Really enjoyed this book. Sounded like he had a great time for a while but the bubble had to burst eventually. The bit that sticks in my mind is where he says that once you have been on tour with The Stones as part of the inner circle, everything else in life that you do is a bit of an anti-climax.

Just remembered I lent it to a friend. Must ask for it back - this thread makes me want to re-read it, or at least parts of it.

One of the best book ever!

You can get a personal note from him
if you order directly. A nice guy...




and a good storyteller:
[www.youtube.com]

Yesterday: discovered this thread and this book
Today: ordered it
Tomorrow: will wait patiently, takes a while for it to ship y'know!

I enjoyed it, great read.
Admire that young man for managing to put his journalism ahead of fandom.

I'm about 100 pages into this book myself. Over the weekend I picked up a nice used vinyl of Undercover. I just pulled it out to play and much to my surprise, I found a copy of the flyer advertising subscriptions to Beggars Banquet, as described in the book!

Just started reading it...so I'm not gonna voice an opinion just yet.

Just received Stone Alone (Wyman) in the mail too. What's the verdict on that one?! Better? Just as good? Just "different"?!

I don't think books by band members are the same as books by people in their circle. STONE ALONE is the best of the lot as far as true bios go. Ronnie's THE WORKS is far better than the later RONNIE and Mac's ALL THE RAGE is brilliant. Bobby's EVERY NIGHT'S A SATURDAY NIGHT makes LIFE seem trustworthy in comparison.


Bill German is a good guy and his story is an important and unique one to capture. Along with UP AND DOWN WITH THE ROLLING STONES, it's the best look at the band from the sidelines. Pity there was never a Freddie Sessler book or a Tony King or Jane Rose book. I was very disappointed in Prince Rupert's book.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2018-01-24 16:10 by Rocky Dijon.

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Rocky Dijon
I don't think books by band members are the same as books by people in their circle. STONE ALONE is the best of the lot as far as true bios go. Ronnie's THE WORKS is far better than the later RONNIE and Mac's ALL THE RAGE is brilliant. Bobby's EVERY NIGHT'S A SATURDAY NIGHT makes LIFE seem trustworthy in comparison.


Bill German is a good guy and his story is an important and unique one to capture. Along with UP AND DOWN WITH THE ROLLING STONES, it's the best look at the band from the sidelines. Pity there was never a Freddie Sessler book or a Tony King or Jane Rose book. I was very disappointed in Prince Rupert's book.

It was actually better than I had expected. I had pretty low expectations, though

Quote
Rocky Dijon
I don't think books by band members are the same as books by people in their circle. STONE ALONE is the best of the lot as far as true bios go. Ronnie's THE WORKS is far better than the later RONNIE and Mac's ALL THE RAGE is brilliant. Bobby's EVERY NIGHT'S A SATURDAY NIGHT makes LIFE seem trustworthy in comparison.


Bill German is a good guy and his story is an important and unique one to capture. Along with UP AND DOWN WITH THE ROLLING STONES, it's the best look at the band from the sidelines. Pity there was never a Freddie Sessler book or a Tony King or Jane Rose book. I was very disappointed in Prince Rupert's book.

I agree. Rupert's book was very disappointing and revealed very little. Perhaps the lawyers were looking over his shoulders.
Maybe Tony King will tell his tale....he's PR so stringing a bit of prose together shouldn't be a problem. The Beatles Publicist, Derek Taylor wrote a very good book, recently reissued.
Wish Alan Dunn who had 40 plus year service with the band would publish his
memoirs also.

Quote
Rocky Dijon
Pity there was never a Freddie Sessler book

It would have been "Coksucker Blues in print" 10 times more powerful than the Frank film. And part of the unwritten gentlemen's agreement between Keef and Fred is one would never describe the other guy's dirty stories (and that's alrite by me).



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2018-01-24 17:04 by dcba.

Oh sure and Freddie was too busy living life to excess than to write about it. It just would have made for remarkable reading.

By the way, I neglected to mention Andrew's books which are absolutely essential reading.

Sam Cutler's book is pretty darned good as well!

--
Captain Corella
60 Years a Fan

You know, I'm negligent about that one. I need to pick up Sam's book.

So what are some juicy tidbits from this book? Or do I have to read it?

You should read it. Especially if you were a BEGGARS BANQUET / CONNECTION subscriber. Just understand it's Bill German's story being part of the circus and not a Stones biography.

Enjoyable book, read it twice

..a beat depressing when we discover all he did for them and the few he did receipt...

Bought it once. Read it multiple times. It got a ton of water on it, and was unreadable. Bought it a second time and I’ve read it through probably 10 times at least. It’s my favorite Stones book.

JumpingKentFlash

.... by the way: Make sure you order it from Bill’s website. That way he gets more money I think. You can get it for under a buck on eBay, but he’ll receive next to nothing that way around.

JumpingKentFlash

It looked interesting .....So I ordered it 2 month's ago ......and it arrived today....M

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FrogSugar
Just started reading it...so I'm not gonna voice an opinion just yet.

Just received Stone Alone (Wyman) in the mail too. What's the verdict on that one?! Better? Just as good? Just "different"?!

Under Their Thumb is a very good book. Stone Alone is on par with The Bible.

If you get a chance pick up this book....Read it over the weekend...Very well done he got to know Keith and Woodie pretty well...Could not image what the Stones inner circle is like now...Looking forward to the show's....That's what count's....

Quote
StonedInTokyo
Under Their Thumb is a very good book. Stone Alone is on par with The Bible.

Agreed. STONE ALONE is overlong, rife with contradictions, repetitive, terribly anti-climactic, compelling reading for some while others just own it because you should, parts of it are likely fables to explain what happened without telling the whole truth. And yes, I've sworn on it in court.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-04-11 18:56 by Rocky Dijon.

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Rocky Dijon

Quote
StonedInTokyo
Under Their Thumb is a very good book. Stone Alone is on par with The Bible.

Agreed. STONE ALONE is overlong, rife with contradictions, repetitive, terribly anti-climactic, compelling reading for some while others just own it because you should, parts of it are likely fables to explain what happened without telling the whole truth. And yes, I've sworn on it in court.

I don't think The Bible focuses on individuals' bank balances as much.

That's what the bit about cubits is.

Loved German's book. Also enjoyed "STP: A Journey Through America With The Rolling Stones" by Robert Greenfield, and "On the Road with the Rolling Stones: 20 Years of Lipstick, Handcuffs, and Chemicals" by the late Chet Flippo. My Stones library numbers over sixty books and there are actually very few that I didn't enjoy.

Read Stoned and 2 Stoned by Andrew Loog Oldham....That will give you insight