The one band Keith Richards regrets inspiring: “I fucked up”
The way that music works is interesting. People connect with it or disconnect with it in different ways, and that subsequently influences the way that they make music. With that, you tend to find that a lot of bands that pioneered movements in music are the inspiration behind many modern artists. When you consider acts like The Beatles, who didn’t only influence rock as a sound but also how bands marketed themselves and operated, it’s unsurprising they’re referred to as one of the most influential musical outfits out there.
Of course, while inspiration for some means acting in unison with the band they’re inspired by, for others, it means doing the opposite. This was the case with the Rolling Stones, who were all fans of the Beatles but were influenced by heavier music, such as the R&B sound of Muddy Waters. Their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, found an opportunity to create the opposite of The Beatles rather than following suit.
“There was no real future for a British band before The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964,” he said, “That was the turning point, after which there was an avalanche. It totally transformed the possibilities, and as usual, The Beatles were the frontrunner. In music, there is The Beatles, and then there is everybody else.”
With the Rolling Stones, he tried to create the antithesis of The Beatles. They had a much darker image and came across as flamboyant partygoers, the epitome of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. When people found out The Beatles did drugs, there was uproar, but it was expected with The Rolling Stones.
Mick Jagger and Co embodied the image of the rock star, and that image still stands a fair bit today. People may not be as flashy, but there is still the coolness and untouchable nature that the band pioneered. There are a number of people in music who the Rolling Stones directly influenced, and for the most part, they are likely proud of that. However, there is one band that Keith Richards admitted he regrets influencing as he despises their music so much.
“Millions are in love with Metallica and Black Sabbath. I just thought there were great jokes,” he said, “I don’t know where Metallica’s inspiration comes from, but if it’s from me, then I fucked up.”
It’s unclear whether Metallica is influenced by the Rolling Stones; however, given that their music is heavy metal, a subsection of rock, there is some link there. That being said, it’s rich for Richards to critique the band for drifting away from the Rolling Stones’ style of music, given that’s similar to their approach to music when they broke through during the British invasion.
