'You Just Keep Going, Baby'

Shining a Light on The Stones' Keith Richards

Keith Richards, distilled: iconic survivor, Mick Jagger foil, rhythm-guitar legend, Captain Jack Sparrow inspiration, Louis Vuitton model, co-author of some of the greatest songs in rock-and-roll, and the proud (if occasionally incomprehensible) owner of one of the genre's greatest speaking voices -- a whiskey-soaked, smoke-cured guttural slur.

The most mystical of all Rolling Stones, Richards, 64, is calling to discuss Martin Scorsese's "Shine a Light," a new concert documentary filmed at New York's Beacon Theatre in 2006. It is, Richards purrs, "a documentation of this band's career and the way it goes on."

It's gone on for so long -- 46 years -- that there are enough Stones films now to fill a festival lineup. The list famously includes "Gimme Shelter," "Sympathy for the Devil" and Robert Frank's "[Expletive] Blues."

Why do another documentary?

If somebody says, "Hey, Martin Scorsese wants to point a camera at what you do," I'm not going to say no. Am I crazy? I might be stupid. (Laughs.) It's Martin Scorsese. The man has a vision.

Let's talk about your image.

What is that?

As this lovable rock-and-roll rapscallion who has nine lives and sort of exists in another, more nomadic dimension.

A lot of it is probably true, and a lot of it is a bit of fantasy. I'm still trying to grow up, man. It's all still an amazing adventure to me, the whole thing. Wow.

How do you feel when you see the younger version of yourself in the vintage footage that's used in "Shine a Light"?

I say: "What a pretty boy. And he's still here!" (Laughs.) I don't believe I dragged it out this far, but there it is. I'm doomed to live.

How long do you think you might live?