Rollaresque

by Simon Goddard

London 1962. Five young hooligans have formed a band and are on a collision course with the austere and intolerant values of post-war Britain. From their beginning in a scummy flat off the Kings Road to the notorious Redlands scandal, this is the anarchic rollercoaster ride of the Stones’ first five years. We follow our heroes in a rags-to-riches romp of sex, scandal, mischief and uproarious behavior as they challenge the establishment, invent the archetype of the rebellious, parent-scaring rock star lothario and, eventually, receive their comeuppance from the powers that be. Presented with the audacious wit and bawdy humor of a vintage novel, complete with Dickensian illustrations, Rollaresque celebrates the young Stones in the grand English literary tradition of lovable rogues. This is the music biography reinvented as a ripping yarn.

Genres: Music

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2015

About the author

Simon Goddard was born in Cardiff in 1971.

He is the author of over a dozen books, most prominently the Bowie Odyssey series.

He is not religious and ought not be confused with anyone of the same name on Goodreads who has written religious stuff.

agent: thenorthlitagency.com

Reviews

[Pete daPixie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Rolling Stones biography that documents the formation of the group through to the 'summer of love' in 1967.
Simon Goddard Esq. presents his 'Rollaresque' in the written style of the eighteenth or nineteenth century quintessentially English publication. His unique presentation and amusing wit became a little tedious, a heavy overdose of verbosity after three hundred pages. More to the point, being old enough to recall this heady decade, I found nothing new or factually revealing in this history.