The one joke Keith Richards will always regret
To be considered a true great in rock music, musicians must embody more than just mastery of their craft; one key element that enhances their sonic output is personality. Many iconic figures have combined their artistic talent with genuine character, and The Rolling Stones’ lead guitarist, Keith Richards, stands as a prime example of this blend of musical brilliance and authentic individuality.
While the term “enigma” is often overused and rarely accurate, there’s no denying that Richards embodies a world entirely of his own, one that has consistently baffled outsiders. On one side, Richards is celebrated as one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. His mastery of fingerstyle and open tunings, combined with his ability to fuse folk influences with blues and rock, has created a distinctive sound that remains unmatched.
Beyond his widely influential and, at times, refined artistic contributions, Richards is often regarded as rock music’s luckiest survivor. As the quintessential hell-raising rock star, he’s faced more brushes with death than most could imagine, yet continues to tell the tales of these close calls. Any one of these stories would be enough to deter the average person from a life of hard partying, but for Richards, they’ve merely become part of his legendary persona.
He might be an iconic guitarist, but Richards has pushed his body and being to the absolute limits, and the fact that he still lives is one of rock’s greatest mysteries, despite how macabre the point may be. From house fires to Strychnine poisoning, he’s escaped an array of grim fates and continued to perform in one of the world’s most popular bands.
As you might guess, from a man who was quite literally a law unto himself for so long, Richards has never been one to hold his tongue. The Rolling Stones were always the most outspoken, transgressive group of the British invasion, presenting the separate side of the coin to The Beatles, and requisite to this came their brazen characters. While they would often utilise this nature for good in calling out outdated mores during the countercultural period, as life wore on and fame took its tool, the group would also turn their verbal guns on each other, with the period in the late 1980s when frontman Mick Jagger had gone solo dubbed as “World War III” by the band.
During a period of intense animosity between Richards and his longtime songwriting partner, the guitarist displayed the sharp, dark humour for which The Rolling Stones are known. He would comically refer to Jagger as “Brenda”, “Her Majesty”, and “Madam”. This biting wit is characteristic of Richards, who has openly and harshly criticised a range of fellow musicians over the years, including Elton John—proving that even Jagger was not spared from his sharp tongue.
Although Richards and Jagger reconciled in the 1990s, their relationship faced new turbulence following the release of Richards’ 2010 memoir, Life. The book revealed some brutally honest thoughts about Jagger, which reignited tensions between the two. While Richards later offered a half-hearted apology, he stood by his decision to keep the story raw and unfiltered. Jagger, in turn, responded to the remarks, with Richards ultimately explaining that the ongoing friction between them is what fuels The Rolling Stones’ enduring energy.
Despite barely apologising for what he said about Jagger in Life, Richards would insist that he regrets a more off-the-cuff quip he made about his singer. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal in 2018, he commented on his bandmate fathering his eighth child at 73. He said: “It’s time for the snip – you can’t be a father at that age. Those poor kids!”
After the media and fans criticised the guitarist, he was forced to offer his apology online and, uncharacteristically, said he “deeply” regretted the joke. “I deeply regret the comments I made about Mick in the WSJ which were completely out of line,” Richards tweeted. “I have of course apologised to him in person.”
It’s certainly intriguing to consider what Richards might have actually said to Jagger when they made up. If the claims from Life are to be believed—that Richards hadn’t visited Jagger’s dressing room in 20 years—it’s easy to imagine that any apology was far from heartfelt. Richards is known for his bluntness, so any peace offering likely came through gritted teeth.
