It's only Rock and Roll, but he likes it. Keith Richards is maybe the most notable graduate of the Chuck Berry school of guitar. While inspired by the success of The Beatles, Keith and The Rolling Stones have very little in common with them. Keith's gurus are Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Chuck Berry himself. Slow at first, once he started writing songs, it became clear that Richards didn't want to reform what had come before him, but rather to reaffirm it. His sound grew out of the tradition, not away from it. His massive contribution to Rock and Roll is evident in the legendary riffs he created for songs like "Satisfaction", "It's Only Rock and Roll", "Start Me Up", and "Brown Sugar", among many others. Keith Richards plays because he needs to, because it's fun, and that's what Rock and Roll is mainly about. (Click on the link to see "More Gods") |
