Keith Richards Details Arthritis Changes to Guitar Style
Keith Richards has spoken about how age and arthritis are reshaping the way he approaches the guitar as The Rolling Stones continue to tour and he works to keep playing at a high level. The longtime Stones guitarist said he’s had to adjust to physical limitations, including reduced speed, while finding new ways to work around what his hands will allow on any given day.
In a new interview, Guitar World reported that Richards acknowledged he plays fewer notes now because he’s “not as fast as I used to be,” adding that the instrument still offers ways to “compensate” and keep learning despite changes in nimbleness.
Richards also addressed the day-to-day reality of arthritis in his hands, saying he has “very large knuckles” and that while they don’t hurt, the condition can “get in the way sometimes.” He explained that one practical move has been opting for a wider fingerboard, and he described his mindset in blunt terms: “I just look at my hands, and my hands look at me, and we say, ‘Well, let’s see what we can do today.’”
The comments add a fresh layer to ongoing discussion of Richards’ physical durability on the road, following earlier Alternative Nation coverage of Keith Richards backing out of The Rolling Stones tour amid reports of shifting plans around the band’s live schedule.
For Richards, the takeaway appears to be adaptation rather than retreat: he says limitations can force different solutions and reinforce that “you never stop learning” on guitar. With The Rolling Stones still active, his latest remarks underline how he’s recalibrating technique to keep the band’s rhythm engine moving forward.
