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Keith Richards’ relationship with hard drugs in the late ’60s and ’70s was nothing short of rock legend—right up there with his guitar riffs. From 1969 to 1978, Keith wasn’t just dabbling in heroin; he was perfecting his role as rock’s most notorious junkie, all while The Rolling Stones were ruling the music world with their hedonistic, “who-needs-rules” lifestyle. Yes, that’s a junkie life.
By the late ’60s, the Stones were rock gods, but their off-stage antics were getting… let’s just say, messy. Keith dove into hard drugs like it was his second job, and things really took off after the disaster that was the Altamont Free Concert in 1969. That’s when heroin became his not-so-loyal companion. Sure, it added some grit and chaos to classics like Exile on Main St. (1972), but let’s be real—it also made recording sessions a circus act.
The ’70s brought more than just hit songs—it brought Keith a VIP pass to run-ins with the law. In 1973, he and Anita Pallenberg got busted in France for drugs (shocker). Then came the big one in 1977: a heroin possession arrest in Toronto that should’ve landed him behind bars for years. But this is Keith Richards we’re talking about, so of course, he got out of it by agreeing to play a charity gig for the blind. Rock history, indeed.
Despite being a walking cautionary tale, Keith kept the Stones rolling. By 1978, during the Some Girls era, he decided maybe it was time to dial back the heroin habit. And just like that, he outlived his vices, the cops, and every prediction that he’d burn out. Keith’s survival isn’t just impressive—it’s borderline miraculous. If rock stars are supposed to be indestructible, Keith wrote the manual.
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