Keith Richards quotes are thought-provoking, memorable and inspiring. From views on society and politics to thoughts on love and life, Keith Richards has a lot to say. In this list we present the 18 best Keith Richards quotes, in no particular order. Let yourself get inspired!
(And check out our page with Keith Richards quotes per category if you only want to read quotes from a certain category, such as funny, life, love, politics, and more).
Keith Richards quotes
If you’re going to kick authority in the teeth, you might as well use two feet.
— Keith Richards, Keith Richards: In His Own Words
…I take the view that God, in his infinite wisdom, didn’t bother to spring for two joints – heaven and hell. They’re the same place, but heaven is when you get everything you want and you meet Mommy and Daddy and your best friends and you all have a hug and a kiss and play your harps. Hell is the same place – no fire and brimstone – but they just all pass by and don’t see you. There’s nothing, no recognition. You’re waving, “It’s me, your father, ” but you’re invisible. You’re on a cloud, you’ve got your harp, but you can’t play with nobody because they don’t see you. That’s hell.
— Keith Richards, Life
When you are growing up there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you. The public library is a great equaliser.
— Keith Richards
Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in the bones.
— Keith Richards, According to the Rolling Stones
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 Richards, Life
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.
— Keith Richards, Life
Classic of ’43. Don’t knock it. A Vintage year.
— Keith Richards
I’m glad to be here. I’m glad to be anywhere.
— Keith Richards
I’ve never had inner turmoil about all this. You find a lot of people these days who cannot stand to be alone. You could lock me up in solitary for weeks on end, and I’d keep myself amused.
— Keith Richards
When you are growing up there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you.
— Keith Richards
Good music comes out of people playing together, knowing what they want to do and going for it. You have to sweat over it and bug it to death. You can’t do it by pushing buttons and watching a TV screen.
— Keith Richards
You have the sun, you have the moon, you have the air that you breathe – and you have the Rolling Stones!
— Keith Richards
Rock and Roll: Music for the neck downwards.
— Keith Richards
The only things Mick and I disagree about is the band, the music and what we do.
— Keith Richards
Yes, I’ve been trepanned. That’s quite an interesting experience, especially for my brain surgeon, who saw my thoughts flying around in my brain.
— Keith Richards
To me, my biggest fear is getting a big head, and that is when I get the hammer. Because it’s very easy in this game to believe you’re something special.
— Keith Richards
I don’t trust doctors. It’s not to say there ain’t some good ones, but on a general level, no, I wouldn’t trust ’em at all.
— Keith Richards
To make a rock’n’roll record, technology is the least important thing.
— Keith Richards
And it was a very, very fruitful and great relationship between the Stones and The Beatles. It was very, very friendly.
— Keith Richards
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish