Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards introduces the band "The Ronettes" during the 22nd annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York March 12, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Publishers competing for the rights to rocker Keith Richards' autobiography have pushed up the Rolling Stones co-founder's advance to 7.3 million U.S. dollars, media reported Friday.

    Richards' only goal was to beat the nearly 5 million dollars advance that Eric Clapton snagged for his memoir, due out this October. 

    The bidding has narrowed down to two publishing houses, HarperCollins, a unit of News Corp., and Little Brown, a division of Hachette Filipacchi.

    The choice will come down to the editor and the marketing campaign planned for the book, since the bidders are deadlocked on price, the Post said, citing an unnamed source.

    The book would be likely to cover Richards' two arrests and his relationships with former models Anita Pallenberg and Patti Hansen, now his wife, and that fall from a coconut tree. Not to mention the occasional musical moment.

    But his drug taking will have to take centre stage. He has been treated for heroin addiction and admitted he is lucky to be alive after years of drug abuse.

    Last year he claimed he had finally quit drugs -- because they weren't strong enough any more.

    (Agencies)