Keith Richards (placeholder)

I guess “obsessed” would be the right word to describe how I felt about Keith since I was 13 years old. No one (except maybe Jesus, but that’s another story!) has made such an impression on me and it’s stuck for all of these years…I’m 39 now.

Anyway, many years back Keith was on tour with the Xpensive Winos. They were playing a show in St. Paul and I had excellent tickets, front row center. All day long at work, I could barely sit at my desk in anticipation. I had a feeling that Keith would be staying at a hotel a few blocks from my office. Right after lunch, my “inner voice” told me to get up and go! I left work and headed to the Whitney Hotel.

When I got there, the place was dead. There was no one in the lobby, nothing going on. I took a seat and just waited. After about 15 minutes, some cool looking dudes began to show up. One was Ivan Neville. He was very polite and started talking to me. I showed him this cheesy Rolling Stones fan club card that I had always carried with me, in hopes that one day I’d run into Keith and he would sign it. Ivan thought that was hilarious and told me that I should hang around because Keith would be coming down to go to sound check. He introduced me to several others in their entourage and wished me luck. Some red vans pulled up and they were off.

I was feeling pretty cool just getting to meet the band. I waited a few more minutes and got up to leave. Once again, there was no one in the lobby but me. It was kind of odd – no employees, guests, anyone. Then out of nowhere, Keith comes down this spiral staircase into the lobby. He’s all by himself in a long black coat, scarves, mirrored sun glasses. He stands in the lobby and I realize it’s just me and him. I had this strange sense of watching the scene from outside of my body. I sort of went on autopilot and observed myself walking up to him. All of a sudden, I came back to reality and had this freak out moment of “WHAT are you doing? What are you going to say to him?”

Somehow, I kept myself together and just said, “Hi, I’m Chris.” We had a completely normal conversation about Charlie Watts who was rumored at that time to be leaving the Stones. Keith said, “Ain’t that a bitch. I’ll work it out.” He called me, “Luv” and “Dahling” and asked if I had tickets to the show. We walked out to the van, he said, “See ya at the show, luv,” and then he was gone.

I was mesmerized by how exquisitely cool he really was – pretty much exactly as I had thought he would be. EXCEPT, he smelled GREAT! When you imagine Keith, you would assume he smelled like cigarettes and booze, but nope, he smelled like some combination of expensive perfume with maybe a little incense mixed in.

Anyway, as I walked back to work and played the scene over in my head a thousand times, I realized that I missed my opportunity to get my fan club card signed and that I really had no proof of having met him. No one back at the office would believe me!

Ahhh, but then I noticed that my hand smelled exactly like him! When I got back to work, I excitedly told my story and ended it with the demand to, “Smell my hand!” Most of my friends gave me the benefit of the doubt.

That night at the concert, I arrived early and happened to see Ivan hanging out by the stage. He recognized me and asked if I had met Keith and got my card signed. I told him what happened and that I missed my chance. He said, “No way…give me the card, I’ll be right back.” I handed it over and he disappeared. It was getting close to show time and I thought I’d never see him or my card again. Oh well, the fate of the card was pretty cool anyway and a good ending to my encounter. I took my seat in anticipation of a great show.

A few minutes before the lights went down, Ivan showed up and handed me the card back, with a great autograph from Keith. The concert was one of the best I’ve ever been to and I have many photos of Ivan and Keith posing at the edge of the stage. And a great memory of having met my “idol”.

Man, that was a LONG time ago! How did we all get so old?

Always wanted to meet Keef, the Pirate of the Caribbean! Still working class, Jack Daniels and Marlborough – Only keef would try and climb a coconut tree whilst out of his tree – he’s frightening

Keith Richards is the epitome of passion. I love watching him on stage.

Who wouldn’t want to drink a glass of Jack Daniels with Keith and jam with the Stones?!

Who needs to ask why? He’s just too cool for school!

He he just one cool MOFO! Come on now, its Keef, need I say more! ;-)