In an interview that appeared digitally today (Feb. 28) in the March 10 issue of WSJ, Keith Richards discussed a variety of topics about the Rolling Stones. But there was one 21-word quote, from the well over 3000 words in the article, that the legend now “deeply regrets.” The reason: he essentially called out Mick Jagger for fathering a child last year–his eighth–at the age of 73.
“Mick’s a randy old bastard,” said Richards. “It’s time for the snip—you can’t be a father at that age. Those poor kids!”
No matter that the piece in the Wall Street Journal‘s magazine covered numerous topics that Rolling Stones fans–and classic rock audiences in general–crave. The damage was done. And Richards owned up to it with a tweet on the day the story appeared online.
“I deeply regret the comments I made about Mick in the WSJ which were completely out of line. I have of course apologised to him in person.”
I deeply regret the comments I made about Mick in the WSJ which were completely out of line. I have of course apologised to him in person.
— Keith Richards (@officialKeef) February 28, 2018
The interview with Richards appeared two days after the Stones announced 11 dates of their 2018 “No Filter” tour of the U.K., Ireland and Europe.
Richards’ interview took place in mid-December 2017. Of the Stones’ current onstage skills, Richards told the Journal: “There’s a certain thing in this band, which I find really weird, is that they just want to do it. Some nights we’re better than others, of course, but all I know about this damn band is that they always want to make it better than the night before. And that’s one of the things that keeps us going. I actually wanted four or five more shows—it stopped just as we were peaking.”
In the article, producer Don Was talked a bit about the band’s next album. “The songwriting that Keith and Mick did last year was really something to behold,” he says. “The three of us sat in a room, with them facing each other, five feet apart, with guitars, and there’s something magical that happens that’s still as fresh as when they started.”
“We have some stuff down, which is very interesting,” said Richards. (Keep in mind that the interview took place last December.)
Later in the article, Richards had nothing but praise for his partner in crime. “There ain’t a frontman like Jagger. Don’t matter how many bones you want to pick out of him, he’s amazing to work with. What I really like to do is write a song where Mick goes, ‘Yeah, right, I’m in!’ That’s what I try and do, because I’m writing for the lead singer of the Rolling f—ing Stones, and that is my job—to give him a riff that he leaps on and goes, ‘Right, I know what to do with this.’ ”
For the Stones’ 2018 tour, there will be exclusive ticket presales for all dates, to those who are signed up to the official mailing list. Sign-up is available here. (You will be sent a code and link via email shortly before each presale starts.)
Related: Links for 100s of classic rock tours
Tickets for U.K., Germany and Warsaw dates will go on general sale this Friday, March 2 at 9 a.m. GMT. France will go on general sale Friday, March 16 at 9 a.m. GMT. The presale for France and presales/general on-sale dates for Dublin and Prague will be announced soon.
These concerts follow 2017’s #NoFilter tour that encompassed 14 shows over a generous 42 days, giving the band a minimum of three days in between dates. Those 14 stadium dates were big enough to rank #10 for the year in terms of concert revenues.
1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversation“What I really like to do is write a song where Mick goes, ‘Yeah, right, I’m in!'”
Keith can’t enjoy it all that much because it’s been a long, long time (2005’s “A Bigger Bang”) since that’s happened.