“Far better”: Why Keith Richards is only the second best guitarist in Weston, Connecticut
Keith Richards is a long way from home. Born and raised in Dartford in Kent, Richards is one of the UK’s proudest musical exports as the guitarist and one-half of The Rolling Stones’ songwriting team alongside Mick Jagger. He’s one of England’s favourite troublemaking sons as a prime example of the country’s talent. But now, he’s settled down far away in the random town of Weston, Connecticut. It might be exected that amongst the small population, he would be the star. But according to the man himself, he’s coming in at second place.
After meeting Mick Jagger by chance on a train platform, years after the pair had been schoolmates back when they were only kids, the musical landscape of the UK shifted. As the two friends learnt to write and make music together, they did laps around the London live music circuit, helping to electrify it with their bluesy rock and roll sound. From there, Richards bought the Redlands estate and scandalised stuck-up mainstream society after the drug raid on the house and his various accidental attempts to burn the place down.
The band became an essential piece of the UK’s music fabric. Alongside The Beatles, they led the charge of the British invasion, standing as a representation of the country’s power in the rock and roll world. Together, Richards and Jagger stand as two of the country’s brightest talents, responsible for a long list of timeless hits that the whole world loves but the UK gets to call their own.
However, Richards’s choice of where to settle down and call home is unexpected. Brushing off the more common choices of London, Los Angeles, or some big mansion out in the country, he landed on Connecticut, specifically the town of Weston.
With a population of only 10,354 in 2020, it’s doubtful that Richards fits in. In his rockstar garb with his drawling British accent, he probably sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the town folk. Anyone probably would have guessed that he’d likely be the only world-famous musician in the small town, which is only about 20.7 square miles big. But actually, he’s got some competition.
“Do you know that José Feliciano lives in the same town as you in Connecticut?” Esquire asked the Rolling Stones guitarist once, bringing up the fact that he shares his home with the Puerto Rican musician. Not only did Richards know, but he was happy to hand over the medal for the town’s best guitarist to his neighbour.
“He’s a far better guitar player than me,” he said, admitting to being the second-best musician in town. He wouldn’t even let the magazine argue back to the fact. While classic rock and roll fans might not agree with Richards’ statement that Feliciano beats him to the title, he says it’s not up for discussion.
“I mean technically, classically,” he clarified, “I ain’t trained that way. I force the thing to do as it’s told.” Richards never really had any kind of formal lessons. Instead, he learnt by watching his grandad playing or by copying his favourite records until he figured out how to get the sound he wanted. He’s also a relatively basic player, famously rejecting any fancy technology or pedals or effects in favour of getting the sound he wants organically, coming straight out of his guitar and out of the amp. While there is no denying that he’s one of rock and roll’s finest musicians, Richards is humble enough to admit that he couldn’t do what Feliciano can, that he couldn’t even try and keep up with his classic Latin flair and technical finger-picking skills.
But even though they share a small town, Richards, back in 2015, had still never met his fellow townsman. “I’ve never met him,” he said, “We’ve never crossed paths, even though Weston is a very small town—there’s a gas station and a market.” So perhaps the Weston, Connecticut guitar showdown is still to happen.
