Last-modified: 1994/06/23 Version: 1.08 Welcome to the Rolling Stones' Mailing list FAQ list ==================================================== /***********************************************************************/ COPYRIGHT 1994 (c) Anthony J. Rzepela (the "compiler") This collection of four works is under the copyright of the compiler, who may, at his discretion, relinquish said copyright to the authors named herein. This collection may not be broken up, or be made available by any publisher. It may not be redistributed in any form if any changes are made to it except by the holder of the copyright. The compiler of this FAQ retains all rights for use of it. No author or proofreader or assistant credited herein grants the use of his or her name to any publisher. Be warned that attempts to publish this shared work-in-progress may interfere with legal commitments individual authors may privately hold with publishers. /***********************************************************************/ This FAQ list is intended for new subscribers to the Rolling Stones' Internet mailing list and digest, known as 'Undercover', and users of alt.rock-n-roll.stones, where it is a monthly posting. It is a four-part FAQ list, with the following sections: Part 1: basic question list. You are reading it now. Part 2: basic recording history Part 3: a bibliography of Rolling Stones-related material Part 4: The "Lazy Man's Discography" Revisions, as they are made, will be available at the FTP site at ftp.uwp.edu, in the directory pub/music/faqs and, pending approval, archived at rtfm.mit.edu in pub/usenet/news.answers/music/rollingstones-faq/part (where x is in [1..4]) where it is accessible by an automated email server. Simply send an email message with the line: send usenet/news.answers/music/rollingstones-faq/part1 (or, part2, part3, part4, whichever is appropriate) to the address mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu; To get on Undercover, the Rolling Stones mailing list, send a human-readable request to: undercover-request@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca List owner Steve Portigal (stevep@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca) can be contacted personally if there is a problem. Last revised - July, 1994 How to use: In the body of the document, you can just skip to the next ----------- question by having your software SEARCH for the next occurrence of "@Q" Disclaimers: The authors of information on hard-to-find items are unable ------------ to provide you with any more information than is provided here on locating those items. Particularly where unauthorized recordings are concerned, do not write anyone whose name is listed here as an author and ask if they can help you get your hands on such-and-such a recording. Please realize that when you do so, you are asking a perfect stranger to give you advice, in writing, on how to carry out an illegal act. The authors of this document make no guarantees about the quality of workmanship or service you will get from patronizing a publisher, CD house, or magazine listed here. The information is provided to guide you, not make recommendations on which vendor to spend your money with. Authors: -------- For part II of this document (recordings history), we thank D.H. ("Mr. X.") For part III (the bibliography), we thank Stephen Carter (e-address below). For part IV (EPs and albums), we thank Anthony Rzepela (e-address below). Contributors to Part I of the Rolling Stones FAQ list are: Jens Backlund (jbacklund@finabo.abo.fi) Frank Blau Jon Brode Stephen D. Carter (stevedc@central.sussex.ac.uk) D.H. Charles Papworth Ken Pennington (hfin011@uabdpo.dpo.uab.edu) Steve Portigal (stevep@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca) Anthony J. Rzepela (rzepela@cvi.hahnemann.edu) We'd also like to thank the fine-tooth brigade: our FAQ helpers/ proofreaders/fact-checkers: Todd Furesz (furesz@kids.wustl.edu) Jim Henning (ujhennin@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu) Michael Honig (honey@mwald5.chemie.uni-mainz.de) Mark C. Walters (mark@pluto.logica.co.uk) Finally, we would like to thank the Rolling Stones, for....whatever. Maintenance: Maintenance on parts one, two, and four are carried out by ------------ Anthony Rzepela. Part three, the bibliography, is maintained by Stephen D. Carter, who should be emailed directly with updates, corrections, arguments, etc. Summary of questions: --------------------- 1. Who ARE the Stones - what is the band lineup/history? 2. Hey! Do you think they read email??? 3. Not even Bill? 4. Where can I get an online discography? 5. Hey! Why isn't this discography complete? 6. Well, where *can* I get a complete one? 7. What about CDs? What do I need for a complete set? How do they sound??? 8. Can you at *least* tell me about the solo records???? 9. Where can I get bootlegs? 10. Which bootlegs are best? Which will have my favorite song? 11. Where can I get online lyrics/chords/tabulature? 12. How can I get that Keith sound in the comfort of my own home? 13. Wouldn't it be neat if there were a Stones "museum"? 14. I'm a novice. Can you recommend the best... a. albums b. movies c. books d. home videos e. fanzines 15. What is/who are a. "Nanker Phelge" b. "The Glimmer Twins" c. "Rock and Roll Circus" d. "Altamont" e. "Cocksucker Blues" 16. Gossip a. How many times have they been arrested? b. How many times have they been married? c. Will the band break up? d. Are they going to tour? e. Do you think this is the last time, really? f. How old ARE they? 17. Myths & legends: a. Did Keith really get his blood changed? b. Do they worship satan? c. Is Paul dead? Sources used in this FAQ list: ------------------------------ (full publication information on these books can be found in part three of the FAQ list, The Bibliography From Hell) The primary resources for fact-checking in this document are: Dalton, David - "The Rolling Stones - The First Twenty Years" Giuliano, Geoffrey - "The Rolling Stones Album" Wyman, Bill - "Stone Alone" Weiner, Sue & Lisa Howard - "The Rolling Stones A to Z" ========================================================================== Answers: @Q1. Who ARE the Stones - what is the band lineup/history? The first Rolling Stones long-playing album was released in 1964, to enough advance excitement to encourage the band's management to release it with only a portrait of the band on the front. Once you understand that, all the rest really just falls into place. Originally comprised of Mick Jagger (vocals), Brian Jones (gtr), Keith Richards (gtr), Ian Stewart (piano), Charlie Watts (drums), and Bill Wyman (bass), Ian Stewart was 'demoted' by de facto manager Andrew Loog Oldham by the time of their first album, because he did not look the part of a Rolling Stone. Although Ian did not appear in photographs or get listed in band personnel information, he played, credited, on records and in concert with the Stones up until his death in 1985. The first 'real' personnel change took place with the dismissal of Brian Jones in 1969, who died several weeks later. Before his death, his slot was filled by a young guitarist named Mick Taylor, who had been in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and who stayed with the Stones until December 1974. Ron Wood, already a star from his work with Rod Stewart and the Faces, joined as a 'special guest' in 1975, and became a full member by the end of the year. In 1993, bassist Bill Wyman, then 56, officially quit after years of rumours and speculation. As of this writing, no permanent replacement has been announced for Mr. Wyman. @Q2. Hey! Do you think they read email??? There is no evidence that any popular musician is hooked into the Internet, and the world of electronic communication, unless you count Billy Idol. And maybe the Edge. @Q3. Not even Bill? No! @Q4. Where can I get an online discography? Part IV of this document has a minimal listing which includes all Rolling Stones EPs and albums released in the US and UK, excluding out-of-print compilations. Original release dates, producer, song lists, and maybe a biased comment or two, are added. A section of it lists tracks which cannot be found on albums as of the time of this writing. @Q5. Hey! Why isn't this discography complete? To assemble a complete discography of the Rolling Stones is indeed a daunting task. The band has, in its' long recorded history, multiple versions of the same songs, multiple versions of an album depending on country of origin, multiple record labels releasing their post-1970 recordings, mono and stereo versions of pre-1970 albums, mono and stereo and "electronically processed" stereo versions of individual songs, dozens and dozens of singles, dozens of European compilation packages, and then, in the eighties, the re-release of three-quarters of it all on compact disc. (!) To give you an idea of the volume, take the experience of German Stones' authority Dieter Hoffman, who has a book out on the topic called the 'White Book'. The work covers all these issues in excruciating detail, and requires more than 560 pages to do so. So, in a nutshell - *you* want a complete online discography? Be our guest, and feel free to type one up. @Q6. Well, where *can* I get a complete one? Although it has a mistake or two (out of THOUSANDS of opportunities), Dieter Hoffman's 'Das Weissbuch' (German for the 'The White Book', ISBN: 3980248940) lists all official releases, vinyl and CD, single and LP, promos and dance remixes, by the Stones in Germany, Japan, the UK and the United States. It is more than 560 pages long and includes photographs of covers and labels, and a detailed index of all known recorded selections by the Stones, even those appearing on 'official unauthorized' recordings (see question 8). It is available as an import, and will set you back about $US 90.00. As of this writing, it is available from the Connecticut mail-order firm "The Disc Junkie". Their phone number is 1-(203)-483-8317. A more reasonably priced ($US 16), if less thorough and accurate book, is available by Martin Elliott: 'The Rolling Stones: Complete Recording Sessions' ISBN: 0-7137-2118-9 Great for a beginner, this book answers many basic questions. It is current up to October 1989. Stones "fanzines" can also be a good ongoing source of information for collectors and interested parties. Please see the "fanzine" section under question #14. @Q7. What about CDs? What do I need for a complete set? How do they sound??? Part IV of this document also includes a brief summary on the state of the Stones in the format of the eighties and nineties. It briefly overviews who issues Stones CDs, what you need for a complete set of Stones music on CD (answer: you can't do it on Compact Disc just yet), and what kind of sound you can expect for your purchase. @Q8. Can you at *least* tell me about the solo records???? Fair enough. For our purposes we are not, at this time, including any appearances by band members on others' recordings, or band members' efforts at producing or presenting other artists, but restricting ourselves, in the interest of brevity, to recording projects prominently featuring the member, his name, or some variation thereof (e.g., the Charlie Watts Orchestra), and excluding singles and configurations that do not present previously unavailable material. Although considered the first 'solo' effort by a group member, 'Memo From Turner', sung by Mick Jagger in the movie 'Performance', released in 1970, is credited to the 'Rolling Stones' on compilations, although the soundtrack, which is still in print, says 'Sung by Mick Jagger'. No one, apparently, was all fired up to collect similar credit for Mick's song in the movie "Ned Kelly": "The Wild-eyed Colonial Boy". A traditional song sung by Mick's character, the movie came out on videocassette in 1993, if you want to rent it. Next up, in 1972, was a collection of lukewarm 'jams' which took place several years earlier in the studio while the Stones were 'waiting for our guitar player to show up'. The effort was called "Jamming With Edward", and it features the talents of Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Mick Jagger, and non-Stones Nicky Hopkins and Ry Cooder. It was released on the Stones' own label. The rest of the recordings should be fairly straightforward. Promo-only versions have an asterisk. Jagger, Mick "Don't Look Back" sgl (1978) (billed as a co-lead vocal w/Tosh in some countries) "State of Shock" sgl (1984) (billed as a co-lead vocal w/Michael Jackson) She's the Boss LP (1985) "Hard Woman" sgl (1985) (German 7", re-recorded version of the LP track) "Lucky In Love" (4:51*, 4:45, and 3:57* versions) "Lucky In Love" (extended, and a 6 min. + dub version) "Dancing in the Street" (duet w/ David Bowie) sgl (1985) "Ruthless People"/"I'm Ringin'" sgl (1987) Primitive Cool LP (1987) "Catch as Catch Can" (flipside to "Let's Work") sgl (1987) "Memory Motel" (re-recorded for a BBC TV show) song (1990) Wandering Spirit LP (1993) "Sweet Thing" 12" single ("Mick's Extended Version", "Mick's Dub", "Instrumental of Extended Mix", "Extended Remix", "Stripped Down Version", "Instrumental of Stripped Down Version") 12" (1993) "Sweet Thing" CD5 ("Mick's Extended Version", "Mick's Dub", "Extended Remix", "Stripped Down Version", "Instrumental of Stripped Down Version", "LP Mix") CD5 (1993) "Everybody knows About My Good Thing"/"Sweet Thing (Funky Guitar Edit)" (flip selections on "Don't Tear Me Up" Euro-CD5) CD5 (1993) Richards, Keith "Run Rudolph Run"/"The Harder They Come" sgl (1978) Talk is Cheap LP (1988) "Make No Mistake" (single edit) sgl (1988) "Make No Mistake" (extended edit) 12" (1988) Live at the Hollywood Palladium LP (1991) Main Offender LP (1992) "Eileen" US CD5 has 4 extra non-LP tracks ("Gimme Shelter", "Wicked As it Seems", and "How I Wish" live, plus "Key to the Highway" with Johnnie Johnson) CD5 (1993) Taylor, Mick Mick Taylor LP (1979) Stranger in This Town (live) LP (1990) Too Hot for Snakes LP (1991) (Mick Taylor & Carla Olsen) Once in a Blue Moon LP (Gerry Groom, Mick Taylor & Friends) Watts, Charlie Live at the Fullham Town Hall LP (1986) (Charlie Watts Orchestra) From One Charlie to Another (CD plus book "Ode to a high-flying bird") BOX (1991) A Tribute to Charlie Parker (Charlie Watts quintet) LP (1992) Warm and Tender LP (1993) Wood, Ron I've Got My Own Album to Do LP (1974) (aka "Cancel Everything", on CD) Now Look LP (1975) "Sweet Sunshine" (flipside to 'Big Bayou') sgl (1976) Mahoney's Last Stand (w/Ronnie Lane) LP (1976) Gimme Some Neck LP (1979) 1234 LP (1981) "It's Not Easy" (soundtrack to "Wild Life") song (1984) Live At the Ritz (w/ Bo Diddley) LP (1989) Slide On This LP (1992) "Seven Days" (appearance on Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary CD CBS C2K 53230) song (1993) "Somebody Else Might" (3:48 remix)/ "Ain't Rock & Roll" (3:46 remix) CD5 (1993) Slide On Live (Plugged in and Standin') LP (1993) "Stay With Me" (edit from live LP*) CD5 (1993) "Somebody Else Might" (5:59 remix)/"Josephine" (remix) (tracks are on US "Stay With Me" CD5) CD5 (1993) Wyman, Bill Monkey Grip LP (1974) Stone Alone LP (1975) Bill Wyman LP (1981) Green Ice (film soundtrack) LP (1981) Digital Dreams (video soundtrack) LP (1983) Willie and the Poor Boys LP (1985) ("superstar" group w/ Charlie Watts, others) Stuff (Japan only) LP (1992) @Q9. Where can I get bootlegs? Stones fans are pretty lucky when it comes to bootlegs. There are hundreds of bootlegs available, many of them are even high quality recordings. You can find all sorts of things on bootleg: demos, rehearsals, outtakes, concerts and interviews. Unfortunately, bootlegs are sort of illegal. A legal loophole discovered by 'Swingin' Pig' records in 1986 created an explosion in the "unauthorized recording" market, although it still finds challenges in court by the likes of U2. Many, but not all, "unauthorized recordings" are not "bootlegs" but legitimate releases throughout much of Europe. (You may find "unauthorized recordings" at your own local store clearly marked *IMPORT*.) Here are the 4 main ways to acquire bootlegs: First, know your local record stores. Avoid the large chains - they generally only carry legitimate items. The small, independently run stores are good places to look, but used record stores are your best bet. Get a phone book and visit all the stores listed. Bigger cities usually have better stores. College towns are excellent, too. Go to your nearest metropolis or campus and comb the stores. Second, go to record shows and conventions. Even the ones that have a "no bootleg" policy can be rewarding, as they often don't enforce the rule very well. Check in area newspapers and with local record stores for dates and locations. Goldmine magazine prints record show listings, but it may not list all of the shows in your area. Third, use mail order places. Record magazines, such as Discoveries, (or "Record Collector", in the UK) abound with ads offering Stones merchandise. Of course, there's always an extra risk involved when dealing with mail-order places, but most that advertise in major magazines are reputable. If you're unsure, start small and work up to larger purchases. Start with buying one item from a vendor. If they are prompt with that order, then send a larger one. You can usually find a copy of Discoveries or Record Collector in record or book stores, or get in contact with them directly. Fourth, trade with friends. This is the cheapest way to build a collection of bootlegs. Buy a few and trade tapes to get other things. Caveat emptor. Bootlegs are often over-priced and low quality. Most places don't have a friendly return policy on bootlegs either. @Q10: Which Stones bootlegs are best? Which will have my favorite song? Part two of this document is occupied with nothing but answering this question. It is a concise history of the band's performing career, and it includes remarks on availability of outtakes, unreleased studio recordings, and live performances. @Q11: Where can I get online lyrics/chords/tabulature/GIFs? If you have access to USENET news, look at the groups rec.music.makers.guitar.tablature and the less official alt.guitar.tab. People will often post chords or tablature to Stones songs on those groups. If you have chords and/or tab for a song, feel free to post it to those groups. Tab is probably not appropriate for posting to undercover (although it's been done before). If you are posting tablature, perhaps the best solution is to post it to the newsgroups and just indicate on undercover that you have done so. Offer to mail it to anyone who doesn't have news access. The Rolling Stones are just one act with goodies archived at the FTP site ftp.uwp.edu (131.210.1.4). In the pub/music/artists/r/rolling.stones directory JPEGs, lyrics and so on can be found. In pub/music/guitar/r/rolling.stones AND pub/music/ guitar/r/Rolling.Stones (don't ask) you can find a selection of archived chords and tablature. @Q12. How can I get that Keith sound in the comfort of my own home? Two approaches, here: If you want to play like Keith, well you *really* need a Fender Telecaster ;-). As well, Keith plays in open G tuning, his own 5 string version. Take your low E string OFF the guitar and tune it: (low to high) GDGBD. You can always tune the low E string to D as well if you don't want to remove strings. Keith sums up his guitar playing thusly: "5 strings, 3 fingers, and one asshole." or: barre at the 5th fret (that's a C in open G tuning) and slam a few chords... hammer on an Am7 form in fron of the bar.. that's an F... slam a few more... repeat progression at the 2nd fret... noodle around on the open G.... that'll get you through about 70% of all the solo albums and a great deal of Stones stuff as well. A few tidbits... Keith uses talcum powder on the neck before he plays...it speeds things up a lot, but if you are really picky about strings, you will have to be religous about wiping them when you are finished. And of course, never be so dull as to actually play chords ON the downbeat... wait about 20 nanoseconds from all major timing cues...get that one string about 2 clicks out of tune... it's all in the tension, you know. And remember, no effects boxes and keep in mind that "it only tightens up"... @Q13. Wouldn't it be neat if there were a Stones "museum"? Bill Wyman operates a restaurant called "Sticky Fingers" in the well-heeled Kensington section of London. The food is much the same general type of menu as you might find at Hard Rock. Cost seems OK. The whole place is of course a shrine to a certain well known band! Bill has decorated it with framed (etc) posters, magazine covers, guitars, gold discs, etc etc. - even an especially good blown up cutting on the right of the door as you go out, headed 'Korner Cancels', referring to the first real Stones Gig, on 12th July 1962. No trouble finding things to read and gaze at while you await your meal. Most of the time Stones music plays. Location: 1 Phillmore Gardens, London. @Q14. I'm a novice. Can you recommend the best... First.... a note on the worth of opinions. They are, as the saying goes, like anal cavities. Everyone has one and they all stink. They are also free, so remember that you get what you pay for. Detached, objective judgment of the worth of a particular period of the Rolling Stones' career is a problem all its own. As Keith Richards has said, people tend to be fond of what they were hearing the first time they got laid. a. albums If you are thinking of starting out with live albums or greatest-hits compilations for an exposure to the Rolling Stones, (or for someone else's benefit!), consider: Their early work (the first eight years), originally on DECCA records (London Records in the USA), is covered by any of the greatest-hits compilations that are now being released on CD by ABKCO. "Hot Rocks 1964-1971", the double-CD set, is a near-definitive collection of hit singles. Alternatively, you could pair up the single CDs "High Tide and Green Grass (Big Hits)" and "Through the Past Darkly (Big Hits Part 2)" for a collection of equal length with a slightly different impact. Or, get the 1989 ABKCO 3-CD set called "The London Years", which is full to the rim with just about anything the band put out as a single in these years. It includes everything found on the American versions of the two "Big Hits" compilations, everything on "Hot Rocks" with the exception of three songs, and it has several somewhat rare selections otherwise unavailable reasonably to CD consumers. (As of this writing (June 1994), the three compilations mentioned below seem to be off the shelves indefinitely and _superseded_ by the 1993 European compilation "Jump Back". If you can find any of these three compilations on your store shelves, you may consider that they may be gone forever soon. No big deal, really, except that "Sucking in the Seventies" has a couple tracks on it unavailable elsewhere on CD.) Several compilations cover their post-ABKCO work. "Made in the Shade" was originally released in 1975, and "Rewind (1971-1984)" in 1984. Unfortunately, the CD releases of these two albums have an overlap of four songs. "Rewind" is the better value for your CD money. "Sucking in the Seventies", from 1981, is of interest largely to collectors. It has three tracks otherwise unavailable on CD, and single/promo edits of 6 Stones numbers released after 1975. A 1993 compilation, entitled "Jump Back", was not released in the States, but has, on a single CD, everything from the "Rewind" CD except for "Hang Fire" and "Heartbreaker", plus "Bitch", "Wild Horses", "Respectable", "Mixed Emotions", and "Rock and a Hard Place" The Rolling Stones have released five "live albums", and except for 'Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!', (1970), everyone seems to hate something about all of them. Moving on to "regular" releases, many people are strongly persuaded that the Rolling Stones' years with Mick Taylor, and just before, are an artistic peak that no one before or since has been able to touch. To acquire that era, you can obtain the albums released from 1968 to 1972. (In order of release: 'Beggar's Banquet', 'Let It Bleed', 'Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out' (live), 'Sticky Fingers', and 'Exile on Main Street'). While an investment in the ABKCO compilations provides a fairly complete overview of the best of the Rolling Stones' first eight years, the band's first three American releases ('Newest Hit Makers', '12 X 5', and 'Now!') stand as a powerful documentary of what all the fuss was about. 'Aftermath' is also a favorite among many aficianados. What one critic has referred to as their 'silver age' occurred in the late 70's-early eighties, after many had given the boys up for dead. The albums "Some Girls", "Emotional Rescue", and "Tattoo You" (released from 1978 to 1981) show a veteran outfit churning out top-notch material which was a critical and commercial success. Common rock criticism to the contrary, this rejuvenation was NOT just the result of the appearance of punk rock and the Sex Pistols in the world. After all, the punk phenomenon didn't seem to do much for Led Zeppelin or the Who. b. movies The Rolling Stones are the focus of several films that have not made it to the home video market. Their film history is somewhat chaotic. Part of the reason you can't see them all at your leisure may have as much to do with technical feasibility as court injunctions. Any movies that were subsequently released to the home video market are listed under part d. of this question, "home videos" 'Cocksucker Blues' - A concert film cum tour documentary, widespread exhibition of this film has been frustrated by much legal wrangling over the years. See question #14. 'Ladies & Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones' - A concert film by which all others surely must be judged. High excitement prevails in this film of two concert performances from their 1972 American tour. 'The Rolling Stones At the MAX' - A concert film of the 1990 European tour (the 'Urban Jungle' tour), this film was the first 'entertainment' film (i.e., no penguins, no beavers) to be filmed with the IMAX process. Exhibition of an IMAX film overwhelms your peripheral vision, and displays several stories high, resulting in a realism and immediacy unavailable with conventional filming techniques. This requires specially-equipped exhibition theatres, the kind usually found only in planetariums or learning institutions. An excellent, highly realistic technology capturing a compelling and exciting performance. Highly recommended. c. books The number of published books about the Rolling Stones can (and does) fill up a separate document all its own: Part three of this FAQ list. Still, it is probably of some use to have a 'shortlist', some starting point, so here are the titles of five current books we recommend for giving you a good start in learning about the history, influence, and greatness of the Rolling Stones. Please note that these five are not necessarily the best books about the Stones, but they ARE the best of what's currently available. 'Dance With the Devil' Stanley Booth - Delayed for years due to litigation, this book combines equal parts tedious personal confession and juicy Stones-tour gossip. Particularly compelling is the detailed description of a group rehearsal. An insider's account of the Stones' entree into the big time. 'Symphony For the Devil' Philip Norman - Stops in 1983, but the author delivers a respectful and competent biography. Bookended by anecdotes about their 1981 tour, Norman's analysis of characters in the play known as the Rolling Stones is deep and thoughtful. Revised and reissued in 1992. 'Keith Richards - the Biography' Victor Bockris - Little more than a cut-and-paste job of other, indiscriminately chosen biographies, this book still has the advantage of recent vintage, and the fact that the author can turn out seductive and flowing prose. Never a dull moment, which is actually difficult to say about lesser Stones'-related works. 'The Rolling Stones Album' Geoffrey Giuliano - Biographically, nothing is very deep - only a thumbnail sketch of the band's history is attempted. Sometimes, though, this is more refreshing than failed attempts at deep analysis. Intended as pornography for the Stones-memorabilia fetishist, this book has great color photographs of records, books, promotional items, and posters. If a picture paints a thousand words, this is a million-word chronicle. 'Stone Alone' Bill Wyman (with Ray Coleman) - The only book by any band member that was there in the early years, and at the height of the madness, this can (surprisingly) get awfully boring. If, as is said, the devil is in the details, then opportunities abound here, as one of Wyman's techniques is to provide the full text of letters for rather unseemly work-a-day tasks. Yet, there is no discussion of the band's working techniques, except as they pertain to, for example, how long they would spend working on a new song of Wyman's versus one penned by Jagger and Richards. Great opportunities missed, but others taken, if you have the interest and patience. NB: only covers up to July, 1969. Now these five *are* the best: good luck finding them all! 'Stone Alone' - Wyman/Coleman 'Symphony for the Devil' - Phillip Norman 'An Illustrated Record' Roy Carr - A beautiful, thoroughly researched, large-format book which presents the Rolling Stones' discography up to 1976. It includes tour history, side-project information, interviews, unreleased album covers, and beautiful reproductions of the original DECCA LP covers. Essential. 'The Rolling Stones - The First Twenty Years' David Dalton - Dalton has edited several books on the topic, any and all of them worthwhile. Another large format book, this collection of essays, reviews, band history, interviews, photographs, and a sessionography, remains overwhelming years after you acquire it. Out of print, and highly recommended. 'S.T.P.' Robert Greenfield The abbreviation of "Stones Touring Party", and the name of a drug, this out-of-print classic is about life on the road with the World's you-know-what on their most infamous excursion to the United States, in 1972. d. home videos The Stones have several releases on home video. Note: ("import") means this is a title that is not generally available in the States except in 'specialty' stores. Since the rest of the world has a different video standard from the US, these tapes are often made through a format-conversion process, and so may suffer in son et lumiere. 'The Rolling Stones: Unauthorised Biography' This program consists mostly of *still* *photographs* in a small portion of the screen with a black background. There is occasional motion picture footage (a couple uninteresting complete shots of some airport arrival or departure which would be shown for only two seconds in a judiciously edited documentary.), and the *only* music one hears is about 30 seconds of "Around and Around" in front of that froofy curtain (is this PD stuff YET?). There are a couple TV news stories (Mick's 1967 bust and the 1976 UK tour), about one minute of a Wyman interview, and two minutes of of an interview with Mick done after his solo appearance on Saturday Night Live. (He wouldn't do his Keith imitation without the props.) '25 X 5 (The Continuing Adventures of the Rolling Stones)' - This two-hour retrospective of the band's entire career, released in 1990, has some exclusive footage and performances from the band's own collection. It's narrated by interviews with the band, so bring your own grain of salt. Highly recommended. 'Mick Jagger & the Rolling Stones' A 30-minute episode of something called 'Celebrity Showcase'. At least the outside box is honest: it warns potential customers that there is no Rolling Stones music on the entire program. Not reviewed. 'Video Rewind' - A one-hour feature, this early attempt at making a unique offering in the then-infantile home music video market is occasionally successful and funny. Includes rarely seen "official" videos of records released from 1978 to 1983, two television performances from the mid-70's, and a cut-and-paste version of "Brown Sugar", using footage from several tours. 'Let's Spend the Night Together' - The home video version of the film of their 1981 US tour, directed by Hal Ashby. Opinion on this film is widely varying. Some longtime Stones' enthusiasts are disappointed by the performance, while others find it an exciting document of a great tour (current author loves it, but he was 18 when the tour took place!). A video rental costs you three bucks - we're not going to sweat making a bad recommendation. 'Rolling On' - A 60-minute television documentary, assembled in 1982, but consisting of an annoying 'rock' soundtrack (no Jagger-Richards tunes), and some rarely seen footage from the 'Charlie is My Darling' era (1965). Little to recommend it except when you mute the horrendous audio tracks, and watch Jagger work a crowd in some rarely-seen early live footage. 'Gimme Shelter' - This home video of the documentary of the 1969 tour and the disastrous free concert that closed it ("Altamont") stands as a classic film separate from any other rock film due to its' too-true human drama and its portrait of the end of an era. Refurbished in 1992, the newer editions of the VHS tape are in Hi-Fi. 'The Stones in the Park' ("import") - A one-hour Granada TV documentary of the Stones' July 1969 free concert in London's Hyde Park. The stage debut of new guitarist Mick Taylor, this show has snippets of some classic performances. 'One plus one (Sympathy for the Devil)' - A pretentious bore by Jean-Luc Goddard, this film has splices of the Stones building and recording the classic track 'Sympathy For the Devil' in the studio. Seeing the Stones 'behind-the-scenes' at work is so rare, this is a valuable document. No. No. Yes. No. No. No. 'Charlie is My Darling' ("import") A one-hour documentary of their 1965 tour of Ireland. Some stunningly funny documentary footage of Keith and Mick, drunk, at a piano and singing. Also, a nice portrait of the frenzy and excitement that accompanied their early road work, including a truly frightening mob scene at a show that got out of hand while the band was playing. 'That was Rock/The TAMI Show' - The Stones perform five songs in twelve minutes on the "Teenage Music International" show, filmed in Los Angeles in 1965. Other guests on the show(s) were Chuck Berry, James Brown, Lesley Gore, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, and Ike and Tina Turner. Worth it to see a young Mick and Diana Ross singing together at the finale. e. fanzines * Basement News c/o Dieter Hoffman Lausitzer Strasse 13 D-63110 Rodgau (Germany) $20/3 issues (air mail) Published by Dieter Hoffman, the author of the Schwarzbuch (Black Book) bootleg bible and Weissbuch (White Book) listing of legit releases. Provides detailed information on current band activity, bootleg reviews, and the scuttlebutt on new Stones or Stones related record or CD releases. * Beggars Banquet P O Box 6152 New York, NY 10128 (USA) Monthly - 20 US Dollars in the US, 25 US Dollars for overseas Originally a 'pure' fanzine written by Bill German, this survived being the semi-official Fan Club Magazine in the Mid-80's. Rather tame and uncritical, and perhaps too much 'Bill German and the Stones (usually Ronnie). Wouldn't be without it. * Le Club Des Stones BP535 75666 Paris Cedex 14 France Actually the name of the French fan club for the Rolling Stones, they'll issue four A4 magazines per year to you (in French, natch) for 100F. * Tumbling Dice 9 Collingwood Close Westage-on-Sea Kent CT8 8JD (UK) Quarterly 9 UK Pounds in UK, 12 UK Pounds in Europe, 18 UK pounds in rest Only been going since early 1991 and still finding its feet. Each issue much improved on the previous, and distribution problems slowly disappearing. No band access. @Q15. What is/who are a. "Nanker Phelge"? The author of several early compositions ("Stoned", "The Underassistant West Coast Promotion Man"), "Nanker Phelge" is actually a pseudonym used for group compositions. "Nanker" was the nick name for a rather unpleasant facial expression band members used to make, and "Phelge" the surname of an early roommate of Keith, Mick, and Brian's whose personal hygiene left something to be desired. b. "The Glimmer Twins"? The production team known to the world as "The Glimmer Twins" consists of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, so dubbed because of a chance encounter with an elderly woman on vacation, who thought she recognized one of the Stones, but only had a "glimmer" of the real identity of her find. c. "Rock and Roll Circus"? Mere days after the release of 'Beggar's Banquet' in 1968, the band pulled together a 'circus': a show consisting of real circus performers, and some progressive rock acts of the day. Jethro Tull, The Who and Eric Clapton were in attendance, as were lions, trapeze artists, and Yoko Ono. The idea was to produce a unique television show, but the footage was eventually shelved, due to what the Stones felt was a sub-standard performance. It has not been seen to this day, except for a brief excerpt in the home video entitled '25 x 5', and the Who's performance of 'A Quick One', seen in their own film/career documentary, 'The Kids Are Alright'. It has been spotted on bootleg video, but only, as the saying goes, in an 'umpteenth-generation' presentation. (For five years and counting, the officially unofficial rumour on official release of a long-form home video version has been "any day now". The rights are owned by Allen Klein. If this can produce money, rest assured you will see it at some point.) Several bootlegs of the audio portion exist. It was Brian's last performance with the band. The two main musical highlights were a 'supergroup' consisting of Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell (of the Jimi Hendrix Experience), and a performance of several songs by the Stones themselves, including 'Route 66', 'Confessin' the Blues', 'Parachute Woman', 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', 'Sympathy for the Devil', 'No Expectations', 'You Can't Always Get What You Want', and 'Salt of the Earth'. d. "Altamont"? The band planned a large, free concert in San Francisco to cap off their highly successful 1969 tour of the United States, similar to a successful event they had done in London's Hyde Park several months earlier. Between permit denials, greed, and a last-minute change of venue, the event devolved from a potentially powerful West Coast Woodstock to a poorly-planned mess. A bad choice of security (American biker gang the "Hell's Angels") contributed to a day-long sideshow of violence and "bad vibes". By the time the Stones came on in the evening, tempers were short. The dramatic stabbing of a spectator by one of the Hell's Angels during the Stones' set was captured on film in the documentary "Gimme Shelter", available now on home video. e. "Cocksucker Blues"? It is the title of both a notorious slow blues song performed by Jagger which has been frequently bootlegged, and an unrelated film project by Robert Frank which was a documentary of the Stones' 1972 American tour. The song tells the woeful tale of a "lonesome schoolboy" who has come to the big city (London) but does not know where to find all the amenities a young man needs. Presented as a single by Jagger to fulfill a contractual obligation to DECCA records, the label declined to release it. It did appear very briefly as an 'official' release as part of a German boxed set in 1984. The box was quickly pulled, and re-released without the offending tune. The film is rarely seen, as a unique legal settlement has required that its' director, Robert Frank, accompany each and every showing of the film. More bark than bite. Drug-fueled orgies and all kinds of human degradations were rumoured to be captured on film. This was more a reflection of what people thought went on on a Stones' tour than what actually happened. Rather tame, it has some tit, some drunken revelry, some drug use by band members, and some footage of the greatest rock and roll band in the world in action. @Q16. Gossip a. How many times have they been arrested? The band's longtime acquaintance with law enforcement started with an infamous 'pissing' incident in March of 1965 in which Bill Wyman, who needed to use the rest facilities at a car fuel stop, was not only refused admittance to the chamber, but told to promptly vacate the premises. Mick Jagger and Brian Jones joined Bill in pissing against a wall, and the Stones' image as 'bad boys' was firmly established. In a remarkable show of solidarity and opportunism, which was not to be repeated, all five band members showed up at court, several weeks later... Unfortunately, being pop-stars in the "swingin' sixties", they were easy targets for aggressive narcotics enforcement officers. Human nature and law enforcement being what they are, these officers descended on the weakest and most vulnerable of the lot, Brian Jones, with some regularity and viciousness, although by the end of the Seventies, Mick and Keith also found themselves "busted" several times, culminating in the most serious case, Keith's 1977 arrest for heroin possession in Canada, which threatened the continued existence of the band. The Eighties, the decade of the "War on Drugs", produced its own comical efforts at putting Stones Behind Bars, but these were so poorly executed, they failed almost upon impact. Ron Wood, several years younger than everyone else in the band, got his own taste in 1980. Although charges were dropped, Mr. Wood was said to have problems with unspecified drugs in the early eighties, and also to have taken care of them with a "Betty Ford"-type cure while the Stones were languishing unused mid-decade. 1965 - "Pissing" incident at a gas/petrol station. Five-pound fines for Mick, Brian, and Bill are appealed. 1967 - The "Redlands" bust - allegations of carpeted girls and Mars bars. Keith's conviction on "allowing his premises" overturned on appeal; Mick's pep-pill possession successfully appealed - Court found that he had been more severely sentenced than an "anonymous young man". 1967 - Brian busted same day as the "Redlands" case court appearance. 1968 - Brian busted for cannabis. Found guilty and fined. 1969 - Hashish possession: Mick and Marianne Faithfull; Marianne acquitted, Mick is fined. 1972 - Jagger and Richards held on assault of a photographer; delay means the evening's show in Boston starts after midnight. 1972 - Keith's French pied-a-terre is raided; Coke, Hashish, heroin found. 1973 - Keith present when his British residence is raided. Drugs and guns. 1975 - Keith gets in trouble for carrying a knife in Fordyce, Arkansas 1977 - Keith fined 750 pounds + costs for coke possession. 1977 - Keith arrested for heroin possession in Canada. Eventually "sentenced" to play a free concert and take his cure in New Jersey. 1980 - Ron and Jo Howard hang out with the wrong crowd in St. Maarten, and spend several days in jail for possession of cocaine. 1987 - Jerry Hall gets into some trouble in Barbados when the local customs people decide a 20-lb. package of marijuana is hers. The "Kangaroo Customs" officers screw their own case, and Jerry is found 'not guilty'. b. How many times have they been married? Both Charlie Watts and Keith Richards are on their first marriages. Charlie married in 1964, Keith 19 years later. Brian Jones was never married. Mick Jagger and Ron Wood are both on their second marriages, to women they met in 1977. Ex-Stone Bill Wyman was the only member married when he joined the group, and he entered his third legal marriage shortly after leaving the group in 1993. c. Will the band break up? At some point, we believe. d. Are they going to tour again? The band has announced plans to take their "Voodoo Lounge" tour, kicking off August 1, 1994 in the United States, to Japan, South America, the Far East, and (in 1995) Europe. e. Is this the last time, really? They were first asked this in 1966. f. How old ARE they? Birthdays are as follows: Jagger July 26, 1943 Jones Feb. 28, 1942 (dismissed June 8, 1969; died July 3, 1969) Richards Dec. 18, 1943 Stewart July 18, 1938 (died December 12, 1985) Taylor Jan. 17, 1948 (quit December, 1974) Watts Jun. 02, 1941 Wood Jun. 01, 1947 Wyman Oct. 24, 1936 (quit 1993) @Q17. Myths & legends: a. Did Keith really get his blood changed? It was a widely circulated rumour that to cure himself of an addiction to heroin, Keith Richards flew to the Swiss chalet of an exclusive physician who had a method for replacing all of a patient's nasty addicted blood with good clean blood. Great gossip. Bad science. While it has been claimed in print by at least one biographer, this author was also Keith's dealer for several years. It is widely considered to be little more than another colorful urban legend. b. Do they worship satan? Among the phenomena that have become known to us since the formation of the Rolling Stones are: CDs, wireless amps, home video, and Serious Rock Criticism. Early Serious Rock Critics, trying in vain to capture in prose the mystique, wonder, beauty, arrogance, and power of the Rolling Stones, would often resort to demonic imagery. It did not help matters that the band released songs like "Sympathy for the Devil", or that Jagger performed in a swirling cape bathed in red light. Blame this one on the old "four blind men describing an elephant" syndrome. Professional demonist and man-about-town Kenneth Anger once asserted that Anita Pallenberg (Keith's paramour in the Stones' supposed 'demonic' period) was a 'witch'. But that's Kenneth Anger. c. Is Paul dead? He is rumoured to have shown up at a Rolling Stones concert in New York City in 1978 to catch the festivities. Other than that, no one seems to care.