Understanding the feud between Elton John and Keith Richards
For over 30 years, The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and Elton John have been embroiled in a highly publicised war of words. Their relentless back-and-forth played out in the public eye due to the creative and personal differences between these two iconic British musicians.
It’s no secret that Richards has a wicked tongue, and few artists in the music industry can count themselves fortunate enough to have escaped his vicious barbs. While most have simply chosen to ignore the guitarist, Elton John decided to play him at his own game and raised the stakes.
Their feud began back in 1988 when Richards was interviewed by Rolling Stone and provided his thoughts on an array of contemporary pop songs, including Elton John’s ‘I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That’. He commented: “Reg, give me a Rubens, and I’ll say something nice. Reg Dwight. Lovely bloke, but posing”.
Richards’ remark wasn’t intended a personal attack on Elton, and in all honesty, it was relatively tame by his standards, and these comments didn’t elicit a response from his compatriot. However, a few years later, when the guitarist made another unsavoury declaration, John couldn’t conceal his anger any longer, and the feud turned nasty.
Following the death of Princess Diana, Elton reworked ‘Candle In The Wind‘ as a tribute to the late royal, and the anti-monarchist inside of Richards didn’t hold back his true feelings. “Yeah, it did jar a bit, songs for dead blondes,” he told EW in 1997. “But he was a personal friend, after all. I’d find it difficult to ride on the back of something like that myself, but Reg is showbiz”.
How did Elton John respond?
Despite Richards caveating his remarks by calling him a “personal friend”, Elton didn’t take lightly to the comments. He responded by cruelly telling the New York Daily News: “I’m glad I’ve given up drugs and alcohol. It would be awful to be like Keith Richards. He’s pathetic, poor thing. It’s like a monkey with arthritis, trying to go on stage and look young”.
John continued: “I have great respect for the Stones, but they would have been better if they had thrown Keith out 15 years ago… I just think he’s an a-hole, and I have for a long time.”
In the same interview, Elton also explained why he found it immensely hypocritical to be labelled “showbiz” by Richards. He said: “Please, if the Rolling Stones aren’t showbiz, then what is? You know, with their inflatable naked women.”
Additionally, in his autobiography, Elton was less than complimentary about The Rolling Stone whenever the guitarist was mentioned in passing, and there wasn’t any love lost between the pair. Intriguingly, however, at the GQ Awards in 2015, the pair were pictured all smiles during a seemingly jovial conversation, and it’s hard to comprehend whether the animosity between them is purely for show or if a deep level of hatred is genuinely brewing under the surface.
…but does Elton John dislike The Rolling Stones?
Although Elton John has been critical of Keith Richards, he can successfully separate the art from the artist and admires the work of The Rolling Stones. He’s spoken multiple times about his love of their cover of the Chuck Berry record, ‘Come On’, released in 1963, which he believes to be the perfect encapsulation of their blues sound.
However, John stated in 2016, at the height of his feud with Richards, that he believed The Rolling Stones had lost their identity and had been caught in the crosswires of being two different bands. He claimed that Mick Jagger wanted the group to modernise in order to remain relevant, whereas, Richards thought they should return to their roots. According to John, this led to The Stones failing to fit into either of their desired camps.
He told US radio: “What I think the Rolling Stones should do is a great blues record, and go back to what they used to do – and do things like ‘Come On’ – the Chuck Berry song like they did in their early career. That is what they should do.”
John added: “I think Mick wants to still be relevant on the radio – well, they are not. And I think Keith would love to do a record like that. And that is what they should be doing.”
What’s Elton John’s favourite song by The Rolling Stones?
Despite his appreciation for their cover of ‘Come On’, John’s favourite song by The Rolling Stones is ‘Let It Rock’. The singer named the rarity, which was released as a B-side to ‘Brown Sugar’ in 1971, during an appearance on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs.
Guests on the programme select the eight tracks they would choose to accompany them on a desert island, and the fact that John chose ‘Come On’ signifies his deeply-held love for the creation. Furthermore, it also shows his credentials as a true Rolling Stones fan by opting to select a deep cut rather than ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ or ‘Paint It, Black’.
Have Keith Richards and Elton John ended their feud?
While they both hurled vicious insults at each other, Richard and John do have a bond that has survived the harsh comments uttered. In 2023, John collaborated with The Rolling Stones by playing the piano on ‘Get Close’ and ‘Live by the Sword’, appearing on their chart-topping album Hackney Diamonds.
According to Richards, John was thrilled to become an honorary member of The Stones. The guitarist told Rolling Stone: “Everyone’s a fan of the Rolling Stones. Just like Paul (McCartney), Elton was like, ‘I just fucking played with the Rolling Stones’.”
