It’s only rock ‘n’ roll (but I like it)….

I absolutely love The Rolling Stones. How anyone could take The Beatles seriously while the stones were doing their stuff is beyond me. But even if you don’t care for the sound and the attitude – it can’t be denied that The Stones provided an endless array of iconic images over many decades. They were “Uber-iconic”.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – two battling war-like tribal leaders constantly pushing and pulling in different musical and artistic directions. It was lovely to see Ronnie Wood and Bill Wyman use Allen Carr’s Easyway To Quit Smoking method – may they rock and roll and party harder and for longer on the strength of it.

Having said that – it was very sad to see Keith’s autobiography in my local bookstore last weekend with the front cover emblazoned with that amazing battle-scarred face in the process of lighting a cigarette.

Is that really all you’ve got left Keith? Is the only picture worthy of adorning your book cover one that makes you look like a complete twit? Is “having a fag” the last bastion of the last wild man of rock and roll? What a radical, edgy, rebellious character you remain Keith – smoking on the cover of your autobiography. What next? Walking on the grass in spite of a “Keep of the grass” sign? Riding a bicycle without lights on it?

Lest anyone think that you are striking a blow against ninny nanny political correct types by standing up for your right to smoke whatever you like….I notice, presumably on advice from your publicist, that the cigarette you are lighting clearly has a filter and can therefore not be mistaken for something of a more – erherm – rebelliously herbal nature.

There was always so much more to you than the fags (or any of the other drugs you took liberally for that matter) Keith. Are you really just settling for remaining a poster boy for Big Tobacco? Did they choose the title “Life” to go with that image? I guess that if the “lighting a cigarette” look is all you are left with Keith – then there is no doubt “It’s All Over Now”.