If you don’t know the blues… there’s no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music.
Meaning of the quote
To truly understand and play music, you need to know the blues. The blues is the foundation of rock and roll and many other popular music styles. If you don't have a deep understanding of the blues, you won't be able to fully connect with or express yourself through the guitar or other instruments. It's like trying to build a house without understanding the importance of the foundation - it just won't work.
More quotes from Keith Richards
You’ve got the sun, you’ve got the moon, and you’ve got the Rolling Stones.
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I look for ambiguity when I’m writing because life is ambiguous.
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If you’re going to kick authority in the teeth, you might as well use two feet.
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I only get ill when I give up drugs.
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I’ve always been suspicious of TV, I’ve always found music and video to be an unhappy marriage.
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Good music comes out of people playing together, knowing what they want to do and going for it. You have to sweat over it and bug it to death. You can’t do it by pushing buttons and watching a TV screen.
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It’s an addiction… and addiction is something I should know something about.
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The Stones in a club is still the ultimate rush.
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To me, as long as we’ve known each other, I’ve always thought Mick’s most brilliant thing was that he could work in an area two foot square and give a very exciting performance.
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The only things Mick and I disagree about is the band, the music and what we do.
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I’ve never had a problem with drugs. I’ve had problems with the police.
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To make a rock’n’roll record, technology is the least important thing.
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When I listen to what I did under the influence – 10 years of work – I don’t think it either enhanced or impaired me. It didn’t have that much to do with it.
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I never thought I was wasted, but I probably was.
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Let me be clear about this. I don’t have a drug problem. I have a police problem.
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There’s no substitute for live work to keep a band together.
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Rock and Roll: Music for the neck downwards.
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If you don’t know the blues… there’s no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music.
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Everyone talks about rock these days; the problem is they forget about the roll.
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I have no idea what the audience makes of me.
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Hey, we just enjoy it. I think we think we’re getting the hang of this thing, you know?
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It’s good to be anywhere.
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It’s great to be here. It’s great to be anywhere.
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