Keef reads ... the good book?

In an interview yesterday with Sun Media for Shine A Light -- Martin Scorsese's concert film of The Rolling Stones, due in theatres April 4 -- guitarist Keith Richards said he has been reading the Bible.

No -- seriously.

"I read it sometimes, but it bores me to death," said Richards, 64, over the phone from the island where he's on holiday.

"I just want to know what other people find so bloody fascinating.

"Why are they all hung up about all that, 'In The Beginning' stuff? Ah, well. At least it is stable. It has said the same damn thing since I was a kid."

Richards, who really is an avid reader, happens to be writing his autobiography right now. "I'm doing this book with (British author) James Fox, Mr. White Mischief (best-selling book in 1982). They've paid me a f-----g fortune, sweetheart, so of course I'm writing it. And Foxy is me mate -- did you think I'd do the book with some a--hole, 30% off?"

He laughs.

"We're trying to put together an interesting tale, a narrative about what it might or might not be like to be a rock 'n' roll star over the last 40 or 50 years. Without giving too much away, of course, because we want volume two coming out."

He laughs again.

"We're just trying to make an interesting story out of it," says Richards, putting on a grim little voice, "without every chapter ending, 'And then I found out I only had 30 quid in the bank. And then I did this. And then that.' No! I'm trying to come out with a story, with a narrative. So I'm doing that."

He adds, "In my spare time."

Furthermore, says Richards, he's writing new songs.

"Because they pop out all the time without me even wanting them. Sometimes too many songs at once. Oh, shut up, you songs! Another one to work on!"