Book Description
Recorded during the blazing summer of 1971 at Villa Nellcote, Keith Richards' seaside mansion in the south of France, Exile on Main St. has been hailed as one of the Rolling Stones' best albums--and one of the greatest rock records of all time. Yet its improbable creation was difficult, torturous...and at times nothing short of dangerous.
In self-imposed exile, the Stones--along with wives, girlfriends, and a crew of hangers-on unrivaled in the history of rock--spent their days smoking, snorting, and drinking whatever they could get their hands on. At night, the band descended like miners into the villa's dank basement to lay down tracks. Out of those grueling sessions came the familiar riffs and rhythms of "Rocks Off," "Tumbling Dice," "Happy," and "Sweet Virginia."
All the while, a variety of celebrities--John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Gram Parsons among them--stumbled through the villa's neverending party, as did the local drug dealers, known to one and all as "les cowboys." Villa Nellcote became the crucible in which creative strife, outsize egos, and all the usual byproducts of the Stones' legendary hedonistic excess fused into something potent, volatile, and enduring.
Here, for the first time, is the season in hell that produced Exile on Main St.
Customer Reviews:
Another "Music" book which skips the "music" .......2007-09-10
I just finished this book. It is similar to the recent one on Derek and the Dominoes. All kinds of tabloid info on drugs, women and other debauchery but extremely short on the music. There are also glaring mistakes: 1. the author claims Jumpin' Jack Flash was on the Sticky Fingers album (wrong - it was a single released two years earlier). 2. he claims that Mick Taylor replaced Clapton in the Bluesbreakers (wrong, Taylor replaced Peter Green). 3. He claims the song "Dandelion" was on the album Satanic Majesty's Request. False. This is basic information and there is no excuse for getting it wrong. Not an auspicious beginning to the book. At the end of the book a few pages are thrown in discussing the music (which he claims are for (paraphrase - not exact words) eccentric people who like all this music stuff - I guess he means those of us who are not interested in tabloid gossip). If you're interested in what drugs Mick and Keith were taking or how many people Anita Pallenberg slept with, get this book. If you're interested in music, however, consider looking elsewhere. This book is a big disappointment. It is akin to a teen going out on a date waiting to kiss the girl good night and at the end she just says "see 'ya" and leaves you on the street. Not at all recommended.
Not Much About the Record Itself.......2007-08-02
I picked this up while waiting for a plane to Philly. As a musician, I was pleased to find a book that (I thought) was about the making of one of my favorite recordings. This is a fast read. It's really just about the debauchery that took place while the record was being made and readied for market. Those of us who were old enough to remember this period of music history will learn absolutely nothing new here. I like the earlier review with the sarcastic proclamation "oh my God! Keith Richards took drugs!" That about sums it up. There's really very little (maybe a couple of sentences) about the actual sessions. I don't recommend it. I left it in the hotel room in Philly.
don't bother reading/buying.......2007-07-06
Read 'Terry (Milwaukee)''s comments first. Dead-on analysis of this book; poorly written and often distracting - somewhere between a sophmore book report and a gossip column. Oddly organized and consistently annoying with the "music lyric seques"... it was a frustrating chore to read this book.
One thing I never figured out - was the author even at Nellcote (Cote d'azur in France)? I was never able to determine what, if any, relationship he actually had to the Rolling Stones...
Exiled! Get the Janovitz book instead........2007-06-26
I just finished reading this and the whole time I was making notes about the problems -- the factual errors, the reliance on Sanchez's shady material, the bad wordplay and the author's irritating use of the present tense.
But then I came to this page and realized that the book has already been slammed again and again for those very same reasons.
So, my short review: Word.
Slightly longer review: Greenfield's usually pretty good (regarding his book on Bill Graham I have to drop the music geek cliche: "seminal") but this book is a bust. Without referencing the music this book loses all context and it could almost be about any band, any party. Still, if you want dirt, dirt you get.
** A much better recent book is Bill Janovitz's book about "Exile" in the 33-1/3rd series. **
Janovitz (who led the band Buffalo Tom and writes extensively for AMG) covers the music with a musician's expertise without getting boring, and he brings to the table the genuine enthusiasm of a Stones fan. Plus, it's cheaper and cool and hip-pocket sized without being too small.
quick read, but still not worth the time.......2007-05-02
I was at the library and stumbled on this book, Exile on Main Street, a Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones by Robert Greenfield, so I grabbed it.Really quick read, so I finished it, but it was pretty weak!
The book is about the summer in the France when the Stones recorded most of Exile on Main Street, in '71.
Basically, the gist of the story is that, over 35 years ago, the Stones hung out, did a lot of drugs, slept with alot of people, and often weren't very nice to each other, or to other people. Oh, and Keith was a heroin addict. And...there were a bunch of other people hanging around. Wow, what a ground breaking account. Oh, no, wait, everyone already knew all that.
The author professes himself some sort of expert, and spends a good chunk of this lighweight book tearing down other people who've written about the Stones, even going so far as to suggest one person "call his (Greenfield's) office" with any questions on the Stones.
Then, a page later, he says Jumpin Jack Flash is on Sticky Fingers.
Of course, it's not.
He seems to particularly have it in for "Spanish" Tony Sanchez, who years ago wrote a tell-all book on the Stones. It's funny how much time he devotes to tearing down Sanchez and trying to discredit much of what he wrote, when it seems Sanchez's book was the primary source of info for this book.
It seemed about 3 out of 4 accounts/stories in Greenfield's book begin with "According to Tony Sanchez..". Then the 4th story would begin the same way, but Greenfield would claim the story inaccurate and would provide pretty much the same one interview John Perry didwith Anita Pallenberg, for his book on Exile, to discredit it.
Greenfield never says he was there that summer, or gives any indication to make the reader think he was there, from reading this book you wouldn't know if he was or not. He seems to just be recounting stories told by other people. He devotes alot of energy to tearing down people who there there hanging around partying who didn't have a "job to do" or reason to be there. Was he there? And if so why? Did he have a "job to do"? Or did he just collect stories to throw into a sloppy, poorly written book 35+ years later?
The book is pretty poorly written and the tone is often annoying.
Quick read but still a waste of what little time it will take you to read it. There are definately better books on the Stones out there.
Book Description
The classic insider's account of the Rolling Stones' legendary 1972 STP tour.
Thirty years ago, the Rolling Stones swept America, taking Exile on Main Street to Main Streets across the nation. Everyone held their breath to see what would happen; the Stones' previous U.S. tour had been a chaotic circus culminating in the infamous death of a fan at Altamont. And this tour (the "Stones Touring Party") was rumored to be wilder than ever: bigger shows in major arenas, with a far larger entourage and even more drugs. Robert Greenfield went along for the ride, and came away with a riveting insider's account, called by Ian Rankin "one of the greatest rock books ever written." The reality lived up to the rumor: take one part Lee Radziwill, a dash of Truman Capote, set the scene at Hef's Playboy mansion, and toss in the county jail for good measure. That was the Stones Touring Party, the ultimate rock 'n' roll band at the height of its spectacular depravity.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Read with Some Glaring Errors.......2007-08-15
Greenfield's first book on the Rolling Stones chronicling their North American tour of 1972 is far better than his recent "Exile On Main Street: A Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones". I enjoyed the style of writing and the bird's eye view of things that went on during the tour. I knew that the Stones' touring party was typically fairly depraved but I really had no idea of the extent of that depravity. I hate to be all PC and all that but young women (girls really) were treated as something to use and throw away. There are several accounts of young women who, while not part of the Stones Touring Party, were highly visible throughout the tour, used up for sordid entertainment, allowed themselves to be completely humiliated without even realizing it (the airplane film incident), and discarded like garbage. It's very sad the things that some of these young women did in order to be near that glittering star. I wonder how they feel today? Everything had to be cleared by Jagger and Richards, these two men have much to atone for, really.
There are some really dumb and glaring mistakes and that fact that this is a second edition publication make them unforgivable really:
For example, on page 115 Greenfield tells us about how a young Mick Taylor took Eric Clapton's place in Mayall's Blues Breakers. Greenfield must have smoked an awful lot of dope in his day. Anyone who knows ANYTHING about the music of that era knows that Peter Green (who went on to found the original Fleetwood Mac) replaced Clapton. Mick Taylor replaced Peter Green. Duh? That's rock-guitar history/appreciation 101 and Greenfield gets a big fat "F"
On page 117 Greenfield mentions men in Denver washing their cars in the drive way and wondering what kind of season the Denver Bears were going to have... What? While it is true that in the late 50's and very early 60's Denver did have a semi-pro football team called the Denver Bears (almost NO-ONE in Denver remembers this), by 1972, Bronco mania had long taken hold in Denver (I was there). The Broncos were just a couple of years shy of their first appearance in a string of many very disappointing Superbowl performances (thank God they got that monkey of their backs).
Didn't this guy have an editor? Who proofed this darn thing? Presumably a member of the Stones Touring Party who was just as stoned as everyone else. Again, this is a second edition boys and girls. Mistakes like the two cited above are good examples of shoddy authorship and editing. Maybe some writing course will use them as examples.
Those two mistakes are glaring and it leaves me wondering about how many not so glaring mistakes this book also contains.
'OUTLAWS IN LOVE...KINGS OF THE DECADENT LAWN.'.......2006-07-30
I read this book sometime around 1975 when it first surfaced as a highly literate diary chronicling the Rolling Stones 1972 tour of America.Basking in the reflected glory of the (then and arguably still)'greatest rock n' roll band in the world';the author is afforded access all areas,and guides the reader from bickering rehearsal sessions,through rigid security meetings and late flights,until finally you are granted a carte blanche ticket for the greatest show on earth.Greenfield's cultured and informative reporting hurls you head-first into the crazed and ruthless world of the maelstrom that is The Rolling Stones in all their sometimes heavy-handed glory.Wonderfully entertaining stories unfold throughout this incredible journey as the outlaws
in love march like kings,across the decadent sprawling lawns of
mighty America.Pure zeitgeist.Great stuff.
After reading this book you just wanna'play 'Exile on Main St.'
at serious volume and wish that you never had to go to work again.(Oh'well..)
Stones Use STP In Their Tanks To Tour America!!!.......2004-07-04
Why would anyone want to read a book about a tour that took place more than 30 years ago, in support of what is arguably the Rolling Stones most overrated album?? (Yes, Exile on Main Street does have some very good material, and excellent performances, but the "bathroom" (read: poor) sound quality, heralded by too many critics as being "influential" does not hold up well after all these years. Some of us would like to understand the lyrics, please!) Because the book is very well written by a good, observant, refreshingly unbiased journalist, and because like Jim Bouton's baseball classic Ball Four, S.T.P. was one of the first books that spawned an entire genre of rock books about specific bands. Many of the episodes still hold interest today, particularly the Playboy Mansion scenes in Chicago, and the details of the bands arrest and subsequent release (arranged by then-Mayor of Boston Kevin White to prevent a riot) from a Rhode Island jail: the Stones were supposed to be playing a concert at the very moment they were incarcerated. Many interesting characters stand out as well, particularly Truman Capote, Princess Lee Radziwill, and Jagger himself. One thing I feel must be noted: If you are younger than fortysomething, you may be surprised at the sheer amount of ANGER felt by many of the kids, who were just itching to clash with police. In many ways, that was typical of the times, and thankfully, for the most part, such behavior would not be tolerated today. In sum, if you are a Stones fan, or a fan of great rock writing, get S.T.P. ASAP. Trust me, like the namesake gas treatment, it'll put a tiger in your tank!!!
*Richards*, the man's name is *Richards*.......2004-02-18
The first hundred or so pages are so fixated on Mick Jagger that you wonder if Mr Greenfiel is ever going to notice that the Rolling Stones consist of way more than a frontman. But once he finally does realize that - apparently a concert or two was enough to convince him - it's a pretty good read. There are some obvious inaccuracies (including mistaking butterflies for doves); and the stuff about the people and events orbiting around the Stones on this tour is sometimes overlong. Some of it, though, works nicely to bring back the atmosphere of the times.
It's unfortunate that Mr Greenfiel didn't have the courtesy to correct Keith's surname in this re-edition - who cares how the publicists were misspelling it at the time?! That grates, as do the lame attempts to capture regional pronunciation. Just talk normal, please, Mr Greenfiel! And repeat after me: it's *Richards*.
In other words: Stanley Booth's _True Adventures of the Rolling Stones_ is miles better - really fine writing, a superior grasp of what the Stones are about, *and* he knows what Keith's surname is - but this one'll do between re-readings of Stanley's.
ROLLING WITH THE STONES '72.......2003-05-04
After being out of print for almost 30 years, I'm glad to see S.T.P. finally available. I've seen and heard references to it for years. I almost broke down and bought a used copy of it on eBay several times. I'm sure glad I waited (and saved a lot of money). While not focused entirely on the Stones themselves, this book does a good job of giving you the flavor of what it was like to tour North America in the summer of '72 with the Stones (and assorted hangers-on) as they brought Exile On Main Street (and Stevie Wonder) to the masses. I couldn't make it all the way through without pulling out my DVD copy of C.S. Blues (the making of which was mentioned in the book). A great look back at the Stones in their prime.
Average customer rating:
- Awesome Coffee Table Book
- Superb Book - Rolling with the Stones
- If you only buy one Stones Photo History--Buy This One
- Greatest book on the stones!!!
- Not To Be Missed By Any Stones Lover...
|
Rolling with the Stones
Bill Wyman
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Voice
| Instruments & Performers
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Rock
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Rock
| Composers & Musicians
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Stone Alone: The Story of a Rock 'n Roll Band
-
According to the Rolling Stones
-
The Rolling Stones: In the Beginning
-
The Rolling Stones: 365 Days
-
The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones
ASIN: 0789489678
Release Date: 2002-10-28 |
Amazon.com
Of his own choosing, Bill Wyman's career as a founding member of the Rolling Stones has achieved a perspective that his legendary bandmates don't yet enjoy: a beginning, middle, and end. Indeed, the musicians once hailed as the greatest rock & roll band in the world have become more like the band that wouldn't die. But history can't be denied, and the man born William Perks of Lower Sydenham, London, has lovingly assembled this over-500-page book, equal parts memoir and lavishly illustrated coffee-table tome, with a winning mix of clear-eyed reportage (based on his own voluminous diaries) and an eye for colorful detail and ephemera worthy of a proud family scrapbook. Which, in many ways, Rolling with the Stones most resembles: family--and musical--trees are acknowledged, career moves dissected, deaths mourned, and triumphs and foibles alike are dispensed with equal candor. Wyman deflates the myth of the Stones as rock's preternatural bad boys (a conservative, sensationalist press made it all too easy to live down to expectations) yet allows the tragic legend of band founder Brian Jones to assume its proper perspective. A half-decade older than his bandmates, the retired Stone has few illusions about the band's true cultural impact and creative arc, devoting nearly three-quarters of the book to the Stones' first, turbulent decade. What is more gratifying is that he avoids the myopic constraints of the similarly sized Beatles Anthology, generously weaving the recollections of band members, associates, family, reporters, and even fan letters into a narrative whose outline is epic, but whose viewpoint has a decidedly human scale. --Jerry McCulley
Book Description
A backstage pass to the Rolling Stones from Bill Wyman, founder of the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones, commonly referred to as the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band, epitomize everything that's excessive, lavish, exciting, and powerful about rock music. Now, founding member and bass player Bill Wyman presents an honest and humorous account that serves as a backstage pass to the band's history, from drug busts, to tax exile, to solo careers. Straight from Wyman's huge personal archive, Rolling with the Stones features previously unreleased letters, photographs, memorabilia, and personal journals. With over 2000 photographs, more than 45 beautifully designed tour spreads, song lists from every show, and biographies on each band member, there is no need for any other Stones book to be written.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome Coffee Table Book.......2007-09-04
Great Book, Nicely made, Great rare pic, and Bill Wymans story is a great detailed and true one.
Must have for the Stones fan.
Superb Book - Rolling with the Stones.......2007-05-30
For a first purchase, this book exceeded expectations both for content and value for money. Bill Wyman has included many items of interest relating to happenings of the time. Very readable and an excellent archivist. The ease of purchasing such a bargain will ensure that I will certainly make purchases from Amazon in the future. I purchased the book as a present, but will keep an eye out for a copy for myself as this was the only one left in stock at the time ordering.
If you only buy one Stones Photo History--Buy This One.......2006-11-13
Bill Wyman's book about the Rolling Stones is a superior effort. The book is similar in layout to the Beatles Anthology or the 'According to the Stones' book which followed Wyman's and was written by the remaining members of the group. Here are the reasons I believe this is the best Stones picture history on the market.
1. Wyman has attempted to be fair to all members, past and present. His treatment of Brian Jones is sympathetic without pulling punches. He acknowledges Jones as the founder and driving force behind the band, and he laments his loss.
2. Wyman has a prodigious collection of Stones ephemera, which he began saving almost from day one, so that he could show his kids that he had been in a rock and roll band for the two or three years he expected the ride to last. There are literally hundreds of color photos of Stones stuff in this book. It's like going back in time or going to the world's best Rolling Stones museum. And it is put together with love and fits Wyman's narrative perfectly. Wyman also has a lot of items dealing with other bands from the period that traveled with them, influenced them, or just existed at the same time and are of interest to the history of rock and roll.
3. The writing is superb. There is very little "I" in this book. Wyman has carefully made it a history of the band, rarely mentioning his own personal experiences except where they are historically significant. This modesty is refreshing and makes the book more credible than 'According to the Rolling Stones'.
4. The book is well-thought-out and well put together. It is a delight to read from cover to cover and will be a book you will return to and re-read to find out more about the background and historical context of the songs. It is also very reasonably priced. I got mine from Amazon used for around five dollars and it was the best five bucks I've spent in a long time on a book.
Buy it, treasure it. And thank you, Bill, for giving readers such a fun and informative look inside the life of one of the world's greatest rock and roll bands.
Greatest book on the stones!!!.......2006-06-21
I have read multiple books on the Rolling Stones and music in general and this is by far one of the best. The pictures are unique, many not seen anywhere else, and the writing is definitely frank, honest, and amusing. You won't be able to put this book down!
Not To Be Missed By Any Stones Lover..........2005-11-27
Just finished reading "According To The Rolling Stones" the Anthology sketch of the band in their own words...a good book but Bill was rarely mentioned at all...now in this excellent snapshot of the band's history written by Bill you get the full scoop,total and penetrating with great photos and memorabiilia worthy of any one's coffee table or library.
Reading this gives a finer more detailed picture of the band from the elder Stone,...Not very deep nor insightful as regards to the making of the music or the real psyche of the Stones but a basic understanding is there even though it is a bit superficial..The total excitement and colour of this piece of history is essential and is captured well in this collectible book which what it set out to do.
Customer Reviews:
MOST FUN STONES BOOK.......2007-06-08
IF YOU LIKE EXCITEMENT- SEX- DRUGS-INTRIGUE AND OH YEAH- ROCK AND ROLL- THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. I DONT KNOW HOW TRUE IT IS BUT IT SURE IS WILD!!!!
An engaging, believable read.......2007-05-31
I used to own the out-of-print paperback edition of this book. I foolishly gave it away.
Sanchez begins with his life as a young, aspiring underworld figure, emulating an older, already established relative. He worked in a casino, and also began to take up photography. (Sanchez writes that he photographed the first Moody Blues album cover.) An acquaintance, London art dealer Robert Fraser, was deeply in debt to another casino run by an underworld boss, and dramatically confided his problem to Sanchez. Sanchez nervily approached the creditor casino boss, to keep Fraser out of harm's way. Then--aware that the competing casino where he worked subtly rigged gaming against its own customers--Sanchez arranged for Fraser to win the money needed to pay off the debt. Fraser was grateful and so introduced "Spanish Tony" to his new, up-and-coming, hip young friends, the Rolling Stones.
Spanish Tony's common bond with Jones and Richards was his access to, and penchant for, hard drugs and he became a heroin addict.
This book mostly concentrates on Sanchez' close access to Jagger, Richards, and Jones, as well as Stones' exes Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull, and Bianca, between the years 1966-73, which was the peak of the Stones' artistic success. Watts, Wyman, and Mick Taylor are hardly discussed, and they get just a few pages of text.
Sanchez acknowledges the shallowness of his friendship with and access to the Stones as being based on his connections and ability to discreetly obtain large quantities of drugs in England and the south of France. He was Keith Richards' (who spent the most on drugs) liaison to the underworld. Sanchez severed his relationship with the Stones and went into rehab. There can be no question of Sanchez' close relationship with three of the Stones, from the unique candid photos he publishes here.
Anyone who wasn't present for the events which shaped the book can't know for sure, but to a fan of insider celebrity bios, this book is presented with sufficient insight and clarity to convince that it is principally a true story.
Still a Hot Seller.......2007-05-07
This book was first issued in 1979.
It was a very interesting book as it included Brian Jones. As Brian was the founder of the band, it is refreshing to read about him.
It includes Mick Taylor. Very talented but not as captivating or as gifted as Brian Jones.
More Than You Wanted To Know.......2007-03-23
Stones aficionados will enjoy the first third of this memoir by Tony Sanchez, dealer to the pop stars of London in the swinging sixties. The nightclub twilight world of late Stone Brian Jones is vividly evoked, and some of the better anecdotes include John Lennon scrambling to find the coke he dropped in Mick Jagger's limo, as well as Lennon advising Jones to get a new band together in the wake of his ostracization by the Stones.
After Jones' death and an overheated description of the Altamont disaster, the tale becomes progressively sleazier, Anita Pallenberg revealed as a shrew to any perceived competitor and the instigator of Keith's heroin addiction, Mick completely in love with himself, and endless descriptions of the nightmare of addiction in the Stones circle that Sanchez, his protests to the contrary, helped bring about. Really not a person you want to contribute your money to. Get Stephen Davis' book instead. Shallower, but you'll sleep better.
The Rolling Stones equivalent of Albert Speer's memoirs.......2005-10-04
KEITH HIMSELF HAS SAID THAT EVERYTHING TONY SANCHEZ SAYS IN THIS BOOK IS TRUE. If you want to know what it may have been like to really be on the inside, to really know the Stones and what they did on a day-to-day basis, get this book. Sanchez was a crook, he admits it. He was a junkie, he broke all sorts of laws working for Keith. But that's what it was (apparently) like! For Keith to feed his drug habit he would have needed somebody like Sanchez. There are some parts of this book that aren't exactly "clean reading," but the truth is the truth. This book is a classic of a unique kind: It isn't biased by the desire to be hip or appealing.
Book Description
James Phelge lived with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones for over a year, from when they were just getting their start until their first taste of success at the top of the British charts. He slept in the same room with them and hung out with them constantly; the Stones even gave him writing credit on many of their early songs, though he had nothing to do with the music. Richards describes Phelge as the most disgusting man he ever knew; but he's also a clear-sighted raconteur, and his detailed account of the Stones' salad days is fresh, revealing, and uproarious.
Selected by the Rolling Stones as Official Merchandise
Customer Reviews:
Ah, joy! Now I know what Nanker-Phelge finally is (and why)!.......2002-12-20
This book is precious and priceless!
Older Stones fans (like me), especially those familiar with Sixties London and the districts where The Stones lived in 1963, will delight in the easily readable and so evidently true stories of The Stones' very early days when Mick, Keith and Brian were more than teenagers but not quite mature adults. Phelge has covered many of the bases and truly gives you a taste of the environment that nurtured The Stones. You arre literally in the room with them, watching The Stones struggle hard, indeed, almost desperately for a commercial break, and against incredible odds in a still conservative post-war England. The book is chock-full of marvellous observations, wonderful insights, hilariously humorous incidents, and pathos. It clearly reflects Phelge's superb capabilities as a raconteur (and one not given to exaggeration) who tracked the evolution of The Stones even as he lived with Mick, Keith and Brian 40 years ago in their squalid, disorganized flat where cleaning up for the lads simply meant throwing crockery, cutlery and utensils out of the kitchen window into the communal garden below.
The book is filled with gems: Mick's yearning and wistfulness for a load of money as he lolls aimlessly in a freezing cold, food-free flat with his fellow Stones; chucking Ian Stewart out of the band because he did not look "with-it" enough for Andrew Loog Oldham, the first manager of The Stones along with Eric Easton; the unbelievably funny and ridiculous "Toilet Door Fiasco" with Keith and Phelge who drove their neighbors mad every day for months on end with their antics and purloining; the "Immaculate Dollies" with their [nice figures]; the "nankering" (face-making and squawking) and pranks that went with their looning around generally; the list is endless.
In addition, Phelge paints excellent portraits of The Stones' character and temperament. One sees the competitiveness and tension between Brian on the one hand, and Mick-and-Keith on the other hand, all starting very early on in their association. (They would carry this around with them for years until they ditched Brian with the worst of feelings in 1969.)
Younger Stones fans need to read this book in order to understand who The Stones were and where they came from, and how they started up the ladder that took them to stardom at the very top of the world where they have stayed since 1965. My younger office colleagues who like The Stones have absolutely no idea about any of this history and it is a shocking gap in their knowledge.
Overall, an amazing, informative, excellent book. At least 5 stars!
JS
A true insider's story.......2002-11-26
If you're looking for saucy gossip about groupies and drugs, this is not the book for you. If you want to learn about five teenagers from London who had a dream, buy this book. James Phelge, forever known as "Roommate of the Stones," offers priceless insights and hilarious shenanigans of a struggling, unknown band named after a Muddy Waters blues song. After the Stones start touring America, the story seems to drag a bit by focusing on some of the "Swinging London" scene, but it is merely a set-up for the shocking ending -- Phelge walks away from it all and chooses to live a normal life! The crazy man of Edith Grove turns out to be the sanest of them all. A must read for EVERY Stones fan.
Probably The Best Stones Book.......2002-07-25
This is certainly the best "story of the Stones" book. Phelge manages to present the story straight out, with an excellent memory for detail. When he drops names (and there are lots) you really don't get the feeling he's dropping names, it just somebody else who was around at the time.
Although many of the stories have been told by Phelge to other writers before and have sort of become part of the Stones legend, it's great to hear the whole thing from beginning to end from the man himself.
If you only buy one Stones book, this is a great choice.
If you want one book that provides a window on the early 60s London music scene, this is it.
If you want a book that tells a great story about a group of naive guys trying to be a band, this is it. There are not ridiculous stories about parties, but when they screw around, you get the feeling you were there yourself.....a very nice writing job and well worth the trouble to find and read.
Stones fan - don't miss this!.......2002-02-17
My husband is a true Stones fan. He loved this book. It gives many insights to how they began and grew to what they are now. He has thanked me over and over again for buying him this book to add to his collection. He knows alot about the Stones and this book was not a repeat of things he already knew. If you like the Stones, you should grab this book!
PHELGE RULES!! ........so does this book.......2001-11-10
I've read many a book about the Rolling Stones. This one is by far the funniest, most grotesque, enjoyable read about the Stones ever written. Suprisingly Phelge has a natural talent for writing, and it shows in this delightful read. I reccomend this book for any Stones fan. Trust me. My wife even liked this book!I guarantee you won't put it down until it's done. Thanks Mr. Jimmy
Customer Reviews:
Stanley Booth Penned a Classic.......1999-10-30
Stanley Booth not only wrote the best book ever written about the Stones, but the best book ever written about Rock and Roll period. If "Exile on Main St." was a book, it would be this. The book is a rich tapestry of layers and textures. A must read. Please pay special attention to the chapter that takes place in Sam Sheffler's basement on Hudson Ave. It is filty yet fun.
It was one of the best books I've read.......1998-01-05
I loved this book very much. When I first got a hold of this book,I wanted to read about the rolling stone's founder,Brian Jones. So I was pleased to read so much about him. I found the early days of the rolling stones to be much more interesting than I imagined. It described in detail how mick,keith,and brian lived together in a small,horrible apartment,owned by Mick,and how they hardly had any money for food. I enjoyed how the author started the book out by describing his experience interviewing Brian Jones's parents,years after his death. The author was very good at detail,in this book. He always described the concerts of the stones with the girls screaming,and the last days of Brian Jones,and all of the band member's different love interests,and some certain instances with groupies. I like reading non-fiction books that have some detail in the writing,not just generalization. Lastly,the weakness in this book is including all of the members of the rolling stones. He included alot of brian,and mick,but not enough of the other band members. Overall,I would say that this book is definitly worth reading and I would recomend it to any stones fan. I know a book is good when as I'm reading it,I can get a mental picture of what is happening,and that's what I did.
Average customer rating:
|
On the Road With the Rolling Stones: 20 Years of Lipstick, Handcuffs and Chemicals
Chet Flippo
Manufacturer: Dolphin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Bargain Books
| Stores
| Books
| Arts & Photography
| Audiobooks
| Biography
| Business & Investing
| Calendars
| Children
| Computers & Internet
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Film
| Greeting Cards & Accessories
| Health, Mind & Body
| History
| Home & Garden
| Humor, Comics & Pop Culture
| Literature & Fiction
| Mysteries & Thrillers
| Nonfiction
| Parenting & Families
| Reference
| Religion & Spirituality
| Romance
| Science & Nature
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Sports
| Teens
| Travel
General
| Instruments & Performers
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
It's Only Rock 'N' Roll: My On-The-Road Adventures With the Rolling Stones
ASIN: 0385193742 |
Customer Reviews:
Good.......2006-12-26
One of the better Stones books!..
A lot of us are tired of the old 60's Stones tales, and this one wisely is about the 70's-era Stones
Well worth the read!
Product Description
Over the fast-paced and fascinating years that Bill McIlwain spent as editor of some of North America's most prestigious newspapers, he met and worked with the great, the petty, the famous, the eccentric. He also confronted his problem with alcoholism. In Dancing Naked with the Rolling Stones, McIlwain tells both sides of the story and how he learned to cope, finding peace and happiness in radical ways. His humble, humorous, thought-provoking account gives readers an intimate glimpse into American newspapering and, at the same time, into his own soul. From the heyday of Harry Guggenheim and Alicia Patterson s groundbreaking Newsday to Boston and Washington insider politics, from the world-changing events of the 1960s and '70s to the Sun Belt suburbs of the 1980s and '90s, Bill McIlwain's tales entertain and inspire.
Book Description
From its early days in San Francisco, Rolling Stone has covered the music scene from the inside with colorful, penetrating, and brilliant interviews with the men and women who are rock and roll. This definitive collection represents the best of Rolling Stone's first decade and a half.
Customer Reviews:
ROCK HISTORY IN THE WORDS OF THE ONES WHO MADE IT .......2004-12-22
The presses of Rolling Stone magazine began to roll in San Francisco in the midst of a world-shaking consciousness-raising wake-up call centered around music, peace, and love. Many magazines published interviews, but The Rolling Stone Interview was definitive--in the interviewee's own words, unedited, uncensored, and whatever amount of space needed.
This book includes important interviews from 1967 to 1980 with some of the most great musicians of the time. Their words are as timeless as the music.
Ralph Gleason was a SF music columnist with an ear for great music from the jazz era to the emerging music of the mid 60s. Gleason joined with Rolling Stone Founder/Publisher Jann Wenner and contributed crucial reviews about the local bands and musicians. (Those columns alone would make an important book about the times.) Gleason did a Rolling Stone Interview with Bob Dylan in 1967. Dylan was interviewed again in 1969 by Wenner. The amazing 1972 Rolling Stone Interview with Jerry Garcia was a conversation with Wenner and Charles Reich.
The book is illustrated with photographs.
The interviews in this book--
Donovan 1967 (J Carpenter)
Bob Dylan 1967 (Gleason)
B.B. King 1968 (Gleason)
Eric Clapton 1968 (Wenner)
Pete Townshend 1968 (Wenner)
Mick Jagger 1968 (J Cott)
Jim Morrison 1969 (J Hopkins)
Phil Spector 1969 (Wenner)
Bob Dylan 1969 (Wenner)
Little Richard 1970 (D Dalton)
Van Morrison 1970 (H Traum)
Grace Slick & Paul Kantner 1970 (B Fong-Torres)
Rod Stewart 1970 (J Morthland)
John Lennon 1971 (Wenner)
Keith Richards 1971 (R Greenfield)
Jerry Garcia 1972 (Wenner & C Reich)
Paul Simon 1972 (J Landau)
Chuck Berry 1972 (P W Salvo)
Keith Moon 1972 (J Hopkins)
James Taylor & Carly Simon 1973 (S Werbin)
Ray Charles 1973 (B Fong-Torres)
Johnny Cash 1973 (R Hilburn)
Stevie Wonder 1973 (B Fong-Torres)
Elton John 1973 (P Gambaccini)
Paul McCartney 1974 (P Gambaccini)
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant 1975 (C Crowe)
Neil Young 1975 (C Crowe)
Mick Jagger 1978 (J Cott)
Linda Ronstadt 1978 (P Herbst)
Bob Dylan 1978 (J Cott)
Paul McCartney 1979 (P Gambaccini)
Joni Mitchell 1979 (C Crowe)
James Taylor 1979 (P Herbst)
Pete Townshend 1980 (G Marcus)
Billy Joel 1980 (T White)
The Classic Years Recalled.......2000-01-01
Great talk from the classic era, with great interviews with Led Zep, Dylan, Neil Young, Stones, Joni Mitchell and Billy Joel by writers Ralph Gleason, Jonathan Cott, Timothy White, Cameron Crowe, Bob Greenfield and more rock scribes. Neat time capsule.
Books:
- George Gershwin: His Life and Work
- Grief and the Healing Arts: Creativity As Therapy (Death, Value, and Meaning Series)
- Hallmarks of the Southwest (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
- Hide
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting, Building and Upgrading
- 2000-2001 Massachusetts Business Directory
- American Government: Brief Version, Seventh Edition
- Emily Post's The Etiquette Advantage in Business: Personal Skills for Professional Success, Second E
- Going Against the Grain: How Reducing and Avoiding Grains Can Revitalize Your Health
- Bewitch a Man: How to Find Him and Keep Him Under Your Spell
- Financial Models of Insurance Solvency
- Accounting Desk Book 2003: The Accountant's Everyday Instant Answer Book
- Mutual Fund Fact Book 2001: A Guide to the Trends and Statistics in the Mutual Fund Industry
The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St. (33 1/3)
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos (Rock of Ages)
S.T.P.: A Journey Through America With The Rolling Stones
Buried Alive: Live in Maryland
