The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards was the guest Monday night on 'Fresh Air,' the daily NPR interview show hosted by Terry Gross that airs locally on KPCC (89.3 FM). Appearing as part of the media blitz for the indestructible Stones guitarist's new memoir, "Life," the fascinating, wide-ranging interview featured Richards' thoughts on, among many other subjects: the Stones' early stabs at songwriting; the rivalry between the Stones and the Beatles; Richards' relationship over the years with Mick Jagger; the infamous, deadly concert at Altamont at which the Stones used Hell's Angels as security; and the origins of the  famous guitar riff in "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," which Richards has long claimed to have written in his sleep.

Asked Gross: "So do you think you kind of did that while you were sleepwalking?" 

"I wasn't walking, I was lying down," Richards responded. "I did it lying down, darling. I don't know about you, honey, but I do most of this stuff lying down."

If you've got 45 minutes, the exchange is well worth your time, if only for the devil-may-care tone that Richards uses with Gross. At the end of interview, when the host thanks the guitarist, Richards responds: "Hey Terry, thanks very much. Good try, honey."

-- Randall Roberts