Keith Richards has taken up gardening during pandemic: “I got into a more normal way of life”
Keith Richards has taken up gardening after finding some unexpected downtime during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Rolling Stones icon explained that he took up the hobby to keep him occupied during the first lockdown, leading to a “more normal way of life” after years as one of rock’s most notorious hell-raisers.
He told Goldmine Magazine: “I saw the garden grow – really quite unbelievable.
“I spent the whole summer actually admiring the garden and also doing a bit of gardening myself – watering the veggies and the stuff. I got into a more normal way of life, which is un-normal.”
The guitarist, who recently quit cigarettes and alcohol, explained how he sheltered from the virus at his home in America with his wife Patti.
When asked if he feared contracting the virus, he said: “Oh yeah. In this particular area, New York and Connecticut, it was very heavy at the beginning.
“It’s been pretty well controlled since but this is about the only place in the whole country where it is…
“I’ve been in hiding, basically. Hunkering down with the family and a few friends because we have to stay in a bubble you know.
“I’ve been out to a restaurant with outdoor seating a couple times but now it’s getting a bit chilly so we’re eating in. Thank God the wife’s a good cook, bless her heart!”
Richards’ comments come after he joked that he “might get a new wheelchair” to celebrate The Rolling Stones’ 60th anniversary.
The long-running band formed as The Rolling Stones back in 1962, and are set to celebrate 60 years together in 2022.
In a new interview with BBC News, Richards initially claimed that he “hadn’t even thought” about the Stones’ 60th anniversary before joking: “I don’t know [how I plan to celebrate]. I might get a new wheelchair.”
The Stones have also launched a new global e-commerce shop following the opening of their London flagship store, RS No.9 Carnaby.
Complete with a fully immersive, 360-degree virtual shopping experience, the online version of their Soho store allows customers to step inside the shop from anywhere in the world.