Keith Richards' Superman Costume During the Rolling Stones' 1975 Tour of the Americas

Midway through the Rolling Stones’ 1975 Tour of the Americas, Keith Richards started showing up for encores wearing a full Superman costume—complete with cape, tights, and an “S” on his chest. He didn’t explain it much, but the prevailing story is that it was his way of mocking the band’s own rock-god mythology and the idea of being treated like a superhero. The costume also let him lean into the absurdity of stadium rock, especially after the tour’s elaborate stage setup and inflatable phallus.

Richards wore the Superman suit during several shows, most famously at the Los Angeles Forum on July 13, 1975. He’d sometimes pair it with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and a cigarette, making the whole thing feel both defiant and ridiculous. When asked about it later, he shrugged it off as just another costume—but fans and photographers loved it, and the images have become a strange, iconic footnote in Stones lore.