Keith Richards Says The Rolling Stones May Never Tour Again, But There’s Some Good News

Iconic rock band The Rolling Stones may never tour again, according to guitarist Keith Richards. However, that doesn’t mean fans have missed their chance to see them perform live.

In an interview with Uncut published on Friday, June 19, Richards, 82, discussed the future of the band, noting there’s been “some wear and tear” on all of them as they’ve aged.

“I don’t know if tours are possible,” he said. “It’s the travelling that takes it out of you.”

Although he’s not confident in his ability to travel for shows, he’d have no problem with the fans coming to him.

“But I do see the possibility of us doing residency somewhere. Wherever it is, London, New York, Paris, anywhere,” Richards said. “I’ll play Rome! But I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to throw some shows together in a new format.”

Although he’s thinking about a new format for the band’s future, he said he’s still not thinking about permanent retirement or hanging up his guitar altogether.

“Is it still exciting?” he considered in the interview. “Yeah, it’ll be exciting until something inside me says, ‘That’s that.’ I love working with the guys. I mean, what am I gonna do? Jesus Christ. It’s necessary for me – at gunpoint, if needs be – to keep a band together. ‘You will play drums!’ I do my bit, but it’s an incredible gift from everybody else. I didn’t expect this in return.”

He added, “It’s still a bit mind-boggling, even at this age.”

The Stones last toured in 2024, playing shows in North America. According to Rolling Stone, the band was toying with the idea of a European tour in late 2025. However, a spokesperson told the outlet those plans had officially been shelved.

Although Richards says he’s unsure about a tour, Mick Jagger recently told Today that he’s still willing to hit the road and play shows.