Is this the end of life on the road for the Rolling Stones?

Word is out that the latest Rolling Stones tour plans are stuck in neutral, and the hold up is once again, none other than Mr. Keith Richards himself. Ronnie Wood spilled the details recently, mentioning that while Mick Jagger is practically itching to get back out on the road, Keith just isn’t feeling the push right now.

It makes you wonder how much gas is really left in the tank for a band that has been running full throttle for decades. It feels weird to even imagine a world where the Stones are without Keith at the center of it all. Without his loose, swag-tastic guitar riffs, it just wouldn’t sound right. If he decides he’s finally done lacing up his boots for world tours, it’s hard to picture the rest of the crew trying to soldier on without him.

At the end of the day, the man has earned the right to pump the brakes whenever he damn well pleases. Mick might be built like an indestructible machine who could probably run a marathon in the middle of a three-hour set, but Keith has lived a dozen lifetimes already. If his heart isn’t in it to pack up the gear and hit the road again, maybe it’s time to let the legend rest.