I'm an unpure purist, something like that.

Everybody starts by imitating their heroes. For me it was Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters.

I don't like to go into the studio with all the songs worked out and planned before hand ... you've got to give the band something to use its imagination on as well. That can make a very ordinary song come alive into something totally different ... the X-factor - so important in rock and roll - which is the feel.

It made me sick - my name's Keith Richards. It hardly makes it against Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters, does it? On my first guitar I had Boy Blue written - just pathetic. But that was as good as I got at the time.

But I've always felt very comfortable on stage, even if I screw up. It always felt like a dog, this is my turf, piss around it. While I'm here, nothing else can happen. All I can do is screw up. Otherwise, have a good time.

To me, the main thing about living on this planet is to know who the hell you are and be real about it. That's the reason I'm still alive.

I mean some doctor told me I had six months to live and I went to their funeral.