Fat and thick the book… proved to be fuel for my recent beach retreat.


After seeing the “Exile on Main St” documentary, “Life” was the book that helped paint a broader and deep picture of Mr. Rolling Stone.


Two important items that grabbed me and worth sharing:


1) Keith’s admiration and appreciation for Gram Parsons ability to focus his life on the music.  Richards gives him big props and credits him for helping cook-up the outlaw country flavor that so distinctively comes thru on the early 70’s Stones stuff.


Keith talks of Mick Jagger’s jealousy and equal admiration for Gram’s musical prowess. (That says much.)


As a Flying Burrito Brothers fan…this made me smile fur shure.


2) Keith provides great insight and clarity to the music making process that he and Mick had.  They were a dynamic duo if there ever was one worthy of the name — they called themselves The Glitter Twins.


Keith’s discussion on how Mick could just churn our songs is a nice surprise.  Mick is just as much responsible for The Stones songbook as Richards.  They made each other better.  One of favorite phrases comes to mind….1+1=3.


As a guitar player I appreciate the discussion and insight to Keith open tuning (5 string banjo style that creates worldly vibrations) that helped him mark his distinctive sound.  I am not sure non-guitar playing fans appreciate this concept, but it fascinated me and provided much better perspective on The Stones ability to give birth to so many rock anthems.  (See the “Start Me Up” reference on page 303, second par in the hard cover edition.  My (along with thousands of other kids with a fender and an amp) attempts to copy the song were flat and pale, although followed the chord progression to a tee.


Lastly, before I runamuck with Richards praise as a musician…I wanted to share something that tickled my personal fancy straight from the book (page 315, bottom).


Keith says, “While you are insulated like this (their living the French coastline mansion during “Exile” recordings), you live in a world where other people go round with the sun and the moon.  They wake up, go to sleep…If you break that cycle and you’ve been up for four, five days, your perception of these people who have just got up, who have crashed out, is very distant.  You’ve been working, writing songs, transferring tape to tape, and these people come in and they’ve been to bed and everything! They’ve even eaten stuff!  Meanwhile, you’re sitting at this desk with a guitar and this pen and paper. ‘Where the f-ck you been?’ It got to the point where I’d be thinking, how can I help these poor people who have to sleep every day?“