There are two roads you can take as a rock star. You can be responsible, keep the partying to a minimum, stay away from drugs, and just generally look after yourself. Or you can be like Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.
In any other universe, Keith would be long gone, destroyed by any number of misadventures with drugs, alcohol, and the law. Yet he is still with us, something that defies logic and explanation.
Between the formation of the Rolling Stones in 1962 and the end of 1978, he was arrested in multiple countries, jailed, and otherwise found himself in trouble with the law, all while drinking, drugging, and being in the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band.
A big turning point should have come with his arrest in Toronto and his near-miss with being sent to jail on charges of trafficking heroin. He dodged that cannonball. But did things change? Not really. Keef just kept on being Keef.
He lived through a period when rock was at its most excessive. What originally looked like legal disasters turned into myth and legend. And somehow, Keef came out on the other side to perform and record into his 80s.
This is Episode 66 of “Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry.” We’re going to pick up the story from where we left things off with Keef last time, in 1978. This is Part Two of “The Times and Crimes of Keith Richards.”
In addition to the  podcasts, you can hear Uncharted on these Corus radio stations (all times local):
- Toronto: AM 640 (4-5am)
- London: 980 CFPL (4-5am)
- Vancouver: 730 CKNW (1-2am)
- Edmonton: 630 CHED (1-2am)
- Calgary: QR77 (770 AM) (1-2am)
- Winnipeg: 680 CJOB (1-2am)
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