“Riley & Scot” Talk Rolling Stones With Robert Greenfield [AUDIO]

We're lucky to have the opportunity to talk with so many lawmakers, politicians, experts, and authors on the show about politics and current events. But I must tell you, the occasional music/sports break that we work into the program provides some of my most memorable moments. For example, even casual listeners of "Riley & Scot" likely know about my passion for The Rolling Stones. So this morning's interview was right up my alley.

Robert Greenfield is a former Associate Editor of the London bureau of "Rolling Stone" magazine. He was the only journalist along for the ride as the Rolling Stones embarked on their farewell tour of Great Britain in March 1971 before leaving for exile in France. His new book, "Ain't It Time We Said Goodbye" is a city-by-city review of what happened on that tour to a band on the brink of huge success/self-destruction and sometimes straining at the seams. His notes from the tour itself are interspersed with present-day thoughts and observations with the advantage of added time and wisdom.

Among other things, I asked Robert why Mick Jagger was willing to put up with Keith Richards drug habit and odd behavior when the band had recently kicked out Brian Jones under similar circumstances:

The answer is very simple. They threw Brian out because he was a mess, but he was a mess who could not write songs. He was a mess who didn't show up for gigs. Keith, at that point, was still in control of his faculties. But without Keith there's no music. Keith is the guy who comes up with the riff. Keith is "Satisfaction".

Here's the full interview with Robert Greenfield about his great new book. Required reading for any Stones fan: