Life by Keith Richards

Yes, this is the Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, so you can easily guess what the autobiography talks about. That's right--sex and drugs and rock and roll.

The book reads as if it is the direct transcript of a long, somewhat rambling oral account, rather than as an organized, thought-out, written life history. And as such it is unexpectedly revealing and fascinating, rather like becoming Keith's new mate and sitting around yarning with him. At the end you feel that you really know and understand him, even though you realize that he has undoubtedly shaded the details to picture himself in a favorable light--at least what he considers a favorable light, although society in general might not agree.

There's the sex part, although by his own account he was not a Don Juan with a legion of lovers. He had long-term relationships with, and children with, only two women. Apparently, the "getting laid" aspect of rock and roll fame was not uppermost in his agenda. He actually comes across as rather shy in his self-reported dealings with women.

And the drug part, which loomed large in his life. Heroin was his drug of first choice, and he was indulging in it or withdrawing from it for most of his performing life. This aspect of his story comes across as most suspect of being slanted, as he insists that it did not interfere with his music career and downplays its effect on the people around him. In fact, as with many addicts and even former addicts, he seems to be boasting about his drug experiences.

But it's the rock and roll aspect that really animates this life history. Keith obviously loves music, all kinds of music, and lives to make music and to explore its possibilities. For a non-musician such as myself, a good bit of the book is over my head because it discusses in detail such things as open tuning and chord progression and such-like, but I can imagine that for a musician this aspect would be fascinating. As illustration, the person who recommended this book to me is a professional drummer.

Some interesting information that Keith Richards provides: He seems to be a devoted family man with obvious love for his children and his (now deceased) parents. Of course, how his frequent absences and drug-related problems affected them is overlooked here. His on-again, off-again quarreling with Mick Jagger is explained, although obviously from Keith's viewpoint. He takes a very humorous swipe at Mick with a dismissive description of his male equipment.

Autobiographies are obviously very suspect as to truthfulness, but this seems to be more truthful than most and certainly more interesting and amusing than most. I'm glad I read it. (And as I write this, I can hear "Start Me Up" in my head. I have always loved the Stones!)