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Keith Richards apologises for ‘out of line’ comments about Mick Jagger

Mar 01, 2018

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, pictured together in 2016 in London. Source: Getty

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has apologised to life-long pal and frontman Mick Jagger after saying he should get a vasectomy.

Richards made the comment in a candid interview with The Wall Street Journal magazine, in which he was asked what he thought about his bandmate becoming a father for the eighth time at age 73. Richards called Jagger a “randy old bastard” and said: “It’s time for the snip—you can’t be a father at that age. Those poor kids!”

After the article was published in print and online on Wednesday, Richards released a statement on Twitter apologising to Jagger: “I deeply regret the comments I made about Mick in the WSJ which were completely out of line. I have of course apologised to him in person.”

I deeply regret the comments I made about Mick in the WSJ which were completely out of line. I have of course apologised to him in person.

— Keith Richards (@officialKeef) February 28, 2018

Jagger raised eyebrows in December 2016 when he welcomed his eighth child, Deveraux Octavian Basil Jagger, into the world with girlfriend Melanie Hamrick, 31. His other children include Georgia-May, Jade, James, Elizabeth, Karis, Lucas and Gabriel Jagger.

In the wide-ranging interview with the Jounal, Richards also chatted about the legendary tension between himself and Jagger–especially in relation to comments in his memoir Life where he called the front man “unbearable” and openly said he had a “tiny todger”. “Mick and I would have spats anyway, no matter what I said in the book, and I left a lot out,” he said in the interview. “Mick and I live off of this fire between us.”

He added: “It’s been up and downhill, but if I’m talking about the Rolling Stones, there ain’t a front man like Jagger. Don’t matter how many bones you want to pick out of him, he’s amazing to work with.”

While Jagger is juggling life with a new bub it seems Richards and his wife Patti Hansen are enjoying the quiet life. Hansen told the WSJ ,“we’ve really gone into grandma and grandpa mode,” adding “it’s very relaxed. We love being in Connecticut, with each other, having the family around all the time and enjoying this time of our life”.

Jagger isn’t the only Stones member raising a young family. Guitarist Ronnie Wood, 70, and his wife Sally, 39, welcomed twin girls in 2016.