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Golden Stone: The Untold Life and Tragic Death of Brian Jones
A portrait of the life and death of Brian Jones, the founder of The Rolling Stones, rejects traditional stereotypes of an addicted and womanizing rock star for the often startling confidences of those who knew him best. National ad/promo.
- GenresMusic
243 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 18, 2021
2.5 stars, rounded up.
While definitely readable and interesting, I can’t call this book definitive in any way. For one, it has no works cited section (though the index is impressive enough), nor does it have footnotes. I’m not implying that the book is chock full of lies, but there are definitely claims the beg some confirmation. Jackson makes points that are debatable at best. I understand that Brian Jones’s life is innately mysterious, and many people that recall him are biased one way or another. Finding the real truth about who he was is impossible. So, while I doubt Jackson is making things up, she often fails to give credence to two sides of the story.
Namely, her discussion of Brian’s addiction is very dated and, frankly pathetic. She is adamant that he was not a “self destructive neurotic pathetically dependent on drink and drugs.” Meaning, there is no way he was heavily intoxicated at the time of his death because he was outwardly anti-drug (save prescription pills) after his drug busts a couple years before. She admits that he had a high dosage of an amphetamine-like substance in his body when he died, but she seems to suggest poisoning as the reason. Huh? Just because someone is desperate to get clean does not mean they can’t relapse. And prescription drugs can be abused just as street drugs. I just don’t understand why she is so hostile to the fact that Brian was an addict who drank too much in his final months and abused pills. It’s as if saying this robs him of all credibility or love. Reality is that addiction is an illness and Brian deserves respect even if he was drugged out of his mind. Sorry, I just can’t stand the vilification of addiction, not to mention Jackson’s wild claims to absolve him of this supposed “sin”.
The “murder” section of the book is lame in general, and is a big reason why I bumped my rating down. She makes a lot of assumptions about how people act in the midst of a crisis. She wonders why Brian’s guest, nurse Janet Lawson, called the police while Brian’s girlfriend Anna performed CPR on his body, suggesting that the nurse should’ve stepped in and done it. Logically, perhaps. But isn’t it likely that Anna loved Brian and wanted to save his life, whereas Janet barely knew him and knew that he needed EMT assistance immediately, so she took it upon herself to help in that way? I doubt they had a ton of time and wherewithal to discuss who was best suited to perform CPR. Moreover, the story discrepancies she claims are dead giveaways of a cover up are also unimpressive. The timeline variations may seem strange, but they were all at least buzzed on alcohol, and they recalled their timelines in the wake of a shocking, tragic death. Who wouldn’t mistake 20 minutes for 30, or forget who screamed at the discovery of the body first? Jackson thinks she pulling a ton of “gotcha’s”, but they just don’t hit. That being said, Thorogood is suspicious, and if Brian was killed that night, he’s the only reasonable suspect, I wish she’d talked about him more than the two traumatized women who had zero motive to murder.
Just a note, there seem to be two narratives among Stones fans about Brian’s time at Cotchford Farm. Those who believe he was murdered (such as Jackson) recall his time there as being puppies and rainbows (literally, he had several beloved dogs) where he was creatively motivated and freed from his debaucherous rock star temptations. Jackson even insists that his split from the Stones was basically mutual, and she fails to mention his well-accounted unreliability in the studio during the Let it Bleed sessions. To them, he was a light that got snuffed out right has he was burning his brightest. Those who believe Brian died by accident paint this chapter of his life more bittersweetly, as a man with big dreams but little self control, who craved peace and creative freedom but was too filled with regrets and addiction to make much headway. To them, he was a long-flickering flame destined to go out at one point or another. Worst thing is, we’ll never know. Anna hadn’t dated him long, so she doesn’t have a ton of info to offer outside of his last month or two. Suki, his previous girlfriend, died in 1981. His friends saw him infrequently and offer different accounts. His housekeepers claim he was very pleasant and kind, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t haunted. I don’t know. I think it’s all much more complicated than most claim. But he was definitely a heavy drinker at this time; this is often corroborated. Jackson just pretends it’s not.
There are other inaccuracies in this book. Jackson conflates two of Brian’s children from high school, and she entirely fails to mention Dawn Molly and her pregnancy. We now know Brian had six children; Jackson mentions three. I’m sure some of this is due to confusion over the scandals, but forgetting Dawn Molly is pretty unforgivable. She also puts a lot of her own opinions in, which I understand, but it can get old. She’s not unreasonably mean to either the Glimmer Twins or Brian’s parents, which is refreshing, though at times a bit inaccurate. Brian’s parents sullied his estate and estranged themselves from their grandchildren, which Jackson never mentions. Maybe that’s because they were still alive when this book was published, and I’m sure their relationship with Brian was as loving as it was complicated. But why act like it was sunshine and roses? It was clearly very messy and painful.
That all said, this is worth reading with a discerning eye, if not for the more fun anecdotes from his partners and friends. I really liked the afterword where two of his sons get to talk. The pictures are also great. For my money, this is a good read for a Jones die-hard, but Paul Trynka’s book is better, especially if you’re just getting to know Brian.
While definitely readable and interesting, I can’t call this book definitive in any way. For one, it has no works cited section (though the index is impressive enough), nor does it have footnotes. I’m not implying that the book is chock full of lies, but there are definitely claims the beg some confirmation. Jackson makes points that are debatable at best. I understand that Brian Jones’s life is innately mysterious, and many people that recall him are biased one way or another. Finding the real truth about who he was is impossible. So, while I doubt Jackson is making things up, she often fails to give credence to two sides of the story.
Namely, her discussion of Brian’s addiction is very dated and, frankly pathetic. She is adamant that he was not a “self destructive neurotic pathetically dependent on drink and drugs.” Meaning, there is no way he was heavily intoxicated at the time of his death because he was outwardly anti-drug (save prescription pills) after his drug busts a couple years before. She admits that he had a high dosage of an amphetamine-like substance in his body when he died, but she seems to suggest poisoning as the reason. Huh? Just because someone is desperate to get clean does not mean they can’t relapse. And prescription drugs can be abused just as street drugs. I just don’t understand why she is so hostile to the fact that Brian was an addict who drank too much in his final months and abused pills. It’s as if saying this robs him of all credibility or love. Reality is that addiction is an illness and Brian deserves respect even if he was drugged out of his mind. Sorry, I just can’t stand the vilification of addiction, not to mention Jackson’s wild claims to absolve him of this supposed “sin”.
The “murder” section of the book is lame in general, and is a big reason why I bumped my rating down. She makes a lot of assumptions about how people act in the midst of a crisis. She wonders why Brian’s guest, nurse Janet Lawson, called the police while Brian’s girlfriend Anna performed CPR on his body, suggesting that the nurse should’ve stepped in and done it. Logically, perhaps. But isn’t it likely that Anna loved Brian and wanted to save his life, whereas Janet barely knew him and knew that he needed EMT assistance immediately, so she took it upon herself to help in that way? I doubt they had a ton of time and wherewithal to discuss who was best suited to perform CPR. Moreover, the story discrepancies she claims are dead giveaways of a cover up are also unimpressive. The timeline variations may seem strange, but they were all at least buzzed on alcohol, and they recalled their timelines in the wake of a shocking, tragic death. Who wouldn’t mistake 20 minutes for 30, or forget who screamed at the discovery of the body first? Jackson thinks she pulling a ton of “gotcha’s”, but they just don’t hit. That being said, Thorogood is suspicious, and if Brian was killed that night, he’s the only reasonable suspect, I wish she’d talked about him more than the two traumatized women who had zero motive to murder.
Just a note, there seem to be two narratives among Stones fans about Brian’s time at Cotchford Farm. Those who believe he was murdered (such as Jackson) recall his time there as being puppies and rainbows (literally, he had several beloved dogs) where he was creatively motivated and freed from his debaucherous rock star temptations. Jackson even insists that his split from the Stones was basically mutual, and she fails to mention his well-accounted unreliability in the studio during the Let it Bleed sessions. To them, he was a light that got snuffed out right has he was burning his brightest. Those who believe Brian died by accident paint this chapter of his life more bittersweetly, as a man with big dreams but little self control, who craved peace and creative freedom but was too filled with regrets and addiction to make much headway. To them, he was a long-flickering flame destined to go out at one point or another. Worst thing is, we’ll never know. Anna hadn’t dated him long, so she doesn’t have a ton of info to offer outside of his last month or two. Suki, his previous girlfriend, died in 1981. His friends saw him infrequently and offer different accounts. His housekeepers claim he was very pleasant and kind, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t haunted. I don’t know. I think it’s all much more complicated than most claim. But he was definitely a heavy drinker at this time; this is often corroborated. Jackson just pretends it’s not.
There are other inaccuracies in this book. Jackson conflates two of Brian’s children from high school, and she entirely fails to mention Dawn Molly and her pregnancy. We now know Brian had six children; Jackson mentions three. I’m sure some of this is due to confusion over the scandals, but forgetting Dawn Molly is pretty unforgivable. She also puts a lot of her own opinions in, which I understand, but it can get old. She’s not unreasonably mean to either the Glimmer Twins or Brian’s parents, which is refreshing, though at times a bit inaccurate. Brian’s parents sullied his estate and estranged themselves from their grandchildren, which Jackson never mentions. Maybe that’s because they were still alive when this book was published, and I’m sure their relationship with Brian was as loving as it was complicated. But why act like it was sunshine and roses? It was clearly very messy and painful.
That all said, this is worth reading with a discerning eye, if not for the more fun anecdotes from his partners and friends. I really liked the afterword where two of his sons get to talk. The pictures are also great. For my money, this is a good read for a Jones die-hard, but Paul Trynka’s book is better, especially if you’re just getting to know Brian.
October 2, 2021
Book written in the 90s about Brian Jones is done very well; a lot of quotes from a variety of acquaintances, friends & family which serve to create a broader, but more tragic, picture of Brian Jones. The author does a good job of mixing contradictions concerning events, and especially the murkiness of his death. A pretty balanced account of his relationship with the other Stones, from beginning to predestined end.
As a big fan of Jones, I enjoyed this thoroughly.
As a big fan of Jones, I enjoyed this thoroughly.
November 23, 2012
Everything you ever wanted to know about Brian Jones*
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews