Keith Richards' Lifestyle Change Is Something Fans Might Not Expect
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones — a man with a look and a vibe so iconic that Johnny Depp used it as his template for creating his (almost equally iconic) Captain Jack Sparrow character on "Pirates of the Caribbean." Fashion trends may come and go, but Richards has faithfully stuck to his signature Debaucherous Pirate look for the past 60 years. You'd think that with a personal brand that strong, the rock and roller wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize it.
Well, friends, that's where you'd be wrong. It turns out the legendary guitarist is willing to make a compromise or two when his health is involved, and at this point, he's kicked more vices than most people ever even try. According to People, Richards has quit heroin, cocaine, and drinking, leaving his youthful hard-partying ways in the past. Now, according to a recent interview, he's even given up perhaps the most common addictive substance of all.
Keith Richards quit smoking
Speaking to Anthony Mason for a CBS Sunday Morning interview, Keith Richards acknowledged that he'd finally quit smoking. "Luckily, I just don't miss it, and that makes me feel good," Richards said with a laugh. It turns out that two years ago, with the help of "a few patches for a few of weeks," Richards gave up cigarettes after smoking for 55 years. "Sometimes a bell rings and something inside says, 'Hey pal, enough...' I just put the hammer on it," Richards said. He added that he has a lot more stamina now, and a lot more "wind" in the lungs.
Richards may be "getting on a bit," as he put it, but don't mistake his (relatively) new straight-edge approach to substances for the lifestyle of your average 78-year-old man. The Rolling Stones, including Richards and frontman Mick Jagger, announced a new European tour this summer, called "Sixty" to commemorate the band's 60th anniversary, according to CNN. When was the last time your grandpa did that?