Rock and roll ain't nothing but jazz with a hard backbeat.
Keith RichardsRead
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding the roots of music is essential for true expression in popular genres.
In this quote, Keith Richards emphasizes the importance of knowing the fundamental elements of music, particularly the blues, as a foundation for creating and performing in other genres like rock and roll. He suggests that without this foundational knowledge, oneβs ability to genuinely connect with and create music may be limited, indicating that the blues serves as a crucial building block for a deeper understanding of music as a whole.
Themes
MusicBluesRock And RollFoundationExpression
In practice
Example use cases
During a music class, to emphasize the importance of learning music history.
More from Keith Richards
All quotes βEveryone talks about rock these days; the problem is they forget about the roll.
Keith RichardsRead
There's just certain styles of playing that you do play in your own way. Maybe it's in the way your fingers bend, for all I know. And so whenever you pick up the guitar it's not so much the sound of the instrument itself, it's like the ting that you add onto it-the attitude.
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If you've gotta think about being cool, you ain't cool.
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There's something beautifully friendly and elevating about a bunch of guys playing music together. This wonderful little world that is unassailable. It's really teamwork, one guy supporting the others, and it's all for one purpose, and there's no flies in the ointment, for a while. And nobody conducting, it's all up to you. It's really jazz__that's the big secret. Rock and roll ain't nothing but jazz with a hard backbeat.
Keith RichardsRead
When you're supported by millions all over the world, you can either go nuts, or try to feed off the goodwill.
Keith RichardsRead
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