Keith Richards

Keith Richards
December 18, 1943
Dartford, Kent, England, UK

This archer's bow is a guitar.

'Rock and Roll: Music for the neck downwards.'

Keith Richards's Tarot Reading

'The Human Riff' was born in 1943 in Dartford, Kent, as Keith Richards. He met Mick Jagger when they were kids in school but they both moved on to different schools and lost contact. The two ran into each other again years later on the local train line. It was 1960. Legend has it that Keith noticed Mick carrying a blues album, which led them to discover a common interest in blues and rock. Naturally, they decided to start up a band. By 1962 The Rolling Stones were on their way. Keith played guitar -- to say the least -- while Mick handled lead vocals and harmonica. Bill Wyman played bass, Charlie Watts played drums and Brian Jones played guitar. Keith and Mick shared songwriting credits, sometimes as The Glimmer Twins. Their first album, The Rolling Stones came out in 1964. By 1965 they had their first hit, 'The Last Time.' By 1966 they were touring the world, playing mega-hits like 'Satisfaction,' 'Lets Spend the Night Together' and 'Sympathy for the Devil.' Forty years later, the Rolling Stones are still making records and touring the world. About the band's longevity, Keith says, 'You have the sun, you have the moon, you have the air that you breathe -- and you have the Rolling Stones'.

Sun in Sagittarius tells us that Keith Richards is a gambler and an adventurer at heart, one who loves to take risks, to discover and explore new worlds, and to take the untried path rather than a safe, reliable one. He is an independent, freedom-loving soul, often very restless. He needs a lifestyle that provides opportunities for travel, movement, new people and change. A steady routine which offers security but little in the way of space and freedom would be odious to him.

To Keith, life is a journey, an adventure, endlessly interesting and rich with possibilities. Commitment, discipline and focus are not his strong points. He can be irresponsible and disinclined to take on the burdens and limitations of adult life -- which could explain why he was in the palm tree that he fell out of in Fiji to begin with. An incurable optimist, he has big dreams and aspirations for the future. Usually pursuing a distant goal, he has a great deal of faith and trust in life. Failures don't crush his spirit. He bounces back from any setback, often with another bright dream -- or world tour with the Stones. According to his IMDB.com biography, he was 'ordered to play a series of benefit concerts for the blind after a widely publicized drug arrest in Toronto in 1977. For these shows he assembled a band called The New Barbarians, which included himself, fellow Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys, jazz bassist Stanley Clarke and Meters drummer Ziggy Modeliste. The Rolling Stones wound up playing the dates, as well.' He has a sporting, playful attitude toward life and is philosophical about his mistakes. 'I've never had a problem with drugs' he jokes. 'I've had problems with the police.'

Keith has the ability to sense future trends and to see the big picture. He expresses himself in a very open and straightforward manner and can be very blunt -- even tactless. Not taking himself too seriously, he may not realize how deeply his candid statements can wound more sensitive souls. This insensitivity is probably one of his worst faults. He does enjoy friendship and camaraderie, but needs freedom as well. He would not do well with an emotionally demanding partner. Very generous himself, he deeply dislikes stinginess in others. People who share his ideals, his sense of fun and his zest for life are the right companions for him.

Sun trine Jupiter means he has big ambitions but does not struggle or labor to achieve them. His self-confidence and inner harmony attract success to him in an almost magical way. His optimism and cheerful generosity also win him many allies and successes in life. Says Richards, 'The king is the man who can.'However, Sun aspects Jupiter and Saturn indicates that he also has a heavier side, which keeps his optimism from becoming ungrounded or overblown. He tends to seesaw between his faith, vision and high aspirations, and his caution and realism (or fear). He cannot and does not rely on luck or grace alone, and accepts the need for hard work. In fact, the song 'Salt of the Earth,' is a salute to hard working people:

Let's drink to the hard working people

Let's drink to the lowly of birth

Raise your glass to the good and the evil

Let's drink to the salt of the earth

Say a prayer for the common foot soldier

Spare a thought for his back breaking work

Say a prayer for his wife and his children

Who burn the fires and who still till the earth.

Sun opposition Saturn suggests that he may have had a demanding or absent father. Indeed, Keith's parents divorced when he was attending Sidcup Art College, leaving him and his father estranged until 1982. Tough and determined, he must beware of becoming cynical, too hard on himself and too demanding and critical of others.

Mercury in Capricorn allows him to be objective and realistic. He is unimpressed by exaggerated claims or promises and insists upon being shown facts to back up any statement. His natural skepticism often borders on cynicism. He approaches problems clearly and rationally and maintains his poise and objectivity even in the midst of critical situations. Anyone seeking his advice is certain to get an unbiased opinion. To aspiring musicians, he says, 'If you don't know the blues ... there's no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music.'

Richards is thorough and disciplined in his thinking, and has an aptitude for business and administration. However, his success has surprised even him. When it was reported that The Rolling Stones had made 1.23 billion Pounds since 1989, he said, 'You don't start to play your guitar thinking you're going to be running an organization that will maybe generate millions.'

With Mercury sextile Venus, he appreciates aesthetics and has a fine sense of form, design and beauty. He could develop great technical skill as an artist and has the ability to please and harmonize well with others. He has a talent for mediating problems between other people and his sense of humor and personal charm are of great benefit on a one-to-one basis.

Venus in Scorpio dictates that in love, he desires a deep, intense and passionate union, forming very strong emotional bonds with his beloved. He and former partner Anita Pallenberg have two children, Marlon and Angela. A son, Tara, passed away shortly after birth. On December 18, 1983, he married Patti Hansen. They have two children, Theodora and Alexandra. Keith and Patti remain together to this day. He connects with the person he loves at a very deep emotional level, and is often very protective of that union. He can be quite demanding with his love partner and is attracted to people who have an aura of mystery about them.

As hard to believe as this may be, Venus quincunx Mars actually says that in Keith Richards' romantic relationships, there can be a lack of satisfaction. He says he wrote the song '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' while 'sleeping.' As the story goes, he left a tape-recorder on when he went to bed and woke up to find himself singing the chorus.

Back on earth, this lack of satisfaction comes not necessarily from a great deal of open conflict, but from an underlying tension. This is because the people he finds lovable may not be at all tuned in to his sexual tastes and needs. In other words, the people he loves and the people he wants to make love with are very different from one another. He may be confused about what he really needs and wants in personal relationships. He will need to acknowledge that he has some conflicting desires such as a partner who is very gentle and sensitive but also a powerful, dominant personality, or desiring security and commitment in love but also a lot of freedom and excitement. Trying to satisfy both sides of the equation can be a tricky challenge. It can also inspire one of the greatest hits in rock and roll history.

Venus square Pluto means that he experiences powerful, compelling emotional and sexual attractions, and may feel that he has little choice or control over his desires. He has an intense need for love and may be emotionally greedy or insatiable. His love life is passionate and often tumultuous and painful as well. Take the song, 'I Got the Blues,' as an example:

In the silk sheet of time

I will find peace of mind

Love is a bed full of blues

And I've got the blues for you

And I've got the blues for you

And I'll bust my brains out for you

And I'll tear my hair out

I'm gonna tear my hair out just for you

If you don't believe what I'm singing

At three o'clock in the morning, babe, well

I'm singing my song for you.

Jealousy, power struggles or possessiveness can become areas of conflict in his relationships. On the positive side, he can be unusually creative and bring about beneficial and healing changes in the lives of others, motivated by his own deeply felt love. With Neptune conjunct Venus/Jupiter Keith tends to seek eternal happiness. 'I need a love to keep me happy,' he sings in a song simply entitled, 'Happy.'

Happy, baby won't you keep me ...

Happy, baby won't you keep me ...

Happy.

With only beautiful images in his mind, he tends to overlook the very real aspects of life and may fall in love with someone because she seems so perfect. But afterwards, he may have difficulty accepting her faults and end up feeling disappointed.

Mars in Gemini indicates that he is energetic, restless and forever on the go. His active mind is always buzzing with ideas and he finds it difficult sometimes to relax, slow down or take time to reflect and replenish himself. Says Keith, 'It's called the mysterious rhythm of life ... I can't quite account for it. It's probably an addiction, quite honestly. I need that shot of stage every two or three years.' With a tendency to live on nervous energy, he can accomplish much in short bursts but projects that require long-term commitment, stamina and steady, persistent effort are not easy for him. He needs variety, change and mental challenges. He has a sharp and eager mind, and likes to match wits with someone else. His drive and energy are more mental than physical. He uses his wit, intelligence, social sophistication and awareness to achieve his goals.

With Mars conjunct Uranus Keith is dynamic, self-willed and fiercely independent. He has extraordinary drive and energy. When he wants something, he wants it now. He acts quickly, impulsively and decisively and his impatience sometimes causes him to be abrupt and reckless. He needs a great deal of personal freedom to do things his own way and does not happily conform to schedules, rules or regimes imposed by others. He is intolerant of authority and can be very rebellious. He is frank with others, sometimes brutally so. High-strung and often tense, he finds it difficult to slow down, pace himself, or relax. He is always on the go -- restless, daring and experimental.

Mars aspects Uranus and Neptune says that while he is often charged with energy and inspired about what he wants to do, there is a dreamy, visionary side to him as well. His energy level may fluctuate from being superabundant to rather lax. Mars trine Neptune means that he dreams up creative solutions to problems and takes an imaginative, unusual approach to getting a job done. In an article by Jas Obrecht, entitled 'Keith Richards Comes Clean on Distortion and the Meaning of Music' he explains his approach to creating his infamous 'filthy guitar tones.' 'Traditionally, I'd set up that Twin and maybe slave a little Champ. Put it through the both of 'em and then mix. If I'm looking for some kind of distortion, I usually use two amps rather than go for it out of one thing, because I've always found that a really good distortion needs to come from two different places. Obviously it's not true for 'Satisfaction,' where it's an obvious thing, but you want some distortion and some clarity at the same time where you need it, so I'd rather put it through two amps and overload one of them.'

When difficulties arise he prefers to avoid conflict and confrontation in favor of more peaceful or subtle methods of resolving problems. Working to help others or for a cause that transcends his own personal interests is satisfying for him. Although it goes without saying, he has an artistic flair and appreciates the colorful, unique or strange. About the skull ring he has worn since the 'seventies, he says it reminds him 'that we are all the same beneath the surface.'

Mars sextile Pluto reiterates that when he wants something, he can be amazingly persistent and unrelenting, even a bit obsessed, although quiet about it. In fact he may hide his deep purposes and intentions even from friends. Whenever he does something, it is done wholeheartedly and thoroughly -- and if he doesn't want to do something that others wish him to do, somehow he'll find a way out of it. He is strong, though subtle.

Jupiter in Leo, an aspect he shares with partner Mick Jagger, indicates that he cannot tolerate smallness or pettiness in any form and has a tendency to exaggerate. He also has a wonderful sense of drama and an unusual capacity for fun and playfulness. He must live boldly and heroically, otherwise he feels he is simply existing and wasting his talents. The desire for personal recognition -- or even fame -- and a need to do something he feels really proud of, motivates him strongly. Not surprisingly, in 1989 Keith Richards, as a member of the Rolling Stones, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

N. Node conjunct Pluto means that his path to wholeness involves confronting the dark and hidden aspects of himself -- bringing them to light and transforming himself in the process. Healing abilities develop as a result of his willingness to experience and transform deep emotions such as grief, anger and pain. Also, seeing the darkness and pain in the world and helping to bring light to it without becoming overwhelmed is a significant issue for him. In 'Blinded by Rainbows' this is quite evident.

Did you ever feel the blast

As the semtex bomb goes off

Do you ever hear the screams

As the limbs are all torn off

Did you ever kiss the child

Who just saw his father shot

Do you ever shed a tear

As the war drags on and on.

N. Node conjunct Mars/Neptune means that his relationships with others could be rather unstable. With a somewhat weak will, he avoids opposition and escapes his responsibilities. Says he, 'Mick has to get up in the morning with a plan. Who he's going to call, what he's going to eat, where he's going to go. Me, I wake up, praise the Lord, then make sure all the phones are turned off. If we were a mum-and-pop operation, then he'd be Mum.' In association with others, he is likely to choose people who are asocial.

As part of a 20-year period with Pluto in Leo, Richards' age group loves to defy authority. Says Keith. 'If you're going to kick authority in the teeth, you might as well use both feet.'

While every generation has its idols, this one is particularly inclined to need a specific individual to serve as a focal point. Basing his colorful 'Pirates of the Caribbean' character, Captain Jack Sparrow, on his friend Richards, actor Johnny Depp explains. 'I thought of Keith because he's a guy I've admired for many, many years. I didn't want to do an imitation of Keith, or a character study, just a kind of salute to him, you know, to show him I appreciate him. I was thinking about the pirates of the 18th century, about how they were the rock stars of their day. So I thought, who's the greatest rock and roll star who ever lived? And to me, it's Keith Richards hands down. Keith is a bit of a pirate himself.'

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