Read from Monday, January 9th to Friday, January 13th, 2012
What a fantastic memoir by Keith Richards. He is my namesake! My mom loved him as a teenagers in the sixties and seventies, and named me after him. After reading the memoir, I am honored. Keith was a shy kid growing up in England, and he never lost that innocence. Of course he was very susceptible to addictions, but I feel a strong connection to him. He just wanted to sit there and pick at his guitar and play the blues.
Keith described his childhood in England, and his rocky relationship with his father, who he reconnected with in the 1980's. He described meeting Mick and putting the original band together. They scraped together shows, just enough to get by, until they grew enough of a following to start touring. Then they were able to start recording, making hits, and make it to America and around the world.
Keith told the stories about traveling through America, and how many times they barely dodged the law. He described the drugs, the groupies, the parties, the relationship among the bandmates. Being kicked out of England because they had to pay too many taxes, so they were exiled in France, where they recorded Exile on Main Street (of which I am listening right at this moment.) The Stones were the biggest band for the longest time, since the Beatles went their own way in the 1970's. However, Mick and Keith had issues, and Mick went for an unsuccessful solo career, before rejoining the band for the megatours of the 1990's.
Keith described the song-writing process, as well as the meaning behind many of the lyrics. He is incredibly talented, and also humbled to have met many of his heroes. Keith also described the difficult process of becoming sober and clean from the heroin, and reconnecting with his large family. Ever since finishing the book, I have been listening to the Stones constantly, and have watched a few documentaries. I find the whole story of the rock star epic life fascinating. Four out of five stars.
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