— Musings —08.06.2015 02:03 PM
Keef on the Fabs
I’m sure you’ve already heard the news today, oh boy – STONES’ KEITH RICHARDS DISSES SGT. PEPPER – but his actual quote is so wonderful, so Gallagher-brother-like, I had to post it here. It may come as a shock to all of you, but there’s nothing I love more than people prepared to smash all idols, defy the conventional wisdom, etc. My favourite quote of all time, thusly, is this from Brendan Kennelly in The Book of Judas: “If you want to serve the age, betray it.”
Here’s Keef:
Good on Keef. I’m a huge, huge Beatles fan myself, and SP has never been among my favourites — personally, I think Abbey Road is their overall best, in terms of consistent quality of the songs, lack of duds, etc. And I think White Album and Rubber Soul are also stronger musically than SP. Some of the songs on SP really aren’t that good or memorable — who really remembers Lovely Rita or Getting Better or She’s Leaving Home these days except the most extreme Beatles fanatics? SP was an album notable for its advancements in production techniques, studio experimentation, etc. and deserves huge credit for that. But it’s become overrated.
As much as I believe playing the rock ‘n roll iconoclast is for the young, he’s right.
I saw that.
What he said was really true. That was a very very overrated album and the Beatles developed a weirder and weirder sound as time went on.
Hmmm … not so sure about weirder and weirder.
50 years later the debate goes on.
I wonder if anyone ever threw so much into Bach vs Beethoven vs Mozart?
I knew George personally so I am a bit biased there. Both George and Paul wrote some very good songs, and Paul definitely earned every Grammy he got. If you are a musician and you go over the Lennon-McCarteny catalog you wll see which the Paul songs are and which the John songs are. I think George was the most highly understimated guitar player in Rock & Roll. Such tasty solos! John, however, stole the soul from the African Americans who invented rock and roll. Case dismissed.
The Stones were a pretty good bar band.
Speaking of roots, Keef’s book Life is well worth a read.
I love Satanic Majesties — but it was the high-water mark (or low point) of the Stones following slavishly in the Beatles’ slipstream. Maybe that’s why thinking about that era still bugs Keith. With Beggars’ Banquet, the Stones got back on their own path and they were fine for another three or four albums, before losing it completely.
As for the Beatles, nothing can top them, regardless of what Keef says.
Well we all know what’s happening next – a spate of ” diss-tracks” between Keef and Sir Paul . Maybe they can get Drake and Meek Mill to ghostwrite em ?
Keith Richards insulted Elton John, by saying he only writes music about dead chicks, he insulted Mic Jagar re the size of his member, and he insults himself by making stupid comments. In spite of this, I love the Stones and would pay to see them once again in concert.