Keith Richards’ memoir isn’t officially released until Tuesday. And still, it’s the number 1 book in every category on amazon.com.
The book, called “Life,” has already been excerpted and much talked about–especially since it seems the Rolling Stones guitarist seems like he’s lacerated everyone he ever knew, and then some.
Richards is particularly hard on best pal and band mate for life Mick Jagger. But you can’t tell whether Jagger will be angry or just bemused by Keith “taking the piss.”
Something tells me it’s all an inside joke to these lifelong party boys.
Interestingly, what’s been published so far tracks along with Bebe Buell‘s memoir, “Rebel Heart,” also available on amazon. The 2001 autobiography is full of Buell’s reminisces of Jagger and Richards. She and Jagger had an affair in the 1970s and remained good friends. She and Richards were pals, too, although it remained platonic between them.
Bebe tells me that Richards’ evaluation of Jagger’s personal, er, equipment, is incorrect. She defends him to the death.
There’s much in “Rebel Heart” to compare with “Life”; Rolling Stones historians should take a second look at it.
I love one long observation from page 118: “The chemistry between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards was like that between siblings, yet Mick had a lot of respect for Keith. Sometimes Keith would just nod off and fall asleep on the couch, and Mick always said, “Just leave him alone. Let him be.” Mick had accepted Keith for who he was. Sometimes Keith would be sleeping during a conversation, or you’d think he was sleeping, and he’d suddenly say, “Nao, nao, you’re wrong about,” and go back to sleep.”
I never saw Mick lose his temper with Keith. I noticed that Keith sometimes lost his patience with Mick. Mick would say something and Keith would interrupt him. “Oh Gawd. Please, dear!” It was as if they were married; Mick was the woman and Keith was the man.
Mick didn’t like arguing with Keith because Keith was always so much nastier and so much better at it. “Oh, just shut up, Mick! What the f— do you know anyway?” he’d say.”
Buell, by the way, is very amused by all the latest TV shows that end in “Wives”– Army Wives, Football Wives. And VH-1’s announcement of a reality show about the wives of low level rock stars. She hatched an idea in 1998 for a comedy series called “Rock Wives,” and sold it to HBO in 2004.
Editor’s note: That was long before professional rock groupie Pamela des Barres–Â the rocker-come-lately’s who followed her–got the idea to hit the small screen.
