by James Fox
First published 2010
Keith Richards opens his life to readers, starting from those early days listening to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records in a cramped flat with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. He built the Rolling Stones from their shared love of blues and rock, crafting the riffs and songs that would shake the world. Fame brought chaos. Authorities pursued them everywhere. Richards dropped his guitar's sixth string and created the driving sounds behind "Honky Tonk Woman" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash." He fell for Anita Pallenberg, his bandmate Brian Jones's girlfriend. Arrests followed. Drug possession charges led to imprisonment. The band fled to France as tax exiles and recorded Exile on Main Street. Success spiraled into isolation and addiction. Even his partnership with Jagger fractured when the singer pursued solo projects, creating a decade of bitter conflict before their eventual reunion tour. Through every upheaval, Richards remained committed to the music that defined his existence.
Genres: biography, addiction, 20th-century, autobiography, music, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: addiction, fame, friendship
Setting: France
Period: 1960s
564 pages · Kindle Edition · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use, substance-abuse