One legendary guitarist was completely wrong about Prince

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As a lifelong music aficionado with a special place in my heart for the Rolling Stones, I must admit that I find Keith Richards’ dismissal of Prince to be rather perplexing. Having grown up listening to both bands, I can attest to their unique brilliance and influence on the music industry.

Keith Richards is known for speaking from the corner of his mouth, yet sometimes lacks understanding of what he’s discussing. Regardless, he’s been a significant contributor to the iconic status of The Rolling Stones for over seven decades, thus he deserves the freedom to be mistaken. Unfortunately, this was often the case when it came to his views on Prince.

Although their collaborative efforts weren’t particularly fruitful, Mick Jagger (of the Rolling Stones) may have had some interactions with Prince. In 1981, Prince served as the opening act for the Rolling Stones for a brief period. Despite their striking differences as musicians, they shared more similarities than either might have recognized in the early ’80s.

The Rolling Stones were known for their affinity towards blues-rock, and justifiably so. Their musical style was distinctly different from the more pop-oriented sound of the Beatles. Instead, the Rolling Stones drew heavily on the soulful music originating from the American South, a stark contrast to the Beatles’ sound.

Keith Richards clearly did not understand the greatness of Prince

Originally hailing from Minnesota, Prince drew musical influence not only from his homeland but also from genres that resonated with the Rolling Stones. His music was a blend of gospel and funk, yet it transcended these styles, demonstrating a versatility that surpassed the Stones’ capabilities. This was due to Prince being a self-contained artist who drew inspiration from diverse sounds, transforming them into unique melodies. He didn’t truly blossom into full musical maturity until a couple of years after he shared a stage with the Rolling Stones.

Without a doubt, for every song like “Let’s Go Crazy,” Prince also has a tune such as “Raspberry Beret.” These are two distinct tracks.

Keith Richards evidently failed to fully appreciate Prince’s music. In his 2010 memoir, Life, he famously referred to Prince as an “underrated little person,” a statement that seems to underestimate the incredible skill Prince possessed in comparison to Richards’ own talent on the guitar.

In simpler terms, Richard’s comment to the now-closed Musician magazine suggested that Prince was striving to be like Stevie Wonder. However, this statement could be misunderstood because it seems Richard may not have fully grasped the unique sounds of both Stevie Wonder and Prince, as their musical styles are quite distinct from each other. This lack of understanding appears to be a missed opportunity for Richard.

The truth is that the Rolling Stones and Prince are both worthy of being listened to for the rest of your life. That either would have said anything negative about the other only hurts the artist making the accusations. Richards was simply wrong – and ignorant – about Prince.

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2024-10-18 16:00