Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards is accused of hitting Swedish journalist Markus Larsson on the head. The alleged incident took place during an interview on November 9, 2010, at the Le Meurice Hotel in Paris, where Keith was promoting his memoir "Life."
Larsson tells the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet (which employs Larsson as a music critic) that about 10 minutes into his 30-minute scheduled interview with Richards, "His eyes got black and he was absolutely furious. He stood up and asked if we would put out the lights and settle the disagreement straight away. At first I was just surprised, I thought he was pulling my leg, but then I realized he was serious and then I felt uncomfortable and I just wanted to get out of there pretty fast."
Richards also allegedly told Larsson, "You're lucky to get out of here alive."
Larsson believes that Richards became angry when the rock star realized that Larsson was the same journalist who called the Rolling Stones "amateurs" in a 2007 concert review that blasted the band's performance. At the time, Richards demanded, but did not get, a public apology from Larsson and another Swedish newspaper critic who gave the concert a negative review.
In response to the bad reviews, Richards wrote an open letter to the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. The letter read in part: "Never before have I risen to the bait of a bad review. But this time ... I have to stand up ... for our fans all over Sweden ... to say that you owe them, and us, an apology.
"There were 56,000 people in Ullevi stadium who bought a ticket to our concert — and experienced a completely different show than the one you 'reviewed.’ How dare you cheapen the experience for them — and for the hundreds of thousands of other people across Sweden who weren't at Ullevi and have only your 'review' to go on. Write the truth. It was a good show."
Larsson responded to Richards at the time by saying: "I am not going to apologize for my subjective opinion. It is Keith who should apologize. After all it costs around $145 to see a rock star who can hardly handle the riff to 'Brown Sugar' any more."
In Larsson's interview with Aftonbladet, Larsson says of being allegedly attacked by Richards: "He was in a good mood before I started to ask about the gig at Ullevi. He drank something yellow and smoked and laughed. But it quickly became uncomfortable ... Right now, I cannot see the funny side of this. I would like to experience a lot in my life but I do not want to end up in a scuffle with anyone I interview."
Fanny Birath, a public relations manager for Norstedts (the Swedish book publisher of Richards' memoir "Life"), commented to Aftonbladet: "It is sad what happened, but I can not comment on their conflict. It was between them in a closed room and I was not there."
It should come as no surprise to Rolling Stones fans that Richards might have gotten into a physical fight, since he has a history of getting tough with people who provoke him, and he openly talks about carrying weapons. Given the countless number of people who would want to interview Richards and given that there is a small percentage of people who actually get that chance, the only surprise is that Larsson got that privilege after publicly feuding with Richards. After this alleged physical altercation, it’s unlikely that Larsson will be interviewing Richards again.
November 12, 2010 update:
Richards' publicist is denying Larsson's claims.
Larsson has played an audio recording of the interview on TV.
Comments
keith richards is right ! he should have kicked his ass in slow motion
looks like jealousy has reared its ugly head against the stones! ROCK ON KEITH!!
I remember that guy saying that too. Why the hell would he think after slamming the Stones, that he should want to interview Keith of all people? No wonder Keith was mad. The journalist is an idiot.
This hack "journalist" Markus Larsson is scum and I don't think he's telling the whole story. He must have said something really outrageous and insulting during the interview for Keith to hit him in the head.
Aftonbladet is a tabloid newspaper. Tabloids are garbage that fabricate stories in order to humiliate people. Larsson obviously has an agenda to get some notoriety as "the reporter who feuds with Keith Richards."
I don't have a problem with people not liking the Rolling Stones. I don't have a problem with the Rolling Stones getting a bad review. What I have a problem with is when someone lies and calls the Rolling Stones "amateurs." The Stones have been one of the biggest bands in the world long before Larsson (who is in his 30s) was even born!
I know people who work in the media, and they all say that it's very hard to get an interview with people like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and whoever is approved for an interview has to be someone who is a reputable journalist.
It is very disturbing to know that Larsson was able to get an interview with Richards. My only guess is that it's because Larsson is not based in the U.S. or U.K. and the Stones' regular publicist did not set up the interview.
Markus Larsson is a loser but at least it is good to know that he sounds very afraid of Keith now. He should be.
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