I'm new to IORR - I'm very sorry if this has been up before...
I was thinking about this the other day; when and how did Keith ''discover'' his pirate/outlaw/gypsy image and how did he develop it? And how much of it do you think is true? Obviously I'm not just talking about the wild clothes (but that too, actually), but just his whole carefree, Loose, nomade, calling girls bitches etc persona. Keith's said in Life that he kind of took the ball and ran with it, so I guess it's not all genuine.
But I was just wondering, when you see Keith in recent interviews (from like late 80s/early 90s), he always has that laid back, nonchalant swagger and he talks like he's the guy down at the local car wash, even though he's a rich superstar. Is that mostly for show you think? To try and stay somewhat connected to the cats he looks up to? Jagger's said that Keith was always a shy and quiet boy.

Here's a couple of examples of how I've noticed Keith being ''this guy'' in recent years:


1:17:
video: [www.youtube.com]















Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-04-03 12:04 by negol.

video: [www.youtube.com]

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negol
I'm new to IORR - I'm very sorry if this has been up before...
I was thinking about this the other day; when and how did Keith ''discover'' his pirate/outlaw/gypsy image and how did he develop it? And how much of it do you think is true? Obviously I'm not just talking about the wild clothes (but that too, actually), but just his whole carefree, Loose, nomade, calling girls bitches etc persona. Keith's said in Life that he kind of took the ball and ran with it, so I guess it's not all genuine.
But I was just wondering, when you see Keith in recent interviews (from like late 80s/early 90s), he always has that laid back, nonchalant swagger and he talks like he's the guy down at the local car wash, even though he's a rich superstar. Is that mostly for show you think? To try and stay somewhat connected to the cats he looks up to? Jagger's said that Keith was always a shy and quiet boy.

Here's a couple of examples of how I've noticed Keith being ''this guy'' in recent years:


1:17:
video: [www.youtube.com]

I think Anita was pretty instrumental in creating that image, together with drug use...

Anita and Andrew O. are two people who were huge in the shaping of the infamous Rolling Stones myth and image.
But a certain persona can reign supreme in an era, because it applies to the surrounding times. Then the climate will change. the person himself grows older in age. If his persona and image doesn't move and change alongside, it becomes a travesty.

His absolute coolest era were with the missing teeth..

.

At his coolest: The New Barbarians-era.

If you'll notice, stage-wise, he became more of a forceful presence on stage beginning with Hyde Park, when for the first time the spotlight became him and Mick, rather than in previous years when all the attention went to Mick and Brian. With Brian out of the picture and Mick Taylor standing stock still, Keith was free to fill that void.

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stonehearted
If you'll notice, stage-wise, he became more of a forceful presence on stage beginning with Hyde Park, when for the first time the spotlight became him and Mick, rather than in previous years when all the attention went to Mick and Brian. With Brian out of the picture and Mick Taylor standing stock still, Keith was free to fill that void.

His cord was a bit short in HP, though

I think the increasing focus on Keith (and less on Brian) began in 1966 already, if you look at performances and videos.

Rock critics like Nick Kent have also helped creating the personea. Lots of articles have been written describing Keith using metaphors and all kind of images. Those were words written by others on Keith that were read by all lots of people. keith probably read those articles too.
Rock and roll,
Mops

Very interesting, guys... Keith talks a bit about his image here video: [www.youtube.com] from 6:43

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rollmops
Rock critics like Nick Kent have also helped creating the persona. Lots of articles have been written describing Keith using metaphors and all kind of images. Those were words written by others on Keith that were read by all lots of people. keith probably read those articles too.
Rock and roll,
Mops

Sorry to quote myself but as an example the oxymoron "elegantly waisted"; I don't think Keith one day put his clothes on and thought that he was to be that. But the image was very strong and revelatory of how Keith was perceived by others which may have inspired him to add another facette to his persona.
Rock and roll,
Mop

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rollmops

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rollmops
Rock critics like Nick Kent have also helped creating the persona. Lots of articles have been written describing Keith using metaphors and all kind of images. Those were words written by others on Keith that were read by all lots of people. keith probably read those articles too.
Rock and roll,
Mops

Sorry to quote myself but as an example the oxymoron "elegantly waisted"; I don't think Keith one day put his clothes on and thought that he was to be that. But the image was very strong and revelatory of how Keith was perceived by others which may have inspired him to add another facette to his persona.
Rock and roll,
Mop

Hendrix may have been the one that inspired Keith clotheswisely...

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Come On

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rollmops

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rollmops
Rock critics like Nick Kent have also helped creating the persona. Lots of articles have been written describing Keith using metaphors and all kind of images. Those were words written by others on Keith that were read by all lots of people. keith probably read those articles too.
Rock and roll,
Mops

Sorry to quote myself but as an example the oxymoron "elegantly waisted"; I don't think Keith one day put his clothes on and thought that he was to be that. But the image was very strong and revelatory of how Keith was perceived by others which may have inspired him to add another facette to his persona.
Rock and roll,
Mop

Hendrix may have been the one that inspired Keith clotheswisely...

He was there, already

I'm not sure Keith ever referred to women as 'bitches'
I could be mistaken, but I always thought Keith was respectful to women.

The little bitch got soul...

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Deathgod
I'm not sure Keith ever referred to women as 'bitches'
I could be mistaken, but I always thought Keith was respectful to women.

He does, but it is obvious that this is meant in a good way, and not as discriminating as if you and I all of a sudden should start doing it - don't ask me why

There was a time, especially in the 70s and early 80s, when that image felt natural to him. But since '89 or so he is trying too hard and it became worse the older he got. He is like a caricature of the Keith from way back when. I'm sure he is totally aware of how the masses want to see him and he is willing to fulfill their expectations. To me he he acts and looks pretty silly and I can't take him serious anymore.

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Glammy
There was a time, especially in the 70s and early 80s, when that image felt natural to him. But since '89 or so he is trying too hard and it became worse the older he got. He is like a caricature of the Keith from way back when. I'm sure he is totally aware of how the masses want to see him and he is willing to fulfill their expectations. To me he he acts and looks pretty silly and I can't take him serious anymore.

I agree, late 60s to early 80s extreme coolness. By the time Dirty Work came out things were unravelling fast though, and by 1989 he was already a caricature.

never gets much of a mention but hey don't ya reckon there's a slice of
Alexis Korner there in the late 60's Keith ... trinkets ..scarves..
rings.. bed-messed hair.. gestures.. cig in hand....topped off with the eloquent well spoken voice...

or maybe it was the other way 'round ...



ROCKMAN

HMMMM...

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treaclefingers

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Glammy
There was a time, especially in the 70s and early 80s, when that image felt natural to him. But since '89 or so he is trying too hard and it became worse the older he got. He is like a caricature of the Keith from way back when. I'm sure he is totally aware of how the masses want to see him and he is willing to fulfill their expectations. To me he he acts and looks pretty silly and I can't take him serious anymore.

I agree, late 60s to early 80s extreme coolness. By the time Dirty Work came out things were unravelling fast though, and by 1989 he was already a caricature.

The saving grace is that he sees it.

Keith doesn't think he's that person ...he just cultivates the image because it's what folks expect and he probably still gets a kick out of it .

I'd say he's done a fine job cultivating it. For me he's always been the most interesting Stone because of it.

Nowadays I think he does appear (to me anyway) a little more down to earth (now that he's a grandfather).

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treaclefingers

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Glammy
There was a time, especially in the 70s and early 80s, when that image felt natural to him. But since '89 or so he is trying too hard and it became worse the older he got. He is like a caricature of the Keith from way back when. I'm sure he is totally aware of how the masses want to see him and he is willing to fulfill their expectations. To me he he acts and looks pretty silly and I can't take him serious anymore.

I agree, late 60s to early 80s extreme coolness. By the time Dirty Work came out things were unravelling fast though, and by 1989 he was already a caricature.

Have you seen the DW-interviews? I thought he was surprisingly open and not trying to be cool - despite WWIII...

Didn't everybody try to look cool more or less the same way in the latter half of the sixties?

I'm not just talking about the clothes, even though that is a BIG part of it, but also Keith's way of talking, ending every other sentence with ''baby'' or ''girl'', calling people ''cats'' etc., that's not very English to me. And not very Connecticut, either (right?)

Where do you think he picked up all this stuff from?

He doesn't seem to get out much, prolly the internet.

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negol
Where do you think he picked up all this stuff from?

Blues and jazz men of the American south and Chicago. Baby girl is still a common affectionate way to address women and girls down south.

I did not know that. Interesting!