Bloody great books!

* His Majesty, Prince Jones smiled as he moved among the crowd *

Hey His Majesty, I actually posted this question a few weeks ago, maybe you can answer about Loog Oldham's books:


I have been trying to make my way through the many books written about and by the Rolling Stones. I know that both Marianne Faithfull and Andrew Loog Oldham have written two autobiographies. How much do they differ, is one better than the other?

Stoned is about himself, his upbringing, discovering the stones and the very early days of the stones. 2Stoned picks up where the first one ended, covers a lot of stuff up to the present day.

They are both essential!

I have read Marianne's first book, but not the second because I think it's essentially just a stripped down version of the first one? Her first one is essential too imo.

Some iffy facts in all of the above, but the inside view and insight you can only get from such people more than makes up for it.



* His Majesty, Prince Jones smiled as he moved among the crowd *

I just finished reading both of Marianne's books. The first one is great! The second is somewhat interesting, it does pick up mostly where the first one left off, but it's a bit pretentious to me. It just felt like she wrote it to grab some more cash.

I just got a NOOK and I like it, but so many older titles are not available as e-readers. I can get both Marianne and Andrew's second books, but not the first ones. I'll have to check out the library.

Thanks for the Stoned reviews.

In no way do I wish to spam this thread but I am the admin for Andrew Oldham's "official" Facebook page. People seem to be enjoying it and I forward interesting questions to Andrew to make sure he has the opportunity to reply.

Apart from his daily radio show on Sirius XM, Little Steven's Underground Garage channel, Andrew has been quite busy. The Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra Plays the Rolling Stones Songbook Volume 2 is in the can and will be available soon.

If you missed Stoned and 2Stoned, you can catch up with Andrew's latest eBook, Rolling Stoned. It's an Oldham produced remix/remaster of the two books with updates. You can buy it here: Amazon.com: Rolling Stoned eBook: Andrew Loog Oldham: Kindle Store - [amzn.com]

Andrew has also finished a third book that profiles influential hustlers he's known, admired, or worked with. Featured are Allen Klen, Brian Epstein, Phil Spector, Albert Grossman, Malcolm McLaren, etc. Look for Stone Free to be available as a Kindle book very soon.

Andrew also wrote a piece on the year 1962 for Newsweek's special issue on the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles. It should still be available online.

It's also available (free) on Andrew's FB page:

www.facebook.com/andrewloogoldham

Thanks,
Ron



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2012-06-25 01:36 by RonRoss.

Ron,
Nice to see you on here! Thanks for the post.

Maybe you could make a quick trip to the "musicians getting screwed" thread and give us your informed opinion in a post there. I would be interested to hear what you and/or Mr. Oldham have to say on the subject. With thanks. peace

Quote
RonRoss
In no way do I wish to spam this thread but I am the admin for Andrew Oldham's "official" Facebook page. People seem to be enjoying it and I forward interesting questions to Andrew to make sure he has the opportunity to reply.

Apart from his daily radio show on Sirius XM, Little Steven's Underground Garage channel, Andrew has been quite busy. The Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra Plays the Rolling Stones Songbook Volume 2 is in the can and will be available soon.

If you missed Stoned and 2Stoned, you can catch up with Andrew's latest eBook, Rolling Stoned. It's an Oldham produced remix/remaster of the two books with updates. You can buy it here: Amazon.com: Rolling Stoned eBook: Andrew Loog Oldham: Kindle Store - [amzn.com]

Andrew has also finished a third book that profiles influential hustlers he's known, admired, or worked with. Featured are Allen Klen, Brian Epstein, Phil Spector, Albert Grossman, Malcolm McLaren, etc. Look for Stone Free to be available as a Kindle book very soon.

Andrew also wrote a piece on the year 1962 for Newsweek's special issue on the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles. It should still be available online.

It's also available (free) on Andrew's FB page:

www.facebook.com/andrewloogoldham

Thanks,
Ron

Thanks Ron. I have both books, and they're much better written (and more fun) than most of this genre. Essential reading.

Andrew was great in the post "Charlie is my Darling" screening in Vancouver, November 2010 if memory serves. Loved his forthrightness.

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His Majesty
Bloody great books!

smile: i'm glad they groove you, HM! i kinda somehow reckoned they would - especially the first one :E

i found Stoned about a thousand times more interesting than i expected to.
2Stoned was harder for me to get into - even though the "unstuck-in-time" quality
probably conveys a lot of ALO's state of mind during certain periods, for me it was just too hard to follow.
parts of it are absolute gems, though, so ... yeah: essential indeed!

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with sssoul

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His Majesty
Bloody great books!

smile: i'm glad they groove you, HM! i kinda somehow reckoned they would - especially the first one :E

* His Majesty, Prince Jones smiled as he moved among the crowd *

I gave up pages into Oldham's first volume and merely skimmed the rest. His attempt at "clever" language grated on me. His memoir reminded me of (Beatles press officer) Derek Taylor's memoir. Taylor's pretentious phrasing made me give up on his book, too.

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Title5Take1
Taylor's pretentious phrasing made me give up on his book, too.

I'm with you on that one, my thoughts EXACTLY. The jury is still out on the ALO books, I am hoping they are less offensive in that regard. peace

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Naturalust

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Title5Take1
Taylor's pretentious phrasing made me give up on his book, too.

I'm with you on that one, my thoughts EXACTLY. The jury is still out on the ALO books, I am hoping they are less offensive in that regard. peace

They are both very Andrew, which is a good thing...

Insightful, erratic, shocking, gentle, egotistical, optimistic, sad, happy, tragic etc etc.

He speaks his mind, but lets others speak theirs too.

* His Majesty, Prince Jones smiled as he moved among the crowd *

Q&A...

[eil.com]

* His Majesty, Prince Jones smiled as he moved among the crowd *

Thanks His Majesty that is a good interview and worth posting here on IORR without the need to link. Here is it. peace

Dear Mr. Oldham,
I know that you were a big part in helping the Rolling Stones become so big, and it was you who put Mick and Keith together to write music.

Why didn't you go to Brian Jones and put him in the mix? He was one of the leaders... neither Mick, Keith or Brian at the time could write music. I never understood why you didn't go to Brian and Mick? Plus HOW much of their music did you really help write in the early days?

John, You looked at the likely lads... the ones who were not confused by the game and that was Mick and Keith. In fact, I did try and get the songs out of Brian he professed to have in him. I put him in a hotel room with Gene Pitney, who was no slouch in the song-writing department ["Hello, Mary Lou" and "He's a Rebel" etc] and the results were C sides. You cannot write down to pop music, it smells out the fake. And in that department Brian was a fake... he wanted the rewards of pop , but viewed himself a purist, and Mick and Keith's early efforts junk, though he did not mind jumping around on stage and TV to them. A convoluted, talented, very talented, tortured annoying human being. As for the " HOW much" of your question I did not write any of their music save change the title and edit some verses on what became " as tears go by" and write a couple of songs with Keith.
Very best, ALO




BLAKE


Andrew, Looking back on your life, do have any regrets or would you do anything different? Thanks!

Blake, Not having spent more time in Las Vegas ...... no, I've always figured the money I missed was the money that would have killed me. You cannot look back on life the way you suggest, you can only look forward and say "how can I improve my game from here?" Spending time on what I got wrong would be time taken away from what I got right. Wellness, ALO.





MASSIMO


Hello Andrew!
Over the years I have always been intrigued by the number of unreleased songs the Stones recorded when you produced them. There are many leftovers?

Massimo, I do not think so. I think "Metamorphosis" took care of that. You must remember that in my time with the group we had to come up with three or four LP's a year and three to five singles. That does not leave much time for rejects or stockpiling. I'm sure that if you move forward to the Jimmy Miller period there are some unreleased gems, in that they were in the studio more than they were on the road for the beginning of that time. Best, ALO





Carmelo Hernández


Hi Andrew,
What really happend into The Nice combo when Davis O´List was fired? Was really David a drugs teaker (in the same vein than Syd Barrett) or really his failure was due to musical differences with Keith Emerson or ego problems between the two musicians? When The Nice rejoine in 2005 for a couple of live concerts, David was off the photo newly. Is this an evidence of the broken relationship in the past with his colleagues? What do you remains about David O´List in his Nice days with Immediate?

Carmelo, For me The Nice was over once Davy left. I'm not into trios, apart from the Beverly Sisters. But I had a record company to maintain so I whored-down; media'd up and created a visage around their 8 minutes of nonsense of "America" from" West Side Story". The group believed the hype and became almost as grandiose as I was at the time. Saludos, ALO




JOHN MOULD


Hi Andrew,
I have a question concerning the late Duncan Browne, who was signed to Immediate Records for his early releases.
Where and when did you first meet Duncan and what did you make of him both as a person and a music maker? Thankss

John, I cannot remember the exact way I met Duncan. He may have called up and asked to see me, something as simple as that. Duncan was so talented; I was talking about him with Colin Blunstone just last week at a Little Steven concert featuring The Zombies. Colin was the only person in the room who did not talk about himself. He talked about Duncan, with whom he roomed - in the 80's, I think. In any event it may have said on the records I caused with Duncan "produced by Andrew Loog Oldham" but all I did was book the studio and watch the lad do his magic. And magic it was. Thanks for bringing Duncan up. Best, ALO





HERMAN HAMERPAGT


Dear Andrew,
Through the years I have become a collector of the music sung/written/produced by Mike D'Abo. You brought him into the Immediate Record company (I'm sure he still will be grateful for that.
Can you tell me why you brought him in and what you had in mind should be his work for "your" artists. I would be grateful if gave me some details. Best regards.

Herman, I'm not sure how grateful Michael is today. The sad disarray that became Immediate today has many artists who are not such big wage earners today bitter about their original time with Tony Calder and myself at Immediate. They forget the good part because they are not sure they can do it again. I think we were trying to steal him away from Manfred Mann. We also saw him as future Holland & Dozier all on his ownsome, although whilst with us he wrote some great stuff with Tony McCauley and some great unreleased songs, as far as I know, with Dave Clark Five man, Mike Smith. I think we wanted the two Mike's to record together but Immediate was already going down the tubes and we got stuck with Andy Fairweather-Lowe.
Danke mucho, ALO





ERIC


Is the story about the sexual relationship between Mick and Brian true? Best Regards

Eric, The whole game is about sex, but whether Mick and Brian got cold one night was none of my business, and certainly none of yours, therefore, with quasi-regret I can add no hairs to your palm. Read on. Rest, ALO





GLENN J AVENI


Much thanx for helping get some of the greatest music made and pushed out to the hungry masses!! but in doing that at such an intense level in the early days, as was done with other great bands/artists i.e. zeppelin, who, Dylan, Beatles, Elvis, cream, Neil young, etc., thus building the music industry empire, what repercussions do you see today controlling the music/musician environment that restrict the flow of truly inspired art??? or has it mostly been the case that it's just someone of your capacity (as few as there may be) that decides to push a talent (either true or manufactured) into the mass market thereby reaping the $$$$$$$$/power benefits? And on another note, how do you see the progress of technology in the music creating environment that is to "allow greater musical creation" but actually hinders the primal creative muse connection? These and other meanderings....

Glenn, In the words of the great songwriter, Boudleaux Bryant, " unless you know in your heart that you're great, feel in your bones that you're lucky and think in your soul that God might just let you get away with it, then pick something more certain."
Nothing changes, the zeros just get bigger and smaller, but the road will always tell you who you are. Very best, ALO




JANSSEN HARM


Hello, What is your current relationship with the Stones? Do you need a pass to get a show? Can you go to whatever concert you'd like? Basically, are you still good friends? Thank you,

Oh, Janssen, I wish I could make you happy. I have to pay for my tickets, I'm happy to see Charlie and Keith on those occasions and have dinner with Bill whenever I'm in London. I think of Brian often and Mick fondly. More seriously, if you get off the work train it's hard to get back on, it keeps on moving and working. Or put another way how many of your old girl-friends can you go back to and have the song remain the same? Best, ALO




RONALD A. BURLA


What was the inspiration behind the exquisite liner notes on "Decembers Children (and everybody's)"? Waited a long, long time to ask this one. And thank you. For it all.

Ronald, The fame; the arrogance; the drugs and the fact that I'd read and marvelled at Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange". Thanks for the "for it all". tiz appreciated. Best, ALO




G.J.C. VAN STEIN


Hi Andrew, People can refer to ABBA as the "Fab Four from Sweden", although I think this is not 100% true in its nature.
Why? Thank you!

G.J., "The Fab Four" is swung around as much as Blair on "we are winning the war". This year it was Oasis. Anyway wasn't one of them a Nazi? The Beatles opened the door for everything, including this e-com. someone should get Brian Epstein recognition; it is Brian who persevered and got the Beatles their recording contract and that is where all this began. I'm sure John (Lennon) would agree that it's Brian that deserves the airport, after all it was him who gave the Beatles wings... hmmm....Finally a pun-hun ! danke, ALO




RUBEN LEAL


Hello Andrew, I am a person who like all of us have been given a gift and my gift is I am unlike millions of people.....I have been given the gift of happiness it's truly an amazing gift and what makes me happy is helping people and the great thing about helping people is YOU CAN help someone without money ...we all have one go round on this earth and I'm so glad I am not chasing after nor am I driven by money it literally means nothing to me...yes I know we need it to live but I don't need much...so with that said..........some people with money such as yourself may help people and don't like to let it be known they like it to be kept anonymous......so my question to you is give us another side of you that most people might not know....do you help people? i.e....how do you give back? ....is there a charity you give to or school or something that is something you absolutely love and makes you very happy? ........also of all the things in life ...family is a given....what is the ONE thing that TRULY MAKES YOU HAPPY?.......sorry for ranting but it's not everyday that someone gets A CHANCE to ask a legend ...one question...I've got so many more. but that was my one shot ...thanks so much ...health and continued happiness to you and everyone you love...if this question is not used at least I got to say hi!!!

Ruben, Hi tambien. One of the old sages, probably Freddie Gandhi, or one of the Gandhi lads said that "the first 30 years are for learning; the second 30 for earning and the last 30 for giving back." I am actually not rich in the present time meaning of the word. I can afford to fly to the Rolls Royce showroom, but could not afford the car, but Bogota to Berkeley square in business ain't bad, is it?... We support a dog shelter here in Bogotá, specifically we have adopted a few dogs and pay for their care; we support a young girl through med school who was in a street gang and a few things on that level. About twenty years ago a Colombian money runner pal said something that harnessed my material code into better condition. He said "Don't have tears for the things that don't have tears for you." That helped me a lot. You cannot be truly happy, or serve family or any entity if you do not have a healthy respect for yourself. This time you must excuse my rambling ... I'm being interrupted by my dog Gruff, who has just come back from school and wants to play. He turned up outside our house last December run over by a motor bike and the rest is happiness. Finally, are you absolutely sure we only have one go round? If so, be so kind as to share the source of the certainty. Best & wellness, ALO




KEVIN WALKER


Is it true Keith Richards would need periodic complete blood transfusions to cleanse his system?

Kevin, I do not know. When I see him I think it might be as rude me asking that as you asking me might be. When I am in Vevey, Switzerland, where it is rumored his Keefness had his blood changed, we do visit friends' of my wife who run a rejuvenation clinic and "on the house " on occasion I've had the odd pint of blood oxygenated. I'm not looking like Ronnie Wood yet so I guess something is working for me. Best, ALO




BEN


What was the "Edith Grove" flat really like (circa 62/63)? What was on the walls? How did the boys live during that time? It's often described as "squalor". Cheers

Ben, Squalor it was. I'm not sure if the floor was lino, bacon or both. Put it this way I always made an effort to never sit down there. Very best ALO




BENJAMIN ROLFE


Do you feel the Columbian music scene could exposed be to the wider world with a similar influence to Ry Cooder's Cuban experiments? Many thanks,

Benjamin, In truth Colombian music, (with an O, dear heart, it is not Columbia Pictures....) at least the rural country type that would equal the Cuban scene cooder exposed gives me an extreme headache. Even in my drinking days, drink being what usually accompanies this habit, it still sounded like a dentist's drill on Ritalin. I much prefer Colombian pop music, Shakira and Juanes, and the maestro Carlos Vives who managed to dig into the countries musical tradition and make music and records that appealed to grandparents, parents and kids. Colombians have a problem succeeding as groups - look at our football teams, so in the main, it's only solos that succeed. I've been to Cuba and it would seem that God gave the whole country languid sensual rhythm. Anyway even on a Holiday Inn level, if you've been to Cuba, I'm sure you'll agree that their sense of space and rhythm is a more exportable entity than, alas, Colombian cumbia, which are less jazzy anyway. In any event our pop stars have utilized our roots with great success. Hmmm, this sounds like a conversation. Saludos, ALO




LIZ MACLEAN


Do you have any major regrets, or do you view all that has happened in your life as useful experience. Do you ever wish you had followed a different path?

Liz, I answered this for Blake in question # 2. I might wish I'd written the Tom Rush song, "No Regrets", but I didn't. Best, ALO




FRANK MADDEN


Who's snoring at the beginning of 2000 Man?

Frank, If it was recorded during the first three weeks of the sessions it might have been me. Best, ALO




ROGER


Which was the bigger mistake - letting the Stones go or launching Immediate?

Roger, I'm going to assume this question is not sent in with inbred malice and comes from a straight forward higher ground. If it is the former a total jinx on you, dear heart, if it is the latter it is a good question.
I did not let the Stones go - I left. No doubt only a short while before I might have been asked to leave, but that short while is an all-important matter of decorum one owes the people one is working with. Basically, my sell-by date had been reached. There was nothing in my particular box of tricks that would serve the Stones as they attempted to move on beyond the grimmer end of the 60's ... the end of the first golden run. They vacillated for a short while and then returned in triumph masters of the 70's and their game. As for Immediate it was God's way of telling me I had too much money, but on the other hand it continues to make a lot of people happy with it's music, and it performed a great service for my well-being by providing adventure and new delights at a time that the Rolling Stones were starting to get heavy as we got entangled with lawsuits and financial games that I had no interest in or qualifications to deal with. Immediate, therefore, for that while was something worth getting up and going to work for. As I'm writing this from my penthouse in Bogota, Colombia at 6.30 pm with a glorious sunset outside my window bathing the mountains in super-glow , and with my family well , food on the table, and my dog comfortably at my feet ... well, you decide. Best, ALO




JERRY KUC


>Do you embrace the thought of The Rolling Stones still touring or have they become a parody of themselves?

Jerry, The fact is that old people make old music. But a musician has the right to play even if we might question his choice of forum and venue. I've seen both The Stones and The Who these past few months and whilst both have their sprees and moments, it's tough going from the endurance point of view. But the audience has a lot to do with it. You may know that I live in South America. If you go to a Stones or whatever big act concert here the audience gets "hope" , whereas, from my experience in the US and Europe they get "memory" . That seems to have a huge effect on how the band plays. They are re-vitalized by the young as opposed to being coddoled by the old. Very best, ALO




TERJE NILSEN


Dear Andrew, I have been collection records from the Immediate and the Instant label for years, plus your own releases (A. L. O. Orchestra), but I still miss some. Besides the Stones, which other artists (from Immediate/Instant) you think could have reach the same fame...If they have been lucky enough, and Are there Stones tracks who are still not released?

Terje, As regards the other artists and their possibility of reaching the same fame as the stones it's just not possible. There's the Beatles; The Stones; The Who; Dylan and Hendrix... the rest are second division, either because of luck, ability or ability to be totally pro. If I bring to mind the acts I worked with at Immediate/Instant they all had their shot and, if they really had the goods, like Duncan Browne, Peter Frampton or Rod Stewart, they got to the top on another train in another, and correct, moment. As for unreleased stones track not on my watch, but from the later periods I'm sure there are. In fact, on my radio show that I do for Little Steven's underground garage in the US & Canada I play things like the version of " Brown Sugar" that features Eric Clapton; a couple of great versions of things from 79 with Billy Preston that have not been officially released , so I'm sure there's a whole heap there in their vaults. Best, ALO




FLAVIO


Dear Mr. Oldham, I'm writing from Italy so my (first, I might have more later) question is focused to my country. In the last 5 years appeared (as acetate originally and then officially on a Sanctuary collection) the Italian version of "Green Circles" (translated Raggi Verdi) never released at the time and sung in Italian by Plonk.

Before I had the chance to listen to it I did a research, asking to many Italian collectors, 60s beat historians etc, but nobody did remember the Small Faces coming to Italy for a session, even if just to record the vocals, and couldn't believe this version even existed. Can you enlighten it? Do you remember when, how, who was the lyricist translating in my language? Any other Italian related story for Immediate and, back, for the Rolling Stones ("Con le mie Lacrime"? Kindest regards

Flavio, You kinda have me confused. Perhaps my pal and audio shaman, Christian Diemoz < diemoz.c@tele2.it > can assist on this. Plonk is the nick-name for the late Ronnie Lane of The Faces. He could order Italian food, but could not sing in it. I wonder if it's a version I cut with Twice As Much? Anyway, if you have it plz e-send it to Christian and we'll sort this out. As for the last part of your question many Europeans got rich and fat doing awful translations to UK and US songs. In Italy, it is alleged that the head of RCA personally did the translations on all Elvis Presley songs. Of course, there was no way then of checking on the quality. And for the Stones we were both bright and naive and did not know, in France and Italy etc, that once there existed a local lyric the sub-publisher could take forever 50% of the copyright as opposed to the 15% we had appropriated him. So the crooks who published us in Europe, Essex Music, had a little recording studio in the basement turning out cheesy covers of everything The Stones; The Move; The Mamas & Papas; Procol Harum etc recorded so that they could have 50% of the work and a cut of the composers share for a lyric that was not even heard. As I have said if you cannot get over the first @#$%& find another game. Bye the way all this data is in my first book STONED, published in 2000, and it has never been disputed by the thieves that did us. Abrazos, ALO




ALLAN WHALLEY


Would Satanic Majesties have been different if you had stayed on and produced it?

Allen, No. that's why I left. I had nothing to contribute. Best, ALO




PALLE BRUSELIUS


It is rumored that you in your possession have unreleased material by The Small Faces - my all time favourite band.
Is this material going to be released - and when? Kind regards

Palle, I have nothing. I think Sanctuary have released everything possible, including their ashes. Best, ALO




OLE KNUDSEN


Sir, Immediate Records was one of the most pioneering and musically successful endeavors into the music business - I'm sure you would do it all over again, but what would you do differently? All the best from Denmark.

Ole, Old people make old music - therefore I would never even dream of trying to do it again. To even think of attempting it I would have had to stay in the game of music 24/7. I have not. I've just played very well occasionally, mainly here in South America. I have not worked regularly since 1970. Today is obviously a different world and the road is King; the record business is a wounded beast giddy from the headlights that lives off it's regurgitated past. Very best, ALO




RICHARD AUSTIN


It was rumored at one time that there was a plan to relaunch 'Immediate' - Is that a possibility in the future?
Once in about 1994 I called up my old partner in Immediate after not speaking to him in 18 years and suggested we re-do Immediate. I was high. It was a mistake. However, I did have a good slogan for it, but that was all, "happy to be apart from the general malaise ". Make sure you are.

Are there any bands that you wished you had managed/produced but didn't, & why?
No. if I was supposed to I would have done.

Of the bands that you did manage, which project/album/band gave you the most satisfaction from an artistic perspective?
The job of a producer is to make sure the act can fill up space in a successful way and serve the song. My two biggest successes would have to be The Rolling Stones and The Small Faces; equally satisfying, but not as commercially successful was Duncan Browne. Work is a two-way street, as you provide you also learn from the act... you know about The Stones and The Faces... Duncan Browne was amazing. You just booked the room and watched him work.

Any current favourite artists that deserve a mention?
Steve Earle; Johnny Hallyday; The High Dials; Super Furry Animals; El Gooda; The Teddy Bears ; The Hellboys and The Living Things. Best, ALO




CHRIS


If it was your day of judgment and you were asked what your life has taught you. What would your answer be? Thanks

Chris, "You never know and you always know ", I'd also be asking if this was it or was there another life and as to whether I had left a clean slate with hopes that I had never wasted His time . Best, ALO




ALISTAIR FARING


Hi Andrew, Not original but I would be interested nevertheless What would be your desert island discs and why?
If on the island you were also allowed one book, which tome would you take and for what reason?
Finally - what one thing can you not live without? Appreciate all the music that has enriched my life. Take care.

Alistair, Thanks on your appreciation. Tiz appreciated here. You understand these lists change constantly but it would always include Eddie Cochran; Little Richard; the Everly Brothers; Gene Vincent and Elvis. It would probably include Loraine Ellison's superb reading of Jerry Ragovoy's "Stay With Me, Baby" for there are dark days and that would sure lull the storm. I recently heard a 1996 version of " Hey, Joe" by Willy de Ville that was life-giving. Some reggae, some Fats Domino, some Beach Boys. And "Let's Spend The Night Together" by the Stones. For books it would depend upon my grappling with faith, it could be either of Graham Greene's bios or it could be the Bible. right now I am reading the Mormon version and Daniel Reid's "The complete book of Chinese health & healing" and if the island had a bar I guess I'd have to take a copy of " Staying Sober" by Terence T. Gorski and I'd also like the weekend FT delivered if poss. very best, ALO




DEAN SAUNDERS


Dear Mr. Oldham, My Dad played the Stones incessantly whilst I was growing up and that lead me to having a love affair with the music of the sixties. Being as you were at the epicenter and helped create the atmosphere how would you describe it to a youngster like me? Keep on keeping on

Dean, The main element might be that this music was made by a generation that had no fear, wished each other well, and did not go into resentment if another fellow did well. If your mate got a leg-up you just regarded it as a sign that it would be your turn next. In the beginning there was a purity, an amazed engagement with our luck and good fortune that only became smudged for some later in the 60's when the money, fame and drugs did not work. Look at your Dad's face when he is 60-ing and I hope that it has some of the qualities I've mentioned. Saludos, ALO




LISA ROBERTSON


Hi Andrew, Reading Stoned 1 I got the feeling that a lot of your decision making was based on intuition and gut feeling as well as risk. In terms of when you were heading up Immediate were your musical decisions on gut feeling, the person in front of you, what they said or was it simply musical ability of if you liked what they had produced? Regards

Dear Lisa, You got it! Jumping into a swimming pool without bothering to see if there was any water. Best, ALO




CARLA


What were your biggest mistake/greatest risk you took/largest regret (if any)? Keep up the good work

Carla, What dark side of the moon do you question me from? Try a brighter galaxy. There are no accidents. There are no prisoners, it takes two. These thoughts might help eliminate mistake and regret from your process in a world where people are oh, so ready to steer you into that corner. The biggest risk taken in my life I'm aware of was by my mother, by having me as a single woman in a time that was not friendly to that situation. Wellness, ALO




SAUL WATSON


With the recent trend for stage musicals based on bands or their music for example We Will Rock You, Tonight's The Night and of course Mama Mia, Do you think that your life would make a good musical and if not which bands catalogue would you think would make for a good show? Thanks

Saul, My life is a musical. Cheers, ALO P.S. Leonard Cohen; Dion di Mucci.

* His Majesty, Prince Jones smiled as he moved among the crowd *

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Title5Take1
I gave up pages into Oldham's first volume and merely skimmed the rest. His attempt at "clever" language grated on me. His memoir reminded me of (Beatles press officer) Derek Taylor's memoir. Taylor's pretentious phrasing made me give up on his book, too.

At first I thought this was another Woodite attack on Mick Taylor's playing!

ALO: "I did try and get the songs out of Brian he professed to have in him. I put him in a hotel room with Gene Pitney, who was no slouch in the song-writing department ["Hello, Mary Lou" and "He's a Rebel" etc] and the results were C sides. You cannot write down to pop music, it smells out the fake. And in that department Brian was a fake... he wanted the rewards of pop , but viewed himself a purist, and Mick and Keith's early efforts junk, though he did not mind jumping around on stage and TV to them. A convoluted, talented, very talented, tortured annoying human being."

Spot-on about Brian from someone who was there and intimately involved. This should be read by all the Brian apologists who think he was some kind of genius who wrote songs but was outmaneuvered by the others. "he wanted the rewards of pop, but viewed himself as a purist". That must have been very confusing and conflicting. Brian was very talented, he just was no songwriter and exactly the right people in the band were "assigned" to write the material.

Fascinating.

Whilst not wishing to speak ill of the dead Derek Taylor was so far up his own backside that he couldn't be anything other than pretentious.

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Title5Take1
I gave up pages into Oldham's first volume and merely skimmed the rest. His attempt at "clever" language grated on me. His memoir reminded me of (Beatles press officer) Derek Taylor's memoir. Taylor's pretentious phrasing made me give up on his book, too.

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71Tele
ALO: "I did try and get the songs out of Brian he professed to have in him. I put him in a hotel room with Gene Pitney, who was no slouch in the song-writing department ["Hello, Mary Lou" and "He's a Rebel" etc] and the results were C sides. You cannot write down to pop music, it smells out the fake. And in that department Brian was a fake... he wanted the rewards of pop , but viewed himself a purist, and Mick and Keith's early efforts junk, though he did not mind jumping around on stage and TV to them. A convoluted, talented, very talented, tortured annoying human being."

Spot-on about Brian from someone who was there and intimately involved. This should be read by all the Brian apologists who think he was some kind of genius who wrote songs but was outmaneuvered by the others. "he wanted the rewards of pop, but viewed himself as a purist". That must have been very confusing and conflicting. Brian was very talented, he just was no songwriter and exactly the right people in the band were "assigned" to write the material.

Yeah, and even with all of that, there was a gradual, but really good place/role available in the band and grand sheme of things. One which he seemed to create his own version of for a short while, but ultimatley reject... The third man.

Obviously and unfortunatley, it was not something Brian wanted to be. His versatile musicianship suited that role perfectly, pity his mind, heart and ego didn't.

* His Majesty, Prince Jones smiled as he moved among the crowd *



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-06-26 11:17 by His Majesty.

I am almost finished reading 2Stoned. Oldham is a good storyteller, however I don't like the way he ping pongs all over the place from the past to the present. His writing style is for the most part entertaining, you can tell it's the work of a hyper-intelligent mind, but he also tends to get carried away with his love of a good phrase at the expense of clarity. I found his discriptions of his relationship with Mick Jagger a bit coy, is Oldham trying to say they had an affair? I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this book. I really like it, but I think it's way too long.