Keith Richards’ 6 Words of Praise for Rolling Stones Bandmate Ronnie Wood
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards lets Mick Jagger be the primary voice in the band. The song “Happy” is one of few Stones tunes where Richards sings lead instead of Jagger. Yet the guitarist is plenty vocal outside the group. He’ll call out bands he doesn’t like in a heartbeat, but the opinionated Richards praised Ronnie Wood with just six words after Wood joined the Stones.
Keith Richards rarely handed out praise for other bands
The Rolling Stones cemented their status as one of the biggest bands in the world by the late 1960s. They released four classic albums — Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main St. — between 1968 and 1972. Richards believed his band was the best around.
The guitarist gave hilariously critical reviews of several rock bands before the Stones’ 1969 tour. Led Zeppelin, Blind Faith, Bob Dylan, Jethro Tull, and the Bee Gees strayed into Richards’ crosshairs, and he fired off criticisms of each group. The guitarist has even called out Jagger over the years, eventually saying he dislikes the singer only 1% of the time.
He doesn’t dole out praise lightly, so it means something that Richards needed just six words to give Wood a massive compliment.
Richards praised Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood with just six words: ‘With Ronnie, the possibilities are endless’
Richards threw digs at Jagger and called out contemporary rock bands of the late 1960s. He never hesitated to voice his opinion, especially controversial ones. So it speaks volumes that Richards gave Wood a massive compliment in just a few words.
As Wood writes in his autobiography Ronnie, Richards used an interview to praise the guitarist who joined The Rolling Stones in 1975:
“We can do a lot more with this particular band than any other incarnation of the Rolling Stones. With Ronnie, the possibilities are endless.”
Keith Richards
Richards needed just six words to praise Wood: “With Ronnie, the possibilities are endless.” Keith didn’t temper his words. He didn’t leave it at something generic, such as, “This version of The Rolling Stones feels really good.” No, Richards complimented Wood very directly, and it wasn’t just a one-off. Elsewhere, Richards said of Wood, “His strength, like mine, is to play with another guitar player,” (per Ronnie).
Richards and Wood knew each other before the latter joined the Stones, but being friends never stopped Keith from criticizing someone. Just ask Jagger. So Richards’ six-word compliment for Wood stands out as the highest of praise.
Both Stones guitarists speak highly of each other
Richards once lived in a cottage on Wood’s estate, and Wood helped write a Rolling Stones hit song before he joined the band. The pair were friendly with each other for years, but that wouldn’t necessarily stop Richards from criticizing Wood if he felt it was warranted.
That’s why Richards’ six-word compliment of Wood stands out. It wasn’t the only time Wood received praise from his bandmate. Richards once said one of the easiest decisions The Rolling Stones made was choosing Wood to replace Mick Taylor as rhythm guitarist.
Wood dished out praise for his bandmate, too. He said Richards role in the Stones as the person from whom all the other members take their cues set him apart from other guitarists. Jagger and drummer Charlie Watts didn’t drive the band on stage, according to Wood. They all follow Richards’ lead.
Keith Richards’ six words of praise for Ronnie Wood demonstrated the respect between the two Rolling Stones guitarists. Keith has never been afraid to speak his mind when warranted, and there’s no doubt he thinks highly of his bandmate.
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