One book I'm
getting a real kick out of at the moment is former Rolling Stones
manager, Andrew Loog Oldham's second instalment of his life
story, '2Stoned'.
I literally can't
put the bloody thing down!
Now here's a man
who's led a life and seemingly can remember most of it! I thought
the old adage was "if you can remember the 60s, then you
weren't there" So thank god he can!!
Music bug
"Oldham's
line "would you let your daughter go out with a
Rolling Stone?" perfectly placed them opposite the
more wholesome image of the Beatles..." |
Lord
Crowley on former Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham |
I absolutely loved
the first book 'Stoned'. It painted a wonderful, vivid picture of
London/ Soho in the late 50s and 60s and showed the young Loog first
getting the music bug and his many adventures in teen life.
'2Stoned' picks
up where the first left off with the Stones visiting America for
the first time - and then it's chocks away and anecdotes a go-go
about sex, drugs and rock n roll with contributions from a cast
list that literally sparkles.
Lending their memories
and observations to Oldham's hip scribblings are everyone from Marianne
Faithful (his former charge) to Pete Townshend to author
Nik Cohn - and that's just for starters.
Provocateur
The Loog's place
in rock n roll folklore was guaranteed as soon as he took on the
management of the Bad Boys of rock.
It was he, remember,
who locked Mick and Keith in a room and TOLD them to write.
 |
Thank God
someone can remember the 60s is what I say! |
An agent provocateur
par excellance, his gift for publicity was legendary and his line
"would you let your daughter go out with a Rolling Stone?"
perfectly placed them opposite the more wholesome image of the Beatles.
As Malcolm McClaren
and Alan McGee have said in the past, without Andrew Loog
Oldham and his influence the pop landscape would surely have been
a much drabber place.
This is a perceptive
account of when British pop ruled the world and old London Town
was swinging like no other. It really is a great read!!
2Stoned by Andrew Loog Oldham is published by
Secker & Warburg
|