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Rating: 
Summary: 1963 to 1969: 7 Magical Years of Music & Madness!
Review: ... 1963 to 1969: 7 Magical Years of Music & Madness! ... That's what this book is: about the first seven years of the life of The Rolling Stones - and it's INTENSE! (Would you expect otherwise from a Scorpio?). ... This book begins with a chapter called FLASH FORWARD that talks about more recent events, as an overview of their whole carreer, in the life of The Rolling Stones. It ends with the story of the free concert the Stones gave in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969 in memory of Brian Jones, who had "died" just 3 days before! ... In between those two poles in time, Bill Wyman fills-in the cracks - from HIS point of view, which is very detailed. One comes away with the feeling that The Stones should have ditched Andrew Loog Oldham at the start, NEVER hired Allen Klein, kept Eric Easton as their main manager, and paid Bill Wyman an extra salary to look after their monetary affairs. He would have done a better job! ... Yeah, Brian Jones should have NEVER given-in to the pressure of Oldham, Jagger & Richards to boot Ian "Stu" Stewart out of the performing line-up of the band; but in the same light, ALL of them should never have allowed Oldham to hire Allen Klein. BIG MISTAKE! (How in their right minds could they then have even recommended him to John Lennon to manage The Beatles, too ... unless it was competitive sabotage tactics?). One comes away with the feeling from reading this book that - other than his blatant marriage infidelities - Bill Wyman is a very decent human being and a much more talented musician than most people realise. Also, he has a sincere affection, and respect, for Brian Jones, which shines through clearly. (On this, I totally agree with the reviewer from Montgomey, Alabama.) Page 307 alone will convince anyone who has any doubts about the matter that Brian Jones was being persecuted by both people in and out of the band (as well as by the law, and even by Anita Von Pallenberg). They knew his weaknesses, and they used it against him to their advantage. ... The one line in the book that hits home more than any other are Brian's words themselves, on page 289: "Ghosts of the morning can be seen on the skyline, if you watch intently enough..." - Brian Jones, Cork, Ireland, January, 1965. ... All in all, this book reads like a diary of one of the greatest acts of all time. I'm waiting for parts 2 and 3 to come out one day, so we will finally find out what really went on in the seventies and eighties as well! Because, if Bill Wyman kept notes until the very end of his watch in 1989 with the end of the Steel Wheels tour (I was there in Foxboro!), then those next two books covering those two decades should be just as interesting, if not as fascinating - for, after all, without Brian Jones, The Stones were never the same. ... Thank you, Bill Wyman, for an excellent expose from the inside on the working dynamics of the greatest Rock 'n' Roll band in the world! ... - The Aeolian Kid.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Good - but dryly written, almost like a diary
Review: As other reviews stated, the book is very thorough and gives extremely good insight to the early stones. It especially describes the many contributions of Brian Jones which are not usually talked about or even known by many. The early history is quite fascinating. Although I do recommend the book I have a few problems with the book that greatly dimish its reading pleasure 1) It only covers from 1963 to 1969 (so we don't know what happened in the 70s and 80s) 2) Wyman constantly discusses the woman he has "had", this gets old pretty quickly 3) It is at times very dry reading, often it is just a bunch of facts listed in chronological order from his diary But overall this book is chuck-full of information that only an insider would know and can describe. This is really the basis that I recommend the book. I did read it quickly (in a few sittings) which is very rare for me.
Rating:
Summary: Detailed story of The Stones up to 1969
Review: Bill Wyman's "Stone Alone" is an excellent biography of The Rolling Stones, with the perspective of an insider but not the one at center stage.
As the bass player and one of the founding members of The Stones, Bill Wyman was also the band's historian, keeping detailed journals about the band, and this contributes to making fleshed out anecdotes about the band from the early days until the death of Brian Jones and their free concert at Hyde Park in July 1969.
As a bio-piece, there is the usual growing up poor in post-war Britain saga. Wyman engages readers with vivid images and a keen memory that bring this period to life, and he also builds brief pieces for the other founding members of the Stones, Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts.
Having always been a casual fan of TRS, I learned a lot from this book. The major parts are fairly common knowledge in rock music lore, but here are some of the main points:
*Brian Jones was the key influence in the early days, having a genius level aptitude for learning instruments, and possessing a charisma on par with Mick Jagger's. He was also a very screwed up guy with a number of physical ailments and emotional instability.
*Ian Stewart was a key contributor, as a pianist, then road manager after his "relegation" by Andrew Oldham.
*While Andrew Oldham profoundly influenced their growth, he also screwed them over, as did manager Allen Klein. What happened to all of that money?
*Wyman was a shameless philanderer who detailed his many road conquests, but was also a doting father to his son, Stephen.
Wyman also had a lot of bitterness toward Jagger and Richards, for their egos, their controlling of the band and ignoring contributions of other band members and reaping a greater share of songwriting royalties. Wyman details how his own projects were shunted to the side. The Jagger/Richards/Oldham "unholy trinity" also led to Brian Jones becoming a sideman, never blossoming as a songwriter, and eventual ouster from the band. Well, actually, Jones own self-destructive behavior contributed greatly to these three things.
Wyman provides amazing details about each show, from the number of attendees, the gross receipts and what happened. It was also interesting to note his bank balance at various junctures, as the public believed these guys were millionaires when they were basically broke because of the mismanagement of their accounts by Klein.Some critiques: The book is pretty long, and the anecdotes of concert, riots and screaming girls in the early years get pretty repetitive.
I would have liked to have learned more about the music itself and how the songs came together. This book is many about the performances and personal escapades of the band members.
Still, the information presented provides a great glimpse into the Stones early lives and music from 1963-69. Having read this book, I'm eager to find the next "chapter" and delve further into The Stones music catalog from the blues/R&B period as well as songs beyond the obvious hits.
Rating:
Summary: A Journey Into a Wild and Exciting time
Review: Bill Wyman's solid and detailed recollection of the birth and rise of the Rolling Stones paints a poignant yet triumphant picture of the how the Stones managed to captivate the youth of the day despite terrible predjudices based merely on their appearance as well as their image. This is a story of a bunch of hopefuls, misfits and straight men who together became the most lasting and formidable rock acts of all time. A group whose early entanglements with the establishment and whose vigorous stage persona paved the way for hundreds of acts that followed in their stead. Wyman's account is honest, humorous and entertaining. His insights on music are fascinating, his recollections of Brian Jones, the genius behind the band's original concept and the rising stars of Jagger/Richards make the story an epic one worthy of a full length film. Then there's enough information on other important personas in the Stones entourage who were never credited but deserved to share in the band's success. Also, there's the drugs, the scandals, the groupies, the wild riots and the thousands of mad fans accross the many venues where the Stones rocked on. All in all a great book for any lover of rock music.
Rating: 
Summary: Stones fans only
Review: If you are a Stones fan, you must read this book! Obviously it is all true, since it is written by Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. He has painted a picture of what a Rolling Stone's life was like. Anyone who reads this book can see every detail in the Rolling Stones' history. It is definitely in my collection of rock history books, as should it be a part of any Stones fan's library!
Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Glimpse Into The Making Of 60's Rock Legends
Review: Thanks to the Rolling Stones' bass player Bill Wyman's neurotic habit of keeping journals and detailed records of nearly every aspect of his life, we have in this book a precious and rare opportunity to look at the formative days of the Rolling Stones. I am absolutely dumbfounded at other reviews which refer to this book as boring or concerned only with uninteresting details of mundane matters. The book is a witty, compelling and fascinating account of how a devotee of the American Blues genre named Brian Jones, plucked the title of a Muddy Waters record called "Rollin' Stone Blues", and used it as the name of the band he formed to jam on the blues for the pure pleasure of it. Only later through chance meetings, serendipity, and fate did musicians Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts cross his path and redirect the band's musical focus towards original songwriting and pop stardom, leading to the ultimate unraveling of Brian Jones's mental stability which eventually let to his untimely death by drug-induced drowning. Contrary to bizarre assertions by other reviewers that Bill Wyman was a vindictive malcontent, and a jealous and egotistical songwriting competitor to the Jagger/Richards team, Mr. Wyman was and is a quiet, fun-loving, and happy person with a droll sense of humor. Of course the Stones had their differences, fights, spats, and arguments just like every group of people involved in long-term relationships, and these are related with honesty here. Wyman in fact uses most of this book as a vehicle to express his love and admiration for his fellow Stones and at the genius of The Glimmer Twins (Jagger and Richards). Rarely tooting his own horn as a songwriter, Wyman does at one point wryly relate the tale of how HE and not Jagger and Richards came up with the lick for one of the Stones' most compelling songs "Jumpin' Jack Flash", for which he was never given credit. The first-hand recounting of the band's sudden rise to stardom, from the dismal empty clubs in England to the world stage, is compelling reading and the stories of the groupies, the band's exact pay at every gig, the financial debacles, and eventually their monetary revival which occured after Mick Jagger met a Swiss Baron who took over the Stone's books, are all vital statements of fact, valuable lessons to musicians of today and an integral part of the story of one of the greatest bands of all time. Ray Coleman does an exemplary job of working with Wyman and turning out one of the great books of rock. Thank you Bill and Ray for this amazing record of a legendary period!
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant book about the Stones and the life in the 60s!
Review: This book is definitely the best book available about the Stones, and an indispensable source of information for the Rolling Stones fan. Wyman have collected memories and diaries from the very beginning of the 'Stones career, which finally, in the early nineties, got together in this wonderful book. It all begins at the moment when Bill was born in 1936, and it spans from his childhood all the way to the Hyde Park-concert given to the memory of Brian Jones, in 1969. It has a lot of details and interesting, deep, true stories about the 'Stones life and the sixties. Read about the club-gigs in the early years, the life on Edith Groove in London, the great tours in the mid-60's, the US-visits, the drug-busts in 1967, the truth about Brian, and much, much more.
Rating: 
Summary: Unconvinced
Review: This is probably one of the most BORING autobiographies I have ever read. While Marianne Faithfull's autobiography is written almost as a novel, Bill writes as if just outlining the facts. All he talks about is how mean Mick and Keith were to him and how many women he slept with at the time (and bragging that that number was more than Mick and Keith combined). Poor Bill. Maybe if he had stood up for himself instead of sleeping with all those women, he might have gotten a say in the music once in a while! If you want riveting information about the Stones, read Marianne's book "Faithfull", if you want a cure for your insomnia, read "Stone Alone"!
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Summary: Thanks Bill....Nice Job!
Review: Written in 1990, this is a very well written inside look at how the Stones developed. Wyman has kept good notes and uses them to full advantage to give you a rationale look at the music, business, and lifestyle of the band from 64 though 90. There are details that have not previously been revealed about the early shows, the American tours, Brian, the drug busts in London, it goes on and on.....extremely interesting to anyone a bit fanatical about the Stones (but who else would be reading this review?).....this one is original material, not a fan ripoff and definitely worth your money......
Rating:
Summary: Subjetive Stones Story (Not History)
Review: You`ll find the band vision of a grey man who was in the right moment in the right place in 1962. We can feel sadness of the tail of a star band, but it's easy to suppose that there are some big trues in this book. It's firt example of the history never told about the Rolling Stones
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