Life

By: Keith Richards, James Fox

Narrated by: Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley

Length: 23 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

The long-awaited autobiography of Keith Richards, guitarist, songwriter, singer, and founding member of the Rolling Stones.

With The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the songs that roused the world, and he lived the original rock and roll life. Now, at last, the man himself tells his story of life in the crossfire hurricane. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records, learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. The Rolling Stones's first fame and the notorious drug busts that led to his enduring image as an outlaw folk hero. Creating immortal riffs like the ones in "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women." His relationship with Anita Pallenberg and the death of Brian Jones. Tax exile in France, wildfire tours of the U.S., isolation and addiction. Falling in love with Patti Hansen. Estrangement from Jagger and subsequent reconciliation. Marriage, family, solo albums and Xpensive Winos, and the road that goes on forever.

With his trademark disarming honesty, Keith Richard brings us the story of a life we have all longed to know more of, unfettered, fearless, and true.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2010 Keith Richards (P)2010 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"[A] high-def, high-velocity portrait of the era when rock 'n' roll came of age, a raw report from deep inside the counterculture maelstrom of how that music swept like a tsunami over Britain and the United States....Mr. Richards has found a way to channel to the reader his own avidity, his own deep soul hunger for music and to make us feel the connections that bind one generation of musicians to another. Along the way he even manages to communicate something of that magic, electromagnetic experience of playing on stage with his mates, be it in a little club or a huge stadium." (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times)

"[A] slurry romp through the life of a man who knew every pleasure, denied himself nothing, and never paid the price." (David Remnick, The New Yorker)

"A vivid self-portrait and, of the Stones and their musical era, a grand group portrait....spellbinding storytelling." (Richard Corliss, Time)

Jonny Depp ruins this book for me

Jonny Depps Monotone read (even if he's trying to sound the Keith) bores me to tears. I find myself daydreaming in the middle of listening. Long form reciting is not for him.

Life

One of the best books I've ever read. I have a new respect and admiration for Keith Richards. What an amazing life

"The Most Dangerous Rock Band in The World"

The first chapter is one of the funniest I've ever read and brought back the edgy times of the drug imbibing counter culture bursting out like a viral fungus across our nation, setting red necks and straight necks against hippies. A time in history when Tricky Dick declared the Rolling Stones the most DANGEROUS ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD and banned them from America. Oh course anyone getting that much attention for being contrary to the establishment at that time had my vote for Rock Gods.

The early years part of the book drags on a bit, unless of course you have it on audio book like I did and are weeding your strawberry patch, then its a nice distraction from the job at hand. But once you get past that it's a great read about a great ride with a number of amazing insights from the guy with his hands on the wheel.

A personal history of Rock in Roll

What did you love best about Life?

The book was honest and from the heart. Keith Richards told his story and it was fascinating.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really was engrossed in the book. I didn't want it to end.

What about Johnny Depp and Joe Hurley ’s performance did you like?

It was difficult to make the transition between the performances. They were both done well. I found joe Hurley's performance more believable.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Probably 'for the love of music' and ' sex, drugs, and rock and roll".

Any additional comments?

This book is for anyone who grew up in the sixties. It helped make sense out of an era that was confusing. He brought the world together, in a way that I haven't read before. Simply put I loved it.

Awesome!

Audio books don't get much better than this. Fascinating look at music legend's life - ups and downs. Seems very honest in the telling. Narration is spot on. KR comes across as much more than just a drugged up rocker. I enjoyed this as much as the Andre Agassi autobiography. Highly recommended!

Vivid, frank, detailed; better read than heard

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a book I would have preferred to read. Others might like that Johnny Depp copies Richards' diction, accent and tone (and well he may), but he speaks so slowly and with so many chuckles, draaaaaggged-out words and flourishes that it's distracting. When I focused on the words alone, I could tell that the book is well-written and would rock right along.

That said, the details that Keith Richards provides about his life really bring you into his world, starting with his childhood and going right into his music, loves, friendships and business relationships. He comes across as insightful and self-effacing, just a guy telling you about what happened, no holding back. It seems startlingly frank and each small story advances the memoir with insight vivid images.

I'm not a musician, but I was fascinated when he goes deeply into his feel for the sound itself, how he gets the feel for it, and then the technicalities behind creating it. All of the behind-scenes stories are fun, and he includes accounts by other musicians of various albums and adventures.

I can recommend this but now that I'm halfway through, I've lost patience with the reading and will probably finish it in print.

Best Autobiography Ever

This is the first book I've listened to that, I think, probably works better as an audio book. Much of this comes from the enjoying the exploits of Keith's life in rock and roll, and kudos also needs to go to narrator Joe Hurley, who does such a wonderful job in capturing the spirit of Keith in his narration -- I simply loved it. Yes, Johnny Depp reads two sections within the book, and it's nice for him to lend his star credo to this book, but Joe Hurley is the standout and brings much of the life to Keith Richard's words.

And, I have to say, beyond the narration, this book has given me a new appreciation for Keith Richards, moving him beyond the two-dimensional perception of him as a junkie musician and really catapaulting him to newer heights, after gleaming his appreciation for the blues, music creation, and simply playing in a band.

A great book, written by a legend in the industry, and narrated primarily by someone who really captures the spirit of the book: I think this is the first time I've recommended to people that they LISTEN to this book, and not READ it.

Very, very enjoyable.

Rollin' On

This is the first review I've written, and have listened to many, many books. This one...Wow! Keith Richards pulls no punches. It's nasty, real, and funny as hell. Living the Life he has, he really has no right to actually be living! Joe Hurleys narration was right on, keeping the listener enchanted, and giggling at the outrageous antics of what I found after a while to be a charming personality. Get over the misogyny thing, he was a man of his time and told it how it was. No brown sugar coating. No apologies. Loved it!

I'm satisfied

First, let me say that I am not a Rolling Stones fan. Never have been. I don't own any of their albums, or even singles (I was 13 when 'Satisfaction came out, but was a Beatles fan). If you offered me money to name the entire band at any time during their existence I couldn't do it. So why did I get this book? The reviews. All the reviews were so good I thought I'd take a chance. And am I glad. This is a fascinating book from the first page. Richards doesn't do what I would call a 'tell all', but he is still honest and straightforward. And I have to admit my surprise at how intelligent a guy he is. I guess I assumed he was some drug addled 70 year old hippie. I was wrong.
Johnny Depp is an outstanding narrator, and while it took a while for me to warm up to Joe Hurley, I did, and he adds much to the book as well.
I enjoyed this VERY much and highly recommend it.

It doesn't get better than this

Simply fantastic. I'm sure it's a terrific read as well, but the Audible version adds a level of richness and depth that I would never have been able to achieve on my own. Depp and Hurley absolutely embody the essence of Keith Richards and add such a wonderful, yet appropriately subtle dynamic to Keith's endearing, dry sense of humor. The only thing that threw me off for a minute was the occasional alternating first person, but once I caught on to it, it was a much appreciated addition to the narrative that further added to the richness of this title. I highly recommend "Life"!