Keith Richards getting a good vibe

The Rolling Stones are known for stage innovations whenever they hit the road, and the new A Bigger Bang tour is no exception. This time the group has installed a balcony on the stage, where fans who pay up to $450 can watch the group close up. Guitarist Keith Richards told us he's getting a good vibe from the balcony crowd: [ click here to listen if you have a Backstage Pass] "We're getting used to the balcony up there. It's kind of strange. I don't know what it's like for them 'cause I haven't been up there, so how would I know, but suddenly, halfway through the first show I suddenly realized there were people up there behind me. And it was like, 'Hello. How you doing?'"

In other news, Keith is taking the blame for the Rolling Stones not playing any of the Live 8 shows in July. He told the UK newspaper The Independent that he resisted a lot of high-profile pressure for the Stones to do one of the gigs. He said, "I didn't understand why everybody who was trying to coax me in happened to be knighted. I got hit on by Sir Bob (Geldof) and Sir Mick (Jagger), but I said to Mick, 'We ain't doing it, pal. You can do it, but I ain't'...I couldn't believe the amount of pressure, even from (British Prime Minister Tony Blair). I was like, 'We're finishing the new album and getting ready for the tour -- sorry, but we can't spare the men.'"

The guitarist also told the paper that he won't be involved in any "official" programs: "Decreasing debts? It all seemed a bit nebulous to me...I heartily applaud what they were trying to do, except that it was tied in with government policy, and I always try and separate politics and music."

The A Bigger Bang album is due out on September 6th. You can request the first singles "Rough Justice" and "Streets Of Love" if you have a Backstage Pass.
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