Just as The Beatles broke through with their first two hit albums in 1963, a group of Muddy Waters fanatics named The Rolling Stones gained traction in London’s blossoming R&B scene. While early bandleader Brian Jones paved the crucial foundational years, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger’s songwriting prowess would soon turn the tides.
Despite a press-magnified friendly rivalry later in the 1960s, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones had mutual admiration during their respective rises as budding British Invasion artists. Famously, The Beatles, who rose to global acclaim first, gifted their London counterparts the Lennon-McCartney composition ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ for one of their early breakthrough hits.
In his memoir, Life, The Rolling Stones’ rhythm guitarist Keith Richards discussed his relationship with The Beatles. On the whole, he had only good things to say but criticised John Lennon playfully as a “silly sod”.
“I liked John a lot,” Richards wrote. “He was a silly sod in many ways. I used to criticise him for wearing his guitar too high. They used to wear them up by their chests, which really constricts your movement. It’s like being handcuffed. ‘Got your fucking guitar under your fucking chin, for Christ’s sake. It ain’t a violin.’ I think they thought it was a cool thing. Gerry & the Pacemakers, all of the Liverpool bands did it.”
As far as Richards is concerned, having the guitar a little looser at hip level was far cooler. That way, it’s also much easier to club any nefarious stage invaders. In return, Lennon probably thought Richards’ guitar height was amusing and uncool, but overall, the pair admired one another for their respective talents.
In 1968, The Rolling Stones put together the trailblazing concert movie Rock and Roll Circus and invited Lennon to join the action alongside The Who, Marianne Faithfull, Jethro Tull and more. For the occasion, Lennon decided to form The Dirty Mac, a one-off supergroup featuring Richards, Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell and Yoko Ono.
Richards’ admiration for Lennon was most likely centred on songwriting, his most vital attribute. However, the Stones’ guitarist always felt a stronger affinity with George Harrison. “The thing is, you’ve got your Jimi Hendrix, you’ve got your Eric Clapton, and then you’ve got guys who can play with bands. George was a band and a team player,” Richards once said of the so-called “Quiet Beatle”.
“People get carried away with lead guitars […] and feedbacks, and it’s all histrionics when it comes down to it. George was an artist, but he was also a fucking craftsman,” he added.
Watch Keith Richards perform with John Lennon in The Dirty Mac below.
