Rating: 
Summary: An engaging, believable read
Review: I used to own the out-of-print paperback edition of this book. I foolishly gave it away. Sanchez begins with his life as a young, aspiring, underworld figure, emulating an older, already established relative. He worked in a casino, and also began to take up photography. (By his own account, Sanchez was commissioned to photograph the cover of the first Moody Blues album.) An acquaintance, London art dealer Robert Fraser, was deeply in debt to another casino run by an underworld boss, and dramatically confided his problem to Sanchez. Sanchez nervily approached the casino boss, to keep Fraser out of harm's way. Then -- aware that his own casino subtly rigged gaming against its customers -- Sanchez arranged for Fraser to win money from Sanchez's gaming table needed to pay off the debt. Fraser was profoundly grateful and so introduced "Spanish Tony" to his new, up-and-coming, hip young friends, the Rolling Stones. Spanish Tony's common bond with the Stones was his access to, and penchant for, hard drugs. Ultimately, he would become a heroin addict. This book mostly concentrates on Sanchez' close access to Jagger, Richards, and Jones, as well as Stones' ex'es Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull, and Bianca, between the years 1966-73, which was the peak of the Stones' artistic success. Watts, Wyman, and Mick Taylor are hardly discussed, and receive less than 2 pages each. Sanchez acknowledges the shallowness of his friendship with and access to the Stones as being based on his connections and ability to discreetly obtain large quantities of drugs in both England and the south of France. He simultaneously served as Keith Richards' (who spent the most on drugs) connection to and insulation from the underworld. Ultimately, Sanchez severed his relationship with the Stones and went into rehab. There can be no question of Sanchez' close relationship with three of the Stones, if the exclusive candid photos in his book are any indication. Anyone who wasn't present for the events which shaped the book can't know for sure, but, as a aficionado of insider celebrity bios, this book is presented with sufficient insight and clarity to convince that it is principally a true story.
Rating:
Summary: readable
Review: Keith Richards said that a lot of the stories in this book start out true, but then change to "Grimm's Ferry Tales" where the stories become made-up. And he said, "I know why Tony changed the stories...because people would have ended up in jail...including himself!" When Keith next saw Sanchez after this book was out, he took out a gun, and dragged the barrel across Sanchez's face, pretending to "show" the gun to Sanchez, but also to intimidate him. Sanchez left very nervous. BUT, Keith has been known to fabricate stories of his own life (like saying his mother took him for a walk in his pram during WW II, and when they returned to their house, it was bombed flat by the Germans. ACTUALLY, a piece of brick from a bombing flew through Keith's window, and landed on his bed. The house itself wasn't harmed.) So, when you are faced with two fabricators, who to believe? I don't know myself. I do know that I've read passages from UP AND DOWN WITH THE ROLLING STONES, countless times, and whether the stories are true or not, they do make for very gripping reading for huge Stones fans like myself.
Rating:
Summary: readable
Review: Keith Richards said that a lot of the stories in this book start out true, but then change to "Grimm's Ferry Tales" where the stories become made-up. And he said, "I know why Tony changed the stories...because people would have ended up in jail...including himself!" When Keith next saw Sanchez after this book was out, he took out a gun, and dragged the barrel across Sanchez's face, pretending to "show" the gun to Sanchez, but also to intimidate him. Sanchez left very nervous. BUT, Keith has been known to fabricate stories of his own life (like saying his mother took him for a walk in his pram during WW II, and when they returned to their house, it was bombed flat by the Germans. ACTUALLY, a piece of brick from a bombing flew through Keith's window, and landed on his bed. The house itself wasn't harmed.) So, when you are faced with two fabricators, who to believe? I don't know myself. I do know that I've read passages from UP AND DOWN WITH THE ROLLING STONES, countless times, and whether the stories are true or not, they do make for very gripping reading for huge Stones fans like myself.
Rating: 
Summary: "1" because I wasn't allowed to go any lower...
Review: Oh, please SPARE US the histrionics, Sanchez! Sanchez was only peripherially involved with the Stones about the time Brian got screwy & died, and then on the '69 tour...as "security." Yeah, that's him in "Gimmie Shelter," when Mick and Keith are dancing around in their hotel room to "Brown Sugar" - he's the one that scowls so prettily when one of the Maysles sticks a light meter in his face. HA-ha: if THIS twit was responsible for "security," we all oughta be grateful that it was only Meredith Hunter that got snuffed at Altamont. This pedantic "book" reads something like a bad Beavis & Butthead fantasy, i.e, "well, then Keith got high, so I made it with ----(Marianne, Anita, take your pick)" Man, your fifteen minutes are LONG GONE with that vignette in "Gimmie Shelter." Go whine some more to your fellow sufferers in rehab or something...we've read ALL these silly little stories by third-rate hangers-on before! And in most cases, MUCH better, more coherently written, too!
Rating:
Summary: "1" because I wasn't allowed to go any lower...
Review: Oh, please SPARE US the histrionics, Sanchez! Sanchez was only peripherially involved with the Stones about the time Brian got screwy & died, and then on the '69 tour...as "security." Yeah, that's him in "Gimmie Shelter," when Mick and Keith are dancing around in their hotel room to "Brown Sugar" - he's the one that scowls so prettily when one of the Maysles sticks a light meter in his face. HA-ha: if THIS twit was responsible for "security," we all oughta be grateful that it was only Meredith Hunter that got snuffed at Altamont. This pedantic "book" reads something like a bad Beavis & Butthead fantasy, i.e, "well, then Keith got high, so I made it with ----(Marianne, Anita, take your pick)" Man, your fifteen minutes are LONG GONE with that vignette in "Gimmie Shelter." Go whine some more to your fellow sufferers in rehab or something...we've read ALL these silly little stories by third-rate hangers-on before! And in most cases, MUCH better, more coherently written, too!
Rating:
Summary: probably true, in most aspects
Review: read this in one day, fascinating events, lots of info on the music, repetitive accounts of heroin and coke usage ,more in depth analysis of altamont than film showed,appears knows too
much of some conversations when he wasnt even there tho.still a good read and it was not extraordinary from the hippie culture of the late 60s and early 70s, introduces a closer role tween
beatles and stones then was evident at the time, does not even
mention hendrix in london or such heavies as animals,and pink floyd ,still a b plus book, however, why did he spill his guts
on what are basically private matters of close friends ?
Rating: 
Summary: Tony Sanchez's Take
Review: The Stones have always attracted so much attention it should be no surprise to anyone that books about them are also controversial. Yes, Sanchez had a rep as a dealer (stories about him and Keith while living in France have been around a long time), but it's important to realize that whereas Wyman's "Stone Alone" shares Bill's memories and perspective, this book tells you how Sanchez remembers it.....you have to put them all together to get your own picture of what the Band was like (and it is fair to assume that Sanchez has made up some of the conversations to flesh out events he was connected with but probably did not hear - or was capable of remembering - the exact words).
Rating:
Summary: Tony Sanchez's Take
Review: The Stones have always attracted so much attention it should be no surprise to anyone that books about them are also controversial. Yes, Sanchez had a rep as a dealer (stories about him and Keith while living in France have been around a long time), but it's important to realize that whereas Wyman's "Stone Alone" shares Bill's memories and perspective, this book tells you how Sanchez remembers it.....you have to put them all together to get your own picture of what the Band was like (and it is fair to assume that Sanchez has made up some of the conversations to flesh out events he was connected with but probably did not hear - or was capable of remembering - the exact words).
Rating:
Summary: the best perspective!!!
Review: this book goes into great detail about "the up's and downs",,totally!! get ready to get shocked as to how THE Greatest the best band in the land paid their dues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Off stage antics of the Rolling Stones
Review: This book, written by Tony(I score drugs for the rolling stones) Sanchez gives his perception of the Stones. Although it is an entertaining book, it doesn't give the real behind the scenes look at the stones as does the book Stone Alone written by Bill Wyman. It has a few funny stories and clever comments, but in no way compares with the book written by Bill, or the Autobiography written by Keith and Victor Bockris.
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