Keith Richards discusses Eric Clapton’s Covid-19 stance
Eric Clapton has long been one of music’s most controversial figures, and over the past couple of years, he’s only reconfirmed his position as something of a pariah. Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, Clapton has been one of the most prominent Covid-19 sceptics, up there with Ted Nugent and Joe Rogan, only the most esteemed of company.
In a new interview, Rolling Stones legend, Keith Richards has weighed in on Clapton’s anti-vax stance and argued that to get over the pandemic, we all need to do one thing, listen to doctors.
Appearing on Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast, the iconic axeman delivered his take on vaccines, as well as commenting on Clapton’s unfounded suspicion: “I just want to get rid of this damn thing, and the only way I can see is everybody does as doctor says”.
“I love Eric dearly,” Richards counted. “I’ve known him since forever and we’ve had ups and downs… This Covid thing, it’s split people up and it made people sometimes go awry for a while, you know?”
In December 2020, Clapton collaborated with another one of music’s resident curmudgeons, Van Morrison, for the flaccid anti-lockdown ‘anthem’, ‘Stand and Deliver’. The song included some of the worst political lyrics we’ve heard in a long time, such as “Do you wanna be a free man / Or do you wanna be a slave?”. However, the real corker was: “I don’t wanna be a pauper / And I don’t wanna be a prince / I just wanna do my job / Playing the blues for my friends”
Back in January, Clapton made headlines when he defiantly maintained that he’s not “concerned with being misunderstood” over his comments regarding Covid-19 vaccines and other safety measures.
During an interview with Real Music Observer, the ‘Layla’ singer explained: “I’m making a rod for my own back by talking about the thing and the things, but one thing about the thing I would like to make clear – because I have to keep re-establishing it – is I’m neither anti or pro,” adding what he actually stands for is “freedom of choice”.
The debate that surrounds Covid-19 vaccines is perhaps the most polarising of a generation, but one thing is crystal clear, Keith Richards is right. Listen to doctors; it’s their job.
Watch Keith Richards in a recent interview below.
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