Mindless Records/UMeKeith Richards‘ first solo album in more than 20 years, Crosseyed Heart, hits stores today. The Rolling Stones guitarist co-produced the record with his longtime collaborator Steve Jordan, with whom he also worked on his first solo efforts, 1988’s Talk Is Cheap and 1992’s Main Offender.
Richards says it was Jordan who suggested they hit the studio to start working on new material a few years back, even though the rock legend hadn’t amassed any songs for an album project at the time. In a recent video interview with veteran rock journalist Anthony DeCurtis, segments of which have been posted on Richards’ official YouTube channel, Keith discussed his fruitful partnership with Jordan, who co-wrote most of the tunes on Crosseyed Heart with him.
“Steve and I knew what we wanted to do,” Richards explained about their approach to making the record. “We didn’t know if we were quite gonna get there…but once the idea is happening, if there’s just two of you, there’s very few things that can go wrong.”
Keith also noted that he enjoyed putting the album together spontaneously as the sessions moved forward.
“There’s nothing like walking into a studio and having absolutely no idea what you’re gonna come out with at the other end,” he maintained. “It’s interesting, exciting. There’s, there’s no menu. It’s all a la carte, you know?”
Crosseyed Heart finds Richards celebrating the various styles of music that have influenced him throughout his career, with a particular emphasis on American roots music like folk and blues. An example of this is his rendition of Lead Belly‘s folk classic “Goodnight Irene,” one of two covers featured on the album.
“[I] always loved Lead Belly. Always loved intrinsic sort of folk music,” Keith tells DeCurtis. “Because Lead Belly wasn’t necessarily a bluesman. He was a balladeer more than anything, but he was also an incredible part of American music, and I just sort of wanted to tip the hat that way.”
Richards also pointed out that another motivating factor in him wanting to cover “Goodnight Irene” is he’d discovered the song’s original lyrics, which, as he explains with a laugh, are “full of morphine, [and] that is right up my alley.”
Crosseyed Heart also features a duet with Norah Jones on a ballad titled “Illusion,” while Aaron Neville appears on a tune called “Nothing on Me.” In addition, late Rolling Stones sax player Bobby Keys is featured on two tracks — “Amnesia” and “Blues in the Morning.” Other guest musicians on the album include Spooner Oldham and Levon Helm Band music director Larry Campbell.
Coinciding with the release of Crosseyed Heart, Keith will appear this evening on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which airs at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
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