Customer Reviews

2Stoned

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First off this book is not about The Rolling Stones, it's about Andrew Loog Oldham (ALO) and the movers and shakers of the 60s, mostly music-biz types but also everything from movie stars to princesses to presidents. And it is a story of excess, drugs, violence, vanity, success and failure. The book is fantastic! If you have an interest in The Stones, you will likely find many things to like about this book. If you have an interest in the music of the early-to-mid 60s you should love this book. If you have an interest in how music and stars were made in the 60s, you WILL LOVE this book! In "2Stoned" ALO picks up where "Stoned" left off, giving his perspective on how he created his vision of The Stones, how he guided The Stones to world-wide success and shaped their image into what we remember today (as opposed to what it actually is today), and how he came to leave the band at the height of their success. The story is told not just by ALO, but by a host of other movers and shakers from the 60s (Pete Townshend, Allen Klein, Seymour Stein, Marianne Faithful, and on and on) which lends a lot of credibility to the book. Nothing seems to be held back and there seem to be no sacred cows. ALO puts it all on the line and parts of his story are ugly. He has obviously visited the demons in his closet many times and is willing to show them to us. There are many gold nuggets for Stones lovers, details of how certain songs were inspired and recorded, stories about incidents in the recording studio, insights into the bands feelings about their music and reception in America and elsewhere. There is also a lot of insight into how ALO worked as a producer, and he's quick to point out that he knew nothing at the start and learned along the way. It is also very clear from this book that Oldham was the motivating force for the band and critical to their success before 1967. If there is any doubt that ALO shaped the Stones sound listen to the sound before and after 1967. It's not better or worse, but it is different. Pre-1967 the sound of the Stones was largely ALO's vision. "2Stoned" gives many insights as to why this is so. This book is just plain fun to read. Oldham is a great story-teller (he must have been the life of the party), witty and funny, with a recall for detail (especially about clothing) that is absolutely amazing. He is at times hard to follow with his constant use of movie (including dialogue) and music references and his tendency to jump back and forth in time and space, sometimes in the same sentence. But learning to follow his style is well worth the effort. I've read this book twice and will likely read it again. Highly recommended.

Andrew Loog Oldham is a very entertaining music personality. He figured prominently in the most colorful era of rock. His reminisces are very provocative as well. He goes back and forth in time connecting key people with stories from the glory days through the 1990's. The book also features excerpts from other books that are long out of print to great effect. It appears that Loog went through a long downhill spiral through the 1980's and 1990's. He also makes it very clear that Brian Jones was clearly not a personal favorite as he has almost nothing good to say about the late founder of the Stones. The book enticed me to pull out old Stones CDs, and tempt me to buy some of his (and Keith's) orchestrated vanity projects from the mid 1960's as well as find the Poets stuff (which is very hard to find). I couldn't put this book down although I did skip through some of the end when his lurid reminisces of latter days went on a little too long. If you like the Stones and the British 1960's scene, this book will satisfy.

To say Andrew Loog Oldham is "one of a kind" is far too little praise for a man who help create the image and market the world's greatest rock n roll band (of which I have been a fan for 45 years years).ALO was brash, bold and truly original, making it up as he went along to incredible success at age 19 (no it's not a typo). He created the school of "fake it til you make it" and was wildly successful in doing so.

In part 2, the blacker side of his rock and roll success emerges.Andrew reveals how he fit into the whole music scene and after his incredible success, his years of struggling with his undiagnosed bi-polar disorder as well as drug and alcohol abuse. Especially interesting are his insights on other musicians from both a competitive and inspirational standpoint.His writing is fun, hip and I especially liked the way he weaves in varied music titles or song refrains in his sentences as well as his sartorial references.

Contributions from other contemporaries in the music business give much insight into ALO and the business of rock n roll.His brilliance in the early days of the Stones success is unmatched.True Stones fans will want to read his part 2

This book is about a lot of things. From music and hustling about, to cleansing and love affairs - there s a lot here per sentence...Mr. Oldham is a zennist in his own very original way, and that shows throughout in style and content. The ending is very soulful...that's why i can't help but to praise this piece of work. Thanks Andrew!