About this episode

The episode explores Keith Richards' tumultuous journey from a blues-obsessed youth to a rock legend, highlighting his struggles with drugs and the law.

Keith Richards’ reputation for excess is legendary, but it has nearly ended his career many times. In part 1 of "The Life and Crimes of Keith Richards", we follow his journey from a blues‑obsessed kid in England to a founding member of the Rolling Stones, charting early fights, drug use, tabloid scandals, and repeated arrests that somehow never stuck. We dig into the infamous Redlands drug raid, exile-era chaos in France, narrow escapes in the U.S., and personal tragedy in the mid‑1970s. It ends with the moment that finally seemed unavoidable: Keith’s 1977 Toronto heroin bust, where prison time looked certain...and the legend was truly put to the test. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Topics covered

• Keith Richards
• Rolling Stones
• drug use
• tabloid scandals
• arrests
• music history

Keywords

• Keith Richards
• Rolling Stones
• drug raid
• heroin bust
• music history
• tabloid scandals
• arrests

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Rolling Stones

Places: England, France, U.S.

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