Keith Richards joined Strombo on Apple Music Hits to reflect on The Rolling Stones’ album ‘Tattoo You’ that turned 40 earlier this year. He talks about the Super Deluxe re-issue, the loss of Charlie, their latest tour, his relationship with Mick, and the need for flexibility in life.
Keith Richards on moving forward without Charlie Watts
“Well, for a band of our longevity to suddenly have another man in the drummer’s seat and is a leap in the dark. The last thing I wanted to do was a Rolling Stones tour without Charlie, but you know, Charlie said, look go on with Steve. Charlie Watts was our mainstay… You took Charlie, everything fell apart, and to be able to transition this thing and also feeling Charlie’s presence in a way via Steve. And Steve loved Charlie to death and they were good friends. So it’s almost like a transitional thing that we all have to deal with when we get up there every night. But so far, so good. Great energy, great fun.”
Keith Richards on ‘Tattoo You’
“Tattoo You was actually one of the first albums, one of the fewest albums that was actually made from different parts of different albums over a period of time… I think ‘Start Me Up’ was at least five years old by the time it got on this album. Tattoo You is beautiful, like leftovers, which turned out to be, in its own way, a beautifully flexible album maybe because it wasn’t so planned.”
Keith Richards on his relationship with Mick Jagger
“Being on stage with him is when we are at our closest, Mick and I, because, it’s almost indescribable, but you know, when Mick and I are out there working and we both know that, ‘Hey, I’m counting on you.’ And there’s a beautiful jousting and also like a support. That’s where I actually, I feel my friendship with Mick more intensely than at any other time he’s on stage. You know, I have his back. He has mine. It’s an interesting piece of improvisation goes on every night and it’s like, how far do you want to push it? And that’s half the fun of it. It’s never the same, this show, there’s no script. That’s the first time I said that.”
