Sympathy for the Devil
The Birth of the Rolling Stones and the Death of Brian Jones
Published on 16. July 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-0-552-16881-6 (ISBN)
Description
The story of the Rolling Stones is one of the epic rock 'n' roll yarns of our time. Their music defined today's cultural landscape and their history is a source of endless fascination for music fans around the world. Yet one crucial part of that story has never been comprehensively analysed: the role of Brian Jones, the visionary who founded the band and controlled their early music down to the smallest detail.
Drawing on over one hundred interviews with key principals including Keith Richards, Andrew Oldham and Marianne Faithfull, this is a story told from a totally new perspective and which lays bare the shocking ruthlessness, internal warfare and sexual competition within this most legendary of bands. As well as exploring Jones' crucial role in the Stones' music, it will also investigate the unravelling of his psyche, as observed by Brian's family, friends, bandmates, lovers and enemies.
Victors get to write the history - but it's never wholly true. Brian's life story is a gripping one, an epic battle between creativity and ambition, between self-sabotage and betrayal. This book will disentangle the threads of the Rolling Stones story and put Brian Jones firmly in the foreground.
Drawing on over one hundred interviews with key principals including Keith Richards, Andrew Oldham and Marianne Faithfull, this is a story told from a totally new perspective and which lays bare the shocking ruthlessness, internal warfare and sexual competition within this most legendary of bands. As well as exploring Jones' crucial role in the Stones' music, it will also investigate the unravelling of his psyche, as observed by Brian's family, friends, bandmates, lovers and enemies.
Victors get to write the history - but it's never wholly true. Brian's life story is a gripping one, an epic battle between creativity and ambition, between self-sabotage and betrayal. This book will disentangle the threads of the Rolling Stones story and put Brian Jones firmly in the foreground.
Reviews / Votes
A great, cautionary tale -- George Byrne * Irish Independent * Thorough and well researched -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday * Fascinating... wonderful at evoking that very non-modern age of the 50s and 60s -- Mark Blake * Mojo * Magnificent and controversial ... a monumental book -- Paul Gleason * stereoembersmagazine.com *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
319 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-552-16881-6 (9780552168816)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2014
1st Edition
Transworld Digital
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Paul Trynka is a respected music writer, known both for his groundbreaking role as editor of MOJO magazine and as author of Starman and Open Up and Bleed, biographies of David Bowie and Iggy Pop which attracted laudatory reviews worldwide. Portrait of the Blues, his collection of oral histories with over 60 blues musicians (a collaboration with photographer Val Wilmer) is regarded as a landmark work. Paul was also editor of the widely respected International Musician magazine, and founding editor of The Guitar Magazine, for which he first interviewed Keith Richards over 20 years ago. Paul lives with his wife, Lucy, and son, Curtis, in Greenwich, London, just down the road from Mick and Keith's old stomping ground of Dartford.