The Rolling Stones have long been stalwarts of the music industry, surviving numerous scandals and the passing of several members, yet continuing to make music and perform well into the 21st century.
Many aspiring bands have looked up to them and aimed to reach the same heights of success, with several succeeding, even if they were not directly inspired by the Stones.
Keith Richards, the Stones’ guitarist, is known for his frank and sometimes controversial views about other musicians.
He has never hesitated to express his thoughts on everyone from David Bowie to Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Black Sabbath, and even the entire genre of rap music. His critiques often lack subtlety and are delivered with a signature candor that has become a part of his public persona.
Yet, there’s one band in particular that Richards finds tedious – The Grateful Dead. This classic rock band, a significant figure in American counterculture, rose to prominence in the mid-1960s, just like the Stones.
The Grateful Dead are renowned for their eclectic mix of styles and penchant for extensive jam sessions. However, their drawn-out performances don’t sit well with Richards, who once exclaimed, “The Grateful Dead is where everybody got it wrong. Just poodling about for hours and hours. Jerry Garcia, boring sh*t, man. Sorry, Jerry.”
Considering the Stones’ longest song, ‘Goin Home,’ is just over ten minutes, it’s no surprise that Richards isn’t fond of bands like The Grateful Dead, who’ve performed songs like ‘Playing In The Band’ and ‘Dark Star,’ each stretching over 45 minutes.
However, Jerry Garcia, frontman of The Grateful Dead, never let Richards’ critique dampen his appreciation for the Rolling Stones.
He has always been a vocal admirer of their 1967 album ‘Between the Buttons,’ even going as far as covering their song ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ in 1989, and performing his unique take on ‘Connection’ with his other band, New Riders of the Purple Sage.
