The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards hits out at “cheap and corny” synths in rock music

"It’s been synthesised to death."

The Rolling Stones‘ Keith Richards has hit out at the use of synths in rock music – decrying them as “cheap and corny”.

When asked for his views on the current state of the genre, he told Rolling Stone magazine: “There is no new rock ’n’ roll. It’s pointless.

“There’s great musicians and some great singers and stuff. Unfortunately, to me, in music, it’s been synthesised to death.

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“Once you start synthesising things, you’re not getting the real thing.”

He added: “I don’t want to go into a long discourse on what’s wrong with synthesisers and music these days, except to say they’re cheap and corny.”

In the same interview, he also backed the recent Black Lives Matter protests and said “it’s about bloody time”.

The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones (Picture: Getty)

The guitar icon explained that black music, which first pioneered rock and roll, is “the reason I’m here”.

“It’s about bloody time. I mean, in this country [the US], things are coming to a head. That’s the way it is. You got to deal with it. It’s difficult for me to talk about it, because I am not an American,” he said.

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“I live here, I am in heart and soul, I am one of you, but I can’t interfere. I’m like Putin, I refuse to interfere in your electoral process.”

His comments come after The Rolling Stones made chart history last month after securing the Number One spot on the UK chart.

The group’s 13th Number One album means they have now set a new record as the first band in UK chart history to hit the top of the charts with an album across six different decades. They are also now tied with Elvis and Robbie Williams for most Number One albums, with only The Beatles having achieved more with 15.

The Stones are now believed to be back in the studio recording their next album.

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