By Kathy McCabe
December 05, 2003

THE Rolling Stones’ grizzled and inelegantly wasted guitarist Keith Richards has pulled no punches when expressing his opinion on the knighthood of Mick Jagger.
Since Buckingham Palace announced 18 months ago that Jagger would join fellow former rock’n’roll wild men Elton John and Paul McCartney as a “Sir”, Richards has attacked the Stones singer’s acceptance of the honour.

With Jagger finally scheduled to become a “Sir” next week, Richards has stepped up the vitriol, condemning the knighthood from the Establishment which “did their very best to throw us in jail”.

“I don’t want to step out on stage with someone wearing a f…ing coronet and sporting the old ermine. I told Mick, ‘It’s a f…ing paltry honour’.

“He defended himself by saying that Tony Blair insisted that he took the knighthood. Like that’s an excuse. Like you can’t turn down anything. Like it doesn’t depend how you feel about it.”

But Jagger is not the only rocker growing old gracefully, disappointing the fans who were inspired to youthful rebellion by their wicked ways. Elton John fell in love, detoxed and was knighted.

McCartney married a woman half his age and was applauded for finding love again after the death of his wife Linda. Rod Stewart whinged constantly that he hadn’t been knighted and only makes headlines because of the fact he won’t divorce Rachel Hunter. Sting is better known for his love of yoga and the members of Fleetwood Mac are also nicely detoxed and spruced up for their world tour.

Closer to home, Jimmy Barnes has cleaned up his act; the reformed drinker is now 100 per cent sober and jokes that he has run out of vices to give up.

Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll may be alive and well but not for the majority of the protagonists who originated the lifestyle.

Thankfully, Australian rockers like Jet, The Vines and Grinspoon are flying the flag for anti-social behaviour although TV sets remain in hotel rooms.

There are still a handful of old salts determined to grow old disgracefully – Tom Jones has no problems escorting a young lady to his hotel suite at 5am after drinking most of his tour entourage under the bar.

The AC/DC lads still enjoy a beer or 10 after the show, Gene Simmons remains addicted to sex and will tell anyone of his exploits with female fans. And Keith Richards, bless him, still enjoys a large vodka before the sun has hit the yardarm.

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