The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards discussed having a ‘little irritation’ with bandmate Mick Jagger in a new Rolling Stone interview.
“What I was happy about was that I could step out of the Stones and just as easily step back in. But I learned a lot about being a frontman. I appreciated it a lot more — Mick’s angle on things — onstage especially. It widened my perspective of what everybody has to do in a band. It gave me more respect for the frontman.”
“You realize that you’re it all the time; you don’t stop. With the Stones, I’m in a beautiful position of being able to go forward whenever I feel like it, or just hunker down with the band and the groove. I have choices. The frontman has no choice.”
On his differences with Mick Jagger, he said, “That’s the way Mick and I are. That’s the little irritation that makes the pearl in the oyster.”
He also discussed his solo career compared to The Rolling Stones.
“I could explore the melodic side of things more. The Stones basically want to concentrate on fast numbers, rock & roll. And I wasn’t under that sort of pressure with making the Winos record. I would make the tempos whatever I wanted. Sometimes with the Stones there’s this feeling of urgency: ‘Is it fast enough? We need more fast numbers and blah, blah, blah.’ Which is a continual discussion amongst the Stones [laughs]. Apart from that? I felt very much as if I was working with the Stones; it was just different guys. Great friends. The fact that you can do it twice is really the mindblower.”
Keith Richards revealed in a new video that The Rolling Stones intend to continue with Mick Jagger and their current lineup after their upcoming now postponed tour, and that they’ll release a new album. Jagger underwent successful heart surgery on Friday. He told fans, “Thank you everyone for all your messages of support, I’m feeling much better now and on the mend. And also a huge thank you to all the hospital staff for doing a superb job.”
Alternative Nation reporter Joe Hughes transcribed Keith Richards’ comments.
“We’re working on the album. We’ve got the first bits done and I’m looking forward to getting back in after this tour. Charlie Watts is playing his arse off!”
He also discussed playing with Mick Taylor on ‘Talk is Cheap.’
Keith Richards: And then who walks in? Mick Taylor. Out of the blue.
Interviewer: Had there been no bad blood, really, between the two of you?
Keith Richards: Oh no, no. Mick Taylor- Mick had worked backed with the Stones a few years ago for a tour. It’s just what happened, you know. It did lead me onto like Ronnie Wood, who you know, I’ve been working with and who needed a job.
Interviewer: Now you also had a couple of legendary cats- additional…
Keith Richards: Oh yea. Guys were walking in man, that we had um…
Interviewer: Bernie Worrell?
Keith Richards: Bernie Worrell. Um, Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker Frankie Gavin.
Interviewer: For those of you who might not know, Bootsy and Maceo were of course from James Brown’s band.
Keith Richards: Bootsy, he apparently drove from Cleveland to Queens in New York. I don’t know. We were going to fly him in and in- immitates Bootsy Driving-, “No, I’d like to drive from.”
