Keith Richards wrote his first song imprisoned in a kitchen with Mick Jagger

Keith Richards wrote his first song imprisoned in a kitchen with Mick Jagger
(Image credit: Tonight Show)

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was on The Tonight Show on Tuesday night to promote his new children's book, Gus & Me, about his grandfather and his first guitar. He had some pretty good stories — about being punched in the face by Chuck Berry, for example.

But his tale about writing his first song, "As Tears Go By," is pretty memorable. The Stones' manager was tired of the band recording covers, so he locked Keith and Mick Jagger in a kitchen until they wrote an original song, Richards told Jimmy Fallon. Apparently it took a while, but the tough-love technique clearly worked. Richards is charming and surprisingly down-to-earth, but his daughter (and illustrator of Gus & Me) Theodora arguably steals the show. --Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.