Customer Reviews

Old Gods Almost Dead: The 40-Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Authorized or not (and this one is not), you won't find a better set of stories and facts about the band, not even in their own books and interviews. Why? Well, because author Stephen Davis is a professional journalist, an excellent wordsmith (although he sometimes waxes a bit too poetic), and most importantly, a great critical analyst capable of giving unbiased information from a wide range of sources so that you can make your own judgment. You see, the problem with nearly all the Stones' books is the limited scope of the author, their own strong biases or the time period or limited access they were granted. Davis overcomes this problem by thorough research (I suspect he may have a research team although he doesn't say), by getting to seminal sources in an attempt to avoid the biases of non-first hand information, and by actually checking and correlating documented sources.

Now, about the book itself: What a title! Davis has the greatest book titles I've ever seen. I would buy and read it just on that alone, but perhaps I should talk a bit about what's actually IN the book, so here goes:

Part One on the formation of the band is the best and most coherent story of all the famous events (and I've read most of the accounts by other authors, including the Stones themselves). Davis has the chronology and the details down extremely well. It is obvious that Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies brought it all together, but a good understanding of how Brian met Korner and ended up as Elmo Lewis backed by Charlie Watts the night Mick, Keith, and Dick Taylor first saw him is really a first in the Stones literature. The Blue Boys tapes that Mick, Keith, and Taylor did in 1962 are explained (as well as Mick's 50,000 pound auction bid to retain control of them in May of 1995 after they were rediscovered in a Dartford attic), the incredible discord between the individual Stones is very well related (with lots of specific incidents), details of what happened before and after many of the famous shows, the personal relationships, screw ups, and conflicts gives an insight that the Stones themselves have tried to avoid repeatedly. The image that emerges is one that is best typified by Keith's oft-repeated story of the Dartford Station train incident in October of 1960, when he met Mick with the albums under his arm. Keith sometimes waxes poetic about how they made a deal just like Robert Johnson at the crossroads and about how the Band will survive regardless of what else happens. And you can't fault Keith or anyone else on this one....because he's right.....the Band still exists......chaotic history and all....what is remarkable is that they survived.....and you will not understand what that means until you see the story from Davis' perspective....in this book. I honestly can say that without reading this one, you cannot claim to know what the Stones are still all about, Old Gods or not.

Oh, and just to prove that Davis is not perfect, I did find one fact he could have checked a bit more. Karnbach and Bernson, in their great documentary work "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones", state that they did talk to Mick Avory about the drummer situation before Charlie joined. Mick said he sat in at the Bricklayer's Arms when the band was first forming but did not play the first Marque Jazz Club date on July 12, 1962.

This book is basically a blow by blow account of the Rolling Stones' career, starting back before any of the current members of the band were in the band. (The late Brian Jones was in an early version of the band before Keith and Mick got involved. I had a hard time finishing the book.)

I enjoyed reading about the band's 1960's adventures, but once I got past Brian's mysterious death, my interest waned. This was not because the book got more boring at that point; it was just because I already knew the story from being a fan of the band and reading about them in Rolling Stone and similar magazines. (The author wrote many of the magazine stories about the Stones which I enjoyed as a younger person.) The book does get a lot more boring near the end, because the band's music got a lot less interesting about 20 years ago. (Somewhere around "Tattoo You" Mick and Keith pretty much ran out of ideas and since then they have been coasting.)

Speaking of boring, one of the more amusing revelations in this book is that Mick is actually a rather boring person offstage. Onstage, he is rock and roll's answer to the Greek god Dionysius, offstage he is a rather quiet London School of Economics alumnus.

Davis provides us with an incredibly detailed index: it is fun to look up your favorite song or favorite incident and read about it in the book.

"Old Gods Almost Dead" is a pretty good read, filled with the obligatory smutty details.
The early days of the Rolling Stones are more thoroughly examined than the 80s and 90s, perhaps because of the lack of sex scandals and drug busts during the past 25 years or so, but it must be said in all fairness that "Old Gods" is not just sensationalism; Davis obviously has a certain insight into the musical side of things as well, and everything is well written and well paced, offering several interesting insights into the (supposed) history of the Stones.

My only problem with this book is that I don't really trust everything Mr Davis writes. He appears to be extraordinarily well informed about what went on within the group during the 60s and 70s, but he also makes some weird claims that makes me question how much he really knows...nothing big, just minor details. I mean, he knows what was said and done at some or other party forty years ago, but he doesn't know Rod Stewart's full name, calling him "Rodney" Stewart (rather than Roderick), and he believes that Bo Diddley's legendary female lead guitarist "the Duchess" was really his (Diddley's) sister, as Bo Diddley claimed (Norma-Jean Wofford, the Duchess, was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Wofford of Pittsburgh, PA, and Diddley introduced her as his sister in order to protect her while on the road).

As I said, it's just minor inconsistencies (I can't spell that...). It just makes me wonder if all of these intimate details are to be trusted.

I have read over 30 books on the Stones and I was not disoppointed with this. I've noticed that alot of ppl say this book is ok but doesn't add "anything new". Well it does say that this book covers the Stones ENTIRE career...and the Stones have had a LONG career...so when there is 40 years of history to write about there is no way the author could dweel on smaller less significant events..but it does cover all basic (factual) events that have happened in their career...(most more well-read fans already know about) I say if you plan on reading ONLY ONE book on the Stones your whole life you might as well read this one. If you already have more than your fair-share of Stones reading material I would suggest you read this anyways...Its well written and at times funny! Mostly this would be the best thing if your a casual fan. Oh and if you want to find out how Mick, Keith, and Brian were/are REALLY like read James Phelge's book Nankering With The Rolling Stones..;)

The previous reviewers were too hard on this book. Sure, the writing is sometimes sloppy, disorganized and repetitive, yet it's also frequently brilliant, hilariously over the top, and thrilling.... which is a pretty accurate description of the Stones themselves. I mean, this isn't supposed to a scholarly analysis, unless I read the liner notes wrong. It's a down `n dirty tell-all. Most of the major turning points in this career are detailed with impressive flair (the Redlands drug bust, Altamont, "World War III", etc.) People interested in classic rock `n roll decadence should also check out a great new video called "Welcome to the Rainbow". It's a documentary on the history of rock on LA's notorious Sunset Strip, with interviews and performances from gods like Ozzy, Robbie Kriegerman, Lemmy of Motorhead and more. It's a must-own for the serious rock collector!

This book reads very much like a history book. Just the facts and not a lot of detail. There is so much to write about the Stones. This tells you what happened, but in most cases without insight. Keith did drugs? Yes. Mick is a [jerk]? Yes. We know that, but where's the real insight. I couldn't help but get the feeling that to some extent, the author didn't want to anger the band. Perhaps he's looking forward to "The 60 Year Odyssey" edition. The book is entertaining enough but just leaves you wanting more. One last thing. I am very suspect, (as should you), of any author who would write the following line; " U2's Achtung Baby and Aerosmith's Pump, both released in 1990, can arguably be called the last great rock albums". It's right there on page 517! You have got to be kidding me. Does the author even listen to rock music? With a statement like that, is he even qualified to author a book about a rock band? Perhaps that is the problem. It would seem to be difficult to conjur up some insight if there is no passion for the music.

I picked up "Old Gods Almost Dead" not because I'm a huge Stones fan (although I was present at the "Steel Wheels" kickoff show in Philadelphia in 1989), but because I'd read and enjoyed Stephen Davis' excellent biography of Led Zeppelin, "Hammer Of The Gods." "Old Gods ..." is very readable, despite Davis' occasional rock-journalist-pretentious prose and dubious sources (I'm sorry, anyone who uses Pamela Des Barres' gushfest "I'm With The Band" as a credited source is suspect). Davis covers the Brian Jones years extensively and colorfully, then glosses over everything else except the copious amounts and types of drugs consumed by the band. Non-fans will find the book interesting reading; diehards will dislike the tabloid tones. And just a nitpick, Mr. Davis--Keith Richards' wife's name is Patti Hansen, not Hanson ...

For anyone interested in this book, and Stones fans should be, I encourage you to take a look at a library or bookstore before taking these bad reviews too seriously. It is well-written and highly readable. There is plenty of discussion of the music and the business side; it is not a merely a catalog of sexual and drug excess. On the other hand, a book about the Stones without sex and drugs really wouldn't be a book about the Stones.
I agree that the first half was stronger and also that much less attention was devoted to the many years since Brian Jones' death.
On the other hand, this latter period included phases like Keith's 10-year heroin habit, and up to 5 years between albums and tours (not sure what the author should have written there, except more sex and drugs). I have not read other Stones boooks so can't compare, but do recommend this one (probably only 3.5 stars, but had to round up to offset some of the other reviews).
Take a look (then buy from Amazon!)

Mr. Davis offers a consistent and essentially accurate view of the Stones, albeit with a very slight emphasis to the sensational.....but "sensational" is what the Stones have built their reputation on. A highlight is the interesting accounting of the 62-65 period; vastly superior to previous details of the groups career as it relates to Brian Jones. With the exception of brief snipets of information this book will offer little new to diehard fans who have read Mr. Wymans "Stone Alone", Tony Sanchez's "Up and Down With the Rolling Stones" etc. et al, but the "snipets" are enjoyable and appear to be accurate. For a non Stones fanatic it offers a great accurate read of their history, far exceeding the plethora of inaccurate and weakly reasearched books of the last 15 years such as "Symphony for the Devil." Mr. Davis' research enjoyably delves into the studio work with a brief song by song synopsis of each album. Though it doesn't begin to offer the detail of Karnbach and Beanson's "Ultimate Guide" it does provide interesting information. Little is offered in the way of post 1978 detail and unsubstantiated information such as that offered on the last page should be discounted as previous quotes rely heavily (almost exclusively) on the Stones 25 x 5 video documentary and not first hand accounts. One has to wonder how close Mr. Davis got to any "insiders" in the writing of "Almost Dead", but from the myriad writings available he has managed to glean enough useful data to put together what appears to be an accurate and "fun read."

Mr. Davis' book would perhaps be better filed under fiction. His research is sloppy and a number of 'facts' are just untrue. It is disappointing that Mr. Davis has to sensationalize what is already an incredible story of a band that has survived forty years in rock and roll. More factual books on the Stones are Bill Wyman's 'Stone Alone' and James Phelge's 'Nankering with the Rolling Stones'. As for 'Old Gods Almost Dead', save your money...or better still, go and buy a great old Stones CD, sit back and enjoy the magic!