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DandelionPowderman

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latebloomer

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memphiscats
Oh my...how holier than thou? I had know idea how much of the moral majority represents itself here. Perhaps a little forgiveness is needed?


p.s. I wasn't responding directly to tele's blurb...just some other stuff that's been stated in this thread.

Forgiveness? Maybe, but a sense of humor, definitely. There probably is a lot of BS in the book, but who cares? I am a huge fan of Keith's, but he's not someone I know personally, so I didn't feel the need to forgive him for anything at all. If you've had your illusions shattered then whose fault is that? It's certainly not Keith's responsibility to make sure his fans only see him in the best possible light. I don't like some of the things he wrote about in the book, but it doesn't change my opinion of him. From what I know about him, there are things I admire about KR and things I don't, but I love his music and I found his book entertaining. That's all I require of a public figure. Count me satisfied.

+1

Don't let the 'haters' get you down guys.

PS, I also didn't see the need to forgive him for anything at all.

I love to read, especially about creative people.

Where I think Keith let himself down as "author" is to seemingly glorify
being a serious drug addict who got away with so much more than a non-famous addict would.

Seems to me his ghostwriter and the publisher would have wished a more balanced, honest account of his life. How did his mother, Angela and Marlon really feel about his way of life? Not to mention his band and tour personnel
who were put through hell at assorted frightening encounters in assorted
countries...sometimes complete with drawn guns, rifles and tough police dogs?

Keith doesn't talk about his regrets...Does he even recall how Mick, Charlie and others on tour tried to protect him and went though sleepless nights praying he wouldn't die?

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nightskyman

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DandelionPowderman

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71Tele
In "Life", Freddie Sessler is treated like a loved comrade-in-arms, while Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, and Mick Taylor are basically afterthoughts. Seems strange.

Well, he has a few tongue in cheek-comments about Bill in there If you don't get easily provoked, there is some love between the lines when it comes to how Bill is portrayed.

True...I don't think he disparages Wyman in the book.

Not so much that he disparages him, it's that he is such a minor character compared to his drug buddies. He spent 30 years making music with the guy. Some insights into that would have been more interesting to me than junkie war stories.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-08-26 20:18 by 71Tele.

I´ve just re- read LIFE and i find that although it is true that Keith makes some severe remarks about Mick, in general he praises Mick as a great talent in writing/performing/buisnessman, etc
In fact, its much more good about Mick than bad... this is my imperession in second lecture

He doesn't say much about Bill, and I thought what he said about Mick T. was just mean. It was something along the lines of him having no personality and that you already know everything about the guy after talking to him for a few seconds. If that was the kind of attitude he had to deal with, no wonder he left!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-08-26 21:03 by ryanpow.

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ryanpow
He doesn't say much about Bill, and I thought what he said about Mick T. was just mean. It was something along the lines of him having no personality and that you already know everything about the guy after talking to him for a few seconds. If that was the kind of attitude he had to deal with, no wonder he left!

Too bad Freddie Sessler or Tony Sanchez couldn't play guitar...

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treaclefingers
I also didn't see the need to forgive him for anything at all.

Quite Rightly So. Especially when there is nothing to blame him for

-------------------
Keep On Rolling

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71Tele

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ryanpow
He doesn't say much about Bill, and I thought what he said about Mick T. was just mean. It was something along the lines of him having no personality and that you already know everything about the guy after talking to him for a few seconds. If that was the kind of attitude he had to deal with, no wonder he left!

Too bad Freddie Sessler or Tony Sanchez couldn't play guitar...

Or too bad Taylor didn't have a supply of pharmaceutical grade stuff.

Aside from the Mick-bashing and keeping up with his public image, I detected a profound love of music, his mum and yes his family. His strong criticism of Mick can also be seen as deep love for him and a craving for their past relationships. This might be a man who finds difficult to express himself. There is a lot of pain as well masked with substance abuse.

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Rolling Hansie

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treaclefingers
I also didn't see the need to forgive him for anything at all.

Quite Rightly So. Especially when there is nothing to blame him for

So true...and if there is blame, it is one everyone except Keith.

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desertblues68
Aside from the Mick-bashing and keeping up with his public image, I detected a profound love of music, his mum and yes his family. His strong criticism of Mick can also be seen as deep love for him and a craving for their past relationships. This might be a man who finds difficult to express himself. There is a lot of pain as well masked with substance abuse.

I think you are very spot on in that assessment. Love that you were able to overview the entire book in four short sentences.

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ryanpow

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71Tele

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ryanpow
He doesn't say much about Bill, and I thought what he said about Mick T. was just mean. It was something along the lines of him having no personality and that you already know everything about the guy after talking to him for a few seconds. If that was the kind of attitude he had to deal with, no wonder he left!

Too bad Freddie Sessler or Tony Sanchez couldn't play guitar...

Or too bad Taylor didn't have a supply of pharmaceutical grade stuff.

LOL

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desertblues68
Aside from the Mick-bashing and keeping up with his public image, I detected a profound love of music, his mum and yes his family. His strong criticism of Mick can also be seen as deep love for him and a craving for their past relationships. This might be a man who finds difficult to express himself. There is a lot of pain as well masked with substance abuse.

Touche!

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treaclefingers

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desertblues68
Aside from the Mick-bashing and keeping up with his public image, I detected a profound love of music, his mum and yes his family. His strong criticism of Mick can also be seen as deep love for him and a craving for their past relationships. This might be a man who finds difficult to express himself. There is a lot of pain as well masked with substance abuse.

I think you are very spot on in that assessment. Love that you were able to overview the entire book in four short sentences.

But the conclusion was different than yours...

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DandelionPowderman

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treaclefingers

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desertblues68
Aside from the Mick-bashing and keeping up with his public image, I detected a profound love of music, his mum and yes his family. His strong criticism of Mick can also be seen as deep love for him and a craving for their past relationships. This might be a man who finds difficult to express himself. There is a lot of pain as well masked with substance abuse.

I think you are very spot on in that assessment. Love that you were able to overview the entire book in four short sentences.

But the conclusion was different than yours...

You don't understand my conclusion then.

I agree with all of what desertblues68 has opined...I just find it hard to respect an adult that speaks and behaves in the way he has.

He took a moment to look back on his 'LIFE' and his historical account is to be dismissive and derogatory to those that have helped him throughout his career.

I was excited about the prospect of reading the book...it was KEEF, the coolest stone, in his own words.

Then I started reading some of the accounts online, then I read it myself.

Beyond being a slow and meandering read, I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I hope Mick never writes a book!

I remember reading that Mick said doing a book was just too much work.
I believe that he didn't want to take the time. He would do it himself, no doubt.
His standards would be high.

That and his other statements about the secrets makes sense and how he
doesn't often like to revisit the past.

~"Love is Strong"~

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treaclefingers
I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I know you poke fun of nuances in word meanings (e.g., tedious vs boring -- not the same, btw),
but I'm curious whether you're more disillusioned by, or you straight up now dislike, Keith?

I had to shift how I saw him, somewhat, but it was a welcome "correction" ultimately, because it's
more realistic -- Keith warts and all is how I see that book.

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swiss

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treaclefingers
I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I know you poke fun of nuances in word meanings (e.g., tedious vs boring -- not the same, btw),
but I'm curious whether you're more disillusioned by, or you straight up now dislike, Keith?

I had to shift how I saw him, somewhat, but it was a welcome "correction" ultimately, because it's
more realistic -- Keith warts and all is how I see that book.

Hmm...That's what I thought at first. But when you so carefully stage-manage the "warts", is it really "warts and all"? I think it's about a 75% honest book. It raised as many questions as it answered. That said, what a person chooses to put in hos or her own story can be as interesting as the unvarnished objective "truth". I love Dylan's "Chronicles". Not so much because it was true - he made a lot of it up out of whole cloth - but because it so accurately represented how Dylan wants to be seen, and what his relationship is to his public image. Plus, it was so damn entertaining you didn't care that much if it was true.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-08-27 07:59 by 71Tele.

You want Keith to write a novel, Tele?

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treaclefingers

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DandelionPowderman

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treaclefingers

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desertblues68
Aside from the Mick-bashing and keeping up with his public image, I detected a profound love of music, his mum and yes his family. His strong criticism of Mick can also be seen as deep love for him and a craving for their past relationships. This might be a man who finds difficult to express himself. There is a lot of pain as well masked with substance abuse.

I think you are very spot on in that assessment. Love that you were able to overview the entire book in four short sentences.

But the conclusion was different than yours...

You don't understand my conclusion then.

I agree with all of what desertblues68 has opined...I just find it hard to respect an adult that speaks and behaves in the way he has.

He took a moment to look back on his 'LIFE' and his historical account is to be dismissive and derogatory to those that have helped him throughout his career.

I was excited about the prospect of reading the book...it was KEEF, the coolest stone, in his own words.

Then I started reading some of the accounts online, then I read it myself.

Beyond being a slow and meandering read, I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I hope Mick never writes a book!

Of course I understand your conclusion. But this time (for once?) you didn't understand my humorous remark

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swiss

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treaclefingers
I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I know you poke fun of nuances in word meanings (e.g., tedious vs boring -- not the same, btw),
but I'm curious whether you're more disillusioned by, or you straight up now dislike, Keith?

I had to shift how I saw him, somewhat, but it was a welcome "correction" ultimately, because it's
more realistic -- Keith warts and all is how I see that book.

you're right, I don't dislike him...but the book annoyed me and the cavalier way he nearly ended the band, and then had to go grovelling back to MJ, well I guess he deserved that, but how uncool.

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DandelionPowderman

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treaclefingers

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DandelionPowderman

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treaclefingers

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desertblues68
Aside from the Mick-bashing and keeping up with his public image, I detected a profound love of music, his mum and yes his family. His strong criticism of Mick can also be seen as deep love for him and a craving for their past relationships. This might be a man who finds difficult to express himself. There is a lot of pain as well masked with substance abuse.

I think you are very spot on in that assessment. Love that you were able to overview the entire book in four short sentences.

But the conclusion was different than yours...

You don't understand my conclusion then.

I agree with all of what desertblues68 has opined...I just find it hard to respect an adult that speaks and behaves in the way he has.

He took a moment to look back on his 'LIFE' and his historical account is to be dismissive and derogatory to those that have helped him throughout his career.

I was excited about the prospect of reading the book...it was KEEF, the coolest stone, in his own words.

Then I started reading some of the accounts online, then I read it myself.

Beyond being a slow and meandering read, I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I hope Mick never writes a book!

Of course I understand your conclusion. But this time (for once?) you didn't understand my humorous remark

DAMN!

You disguised in sarcasm!

I never do that!

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71Tele

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swiss

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treaclefingers
I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I know you poke fun of nuances in word meanings (e.g., tedious vs boring -- not the same, btw),
but I'm curious whether you're more disillusioned by, or you straight up now dislike, Keith?

I had to shift how I saw him, somewhat, but it was a welcome "correction" ultimately, because it's
more realistic -- Keith warts and all is how I see that book.

Hmm...That's what I thought at first. But when you so carefully stage-manage the "warts", is it really "warts and all"? I think it's about a 75% honest book. It raised as many questions as it answered. That said, what a person chooses to put in hos or her own story can be as interesting as the unvarnished objective "truth". I love Dylan's "Chronicles". Not so much because it was true - he made a lot of it up out of whole cloth - but because it so accurately represented how Dylan wants to be seen, and what his relationship is to his public image. Plus, it was so damn entertaining you didn't care that much if it was true.

Stage managing warts - lol! Do you mean the reader or the writer/editor? The book felt very
"casually," even haphazardly, put together -- tho, as I said earlier in this thread, that doesn't
seem inconsistent with what many of us know of Keith as a person or as a musician. I was
uncomfortable several times when Keith hit on a topic that was potentially emotionally intense,
but which he didn't seem to have the capacity to navigate honestly (perhaps to your point),
so instead went into this over-the-top braggadocious place, that felt so disingenuous and
hollow. I figured he did the best he could at the time. And, again, I do hope he writes more.

btw...what happened to the Neil Young/divorce/projection thread?

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Rolling Hansie

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treaclefingers
I also didn't see the need to forgive him for anything at all.

Quite Rightly So. Especially when there is nothing to blame him for

Well we can blame Keef now, for not releasing his latest cd before the end of August 2014 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeroen

His children book is out next month. I am sure that will address all the issues in this thread!

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swiss

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71Tele

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swiss

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treaclefingers
I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up disliking him.

I know you poke fun of nuances in word meanings (e.g., tedious vs boring -- not the same, btw),
but I'm curious whether you're more disillusioned by, or you straight up now dislike, Keith?

I had to shift how I saw him, somewhat, but it was a welcome "correction" ultimately, because it's
more realistic -- Keith warts and all is how I see that book.

Hmm...That's what I thought at first. But when you so carefully stage-manage the "warts", is it really "warts and all"? I think it's about a 75% honest book. It raised as many questions as it answered. That said, what a person chooses to put in hos or her own story can be as interesting as the unvarnished objective "truth". I love Dylan's "Chronicles". Not so much because it was true - he made a lot of it up out of whole cloth - but because it so accurately represented how Dylan wants to be seen, and what his relationship is to his public image. Plus, it was so damn entertaining you didn't care that much if it was true.

Stage managing warts - lol! Do you mean the reader or the writer/editor? The book felt very
"casually," even haphazardly, put together -- tho, as I said earlier in this thread, that doesn't
seem inconsistent with what many of us know of Keith as a person or as a musician. I was
uncomfortable several times when Keith hit on a topic that was potentially emotionally intense,
but which he didn't seem to have the capacity to navigate honestly (perhaps to your point),
so instead went into this over-the-top braggadocious place, that felt so disingenuous and
hollow. I figured he did the best he could at the time. And, again, I do hope he writes more.

btw...what happened to the Neil Young/divorce/projection thread?

That is the core of what we're talking about here, imo.

Seemingly, many wanted Keith to confront himself with the Keith Richards-image in this book. Not only to confront it, but to lay it to rest, perhaps?

And indeed he is confronting it in places. He writes about THAT persona, and how hard it is to be that other guy sometimes.

But I don't understand how it would be even possible to write "hey, that star image is gone by now, now I'm a grandpa and I'm working in the garden. These are my words of newfound wisdom - come gather around, and I'll tell you a new tale.

As long as the Stones are active, or as long as people love their music, he's bound to show the blade, and get outta that tiger cage.

It's just how it is...

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desertblues68
His children book is out next month.

That's much cooler than writing childish 'keeping up appearances' autobiographies...

- Doxa

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Doxa

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desertblues68
His children book is out next month.

That's much cooler than writing childish 'keeping up appearances' autobiographies...

- Doxa

Actually, it is pretty cool - and unexpected

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DandelionPowderman

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Doxa

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desertblues68
His children book is out next month.

That's much cooler than writing childish 'keeping up appearances' autobiographies...

- Doxa

Actually, it is pretty cool - and unexpected

Yeah, I will be buying that, but not for myself, I will be reading it with my friend's kids><

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DandelionPowderman

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Doxa

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desertblues68
His children book is out next month.

That's much cooler than writing childish 'keeping up appearances' autobiographies...

- Doxa

Actually, it is pretty cool - and unexpected

Well, I think it is cool because that shows that he is not that bounded by that image thing you Dandie seem to argue him being so necessarily bounded by...

- Doxa