Rolling Stone Keith Richards has issued a statement denying he snorted his father's ashes - in a bid to end the worldwide media frenzy over his controversial confession.
The guitarist was stunned when what he claims was a joke about mixing the ashes of his dead dad Bert with cocaine and then snorting them, made headlines around the world.
His manager Jane Rose on Wednesday insisted the comment - made during an interview with British music magazine NME - was a joke.
And now hard-living Richards himself says in a statement: "I wouldn't take cocaine at this point in my life unless I wished to commit suicide.
"The truth of the matter is that I planted a sturdy English Oak.
"I took the lid off the box of ashes and he (Bert) is now growing oak trees and would love me for it!"