Keith Richards
Keith Richards (born December 18, 1943) is rhythm and occasional lead guitarist for The Rolling Stones, the band he founded with vocalist Mick Jagger and Brian Jones in 1962. Jagger and Richards share songwriting duties for the Stones. In addition to his work with the Stones, Richards also has an illustrious solo career.
Richards is best known by some for his drug habit, made famous by a drug arrest by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (or Mounties) in Toronto in the 1970s. In fact, he was once so badly addicted to heroin that many thought he would be the next big rock 'n' roll drug casualty to permanently exit, stage left. There have been unsubstantiated rumors that Richards has had his entire blood supply drained and "cleaned" to remove accumulated drug toxins. Although, after many years, Richards finally succeeded in weaning himself off such hard drugs, to this day he wears a bracelet which resembles a pair of handcuffs, as a reminder he never wishes to be arrested again. Perhaps also appropriate is that he wears a ring sculpted as a human skull (sans jaw).
Richards' guitar style has evolved over the life of the Stones. In the 1960s, greatly influenced by Chuck Berry, he played a traditional - but distinctive - rhythm guitar, in counterpoint to the more flamboyant lead style of Brian Jones. When Jones' drug habit led to his firing from the Stones and his "death by misadventure", Richards was thrust into the role as sole guitarist for the band on the album Let it Bleed. Strongly influenced by the work of Ry Cooder, Keith developed his trademark playing style in the 5-string open G tuning (GDGBD, with the lowest pitched string removed, or as he has it, "5 strings, 3 notes, 2 fingers and one arsehole to play it") during this period. His teaming with the virtuoso Mick Taylor in the years 1968-75 is considered by many the high point of the Stones' musical career. Certainly three albums made in this period, "Let it Bleed", "Sticky Fingers" & "Exile on Main Street", along with "Beggars Banquet"(on which Jones only nominally played) represent the musical highpoints of the Stones's recorded canon. Richards himself however has always made clear that he considers the years he has spent playing with Ron Wood (1975 - date), in a style of mixed lead and rhythm playing which has been termed "the ancient art of weaving", as his most musically satisfying. Songs which typify Keith's open-G style include "Honky Tonk Women".
Richards has been married to Patti Hansen since 1983. They have two children, Theodora and Alexandra. Richards also has a son Marlon, and another daughter, Dandelion, from his relationship with Anita Pallenberg.
In 2004, it was announced that Richards would appear in the upcoming sequel to the movie "Pirates of the Carribean." He will be playing the character of Captain Jack Sparrow's (Johnny Depp's) dad. Depp had previously said he had drew some of his inspiration for his Academy Award-nominated performance from Richards.
Solo discography
External link
- The Official Keith Richards Site (http://www.keithrichards.com/)
- The Nets Biggest Keith Richards Resource (http://www.oldkr.co.uk/)
de:Keith Richards nl:Keith Richards ja:キース・リチャーズ pl:Keith Richards sv:Keith Richards