brian Jones took place in his home town at Hatherley Road Parish Church, Cheltenham. Canon Hugh Evan Hopkins read Jones' own epitaph, 'Please don't judge me too harshly'. Bill Wyman, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts from The Stones attended the funeral.
8 Jun 1969
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts visited Brian Jones at his home in Cotchford Farm to discuss his future in the group. The Stones later issued a press statement saying that Brian was leaving The Rolling Stones.
8 Jan 1969
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were both barred from an exclusive hotel for wearing "op art" pants and nothing else. They were both asked to leave the Hotel Crillen in Lima, Peru after refusing to change clothes.
11 Dec 1968
Filming began for The Rolling Stones 'Rock & Roll Circus.' As well as clowns and acrobats, John Lennon and his fiancee Yoko Ono performed as part of a supergroup called The Dirty Mac, along with Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell, and Keith Richards. It was originally meant to be aired on the BBC, but the Rolling Stones withheld it because they were unhappy with their performance. The film was eventually released in 1996.
5 Dec 1968
The release of The Rolling Stones' new album Beggars Banquet was celebrated at a party in London. A food fight with custard pies was the highlight of the event that went on without an ill Keith Richards. The original cover for the LP was in the form of a plain white invitation, but was later changed.
29 Jul 1968
American singer, songwriter, guitarist Gram Parsons left The Byrds on the eve of a tour of South Africa, refusing to play to segregated audiences after speaking to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards about the tour, he cited opposition to that country's apartheid policies.
6 Jul 1968
The Rolling Stones scored their fifth US No.1 single when 'Jumpin Jack Flash' hit the top of the charts. Keith Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were awoken one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded: "Oh, that's Jack – that's jumpin' Jack."
19 Jun 1968
The Rolling Stones scored their seventh UK No.1 single when 'Jumpin Jack Flash' hit the top of the charts. Keith Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were awoken one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded: "Oh, that's Jack – that's jumpin' Jack."
24 May 1968
The Rolling Stones released the single 'Jumpin Jack Flash' in the UK, the track gave them their seventh UK No.1 hit. Keith Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were awoken one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded: "Oh, that's Jack – that's jumpin' Jack."
12 Mar 1968
The Rolling Stones started recording their next single 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' with new producer Jimmy Miller at Olympic studios in London. Keith Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were awakened one morning by the sound of gardener Jack Dyer walking past the window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded, "Oh, that's Jack - that's jumpin' Jack."
19 Aug 1967
The Beatles scored their 14th US No.1 single with 'All You Need Is Love'. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Graham Nash, Marianne Faithfull and Walker Brother Gary Leeds all sang backing vocals on the track.
29 Jun 1967
Rolling Stone Keith Richards was found guilty of allowing his house to be used for the illegal smoking of cannabis. He was sentenced to one year in jail and a £500 ($850) fine, (prison number 5855). Mick Jagger was also fined £100 ($170) and given three months in jail on drug charges. Jagger and Richards were both released and granted bail of £7,000 the following day.
27 Jun 1967
Mick Jagger was found guilty of illegal possession of two drugs found in his jacket at a party given by Keith Richards. He was remanded overnight at Lewes jail, England (prison number 7856). Jagger requested books on Tibet and modern art and two packs of Benson & Hedges cigarettes.
25 Jun 1967
400 million people saw The Beatles perform 'All You Need Is Love', live via satellite as part of the TV global link- up, 'Our World'. Mick Jagger Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Graham Nash, Keith Moon and Gary Leeds provided backing vocals.
10 May 1967
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards appeared at Chichester Crown Court, Sussex, charged with being in possession of drugs, they elect to go to trial pleading not guilty and were both granted £100 bail.
12 Feb 1967
15 police officers raided Redlands the West Sussex home of The Rolling Stone Keith Richards during a weekend party. The police who were armed with a warrant issued under the dangerous drugs act took away various substances for forensic tests. George and Pattie Harrison had been at the house, but it was said that the police waited for them to leave before they raided the house in order not to bust the holder of an MBE.
10 Feb 1967
The Beatles recorded the orchestral build-up for the middle and end of 'A Day in the Life'. At the Beatles' request, the orchestra members arrived in full evening dress along with novelty items. One violinist wore a red clown's nose, while another, a fake gorilla's paw on his bow hand. Others were wearing funny hats and other assorted novelties. The recording was filmed for a possible 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' television special which was ultimately abandoned. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mike Nesmith from The Monkees and Donovan also attended the session.
28 Jul 1966
Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song 'Out Of Time'. The song was first released on the Stones 1966 album Aftermath (UK version).
5 Jul 1966
On the recommendation of Rolling Stone Keith Richards' girlfriend, Chas Chandler from The Animals went to see Jimi Hendrix play at The Cafe Wha in New York City. Chandler suggests that Hendrix should come to England, which he does and Chandler became his manager.
26 May 1966
The Rolling Stones were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Paint It, Black', their sixth UK No.1 single. It was originally titled 'Paint It Black' without a comma. Keith Richards has stated that the comma was added by the record label, Decca. It was the first No.1 single to feature a sitar on the recording.
6 Mar 1966
The Rolling Stones started recording sessions for their tenth UK single 'Paint It, Black' at RCA studios in Hollywood. It was originally titled 'Paint It Black' without a comma. Keith Richards has stated that the comma was added by the record label, Decca.
3 Dec 1965
Rolling Stone Keith Richards was knocked unconscious by an electric shock on stage at the Memorial Hall In Sacramento, California, when his guitar made contact with his microphone.
9 Sep 1965
The Rolling Stones were at No.1 in the UK with ’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, giving the band their 4th UK No.1 single. Keith Richards recorded a rough version of the riff in a Florida hotel room. He ran through it once before falling asleep. He said when he listened back to it in the morning, there was about two minutes of acoustic guitar before you could hear him drop the pick and "then me snoring for the next forty minutes".
15 Aug 1965
The Beatles set a new world record for the largest attendance at a pop concert when they played in front of 55,600 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City. The Beatles were paid $160,000 for the show, the set list included: ‘Twist and Shout’, ‘She's a Woman’, ‘I Feel Fine’, ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzie’, ‘Ticket to Ride’, ‘Can't Buy Me Love’, ‘Baby's In Black’, ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’, ‘A Hard Day's Night’, ‘Help!’, and ‘I'm Down’. Two of the Rolling Stones were among the audience, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and later that evening; Bob Dylan visited The Beatles at their hotel.
12 May 1965
The Rolling Stones recorded ’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ at RCA Hollywood studios. Keith Richards had come up with the guitar riff in the middle of the night a week earlier. It gave the band their first number 1 single in the US.
10 May 1965
The Rolling Stones recorded a version of ’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ at Chess Studios in Chicago, with Brian Jones on harmonica. The group re-recorded it two days later at RCA Studios in Hollywood, with a different beat and the Gibson Maestro fuzzbox that Keith Richards had recently aquired, adding sustain to the sound of the guitar riff.
6 May 1965
In their Clearwater, Florida hotel room, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards worked out the opening guitar riff of ’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ following Richard's purchase of a Gibson fuzz-box earlier that day. The song is considered to be one of the all-time greatest rock songs ever recorded. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine placed 'Satisfaction' in the second spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
16 Mar 1965
The Rolling Stones were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Last Time', the bands third UK No.1 and first No.1 for songwriters Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
6 Feb 1965
The Rolling Stones second album Rolling Stones No.2 started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK charts. The album followed its predecessor's tendency to largely feature R&B covers. However, it did contain three compositions from the still-developing Mick Jagger - Keith Richards songwriting team.
26 Jan 1965
During a Rolling Stones tour of Australia and New Zealand, guitarist Keith Richards had his shirt torn off after 50 fans invaded the stage during the gig at The Town Hall in Brisbane.
24 Jul 1964
A riot broke out during a Rolling Stones gig at The Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, after Keith Richards kicked a yob in the mouth who was spitting at the group. Two policemen and 30 fans were injured and the damage was estimated at over £4,000. The Rolling Stones were then banned from playing in Blackpool for forty-four years, (until the ban was lifted).
26 May 1964
Marianne Faithful recorded the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song 'As Tears Go By', accompanied by future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.
27 Mar 1964
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Andrew Oldham attended a Decca launch party at the Ex-Serviceman’s Club, Windsor, Berkshire for Oldham's protégé singer Adrienne Posta, whose debut single, 'Shang-A-Doo-Lang' was being released. Also at the party was 17 year-old Marianne Faithfull, with her boyfriend John Dunbar. This was the first time Mick Jagger met Marianne.
7 Oct 1963
The Rolling Stones recorded the Lennon and McCartney penned song ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ at De Lane Lea Studios in London. The song which was primarily written by Paul McCartney, was finished by Lennon and McCartney in the corner of a room while Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were talking. The song peaked at No.12 on the UK charts when released.
24 May 1963
US blues guitarist and singer Elmore James died of a heart attack aged 45. James wrote 'Shake Your Money Maker', which was covered by Fleetwood Mac in 1968. Known as "The King of the Slide Guitar", James influenced Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Keith Richards.
26 Oct 1962
The Rolling Stones (known as The Rollin' Stones), and consisting of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones pianist Ian Stewart and drummer Tony Chapman recorded their first demo tape at Curly Clayton Studios in Highbury, London. They recorded three songs, Jimmy Reed's 'Close Together', Bo Diddley's 'You Cant Judge A Book By The Cover' and Muddy Waters' 'Soon Forgotten.'
7 Apr 1962
While at Ealing Jazz Club, in Ealing, West London, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met Brian Jones for the first time. Jones was calling himself Elmo Lewis and was playing guitar with singer Paul Jones, who was performing under his real name of P. P. Pond.
24 Mar 1962
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards performed their first paid gig when they appeared as Little Boy Blue & the Blue Boys at The Ealing Club in Ealing, England. The following month Jagger and Richards saw Brian Jones performing at the same cllub with Alexis Korner as "Elmo Lewis" showing off his slide guitar skills with the Elmore James song 'Dust My Broom'. His stage presence and ability impressed both Richards and Jagger.
13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Kathy Huffman

    December 18, 2019 at 2:18 pm

    Love this article! I learned a great deal about this icon! I’ve been listening to the Stones since 1966….& I’ll be listening until i leave this shitty world!

  2. Charles Green

    December 19, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    Great article about Keith! Thanks

  3. ROY JONES

    December 19, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    Your comment about Jumping Jack Flash is slightly incorrect.Keith called his gardener,Jack Dyer, Jack Flash and it was Jagger who said he’s jumping about.

  4. Daniel

    September 1, 2020 at 6:03 am

    I cannot imagine Keith Richards as a librarian 8-DDDD

  5. Edward Sullivan

    December 22, 2020 at 1:31 am

    A nice, easy to understand line by line article for his oldest fans to read.

  6. Deborah Odhane

    December 22, 2020 at 6:22 pm

    Wow he did a lot of cool things.

  7. Joanna Finch

    January 7, 2021 at 9:16 am

    Keith Richards danced with my mum, Audrey Finch in Antigua WI when she was there visiting my sister Jane in the late 80’s. She told Keith she preferred the Beatles’ music over the Rolling Stones. Keith loved her all the same. I’ve got a picture of them dancing.
    Mum died this November 25. I think Keith would like to know. They were kindred spirits.

  8. Neil Cossar

    May 8, 2021 at 7:33 am

    That is amazing.

  9. Dan

    September 4, 2021 at 8:23 pm

    I learned a few surprising details about Keith, we have more in common than I would have thought. Seems a fun bloke altogether.

  10. Joanne

    September 7, 2021 at 3:12 pm

    Thank you for sharing, Keith. Great article! Always the best!!

  11. I drink too much coffee

    February 6, 2022 at 7:23 am

    I love his music, but he doesn’t look elegantly wasted to me. Just really prematurely aged. I would not want to look like Keith. He looks worse than my 100 year old grandmother.

  12. Max

    July 17, 2022 at 5:15 am

    If Keith Richards smoked only a pack a day, I’m Jesus Christ. The dude can rarely be seen without a cigarette in his mouth. I had a laugh when I read somewhere that he had “quietly” quit smoking 2 years ago… yeah, I’m sure no one noticed, ha ha. Good for him, quitting tobacco is a f******* drag.

  13. Darby D Beattie

    September 2, 2023 at 2:33 am

    I have been thinking I will be 80 years young and proud.

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