Keith Richards

by Victor Bockris

In 1992, Victor Bockris's celebrated biography was the first to recognize Richards's pivotal role in the Stones' legend. Now that book on rock's most incredible survivor has been expanded to accommodate ten more years of his storied life.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, The United States Of America, Rock N Roll, Celebrity

471 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Alison]

Clearly, we should all eat more shepard's pie, since apparently that's Keith's secret. Well, that and old blues guitar music.

[Lisa]

Well, as a person who is a huge Keith fan, I really liked this. Some new info that I hadn't heard. Of course, I take it all with a grain of salt, because it was not an authorized bio, but he did talk to people who were part of Keith's life (Anita, although does she remember anything, who knows?).

Anyway, the overall picture of Keith is the one that I like to imagine him as -- just a really charismatic person, who doesn't think of himself as a star, just wants to play music to be happy.

If you've never read anything about Keith this book would be the one to read, until his autobiography comes out. If you love him and have read alot, there won't be alot of new info about him, but the book makes you like him even more.

[East Bay J]

It’s been a long time since I read a Stones bio so, when I saw Bockris’ Keith Richards bio at my local library, I thought I’d give it a whirl. It was a fairly rewarding read. Richards is an interesting cat and, being a pretty big fan of his guitar playing and songwriting, I found myself eagerly burning through his life story. Bockris knows his subject and writes about it well. In fact, my only complaint about this book is that there isn’t enough about Richards’ guitar playing. I mean, it’s discussed throughout the book but, as music bios are so rarely written by musicians, they rarely get to the depth a musician would enjoy. Maybe bio authors figure they should write for the larger audience. I dunno. It leaves me feeling like I skipped lunch. This bio is interesting, regardless and works well as an overview of the life of Keith Richards. What a crazy guy!

[Felicia Holtz]

I "borrowed" this book off the display shelves at R&B when I worked there. It has taken me this long to crack the cover. Thank God I did. What a read. During the '75 US tour Keith was lucky to get a visa to come into the country because he was in the thick of his heroin addiction. He was pulled aside by FBI agents and thought they were just going to arrest him. Instead, they had an interesting proposition. In order to prevent any unwanted, negative publicity to tour sponsors they offered to provide Keith with pharmaceutical grade drugs. It's good to be Keef! There are also some great accounts of him falling over on stage and continuing to play as well as one time he got pissed at Ron Wood (for being a drugged out mess?!?) and he punched him out on stage. He just gets more interesting the more I read about him. There's also enough history to contrast the world they came from and just how they became the world's greatest rock and roll band.

[Saint Amy]

Everything you'd want to know bout Keif Baby.

[Jane]

How is this man still alive? He has more lives than an old lady's house full of cats. Thank God he is though, because he's one of the best in the business! I love Keef!!!!

[Ashlei A.K.A Chyna Doll]

I was expecting so much more from this book!!!
I know there is another book and I prob got the two mixed up..(thought this was gonna have the same stuff... I mean it's a book on 1 MAN!!!)
But this was all stuff everyone knows... They could have did so much with this story, This mans a ROCK ICON!!! From one of the most highly respected, influential, one of the best bands and they made his story BORING.... (I think he is one of the most over the top guitarists in music EVER!!! The mans been on a list for people betting when he's gonna die for DECADES!!!! )
Just felt that this book feel short of what it could have been

( the Brian Jones gay thing was the most interesting thing in the book.. Sad but true..

[Eric]

Great read and very funny in spots. Only criticism is that the updates since initial publication were sort of cheerleader-ish, repetetive and stupid. But everything else was pretty damn solid. Good bio.

[Julie scott]

This was a terrific read I've always been a fan of The Stones and It was pretty funny in many parts of this novel kept my interest from start to finish God knows the last thing you would ever say about Keith Richards is he's boring lolllllllllll. À great read for any Rolling Stone fan.❤❤❤

[Leigh Roberts]

As for Keith's autobiography - loved it but as I'm a big stones fan, totally biased.

[Dario]

3.5 / 5

It’s incredible how Keith Richards is still alive today, considering the staggering amount of drugs he took (he is currently 76 years old at the time of typing this).

I enjoyed making a note of all the Rolling Stones tracks mentioned throughout (and Richards' solo material too).

Bockris used a lot of quotes and source materials (eight pages in total) and stitched them together well enough to make this a cohesive read if a little long-winded in places.

[Roving Gambler]

Really just slapped together. Wish I would have reread Old Gods, Almost Dead.

[Deb Berg]

Keith Richards has led a wild and rockstar life. However his book is not very captavating.

[Nick]

4.5

[Stephen]

Victor Bockris 2002 edition of Keith Richards: The Biography adds several chapters to update what he and The Rolling Stones have been up to since his original publication in 1992. Of course, I'm wanting an update of the last 23 years because, amazingly, at 82 years old, both Keith and his songwriting partner Mick Jagger are going strong, and still touring. Bockris does a fantastic job covering Richards early years in school and tough home life, and his even tougher struggles with drugs and alcohol, especially into the 70s when he was with Anita Pallenberg. Still, through it all, Keith is a survivor and wrote enduring classics while his battles with his demons (and Mick) raged on. Amazing output for a guy that many thought wouldn't live to see much past 35 years old, including himself. Bockris does a tremendous job culling together interview segments from various industry insiders, friends, band members, and others who had an influence or simply had to deal with the often-difficult yet almost always consummate professional guitarist and songwriter.

[Kyra Leseberg (Roots & Reads)]

Lots of interesting facts and stories told in this book. I understand that Keith Richards did/does a lot of drugs but I wasn't impressed with how Bockris spent about 200 pages discussing it; I felt there were more important things to reveal.

[Thierry Sagnier]

I am a huge Stones fan. I even like their really bad stuff, like Satanic Majesty. And I'm generally wary of 'unauthorized' biographies. But Bockris' book is good. Not as great as Richard's autobiography, but if you like the Stones, you'll like this...

[Herman]

Had the book on the shelf for years but somehow never got around to read it. Finally did and sort of liked it. Richards is an interesting character, but I found the book not exceptional. Not very well written, or badly translated maybe. Anyway, probably should give Richards' autobiography a try...

[Andrew Thompson]

The human riff laid bare, after a fashion. I remember this as being a decent biography, with Bockris actually having access to His Satanic Majesty.

[Jason Evans]

A very well written biography about rock'n'roll's ultimate outlaw. Probably best for Stones fans only. Interesting stories beyond the drug use and the music.

[epistemology]

super. i love the stones. keith as a kid sounds like what he looks like now.

[Piernasasongko]

what a beautiful creature..:)

[Ian]

Recommended

[Guy Cranswick]

Better than the average rock bio. The subject is sympathetic and his use of various opiates renders the run o' the mill hangover as not worth talking about.

[Craig]

It's Keith mate. It's excellent.

[Tim]

LURID as it should be. Actually, it probably could be lurider.

what an asshole.

[Kris]

I give it a 3 for sloppy writing and some repeated anecdotes, but a 5 for the anecdotes themselves... so, 4.

[DaveH]

Fantastic book. Did he really write it? Did he remember these things? If so, this is a gold mine. Richards was fooling us all along. He's way smarter and more self aware than anyone thought.

[Josi Rebar]

Great read! Interesting to read about the "black box" method on heroin addiction.

[Jordan Grothe]

the man has stories. plain and simple