The influential musician Keith Richards compared to The Monkees: “I don’t see anything of any depth in there”
You can always count on Keith Richards for an opinion. Half of one of the greatest songwriting partnerships the world has ever seen and an undisputed guitar hero to boot, he has more than earned his stripes when it comes to critiquing the work of others.
Richards is, in several ways, the perfect embodiment of the traditional notion of a rockstar. Not only is his music world-renowned and widely influential in both his work on the fretboard and the general sound of The Rolling Stones, but his hard living is the stuff of legend. From his many brushes with death and the law to high-profile romances and the quite remarkable amount of alcohol and narcotics that he has ingested, his story is marked by being one of constant survival. No matter what existential obstacle he has faced, he’s somehow managed to stem what appeared to be the tide of change and keep on.
While you might criticise The Rolling Stones for being somewhat one-dimensional, even in light of their many different sonic eras and line-ups, there can be no doubt that their place in the history books is warranted for their take on the pulsating rock ‘n’ roll that inspired them when young. Furthermore, Richards was always the tip of their spear. It is clear that without him, they wouldn’t have had the edge that made them stand out from the mass of British Invasion groups, and, more crucially, be without some of their more culturally vital songs, from the heady, political anthem ‘Gimme Shelter’ to ‘Happy’.
Given his extensive history and highlights reel, Richards is strengthened in his outspokenness. From being downright rude about Elton John to criticising metal acts such as Metallica and Black Sabbath as “jokes”, there is no one that the sneering Dartford native isn’t afraid of tearing into. As with all rockers of his generation, he has a very definitive perception of the world, which he will never be swayed from. Of course, he’s turned this critical character on himself occasionally, but as an onlooker, it’s more compelling when he eviscerates an opponent in the great coliseum of popular culture.
One notable artist who wasn’t safe from the sting of Richards’ blade was Prince. The ‘Purple Rain’ songwriter’s influence on music since his arrival in the late 1970s was increasingly seismic, but The Rolling Stones guitarist wasn’t impressed by his work from the outset. Famously, in 1981, Prince played two shows as the opening act for the British group in Los Angeles but did not finish the first performance as the crowd were hostile towards him and his band.
Allegedly backstage, Prince furiously swore to never play for The Rolling Stones again. However, he would eventually be convinced to return for the second show but encountered increased hostility due to fans hearing about the earlier incident. In response, when backstage, Prince described the crowd as “Tasteless in music and mentally retarded.”
This, of course, irked The Rolling Stones, and particularly Richards. He would later call Prince “an overrated midget” and maintain that he needs to find out what being a prince means.
Years later, when speaking to Rolling Stone in 1988, The Rolling Stones guitarist was asked if his opinion of Prince had changed, and unsurprisingly, it hadn’t, although he was more democratic this time. More cuttingly, he compared the Minnesotan to The Monkees, the ultimate manufactured band of the 1960s. While he noted his intelligence in manipulating the industry, he said plainly: “I don’t see anything of any depth in there.”
Richards asserted: “Prince, I admire his energy, but he’s riding on a wave. To me, Prince is like the Monkees. I don’t see anything of any depth in there. I think he’s very clever at manipulating the music business and the entertainment business. I think he’s more into that than making music. I don’t see much substance in anything he does. Too much appealing to … a Pee-wee Herman trip. And I like Pee-wee Herman better than Prince. He’s appealing to the same audience. To me, it’s kid stuff.”