Keith Richards on writing "Satisfaction" in his sleep
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Mm-hmm.
Hello, I'm Lauren Laverne, and this is Desert Island Discs Postcards. Each year we take a short break, which is the perfect time for us to delve into our archive and revisit some of our favourite castaways with you. Every weekday, we'll be delivering an audio postcard from our Desert Island directly to you. You'll hear from Hollywood greats, award-winning authors, Olympians and Paralympians, comedians, singers, and more. Our first postcard comes from the Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, who spoke to Kirsty Young back in 2015.
How did Keith Richards first reconnect with Mick Jagger at Dartford station?
He recalled the moment he bumped into his primary school friend Mick Jagger at Dartford Train Station in 1961, years after losing touch with him.
I was going to Sid Cub Art School.
Right.
And Mick at that time was going to the London School of Economics. I just get off and sit ma I'm sitting in the carriage and suddenly he walks in. This Mick who I haven't seen in years, Wow man What's that under your arm?
What role did American blues records play in shaping the Stones' early sound?
And he pours out the best of muddy waters and rockin' at the hops by Chugberry. And these are American pressings, you know, and y you can't get these records in England at the time, you know, is uh Basically that was the hook up for the stones and for Mick and I was uh just that we had the Same interest in music. I said you got any more records like that? And he said, Sure. I says I I send away to Chicago for them. Well, this man's organized, you know.
Was the songwriting partnership between Keith and Mick always easy?
And
was your writing partnership always an easy partnership?
Not always, but in the early days very easy, in a way. I mean this was like uh being on the factory line, you know, because y I remember very well And satisfaction. had just come out and it's number one all over the world. Yeah.
How did the riff for "Satisfaction" come to Keith in his sleep?
Nick and I are going, Yeah, great. Fantastic man, you know and then at the knock at the door And there i is uh basic the record company is saying, Where's the follow up?
Sure. Is it true uh and I don't know, it's one of these things you read and you think, uh can that actually be true, that satisfaction came to you, the riff came to you in your sleep and you didn't even know you'd
Yeah no, I'd thank God to the um The recently invented cassette player.
Which was by your bed.
Yes. And I happened to be uh between friends at the time and then I was sleeping with the guitar on the bed, you know. And somewhere obviously in the night I I got up and laid down the basic framework for satisfaction.
What did Keith discover when he played back the cassette after the night of inspiration?
The only way I knew th something had happened because I looked at the tape And I know that I put in a brand new tape, so therefore The reel has to be empty that side and full that s but it'd gone the other way. It was You know, it was recorded. So I thought maybe I'll hit the button in the wrong position during my sleep or something. So I roll it back and listen back and there is this very weak faint idea of satisfaction, you know, the riff, the first verse and the second and then Forty five minutes of me snoring.
Why is the cassette recorder considered crucial to rock history?
But it was by a miracle he has captured on that little machine.
Thank goodness for that tape recorder. We might never have had one of the most recognizable riffs in rock history without it. You can listen to Keith's full episode on BBC Sounds. Just search for Keith Richards' Desert Island Discs.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:08–0:46
2
How did Keith Richards first reconnect with Mick Jagger at Dartford station?
0:46–1:14
3
What role did American blues records play in shaping the Stones' early sound?
1:14–1:45
4
Was the songwriting partnership between Keith and Mick always easy?
1:45–2:06
5
How did the riff for "Satisfaction" come to Keith in his sleep?
2:06–2:52
6
What did Keith discover when he played back the cassette after the night of inspiration?
2:52–3:34
7
Why is the cassette recorder considered crucial to rock history?
3:34–3:51