Spinner

Rolling Stone Keith Richards 'Has Given Up Drink'

It's way too early for an April Fool's joke and no pigs have performed a flypast outside Spinner's windows yet. It's been reported in the Sun that legendary Rolling Stones guitarist and hell-raiser Keith Richards is on the wagon.

According to source, Richards -- once infamously described as the "most elegantly wasted man in the world" -- has been dry for four months after ignoring medical advice to stop drinking for decades.

A source close to the guitarist said, "There's no guarantees that he'll stay off it -- but he's doing really well so far."

It would appear that the drink-fuelled antics of fellow Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie Wood have prompted Richards to re-assess his own lifestyle. Wood left his wife Jo for teenager Ekatrina Ivanova for short-lived relationship.

The source continued, "He has always quite enjoyed the fact that he seemed to be able to carry on drinking as much as he liked with no real negative impact on his health. But he has watched Ronnie fall well and truly off the wagon last year and he doesn't like what he sees.

"Plus he has started to feel for the first time like it might do him some good to give up the booze for a while."

Keith Richards kicked a ten-year heroin addiction after being busted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1977 for possession of 22 grams of heroin. Now it seems that Richards is enjoying a long period of sobriety for the first time in many, many years.

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John Dummer

Good luck Keith, it's not so much fun being sober at first but at least you can remember what you did. That's until senile memory loss kicks in of course! We need all the brain cells we can hold on to at this time of life. Hang on in there! Best regards, John Dummer.

February 07 2010 at 6:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kim

Thank God we've had him around all of these years! He's the heart and soul of the greatest (and longest-lasting) rock band in history. Keith never tried to be a role model. He has always done his own thing. I applaud him for always being himself, convention be damned.

January 29 2010 at 10:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tom

Whatever you do, keep on rockin' Keith. You ARE rock 'n roll. No-one will ever come close to your hellraising attitude and spirit. They will never die!

January 26 2010 at 8:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ROY WELDON

I'm 65 years old!--Keith and the Stones were a great part of my life's "sound track"-- through my wild teens and twenties---------they spoke to me then!---and to some degree they talk to me now!--------as an Englishman I sprang from a very 'like' background as them.

January 26 2010 at 6:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MaryCanary

Hey Keith..More power to ya luv and keep that good eye on ol'Ronnie....Great Humor, Health and Happiness!!!

And if you fall..well, you know what to do man.

January 26 2010 at 4:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
EvaCloudshean

Keith is my all-tome favourite Stone, and "Exile on Mainstreet', my all-time favourite album ever made!

Keith is the heart and soul of the Stones, the real-feelgood RnR, R&B-- brings feel-good sunshine on a any cloudy day.

Bring it back home! Rock On!

January 26 2010 at 3:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
steve

Rock on Keef u the man

January 26 2010 at 11:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
m

keith is my favorite all time stone who is stone all the time

January 26 2010 at 10:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ona Moreno

A few years back my father did some work at Keith's home. Dad said he was a nice guy and that he'd probably never die because he was already embalmed! But he was always respectful and always paid on time. Hope this works out well for him.

January 26 2010 at 9:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John

They should have casted him in Pirates!

January 26 2010 at 8:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply