I cannot believe it's taken me 10 years to watch this fabulous film.
Keith Richards Under The Influence: A Captivating Look at a Rock Legend
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Morgan Neville, "Keith Richards: Under the Influence" provides an unprecedented look into the musical influences and creative processes of Keith Richards, the legendary guitarist of The Rolling Stones. Released in 2015, the documentary offers fans a unique glimpse of Richards that goes beyond his public persona as a rock and roll icon.
This film has left a lasting impression on me. I am not particularly a big fan of the stones which is maybe why I found this biopic so fascinating and educational. The man Keith Richards, a loveable rogue on the one hand but clearly so much more, an expert, some might say a genius, than the “persona” he inhabits of pisshead, ne'r do well, drug addict.
It's a journey through musical roots
The film takes viewers on a journey through the musical roots that have shaped Richards' life and career. From his early days in post-war Britain, where he was influenced by the likes of Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf and Buddy Guy to his later friendship with producer and drummer Steve Jordan and Tom Waits. Who knew Richards had a fall out with Mick Jagger 1985-1989 and worked with another hero Chuck Berry in "Chuck Berry hail Hail rock and roll" the movie directed by Taylor Hackford 1987.
Blues and Country stars Hank Williams and Johnny Cash had a profound influence to his exploration of reggae, he spent the early 1970's living in Jamaica, the documentary showcases the breadth of Richards' musical influences. Neville's direction ensures that the narrative is not just informative but also deeply personal and engaging.
What sets "Keith Richards: Under the Influence" apart is its intimate and revealing approach. The film features extensive interviews with Richards himself, where he speaks candidly about his past, his artistic process, and his philosophies on music and life. It charts the story, in Richards own very wise and witty words of a crafted persona, his days he wishes he could be the anonymous rock star. He likes his position behind front man Mick Jagger, he tells us. Although the film follows Richards as he records his first solo album in 23 years, Cross Eyed Heart he talks about The Stones and returning "home" (he means to the band) to touring after 10 years in the 1990’s. The Steel Wheels world tour and album release 1989 was the comeback and began a roller coaster for the Stones that hasn’t stopped since.
Exploring his musical influences and creative process through interviews and archive footage we see Keith chuckle a lot, he tells us he plays the bass the best, and we see him at the piano, which he says he can’t play very well, “only with the right hand” I beg to differ and explains it’s where he likes to write. He talks about the guitar being an awkward piece of kit for composing and how he likes sitting at the piano, he describes it as a chess board with all the pieces laid out in front of him, a paint box ready to create. He lets us know that, “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” “Wild Horses” and “Under My Thumb” among them – he actually co wrote all those songs.
“Life’s a funny thing,” he says in the voice-over for Keith Richards: Under the Influence, “I always thought as a young man that 30 was about it, it would be horrible to go past that mark… until I got to 31. Life’s a funny thing. You’re not grown up until the day they put you six feet under.” The guest of honour was born on December 18, 1943.
Throughout the film there are too numerous to mention quips, anecdotes and pearls of wisdom “No one wants to get old, then again no one wants to die young”
These conversations are interlaid with archival footage, rare photographs, and music tracks that have defined his illustrious career. The T.A.M.I. Show, the newsreel footage of screaming kids and R&B stars, the infamous Dean Martin Show on which the aging Rat Packer deadpans the audience with a smirk after they exit the stage, and the Brit pop show where the announcer dutifully introduces Howlin Wolf to the gum-chewing crowd and he kills it, really kills it – all of these moments in rock history we’ve seen before but not quite from this perspective.
There is that Saturday Night Live performance of the X-Pensive Winos introduced by Tom Hanks, with a younger version of pretty much the same crew who are making this record with him now, the centre thread of the film, Crosseyed Heart. And of course, Keith’s near-pugilistic encounter with another one of his father figures, Chuck Berry, in the Taylor Hackford-directed Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll from 1987. This format allows the audience to see a side of Richards that is seldom revealed in the public eye.
The Role of Director Morgan Neville (friend of Richards) is powerful, known for his Oscar-winning documentary "20 Feet from Stardom," brings a subtle yet powerful touch to the film. His expertise in storytelling is evident in how he weaves together various elements to present a coherent and engaging narrative. Neville’s direction not only highlights Richards' musical genius but also delves into his personal evolution over the decades. Keith travels to Chicago, where Keith stops at Chess (flashbacks of Buddy Guy rockin’ it back in the day interwoven with footage of him and Keith shooting pool. Buddy says, “I used to go to Chess and turned up my amplifier like these guys,” Keith sinks an eight-ball in the corner pocket); a visit to the now-decrepit Chicago landmark home of Muddy Waters (“Willie Dixon brought me here… I don’t remember leaving.
Buddy offers Keith Corn Liquour, sounds hardcore and then makes a joke about trying to keep up with Keith being a mistake.
As Keith continues to reminisce, (Neville's camera catures everything) Somehow, when I woke up I was in Howlin’ Wolf’s house”); and then we see a great piece of Stones iconography, footage from Chicago’s Checkerboard Lounge in 1981: “Mannish Boy,” in which the Muddy-Keith-Mick dynamic was laid bare and frozen in time, the entire performance restored from the original footage and with sound mixed and mastered by Bob Clearmountain. It’s clear everyone at the gig was loaded and in good spirits, and the filmakers cuts are precise and very well considered. It really flows, the story, the intimacy with the artist.
We see Keith relaxed with his friends as he works on the Cross Eyed album, jamming and chatting with producer and friend Steve Jordan, glimpses of his dog and his 2nd wife of 40 years Patti Hansen and mum to two of Keith’s youngest daughters Theodora and Alexandra.
In the end, director and long time friend of Richard’s Morgan Neville wraps it up neatly with a question about the old blues guys that started Keith up:
“When you were young it seems like you wanted to be one of those guys. Today, maybe you are one of those guys?”
The director metaphorically answers his own question by showing Keith’s melancholy version of Leadbelly’s “Goodnight Irene.” And that’s a wrap.
The reception and impact Of the film upon its release was great, "Keith Richards: Under The Influence" received positive reviews from both critics and fans. It was praised for its insightful look into Richards' life and its respectful portrayal of his career. For any fan of The Rolling Stones and music enthusiasts, the documentary is a treasure trove of anecdotes, music history, and personal reflections and equally a wonderful education for music fans who are maybe not so familiar with his enormous talent and artistry. Keith Richards is actually quite hilarious and endearing simultaneously, which makes this film an over too soon experience.
"Keith Richards: Under The Influence" is more than just a documentary about a rock star; it is a heartfelt exploration of the influences and experiences that have shaped one of the most enduring figures in rock music. Through Morgan Neville’s empathetic lens, viewers can appreciate the depth and complexity of Keith Richards' artistic journey. This film is a must-watch for anyone interested in the forces that propel the creation of timeless music.