Customer Reviews

Blown Away: The Rolling Stones and the Death of the Sixties

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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!!...

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!!!!!