Although an enthusiastic drinker, he has foregone the delights of Jack Daniel’s, these days preferring a healthier option: vodka and Sunkist orange. “It’s called a Nuclear Waste,” he declares, draining another tumbler of the fluorescent concoction. “Whiskey wasn’t agreeing with me anymore. The old body couldn’t take it. Brandy is a killer, and wine is best with food, so somehow I settled on this. Plenty of ice. Lovely. Cheers.”

21. HE VIEWS THE ROLLING STONES AS A SEXUAL METAPHOR.
Richards finds that getting the Stones to fire on all cylinders is a little like keeping your sex life spicy. “Very similar,” he agrees. “Especially when you come!”

20. WHY BOTHER WRITING SONGS WHEN THEY “COME TO YOU FROM SOME HIGHER PLACE”?
Rather than scouring his soul for songs, Richards simply noodles on the guitar until something descends. “If I stick around long enough, something will generally come along,” he says. “I’m just a medium, a receiver, a conduit. I polish it up and transmit it.”

19. INVALUABLE TIP #2: HOW TO HIT SOMEONE UPSIDE THE HEAD WITH AN ELECTRIC GUITAR.
“Do it quickly, before they have a chance to respond,” he suggests. “The guitar is perfectly made for it.”