Customer Reviews

Brian Jones Straight From The Heart: The Rolling Stones Murder

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

While the book was interesting to read and the author was obviously interested in her subject, I question the accuracy and where her sources came from, such as Mick Jagger participating in Brian Jones' death, that Brian Jones was raped by Allen Klein's assistant and Keith Richards at Mick Jagger's insistence, that Anita Pallenberg and Mick Jagger plotted to bring Brian Jones down, that Brian Jones was sexually abused by his mother, etc. It is all so much over the top. I searched the back of the book to find the sources for Brian Jones' quotes and some of this information, but it was not clear if Brian was speaking to her beyond the dead or whom was giving these facts to her. Much of the book is not flattering to the other Stones, true or not.

While this was an interesting read and no doubt mirrors some of Brian's feelings, emotional and mental problems, and experiences, it would appear to be a fictionalized account of what Ms. Shepherd imagines Brian would have said to describe his life. If anybody should doubt that, there are three points that make this apparent:

1. Nowhere is the reader provided with any sources for Brian's "quotes". Yes, read here quote-unquote quotes. Given that the majority of the book is based on Brian's words, you would think that sources would be at least mentioned in the preface. There are supposedly audio tapes that Brian made? There is no mention of this -- why can I find no mention of these audio tapes ANYWHERE? Given the sheer number of quotes provided, there must have been hours and hours worth. WHERE ARE THEY? WHO HAD THEM ALL THESE YEARS?

2. It's all too pat with a plethora of "quotes" that cover almost every facet of Brian's life and controversies that we find in various biographies previously published. It's as if somehow Brian magically foresaw what people would say after his death (or this unknown interviewer did) and managed to have something to say about every single thing. It is just too convenient and feels as if someone read these other biographies and made up quotes to counter them point by point!

3. The ending is POSITIVELY LUDICROUS -- is the reader expected to believe that Brian was speaking into a tape recorder up to the point of his actual death? If not, why is Brian being quoted in reference to the very day he died? It's ridiculous -- while the men who supposedly killed him were there, drugging him, he was narrating what was going on? If I had any doubts as to the sincerity of the source for these quotes, the final chapter clinched them.

Save your money, PLEASE. There are other far worthier books. Check out Golden Stone and Who Killed Christopher Robin? Let's face it, most of Brian's life does not make for good copy. The guy had problems and could be equally horrific as terrific. Any book on Brian will give you tales on both sides of his personality. While the author will kindly explain these things away as keeping the audio tapes from being turned over to the Brian Jones estate, etc., I still say steer clear of this one until someone comes up with those mysterious audio tapes!

Although Ms. Shepherd is a capable writer, I refuse to believe half of the "biographical" information in this book. First, she quotes Brian as if she spoke with him yesterday; I couldn't find where she credited anything or anyone with his words...some of which were NOT in use in the late 60's. Give us a break. Some readers are just too smart to fall for that. The other thing I'm not comfortable with is she has Brian sleeping with Mick, and Keith and numerous other men and quotes him as being "bisexual". Maybe he was, and I am FAR from homophobic, but she creates conversations with his partners as if she was in the room!
I am very disappointed in this book, and wonder if Ms. Shepherd just didn't fantasize this entire thing!

I see that a number of reviewers gave this book high marks. I can not imagine why. This is the worst, by a wide margin, of any book I have ever read about the Rolling Stones.

Because there are so many books on the Stones...one can make some fair comparions.

The problem with Mrs. Shepherds efforts are that they are said to be based on audio tapes made by Mr. Jones. After reading the book, there are no mention of these tapes. Instead we get a bunch of fiction, what Mrs. Shepherd imagines Brian might have said. I do not think any such tapes exsist. The tapes some how survived but nothing else made it out of Cotchford? Hard to believe! And so is everything else in this "novel". It should almost be classified as a gay porn novel...which is what Mrs. Shepherd seemed to trying to create.

Up and Down with the Rolling Stones, The First 20 Years, The Golden Stone, Symphony for the Devil, True Adventures, Old Gods Almost Dead,
The Last Decadent, Who Killed Christopher Robin, both Bill Wyman books..these...and several more, are on my shelf. I wish I hadn't paid for this one.

There is a fiction book called "Good Night Sweet Prince". If you want to read fiction about Brian Jones...read that book. It it more credible.

The honeymoon between Sir Mick and Keith apparently is at its end. Fragile nerves and high tensions have reached their peak and Keef is lashing out indiscriminately. His latest target is once again Brian Jones-the 63 year old Stone finds the band's former leader easy prey since the dead are hardly ever known to fight back. He believes he'll have a better chance of winning the battle of words against a ghost rather than take Mick on full force.

Oddly the open wound growing between Mick and Keith comes at a time when the author of Straight from the Heart is ready to announce the release of Brian's audiotapes. Word is she's finally received permission from the "keeper of the flame" for all these many years-who's mainly led a reclusive lifestyle since Brian's murder.

As part of the British rock scene during the late Sixties to early Seventies, I'd heard rumors flying that Brian had a hidden stash of tapes he'd recorded. We all figured they were only of music he'd put together during his stay at Cotchford. Now it appears that not only music was being composed while he lived the life of a solitary man, but that he had recorded his memoirs. Quite a feat for someone whom the Stones insisted was too incapacitated due to drugs and drinking to play guitar.

In my humble opinion I believe the author did a gargantuan job in re-enacting Brian's life in such an authentic and often tongue-in-cheek manner.

The best advice I can give anybody thinking of buying this book is DON'T! I didn't want to even give it one star but the site won't post the review with no stars. It's absolute garbage. The "quotes" from Brian Jones are obviously a product of Gloria Sheperd's imagination, pretty much the entire book is demeaning and hurtful to Brian Jones' memory, his family, and the other members of The Rolling Stones. In the Author's Notes Gloria Sheperd states that "In deference to Brian Jones' offspring, most abrasive language and sexually explicit scenes or terminology have been eliminated from the text." Scenes depicting incest and extreme violence have also been reduced to a minimum." Scenes of violence, incest, and (gay) sex are all through this book! I would think Brian's family would be very hurt by this book. I can't believe this trash got published at all! The author has a disclaimer at the very beginning of the book in small print that it "...is for entertainment purposes and not to be taken as fact or meant for the accuracy or authenticity of the subject matter." Yet the book is supposedly well researched and presents the facts!!!! This book is complete garbage. Don't waste your money.

I AM A GIANT BRIAN JONES FAN- AND I ACTUALLY LIKED READING THIS BOOK-
BUT SOMEBODY HAS A VIVID IMAGINATION.........DONT LOOK FOR TRUE FACTS HERE...ALTHOUGH I BELIVE ON THE WHOLE SOME OF THE MOODS AND FEELING BETWEEN BAND MEMBERS MAY BE CORRECT THERE IS NO BASIS FOR FACTUAL EVIDENCE HERE.

i have read many books on brian jones, and this is the most outrageous yet. i wonder where she gets her information from, as i have never read anything like it before. at first i put it all down to someones imagination running riot.....but names are named, and surely she would not have named people if they were blatant lies...also police have been involved in some of the accusations in the book...so i remain firmly on the fence...however as a bj fan, it adds more fuel to the fire as to the awful way he was treated by mj and kr....make up your own minds, but i hope that truths will come out and guilty people get whats coming to them.

Let me preface my remarks about this story similar to how one of the earlier reviewers did. I think by doing so, it leads credibility to my review.
I am a 60+ year old musician who has played with a few bands over the years, mostly R&B bands and some jazz.

I met Brian early on during the start of the Rolling Stones and found him to be quite an enigma. At times he was good hearted and other times he was quite the beast. In any case, he was a musical genius that brought forth a vision of new exciting music which took the world by storm.

Brian Jones Straight From the Heart tells the story of Brian with such accuracy; it is as if Brian penned it with his own hands. Those of us who knew this genius can attest to the facts as is written. By no means could anyone write a book that would be glowing of Brian Jones for if they did, it would certainly be one of fiction.

This book portrays Brian for what he was...a man of many faces and personas. To think a writing such as this is being criticized for showing Brian in a negative way is quite absurd. When I recall the 1960s, drugs and sex flowed freely. One cannot deny the fact that sex was a part of that era and "free love" was not only free but shared amongst the most notable musical elite.

It's quite ridiculous for people to deny the fact that Brian wasn't human and wouldn't taste the new found freedom of the sexual revolution. Brian was a man who loved people regardless of gender.

A musical genius yes, but by no means was he a saint. Those who put their heads in the sand to the truth do more to dilute his memory than sustain it. It is obvious they never knew Brian Jones, the real Brian Jones. It's time someone tells it like it was and I believe this author does.

This book is by far a better recount of what Brian was, what he gave to the world, and in my humble opinion, what finally sent him to his demise. I believe this book is a good compliment to Billy Wyman's writing.

If you are one who wants to know what is was like to live in the music world in the 60s, this book is for you. Gritty, raw, and unforgiving, this book is quite extraordinary. I highly recommend Brian Joes Straight From the Heart.

A MUST read for every fan of Brian Jones and the 60's - a heartbreaking, sad and shocking story. The book addressed many issues - it is riveting -superb in its telling and detailed research. Brian really had no one to stand up for him while he was alive or in death. This book has now rectified this in his memory. It was a shame that he didn't realize his own worth; but it is no wonder, given everything he went through at the hands of his family and so-called "friends". They used him up and then deserted him in life and in death.

I've read a few books about the Rolling Stones and always thought it peculiar that Brian's role in the Rolling Stones was openly minimized. Claims were made that he couldn't write songs, and he was portrayed as nothing more than a drugged out rocker. I guess his accusers thought if these lies were said enough times-especially in interviews-and put in writing, somehow they would become true and "fact"--all in the hopes that time would cloud the truth. It is obvious that these claims were never true because there are too many inconsistencies.

The truth is in this book. It is obvious that Brian had worked on many, if not all, of the Rolling Stones' songs - no one else in the band could even play most of the instruments he did or came close to his caliber. Brian wrote the musical score for a movie called "A Degree of Murder" in the late 60's - a musical score from someone who supposedly couldn't write. He was sought after by other performers such as Hendrix and Dylan. It is ludicrous for any of the Rolling Stones to claim that Brian was not an integral force within the band he created and to downplay his musical and songwriting contributions. They should all be ashamed that Brian was denied his rightful legacy, the Rolling Stones' name, his songwriting credits, and finally, his life.

In the other books that speak about Brian's murder, there have been many inconsistencies, and those stories didn't ring true. I always thought it strange that no one questioned what really happened to him. Now, thanks to this book, we know why. When I finished this book, I just couldn't believe the original verdict had not been questioned and even worse, that this case had not been reopened. I had hoped to see a form or petition in the back of this book to demand that his case be reopened, which I would gladly have signed and mailed.

My feeling is that Brian deserves the truth to come out and his case needs to be reopened. The author did a fantastic job!