The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones

by Rich Cohen

A gritty, one-of-a-kind backstage account of the world’s greatest touring band, from the opinionated music journalist who was along for the ride as a young reporter for Rolling Stone in the 1990s ONE OF THE TOP FIVE ROCK BIOGRAPHIES OF THE YEAR—SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—KIRKUS REVIEWS A book inspired by a lifelong appreciation of the music that borders on obsession, Rich Cohen’s fresh and galvanizing narrative history of the Rolling Stones begins with the fateful meeting of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on a train platform in 1961—and goes on to span decades, with a focus on the golden run—from the albums Beggars Banquet (1968) to Exile on Main Street (1972)—when the Stones were at the height of their powers. Cohen is equally as good on the low points as the highs, and he puts his finger on the moments that not only defined the Stones as gifted musicians schooled in the blues, but as the avatars of so much in our modern culture. In the end, though, after the drugs and the girlfriends and the bitter disputes, there is the music—which will define, once and forever, why the Stones will always matter.Praise for The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones“Fabulous . . . The research is meticulous. . . . Cohen’s own interviews even yield some new Stones lore.”—The Wall Street Journal“[Cohen] can catch the way a record can seem to remake the world [and] how songs make a world you can’t escape.”—Pitchfork “No one can tell this story, wringing new life even from the leathery faces of mummies like the Rolling Stones, like Rich Cohen. . . . The book beautifully details the very meaning of rock ’n’ roll.”—New York Observer “Masterful . . . Hundreds of books have been written about this particular band and [Cohen’s] will rank among the very best of the bunch.”—Chicago Tribune “Cohen, who has shown time and time again he can take any history lesson and make it personal and interesting . . . somehow tells the [Stones’] story in a whole different way. This might be the best music book of 2016.”—Men’s Journal “[Cohen’s] account of the band’s rise from ‘footloose’ kids to ‘old, clean, prosperous’ stars is, like the Stones, irresistible.”—People “You will, as with the best music bios, want to follow along on vinyl.”—The Washington Post “A fresh take on dusty topics like Altamont and the Stones’ relationship with the Beatles . . . Cohen takes pilgrimages to places like Nellcôte, the French mansion where the Stones made Exile on Main Street, and recounts fascinating moments from his time on tour.”—Rolling Stone “On the short list of worthwhile books about the Stones . . . The book is stuffed with insights.”—San Francisco Chronicle

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, History, Pop Culture, Biography Memoir, Rock N Roll

358 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2016

About the author

RICH COHEN is the author of Sweet and Low (FSG, 2006), Tough Jews, The Avengers, The Record Men, and the memoir Lake Effect. His work has appeared in many major publications, and he is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone. He lives with his family in Connecticut.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Coh...

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and interesting, Rich Cohen's biography of the Stones is a good read. I think I am a little jealous of the author with all his intimacy with these rock'n'roll gods, but all the name-dropping was honestly a little annoying and distracting at the same time. Nonetheless, the book does capture what made the Stones the legendary and scandalous band that they remain over 50 years later. I don't put Some Girls on the same level of "great" Stone albums because for me, their run ended with Exile, but that is probably splitting hairs. As for a rock bio, I'd say this one was not as good as The Beatles by Bob Spitz or When Giants Walked the Earth by Mick Wall or Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades by Clinton Heylin because the author in those three did not try to share the stage with the band as much as Cohen does in this one. It was, however, very thoroughly researched and the section on Robert Johnson and Son House was probably my favorite part of the book - that and the treatment of Brian Jones.

Note that the most recent Stones album Blue and Lonesome is a welcome return to their blues roots with Eric Clapton on two tracks.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones by Rich Cohen is a 2016 Spiegel & Grau publication.


When it comes to the Rolling Stones, I would think we have pretty much covered all there was to know about them by now. But, when I see a new book centered around this iconic rock band, I can’t help but look at it.

Rich Cohen traveled with The Rolling Stones during the 90’s, working for Rolling Stone Magazine. What a gig, right?

Cohen’s enthusiasm and barely contained hero worship leaps off the pages, as he relates intimate conversations with band members, and shares his personal reflections about each member of the group, their history, and their music.

The book is a mix of personal observations while on the road with the band, and the band’s history. Diehard fans already know much of the material covered in this book, but no matter how many times I’ve heard these stories, I still read them as though for the first time.

Those less familiar with the band’s history will find their history does indeed live up to its mythic hype. It’s amazing that this band has survived all that it has and the group keeps on ticking, performing well into their seventies!!

It’s hard not to get wrapped up in Cohen’s exuberance, as he manages to capture that magical place in time where the music and its stars were like Gods. Still, there were times when Cohen got a little carried away with the religious comparisons, making outrageous remarks, such as comparing Brian Jones’ death to that of Jesus, who died so the other band members could live.

He also seemed to buy into the mythology of making pacts with the devil, such as with famed Delta blues artist Robert Johnson, who influenced everyone from Clapton to Aerosmith and beyond.

But, eventually, Cohen settles down and takes us through the Stone’s illustrious and storied history, professional highs and lows, specific albums that were of significance, personal struggles, especially those of Keith Richards, who was center stage in Cohen's mind, stealing the spotlight away from Mick, in my opinion.

I enjoyed going back through the Stones’ history, the conversations with band members, the interviews, and the musical memories, too.

Cohen’s insights and opinions are interesting, even if I didn’t always buy into them. Cohen was young when he toured with the Stones, and his awe is palpable, making objectivity a hard sell. Still, I found the book refreshing and I must say it gave me a little deeper insight into Keith’s life, and I thought his observation that Cohen had always had the Sun & the Moon & the Rolling Stones made a fitting title for the book. It’s true for me, too. They’ve been here my whole life and their music and legacy is still alive and well.

A nice personal account of time spent on the road with the one and only Rolling Stones, and a nice nostalgic trip through time, which was as poignant as it was fun.


4 stars

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars! Did I learn anything new? Nope. Do I like reading about my favorite band? Yep. Most people have read/heard about all the goings-on of The Stones. The thing I enjoyed about this telling is reading about it from the perspective of Rich Cohen. He's been a true fan of The Stones since he was a kid. He got to travel with the band as a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine. He also wrote the script for the HBO series, Vinyl, with Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger.

There's also a sadness in this telling as well. Mr. Cohen talks of how the band has seen it's better days (long ago). Everyone is getting older, including myself. I find myself thinking, how can I be 51 years old? I still love rock and roll though!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

So the question is: do we really need another book about the Rolling Stones after so much has already been written about them…including the autobiography Life by Keith Richards in 2010?

After racing through the pages of The Sun and The Moon and The Rolling Stones, I must enthusiastically say, “yes!”

First of all, Rich Cohen is the real deal. He’s written for Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and the new HBO series Vinyl. For this author, it’s not just about “what happened”; it’s about “what did it feel like and what did it mean?” And it’s also about more: “Why do soap-opera adventures of the Stones still fascinate?” Can rock save your soul? Is it a religion? If so, why did it go the way of Zoroastrianism? Should we worship the life or the message Is there a graceful way to grow old?”

Most of us Stones fans – and I’ve been one since I was a kid and saw them in New York, teaming with raw, unpolished, dangerous energy – know the highlights: the meltdown and suicide of Brian Jones, the drug bust, the Altamont and the Hel’s Angels, the influences of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, the rift between Jagger and Richards. All this is revisited but what makes it special is that Rich Cohen had unique access and also provides the insights and perception to go beyond – way beyond – the “what happened.”

He knows, for example, that the Stones were always “the alternative, the opposite, the anti” – certainly the anti-Beatles. He “gets” that the music did really die sometime in the early 90s and that there may never be a phenomenon like the Stones again – especially now that they’ve become self-perpetuating. And he recognizes that the stories, true and exaggerated, are the stuff that legends are made of.

For anyone who loves the Stones – read it. For music aficionados who remember their music as “the sound track of our lives” (certainly I remember exactly what phase of life I was at heard Satisfaction, or Sympathy for the Devil, or Honky Tonk Woman”), give it a try. And for those who simply want to read fascinating revelations about one of the very best bands ever, this is for you, too. To put it in Rich Cohen’s own words: “”It’s not just music. It’s my nation. It’s my country. It’s where I’ve spent my life.” Amen.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars bumped up to 4.

So I didn't learn much if anything new about the Stones, but I certainly did learn some details that I didn't know about others such as Marianne Faithful, Anita Pallenberg, etc. I did a lot of googling of some old Stones footage while reading, and that was excellent. Of course, I watched Altamont footage on youtube and got very creeped out (again) by the scene of the Hell's Angel standing so close to Mick "fighting some inner madness" (p. 247); and seeing the gun that Hunter had possessed and the flash of the Hell's Angel knife. And that question - WAS Hunter an assassin? (Also googled Hunter's gravesight). Page 263 gives an excellent account in simple terms of what a crook Allen Klein was.

I flagged a couple of what I thought were great lines in this book "If Mick Jagger teaches you how to stay young, Charlie Watts teaches you how to be old, how to remain elegant while being completely still" (p. 299).

A favorite gem of mine is "Memory Motel" and I loved the author's description of being at a Stones' rehearsal and how they create a set list at which this song was a chosen one (p. 92). And also what the author says about "the ups and downs of Mick and Keith, which embody friendship in general."

This started as a library book, and then my hubby/partner bought it for me for my collection! Sweet (Virginia)!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

"I know it's only rock and roll, BUT I LIKE IT!" -- Jagger / Richards, circa '74

At this late date what can be written about "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" that hasn't already been covered in countless other books, as well as documentaries? Well, a good musician can take an old or standard song and pump new life into it, and I think author Cohen has produced an entertaining and energetic work about 'the boys.' I'm a shameless fan of the Stones since high school (and I also admired Cohen's earlier Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football), so I had to check out what he could cover in just a scant - given their storied history - 310 pages.

The genesis was that Cohen - also a fan since he was a teenager - was given the plum assignment to cover the Stones' Voodoo Lounge world tour in '94 for Rolling Stone magazine. Said gig allowed him a copious amount of time with the group, who appeared to be very forthcoming with information. In particular, he seems to have had a good rapport with Keith Richards who comes across as decent bloke. (Ditto for drummer Charlie Watts, though predictably front man Mick Jagger is more guarded.)

Wisely, he doesn't try to cram 50+ years of music and anecdotes into a superficial volume. Of course he starts with their formation, the lean early years (especially nice was the helping hand extended by Lennon / McCartney when a song was needed; it's been mentioned before, but still a good story), and then the worldwide success experienced with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." A few years later things falter for them in 1969 with guitarist Brian Jones' death and the disastrous Altamont concert.

Things rebound, so to speak, in the early 70's with the commercial and critical successes of Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. (plus the continuous and profitable tours). However, the other usual rock star factors began to creep in - narcotics, money, women - which began to cause some splintering / feuding, and turned a once-fun job for a bunch of twenty-somethings into merely show 'business.' That they have stuck together for so long, and are still producing some great music (nothing may match their '68 to '72 catalogue, but they're capable of tunes that are hardly just filler) is amazing and admirable to me. The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones is a book for the fans by a fan.

[Jason Coleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew we were in trouble long before Cohen confessed "Wild Horses" is his favorite Stones song. He cranks up that smooth Vanity Fair prose and hits every godforsaken box on the checklist—the bust at Redlands, the swimming-pool death of Brian Jones, Altamont, the long hot summer at Nellcôte, Keith's heroin odyssey, the open-G tuning, the feud between Mick and Keith (guess who he sides with). Unable to pass by a single beaten-to-death story, Cohen even drags out the Gram Parson funeral-pyre legend for a page and half. I half-expected the story of Hangar 18 to turn up here—I mean, there are a few people who've never heard that one, Rich.

I'm sorry, but this self-important, intolerably name-dropping book (has Charlie Watts ever given you his rare seal of approval? ever flown on Jann Wenner's private plane? ever cowritten a bad mini-series with Marty Scorsese?) and its upscale blurbs made me despair over whose hands this history has fallen into. Listen, just take a pass on this thing and read Stanley Booth's The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones, which is a masterpiece, or even Keith Richards' self-serving but immensely enjoyable Life, both of which I'm pretty sure Cohen wishes he had written.

I'm of half a mind to dock this thing to a single star for all the dissing of the Beatles, one of the dullest, most petty tropes in rock writing (the most galvanic event in pop history was "safe"?). But, you know, I'll control myself.

[Ammar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A good book about the Stones though it doesn't focus on the present. It talks about the beginnings the fame, the singing to almost empty venues and how slowly they become the greatest rock n roll band in the world.

Nothing in the book is new or revealing or even omg scandal and rumour time

It blends the writer's life with the Rolling Stones and how he met them and how he became friends with Mick and Keith

[Steven Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do we absolutely need another book on the Rolling Stones? One would think not—given the array of publications focusing on “the greatest rock and roll band in the world.” There have been exposes, learned studies, autobiographies and biographies, video depictions of the group, and so on. And here they are in their “dotage” as a group. Three of the original Stones still play in the band (Bill Wyman retired, Ian Stewart was sacked by a manger many years ago, and Brian Jones died long ago). Still, the answer to the original rhetorical question is “yes.”

This book has a unique kind of perspective. The author covered a tour of theirs and developed relationships with members of the group and its entourage. Currently, he works with Martin Scorcese and Mick Jagger on a series—“Vinyl.” Rich Cohen’s book is well worth a read.

He does a number of standard things—a brief history of the band, relatively brief biological backgrounds on key people, a little on the music and the origin of certain songs, milestones—whether positive ( a set of four great albums in a row in the late 1960s and early 1970s) or negative (drug busts and interpersonal feuds and disagreements and Altamont).

One of the most attractive aspects of this book is humanizing the cast—whether Brian Jones or Ronnie Wood or Bill Wyman or Mick Taylor or Charlie Watts (who comes across as a decent person with whom one might want to spend the evening over a beer or two [or more])or Keith Richards or Mick Jagger. Or those who found themselves at one point or another in the Stones’ orbit, such as Marianne Faithfull or Anita Pallenberg or. . . .

It is also somewhat lugubrious. Cohen portrays the Stones as a band that can still play good music—but which has lost the ability to create powerful new music. After “Some Girls,” his view is that the band has done little quality work. A song here or there, but not a vibrant and vital work.

If you want to read a book on the Rolling Stones, this is a good place to start. It humanizes the group and those associated with it, but it retains a distance from its subject, allowing Cohen to place the group, its players, and those orbiting them into perspective.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cohen gives us a history of the early Stones combined with his personal history growing up late bing the music and eventually meeting them and getting to know them as a correspondent for Rolling Stone Magazine.

This story concentrates on the beginnings of the Stones, the atmosphere in post-war England and the excitement of young Jagger collecting records. The story traces the early blues influences of Brian Jones and the bands first gigs before the Beatles became the first stars to make it big in America. A lot of the book traces Brian's fall as band leader as Mick and Keith took the band in a rock direction away from the blues and Brian's frustration at being left out of the creative end.

Through the sixties, the Stones were always compared to the success of the Beatles, but had a more wild, untamed outlaw image and they outlasted the Beatles in a burst of golden records.

The story reaches a climax with the disaster at Altamont and the repercussions of that hell. After that, according to this book, the band was never the same. That was followed by drug busts, and exile to France. But the main focus of the book was the Sixties and the early years of the world's greatest rock and roll band.

It is a well-written, compelling book but at times may go into too much detail on minutiae that not everyone will find compelling. Overall, a mystery read for any serious Stones fan.

[Susannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

With The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones, Rich Cohen confirmed for me that talking about music is like dancing about architecture. While that may sound flippant, it gets to the root of how hard it is to write about something as subjective as music, especially when the writer seems more interested in writing about how the music affected him/her than s/he is in writing about the circumstances surrounding the creation of the music (something that is arguably more based on facts than depictions of emotional reaction are).

For me, Cohen's book was, unfortunately, all over the place--not clearly a memoir of his experiences with a rock band whose music he very nearly worshipped, and not clearly a journalistic presentation of the creation and creations of that band. About the time I thought it was a memoir, it became a history of the Rolling Stones in its first 10 years; about the time I thought it was a history of the band in its first 10 years, it became a memoir again. While this combination of two types of story is not necessarily a bad thing, the book seemed not entirely committed to either. Extended band history sections ended with Cohen tossing out an opinion. Was that in an effort to keep him connected with those non-memoir sections?

I tried to read The Doors: A Lifetime of Listening to Five Mean Years a few years ago and was put off by what I thought to be author Greil Marcus's effort to write in a way that conveyed how he perceived the music; in other words, I felt like he was trying to write the music's sound. Rich Cohen does the same in The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones. It seems he's never met an analogy he didn't like, and he is exceptionally verbose when talking about the songs that he believes to epitomize the Rolling Stones. To provide my own analogy, reading this book's effort to convey the feeling the Rolling Stones' music created is like seeing something beautiful and trying to capture it in a picture. You take photo after photo, but you'll never quite capture and convey the thing you experienced.

------------------
My thanks to Netgalley for an opportunity to read and review this book.

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones
by Rich Cohen

Rich Cohen, a twenty-six year old employed by Rolling Stone magazine has been assigned to report on the 1994 tour of The Rolling Stones. This nonfiction true to life experience captures shades of Almost Famous. Cohen describes his internal views and interactions with Mick, Keith, Ron and Charlie with an absorbing entertaining approach. Reading this kind of literature leaves a permanent historic authenticity that only someone like Cohen can produce. The reader will once again acquire that emotion and passion when an arm needle is lowered onto shiny black vinyl, and the sounds of snaps, crackles and pops lead into "Gimme Shelter", "Satisfaction" or "Paint it Black".

[Mark Wold · Rating 5 out of 5]

You would think when it came to the Rolling Stones that its all been said a long time ago. Author Rich Cohen somehow manages to write about the Stones in such an entertaining and passionate manner that even a committed Beatles fan (Guilty) found it rather difficult to put down. The author a committed Stones fan was able to take his passion for the band and insight from traveling with them back in '94 and present an exceptionally well written hybrid of biography, memoir, and behind the scenes all access pass to what it means to have the Rolling Stones in the world. Highly recommend it.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic overview of the book written by a longtime fan/music writer who travelled with the band on tour in the early nineties. He hits all the major parts of the band's history (formation, early albums, Brian Jones' death, how the band finally found their sound, Altamont, drug debacles, etc.) and he writes about them in a very entertaining style. He does not get into great detail about each album, which is the only thing I dinged a star for. I would have liked to read more about their imperial era albums and Some Girls, but oh well, the book was a great history overall.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though The Rolling Stones are an unmatched cultural phenomenon, I've never really delved into their music or totally understood their appeal. Their "bad boy" druggie reputations probably kept me away in the 70's, and after that I was busy having a career and raising a family and didn't really pay much attention to the music scene. This wide-ranging narrative history comes to me at just the right time, since I now have time to pursue such interesting subjects as "just why did the Stones last so long when other rock bands have faded away?" While finishing up the last few chapters of the book, I found the "Exile on Main Street" album on Youtube and played it while reading. There are certainly some gems in that album, which Cohen considers their last good work.

Cohen certainly has the credentials in both writing and music to cover this subject better than most any other writer. He wrote for Rolling Stone and New Yorker and was even contracted by Scorcese to write a screenplay which eventually aired as the "Vinyl" series on HBO. Cohen has such a creative, free flowing writing style that I just had to stop and re-read (and highlight) some phrases. He refers to the Stones as the last of the great rock stars. "Those that survive are precious and strange, relics of an ancient dispensation, that era when the music mattered above all else..." "If you tell their story, you tell THE story." "...there is no time. Rock'n'Roll is quantum. The beginning is tangled up with the end, the exits are entrances, every moment is present in every other moment and it's always now." ..."the Stones were not the Beatles. They were nasty from the start, anarchic, delinquent." "The unknowability of Mick Jagger, who is not understood because he does not want to be understood; who gives only what needs to be given." "Murray had recognized a melancholy in the Stones, that place where the blues touched B-minor hillbilly twang." "Delta blues took on the sound of the city - the hum of the steel belt,the rattle of the elevated, Cadillacs and Fords throbbing in the early morning rush, steam hammer and factory whistle."

Cohen writes extensively about their early days in the 1960's and 1970's, but events and observations sort of blur together after that, perhaps because he believes that most of their important work was done during that time. He also writes with brutal honesty and clarity about the many women who passed through their lives, the drug issues, particularly with Richards, and the drug-related deaths of former members and peripheral characters. Focusing mainly on Jagger and Richards, he gives short treatment to the other members of the band. This is no white-washed biography designed to make the Stones look like heroes. It's gritty and at times repulsive, and makes you wonder just why Richards is still alive. The drug use was not made to look glamorous or sophisticated or justifiable.

Cohen writes that "The Stones are a story that I've studied all my life. I've studied it as the ancients studied war. It's my Hemingway, Dickens, Homer. I've studied it in books, on vinyl and up close. Yet it keeps surprising me."

I did find the sequencing of the stories confounding at times, and it seemed that Cohen jumped around in time quite a bit - not that a biography needs to fold out in perfectly linear order. But I did get lost in the narrative from time, particularly when he reeled off names of unknown bands and immemorable former stars.

This may not be the last chapter in the saga of The Rolling Stones, and some may dispute the veracity of some of the scenes and conversations, but Cohen has brought a unique perspective to telling their story that is well worth reading. I highly recommend reading it with a Stones album playing in the background !

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know it going in, but the author of this book also wrote for the Vinyl TV show (which was produced by Mick Jagger). While I am more than familiar with almost every aspect of the Stones career, there are a few different perspectives and anecdotes contained within. We get more details on the early days with the Chris Barber band as well as the infamous Altamont concert which the author sums up as: Mick played at being the devil, but when the real Satan showed up (Sonny Barger), he went back to being Michael Jagger, LSE student.

Cohen interviewed Sam Cutler who was in charge of setting up the stage on short notice. He claims he knew it would be a disaster from the beginning because the stage was only two feet off the ground. (Actually, everyone he interviewed claimed they knew it would be a disaster). He also says he was never paid for his work and was the only convenient scapegoat as far as the Hell's Angels were concerned because the band got out of Dodge as quickly as possible. Apparently, Barger and company were worried about the film which they thought could be used as evidence against them (it was). Cutler and the Maysles had to appear in front of a biker "Supreme Court" (who knew the Angels were so organized?) Cutler avoided a "stomping," but Maysle was not so lucky.

We also learn the true story of what happened to Keith Richard in Switzerland when he was supposedly undergoing blood transfusions to get the heroin out of his system. Hint: it's the closest he ever came to gratifying the Death Pool. The only living band member not interviewed was Bill Wyman who comes off as a lecherous old creep. But then, we kind of knew that anyway.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this from a Goodreads giveaway. See? People really do win those.

I really liked this book. Cohen knows how to tell a good story, and has done an excellent job of researching and interviewing to create it. He doesn't dwell much on the post 80's era--yes, the band continues to record and tour, but few would argue about their glory days being the 60's and 70's. Cohen was originally commissioned to write an article for Rolling Stone magazine about the Voodoo Lounge tour, and his access and relationship with the group led to this book. At least some of these stories may be familiar to longtime fans--this is the first Stones book I've read, so I've no idea how well - known they are. There's a section of notes on each chapter towards the end of the book that's worth browsing as Cohen provides a few quotes and other tidbits that didn't make it into the main text. Reading this book will set various songs going in your head, which is not a bad thing. I was also pleased to see, from the last chapter, that Cohen's take on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland is similar to my own. Having read this book, I find myself wondering what Mick's and Keith' s and everyone's reactions to it will be ...

[Christl Bücher NewsWelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Titel: Die Sonne, der Mond & die Rolling Stones; Ein Leben im Schatten der größten Rockband der Welt
Autor: Rich Cohen
Verlag: btb
Sprache: Deutsch
Seiten: 528 Seiten ∞ Taschenbuch
Preis: D ∞ 11,00€ A ∞ 11,40€
Genre: Musik ∞ Biographie ∞
Reihe: Nein


Als junger Journalist erhält Rich Cohen in den Neunzigern einen Auftrag, der alles verändert. Er bekommt die einmalige Chance, die Rolling Stones auf ihren US-Touren zu begleiten. Unterwegs mit der Band, verfällt er rasch ihrer einzigartigen Faszination. Wird Teil des Epos "Rolling Stones". Und schneller, als er sich umschauen kann, zum Insider, eingeweiht in die typischen Witze, die Kameradschaft, die bisweilen bissigen Umgangsformen, das harte Leben der größten Rockband aller Zeiten. Doch neben all den Drogen und Affären, den Auseinandersetzungen und zahllosen Wiedervereinigungen ist es die Musik, die bleibt. Dieses Buch ist inspiriert durch Cohens Bewunderung für die Songs der Stones, die an Besessenheit grenzt. Es ist der rigorose Blick eines Mannes, der ganz nah dran war und noch immer ist an der legendären Band, die Generationen prägte. Und zugleich eine bahnbrechende Kulturgeschichte, verfasst von einem preisgekrönten Autor zahlreicher New-York-Times-Sachbuchbestseller. Ein Buch, so gut, so frech, so elegant – so anders, dass es sich liest wie ein Roman.


Meine Meinung:
Rolling Stones. Für mich schon immer einer der Bands die man kennen musste, und als ich dieses Buch gesehen habe, dachte ich mir das dies eine gute Gelegenheit wäre sie noch ein stück weit besser kennen zu lernen.
" Ich frage dich. Ich weiss es nämlich nicht. Was ist das für ein Gefühl, in einer Welt aufzuwachen, in der es die Stones immer schon gab? Die Sonne, der Mond und die Rolling Stones - damit bist du doch aufgewachsen."
Keith Richards im Gespräch mit Rich Cohen, 1994

Der Einstieg in das Buch fiel mir wirklich leicht. Der Schreibstil ist sehr lebhaft und flüssig. Ich bin sofort in meinen Lesefluss gekommen. Da ich ja auch nicht der Überflieger Fan bin waren auch sehr viele dinge dabei die ich noch nicht wusste und das Buch hat mich wirklich sehr fesseln können. Ich kann mir zwar vorstellen das es für einen richtigen Fan nicht wirklich neue Info bereit hält, aber der Autor hat es wirklich sehr gut umgesetzt und alles wirklich sehr spannend und packend verpackt.

Der Autor hat auch eine besondere liebe zur Musik, und das spürt man auf jeder Seite des Buches. Was einen natürlich mit reisst. Für mich daher wirklich ein top buch das mir tolle lese stunden bereitet hat.

Auch sind einige Fotos im Buch abgebildet. Das finde ich hätte ruhig noch mehr sein können, find sowas immer toll. :)

Für mich aber ein wirklich tolles Buch.


Das Cover find ich wirklich toll. Wobei die Abbildung der Zunge auch auf dem Cover mehr Glitzer vertragen hätte. Die Erhebung des Titels fühlt sich aber wirklich super an. Wertet das ganze Taschenbuch doch etwas auf :)

Fazit:
Absolut tolle Biographie. Als richtiger Fan erfährt man wahrscheinlich nichts weltbewegendes neues. Aber es liest sich wirklich gut, der Schreibstil gefällt mir hier wirklich gut.
Für Fans sicherlich ein wunderbares Buch was man in seiner Sammlung haben sollte. Für mich als allgemeiner Musik Fan ist es auch auf jeden fall ein hingucker und hat mir sehr viel Spaß gemacht.


Für mich gibts daher 5 von 5 Masken!

[Katja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das Cover zeigt die berühmte Zunge, bei der man gleich an die Rolling Stones denkt, ein Symbol der Band, das sicher vielen Leuten ein Begriff sein sollte. Sonst ist das Cover eher schlicht gehalten, was aber auch schön aussieht.
An dieser Stelle sei gesagt, niemand soll sich irritieren lassen, weil das Cover des E-Books sieht komplett anders aus.
In den Buch geht es vor allem um die Band in den Anfängen bis in die 80er Jahre hinein, auch wenn das Cover etwas anderes vermittelt, weil das Logo der Band ist eher aus den 90er, also sich davon bitte nicht irritieren lassen.
Eigentlich würde mal ausgehend vom Klappentext einen wirklichen Insiderblick erwarten, aber der ist eher rar gesät. Natürlich kann man viele bekannte Geschichten nicht komplett aussen vor lassen, aber irgendwie wirkt das alles schon ein bisschen sehr lieblos zusammengestellt. Auch so wirklich nah dran ist der Autor nicht gewesen, was schade ist, denn eine Tour, die man begleiten darf, trägt immer eine gewisse Art von Tourgeheimnissen oder auch Traditionen mit sich, aber auch die kommen sehr kurz.
Der Schreibstil von Rich Cohen ist sehr angenehm zu lesen, er hat viel Wissen über die Band, das merkt man auch immer wieder, aber man hat den Eindruck, seinen eigenen Erlebnisse und Momente mit der Band reichen einfach nicht für das Buch, weswegen er dann auch noch recht bekannte Geschichte und andere Fakten rund um die Band mit in das Buch gepackt hat. Sicher interessant für alle, die sich noch nicht mit der Band auseinander gesetzt haben, aber für echte Fans gibt es dann wenig neues zu entdecken, was sich dann so ein bisschen mit der Buchbeschreibung widerspricht.
Leider muss man auch sagen, dass einige Fakten nicht wirklich genau recherchiert sind, so finden wirklich Fans schnell einige falsche Daten rund um die Band, was in einem Buch über die Band von einem echten Journalisten nicht passieren darf.

Fazit:
Rich Cohen hat an sich in seinem Klappentext viel versprochen, aber leider kann er nicht viel davon halten, viele Geschichten, die in dem Buch niedergeschrieben sind, sind aber bekannt und man kann nicht wirklich einen grossen Blick eines Insiders erhaschen, was aber schon im Klappentext versprochen wird.
Das Buch ist ganz nett zu lesen und sicher für Menschen gut, die sich mit den Rolling Stones noch nicht so wirklich beschäftigt haben, aber für wirkliche Fans ist es leider nur eine Erzählung alter Geschichten im neuen Gewand, zwar gibt es ein paar kleine neue Details, aber wirklich eine grosse Überraschung ist das Buch nicht, aber sehr nett zu lesen.

[Jim Milway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always intrigued by The Rolling Stones. This is an insider story of the band and benefits from unmatched access (before and during the writing of the book) to Mick and Keith. Charlie too. Interesting note - he did not speak once to Bill Wyman as he was writing the book. There were a lot of inside stories. For a Stones fan this book probably has to be on the reading list. But I'm not sure I gained incredibly new insights into the group and its success.

What an annoying writing style. I imagine it's the standard style at Rolling Stone magazine for whom Cohen covered the group. He employs goofy metaphors, foul language, clever repetition, etc. It was hard to listen to on the audio book. Perhaps it's better in written form.

[Liza Rodimtseva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read dozens of books about The Rolling Stones, running the gamut of quality from academic to tabloid. I no longer expect to learn any new facts, but I do hope for some fresh insight. Rich Cohen doesn't pretend to cover any new ground - he knows there is none - but as a Rolling Stone staff writer who has interviewed his subjects, he is at least in a position to provide some small insights. There's no pretense that this is a proper biography; Cohen repeats the age-old legends with the glowing enthusiasm of a true believer, but there are blatant factual inaccuracies and many parts are glossed over entirely. I usually dislike the gimmick of a writer inserting himself into the story, but I can forgive Cohen for using it. He is the kind of lifelong fan for whom The Rolling Stones are truly as eternal and cosmic as the sun and the moon, and his insight is that the only way to grasp their magnitude is to contrast it with one's own insignificant experiences. The first records you bought are insignificant compared to the first records Mick and Keith bought, your twentysomething wilderness years are nothing compared Mick and Keith's, your worst benders are a genteel cup of tea compared to Keith's, your midlife crisis is a sad shadow of Mick's. And so on. It's not so much a book about The Rolling Stones, but a book about looking up to The Rolling Stones.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 'informal' biog of The Stones is a cracker. The premise is that the author was born in 1968, after the band was established; so, as far as he was concerned, they were already there & seemed to have always been there. For him, there were "the sun, the moon & the Rolling Stones". It is a very different approach to Mark Lewisohn's clinical, even scientific, Beatles biog Tune In (800 page volume 1 of projected 3) which is, for me, the best biography ever written. But Cohen had plenty of access to the Stones, having worked with them as a journalist, & with Jagger as a co-creator of the TV series Vinyl, & so much of his reportage is 1st hand - told to him, face to face, by 1 of the band. I don't agree with his claim that the series of 4 Stones albums from Beggars Banquet & Exile on Main Street might be "the greatest creative stretch in the history of rock'n'roll". The 4 Beatles albums from Revolver to Abbey Road were pretty good. And Bowie's 5 from Aladdin Sane to Low has stood the test of time. Nonetheless, even for someone who is not a die hard Stones fan, this was a most enjoyable read.

[Scott Boyken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read several books on the Stones and this is one of them. If you’re unfamiliar with the Stones story you’ll find this book revealing. However, if you’re a connoisseur of Stones memoirs you won’t find much new. Although, the chapter “Thanatos In Steel” chronicling the Altamont tragedy is one of the best I’ve read regarding the events of that day.

[Quinn Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best written books I’ve had the pleasure to encounter. Not only a historical on the Stones, we are treated to their place within the musical lineage between the Delta Blues, the birth of classic rock and the later trajectory into alt country. Most importantly, Cohen can spin a verse like very few I’ve read. Great book for music fans and amateur historians.

[Toni-ann Mattera · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great piece of music journalism from the perspective of a Stones fan who absorbed himself in rock n’ roll some time after it’s “death.” The personal anecdotes side well with the thorough research that was done to give a general, panoramic history of one of the greatest rock bands of all time!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author was not afraid to snipe at the band and give big opinions. I didn’t find that off putting for the most part. Seems like he was a fan, then not a fan, then an associate. I enjoyed how it wasn’t ONLY about the Stones. Plenty of material about the people (mainly causalities) and events (mainly disasters) in their orbit. And the mic drop observation of Mick’s callousness and wondering how he got that way. 5/5

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very interesting stuff, but only goes up to 1972, and the author injects too many personal stories that aren't nearly as interesting as the saga of the band.

[Gregory Rothbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, in not only its portrayal of the RollingStones. But also in showing me why and how they influenced culture. This book is an incredible read.

[Dave Schwensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I’ve read on The Rolling Stones. And to be sure I was correct in making that opinionated statement I read it twice. The second time through was just as entertaining as the first.
*
After decades of books, articles, insights, fabrications and even firsthand accounts from band members (at least what they claim to remember) the author captures the history, dynamics, relationships and personality of The Rolling Stones. What sets this book apart from the others is how he dives into his subjects from two different directions. As both a journalist and a fan.
*
A writer for “Rolling Stone” and collaborator (with Mick Jagger) on the HBO series “Vinyl,” Cohen had insider access to the band through rehearsals, personal interviews and on tour during the 1990’s. By winning approval from the most reclusive Stone and member most respected by the others, drummer Charlie Watts, the doors to the inner sanctums were kicked open. Interspersed with personal experiences, extensive research (even visiting the most famous Stones historical locations) and direct access to the band, he examines what first propelled a group of young and dedicated blues fanatics and how it morphed into a worldwide rock and roll industry that is still in business after half a century.
*
The key to making this book so entertaining is the author’s viewpoint. As Keith Richards notes after learning Cohen was born in the 1960’s, he’s never known a world without The Rolling Stones. He’s always had “the sun, the moon and The Rolling Stones.” Unlike a first generation fan that experienced this phenomenon as it happened, he looks back and explains how and why.
*
Every Stones fanatic will already know the history, events and rumors, but the uncovered gems make a worthwhile read. This is especially true with the beginnings of the band, the demise of founder Brian Jones, drug busts and jail time, Anita, Altamont, and the once closeness and ongoing breakup between Mick and Keith. Similar to a bad marriage, they deal with each other for the sake of the children.
*
And as there is with every book written about The Rolling Stones, the good and bad are dished out in big portions together. Cohen covers it all with his different perspective, which makes this a highly recommended book for original fans and those who have never known a world without The Rolling Stones.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worum geht es?
Es geht um die Liebe zu den Rolling Stones und um die Rolling Stones an sich. Wie kam es zu der Band, was haben sie erlebt und wie steht es 'heute' um sie? Warum faszinieren sie gleich mehrere Generationen und waren sie nicht nur eine Zeiterscheinung?

Wie hat es mir gefallen?
Die Rolling Stones begleiten sicher nicht nur mich ein Leben lang. Ob ihre Musik im Radio gespielt oder über sie berichtet wird. Früher die Rebellen, weil sie einfach Rebellen waren und heute, weil sie noch immer, mit über siebzig Jahren auf der Bühne stehen. Interessant sind sie auf jeden Fall, auch ohne all ihre Songs zu kennen. Ich mag die Stones, aber ich bin kein richtiger Fan, was man auch nicht sein muss, um diese Biografie genießen zu können.

Ich muss sagen, dass mir die Rolling Stones nicht ganz unbekannt waren. Ich hatte schon einiges über sie in der Biografie über Uschi Obermaier gelesen, doch wirklich greifbar waren sie für mich nicht. Dieses Buch hat das jedoch geändert. Während und auch nach dem Lesen des Buches, habe ich zahlreiche Dokus als Begleitung gesehen, weil es mich wirklich gepackt hatte - das Stones Fieber. Ich höre jetzt sogar regelmäßig die Musik der Stones. Ja, diese Biografie hat mich tatsächlich von der Band begeistern können.

Mir hat es sehr gut gefallen, dass die Band beschrieben wird aus dem Blickwinkel eines Autoren, der keinen Hehl davon macht, dass sein Fanherz für Keith Richards schlägt. Es hat ein bisschen was von dem Film 'Almost Famous', den ich sehr liebe. Die Band und ihre Ereignisse werden hier nicht nüchtern auf Papier gebannt, sondern es wird auch eine Begeisterung vermittelt, die ich besonders an dem Buch zu schätzen wusste. Wie kommt es, dass man sich in eine Band verliebt?
Es ist also nicht nur die Geschichte der Stones, sondern auch die Geschichte eines Fans, der versucht, bei all seiner Begeisterung, einen objektiven Blick zu behalten.

Ob das Buch etwas für echte Fans ist, weiß ich nicht zu sagen, denn ich bin es nicht und so war viele Details für mich neu und aufregend zu erfahren.

Der Ton des Buches ist locker und leicht. Man kann es weglesen wie einen Roman und daher kann ich es auch allen empfehlen, die sich nicht an Biografien trauen, weil sie glauben, dass sie trocken geschrieben sind und dann schnell langweilig werden. Ich fand es ganz im Gegenteil sehr spannend.

Dieses Buch hat mir das Herz für die Stones geöffnet und das ist wahrscheinlich das größte Kompliment, was man einem solchen Sachbuch machen kann. Wer mehr über die Stones erfahren will, sollte zu diesem Buch greifen.