The second you see this, you know what comes next. It's arguably the most recognizable band logo of all time.
Keith Richards is the most unlikely guitar hero. Maybe that's why I love him so much. He doesn't play flashy solos, he probably couldn't tell you the modes in a major key, nor does he do anything really esoteric.
That's what makes him so awesome, and that's why I was drawn to him and the Rolling Stones. The music the Rolling Stones created (the songs he and Mick pegged) is pure rock 'n' roll (with the exception of their brief/somewhat disastrous disco phase) with a heavy undertone of blues. The Stones started off as a blues band. They also had a few hits before Satisfaction took over the world.
Enough about their history. There are countless books that have it.
I owe this one to my mom. She was a child of the British Invasion, and loved the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. She got 40 Licks for Christmas one year, and that was my first adventure into possibly the biggest musical influence in my life. I played (and still do play) those CDs for hours. I remember sitting in my bedroom trying to master the solo in Sympathy For The Devil. My friend taught me Brown Sugar when I was 15 and to this day it's my favorite song to play--in or out of Open G tuning.
Let's go back to Keith. I have a 1952 Butterscotch Blonde Fender Telecaster Reissue mainly because of Keith. He played them. I wanted one. Bad. I was in Sam Ash in New York City in April of 2006, tentatively on a mission for a new guitar. And it was definitely going to be a Telecaster. I walked into the main room, and I didn't see anything I liked. So I walked through the door on the right, and right in front of me was a beautiful Telecaster. There was no name on it. I picked it up, and plugged into a Fender amp, strummed an E chord, and knew instantly I had to have it.
My dad came in shortly after, and I said to him, 'I'm not leaving the store without this guitar.'
He laughed, and said, 'Well, happy birthday.' I think I was shocked that he bought me that guitar. He knew I was serious, though--about that guitar and playing guitar in general. I had been playing a Silvertone strat for over two years. I felt like I really earned that guitar. I remember the feeling of pure elation as I walked down the streets of Manhattan carrying my Telecaster in its beautiful tweed case. I felt like a real guitar player that day.
To this day, I often find myself coming up with riffs that Keith himself could have concocted up. Some people say he's lazy. I don't care. He's written some of the greatest guitar hooks ever. Jumpin' Jack Flash, Satisfaction, Honkey Tonk Women, and Gimme Shelter to name a few. Wild Horses is one of my favorite ballad-y songs ever.
I recently purchased a Fulltone OCD, and I discovered that I can pretty much match the sound of any Stones song (with distortion, that is). I had a big grin on my face for the rest of the night after I discovered that.
When people used to ask me who I wanted to sound like, I always responded with, 'Keith Richards and Eric Clapton combined.' I wanted the solos of Eric and the feel and rhythm of Keith. I'm still working on combining the two.
I saw the Stones in January of 2006. I probably had the worst seats in the house, but I didn't really care. I heard all my favorite songs live, and witnessed Mick Jagger in his full-on lunatic stage mode. It was fantastic.
Speaking of Mick Jagger. I really haven't talked much about him.
In another life, Micky Mick and I were married. I'm convinced haha! He is the world's greatest entertainer. The man does not stop for a second on stage. On the Steel Wheels tour, he would run up to four miles a night! His stage presence and sense of performance are second to none. He just keeps going and going and going. I used to blast the Stones and run around my house in a Mick-like fashion. I would also strap on a guitar and play along with what I could. Back then I preferred being Mick to Keith when it came to pretend-performance. I could have more fun with it because I wasn't plugged in.
I can't write this post and not mention what Keith calls "The Ancient Form of Weaving." The Stones have had a few lead players. Brian Jones, who was killed in his pool. Mick Taylor, who was with them when they recorded arguably their best albums (Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile On Main Street). And my personal favorite, Ronnie Wood. Keith and Ronnie are the "Weavers." Listen to Beast Of Burden, and you'll know what I mean. The two of 'em flow so effortlessly in and out of each other's playing. If they weren't both married, I'd say they might be a couple themselves. Anytime you see a picture of them, they look like a happy couple.
Charlie Watts, the backbone and the provider of the backbeat, is a human metronome. Like Keith, he's not flashy, but he never misses a beat. I wish I had more to say on Charlie. He's a fighter. I'll leave it at that.
As for Bill Wyman, I really have nothing to say. I don't think leaving the band was a good move on his part, but hey, to each his own. I've also heard from many Rolling Stones fans that it's just not the same without him--live, that is.
Here's something I find a little funny. My senior year, I had a class on Bob Dylan (yes, it was wicked cool). During the first class, my teacher played us two covers of Dylan songs. He doubted that anyone would know who was singing. Well, I knew. I guessed correctly, I should say. The first song didn't take me too long to get--it was Sheryl Crow. Other kids guessed right, too. The second one, however, was not so easy to the rest of the class. They were all like, 'Who IS this?' I sat there, focusing very hard on the CD player, and said, 'Keith. Richards.' My teacher laughed and said "very good!" He was somewhat shocked that I had gotten it right. I was quite impressed with myself, as was the rest of the class.
Anyway. Lately I've been working on some "blues-fusion," mainly Robben Ford songs. While I do enjoy playing that style, I'm not aspiring to have a career in that realm. I'll take what I can from those songs and incorporate it back into straight rock, giving my music (mainly the guitar solos) a bit of a different touch.
Robben Ford, you may be wicked good, but you ain't got nothin' on the Rolling Stones in my book.
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