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Richards riffs on the past and present
Keith Richards has been spending lockdown in a decidedly un- rock- star way.
“I got into gardening this summer because I’ve never seen the damn things grow before – I’ve always been on the road that time of year,” the Rolling Stones guitarist tells USA TODAY. “Astoundingly, I’ve just been watering my vegetables and finding some sort of routine there. Watching the damn things grow is just the most amazing thing. And then I eat them.”
Work on the Stones’ first album of original music since 2005’ s “A Bigger Bang” has “creaked to a halt” because of the pandemic, Richards says. In the meantime, he’s reissuing his 1991 concert album “Live at the Hollywood Palladium” as an expanded box set, out Friday.
The album documents a 1988 concert Richards played with his backing band the X- Pensive Winos in support of his first solo album, “Talk Is Cheap.” He released the album amid a wellpublicized falling out with Stones frontman Mick Jagger in the late ’ 80s, which they resolved after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
In addition to the remastered live album, the “Hollywood Palladium” set features three previously unreleased tracks from the show. Richards, 76, looks back on his solo work, close friendship with The Beatles and gives an update on new Stones music.
How does playing with the X- Pensive Winos compare with the Rolling Stones?
Keith Richards: For me, the difference was having to concentrate and learn more about being the frontman. With the Stones, I can pick my spots of where to show up and where to hang back, but suddenly with the Winos, I was doing the lead vocals and everything. I doubted that I could pull it off, because I’m just not used to being upfront all the time. But with a band like that, it was pretty easy. I fell into it pretty quick and enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
You recorded “Talk Is Cheap” while you and Mick were in a rough patch –
Richards, interjecting: My hiatus? Yeah, that was the reason I did it. In retrospect, it was quite understandable. After all, this was about 1985, and all we’d done was the Stones. In the end, it worked out well for us because I came back to the Stones with incredible new insight and freshness about what to do and how to do it. And so did Mick. So we came back with “Steel Wheels” and “Voodoo Lounge.” One thing sort of helped the other, I think.
You performed “Happy” ( from the Stones’ 1972 album “Exile on Main St.”) at the Hollywood Palladium. You sang lead vocals on the original, and actually wrote it in four or five hours. Did most of the band’s songs come together that quickly?
Richards: It’s difficult to say, really.
With most of those songs, the actual meat of the matter comes together pretty quick. I find that songs come to me like an explosion, and then I pick up the bits and try to figure it out. But at the same time, there’s no fixed formula for it. “( I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” I wrote in my sleep. It can happen anywhere, any time. That’s the thing about songwriting: There’s no fixed hours.
There’s also “I Wanna Be Your Man,” which was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Do you remember how and why they brought it to the Stones?
Richards: For some reason, both bands were at this recording studio at the same time. ... Suddenly, John and Paul came over and said: “Hey, guys, we’ve been thinking about you. We’ve got a song for you.” It was a beautiful gift from the lads.“
Were you always close? Richards: Oh, yeah. John and I particularly spent quite a lot of time together. He was a very funny guy. I miss him very much, actually. And George ( Harrison), a lovely guy. I used to spend quite a lot of time around his house in London with Ronnie ( Wood). There was a whole guitar- playing bunch: George, Eric Clapton, Ronnie. We’d play guitar and get stoned. The usual.
The Beatles released their own version of “I Wanna Be Your Man” shortly after the Stones in late ’ 63, early ’ 64. What’d you think of it?
Richards: Actually, I thought ours was better. ( Laughs.) I mean, I was always surprised they said, “We’ve got a song for you,” because it was very unlikely. ... after that, we had a great relationship, especially with the timing of when to put the next ( single) out. ... I always treasured their friendship very much. Paul still sends me a case of beer every Christmas.
And what’s the status of the new Stones album?
Richards: It’s creaked to a halt at the moment. We can’t get together possibly, so we’re just hunkering down.
Have you been trying to write and record remotely?
Richards: You can’t make a Stones record that way ... But we have six or seven tracks, and we did release “Living in a Ghost Town.” ... And I think it was the first thing that anybody put out while the lockdown was going on, so we’ve got the anthem for COVID- 19.