With the upcoming release of Ladies and Gentlemen on DVD, as well as Keiths autobiography, I was reading about the 1972 tour online. I came across a book on amazon named, Stones Touring Party, a journey through America with the Rolling Stones by the author Robert Greenfield. I was thinking of buying it but I was wondering if it was any good as there are some paricularly well known Stones books that are bad.

Would you recommend it?
And what do you think are the best Stones books?

It's absolutely one of the best Stones books out there.

As for the best, well it depends on your taste, I suppose. The 'tits and bums' tabloid style shite bores the daylights out of me after a while, especially as most of them recycle the same stories (and mistakes).

The eyewitness-style 'on the road' tales are more fun. Stanley Booth's 'True adventures of the Rolling Stones' which covers the '69 tour, and Chet Flippo's one ('On the Road With the Rolling Stones: 20 Years of Lipstick, Handcuffs and Chemicals') are very good.

Greenfield put out another Stones book on 'Exile' a couple of years ago - although this one isnt that great (unlike the '72 tour, he wasnt there, which doesnt help)

Gazza wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 9:55am:

It's absolutely one of the best Stones books out there. As for the best, well it depends on your taste, I suppose. The 'tits and bums' tabloid style shite bores the daylights out of me after a while, especially as most of them recycle the same stories (and mistakes). The eyewitness-style 'on the road' tales are more fun. Stanley Booth's 'True adventures of the Rolling Stones' which covers the '69 tour, and Chet Flippo's one ('On the Road With the Rolling Stones: 20 Years of Lipstick, Handcuffs and Chemicals') are very good. Greenfield put out another Stones book on 'Exile' a couple of years ago - although this one isnt that great (unlike the '72 tour, he wasnt there, which doesnt help)

Thanks for the info. I understand what you mean about the tabloid style which favours a good story rather than dealing with facts. As a Stones fan the inaccuracies in this kind of thing stick out like a sore thumb and they bother me.

I think I'll click back onto amazon and make the order!

as far as books to recommend - i'd go for Wyman's 'Rolling with The Stones'.
A beautiful pictorial history.

Ade wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 12:18pm:

as far as books to recommend - i'd go for Wyman's 'Rolling with The Stones'. A beautiful pictorial history.

I agree, I read through it atleast once every other day. Its great to cure boredom. And it along with Bill's "Stone Alone" are a great pair of books that seem to thoroughly explain the Stones story.

Ade wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 12:18pm:

as far as books to recommend - i'd go for Wyman's 'Rolling with The Stones'. A beautiful pictorial history.

I've heard good things about his books and his great memory. Doesn't he have another book, Stone Alone? Is it any good?

Another book I thought looked good was Under Their Thumb by Bill German. Would you recommend it?

HERE'S THE LIST,AND I'VE READ THEM ALL 50 TIMES
1-TRUE ADVENTURES OF THE ROLLING STONES
2-UNDER THEIR THUMB- BILL GERMAN
3-CHET FLIPPO'S BOOK
4-STP 1972-ROBERT GREENFIELD
5-KEITH RICHARDS-VICTOR BOCKRIS
6-UP AND DOWN WITH THE STONES-TONY SANCHEZ
7-ACCORDING TO THE ROLLING STONES
8-LET IT BLEED- ETHAN RUSSELL
9-KEITH RICHARDS-BARBARA CHERONE
10-STONE ALONE-BILL WYMAN

I NEVER GOT STU'S TRIBUTE BOOK,TOO EXPENSIVE :sad

BILL PERKS wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 2:03pm:

HERE'S THE LIST,AND I'VE READ THEM ALL 50 TIMES 1-TRUE ADVENTURES OF THE ROLLING STONES 2-UNDER THEIR THUMB- BILL GERMAN 3-CHET FLIPPO'S BOOK 4-STP 1972-ROBERT GREENFIELD 5-KEITH RICHARDS-VICTOR BOCKRIS 6-UP AND DOWN WITH THE STONES-TONY SANCHEZ 7-ACCORDING TO THE ROLLING STONES 8-LET IT BLEED- ETHAN RUSSELL 9-KEITH RICHARDS-BARBARA CHERONE 10-STONE ALONE-BILL WYMAN I NEVER GOT STU'S TRIBUTE BOOK,TOO EXPENSIVE :sad

Wow. I've only got one of those books. I'd better get out the wallet!
What about Greenfields other one on Exile? It seems to have divided opinion in terms of online reviews.

SoulPlunderer wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 2:42pm:

BILL PERKS wrote on Aug 27th, 2010 at 2:03pm: HERE'S THE LIST,AND I'VE READ THEM ALL 50 TIMES 1-TRUE ADVENTURES OF THE ROLLING STONES 2-UNDER THEIR THUMB- BILL GERMAN 3-CHET FLIPPO'S BOOK 4-STP 1972-ROBERT GREENFIELD 5-KEITH RICHARDS-VICTOR BOCKRIS 6-UP AND DOWN WITH THE STONES-TONY SANCHEZ 7-ACCORDING TO THE ROLLING STONES 8-LET IT BLEED- ETHAN RUSSELL 9-KEITH RICHARDS-BARBARA CHERONE 10-STONE ALONE-BILL WYMAN I NEVER GOT STU'S TRIBUTE BOOK,TOO EXPENSIVE :sad Wow. I've only got one of those books. I'd better get out the wallet! What about Greenfields other one on Exile? It seems to have divided opinion in terms of online reviews.

THE EXILE BOOK IS OK ..WORTH READING,JUST NOT ONE OF THE BEST.

SoulPlunderer wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 1:45pm:

Ade wrote on Aug 27th, 2010 at 12:18pm: as far as books to recommend - i'd go for Wyman's 'Rolling with The Stones'. A beautiful pictorial history. I've heard good things about his books and his great memory. Doesn't he have another book, Stone Alone? Is it any good? Another book I thought looked good was Under Their Thumb by Bill German. Would you recommend it?

It's amazing!! I read it for four days non stop. I couldn't put it down. And the fact that it all seems and no doubtedly is all true makes it even better.

SoulPlunderer wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 2:42pm:

BILL PERKS wrote on Aug 27th, 2010 at 2:03pm: HERE'S THE LIST,AND I'VE READ THEM ALL 50 TIMES 1-TRUE ADVENTURES OF THE ROLLING STONES 2-UNDER THEIR THUMB- BILL GERMAN 3-CHET FLIPPO'S BOOK 4-STP 1972-ROBERT GREENFIELD 5-KEITH RICHARDS-VICTOR BOCKRIS 6-UP AND DOWN WITH THE STONES-TONY SANCHEZ 7-ACCORDING TO THE ROLLING STONES 8-LET IT BLEED- ETHAN RUSSELL 9-KEITH RICHARDS-BARBARA CHERONE 10-STONE ALONE-BILL WYMAN I NEVER GOT STU'S TRIBUTE BOOK,TOO EXPENSIVE :sad Wow. I've only got one of those books. I'd better get out the wallet! What about Greenfields other one on Exile? It seems to have divided opinion in terms of online reviews.

It sucks. Not worth the paper it's printed on. Not too crazy about German's book either. Some nice story's. But it really seemed to come across as self serving to me. He rails against the Stones becoming too commercial at the end of it...Yet has no problem making money on a book about how commercial they became. One not on the list above that is an absolute must have is Marilou Regan's book. Love You Live/Fanfare from the Common Fan. Nothing but stories from Stones fans and their experiences. I also liked Old Gods Almost Dead. But I'm in the minority on that one.

this by david dalton is quite good

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/ba/c6/590862e89da0ffe4983a4110.L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

a collection of bits and pieces, including a blue print for keith's 5 string guitar, it's chock full of stonesian goodness

I may be hitting the bookshops today so I'll keep all your comments in mind. Is Germans book exclusively about the Stones or is it more about his life?

Thinks for all your recommendations!

stonedinaustralia wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 9:38pm:

this by david dalton is quite good http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/ba/c6/590862e89da0ffe4983a4110.L._SL500_AA300_.jpg a collection of bits and pieces, including a blue print for keith's 5 string guitar, it's chock full of stonesian goodness

Too true, SIA.  It's the only place I've ever seen my awesome avatar pic.  

Perks, as usual, is spot on with his list.

Stanley Booths book "True Adventures' is top of my list, Bill's "Stone Alone" is a diary he kept of the Stones till Hyde Park concert, of course it's updated on the 2nd release, great for information, "Up & Down" is a entertaining read, I'm sure most of it is true.
David Bowie once said there were something like 32 books on him, I often wonder how many books are on the Stones, I remember one back in the 70's about Mick "Everybody's Lucifer" don't know whatever happened to that.

Zack wrote on Aug 28^th, 2010 at 10:03am:

stonedinaustralia wrote on Aug 27th, 2010 at 9:38pm: this by david dalton is quite good http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/ba/c6/590862e89da0ffe4983a4110.L._SL500_AA300_.jpg a collection of bits and pieces, including a blue print for keith's 5 string guitar, it's chock full of stonesian goodness Too true, SIA.  It's the only place I've ever seen my awesome avatar pic.   Perks, as usual, is spot on with his list.

 THANKS, ZACH...THE DAVID DALTON BOOK IS GREAT TOO,FORGOT THAT ONE..LOOKIN AT IT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS  

SoulPlunderer wrote on Aug 28^th, 2010 at 5:34am:

I may be hitting the bookshops today so I'll keep all your comments in mind. Is Germans book exclusively about the Stones or is it more about his life?

For the period covered in the book, there's no discernible difference.

Strongly recommended, because we can all see a bit of ourselves in Bill at times, I think.

Plus, its a really good insight into a period that isnt often covered (the 80s), which is, in it's own way, every bit as interesting as the decades that preceded it.

Its also a bit eye opening as an insight into how the Stones have morphed from being a band into a corporation since the late 80s.

Placing an order on play.com for Stones Touring Party and Under their Thumb. Also toying with maybe getting the Let It Bleed book.

Thanks for the recommendations!

Like Gazza said, its a matter of preference.
IMO, the only books worth a look are the Booth, Flippo and Greenfield books - because they were there.
Forget the more salacious bios - they're written by hacks whose last subject might have been Liz Taylor....nothing against La Liz, but you know what I mean - these writers make money as celebrity biographers and they don't have the depth or a feel for the music. Pure crap.
My favorite is the Greenfield book, STP - its really is a birds-eye, fly-on-the-wall snapshot of that time and he focuses on what was happening with fans, the music culture at the time etc.....its the best book at capturing the craziness of the Stones at their peak.
Flippo for the same reason, he capture the Stones in 75-79. Booth is my least favorite of the three - it's a good document, but it becomes more about Booth than the Stones. The guy seems to start thinking he's one of them and it starts to sound self-serving and its also about 15 years after the fast, so the urgency is missing, unlike Greenfield, which comes across as daily dispatches from the warzone.
Stay far away from Grrenfield's more recent book though. It sucks and I can't figure out why. Its a retread of other books and other accounts, plus, he sounds like he became a little soft in the head, losing that journalistic edge he had with STP.

I enjoyed Stone Alone, True Adventures, Up and Down, and the parts of Marianne Faithful's biography that dealt with The Stones.

I'd forgotten about Marriane's book - very funny observations. And how the fuck could I foget about Up and Down? That is the bible, not so much in quality, but in terms of setting the tone.......it remains a must for any Stones fan.

STP was the best book I've read on the Stones so far. The worst was Old Gods Almost Dead by Stephen Davis. Exile by Greenfield was okay, but the flow of the book was not as sharp as STP.

BILL PERKS wrote on Aug 28^th, 2010 at 11:19am:

.

 THANKS, ZACH...THE DAVID DALTON BOOK IS GREAT TOO,FORGOT THAT ONE..LOOKIN AT IT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS  [/quote]


it's sobering to think that it covers the  first twenty years and it's nearly thirty years since it was published

A Life On The Road

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rolling-Stones-Life-Road-/330464741338?pt=US_Nonfiction_Book&hash=item4cf13bc7da

I'm getting Sam Cutler's book next week (i hope).

Last year my brother gave me the 365 days:The Rolling Stones book by Simon Wells.Amazing pictures from 64  to 06 but most of them are from 60´s and 70´s

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc337/respectable_2008/book.jpg

Though it is not really a biography, this book edited by David Dalton is the great-grandaddy of Stones books (see post on page one for Dalton's other must-have Stones book).  

In original printing, it features an appendix of guitar tabs up to Sticky Fingers!  Plus excellent photos and a plethora of intensive critical pieces and interviews by the best names in 1960s-1970s rock journalism.  

Worth selling something to afford - do not miss a chance to buy a good early edition.  It was heaven in the days of few Stones books, and is still unsurpassed in many serious ways, including in its choice of collected criticism.

---

andrews27 wrote on Sep 4^th, 2010 at 8:47pm:

Though it is not really a biography, this book edited by David Dalton is the great-grandaddy of Stones books (see post on page one for Dalton's other must-have Stones book).   In original printing, it features an appendix of guitar tabs up to Sticky Fingers!  Plus excellent photos and a plethora of intensive critical pieces and interviews by the best names in 1960s-1970s rock journalism.   Worth selling something to afford - do not miss a chance to buy a good early edition.  It was heaven in the days of few Stones books, and is still unsurpassed in many serious ways, including in its choice of collected criticism.

I forgotten all about that one, I have it, although the back cover is missing & not in great shape, I got that in the 70's.

I used to own Roy Carr Illustrated record of The R. Stones, he only did 3, The Beatles/Stones & Bowie, that was from the 70's, it was really well done.
For checking out all the books on The Stones, this site is not bad, although it's just someone else's collection of Books.
http://www.pitt.edu/~bon/books.html

This one is all the articles/Interviews that were in Rolling Stone (mag) up to '75, includes the keith Interview from '71.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/merrillm123/RollingStones.jpg

corgi37 wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2010 at 9:50am:

I'm getting Sam Cutler's book next week (i hope).

Those are all great books...got most of mine on eBay, except for the 365 Days one...

I have Roy Carr's Stones and Beatles books - those were designed to be stored between record albums.  I have the Rolling Stone mag book too, from the 1975 tour.

There is only the one: Rolling With The Stones by Bill Wyman.

It is, IMO, utterly essential. I still, to this day, pick it up and have a flick through. The pages focusing on their early tours are fascinating to the extreme. It's an absolute tomb of a book.

Honky Tonk Man wrote on Sep 6^th, 2010 at 12:30pm:

There is only the one: Rolling With The Stones by Bill Wyman. It is, IMO, utterly essential. I still, to this day, pick it up and have a flick through. The pages focusing on their early tours are fascinating to the extreme. It's an absolute tomb of a book.

It really is amazing. How thankful I am that Bill decided to keep such copious notes!  :)

The first David Dalton book is classic. Its surprisingly easy to find if you rummage through used book stores. I managed to replace my first copy, stolen by me from my cousin the day after the Stones played Houston in 81. I didn't mean to steal it, not really - he just never asked for it back and i hoped he had forgotten. This was before the internet and getting a hold of stuff like this was like finding gold.