Keith has had the best moves of any guitar player - I don't think anyone even comes close!

That said, his actual playing became noticeably more sparse during the Licks tour and its understandable that Stones music fans would be disappointed.

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kees
Farawayeyes2 : I don't agree with you that Keith was technicall y better during the first 90-tours than say during the 78 tour. It was a different way of playing for sure but from VL on I strongly felt also technically Keith was getting worse and worse. He was also not good during the NS tour.

have you heard keith in no security album? he's awesome! but his best guitar playing (ON STAGE) imo, is from steel wheels to voodo lounge. i LOVE the way he played during the 70s tours, he got a unique touch, a tremendous groove, and he was very ispirered. but if you compare love you live album with any boot from steel wheels and on, then you'll get what i mean, i mean, striclty technically.

"Keith has had the best moves of any guitar player - I don't think anyone even comes close!"

You ever heard of Pete Townshend?

Pete Townshend said he got his moves from Keith. I don't remember Keith doing those big windmills, but maybe a smaller version of it that inspired Pete (trousers). I read this a long time ago, maybe someone knows on the board knows when he said this. I wonder if Keiths moves are not intentional showman stuff but rather just incidental to how he has changed, how the music consumes him, how he reacts.

Reading some comments, one has the impression that Keith hardly plays the guitar anymore. Could someone post examples of Keith posing and NOT playing (save when he sings his set)?

I can't remember much of them. Actually I can't remember any.

Every single show I've seen or heard from the ABB tour, Keith's guitar always made the song, for the good or the bad.

C

He became a showman around the same time as his hairstyle changed and he became increasingly scruffy - it's almost like there are two Keith's - around the turn of the 80s.

Townsend has some great ones, no doubt about it. And his signature move might be considered more dramatic than Keith's. But overall it's KR...many of them appear to come out of nowhere and his guitar just becomes an estension of him.

Pete said that he saw Keith warming up his shoulder before a gig by doing a little windmill motion with his right arm, and that's where he got the idea of actually playing that way.

I mean, to honestly say that Keith comes anywhere near Pete in terms of manic energy onstage is ridiculous. That windmill motion is iconic...Keith was the unintentional inspiration, but no one aside from Pete is crazy enough to actually pull it off.

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liddas
Reading some comments, one has the impression that Keith hardly plays the guitar anymore. Could someone post examples of Keith posing and NOT playing (save when he sings his set)?

I can't remember much of them. Actually I can't remember any.

Every single show I've seen or heard from the ABB tour, Keith's guitar always made the song, for the good or the bad.

C

I specifically remember him doing it during JJF at Giants Stadium in 2002...he started jogging across the stage and stopped playing, and the song stopped dead in its tracks for 5-10 seconds...nothing but drums, bass and Ronnie's tinkling.

The song was kicking the stadium's ass up until that point.

No one's saying he DOESN'T play, but sometimes he'll hit a chord and let it ring out while he's posing, rather than finish playing the progression.

The Stones are at their best when Keith is laying down a relentless, driving rhythm guitar, but that would take concentration and focus, rather than basking in audience adulation.

You know what really gave me chills? During the 2003 HBO show at MSG (I was there) when Keith, Ronnie and Darryl were hunkered down in front of the drum riser during Midnight Rambler, just rocking the shit out of the place. They weren't mugging for cameras or goofing off...just playing.

I know Keith is the coolest cat on the planet...he doesn't need to prove it any way other than by playing his ass off.

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keefriff99

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liddas
Reading some comments, one has the impression that Keith hardly plays the guitar anymore. Could someone post examples of Keith posing and NOT playing (save when he sings his set)?

I can't remember much of them. Actually I can't remember any.

Every single show I've seen or heard from the ABB tour, Keith's guitar always made the song, for the good or the bad.

C

I specifically remember him doing it during JJF at Giants Stadium in 2002...he started jogging across the stage and stopped playing, and the song stopped dead in its tracks for 5-10 seconds...nothing but drums, bass and Ronnie's tinkling.

The song was kicking the stadium's ass up until that point.

No one's saying he DOESN'T play, but sometimes he'll hit a chord and let it ring out while he's posing, rather than finish playing the progression.

The Stones are at their best when Keith is laying down a relentless, driving rhythm guitar, but that would take concentration and focus, rather than basking in audience adulation.

You know what really gave me chills? During the 2003 HBO show at MSG (I was there) when Keith, Ronnie and Darryl were hunkered down in front of the drum riser during Midnight Rambler, just rocking the shit out of the place. They weren't mugging for cameras or goofing off...just playing.

I know Keith is the coolest cat on the planet...he doesn't need to prove it any way other than by playing his ass off.

Agreed. Also, I think when he did his solo stuff he became much more of the showman. I don't want to see him posing, i want to see him play.

Great question! I think it was in '81 when his guitar got untethered from an amp.

And I think his playing has really suffered because of it. His playing is sloppy.

A related question: When did his guitar drop below his waist? In the early days he played with his guitar over his heart, but over the years it has dropped down, and how he plays it around his knees. That makes picking notes harder but strumming chords easier.

I'm looking forward to the day when he gets real old and has to sit down to play. Then he'll get back to his groovin' old self.

"I'm looking forward to the day when he gets real old and has to sit down to play. Then he'll get back to his groovin' old self"

Superb, whatever next...

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keefriff99

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liddas
Reading some comments, one has the impression that Keith hardly plays the guitar anymore. Could someone post examples of Keith posing and NOT playing (save when he sings his set)?

I can't remember much of them. Actually I can't remember any.

Every single show I've seen or heard from the ABB tour, Keith's guitar always made the song, for the good or the bad.

C

I specifically remember him doing it during JJF at Giants Stadium in 2002...he started jogging across the stage and stopped playing, and the song stopped dead in its tracks for 5-10 seconds...nothing but drums, bass and Ronnie's tinkling.

The song was kicking the stadium's ass up until that point.

No one's saying he DOESN'T play, but sometimes he'll hit a chord and let it ring out while he's posing, rather than finish playing the progression.

The Stones are at their best when Keith is laying down a relentless, driving rhythm guitar, but that would take concentration and focus, rather than basking in audience adulation.

You know what really gave me chills? During the 2003 HBO show at MSG (I was there) when Keith, Ronnie and Darryl were hunkered down in front of the drum riser during Midnight Rambler, just rocking the shit out of the place. They weren't mugging for cameras or goofing off...just playing.

I know Keith is the coolest cat on the planet...he doesn't need to prove it any way other than by playing his ass off.

OK, that can't be so dramatic! By the way, I too was at the garden for the HBO show, and what a show that was!!!

C

keith always was a great stage presence full of intensity to me...
looka sum way early stuff and his body gets blown back by his own sound from his own amp bout half uvva the time.... K IS rock and roll presence, quietly or explosively, every time i see him.. ty Keith

"Manic energy" and "moves" are mutually exclusive...

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ROPENI
In the 60"s and 70's Keith would stand on stage and not move much,yes he would go over to share harmonies with Mick,and at other times turn his back to the audience and stand by Charlie's drums,and groove to whatever he was playing.
Then imo starting with the 80's he became a showman just like Mick he would jump and run all over the stage also his guitar playing became more of a show than substance,he started doing what l call his "monkey moves"with his arms.
Anyway anyone has any input into this very important subject???.(just kidding).
Check out the video below and you will see my point.

Here is one when Keith could really play guitar without being a Showman.

Well, maybe Freddy Sesler"s vitamins became better and gave Keith more energy to jump around and to showboat..

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"

Nice clip baton rouge. The Mick Taylor years Keith was the coolest cat on the planet. He was rock 'n' roll. When Taylor left, the atmosphere was less serious. This is not a nock on Woody, but he definately change the dynamics of the band. Also I think the split with Jagger in the 80's, Keith decided to be more of a showman. I miss the old Keith, now we have just old Keith.....

It's so very lonely, you're 2,000 Light Years from home

I hate the way he moves onstage now compared to 81 and before, he looks like an idiot. A shame too, as he use to be the epitome of onstage cool.

He is not exactly doin' The Duck dance yet. Bill Wyman is my fave-showman.

2 1 2 0

Talk is Cheap was a great year for Keith's guitar playing , even if he was fronting his band. He was very much into the music and also leading his band something he never did again with the Stones. He passed that role to CHuck Leavell.






Up to 76 or probably 78 Keith was high onstage... so the 81 tour probably marked a so kind of new interaction with the audience and the show itself.

Tours from 88 and 95 Keith's playing was the probably the last great guitar playing period of his career... after that we lost his fingers and also his sound changed, his approach to the instrument changed, the leads all became Chuckberrysticly the same leads, and a lot of you typed the word groove or grooving which in my honest opinnion is where Keef lleft everyone in the dust has been lost... Keith is not carrying the band with his groove anymore. Even Blondie Chaplin is playing guitar onstage. Some of you might "yeah but he plays Tumblin Dice as good as ever" yeah probably, the Stones cant go wrong with that tune.

So yeah more moves and less groove. He should start turning his back to audience again and play with Charlie....

Good video. Keith basically stands and plays. Great stuff

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liddas
Reading some comments, one has the impression that Keith hardly plays the guitar anymore. Could someone post examples of Keith posing and NOT playing (save when he sings his set)?

I can't remember much of them. Actually I can't remember any.

Every single show I've seen or heard from the ABB tour, Keith's guitar always made the song, for the good or the bad.

C

LOVING CUP live, since Licks I believe? Listen to the original, and than listen to his live contribution: It sucks. Where is the fantastic electric rhythm part played by Taylor?

Also SOME GIRLS live, where is the constantly played rhythm part live on stage? Mick plays the rhythm part live, but stops playing when singing. Why doesn't Keith play that part and the solo just by Ron?
Must say though, love the live part from Shine A Light, but still would love to hear the original song as it was recorded.

Keith is a lot drooling around whenever he has no main rhythm part to play. Like No Expectations during Licks... It just needs 1 rhythm guitar part and 1 solo part, both acoustic!

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Come On
He is not exactly doin' The Duck dance yet. Bill Wyman is my fave-showman.

I think Bill Wyman once said, "I'll move when Charlie moves"

I think Keith was fantastic on the B2B tour and right up through Licks he was still very good. ABB tour he was not so good especially after the fall. He was fine on NS.

I swear everyone thinks he's going to play like he did in Europe in 73 all his life not gonna happen though it would be awesome if it did. He can still get an entire stadium on its feet with one note.

Tad OTT eh cocker! Really, think about the subject your getting so irate about. It aint no big deal.....

When he toured with the Winos for the first time. He was much more focused on his playing in 1981/82.

Hello guys, I'm a newbie, but this forum is great, thanks to all the uploaders.

I'm a big Keith and RS fan, but I can't stand his posings anymore. I'm a music purist too, and what Keith do now musically onstage is bad. He's often unable to play well.
Actually, I think without provocation that Rolling Stones (which is my favourite RNR band) are a parody of themselves since the end of the SW tour, and it's worse each year...

For me, they are a museum, but not a creative rock band since years, and the posings hide in my opinion an unability to play well: Keith play for photographs and cameras, not for public. OK, it's cool for the stadiums, but for music purist like me, it's very hard toaccept (and i hate music in stadiums!). So I'm very disappointed by what they do, and in particular by what Keith do.

For example, his solo on the Shine A light's version of Sympathy is really awful (but the album is globally very bad in my opinion):





Keith is out of tune, out of rhythm, he smile, but it's really one of the worst solos I ever seen or heard. Amazing. I can't even understand why they have let officially release that, or why they can tour whereas there's is a such incapacity to play: it's not correct towards the public. . It's not music, it's circus, and not Rock N Roll Circus unfortunately!

Sorry if this post hurts some fans, it's not my goal, i don't want to create polemic or bad vibes, just give my opinion!

All the best.

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winjoe
Now people are ripping on Keith Richards' rhythm playing? Hilarious!! You people are fuc*ing idiots. I mean....really fuc*ing stupid. Bottom of the barrel. Clueless motherfu*kers.

What's that? No need to get personal? It's just your opinions?

Fu*k off!!.

Keith Richards' rhythm skills being questioned and criticized by a bunch of novice, wannabe, shit musicians..... as if discussing your horseshit opinions amongst your pathetic, talentless little circle makes them valid.

Pathetic. Each and every one of y'all.

Mr winjoe, may l suggest a coffee Enema,everyday day for the next 2 weeks,preferably Decaff, it will do wonders for your attitude..

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"