Keith Richards has a discerning sensibility when it comes to other musicians. He likes what he likes and hates what he hates–even if it goes against the majority. Below, find three frontmen Richards has spoken out against, below.
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3 Lead Singers Keith Richards Dislikes
1. Liam Gallagher
There’s always going to be a measure of tension between one generation of rockers and the next. Feeling like you’re being usurped–or that the sound you helped establish is getting corrupted–is naturally going to generate some negative feelings.
For Richards, that idea manifested itself in Liam Gallagher–amongst other people. The Rolling Stones guitarist has expressed his distaste for the Britpop group on several occasion, but the Oasis frontman once bared the brunt of criticisms.
“I go up to the bar and there’s Keith Richards, looking exactly as you would imagine, scarf and a hat,” Noel Gallagher once explained. “He suddenly turns around and says, ‘Ah, you’re still around, are you?’ … His second line was, ‘One thing I’ve always wanted to ask you: Who is the bigger c***, your singer or mine?’”
2. Robert Plant
Robert Plant is an acquired taste. Despite Led Zeppelin’s prestige, we could see a world in which someone would take issue with his wailing vocals. Among those that feel that Plant’s voice is a little too powerful for their tastes is Richards.
“I played their album quite a few times when I first got it, but then the guy’s voice started to get on my nerves,” Richards once said. “He’s a little too acrobatic.”
3. Jerry Garcia
Next up on our list of frontmen Richards dislikes is Jerry Garcia. Grateful Dead is largely considered a transformative force in the world of rock. Jam bands would take on a whole new popularity following their heyday. Despite that notion, Richards feels that rock was in a better place before Grateful Dead decided to “poodle around for hours.”
“The Grateful Dead is where everybody got it wrong,” Richards once said. “Just poodling around for hours and hours.” In particular, Richards pointed a wagging finger at Garcia. “Boring shit, man. Sorry, Jerry.”
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rolling Stones)
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