I’ve been reading Keith Richards’ autobiography ‘Life’. I was intrigued to learn that, before he became the drug-hoovering outlaw superstar we know and love, Keith considered a career in advertising.

Keith Richards in 1963. Taking a break from drawing up Gilbey's Gin scamps for his portfolio.

I've been reading Keith Richards' autobiography 'Life'. I'm only up to about 1967 so far but I would recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in rock'n'roll. It's an extraordinary tale, engagingly told. I was intrigued to learn that, before he became the drug-hoovering outlaw superstar we know and love, Keith considered a career in advertising.Thought I would share the details here.

Keith was expelled from school and started at Sidcup Art College in 1959. "The society and everything I was growing up in was just too small for me…I knew I had to look for a way out…"

Here are a couple of brief extracts from 'Life' about his brushes with the Industry of Ad:

"There was almost no 'art' to be had at Sidcup. After a while you got a drift of what you were being trained for and it wasn't Leonardo da Vinci. Loads of flash little sons of bitches would come down in their bow ties from J. Walter Thompson or one of the other big advertisers for one day a week to take the piss out of the art school students and try and pick up the chicks. They'd lord it over us and you got taught how to advertise…I realise now we were getting some dilapidated tail end of a noble art-teaching tradition from the pre-war period… all thrown away on advertising Gilbey's Gin.

"At the end (of art school) your teacher says, 'Well I think this is pretty good.' and they send you off to J. Walter Thompson and you have an appointment, and by then, in a way you know what's coming – three or four smarty-pants, with the usual bow ties. 'Keith, is it? Nice to see you. Show us what you've got.' And you lay the old folder out. 'Hmmmm. I say, we've had a good look at this, Keith, and it does show some promise. By the way, do you make a good cup of tea?' I said yes, but not for you. I walked off with my folio – it was green, I remember – and I dumped it in the garbage can when I got downstairs. That was my final attempt to join society on their terms…I didn't have the patience or facility to be a hack in an advertising agency."

So, it appears that we can thank the bow-tied 'flash sons of bitches' at JWT for the long and illustrious career of The Rolling Stones. Just imagine if the interview had gone differently and Keef had joined JWT Sidcup, partnered up with Sir Martin Sorrell instead of Mick and was now Chief Creative Officer of JWT.

Keef didn't entirely turn his back on advertising; he appeared a few years ago in the campaign above for Louis Vuitton. Nice guitar, sir.

But, luckily, instead of making the tea at JWT, he made stuff like this:

We waved farewell to the West Herts College students on Friday. The final guys from the course appear below. They are a massively enthusiastic bunch who slaved tirelessly on the briefs we set over the week. The man responsible for honing such ability is course tutor Tony Cullingham.

TC is an unsung advertising hero. Who roams the hallowed halls of West Herts College in a Leicester City cape. An endless stream of talent has emerged from Watford under the watchful eye of this ideas nutcase. If you are serious about getting a job in the industry, or playing five a side, he is a genius whose speed of thought and deceptive turn of pace should never be underestimated. He has been an instrumental figure in many top creatives careers. He loves what he does. It proves infectious. And if you come away from the course with a fraction of his enthusiasm it will stand you in fantastic stead. TC we salute you.

Stu Harkness, Watford Class of ¹97/Creative Director W+K

Zoe Vince:

After finishing a degree in Psychology, and counselling people, I realised I wanted to poke around in my own head for ideas, instead of everyone else's. I entered an advertising competition and found how much fun work could be. Now I'm about to graduate from the course in copy writing and art direction at Watford. I'm excited about entering the big wide advertising world, full of passion and I want to keep learning so that all my ideas are good enough to sparkle. Other than that I speak a little Hungarian and have two rabbits, one of which is able to pirouette in mid air 360 degrees.

Tony Cullingham:

I've got the best job in advertising. I run the Watford Creative Ad Course and have done for 23 years. It's an amazing feeling when an ex-student rings me up and tells me they have been hired. And I feel honoured when former students like Stu at WK help us out. (There are still a few places left for the next course which starts in September. Details are available on www.tonycullingham.com).

I've also run short Creative Training Programmes for the BBC, NTL and Sky. Before Watford I was a writer at various agencies including Saatchis and Lintas. The best idea I have ever had is to have kids. It wasn't really my idea. It was my wife's to be honest.