Read half of the book as Dutch edition, than half in the English edition. I think it is a fabulous read, really as good as Rock biographies can go. It really is a surprise to me how much Keith remembers, and how frank he is. It’s much more personal than I expected, including the pictures of his family live.

The only negative thing I can say halfway is that the Dutch translation is not quite accurate, especially concerning the musical side of it. The translator clearly did not have a clue about the music of the Stones, including the technical aspects.

Mathijs

My copy arrived this morning. It all looks pretty damn good thus far, though I'm not too sure on some of his observations on Dartford life - 'full of thieves' etc.

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Mathijs
Read half of the book as Dutch edition, than half in the English edition.

Mathijs

Just think, you could have finished it by now!

Great reviews in norwegian newspapers today: [www.dagbladet.no]

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ozziestone
does he still claim Muddy was painting the roof?

Yup! Not only that but he acknowledges that nobody ever believes him and that Bill will back up his story.

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ozziestone
does he still claim Muddy was painting the roof?

I thought he was painting the ceiling?

...Just got a call from 'the missus': our copy has arrived!!
(Home delivery by Muddy & Chuck Berry in person- but that's another story.)

["I can hear the Bullfrog calling me..."]

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DandelionPowderman
Great reviews in norwegian newspapers today: [www.dagbladet.no]

Yes! And that's the review by the journalist we picked to do the interview with Keith in Paris! Good choice.
The review in Dagsavisen is written by another journalist who's going to interview Keith. Those guys cant have had much sleep since Monday night. But it must have been worth it, since they both love the book.

Brain was a woman beating prick "News Flash" he was very talented ..but a abusive man ...maybe you all cant handle the truth???

While reading, I can´t really imagine that a guy who took
all that heavy stuff over a decade remembers it all. Keith
is/was famous for forgetting things, coming late etc.

I just think it's a great read, and very well balanced. Keith is very much a realist, especially where the Stones are concerned. The revelations about Jagger all add up, and pretty much complete the picture to what had happened to the Stones creativity in the eighties. Keith's dead right about Mick's unnatural way of dancing these days, compared to his more natural approach in the sixties. Keith is very much aware of what's happening around him, and looks at things very logically, and at times meticulously.

Can anyone comment on how much of the book is dedicated to matters of history (e.g., what Keith and the boys did between 1965 and 1975)? I'm not interested in reading a book about gossip about his bandmates, but I would like to read about what he remembers from the 1969 American tour.

Thanks,
R

Or some 1963 concert facts and stories

__________________________

I ordered the Vintage Winos ccd compilation to get a chance for a signed copy of the book...


the french version is still available, amazing. I place an order for a non signed copy on Amazon

"we know it's a bit late but we hope you don't mind if we stay"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-10-27 20:29 by toomuchforme.

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whitem8
Well Keith lived with Brian and had to deal with all his baggage, and when your "friend" is working out side deals to get paid more and better rooms that is a pretty good indication of a toxic relationship. Keith is just being honest and telling it like it is from his point of view and he must not have really liked the guy...

Brian did that at a time when he was working his arse off to get gigs for the band and to promote them. It wasn't right to do it without discussing it with the others but that is hardly any main reason why Keith say the things he do about him. In 1966 they are supposed to have been close friends. Brian never forgave Keith for the Anita incident but they still seem to have been friends until the end. He even let Brian live at Redlands after the bust in 1968. Keith was closer to Brian than any other of the Stones.

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tat2you
Brain was a woman beating prick "News Flash" he was very talented ..but a abusive man ...maybe you all cant handle the truth???

Maybe you should learn to read more books about the subject before speaking about "the truth"?

We know that Brian was abusive towards some of his women. You can't make a post about Brian on IORR before someone has to mention it - like it was all there was to the guy. Drugs tend to turn some people into a-holes. Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon were abusive to their women. Ozzy Osbourne beat up Sharon - nearly killed her and Ron Wood has been a prick in that department as well. It's no excuse for what Brian did but Brian has definitely been getting more shit for it than anybody else.

What Keith say about Brian in this book has very little to do with "the truth". You don't have to read much about the Stones during the 60's to see the contradictions. Keith's view on Brian has become darker and darker the older he gets. If you read interviews with Keith during the 70's he is more objective about Brian and doesn't just bash the guy. There are also interviews that show a more reflective Keith who is truelly emotional when speaking about Brian. I guess that Keith's ego has become too big over the years to let that side of him talk. Bashing Brian has become a way to not having to talk about it now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-10-27 20:47 by tonterapi.

Does Keith mention anything about his own unnatural way of playing guitar now--flailing his arms and kicking his legs--compared to his more natural approach that he used in the 60's and 70's? Does he say anything about his own seriously deteriorated guitar skills?

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Edward Twining
Keith's dead right about Mick's unnatural way of dancing these days, compared to his more natural approach in the sixties. Keith is very much aware of what's happening around him, and looks at things very logically, and at times meticulously.

i always liked the photo of Anita w/ the black eye...

Quote
Reagan
Can anyone comment on how much of the book is dedicated to matters of history (e.g., what Keith and the boys did between 1965 and 1975)? I'm not interested in reading a book about gossip about his bandmates, but I would like to read about what he remembers from the 1969 American tour.

Thanks,
R

Honestly, I think he remembers exactly that what others have remembered,
photographed and written over the years.

Really enjoyable book to read. Especially his childhood scenes is good stuff. But as far the birth the the Stones is "remembered"is literally based on a fiction. His "lost diary" is nothing but a fictional reconstruction. Not sure about the letters. Brian Jones's contribution to founding and leading the band is almost written off from the history. Keith's way to attribute to Stu the things that usually are attributed to Brian - starts sounding almost a pathological case. The same of Keith's own claim to leading the band from very early on - based very much to the testimomy of his "diary" - shows signs of some kind of Napolean complex. Anyway, a Soviet way to (re-)write history...

But I continue read the book - I'm just in 1963 scenes - which is a joy. Despite the writer's obvious psychological issues and agendas, really fascinating insights and points he shares with us.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-10-28 00:08 by Doxa.

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tonterapi

Quote
whitem8
Well Keith lived with Brian and had to deal with all his baggage, and when your "friend" is working out side deals to get paid more and better rooms that is a pretty good indication of a toxic relationship. Keith is just being honest and telling it like it is from his point of view and he must not have really liked the guy...

Brian did that at a time when he was working his arse off to get gigs for the band and to promote them. It wasn't right to do it without discussing it with the others but that is hardly any main reason why Keith say the things he do about him. In 1966 they are supposed to have been close friends. Brian never forgave Keith for the Anita incident but they still seem to have been friends until the end. He even let Brian live at Redlands after the bust in 1968. Keith was closer to Brian than any other of the Stones.

Quote
tat2you
Brain was a woman beating prick "News Flash" he was very talented ..but a abusive man ...maybe you all cant handle the truth???

Maybe you should learn to read more books about the subject before speaking about "the truth"?

We know that Brian was abusive towards some of his women. You can't make a post about Brian on IORR before someone has to mention it - like it was all there was to the guy. Drugs tend to turn some people into a-holes. Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon were abusive to their women. Ozzy Osbourne beat up Sharon - nearly killed her and Ron Wood has been a prick in that department as well. It's no excuse for what Brian did but Brian has definitely been getting more shit for it than anybody else.

What Keith say about Brian in this book has very little to do with "the truth". You don't have to read much about the Stones during the 60's to see the contradictions. Keith's view on Brian has become darker and darker the older he gets. If you read interviews with Keith during the 70's he is more objective about Brian and doesn't just bash the guy. There are also interviews that show a more reflective Keith who is truelly emotional when speaking about Brian. I guess that Keith's ego has become too big over the years to let that side of him talk. Bashing Brian has become a way to not having to talk about it now.

You are right. Mandy Aftel's book Death of a Rolling Stone was published in 1982. She interviewed Keith four times during the 1970's. His interviews are in her book, and, surprisingly, he is very even-handed when talking about Brian. His 1971 Rolling Stone interview is another good read. As far as Brian and Anita's relationship I give a nod to Christopher Gibb, friend and designer of both the Stones and The Beatles. He was also busted at Redlands in 1967 with Keith. Quote Christopher Gibb, " Those who attribute all of Brian's happiness to Anita don't know anything about it. I never thought Brian was happy with whoever he was with, but he was just happy according to how the music was going." Also from Christopher Gibb, " Brian and Anita fought about everything. He could never win an arguemewnt with Anita. There would be a terrific scene with them screaming at each other. The difference was that Brian didn't know what he was doing. Anita did know what she was doing."

Washington Post review: [www.washingtonpost.com]

***********************************************************
"What I'm doing is a sexual thing. I dance and all dancing is a replacement for sex". - Mick Jagger

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Doxa


But I continue read the book - I'm just in 1963 scenes - which is a joy. Despite the writer's obvious psychological issues and agendas, really fascinating insights and points he shares with us.

- Doxa

I've so far only read the excerpts and while his "truth" is cloudy and for all his shortsightedness, Keith is engaging and can be funny:
About "She's The Boss"
It’s like Mein Kampf. Everybody had a copy, but nobody listened to it.”
I mean, isn't that how we all felt about it? lol...
His perceptions of Jagger in the 80s are spot because I was feeling the same way.

Just picked it up today. Only about 50 pages in. After teh first chapter about the Arkansas bust,he goes into very great,minute detail about his life growing up. Could do with a lot less detail about that. Rather boring so far.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

I'm only a couple chapters in but I kind of get the impression the publisher sent it back a few times with comments like "It's a bit humdrum, put a bit more Stonesy swagger in there. Exaggerate a bit. Make stuff up if you have to. Don't forget that sex sells. We paid you a big advance and we'd like to make it back."

I'm not complaining, at least it's not as dry as Sam Cutler's book. But it may not all be meant to be taken literally.

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Marie
You are right. Mandy Aftel's book Death of a Rolling Stone was published in 1982. She interviewed Keith four times during the 1970's. His interviews are in her book, and, surprisingly, he is very even-handed when talking about Brian. His 1971 Rolling Stone interview is another good read. As far as Brian and Anita's relationship I give a nod to Christopher Gibb, friend and designer of both the Stones and The Beatles. He was also busted at Redlands in 1967 with Keith. Quote Christopher Gibb, " Those who attribute all of Brian's happiness to Anita don't know anything about it. I never thought Brian was happy with whoever he was with, but he was just happy according to how the music was going." Also from Christopher Gibb, " Brian and Anita fought about everything. He could never win an arguemewnt with Anita. There would be a terrific scene with them screaming at each other. The difference was that Brian didn't know what he was doing. Anita did know what she was doing."

Exactly! Aftel's book is really a great start for anybody who wants to hear some truth about Brian from Keith. I also (as always) want to mention Laura Jackson's book about Brian - not for what she writes - but for the many quotes from people who knew Brian. It's a gem. I wish Keith was more like he was in the 70's (but without the drugs) now . Just imagine the stories he could share about it all looking back at it.

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tat2you
i always liked the photo of Anita w/ the black eye...

You really need to come down from that high horse of yours and at least try to think outside the box. But since you ignored my answer to you I guess I'm wasting my time...

Wall Street Journal from today

WSJ

Remember Keith punched Anita too and she him. Mick and Chrissie hit each other too and Mick once beat Marianne. No one comes out clean on that one.

Managed to get my copy will be here tomorrow was a mission to get as I was not able to get it where I live so I paid someone in another town to buy it for me and send it my way anyone else get a free guitar pick?

Clever me, 3 weeks almost in bed with a flu or whatever.
Really could need that book now. Just not the strenght to walk out buying it.
Maybe that Ronnie trip to freezing London wasn't a good idea. Oh well.

TE
Oslo

£9.99 in Waterstones. No complaint about that.