Stones demand apology from Swedish papers
Reuters, Aug 29, 2007 11:29 am PDTGuitarist Keith Richards has demanded
that two Swedish newspapers apologize to the Rolling Stones and
their fans in Sweden for stinging reviews of the band's
performance at a concert in Gothenburg.
"Never before have I risen to the bait of a bad review," the veteran rock star said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"But this time ... I have to stand up for our incredible Gothenburg audience and for our fans all over Sweden ... to say that you owe them, and us, an apology."
A review in the newspaper Expressen said 63-year-old Richards, renowned for his haggard looks and tales of excess, appeared "very drunk" during the August 3 performance in Sweden's second-largest city.
The Rolling Stones ended the two-year "Bigger Bang" world tour last Sunday in London.
Earlier this month, Richards toppled over on stage at another show in Helsinki.
In a statement sent to the newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet by the group's promoter in Sweden, the British musician said the press had abused its power.
"You have a duty to wield the power of the press with honesty and integrity. 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'."
He added: "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."
The statement, a copy of which was provided to Reuters by the promoter, concluded: "Write the truth. It was a good show."
More Artist News
Keith Richards reissues rare single on iTunes
Dec 6, 2007 6:00 pm PST
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards is reissuing his 1978 solo single "Run Rudolph Run" on iTunes just in time for the holidays, his spokeswoman said on Thursday. The tune, popularized by Chuck Berry, will be sold on a two-for-one bas...
Rolling Stones' Richards joins march
Oct 27, 2007 9:00 pm PDT
Keith Richards joined about 15,000 people marching in southern England on Saturday against possible cuts in services at a hospital near his country home. The 62-year-old Rolling Stones guitarist issued a statement saying St. Richard's Hos...
Keith Richards Supermad over "Superdrunk" Reviews
Aug 29, 2007 2:51 am PDT
Talk all the smack you want about Keith Richards and coconut trees. Just don't bring his musical prowess into the mix. The Rolling Stones guitarist has lashed out at two Swedish newspapers that printed scathing, sobriety-challenging ...
Arena rapped after Stones light up
Aug 22, 2007 1:51 pm PDT
Bosses of the O2 arena were cautioned but escaped a fine on Wednesday after two members of the Rolling Stones defied England's new anti-smoking law and lit up on stage. Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood were pictured smoking on stage du...
Keith Richards: 'I DID snort my dad's ashes'
Aug 6, 2007 12:00 pm PDT
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has confirmed that he did snort his father's ashes, as he told NME.com earlier this year. Richards originally claimed he was misquoted, after his publicists attempted to quash the story. Richards, ...
