More often than not, being a rock star and having a short fuse go hand in hand, and the story of an unassuming reporter comparing Keith Richards to Iggy Pop is certainly indicative of this dispositional stereotype. Of course, that’s not to say all rock ‘n’ rollers are cantankerous and rude. Life on the road is strenuous. Drugs (or lack thereof) can shift tempers in an instant. Rock ‘n’ roll is practically defined by its unwillingness to play by the rules. Simply put, there are many reasons why a rock star might be hard to handle.
Still, that didn’t make one fateful day in the Chateau Marmont any less frightening for Rolling Stone reporter Erik Hedegaard.
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An Impromptu Inquiry Sucks The Air Out Of The Room
As the old adage goes, actions speak louder than words, but that didn’t stop Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards from lobbing his fair share of verbal attacks on a reporter during a press junket for Pirates of the Caribbean. Erik Hedegaard interviewed Richards and his Pirates co-star, Johnny Depp, in 2007 during the height of the pirate film franchise craze. And for the most part, the Los Angeles evening was cordial and pleasant. But the evening suddenly turned when Hedegaard asked Richards about his rings.
“The skull ring,” the reporter innocently asked. “Is that one of Iggy Pop’s skull rings, or is that a different one?” As Hedegaard described it, “During the brief of pauses, all light fled, darkness descended, and a sudden chill obtained the air. My hair stood on end. Prickly sweat savaged my cheeks.”
Depp broke the silence, telling Hedegaard, “He’s the originator of the skull rings.” Next, the guitarist spoke up. “This is the original one. I’ve been wearing it for 30-odd years. You didn’t know that? You didn’t know that Keith Richards was famous for his skull ring?” Of course, we’d argue that his massive skull ring, no matter how distinct or memorable, isn’t what Richards is the most famous for. Nevertheless, when someone starts speaking about themselves in the third person, it’s a safe bet that the conversational vibe has shifted.
Keith Richards Reacts To Getting Compared To Iggy Pop
The Rolling Stones guitarist seemingly had a hard time letting go of Rolling Stone reporter Erik Hedegaard’s question about his skull ring. From an outsider’s perspective, it’s hard to believe his reaction was anything but a response from his ego, determined to be the rock star who started the trend, not perpetuated it. Richards became increasingly combative in his interview, calling the journalist a “f***ing weirdo” before making a sinisterly vague comment, “There’s always the balcony.” Unfortunately for Hedegaard, that wasn’t the last of the verbal affronts from Richards.
Richards met each of the reporter’s questions with an answer that ranged from terse to aggressive. After Hedegaard asked the Stones founder about the manliness of wearing makeup (full disclosure: we don’t see how this question could’ve helped the situation), Richards replied, “Do you want to argue about it? You go ask that of John f***ing Wayne and see what you get, pal. A very pointed stick. And then there’s the funnel with a red-hot lead enema. And a banana up your a**. Oh, baby, it’s coming.”
The interview ended with Richards telling Hedegaard, “You don’t know s*** from Shinola.” In fact, the conversation was such a bust that Rolling Stone ended up reassigning the story until Hedegaard shared his “banana nightmare-inducing” memory 14 years later in 2021. So, let that be a lesson to you, dear reader: if you ever have the pleasure of meeting Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, under no circumstances should you mention his skull ring unless it’s to admire its originality, novelty, and uniquely Richards history.
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