Keith Richards’ playing is difficult to categorize as merely “rock and roll guitar“. Even though he has been assigned to the rhythmic side of things for years, Richards has carved out his niche as a legend solely on the strength of his riffs, continuously changing his technique and employing different tunings to achieve whatever he desires. While Richards maximizes few chords, he acknowledges Lennon’s foolish side in his rhythm guitar style.
Granted, no one would claim that The Beatles were the answer to Tchaikovsky. Although adept with guitar and vocals, Lennon gave concise directions to George Martin for desired sounds. He would ask for sounds like he was coming from the moon or like The Dalai Lama.
Lennon was usually the least articulate of the band members when it came to his musical voice. While a master of guitar and voice, John Lennon notoriously kept his production instructions for George Martin refreshingly simple. He would ask for sounds like he was coming from the moon or like The Dalai Lama.
Aside from playing plain chords, Lennon could occasionally perform a complex guitar part. Even with basic chords, ‘All My Loving‘ demands endurance from any guitarist due to its rhythmic shifts. He has to fast shift the shape of every chord in rhythm with the rest of the song.
Although Keith Richards admired Lennon’s playing, he believed that his manner was far too stiff for rock and roll, stating in the book Life, “He was a silly sod in many ways.” I used to criticize him for wearing his guitar too high. They used to wear them around their chests, which significantly restricted their movement. You’re like handcuffed. ‘Got your fing guitar under your fing chin, for Christ’s sake. It ain’t a violin.’”
While Lennon may have tried to wear his guitar a little lower throughout the band’s touring years, audiences would not notice it for long. After their enormous global tour in 1966, The Beatles decided that living on the road and being shouted at by crowds was no longer for them. They chose to remain a studio-only act for the rest of their career.
When you look at what Lennon did after the Beatles, it appears that he took Richards‘ suggestion at least partially seriously. Looking at gigs in 1970s NYC, Lennon wore his guitar lower, feeling more comfortable without holding it tightly. He felt much more comfortable without having to hold onto his instrument for dear life.
Regardless of where he chose to hold it, he never compromised his performance. Throughout his solo efforts, up until his final release, Double Fantasy, Lennon maintained the trademark pulse that everyone knew from Beatles singles. He preserved a steady groove just as Richards did with The Stones. The guitar’s location may have seemed unusual to Richards, but it didn’t matter as long as the song sounded good.
