Keith Richards Completes New Solo Album

Keith Richards has put the final touches on his first album in decades, but don't look for it any time soon. He doesn't plan to issue the as-yet-untitled project until after the Rolling Stones conclude their latest tour -- sometime in 2015.

That's essentially what has kept Richards' solo career on hold since he released 1992's 'Main Offender.' This new album was first mentioned back in 2011. The Rolling Stones began touring, off and on, in 2012 -- and released a pair of new songs that year. They'll be on the road at least until next June, and maybe much longer, Richards told the Associated Press.

“I have a solo record finished, but I don’t want to put it out while the Stones are working,” he said. “[We’ve] got South America lined up in February, Buenos Aires, Peru. And after that, I know what the Stones tours are like, they tend to get extended.”

And so, he's pieced together the album -- along with longtime collaborator Steve Jordan - over the course of “a couple of years.” Along the way, Richards has also written two books, including his bestselling memoir 'Life' and a new children's book called 'Gus & Me.' He contributed a reggae version of one of his old songs to a charity project, as well.

“We had no rush,” he said. “Every month or two we’d come down here” -- to New York’s Germano Studios -- “and do a couple a day and knock off a couple of tracks ... Nearly every record I’ve made is, ‘You’ve got another five days.’ But this one we’re taking our time.”