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Richards: Mick Jagger Was "Unbearable" LONDON — Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards says in his new autobiography that Mick Jagger became unbearable over the years and reveals he also calls the imperious lead singer
"Your Majesty" and "Brenda."
The memoir is peppered with references to other celebrities -- from Johnny Depp to John Lennon -- but it is the prickly dynamic between Richards and Jagger that dominates the 527-page book, which is to be serialized in The Times newspaper. Richards, 66, who met Jagger at the age of four, says he has not stepped foot in Jagger's dressing room in 20 years. "It was the beginning of the Eighties when Mick started to become unbearable," Richards writes in the memoir, "Life," which brought him an advance of 4.8 million pounds ($7.7 million) after a massive bidding war among publishers. Richards and Jagger were two of the Stones' founding members in 1962 and wrote its hit songs, leading the group to sales of more than 200 million albums worldwide. "Sometimes I think: 'I miss my friend,'" Richards writes. "I wonder: 'where did he go?'" But Richards told the Times that his bandmate had read the book and wanted to take out only one thing -- a reference to Jagger using a voice coach. Richards refused, saying: "I'm trying to say the truth here." He added about Jagger: "We've had our beefs but, hey, who doesn't? You try and keep something together for 50 years," adding the band was considering going on tour again. "I think it's going to happen. I've had a chat with ... Her Majesty. Brenda." The band's last tour ended in August 2007, sparking the customary speculation that there would be no more.
STAR-STUDDED LIFE
Richards is similarly frank about other big names. He said he had long failed to recognize Depp when the Oscar-nominated star had been hanging out with his son for two years. "Then one day he was at dinner, and I'm like, 'Whoa!' Scissorhands!" Depp, who played the lead role in the 1990 movie "Edward Scissorhands," credits Richards for inspiring his character Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and the two are currently shooting the series' fourth installment, where Richards reprises his role as Sparrow's father. Richards also throws in a few choice remarks on the Beatles' Lennon: "Johnny. A silly sod, in many ways," he writes. "I don't think John ever left my house, except horizontally." He describes finding Lennon lying by the toilet, mumbling: "Don't move me - these tiles are beautiful." Richards himself is famous for his insatiable appetite for drugs, although he gave up heroin in 1978 after a fifth drug bust and stopped using cocaine after a 2006 fall in Fiji forced him to undergo brain surgery. He said he does not regret his exploits. "I loved a good high. And if you stay up, you get the songs that everyone else misses because they're asleep," Richards said. During his addict days in the 1960s and 1970s, he spent a decade on the "People Most Likely to Die List." "Well, I'm not putting death on the agenda," he told the Times. "I don't want to see my old friend Lucifer just yet." "Life" is published on October 26. | |
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The one thing I admire about their relationship is that they never hid the fact that they had grudges but were able to overcome them. I'm not surprised Keith would say that. Both of them had ego trips from time to time. | |
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yup
and yet, their song writing chemistry works | |
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I wonder if Brenda is his alter ego | |
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They didn't let beef get them down like John & Paul. | |
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I dig the Stones music tremendously and I think it is from their friction(Jagger v. Richards) that they have been able to last so long. If they became complacent and everyone were always in tune, chances are they would have hung it up years ago.
One of the greatest mysteries to me is how Richards survived the 1960's AND 1970's when Janis, Jimi, and others became casualties of the rock and roll lifestyle(sex, drugs, scandal). "Old man's gotta be the old man. Fish has got to be the fish." | |
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Keith had a guardian angel. Don't forget their original band mate (and co-founder) Brian Jones was another casualty of the late 1960s rock scene. | |
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One super talented cat | |
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I remember reading somewhere that some conspiracy theorists were stating that Jagger and Richards had a hand in the death of Brian Jones, but it seemed too pie in the sky to have any merit.
What I like about Keith is that he truly was the backbone of the group. Nothing flashy, but solid guitar work 90% of the time and true to the rock n roll roots of the band. He did alot of the grunt work while Mick was more the showman. You take him (Richards) away and the Stones would have fizzled in the 1960s. "Old man's gotta be the old man. Fish has got to be the fish." | |
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Right. | |
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I'll definitely read the book but I won't buy it...Richards is known for being too judgemental and too "old fashioned", and I know that in this autobiography he will criticize certain albums/songs (Goat's Head Soup, Undercover, Fool to Cry, Miss You, Emotional Rescue) just because he thinks they were not "rock n'roll enough"
But he's right about Jagger; Brenda is basically his female alter-ego, a prissy bitch It's true that Jagger became an asshole during the late-70s and specially during the 80-87 years (agressive, arrogant and money obsessed). I guess he had a midlife crisis and panicked...so he embraced synth-pop and a brief solo career with open arms... for Richards that was the ultimate betrayal ("Where did my friend go?") But you gotta show some respect for Jagger anyway: if not for him, I doubt the Stones could have abandoned their blues/country/RN'R roots of the 68-72 era...you need some evolution in your life, specially if your career has lasted for 50 years...
Anyway, the 00s have been fantastic, really, overall their best decade since the 70s, so I guess their personal differences are almost nonexistent these days...
and yes, it's a fuckin' miracle that Richards survived the late-60s and the 70s...Jones was not that lucky... | |
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Well, not exactly: I still think that early albums like Aftermath and Between the Buttons were largely the work of Jagger/Jones, ... Richards being the third force...or even the fourth, considering the active role of Andrew L. Oldham at that time (the manager/producer)... It's true that without Richards, albums like Beggar's Banquet or Exile would have never happened, but you gotta remember that Jagger was basically the main songwriter of the band during the 70s and he even felt more comfortable workin' with Mick Taylor... so | |
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Good points. | |
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Keith almost derailed the Stones with the Toronto drug bust. If you see footage from the mid 70s, Ron Wood was doing most of the leads... def. see that on the Knebworth clips.
Just curious to see what he is going to say about Chuck Berry, Tom Waits, and Gram Parsons as much as everything else he did with the Stones.
Depp's doing the audiobook, and Keith's contributing something to it.
Not sure what they plan to do as a band. They did have Mick Taylor and I think Bill Wyman contribute to the new songs they put out with the Exile re-release. So there's some hope for Mick Taylor on the next tour. If they're doing the full length albums, it's a good possibility Mick Taylor will be involved. Not sure about Wyman though... I think maybe if they did a bunch of London shows at the O2 or Royal Albert Hall. Maybe. Ron Wood's been with the semi-reunited Faces (Mick Hucknall from Simply Red, not Rod Stewart).
Keith had it together through the 60s fairly well. Brian was another story. Keith on the Exile sessions was pretty rough, but Gram Parsons being there didn't help (watch "Fallen Angel" about Parsons, because it gives some things that "Stones in Exile" didn't about the sessions).
I do like Ron Wood, but never felt they were as good as they were with Taylor and Jones. | |
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Hmm, not getting my hopes up for this book. I can't help but think that most of the mor e'interesting' episodes of Mr Richards' 'Life' won't be retold. They'll either be erased by...
a) his drug addled memory or...
b) his lawyers. It's been too long since you've had your ass kicked properly:
http://www.facebook.com/p...9196044697 My band - listen and 'like' us, if you please | |
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