Keith Richards: The Playboy Interview (Singles Classic)

by Keith Richards, Playboy Magazine

In mid-1962, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner was given a partial transcript of an interview with Miles Davis. It covered jazz, of course, but it also included Davis’s ruminations on race, politics and culture. Fascinated, Hef sent the writer—future Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Alex Haley, an unknown at the time—back to glean even more opinion and insight from Davis. The resulting exchange, published in the September 1962 issue, became the first official Playboy Interview and kicked off a remarkable run of public inquisition that continues today—and that has featured just about every cultural titan of the last half century.To celebrate the Interview’s 50th anniversary, the editors of Playboy have culled 50 of its most (in)famous Interviews and will publish them over the course of 50 weekdays (from September 4, 2012 to November 12, 2012) via Amazon’s Kindle Direct platform. Here is the interview with the rocker Keith Richards from the October 1989 issue.

25 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2012

About the author

Keith Richards is an English guitarist, songwriter, singer, producer and founding member of The Rolling Stones. As a guitarist Richards is mostly known for his innovative rhythm playing. In 2003 Richards was ranked 10th on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

With songwriting partner and Rolling Stones lead vocalist Mick Jagger, Richards has written and recorded hundreds of songs, fourteen of which Rolling Stone magazine lists among the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads

Reviews

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

While a lot of these Playboy interviews released to Kindle tend to suffer from mediocre interviewers (even when they’re well known) and not enough real depth, the first one is terrific. Alex Haley must have realized right away that Keith was a different kind of cat, and almost brutally honest, even introspective at times. Haley did the smartest thing he could do: he used questions as prompts, then got out of the way and let Keith be Keith. What emerges is a deeply flawed but very likable guy with more depth than some would expect, and with some surprising views on who should — or at least has a reason to — use drugs, and who shouldn’t. By allowing Keith to give full answers to sparse questions, even when he hits the switchback, Haley makes this short interview seem more than it is, because we get a real sense of Keith, who comes off as both a charming rogue and a surprisingly thoughtful and pragmatic guy. You also come away with an unflattering image of a legendary rock and roll icon (not one of the Stones) by Keith that’s inadvertent, rather than intentional; just Keith telling the truth. If Keith Richards wasn’t your favorite Stone before reading this, he might be afterward. Brief, but definitely worth a read, since it’s available on Kindle Unlimited and can be read for free.

[LaDonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved Keef for so many years it is hard to remember a time before I discovered the Stones. Life is probably my favorite autobio I have ever read, at least in the top five. I always find his interviews entertaining and this is certainly no exception. In 1989, when the interview was originally published, I was a bit too young to be reading Playboy, but I am glad I had this chance to reminisce on his words. Quite amusing that 26 years ago it was amazing that he was still alive, when he is still vibrant and entertaining now in his 70's. I also appreciated his diatribe on global warming long before it was an overused catch phrase. I can't say there is a lot of new information in here, especially if you have read Life, but a very worthy read regardless.

[Lynn Whitsenant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Fell in Love All Over Again

How refreshing to read Keith Richards raw, brutally honesty that is this book. Well done, Mr. Richards! Well Done! I have fallen in love with this man all over again.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Cat.