Keef owns up to retirement ‘ploy’

By Martin Kielty
published

Richards admits he threatened to end career to make solo album happen

Keith Richards has owned up to pretending he was going to retire in order to secure the services of everyone he wanted for his solo album.

Crosseyed Heart was released last week, alongside a Netflix documentary about the Rolling Stones guitarist’s life.

In a US TV interview, host Jimmy Fallon asked him about saying in the studio: “I don’t know, maybe I’ll just retire.”

Richards replied with a laugh: “Yeah, I did say that – but actually it was a ploy. If I threaten to retire, suddenly guys will come out of the woodwork.”

Crosseyed Heart features longtime collaborators Steve Jordan and Waddy Wachtel plus guest spots from Bobby Keys, Norah Jones and others. Richards last week confirmed that the Stones have made “definite plans” to record an album next year.

Martin Kielty
Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.