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Rolling Stones quotes: Keith Richards on the future of the Stones’ recording career (1993)
“I just don’t want to see the Stones grasping hungrily to be up to date and have hit records, I just want the Stones to do the best they can. They’re the only ones who can do it. I want to make really good stuff. If we get hits out of it fantastic, but if not they’ll be damn good records, and they’ll still last, and they’ll be around a long time.”
Keith Richards: Good Music First, Everything Else Later
In 1993, Keith Richards wasn’t stressing about chart positions or chasing trends. What mattered most to him was that The Rolling Stones stayed true to their sound and spirit. He wasn’t interested in chasing the next hit just to stay relevant. Instead, he wanted the band to focus on what they did best—making solid, lasting records. And if a hit came out of it? Great. But the goal was to create something real, something timeless.
Keith on The Rolling Stones Recording Future: Not Chasing the Charts
Keith made it clear: trying to be trendy was a trap. “I just don’t want to see the Stones grasping hungrily to be up to date,” he said. For him, the true magic of the band came from doing their own thing, not copying what was hot at the moment. They had a sound, a soul, and a style that was unmistakably theirs—and only they could deliver it. Why dilute that just for a shot at radio play?
Instead, Richards focused on quality. His vision was all about putting together albums that would still sound good years—maybe decades—down the line. “If we get hits out of it, fantastic,” he said. “But if not, they’ll be damn good records.” In other words, hits are a bonus; the real goal is to create music with staying power.
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