Blown Away: The Rolling Stones and the Death of the Sixties [Hardcover]

A. E. Hotchner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1990

A revelation about the Rolling Stones and their times, based on archives of material, originally amassed by Bill Wyman. Hotchner explores the Stones' humble musical beginnings in London and traces their lives and times to a horrific climax in 1969 - a year when Brian Jones was found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool, when Charles Manson perpetrated a series of gruesome murders, when Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix died of overdoses and when the Hells Angels brutally murdered a man at Altamount while the Stones played on. The author looks beyond to the consolidation of their reputation as the definitive rock group of their decade. The book also presents the real truth about their notorious sex lives, exorbitant drug habits and explosive creativity. Finally, Hotchner unravels the mystery of Brian Jones' death and exposes the turmoil within the rock group that led to a blood struggle in the final days of Jones' life. The author also wrote "Papa Hemingway", "Doris Day" and "Sophia".

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Held thinly together by the prose of this accomplished writer ( Papa Hemingway, LJ 6/15/66), this odd tapestry of reflections by some of the rock group's intimates attempts two things. First, it aims to demonstrate a metaphor: the rise and decline of the phenomenal Rolling Stones and the parallel rise and fall of what the 1960s came to symbolize culturally. Second, it aims to delve into the life and death of founding Stones member Brian Jones. In fact, an entire chapter, provokingly entitled "Who Killed Brian Jones?" was withheld from review copies "because it contains sensitive information and is undergoing final editing." Had this mysterious Chapter 15 contained some heretofore unknown information, it would have made the book unique. But the New York Times , which was able to secure a copy of the chapter, claims that its "paltry revelation is . . . fairly old news" ( New York Times , September 9, 1990) that merely corroborates accounts found elsewhere, including that in Nicholas Fitzgerald's Brian Jones: The Inside Story of the Original Rolling Stone ( LJ 10/15/85). Still, some people may be unfamiliar with this "old news," making the book of mild interest to diehard Stones fans. Libraries with tight budgets will want to consider carefully before purchasing, since the group is fairly well covered elsewhere--as Hotchner's bibliography attests. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 8/90.
- David M. Turkalo, Social Law Lib., Boston
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1ST edition (September 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671693166
• ISBN-13: 978-0671693169
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #988,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Paint It Gray., September 6, 2002

By 

Jack Rogan (new zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blown Away: The Rolling Stones and the Death of the Sixties (Hardcover)

I really wanted to like this book. I saw A.E Hotchner on TV talking about Doris Day, and he just struck me as a likeable, earnest sort of guy. Unfortunately he didn't live up to his Tv-self in print. Most of the book is comprised of large chunks of interview material, both from Hotchner's own research and Rolling Stone magazine interviews you've probably already read. The rest is made up of highly subjective meanderings and vain attempts to link two ideas together.
It's hard to make this story dull, and some of the Marianne Faithfull stuff is good, but there are better books with less academic-sounding titles about the same subject. Or you could just watch "Gimme Shelter" for the condensed version.

3.0 out of 5 stars Jagger's Own but Not as Saucy as two decades ago!, October 28, 2011

By 

ARSENAL GUNNER - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blown Away Pb (Paperback)

I just reread "Blown Away" after almost twenty years, it floored me back in the day but despite being interesting it just seems to fizzle now in comparison despite still being an essential Stones read. I not only caught many mistakes when it came to basic class and historical aspects of the UK (eg:Cheltenham Spa is NOT or never was a "lower class suburb of London"-it is a perennially wealthy area almost two hours away tucked into the Costwolds countryside! Nor was "John F Kennedy's speeches the catalyst for England's swinging sixties"! A.E. Hotchner was a great writer with his Sophia Loren bio being top shelf but he should have had a continuity/fact checker person working on this book with him. Hotchner also should have dropped the whole American anthem theme as well. It is a good read though, DO check it out just keep the aforementioned drawbacks in mind. I DO NOT doubt for a second the parts about "Marty" and Frank Thorogood murdering Brian Jones. I DO believe it was a game of swimming pool chicken and horse play dunking that became at first bullying and then deadly. With a asthma and epilepsy Jones, despite his youth was very vulnerable. I think they wanted to scare him to death and sadly they did. The book contains great interviews, photos and cultural assessments that when taken along with the fact that Hotchner is an old timer, are actually interesting and unintentionally funny. Amazing that even as late as the 1990s, the Stones STILL were angering the establishment!

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rolling Stone Lit at its best, January 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Blown Away: The Rolling Stones and the Death of the Sixties (Hardcover)

This is an outstanding book that provides excellently written information on the world's greatest rock and roll band. Although i question some of the accuracy of the information, it is one of my favorite books.
Mick jagger ROX!!...