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Rolling Stones quotes: Mick Jagger Admits Keith Richards Is Worse
Mick Jagger wasn’t exactly famous for understating his personality, but in 1977 he offered an unusually candid—and very funny—assessment of himself and Keith Richards. Talking about how he behaved on the road, Jagger admitted that he could become a “total monster,” complete with a healthy dose of theatrical menace. Then came the inevitable Stones twist: according to Mick, Keith was even worse. His description of Richards as a prima donna turns an ordinary interview answer into a wonderfully revealing glimpse of the relationship between the two men at the heart of The Rolling Stones. Decades later, the quote still sounds unmistakably Jagger: brutally self-aware, mischievous and just arrogant enough to be entertaining.
“What a terrible monster I am. I feel guilty about it afterwards, then I laugh,because the whole thing is a joke. But Keith is worse than I am. Is he a primma donna? Oh yeah.”
Mick Jagger has never exactly presented himself as the quiet, misunderstood type, but in 1977 he offers a remarkably candid glimpse into what happens when life on the road brings out the less diplomatic side of The Rolling Stones. Jagger admits that he can turn into ” a terrible monster” only to feel guilty afterward—and then laugh about it because, in his words, “the whole thing is a joke.” That mixture of confession and amusement is pure Mick: self-aware enough to recognize his behavior, theatrical enough to make a story out of it, and just mischievous enough not to take the confession too seriously. But the real punchline arrives when the conversation turns to Keith Richards. Jagger’s verdict? His longtime partner in crime is even worse. Because apparently one monster in the Stones isn’t quite enough.
A monster with a sense of humor
Jagger’s admission is revealing precisely because he doesn’t try to make himself look particularly innocent. He acknowledges that his behavior can get out of hand, and there is a hint that he knows exactly how ridiculous the whole spectacle can become. The guilt doesn’t last very long, though. He laughs at himself, turning what could have been an embarrassing confession into another piece of Stones mythology.
That ability to turn self-criticism into entertainment is part of what makes Jagger’s comments from this period so compelling. He isn’t pretending to be the reasonable one in the room. If anything, he’s happily accepting the role of troublemaker.
Then comes Keith Richards
Naturally, Jagger can’t resist shifting the spotlight toward Keith. Asked whether Richards is a prima donna, he doesn’t hesitate: “Oh yeah.” It’s a wonderfully economical description of the relationship between the two Stones. Jagger admits to being difficult, then immediately insists that Keith is worse. Friendship, rivalry, irritation and affection all seem to occupy the same sentence. And knowing the Stones, nobody should be particularly shocked that the argument somehow becomes entertaining.
The Stones’ eternal double act
What makes the 1977 quote more than a funny backstage anecdote is the glimpse it provides into Jagger and Richards as personalities. They are creative partners, rivals and lifelong antagonists who somehow remain inseparable. Jagger’s confession captures that dynamic perfectly. He can laugh at his own behavior, but he still can’t resist getting the last word on Keith. Nearly fifty years later, the joke remains wonderfully intact: Mick may be a monster—but apparently Keith is the bigger one.
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