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The Rolling Stones: The Biography
All great music is a threat.
What left is there to say about The Rolling Stones? A hell of a lot, it turns out.
Bob Spitz has brought his indefatigable energy and five decades of experiences in the fields and hollows of rock 'n' roll to bear on his five-year journey to reexamine one of popular music's greatest stories. There are myriad revisions to the conventional narrative which underscore just how in control of that narrative the band has been up to now--small no, Muddy Waters was not mopping the floors at Chess Records when the Stones showed up. But in a larger sense, as with the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Spitz's greatest gift is for the big picture. He knows where the magic is, and why it is. He is as clear-eyed a connoisseur of the show business, the spectacle and the collateral damage of this whirlwind as anyone alive, and that lucid gaze pierces a lot of incrusted bullshit, but the ultimate goal is to connect with a creative force whose power shows no signs of fading, over sixty years on.
At its heart the story is about two boys, Mick and Keith, and their unique, fraught, alchemical bond, often tested, never sundered. The Glimmer Twins. The bandmates, like Charlie Watts, who found their groove in relation to this double star made the trip intact, while those who struggled, like Brian Jones and Mick Taylor, were chewed up and spit out. This is a story with many dark corners, including a surprising number of deaths. But whether Jagger and Richards sold their souls to the devil is at the crossroads for blues greatness or just squeezed their heroes for every drop of inspiration, in the end their connection to their music and to each other put them in a category of one, where they very much remain.
What left is there to say about The Rolling Stones? A hell of a lot, it turns out.
Bob Spitz has brought his indefatigable energy and five decades of experiences in the fields and hollows of rock 'n' roll to bear on his five-year journey to reexamine one of popular music's greatest stories. There are myriad revisions to the conventional narrative which underscore just how in control of that narrative the band has been up to now--small no, Muddy Waters was not mopping the floors at Chess Records when the Stones showed up. But in a larger sense, as with the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Spitz's greatest gift is for the big picture. He knows where the magic is, and why it is. He is as clear-eyed a connoisseur of the show business, the spectacle and the collateral damage of this whirlwind as anyone alive, and that lucid gaze pierces a lot of incrusted bullshit, but the ultimate goal is to connect with a creative force whose power shows no signs of fading, over sixty years on.
At its heart the story is about two boys, Mick and Keith, and their unique, fraught, alchemical bond, often tested, never sundered. The Glimmer Twins. The bandmates, like Charlie Watts, who found their groove in relation to this double star made the trip intact, while those who struggled, like Brian Jones and Mick Taylor, were chewed up and spit out. This is a story with many dark corners, including a surprising number of deaths. But whether Jagger and Richards sold their souls to the devil is at the crossroads for blues greatness or just squeezed their heroes for every drop of inspiration, in the end their connection to their music and to each other put them in a category of one, where they very much remain.
1059 pages, Hardcover
Published September 23, 2026
About the author
Bob Spitz
19 books188 followersBob Spitz is the award-winning author of The Beatles, a New York Times best seller, as well as seven other nonfiction books and a screenplay. He has represented Bruce Springsteen and Elton John in several capacities. His articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times Magazine; The Washington Post; Rolling Stone; and O, The Oprah Magazine, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
June 10, 2026
4.5 stars
"[The Rolling Stones] were pumped, and they let it rip. They whipped that audience into a frenzy, playing a blistering set - one great song after another without letup for forty-five minutes. When they tore into 'Route 66,' they hit one [lyrical] line extra hard - 'Flagtstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona, Kingman, Barstow . . . San Bernardino.' When the kids heard their town name-checked, they went ape****, the screams were deafening. Several girls broke for the stage and were dragged away by sheriff's deputies. Other fans, in a hysterical swoon, had to be sedated by medical staff." -- synopsis of the very first Stones concert on U.S. soil (5 June 1964 in San Bernardino, California), on page 132
Author Spitz has previously essayed some thorough books on 60's-era rock music titans such as the Beatles (read it about 20 years ago - very good) and Bob Dylan (coincidentally purchased it earlier this year, but still unread by me) so perhaps its no great surprise or a bit predictable that his latest in that unofficial sort of series is The Rolling Stones: The Biography. One of those rare 'British Invasion' groups that sustained a career beyond the 1970's and/or their ten-year mark - wracking my brain, I can only think of the Kinks and the Moody Blues as being in similar company - the London quartet formed in June 1962 and released their first single (a cover of Chuck Berry's 'Come On,' for a nice bit of trivia) exactly one year later. Although initially acolytes of American blues acts like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, the boys soon segued into their own brand of rock and roll and stormed through that international door kicked open by the Beatles to achieve multiple hit songs / albums / concert tours across the globe. The bulk of the narrative covers the years 1962 to 1982, with only the final 50 pages detailing 1982 to present day. As likely expected, the bad boy 'Glimmer Twins' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - who have been as close as blood brothers, but yet sometimes the worst of enemies - undeniably get the most attention in print, owing to their success in songwriting, the drug use, the romantic dalliances, and did I mention the drug use?😉 As a devout Stones fan since high school - my very first compact disc purchased was Sticky Fingers, their hit 1971 album with 'Brown Sugar,' 'Wild Horses,' and the under-appreciated strutting classic 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking?' - I'm not sure this book presented much new and/or startling information on the group, yet it was still nicely thorough in covering their ups and downs, and deserves to share shelf space with earlier works like Joel Selvin's Altamont and Rich Cohen's The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones.
"[The Rolling Stones] were pumped, and they let it rip. They whipped that audience into a frenzy, playing a blistering set - one great song after another without letup for forty-five minutes. When they tore into 'Route 66,' they hit one [lyrical] line extra hard - 'Flagtstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona, Kingman, Barstow . . . San Bernardino.' When the kids heard their town name-checked, they went ape****, the screams were deafening. Several girls broke for the stage and were dragged away by sheriff's deputies. Other fans, in a hysterical swoon, had to be sedated by medical staff." -- synopsis of the very first Stones concert on U.S. soil (5 June 1964 in San Bernardino, California), on page 132
Author Spitz has previously essayed some thorough books on 60's-era rock music titans such as the Beatles (read it about 20 years ago - very good) and Bob Dylan (coincidentally purchased it earlier this year, but still unread by me) so perhaps its no great surprise or a bit predictable that his latest in that unofficial sort of series is The Rolling Stones: The Biography. One of those rare 'British Invasion' groups that sustained a career beyond the 1970's and/or their ten-year mark - wracking my brain, I can only think of the Kinks and the Moody Blues as being in similar company - the London quartet formed in June 1962 and released their first single (a cover of Chuck Berry's 'Come On,' for a nice bit of trivia) exactly one year later. Although initially acolytes of American blues acts like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, the boys soon segued into their own brand of rock and roll and stormed through that international door kicked open by the Beatles to achieve multiple hit songs / albums / concert tours across the globe. The bulk of the narrative covers the years 1962 to 1982, with only the final 50 pages detailing 1982 to present day. As likely expected, the bad boy 'Glimmer Twins' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - who have been as close as blood brothers, but yet sometimes the worst of enemies - undeniably get the most attention in print, owing to their success in songwriting, the drug use, the romantic dalliances, and did I mention the drug use?😉 As a devout Stones fan since high school - my very first compact disc purchased was Sticky Fingers, their hit 1971 album with 'Brown Sugar,' 'Wild Horses,' and the under-appreciated strutting classic 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking?' - I'm not sure this book presented much new and/or startling information on the group, yet it was still nicely thorough in covering their ups and downs, and deserves to share shelf space with earlier works like Joel Selvin's Altamont and Rich Cohen's The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones.
June 2, 2026
Page 119 my edition
For British rock bands, America was the Promised Land, the home of the forefathers – Chuck [Berry], Elvis, and Buddy [Holly]. The place where blues flowed like honey and a whole lotta shakin’ was going on.
Page 578 1989 tour
A “Rolling Stone” writer popped the question right on cue. “Could this be the last time?” Mick pumped a fist. “First asked in 1966!”
I recall at the beginning of the ‘70s, after the Beatles split up, with others like Simon and Garfunkel, plus pop groups that dissolved (Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits …) that it was only a matter of time that the Stones would break up. But NO, they weathered many storms but kept together.
Page 399 early ‘70s
The drug busts, Brian’s death, Allen Klein [seedy manager], Altamont, Keith and Anita’s [Pallenberg] rigorous heroin addiction – anyone of these was enough to rend a band asunder… The Stones seemed to thrive on near disaster. Despite it all, they never considered breaking up.
Page 482 Keith Richards
No one leaves this band except in a pine box.
They did go through personnel changes. As per the author, Brian Jones died under mysterious circumstances in 1969 and was replaced by Mick Taylor. It’s a little more complicated because Brian was essentially “fired” from the band due to his erratic behavior brought on by substance abuse (drugs of all kinds, plus alcohol) and a very volatile personality. Mick Taylor left in 1974 to be replaced by Ronnie Wood.
The book is very detailed on the origins of the Stones and their influences. Initially it was seen as Brian Jones' band, but the strong friendship between Mick and Keith pushed him aside – more so when they started writing songs together. Brian Jones, although a talented and innovative musician, was not adept at songwriting.
The Stones were not called the “Bad Boys” of Rock ‘n Roll for nothing. Sex, drugs, and Rock ‘n Roll with misogyny tossed into the mix. There was a whole lot of it. All the Stones succumbed to this except for their drummer Charlie Watts, but he started his addiction in the 1980s and fortunately kicked the habit. He died in 2021.
I listened to interviews with Keith Richards where he brags about his ability to control his drug intake and behavior. The author provides plenty of examples of when he was off the rails, endangering the lives not only of himself but of others. He could be obnoxious and unappreciative of the other band members
The most interesting parts of the books are on the long-lasting friendship between Mick and Keith – and their synergy with other band members. Both Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman left the band because they felt their contributions were overlooked. They were taken for granted and had had enough.
Mick and Keith met in their late teenage years – and as the myth goes, they both were infatuated with and collected American R&B records. They blended this music into a unique sound – blues, R&B, country – but with a touch of the Stones. The author discusses the evolution of their albums – and even as they were getting older, they still managed to float on the current zeitgeist.
Page 68 1962-63
The Stones were still sticking to the blues. They were going to take the blues, put there own churlish spin on it, and give the British kids a style of music with real bite. Blues-based rock ‘n roll – electrified blues… It was darker and steamier than pop. The blues the Stones played was explicitly sexual, provocative, rough around the edges, and rebellious.
It had a gritty feel.
There was a time in the 80s and 90s when Mick and Keith hardly spoke to each other and were making their own albums. But they reunited and started touring again.
This book is an in-depth look into the most durable and iconic of bands. At 600 pages, over 500 are the history of the Stones before 1980.
Page 267 1968
With “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, the Rolling Stones had returned to their roots – hard charging rock ‘n roll with a bluesy undertow.
Page 303
For the next fifty years, the moment any audience at a Rolling Stones concert heard that goofy, off-beat cowbell, the place exploded.
(for those not in the know – “Honky Tonk Women”)
For British rock bands, America was the Promised Land, the home of the forefathers – Chuck [Berry], Elvis, and Buddy [Holly]. The place where blues flowed like honey and a whole lotta shakin’ was going on.
Page 578 1989 tour
A “Rolling Stone” writer popped the question right on cue. “Could this be the last time?” Mick pumped a fist. “First asked in 1966!”
I recall at the beginning of the ‘70s, after the Beatles split up, with others like Simon and Garfunkel, plus pop groups that dissolved (Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits …) that it was only a matter of time that the Stones would break up. But NO, they weathered many storms but kept together.
Page 399 early ‘70s
The drug busts, Brian’s death, Allen Klein [seedy manager], Altamont, Keith and Anita’s [Pallenberg] rigorous heroin addiction – anyone of these was enough to rend a band asunder… The Stones seemed to thrive on near disaster. Despite it all, they never considered breaking up.
Page 482 Keith Richards
No one leaves this band except in a pine box.
They did go through personnel changes. As per the author, Brian Jones died under mysterious circumstances in 1969 and was replaced by Mick Taylor. It’s a little more complicated because Brian was essentially “fired” from the band due to his erratic behavior brought on by substance abuse (drugs of all kinds, plus alcohol) and a very volatile personality. Mick Taylor left in 1974 to be replaced by Ronnie Wood.
The book is very detailed on the origins of the Stones and their influences. Initially it was seen as Brian Jones' band, but the strong friendship between Mick and Keith pushed him aside – more so when they started writing songs together. Brian Jones, although a talented and innovative musician, was not adept at songwriting.
The Stones were not called the “Bad Boys” of Rock ‘n Roll for nothing. Sex, drugs, and Rock ‘n Roll with misogyny tossed into the mix. There was a whole lot of it. All the Stones succumbed to this except for their drummer Charlie Watts, but he started his addiction in the 1980s and fortunately kicked the habit. He died in 2021.
I listened to interviews with Keith Richards where he brags about his ability to control his drug intake and behavior. The author provides plenty of examples of when he was off the rails, endangering the lives not only of himself but of others. He could be obnoxious and unappreciative of the other band members
The most interesting parts of the books are on the long-lasting friendship between Mick and Keith – and their synergy with other band members. Both Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman left the band because they felt their contributions were overlooked. They were taken for granted and had had enough.
Mick and Keith met in their late teenage years – and as the myth goes, they both were infatuated with and collected American R&B records. They blended this music into a unique sound – blues, R&B, country – but with a touch of the Stones. The author discusses the evolution of their albums – and even as they were getting older, they still managed to float on the current zeitgeist.
Page 68 1962-63
The Stones were still sticking to the blues. They were going to take the blues, put there own churlish spin on it, and give the British kids a style of music with real bite. Blues-based rock ‘n roll – electrified blues… It was darker and steamier than pop. The blues the Stones played was explicitly sexual, provocative, rough around the edges, and rebellious.
It had a gritty feel.
There was a time in the 80s and 90s when Mick and Keith hardly spoke to each other and were making their own albums. But they reunited and started touring again.
This book is an in-depth look into the most durable and iconic of bands. At 600 pages, over 500 are the history of the Stones before 1980.
Page 267 1968
With “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, the Rolling Stones had returned to their roots – hard charging rock ‘n roll with a bluesy undertow.
Page 303
For the next fifty years, the moment any audience at a Rolling Stones concert heard that goofy, off-beat cowbell, the place exploded.
(for those not in the know – “Honky Tonk Women”)
May 31, 2026
This biography follows The Rolling Stones from Mick Jagger and Keith Richards’ chance meeting in 1961 through the Hackney Diamonds album and tour in 2024. For longtime fans, much of the band’s story will be familiar, but Spitz digs into the details and context in a way that kept me engaged. Whether or not he gets the details right, I have no idea. He chronicles the band’s meteoric rise, the endless touring, the legendary feuds, the revolving door of women (or girls) in their lives, the drug-fueled years, and the constant cycle of arrests, rehab stints, and scandals that somehow never brought them down.
Spitz captures both the swagger and the vulnerability of the band members, especially as they navigated decades of friendship, creative differences, loss, and aging in the public eye. The Stones have endured the deaths and departures of key band members, including Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, and Charlie Watts, yet their core identity has remained remarkably intact. Keith Richards’ unmistakable bluesy riffs and Mick Jagger’s electrifying stage presence and physicality are at the heart of the band, even as the concerts have evolved into grandiose stage productions.
The book also highlights the band’s amazing longevity. More than sixty years after they began, The Rolling Stones continue to attract fans across generations. Even Mick and Keith (the Glimmer twins) seem surprised by how long the journey has lasted. Reading this left me wondering the same thing many fans do: now in their eighties, how much longer can they keep going? If their history is any indication, I wouldn’t bet against them.
Spitz captures both the swagger and the vulnerability of the band members, especially as they navigated decades of friendship, creative differences, loss, and aging in the public eye. The Stones have endured the deaths and departures of key band members, including Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, and Charlie Watts, yet their core identity has remained remarkably intact. Keith Richards’ unmistakable bluesy riffs and Mick Jagger’s electrifying stage presence and physicality are at the heart of the band, even as the concerts have evolved into grandiose stage productions.
The book also highlights the band’s amazing longevity. More than sixty years after they began, The Rolling Stones continue to attract fans across generations. Even Mick and Keith (the Glimmer twins) seem surprised by how long the journey has lasted. Reading this left me wondering the same thing many fans do: now in their eighties, how much longer can they keep going? If their history is any indication, I wouldn’t bet against them.
May 9, 2026
5 stars- I hope you can find it. Only one copy at my local Barnes
I sure loved this detailed, balanced, and wildly enjoyable biography of The Rolling Stones.
I’ve read Keith Richards’ autobiography and Rich Cohen’s excellent The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones, but Bob Spitz’s new book feels like the big, sweeping Stones biography I was hoping for. It covers the band’s full 60-year run with energy, detail, and a real sense of proportion.
The early chapters are especially strong: the formation of the band, the Crawdaddy Club shows, the rise and tragic fall of Brian Jones, and the Stones’ transformation from London blues devotees into global rock icons. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at those early gigs.
Spitz gives equal attention to the many phases of the band’s history, and the book never feels like it is racing past the later years just to linger on the chaos of the 1960s and ’70s. He doesn’t shy away from the sex, drugs, and rock and roll, but this is far less salacious than his Led Zeppelin biography. After reading that one, I felt like I needed a shower and a trip to the confessional.
I’ve always been a Keith guy, but I came away from this book with more respect for Mick Jagger: his discipline, ambition, intelligence, and sheer ability to keep the machine moving. As for Keith Richards, how he survived and came out the other side is anyone’s guess.
I’m a lifelong Stones fan, I’ve seen them live many times, and they always deliver. This book does too.
Highly recommended for any Rolling Stones fan.
Format note: The hardcover has great pictures, and the audio edition is excellent.
I sure loved this detailed, balanced, and wildly enjoyable biography of The Rolling Stones.
I’ve read Keith Richards’ autobiography and Rich Cohen’s excellent The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones, but Bob Spitz’s new book feels like the big, sweeping Stones biography I was hoping for. It covers the band’s full 60-year run with energy, detail, and a real sense of proportion.
The early chapters are especially strong: the formation of the band, the Crawdaddy Club shows, the rise and tragic fall of Brian Jones, and the Stones’ transformation from London blues devotees into global rock icons. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at those early gigs.
Spitz gives equal attention to the many phases of the band’s history, and the book never feels like it is racing past the later years just to linger on the chaos of the 1960s and ’70s. He doesn’t shy away from the sex, drugs, and rock and roll, but this is far less salacious than his Led Zeppelin biography. After reading that one, I felt like I needed a shower and a trip to the confessional.
I’ve always been a Keith guy, but I came away from this book with more respect for Mick Jagger: his discipline, ambition, intelligence, and sheer ability to keep the machine moving. As for Keith Richards, how he survived and came out the other side is anyone’s guess.
I’m a lifelong Stones fan, I’ve seen them live many times, and they always deliver. This book does too.
Highly recommended for any Rolling Stones fan.
Format note: The hardcover has great pictures, and the audio edition is excellent.
May 9, 2026
For someone that is not a Rolling Stones aficionado, the latest biography by Bob Spitz does a very good job educating the reader about rock's most enduring act. You probably need to be a major Stones fan to love this book (my fandom is casual). As such, I think it's good, but the story limps to the finish line.
Much like his books on The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Spitz is in top form when detailing the creative process. I enjoyed getting the background to how "Satisfaction," "Sympathy for the Devil," and "Gimme Shelter" came to be ("Gimme Shelter" making my jaw drop at the end). The story of their climb to the top and the notorious Altamont concert are well-told. I like that Spitz doesn't waste time with prolonged background stories. The accountant in me also likes reading about the band's business dealings. Thankfully, Spitz does not give nearly as much ink to the drug-taking proclivities of the Stones' management like he did writing about Brian Epstein and Peter Grant.
But drugs are a big part of the book. After Altamont, the drug excess of Keith Richards overwhelms this book. To tell the full story of The Rolling Stones makes this unavoidable. That doesn't make it compelling. After recent reads about rock and roll drug consumption, another story about drugs wound up being a bore.
I'll leave it up to the aficionados to point out if Spitz made factual errors about the band as they did with the Zeppelin and Beatles books. I do know, contra Spitz, the FBI's COINTELPRO operation was not headed by former US president Herbert Hoover, and Jimi Hendrix was not British.
That said, I doubt you'll find a more definitive account of The Rolling Stones, so for that reason alone, it gets my recommendation.
Much like his books on The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Spitz is in top form when detailing the creative process. I enjoyed getting the background to how "Satisfaction," "Sympathy for the Devil," and "Gimme Shelter" came to be ("Gimme Shelter" making my jaw drop at the end). The story of their climb to the top and the notorious Altamont concert are well-told. I like that Spitz doesn't waste time with prolonged background stories. The accountant in me also likes reading about the band's business dealings. Thankfully, Spitz does not give nearly as much ink to the drug-taking proclivities of the Stones' management like he did writing about Brian Epstein and Peter Grant.
But drugs are a big part of the book. After Altamont, the drug excess of Keith Richards overwhelms this book. To tell the full story of The Rolling Stones makes this unavoidable. That doesn't make it compelling. After recent reads about rock and roll drug consumption, another story about drugs wound up being a bore.
I'll leave it up to the aficionados to point out if Spitz made factual errors about the band as they did with the Zeppelin and Beatles books. I do know, contra Spitz, the FBI's COINTELPRO operation was not headed by former US president Herbert Hoover, and Jimi Hendrix was not British.
That said, I doubt you'll find a more definitive account of The Rolling Stones, so for that reason alone, it gets my recommendation.
May 6, 2026
I just spent 600+ pages with the Stones, it was fun and fuckin' scary and a pretty groovy trip down a road a lot of us experienced in real-time ... It is six hundred pages of remarkably irresponsible human behavior and a lot of the people involved still live - utterly amazing ... If you're ready for the whole story - the wicked, nasty, graphic tale of the incredible soundtrack of our lives - this is the book ... It's expertly done, in remembrance of why we dig the Stones
May 19, 2026
The Rolling Stones: A Biography runs 602 pages but could've been twice as long for my satisfaction. For instance, had Spitz included a chapter alone on the cover designs for Some Girls, Emotional Rescue, and Tattoo You, I'd've been all in (none of those covers gets a mention, an especially flagrant oversight in the case of the first of those). For me, the more seemingly trivial, the better. How happy was I to learn it was Murray the K who recommended the band cover the Valentinos' "It's All Over Now"? Very.
Spitz allots the existing real estate wisely: about 63% covers the 1960s, and just sixty pages take us from 1978's Some Girls into the summer of 2024. In the story of the Stones, there's a clear narrative shift in 1969 with the firing and death of Brian Jones and the Altamont fiasco, and Spitz is exceptionally good on these. The 1970's big focus is on drug use, especially Keith's, and run-ins with the law, especially Keith's. You sort of get the feeling Keith's heroin suppliers get more of the book's ink than do Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. (Under the heading 'Richards, Keith' in the book's index you'll find drug addiction of, drug arrests/detoxes of, drug trials of, drug use by, and drugs affect his performances.)
If you've read Spitz's other rock bios, including those on the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, you know errors crop up. I caught several here, and I can't help but wonder about the ones I didn't catch. One example: he writes how Mick Taylor was "making his first U.S. appearance with the Stones" at the June 3, 1972, gig in Vancouver. Now, I know that Bob Spitz is well aware that not only was Taylor's first Stones show in the U.S. two and a half years earlier, it also wasn't in Canada.
The best upshot about The Rolling Stones: A Biography is it's had me spending lots of time with their vast catalog, even Dirty Work.
Spitz allots the existing real estate wisely: about 63% covers the 1960s, and just sixty pages take us from 1978's Some Girls into the summer of 2024. In the story of the Stones, there's a clear narrative shift in 1969 with the firing and death of Brian Jones and the Altamont fiasco, and Spitz is exceptionally good on these. The 1970's big focus is on drug use, especially Keith's, and run-ins with the law, especially Keith's. You sort of get the feeling Keith's heroin suppliers get more of the book's ink than do Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. (Under the heading 'Richards, Keith' in the book's index you'll find drug addiction of, drug arrests/detoxes of, drug trials of, drug use by, and drugs affect his performances.)
If you've read Spitz's other rock bios, including those on the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, you know errors crop up. I caught several here, and I can't help but wonder about the ones I didn't catch. One example: he writes how Mick Taylor was "making his first U.S. appearance with the Stones" at the June 3, 1972, gig in Vancouver. Now, I know that Bob Spitz is well aware that not only was Taylor's first Stones show in the U.S. two and a half years earlier, it also wasn't in Canada.
The best upshot about The Rolling Stones: A Biography is it's had me spending lots of time with their vast catalog, even Dirty Work.
May 4, 2026
It is a bit presumptuous for Bob Spitz to claim to have written "THE" biography of a something as big and complicated as the Rolling Stones. Although, he has previously written "THE" biographies of Led Zeppelin and of the Beatles, so I guess he is not bothered by being presumptuous. (I did get a kick out of the fact that even he had to admit that his biography of Bob Dylan was simply "A" biography. No one is getting all of Dylan into one book)
This is a very well-done biography. He starts with Keith and Mick meeting on a train platform in 1961 and he takes the story up to their most recent tour in 2024. (Who am I to call it their last tour?)
As with most entertainers, the most interesting part of the story is the beginning. The Stones, Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and a rotating group of drummers, until they found Charlie Watts, were living in a disgusting walk-up apartment barely getting by on what they earned doing gigs in the few blues clubs in London. They were part of a free-floating group of musicians who were drunk on black American music. Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend, Jack Bruce, Jimmy Page and the rest of the future British Rock stars where all in the mix.
Brian Jones was the moving force that put the Rolling Stones together in July of 1962. Originally Mick and Keith looked up to him. He was a better musician and knew more of the music they were after. By 1964 they were the second hottest band in London, after the Beatles.
As the band took off, Mick became the center of attention and Keith became the most important musician. Spitz shows the slow slide of Brian Jones. He was insecure and very difficult. As the Stones became massive international stars, he gradually alienated everyone in the band. He stopped participating with the band. On June 8,1969 the band members fired him. On July 3, 1969, he drowned in his backyard swimming pool.
The story from that point on becomes a classic rock and roll story. There are massive amounts of drugs. At some point every member of the band, except Bill Wyman, was addicted to heroin. Their lives were rounds of holding up in a studio for months to write and record the new album. Going on a tour to promote the album while dealing with riots and drug arrests and then time off to get in trouble.
Spitz does an excellent job showing how insane their world was. He shows how the tragedy at Altamont was driven by carelessness and a feeling that everything will just work out. It takes a lot of drugs to agree that it is a good idea to have Hell's Angels handle security at a free 300,000-person concert.
The Stones, Mick and Keith in particular, were not cruel. They were simply stone-cold egomaniacs. They were surrounded by drug overdose deaths, abandoned children, injured concert goers, people going to jail, drug induced mental illness, suicide, women assaulted and abused, multiple arrests and jail sentences. Their money and fame protected them from any of the consequences. They bought off cops. They had friendly rehabs when they needed to clean up for a court hearing. They were surrounded by people who would do anything to be near them.
In a rare moment of honesty, Keith once admitted, "The Rolling Stones destroy people at an alarming rate."
Sorry, I started preaching and wandered away from the book. It is an excellent biography. Spitz explains the crazy business machinations. He gives a good feel of what it was like in the recording studio. He follows the confusing and convoluted love lives of the band. This is a very good biography of the Rolling Stones.
The best summary of this book is the line from The Great Gadsby.
"They were careless people--they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness."
This is a very well-done biography. He starts with Keith and Mick meeting on a train platform in 1961 and he takes the story up to their most recent tour in 2024. (Who am I to call it their last tour?)
As with most entertainers, the most interesting part of the story is the beginning. The Stones, Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and a rotating group of drummers, until they found Charlie Watts, were living in a disgusting walk-up apartment barely getting by on what they earned doing gigs in the few blues clubs in London. They were part of a free-floating group of musicians who were drunk on black American music. Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend, Jack Bruce, Jimmy Page and the rest of the future British Rock stars where all in the mix.
Brian Jones was the moving force that put the Rolling Stones together in July of 1962. Originally Mick and Keith looked up to him. He was a better musician and knew more of the music they were after. By 1964 they were the second hottest band in London, after the Beatles.
As the band took off, Mick became the center of attention and Keith became the most important musician. Spitz shows the slow slide of Brian Jones. He was insecure and very difficult. As the Stones became massive international stars, he gradually alienated everyone in the band. He stopped participating with the band. On June 8,1969 the band members fired him. On July 3, 1969, he drowned in his backyard swimming pool.
The story from that point on becomes a classic rock and roll story. There are massive amounts of drugs. At some point every member of the band, except Bill Wyman, was addicted to heroin. Their lives were rounds of holding up in a studio for months to write and record the new album. Going on a tour to promote the album while dealing with riots and drug arrests and then time off to get in trouble.
Spitz does an excellent job showing how insane their world was. He shows how the tragedy at Altamont was driven by carelessness and a feeling that everything will just work out. It takes a lot of drugs to agree that it is a good idea to have Hell's Angels handle security at a free 300,000-person concert.
The Stones, Mick and Keith in particular, were not cruel. They were simply stone-cold egomaniacs. They were surrounded by drug overdose deaths, abandoned children, injured concert goers, people going to jail, drug induced mental illness, suicide, women assaulted and abused, multiple arrests and jail sentences. Their money and fame protected them from any of the consequences. They bought off cops. They had friendly rehabs when they needed to clean up for a court hearing. They were surrounded by people who would do anything to be near them.
In a rare moment of honesty, Keith once admitted, "The Rolling Stones destroy people at an alarming rate."
Sorry, I started preaching and wandered away from the book. It is an excellent biography. Spitz explains the crazy business machinations. He gives a good feel of what it was like in the recording studio. He follows the confusing and convoluted love lives of the band. This is a very good biography of the Rolling Stones.
The best summary of this book is the line from The Great Gadsby.
"They were careless people--they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness."
May 31, 2026
This has got to be the saddest one-star review I’ve ever written. Bob Spitz wrote what I always thought of as my favorite Beatles book (The Beatles: The Biography). He even wrote a Led Zeppelin book a couple years ago that I thoroughly enjoyed, considering that I’m not really that much of a Zep fan (Led Zeppelin: The Biography). But this time, Mr. Spitz has screwed the proverbial pooch with a lazy book rife with errors.
Maybe this shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. I remember skimming the Amazon reviews of that Beatles book when I first read it a couple of decades ago and some of them mentioned errors in the book. I didn’t catch any, but I’m more a Beatle fan than a Beatle maniac. Mistakes could have easily gotten by me. But I am quite the Stonesophile and I can definitely point out the errors in this book, of which there are far too many and far too dumb.
First, the fuck-ups; Mr. Spitz mentions the double-sided single “Ruby Tuesday” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” A page or two later, he’s calling “Ruby Tuesday” “Lady Jane,” a Stones song that wasn’t released as a single. He does it not once, but twice. When discussing the album Sticky Fingers, he talks about the song “Midnight Mile,” not once, but twice. It’s called “Moonlight Mile.” “Memory Motel,” on Black & Blue is, all of a sudden, called “Memory Hotel,” which is absolutely stupid! It’s the two “m” sounds that make it work! Just how hard is it to read the back of a frickin’ album cover? Does Bob know that they actually write the names of the songs on the back?
Then there’s the stupid and sloppy factual errors. He says that the 1972 Stones tour is Mick Taylor’s North America debut. You wrote a chapter about the ‘69 Altamont concert! Who the hell do you think was playing guitar? Mickey Dolenz? No, it was Mick *$%#ing Taylor! He says that Ron Wood was a member of the Small Faces, which is wrong. He was a member of the Faces. Different band.
And then there’s the book itself. He does what every other Stones-centric author before him has done, which is oversaturate his book in the ‘60s mythos. It’s past the halfway point just six years into their career by the time he gets to the aforementioned Altamont, at which Mick Taylor played guitar! He hits a little on the ‘70s, mentions the ‘80s and then does an “and the rest” for the band and its next 36 years. You’d think events like a concert movie filmed by legendary director Martin Scorsese would get a single mention. But, no. Nothing. From facts to contents, this book rarely raises above the level of “half-assed.” Considering the books of his I’ve read before, Mr. Spitz should be ashamed of this.
Maybe this shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. I remember skimming the Amazon reviews of that Beatles book when I first read it a couple of decades ago and some of them mentioned errors in the book. I didn’t catch any, but I’m more a Beatle fan than a Beatle maniac. Mistakes could have easily gotten by me. But I am quite the Stonesophile and I can definitely point out the errors in this book, of which there are far too many and far too dumb.
First, the fuck-ups; Mr. Spitz mentions the double-sided single “Ruby Tuesday” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” A page or two later, he’s calling “Ruby Tuesday” “Lady Jane,” a Stones song that wasn’t released as a single. He does it not once, but twice. When discussing the album Sticky Fingers, he talks about the song “Midnight Mile,” not once, but twice. It’s called “Moonlight Mile.” “Memory Motel,” on Black & Blue is, all of a sudden, called “Memory Hotel,” which is absolutely stupid! It’s the two “m” sounds that make it work! Just how hard is it to read the back of a frickin’ album cover? Does Bob know that they actually write the names of the songs on the back?
Then there’s the stupid and sloppy factual errors. He says that the 1972 Stones tour is Mick Taylor’s North America debut. You wrote a chapter about the ‘69 Altamont concert! Who the hell do you think was playing guitar? Mickey Dolenz? No, it was Mick *$%#ing Taylor! He says that Ron Wood was a member of the Small Faces, which is wrong. He was a member of the Faces. Different band.
And then there’s the book itself. He does what every other Stones-centric author before him has done, which is oversaturate his book in the ‘60s mythos. It’s past the halfway point just six years into their career by the time he gets to the aforementioned Altamont, at which Mick Taylor played guitar! He hits a little on the ‘70s, mentions the ‘80s and then does an “and the rest” for the band and its next 36 years. You’d think events like a concert movie filmed by legendary director Martin Scorsese would get a single mention. But, no. Nothing. From facts to contents, this book rarely raises above the level of “half-assed.” Considering the books of his I’ve read before, Mr. Spitz should be ashamed of this.
August 11, 2026
I took a couple of days to decide on my rating for this book for reasons explained further down, but ended up going with 3.5 stars round up to 4.
I read a positive review when it was published earlier this year and the Stones were definitely a favourite band of me and my friends when I was growing up so I grabbed it from my local library as soon as I could.
It’s well written and I got through it relatively quickly. One thing that did appeal to me was the majority of the book focuses on the early days, the 1960s and 1970s. For example at p.500 of a 600 page book we’re still in the early 1970s. In these first 500 pages Bob Spitz gives a detailed account of the band’s formation, the touring, the creative process involved in the songwriting and various hits and albums of that time. For me, and many other Stones fans I might add, this early period was their peak in terms of output and creativity and my favourite Stones albums all come from the late 1960s to early 1970s. If you’re keen to read about the last 40 years or so, say from the 1980s to the present day, it may irk you that this big chunk of time does not receive much attention.
There are a few typos / factual errors in the book. The song Moonlight Mile from the album Sticky Fingers was referred to as Midnight Mile, not once but twice. The song Memory Motel from the album Black and Blue was referred to as Memory Hotel. Jimi Hendrix’s nationality was referred to as British not American. And one or two other mistakes that I didn’t make a note of. I sat on this for a few days. I have read quite a few non-fiction books but this is the first time I have been faced with the scenario where I know the material well enough to spot some mistakes. Will I substantially reduce my rating because of this? It did create a poor impression on me I must admit and it did bring my rating down from excellent to very good.
Another minor criticism I have, I thought there was slightly too much space devoted to Keith Richards, specifically his erratic, drug-ridden behaviour. But it was a constant problem and therefore did warrant adequate coverage, it just got a little repetitive and tiresome at times to hear yet again how wiped out he was and how much of a problem his behaviour had become. I would have also liked a bit more on the other band members apart from Mick and Keith but I understand why they were the main focus.
I get why Bob Spitz is a highly regarded author and look forward to reading more of his work.
I read a positive review when it was published earlier this year and the Stones were definitely a favourite band of me and my friends when I was growing up so I grabbed it from my local library as soon as I could.
It’s well written and I got through it relatively quickly. One thing that did appeal to me was the majority of the book focuses on the early days, the 1960s and 1970s. For example at p.500 of a 600 page book we’re still in the early 1970s. In these first 500 pages Bob Spitz gives a detailed account of the band’s formation, the touring, the creative process involved in the songwriting and various hits and albums of that time. For me, and many other Stones fans I might add, this early period was their peak in terms of output and creativity and my favourite Stones albums all come from the late 1960s to early 1970s. If you’re keen to read about the last 40 years or so, say from the 1980s to the present day, it may irk you that this big chunk of time does not receive much attention.
There are a few typos / factual errors in the book. The song Moonlight Mile from the album Sticky Fingers was referred to as Midnight Mile, not once but twice. The song Memory Motel from the album Black and Blue was referred to as Memory Hotel. Jimi Hendrix’s nationality was referred to as British not American. And one or two other mistakes that I didn’t make a note of. I sat on this for a few days. I have read quite a few non-fiction books but this is the first time I have been faced with the scenario where I know the material well enough to spot some mistakes. Will I substantially reduce my rating because of this? It did create a poor impression on me I must admit and it did bring my rating down from excellent to very good.
Another minor criticism I have, I thought there was slightly too much space devoted to Keith Richards, specifically his erratic, drug-ridden behaviour. But it was a constant problem and therefore did warrant adequate coverage, it just got a little repetitive and tiresome at times to hear yet again how wiped out he was and how much of a problem his behaviour had become. I would have also liked a bit more on the other band members apart from Mick and Keith but I understand why they were the main focus.
I get why Bob Spitz is a highly regarded author and look forward to reading more of his work.
May 3, 2026
4.5 as compelling as the other band bios Spitz has written.
June 17, 2026
While "The Rolling Stones: The Biography" didn't cover much new ground for me, I found it very entertaining. Bob Spitz is no stranger to rock and roll bios, having previously written about the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. What he brings to the story of Mick, Keith & Co. is an enthusiastic appreciation for their body of work and personal tales, real and mythical. This would be an excellent start for any new fan looking to explore the history of the Stones. Older fans should note that the last 30 years are given short shrift. So if you want a deep dive on anything past Steel Wheels you will be disappointed. It is like a rollercoaster where the drops and speed decrease as you get near the end, but you still want to get back on and do it again.
May 29, 2026
I saw this biography of The Rolling Stones, and I thought it would be a fun one to listen to. I grew up with the Stones with their first hit being when I was in elementary school. My most memorable Stones's song is "Satisfaction." Well, unfortunately I was disappointed. The biography is very comprehensive with the various band members coming and going from the group, but there really wasn't much of sense of fun or excitement that you normally think of when it comes to this group. My God, Mick Jagger, is now 82, and he is still performing and looks good while doing it. This is a premiere rock 'n roll band, but the book does not do them justice. I'm sorry, Bob Spitz, but I wish there were a few more juicy details about this extraordinary band.
July 17, 2026
Ska man bara läsa en bok om The Stöning Drulls kan man med gott samvete välja den här genomarbetade tegelstenen. Har man, som jag, ett lite mer ohälsosamt intresse för bandet finns det däremot inte så mycket nytt att hämta. Efter 1972 får författaren dessutom lite väl bråttom med historien. Vissa senare album nämns knappt alls, och då blir i alla fall jag lite motvalls.
Want to Read
May 4, 2026Good review at the WSJ:
https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/book...
(Paywalled. As always, I'm happy to email a copy to non-subscribers)
Excerpt:
"Keith Richards and Mick Jagger built the Rolling Stones out of endless hours of practice. The carnival of excess would come later."
One of the great bands in R&R history. Amazingly, they are still going strong. But: 704 pages!
I'll likely take a look, when the library gets copies. And then skim.
https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/book...
(Paywalled. As always, I'm happy to email a copy to non-subscribers)
Excerpt:
"Keith Richards and Mick Jagger built the Rolling Stones out of endless hours of practice. The carnival of excess would come later."
One of the great bands in R&R history. Amazingly, they are still going strong. But: 704 pages!
I'll likely take a look, when the library gets copies. And then skim.
May 18, 2026
the story jumped from 1990 to 2025. missing 35 years of the story. I for one am very dissapointed.
May 8, 2026
There have been many books written about the Rolling Stones down through the years, but this 602 page aptly named Biography has to be the most comprehensive ever written. Accompanied by over
50 pages of footnotes, followed by an extensive Bibliography, there is little left to the imagination.
Proclaimed as "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" there are many who would agree with that assessment, while others would say The Beatles should have that title. The early Beatles were great, but once they stopped touring and became a studio band, they became little more than four individuals occasionally playing together, resting on their laurels. The Stones, on the other hand, continued to tour and still do even though their main players, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are in their 80's. They've remained - unlike the Beatles - true to their roots and are deserving of the title.
As you read this, you have to wonder how the group survived - and, truth be told, there were times when they didn't speak to each other for several years, but inevitably, the lure of the road and great music brought them back together. You have to wonder though how they survived (some didn't) because of a massive case of drug addiction. It's unbelievable how much truly great music was produced while the band was in a drug-induced haze. It seems that at least half the book details how much time, energy and money was wasted on taking drugs and staying high, and in some cases, it did affect their output, but despite that, it seemed every album had at least one outstanding track, drugs or not. After reading about the drugs, you have to wonder what they could have produced had they been straight. But they were the bad boys of rock, and proved it.
If there's one drawback, it's the final chapter which seems to have been thrown together, just more or less listing tours taken in the 2000's, tossed in almost as an afterthought. Surely, there was something worth reporting about that happened in this century.
This book is aimed at - obviously - fans of the Rolling Stones, but would be enjoyed by fans of rock and roll or those curious about why people think - and know - the Stones are the World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band. It's an entertaining and enjoyable read and flows smoothly.
ROCK ON!!
50 pages of footnotes, followed by an extensive Bibliography, there is little left to the imagination.
Proclaimed as "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" there are many who would agree with that assessment, while others would say The Beatles should have that title. The early Beatles were great, but once they stopped touring and became a studio band, they became little more than four individuals occasionally playing together, resting on their laurels. The Stones, on the other hand, continued to tour and still do even though their main players, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are in their 80's. They've remained - unlike the Beatles - true to their roots and are deserving of the title.
As you read this, you have to wonder how the group survived - and, truth be told, there were times when they didn't speak to each other for several years, but inevitably, the lure of the road and great music brought them back together. You have to wonder though how they survived (some didn't) because of a massive case of drug addiction. It's unbelievable how much truly great music was produced while the band was in a drug-induced haze. It seems that at least half the book details how much time, energy and money was wasted on taking drugs and staying high, and in some cases, it did affect their output, but despite that, it seemed every album had at least one outstanding track, drugs or not. After reading about the drugs, you have to wonder what they could have produced had they been straight. But they were the bad boys of rock, and proved it.
If there's one drawback, it's the final chapter which seems to have been thrown together, just more or less listing tours taken in the 2000's, tossed in almost as an afterthought. Surely, there was something worth reporting about that happened in this century.
This book is aimed at - obviously - fans of the Rolling Stones, but would be enjoyed by fans of rock and roll or those curious about why people think - and know - the Stones are the World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band. It's an entertaining and enjoyable read and flows smoothly.
ROCK ON!!
July 22, 2026
I read Gregg Allman’s autobiography and it made me like him more. It was really moving in places and showed the depth of his feelings and emotions surrounding the loss of his brother. It also highlighted how Gregg and his brother lived to make music - it was like they had to do it - they couldn’t do anything else. The Rolling Stones have always been one of my favorite bands and I did love reading the story of how Keith and Mick found each other and then the early days of their struggles to form a band and make their own music. These guys too, had to make music - if they weren’t performing they would die. But gosh, the sex and drugs were rampant for many, many years. I know it’s a cliche about sex, drugs and rock and roll. But for the Stones it was all true, and THEN SOME! It was actually kind of gross how many drugs they did and how many, many young women they slept with rather indiscriminately. At one point Bill Wyman was carrying on with a 13 year old girl! Ick! So yeah, this biography actually made me like the Stones a little less. They are a great rock and roll band and I love their music, but I’m not sure they are actually very nice people. Whereas I think Gregg Allman was a genuinely nice person, and a talented singer, songwriter, and musician. Yes he did his share of drugs but I think he had some PTSD and he conquered his demons and went on to continue performing and making great music.
October 1, 2026
I read a book by Spitz about 10 years ago on the 1970 New York Knicks that was so bad, I told myself, "I'll never read this author again."
I'm so glad I changed my mind.
About three years after reading his Led Zeppelin book -- which was perfect -- I feel the same way after reading this Rolling Stones book.
Everything is here that you would want to read about, although the book is heavier on the 1960's and 1970's years. You learn about all the hit songs, albums and shows, and especially the ones that failed, like Altamont. The book focuses the most on Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, but you still learn a lot about Brian Jones and how he was basically not in a good state of mind right before he died. The author discusses the controversial death, along with the many controversial drug busts in the late 60's and early 70's. You read a ton about Mick Taylor joining the band, and Ronnie Wood after him. You don't learn quite as much about Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman, two of the more silent Stones, but there's enough to get your fix.
The book goes through a little quicker on the 1980's and 1990's, but with about 60 pages on this period, it's enough.
The book never feels bland, always on the edge of your seat, even if you know the stories.
A must for any rock and roll fan, and my favorite of three Stones books I own.
I'm so glad I changed my mind.
About three years after reading his Led Zeppelin book -- which was perfect -- I feel the same way after reading this Rolling Stones book.
Everything is here that you would want to read about, although the book is heavier on the 1960's and 1970's years. You learn about all the hit songs, albums and shows, and especially the ones that failed, like Altamont. The book focuses the most on Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, but you still learn a lot about Brian Jones and how he was basically not in a good state of mind right before he died. The author discusses the controversial death, along with the many controversial drug busts in the late 60's and early 70's. You read a ton about Mick Taylor joining the band, and Ronnie Wood after him. You don't learn quite as much about Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman, two of the more silent Stones, but there's enough to get your fix.
The book goes through a little quicker on the 1980's and 1990's, but with about 60 pages on this period, it's enough.
The book never feels bland, always on the edge of your seat, even if you know the stories.
A must for any rock and roll fan, and my favorite of three Stones books I own.
August 16, 2026
Bob Spitz is the master chronicler of rock n’ roll. He does a masterful job navigating all the different eras from their early days as a blues band to 60s rock stars to drugged out exiles to their troubled 80s times and finally to their grampa stage.
My one qualm is that this book could have been another 100 pages or so. The last 35 years are kind of glossed over (wild when you think about that). Even though Mick and Keith are the soul of the band, I wish there was a little bit more devoted to Charlie, Bill, Ronnie.
But overall fun summer read.
My one qualm is that this book could have been another 100 pages or so. The last 35 years are kind of glossed over (wild when you think about that). Even though Mick and Keith are the soul of the band, I wish there was a little bit more devoted to Charlie, Bill, Ronnie.
But overall fun summer read.
May 7, 2026
Saw this book on display at my local library and thought, "I've read all the other Stones biographies, do I really need to read this one?" Checked it out anyway, and glad I did. Bob Spitz has a gift for placing pearls in his writing. For example, he details how the Rolling Stones early on were highly impressed with a black group whose song trailed, "This will be the last time, this will be the last time". Spitz doesn't connect that dot for you. You connect it if you are familiar with their incredible early song, "Last Time". I'm only part way through, but am 100% "satisfied" with Bob Spitz' writing so far!
June 9, 2026
An excellent, and at times intensely thorough, biography that colors in some of the areas about the band and its members that were more glossed over in previous coverage. None of them come out looking like gentlemen, nor would they want to. However, there are moments that become repetitive—because the band’s history is rather circular. And at other, fewer moments, you’d wish Spitz would dig deeper.
June 17, 2026
Having read just about every book written about my favorite band I intended to pass on this one thinking who needs yet another book about the Rolling Stones. But, I couldn't help myself and I'm glad I checked it out. Most of the previous bio's have been written by hangers-on types with marginal knowledge and a few stories to share. This one is done in almost a scholarly fashion and has obviously been well researched. While it doesn't contain any major new information its also not written as a tabloid style tell all. Its a solid authoritative bio.
I've been enthralled by their music, their aura and their wild, roller-coaster history since I was 14. But after reading this I'm left with the belief that Mick and Keith, no matter how talented they are, are two of the most ruthless, self absorbed people around. They not only use people then cast them aside, but are often mean-spirited and cruel about it. Sad.
That being said, this is now the definitive biography and fun read.
I've been enthralled by their music, their aura and their wild, roller-coaster history since I was 14. But after reading this I'm left with the belief that Mick and Keith, no matter how talented they are, are two of the most ruthless, self absorbed people around. They not only use people then cast them aside, but are often mean-spirited and cruel about it. Sad.
That being said, this is now the definitive biography and fun read.
May 20, 2026
Definitive.
Low-key favorite piece is on Charlie Watts. After hundreds of pages covering very little about him, Spitz writes that while everyone else was out raising hell during tours, Watts would just sit and draw whatever hotel room he was staying in. R.I.P.
Low-key favorite piece is on Charlie Watts. After hundreds of pages covering very little about him, Spitz writes that while everyone else was out raising hell during tours, Watts would just sit and draw whatever hotel room he was staying in. R.I.P.
May 27, 2026
The Rolling Stones to me is the epitome of what the Beatles could have been if they had learned how to collectively put their egos aside for the sake of longevity and working their geniuses together to create music. Jagger and Richards are the heart of the group and in spite of their imperfections, have been able to direct the Stones forward and avoided the pitfalls of the other classic rock groups.
The Stones are one of my favorite bands and on my Spotify Favorites list, they command a lot of repeated play.
The Stones are one of my favorite bands and on my Spotify Favorites list, they command a lot of repeated play.
October 20, 2026
A well written book
November 2, 2026
By far the best music biography I’ve ever read. So well-written. Loaded with brow-raising stories that were so bonkers, a second and sometimes third re-reading was required.
It’s so well-done, I will undoubtedly read this many times.
It’s so well-done, I will undoubtedly read this many times.
July 3, 2026
Just about everything you'd want to know about The Rollong Stones.
August 22, 2026
I loved this! Really entertaining audiobook. The Stones survival is astounding when you realize what they’ve lived through. It will make you want to pull out all your old albums.
April 29, 2026
The World’s Greatest Rock & Roll Band!! 🤘🏼
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