The bands Keith Richards wishes he could have joined: ‘I would’ve loved it’
Most musicians picking up a guitar or a drumstick for the first time usually have a vision of playing with their favourite musicians when they grow up. As much as the posters on the wall can be intimidating, it only takes a little bit of courage for someone to say that they’re going to take a chance and play music for a living and be able to rub elbows with their heroes. While most people would give their left arm to write something close to what Keith Richards can do, the riff master has been in awe of different bands since he was little.
Besides being one of the driving forces behind The Rolling Stones’ greatest songs, Richards never stopped listening to the greatest names in rock, blues, and everything in between throughout his career. While the sounds of artists like Robert Johnson were the purest form of blues for Richards, it was all about bouncing off the rest of the group.
Of course, it’s a completely different feeling playing with a group rather than just plonking out whatever you can think of in your bedroom. After all, performing is a communal experience and the only way to know if you’re any good as a rhythm guitarist is to lock in with a drummer and get that internal metronome going until you feel comfortable.
Although Richards’ role as the permanent rhythm guitarist can seem like a slam at times, chances are he would take that as a compliment. All good rock and roll acts know how to deliver the groove, and since he was a teenager, Richards knew that it circled back to the titans.
When asked about the groups that would have loved to play with, Richards’ taste stretched from the blues to the pioneers of rock, saying, “I could have done with being one of Elvis’ original band, being one of the Crickets, being one of the Blue Cats. I could’ve used being in Little Richard’s band in the ’50s, a million others. I would’ve loved to have been in Muddy’s band in the early ’50s. Would’ve loved to be in Louis Armstrong’s band in the ’20s.”
Then again, being a guitar player in any of those acts means playing a completely different role. While The Crickets and Presley’s backing group were more straight-ahead rock and roll, playing with someone like Muddy Waters is no small task for a fretboard master. That normally involves having a conversation through music, with each string bend sculpted almost like a vocal melody.
The same could be said when working with Armstrong since most of the jazz players were known to craft their melodies as the main hook of the song every time it came around. That way, it’s not just about a song that makes you tap your foot. It’s about testing one’s ability whenever they pick up the instrument.
While Richards didn’t get to be in those acts, he still lucked out by working with icons like Gram Parsons and Tom Waits throughout his career, either lending the occasional guitar part or letting their spirit sink into his own music, whether that be with The Stones or his solo career. If nothing else, the fact that there are so many legends in Richards’s dream band should tell his fans more about how he ticks. There are no genre barriers for him, so it’s better to sample every piece of music you come across.
