Keith Richards has been speaking about his years of drug abuse in an interview for Men’s Journal.

According to a report in Rolling Stone, Richards claims he doesn’t believe his body has been damaged by his drug intake.

“It’s like Churchill said about alcohol, ‘Believe me – I’ve taken a lot more out of alcohol than it’s ever taken out of me!’ And I kind of feel the same way about the dope and stuff. I got something out of it.

“It was – either stay up or crash out or wake up,” he continues. “It was always to do something. Also, I’ve got to confess, I was very interested in what I could take and what I could do. I looked upon the body as a laboratory – I used to throw in this chemical and then that one to see what would happen; I was intrigued by that. What one would work against another; I’ve got a bit of alchemist in me that way. But all experiments must come to an end.

Regarding people’s perception of him, Richards goes on to say, “I know my master, and I know when to jump and hop. I feel totally comfortable with it. The whole ‘Keef’ thing, I consider it basically an honor. You’ve got to be around for a while to become this sort of icon thing.

“They think I’m a cartoon! I mean ‘Keith Richards’ – everybody knows what it means,” he comments. “I’m glad it strikes people’s imaginations! I’d like to be old Keith and play him to the hilt. I’m probably something different to millions of different people.”

Richards also explains that Mick Jagger “was intentionally annoyed” by some of the comments Richards made in his autobiography, Life. “But at the same time, I had sent him the proofs. There’s nothing in there that ain’t true,” says Richards.

You can read the full interview here.