Keith Richards has more right than most to criticize others because he is the lead guitarist of The Rolling Stones and one-half of one of the most influential songwriting teams of all time. Not only did he change the world with his sounds, but much of what came after could be attributed to him and the band, who played a major role in the musical explosion of the 1960s and the great reset in culture that it brought about.
Aside from his unique approach to guitar playing and his unquestionable songwriting prowess, which gave rock hits like “Gimme Shelter,” everyone remembers Richards best for decades of hard living. This cat has lived more than his fair share of lives and has many interesting stories to share from his meandering existence, from drug and alcohol binges to several perplexing run-ins with death.
Many consider Keith Richards a unique figure in the pantheon of genre gods due to his legendary list of deeds and life experiences. The rock community highly respects Richards. They often see Richards as the person who best embodies the cliché of sex, drugs, and other vices. He has seen it all and mostly survived. This gives him the essence of a battle-hardened veteran with wisdom that mere mortals rarely come by. He has experienced both searing highs and crushing lows.
This esteemed position strengthens Richards’ right to speak freely, and when he does, it draws attention. He is not, however, an elderly wise man. Rather, he is a weary traveler who was once addicted to drugs and has no patience for nonsense. This has seen him torment several well-known musicians from his opulent throne. He once violently destroyed the new wave of British guitar bands, for whom he and the other members of The British Invasion had laid the groundwork decades earlier.
Richards poked fun at the new wave of guitar bands in an interview with NME in 2007 when the indie revival was at its height. When asked to name his favorite new band, he responded, “I ain’t got none, they’re all a load of crap.” He then mentioned Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party as the worst offenders, followed by The Libertines, a band spiritually connected to his band’s infamous hellraising. Despite their cultural significance, he said he would much rather listen to reggae, Moroccan music, and, more unexpectedly, Motörhead. He called them “posers” and “bullshit.”
“Everyone’s a load of crap,” he uttered. They’re not being authentic; instead, they’re all attempting to be someone else. The Arctic Monkeys, the Bloc Party, the Libertines? Let it load, let it load. Posers are garbage. Nothing worth shit exists in the world. I hear the real stuff. I’m not interested in bullshit. I listen to Moroccan music, reggae, Motörhead, and my shit, baby. Everything but the best.
Richards was so enthused by the question that he went on to give young bands his best advice. This is summarised in the clip: “Grow up.” Next, he gave some counsel to “Pete Doherty in particular,” the frontman of The Libertines. Richards became personal because he isn’t your typical pundit and prefers to be very cruel to people he doesn’t like. “He should shut up and leave her [Kate Moss] alone,” he uttered. I only know that the man is pushing his luck, and that’s all I know about him.
He ended by sharing some of the candid, wise insight he had accumulated throughout his career: “She’ll live, the boys will die.” It’s all just copycat nonsense. I followed my procedure, so I did it. People now consider it to be a way of life.
