Keith Richards on Eric Clapton’s vaccine skepticism: “COVID has split people up and it made people sometimes go awry”
“I just want to get rid of this damn thing, and the only way I can see is [that] everybody does as doctor says,” the guitarist said.
Photo: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has shared his thoughts on Eric Clapton’s vaccine skepticism in a new interview.
Speaking on Rolling Stone’s Music Now program yesterday (17 March) the guitarist touched on the views of Clapton in regards to inoculation against COVID-19.
“I love Eric dearly,” he said. “I’ve known him since forever and we’ve had ups and downs, but, um, you never know. This COVID thing, it’s split people up and it made people sometimes go awry for awhile, you know?“
“I just want to get rid of this damn thing, and the only way I can see is [that] everybody does as doctor says,” he added.
Clapton has been an outspoken critic of mandatory vaccination requirements. Last July, the guitarist vowed not to play venues with a vaccine mandate, but ended up breaking his pledge in September, taking the stage at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
In January 2022, Clapton restated his position on vaccinations saying he was neither for nor against them, but rather pro-freedom.
Elsewhere in Keef’s interview, he spoke about drummer Steve Jordan – who has been sitting in for the late Charlie Watts on the Stones’ live shows – and his future involvement in new recorded material from the legendary rock band.
“We do have a lot of stuff of Charlie Watts still in the can,” he said. “We were halfway through making an album when he died. Of course, if we want to carry on recording, we’re gonna need drums, and it’s gonna be Steve Jordan.”
“He’s always retained the essence of [what] Charlie Watts does for the Rolling Stones, so it is a unique thing and I’ve never met another drummer who’s so sensitive to what Charlie did and sometimes Steve can fool me and I think it’s Charlie.”