| August 17th, 2005 06:44 AM |
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| justinkurian |
Today's (Aug. 17) Q&A with Richards and yesterday's with Jagger are exclusively available on Billboard.com.
Q&A KEITH RICHARDS
How's rehearsal going?
It's going great. I mean, what can I really say, you know, except, hey, it's a great band and we're having fun working out on the new material. People keep saying to me, how come you keep still doing this? And I say, if you had a band like this you wouldn't want to leave.
How did you and Mick work differently this time?
It's so difficult to sort of analyze this stuff. In a weird way, albums take on their own character.
It started in June last year, I went to Mick's house in France, and we sat around. And at the time Charlie was pretty ill, and we didn't know, and we were looking at each other across the couches going, "Look this is it" -– I go, "Mick you're on drums and I'll double on bass." (laughs)
In a way we had to strip it down, and as it went along we realized that we had something going there and so we'd cut it all in Mick's house. There was a point I'm sure where he wanted to kick us out. But as I said to Mick, "Listen, once upon a time, we cut a record in the south of France in my house, and it's called 'Exile on Main Street,' and now its your turn."
And that one turned out OK, didn't it.
Yeah, exactly. I said maybe we're good in French houses.
Mick said he felt there was just a better vibe this time.
I really, I quite agree with Mick. We got so used to sort of being apart when we're not on the road and we sort of write stuff separately while we're, I mean, I might be in Jamaica, he might be in Madagascar or something, you know what I mean? But at the same time, there is a sort of a point where you pool everything you've got together and that's the point where I guess I look at Mick and I say, "You know, here's this one. What've you got?"
You do that every record, right?
Yeah, but at the same time, I would say that yeah, Mick's quite... The vibe is a lot better. We've been doing this so long, Mick and I are looking at each other and going, "Oh, come on, I'm not going to argue about this. Come on." There's too many plusses for an odd minus to get in the way. Maybe it's called growing up.
Let me know if you get there.
I don't think we're all the way there. I'll send you a postcard when I do.
Last June, you said you didn't know what was going to happen with Charlie. In a weird way, did that put a new fire in the band?
I think, actually, yeah, it brought Mick right down to the solid ground again, that's my take on it. Is just that there's suddenly Mick and I looking at each other and going, possibly we're the only two left of the originals, you know what I mean? And I think that gave, without us ever actually talking about that -- you don't talk about that s***, you know? Count on Charlie to be all right, and, fantastically enough, Charlie is incredibly on form. So that sort of softened that. But at the same time I think it was, like, "Well, this is it pal, this is the Everly Brothers."
But at the same time none of us had any doubt that Charlie wouldn't... I mean he's made of cast iron. Charlie came back and he played every rehearsal like it was a show. Amazing, yeah.
Mick and I talked about how quotidian the lyrics are. They are about everyday heartbreak, which everyone can relate to.
I know. Maybe that's something about this band that I've always... nobody's ever wanted to be... I mean including even Mick, a super superstar, and all of that. It's something between us all that says, "Hey, you can go up so far pal, but coming down's harder." And it's like, "Keep one foot on the ground, at least."
I guess no matter what your station in life?
Exactly. It doesn't matter if you're a king or a queen or a peasant or a slave. All that stuff goes on anyway.
The first single, "Rough Justice," is a quintessential Stones song.
Bless you... That came to me in my sleep. It's almost like "Satisfaction," Yeah, I almost sort of woke up and said, "Where's my guitar?" Sometimes you do dream a riff, you know? I had to get up, and it's really hard to get me up. Once I go down, I go down, you know?
But, I mean, it's only a song that could get me up and start running around the room, "Where's my guitar, where did I put my guitar, before I forget it?" I don't often remember dreams, only when they're musical.
One of the tracks you sing lead on, "This Place is Empty," is very heavy at times. Were you scared that the album was getting too heavy?
Yeah there’s some deep stuff in there but at the same time, humor is absolutely important to a rock and roll record. When you think about the first rock and roll records, you hear “Great Balls of Fire” and “Poison Ivy” and “Along Came Jones” and a lot of Chuck Berry, and there’s a lot of humor in it. And it has to sort of balance out. I mean, I really hate the dirges. I like it better to make you laugh in one line and make you cry in the next.
What's the best part about recording for you?
Some of it is just cutting the first track and you know that there's something there, and that's just one of the buzzes. The other buzz is towards the end when you start to hear it come together and you're looking around at everybody else because when you write a song, you don't know quite what you're hearing. And then to see everybody, their input, their give and take, and to see it come out the other end... It's going in, and coming out. It's called sex. But it's the same thing as making a record.
Now you're getting ready to go on the road. That still seems to me to your favorite part.
In a way, yeah. Charlie and I were just talking just now about it. Yeah, you want to get on the road, you want to play, cause that's what we do, we love it. But then you forget about all the other stuff. About all the cheesy cameras, about going into rehearsal and it's half of Canada back there. And you forget all about that and then you have to do the meet-and-greets and this and that. But somehow that all dissipates in your mind, and then all you want to do is get on stage and play.
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| August 17th, 2005 06:59 AM |
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| Monkey Woman |
Thanks again for the article, justinkurian! Mick and Keith do make greate interviews!
I'm claiming "I don't often remember dreams, only when they're musical." for a sig, now!  |
| August 17th, 2005 07:02 AM |
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| Monkey Woman |
And, oh, yeah, the part about the Everly Brothers brought a few tears close to the eyes for me...
Bless you, Charlie. |
| August 17th, 2005 08:28 AM |
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| J.J.Flash |
Did I ever tell I love this man? Did I?!?! DID I?!?!? I love this man, Keith Richards, the greatest real hero of all time...... and what a "quotable" motherfucker you are..... |
| August 17th, 2005 08:49 AM |
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| Jumping Jack |
"The first single, "Rough Justice," is a quintessential Stones song.
Bless you... That came to me in my sleep. It's almost like "Satisfaction," Yeah, I almost sort of woke up and said, "Where's my guitar?" Sometimes you do dream a riff, you know? I had to get up, and it's really hard to get me up. Once I go down, I go down, you know? "
Keef needs to get more sleep! :-) |
| August 17th, 2005 01:09 PM |
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| jb |
They actually think this is a good album....sad. |
| August 17th, 2005 01:35 PM |
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| lucasd4 |
And most fans and critics agree with them...The EXTRA music critic called the new album GENIUS...
quote:
jb wrote:
They actually think this is a good album....sad.
[Edited by lucasd4]
[Edited by Gazza] |
| August 17th, 2005 02:13 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
jb wrote:
They actually think this is a good album....sad.
Your love for The stones somehow became twisted. I do know a good therapist. They've done research and found that fans of bands sometimes become so obsessed that it turns into hatred.
From what I ve read you have three courses for treatment.
1. Play Exile everyday, at max volume. Multiple plays is not only good it's strongly encouraged.
if this does not work then try this:
2. Stop posting, remove all images of The Stones and their music from your life. Listen only to Air Supplly. Often it is recomended the patient alter their appearance, but in this case that won't be neccesary, apparently you already shop at the same stores as Ryan Seacrest.
3. In extreme cases there is one final alternative. It is tied in with number one. The patient is asked to go see The Rolling Stones live. Having a good time is optional, since no treatment has been discovered to have the patient actually experience joy. Although in this doctors opinion, I would inject the patient with a dose of Ketameine, so no matter what happened they patient would be high as fuck. |
| August 17th, 2005 02:17 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
lucasd4 wrote:
And most fans and critics agree with them...The EXTRA music critic called the new album GENIUS...
[Edited by Gazza]
Hey man....do us all a favour and knock off the abusive and in this case slanderous flames that you persist in polluting this place with much of the time that you choose to post.
You're way out of order. |
| August 17th, 2005 02:27 PM |
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| lucasd4 |
quote:
Gazza wrote:
Hey man....do us all a favour and knock off the abusive and in this case slanderous flames that you persist in polluting this place with much of the time that you choose to post.
You're way out of order.
Apparently, you don't know what slander is....but you do seem to know what censorship is...so go ahead, censor (edit) this post too
[Edited by lucasd4] |
| August 17th, 2005 02:43 PM |
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| Taptrick |
slander spoken/libel written
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| August 17th, 2005 03:07 PM |
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| pdog |
quote:
Taptrick wrote:
slander spoken/libel written
It's still ok to think bad things? |
| August 17th, 2005 03:36 PM |
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| 72Tele |
It always surprises me what little mention of Ronnie that there ever is. I'm not debating his credentials or ability just the simple fact (they being Mick and Keith) don't seem to put any more emphasis on him then Daryl or chuck. Like the Everly Brothers remark. I guess how blunt they are always make me feel just a tad sorry for Ronnie. |
| August 17th, 2005 05:39 PM |
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| sammy davis jr. |
Yeah, poor Ronnie will never get in the boys club......or the money the rest of them see. Still a good gig though. |
| August 17th, 2005 05:45 PM |
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| voodoopug |
quote:
sammy davis jr. wrote:
Yeah, poor Ronnie will never get in the boys club......or the money the rest of them see. Still a good gig though.
in the eyes of many...he is still the new kid. |
| August 17th, 2005 06:52 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
lucasd4 wrote:
Apparently, you don't know what slander is....but you do seem to know what censorship is...so go ahead, censor (edit) this post too
big fucking whoop
you get the message |
| August 17th, 2005 06:56 PM |
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| Monkey Woman |
quote:
there's suddenly Mick and I looking at each other and going, possibly we're the only two left of the originals, you know what I mean? And I think that gave, without us ever actually talking about that -- you don't talk about that s***, you know? Count on Charlie to be all right, and, fantastically enough, Charlie is incredibly on form. So that sort of softened that. But at the same time I think it was, like, "Well, this is it pal, this is the Everly Brothers."
Imagine Mick and Keith going on by themselves, as the "Glimmer Twins" duet? Weird alternate world attack... |
| August 17th, 2005 07:25 PM |
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| Some Guy |
I know I've only heard 30 seconds of each song but I got one question and here it is... uhh... uhh... yeah... uhh... c'mon... --- "where's the hit"? |
| August 17th, 2005 07:38 PM |
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| Soldatti |
What a boring interview!
Anyway, is Ronnie still a member?
I didn't see his name in any press release or interview about the album so far. |
| August 17th, 2005 07:43 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
Some Guy wrote:
I know I've only heard 30 seconds of each song but I got one question and here it is... uhh... uhh... yeah... uhh... c'mon... --- "where's the hit"?
"Streets of Love" is an odd choice for a single (the version we've heard is actually an edit - the album version is longer in the middle and the ending plays on a bit longer - at just short of 5 minutes its the longest track on the album)
The only song I havent heard in full is "Dangerous Beauty" which from the 29 seconds I've listened to sounds hit-worthy enough to me (as far as its possible by singles by 60- somethings to be 'hits')
If they were going to release a non-rocker as a single, "Laugh I nearly Died" would have been a better choice. Its not an obvious single in the way "start me up" was, but its 'vibe' and all round feel could actually be relatively successful. Its the best song on the album too and might have more 'crossover' appeal commercially without outraging the more 'traditional' fans.
Driving Too Fast and It Wont Take Long are probably the best singles material among the rockers (as well as Rough Justice of course)
[Edited by Gazza] |
| August 17th, 2005 07:48 PM |
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| lotsajizz |
quote:
pdog wrote:
It's still ok to think bad things?
No....the Patriot Act made that illegal |
| August 17th, 2005 08:58 PM |
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| lucasd4 |
[quote]Gazza wrote:
If they were going to release a non-rocker as a single, "Laugh I nearly Died" would have been a better choice. Its not an obvious single in the way "start me up" was, but its 'vibe' and all round feel could actually be relatively successful.
Laugh is a great song and much, much better than Streets of Love, but SOL has more hit potential. Unfortunately, neither one stands a chance of getting anywhere near the top 40 in today's music world. |
| August 17th, 2005 10:25 PM |
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| corgi37 |
I got the full versions of 4 songs. RJ is easily the best choice for single. It represents the band more than SOL. It gives jaded and lapsed fans, perhaps with bad memories of Anybody seen my baby, a reason to go "Hmmmm, hello Guvna? Whats this? Sounds....mmmm....cant be....sounds like...is it the Black Crowes"??
(Jagger vocal comes in)
"Oh, Lordy!!! Its the Stones! They are back. And, its good! ITS GOOD! I'd best get to my nearest music retailer"!!
Or, something like that. |
| August 17th, 2005 11:58 PM |
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| glencar |
I've only heard the 2 singles in full & nothing these guys do will ever be a hit single again. And that's okay by me. |
| August 18th, 2005 04:40 AM |
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| pdog |
quote:
lotsajizz wrote:
No....the Patriot Act made that illegal
I'm left to just shitting bad things! |
| August 18th, 2005 08:43 AM |
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| exile |
quote:
sammy davis jr. wrote:
Yeah, poor Ronnie will never get in the boys club......Still a good gig though.
Fuck Yeah... Im sure Ronnies not doing it too tough, He is still worth "millions" and a member of the Rolling Stones.Its not a tough gig for Ronnie.
quote:
glencar wrote:
nothing these guys do will ever be a hit single again. And that's okay by me.
me too brother 
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| August 18th, 2005 07:16 PM |
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| Soldatti |
quote:
glencar wrote:
I've only heard the 2 singles in full & nothing these guys do will ever be a hit single again. And that's okay by me.
Agreed. |
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