According to the Rolling Stones

by The Rolling Stones

Here is the inside story: the history of the Rolling Stones - according to the Rolling Stones themselves. Here, in their own words and images, is the life of a band who for the last forty years have been playing the soundtrack of our lives.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Rock N Roll, Memoir, History, Autobiography

360 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coffee table sized book with lots of great photos of the Stones. The entire volume is comprised of each member of the Stones describing their experiences as a stone, their relationship with each other and the musical aspects that each contributes to their sound.

I especially found this book interesting from a musicological point of view because these guys are wizards at understanding the sort of sound they produce on their instruments and how it layers together with the other instruments and Mick Jagger's voice.

Each member shares how they perceive their role, how they fit in, and how the other members cause specific musical reactions to each other's playing.

The Rolling Stones have a long, rich history in the annals of music and I find hearing their own voices to be insightful into the world of rock bands and touring.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on the history of the Stones. Told through each member's own words, it puts their entire life within the context of the individual band member's point of view. Mick Taylor gets the roughest treatment for leaving after six years.

I liked Charlie Watts' insights and anecdotes. As the stablest member (except for his dalliances with drugs & alcohol in the 1980's) of the Rolling Stones, I have always appreciated his humble yet sophisticated perspective. He has the most objective and cogent recollections, especially from the band's early Ealing Club days and in discussions regarding their musical influences.

I just finished this book and really enjoyed reading it. I got through it quickly as it was highly entertaining and very authentic. I liked Ronnie Wood's comments a lot as well, he comes from a fan's perspective as well as an insider of the band, being involved since 1975.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the band, their influences & their history.

[John Trembly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill Wyman is conspicuously absent....

[Jeff Howells · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all their longevity and however much I love their music, never let it be said that the Rolling Stones are original. From the blues covers of their early days, aping the Beatles' Sgt Pepper with 'Their Satanic Majesties Request' and following the V&A 'David Bowie Is' exhibition with their own 'Exhibitionism' at the Saatchi gallery. This book is essentially the Stones doing their own version of The Beatles Anthology - telling their story in their own words. Whilst it's interesting to see how they come across (Keith is the myth making romantic, whilst Mick, if anything, is dismissive of most things) the book lacks historical context and if you want to learn about the Stones you are still better off reading a bog standard biography. There are also some important historical incidents that are practically glossed over: the Redlands drug bust, Altamont, Marianne Faithfull. However the unforgivable aspect of the book is that Bill Wyman hardly gets a look in. He's referenced most by the group only at the point he decides to leave. Absolutely shocking. Diverting but not essential.

[Rishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very fantastic because of the perspective blurbs from the strong and unique personalities of the band, and then also arranged both chronologically and also like a narrative that tells a compelling story. it has monologues from people really close to the band like artists and producers that worked with them. it's probably still run through a PR filter but i felt it was pretty heart-on-the-sleeve in it's telling

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pictures in this book are better than the story. I was expecting more indepth and as I recall, this book just seemed like some fluff. I think I got this at Borders on their discount rack, so that helped ease the pain of spending money on this!

[Lisa Shininger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compilation of quotes, most found elsewhere and previously published. Nothing revelatory here if you're more than a casual fan but the pictures are great. It's a good choice if you're looking for a coffee table book you'll flip through a few times.

[Andrew Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rolling Stones define the definition of Rock and Roll. I like them even more now because of this book. This is very long and it’s the size of a textbook, so if you don’t like The Rolling Stones, this is something you won’t want to read.

[Ola · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to the Rolling Stones tells the story of the band itself---from starting off as a blues cover band, to gaining the status of "World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll band", everything is seen through the eyes of present-day members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood.

This book never gets boring, has tons of fantastic pictures scattered throughout and insights from others who have met, worked with, or have been influenced by the Stones. Makes a wonderful coffee table/music aficionado read.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book! I have even ordered the paperback version because I can get it new and the hardback version is large, cumbersome, and just a candidate for the binding falling apart from the stress. The HB version has beautiful paper in it, and the photographs are fantastic. If you love reading about some history and a group of diverse personalities that have the love of music and musicianship in common, you have got to read this book.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title says, it is written according to the Rolling Stones...as told by them. And filled with lots of pictures, pictures, pictures!

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in-depth look at the world's greatest rock and roll band. Love the photos and the stories behind the songs. It needed more stuff from Bill Wyman. Any Stones fan will enjoy it.

[Mike Sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to the Rolling Stones has been edited by Charlie Watts, Dora Loewenstein and Philip Dodd from extensive interviews conducted especially for this book. Dora is the daughter of the Stones' business manager, Prince Rupert Loewenstein, and has been part of the Stones family nearly all her life. This is the updated edition reissued in 2013. In my book it's a must for any Rolling Stones fan, which I have been since the heady days of the 60s. It is probably the closest we are going to get to the inside story of the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world (sorry Led Zep...)

'Show me someone who has never got their rocks off to the throbbing rhythm of the Rolling Stones and I'll show you a miserable old git who belongs in the Dark Ages... The Stones were raw, rude, raunchy, rebellious and had mums reaching for the smelling salts... and now here's a treat for fans, a book which gets right to the heart of what makes the Stones tick as musicians, songwriters, performers and chums'.

The last fifty pages contain a who's who, a chronology and a discography. Essential for any serious collector of the Stones' music.

I loved this book and I still, unashamedly, love the Rolling Stones. We will never see their like again...

[Carol Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much more than a coffee table book filled with rare and incomparably gorgeous pictures -- this is a complete history of the world's greatest rock and roll band, filled with eyewitness accounts by the men who made history.

[Martin Hannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but the format didn’t quite work for me. Although laid out chronologically it didn’t really flow too well in my opinion.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The fact that I am sixty years old and twenty-year-old chicks are throwing panties at me! It’s ludicrous, really.”
- Keith Richards

This little book was released for the first time around the time I was born. So I missed the rock’n’roll revolution in the 60s, wasn’t there to enjoy Stones’ best releases in the 70s. The dark ages and the World War III in the 80s followed by a resurrection of the Glimmer Twins in the 90s are as well something I can only read about. So as a gift for my 17th birthday this year, I received a copy of ‘According to The Rolling Stones’. And I was quite happy to dive into their world, and discover it as they remember it. That was the main purpose why I was so eager to read it. Because I wasn’t there to experience it with my own eyes and ears like my dear grandma did.

Much has been said about Stones, and there’s still some to be said surely, but I won’t have a share in it. To me it’s a band whose music I simply enjoy and love. And I’m glad I chose them out of all other artists from the 60s, as they’re really the only ones still around. I mean, walking into 21st c. they were seen as those old rockers who should’ve probably retired already. Somehow, 20 years into the new century later and they’re still rocking. Shit, I got to see them in Chicago on their first gig of the American leg of the No Filter tour last year. What’s even more phenomenal is that I got to have my grandmother right there next to me, and I’m sure it was the best night of our lives for the both of us. That’s the kind of accomplishments the Rolling Stones achieved that mean so much to me.

[Roberto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando mueres llegas a una puerta doble. A la derecha están los fans de los Beatles y a la izquierda los de los Stones. Escoger mal puede ocasionarte mucha incomodidad, este libro puede ayudarte a tomar una decisión informada.
Excelente idea hacer una autobiografía donde los autores son los protagonistas, dentro del rock and roll muy pocos grupos relevantes pueden hacer esto, principalmente porque casi todos están muertos. Después de mas de 40 años de discos, giras, peleas, problemas con la ley, y chingadera y media, los Stones siguen llenando arenas y llenando de rock al que decida ser llenado. Siempre encuentro una delicia conversar con un conocedor de la música acerca de la eterna pelea entre Stones y Beatles. Mi teoría es que una persona que no sabe de música siempre escoge a los Beatles de manera cuasinmediata, mientras que una persona que sabe de música al menos esta dispuesto a escuchar argumentos de porque uno podría preferir a otro grupo. No pretendo por esto decir que yo soy el que sabe de música, al contrario casi siempre soy el cabrón que no escucha argumentos, pero ese es el objetivo de estudiar y leer la obra de estos mas grandes rockeros de la tierra. Me encontró a través de un amigo, hermano en armas, un verdadero rocker en el interior.

[Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book: fun to read and fun to look at, it's the story of the group according to members comments and other friends solo memories. After having read Keith Richard's bio, this book has been an great sequel: pity chronology arrives only at 2003...!

[Robert Waldron · Rating 3 out of 5]

As series of interviews with the 'Stones, more than a book.
Some interesting facts emerge, however - for example Brian Jones' multi-intrumentalist talents, which
are often overlooked.
A more passionate and vibrant account of the Stones is Keith Richard's Life

[Dmadden]

Oh, wait. Not that one. Sorry...

[Cesar Veneros]

Needless to say. This book is truly amazing in every aspect. the members from the group go beyong with the comments about what made the rolling stones a successful band in the early 60's.

[Michael]

Meh, not bad... nice remembrances by the band.

[Matti · Rating 5 out of 5]

suom. Rolling Stones omin sanoin

Jess, paljon hyviä ykstyiskohtia ja tosi todentuntuinen.

[Lois Tuffield · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a series of interviews from people involved with the Stones between 1960s and the turn of the century. No new revelations! The photos were good/

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable Book!

[Evan Pritchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great photos, but nuttin' special.

[Jaimie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh I hate interview books… I didn’t even bother attempting to read this one, and just settled for looking at the pictures!

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amount of spotlight that Brian Jones, Bill Wyman or Mick Taylor get in this book is sad. It’s understandable considering it’s an interview book and they didn’t have their say in it, but at the same time it’s odd how little other band members had to say about them. Also, if you’re mostly interested in Mick Jagger - he is incredibly concise with his words (as somebody has nicely pointed out in the book “an extroverted but a very private person). This is fully rewarded though by endless blabbing of Keith Richards and Charlie Watts (I was actually very pleasantly surprised by such thorough accounts of Charlie!).
I think this book is more for the fans (die-hards?:) who are extremely into the Rolling Stones and have already quite a vast knowledge about them because you get a feeling of being bombarded with musicians, places, events, incidents that don’t really get an introduction and if you don’t know what they’re talking about you have to check somewhere (which I personally really couldn’t do and I am glad I didn’t have to haha)

[AshleyVevle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You So Much For The Creater Of This Book,The Rolling Stones Are My Heroes ,I Love Them Dearly!😉.This Book Is Heaven To Read!, They Teached Me Their Way Of Life As Entertainers,.Thank You For Posting Their Story!

[Diego Kroeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don’t think that The Rolling Stones are not the most iconic band of all time, read this book.