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Like A Rolling Stone: The Strange Life of A Tribute Band
Since the creation of the hit Broadway musical Beatlemania tribute bands have become an indelible part of the musical landscape, playing local bars, biker rallies, banquet halls, town fairs, and, occasionally, even stadiums. In an age when famous rock groups charge $100 or more for a concert ticket, their tribute band imitators offer an accessible, intimate, and surprisingly authentic outlet for fans. The Grateful Dead have Dark Star Orchestra; Led Zeppelin Zoso, Hammer of the Gods, and the all-girl Lez Zeppelin; Van Halen have twenty-five tribute bands, including Hot for Teacher and Van Heineken; and KISS have not one but two tribute bands peopled by dwarves—Mini Kiss and Tiny Kiss.
In this droll and entertaining expedition to the heart of tribute world, Steven Kurutz chronicles the ups and downs of one of the oldest and best-established acts, Sticky Fingers, who bill themselves as “the leading international Rolling Stones tribute show.” The narrative follows Sticky Fingers as they shadow the real Rolling Stones 2005–06 tour like a remora trailing a shark. When the Stones perform at an arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sticky Fingers plays a preconcert bash at nearby Dixie’s Tavern. More gigs a trip to Las Vegas, bookings on the southern fraternity circuit, a spectacular sold-out stadium show in the Netherlands. The band’s frontman, Glen Carroll, is a roguish and colorful Mick Jagger look-alike, and we see him onstage and off, navigating the peculiar life of a tribute performer. As Carroll says, “I know what it’s like to walk in Mick’s shoes—with lift supports, mind you.” The band’s guitarist, meanwhile, is so committed to his role as Keith Richards, he’s always in costume. Along the way, the writer travels with the members of Sticky Fingers’ archrivals, the Blushing Brides; profiles a group of Deadheads who re-create entire, highly specific Grateful Dead concerts, and examines an occupational hazard one musician calls “tributitis”: identifying too closely with the rock star one portrays, with resulting swelling of the ego. As the book unfolds, what emerges is an honest and sympathetic portrait of the musicians as they juggle work and band obligations and come to terms with middle age and their fading dreams of rock stardom.
Like a Rolling Stone is a superbly reported, affectionately told, hilarious account of life at the lower altitudes of the music industry. In its own sly way, it is also a critique of the Rolling Stones’ stadium juggernaut and the baby boomer nostalgia pervading modern culture. Above all, it is a testament to the timeless appeal of rock and roll, even in a culture of perpetual rewind.
In this droll and entertaining expedition to the heart of tribute world, Steven Kurutz chronicles the ups and downs of one of the oldest and best-established acts, Sticky Fingers, who bill themselves as “the leading international Rolling Stones tribute show.” The narrative follows Sticky Fingers as they shadow the real Rolling Stones 2005–06 tour like a remora trailing a shark. When the Stones perform at an arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sticky Fingers plays a preconcert bash at nearby Dixie’s Tavern. More gigs a trip to Las Vegas, bookings on the southern fraternity circuit, a spectacular sold-out stadium show in the Netherlands. The band’s frontman, Glen Carroll, is a roguish and colorful Mick Jagger look-alike, and we see him onstage and off, navigating the peculiar life of a tribute performer. As Carroll says, “I know what it’s like to walk in Mick’s shoes—with lift supports, mind you.” The band’s guitarist, meanwhile, is so committed to his role as Keith Richards, he’s always in costume. Along the way, the writer travels with the members of Sticky Fingers’ archrivals, the Blushing Brides; profiles a group of Deadheads who re-create entire, highly specific Grateful Dead concerts, and examines an occupational hazard one musician calls “tributitis”: identifying too closely with the rock star one portrays, with resulting swelling of the ego. As the book unfolds, what emerges is an honest and sympathetic portrait of the musicians as they juggle work and band obligations and come to terms with middle age and their fading dreams of rock stardom.
Like a Rolling Stone is a superbly reported, affectionately told, hilarious account of life at the lower altitudes of the music industry. In its own sly way, it is also a critique of the Rolling Stones’ stadium juggernaut and the baby boomer nostalgia pervading modern culture. Above all, it is a testament to the timeless appeal of rock and roll, even in a culture of perpetual rewind.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2008
3 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 7, 2024
Everything you need to know about tribute bands, and the depth of their commitment to the original copy, right here in just over 200 pages. I felt like I was along for ride with the journalist/author who didn’t hold back on his memories of the party-antic, rock and roll debauchery among two Rolling Stones tribute bands on the road.
This book would be a hit with my uncle, who may be the biggest Stones fan I know. I was in it for research and this book delivered in spades.
This book would be a hit with my uncle, who may be the biggest Stones fan I know. I was in it for research and this book delivered in spades.
November 15, 2011
Interesting, if vulgar, on-the-road account of "tribute bands", mainly two bands imitating the Stones. I was a big fan of Doors tribute band Crystal Ship back in the '80s, but felt I could "justify" it because Jim Morrison was dead and the Doors no longer played. They got a couple of mentions here, but in any case, this was a glimpse of the lives of people who are often excellent musicians and singers, but who remain in bare-survival mode for the most part. Fascinating, but sad.
June 21, 2018
This book dug up my lawn, not cool.
July 13, 2008
Well written, well researched. From the dust jacket blurb I assumed the book followed more of a narrative structure (good for me as I'm obsessed with fiction, as well as rock writing, and I can never usually find well-written rock books), mentioning as it did that he spent a year following a band on tour I assumed the book would chronicle that year. But as I was reading I got sucked in regardless. I'd give this five stars if the author's presence didn't appear and disappear throughout the book -- I liked his presence, and wanted it constant, but the book is more journalistic in its approach.
Actually, eff that, I AM giving it five stars. Read it in a week, laughed out loud at least a dozen times, finished wanting to high five the author and say thanks, I liked it that much. Loved how he inserted snippets about the changing times (an example: lowering the drinking age in the seventies and how it impacted bar rock), so many nuances here. Descriptions of actual Rolling Stones shows contrasted with tribute shows are particularly effective, as was the description of the Dark Star Orchestra concert.
Actually, eff that, I AM giving it five stars. Read it in a week, laughed out loud at least a dozen times, finished wanting to high five the author and say thanks, I liked it that much. Loved how he inserted snippets about the changing times (an example: lowering the drinking age in the seventies and how it impacted bar rock), so many nuances here. Descriptions of actual Rolling Stones shows contrasted with tribute shows are particularly effective, as was the description of the Dark Star Orchestra concert.
June 29, 2008
I'd give this 3 and a half stars if I could. I love the topic -- tribute bands, with a focus on one specific Rolling Stones tribute band called Sticky Fingers -- but I wish I could have edited the book. The author uses the word "verisimilitude" three times in the first 60 pages or so, including the first page. Argh! And, the content seemed a bit disorganized to me.
I'll quit nagging now, though, and tell you that the author does a great job of describing what it's like to be in a tribute band (a band that performs music already made famous by another band). I ate it up with a spoon, but I am a sucker for just about any book about the rock music industry.
Is it better to be in a working band that covers another band's music than to be in a band that performs its own music, but can't get gigs? I had fun pondering this while reading Like a Rolling Stone.
I'll quit nagging now, though, and tell you that the author does a great job of describing what it's like to be in a tribute band (a band that performs music already made famous by another band). I ate it up with a spoon, but I am a sucker for just about any book about the rock music industry.
Is it better to be in a working band that covers another band's music than to be in a band that performs its own music, but can't get gigs? I had fun pondering this while reading Like a Rolling Stone.
December 1, 2008
I picked this book up on a whim. It was on the new bookshelf at the library, right next to the new unauthorized bio of Axl Rose. Anyway, before I read this book, I knew very little about the Rolling Stones or tribute bands and absolutely nothing about Rolling Stones tribute bands. Now I know a little more about all of those topics.
This was a good read and I think it would be REALLY appreciated by folks really into classic rock.
This was a good read and I think it would be REALLY appreciated by folks really into classic rock.
February 11, 2009
Good story about tribute rock bands. The book centers on two Rolling Stones tribute bands. It is a short book. I believe that there is more of the story to tell. The author should have dug deeper. Interview some new and/or different tribute bands. Interview more fans. Why do we rock out the way that we do?
April 30, 2008
A great look at a strange little world.
April 1, 2010
Truth is stranger than fiction. And I know,because I was there!
The book is well-written, with lots of affection and humor. And music history as well.
The book is well-written, with lots of affection and humor. And music history as well.
June 26, 2008
Heard him on wnyc. Sounds good only a few pages in so far.
Finished it. Good book for the bathroom. Gives a slice of the music business that we don't often hear about.
Finished it. Good book for the bathroom. Gives a slice of the music business that we don't often hear about.
September 9, 2013
Nothing mind blowing or even particularly thought provoking but a good Sunday afternoon/Monday morning read about an interesting phenomena and the people that make it happen.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews