Bill Wyman’s Stone Alone Book

[ToddB1963]

An old favorite of mine (amongst others in Bill's solo catalogue)

 

[marchone]

Yes, that is a great book, I felt like I personally knew him after finishing it. "Life"

Best line in the book was when a 17-year old Richards realized that the way the world is was somebody’s else’s idea. Brilliant.

 

[bobyoung53]

This is an outtake gem from Beggar's Banquet (I believe) that Bill wrote, it was released on Metamorphosis as "Downtown Suzie" for some reason even though Jagger does say Lucy in the song. I think this is a GREAT tune and don't know why it wasn't released, there is some low frequency feedback from a drum mic in places but they could have fixed that so it shows me they were probably never serious about the tune. Check it out.

 

[Aussie Player]

If you folks are looking for a good book about the Rolling Stones in the Sixties era of their career, I suggest you check Bill Wyman’s Stone Alone book.



It is entertaining to see how different things were back then.

Here’s a quote from the book in 1965: “they invited me to sign a three-year sponsorship deal endorsing the Framus bass and gave me a new instrument, two set of strings and a new lead”.

He is a very interesting guy, that Bill Wyman.

Good book.

Thanks for the tip.
I just bought this book and Keef's so am looking forward to reading them both.

 

[wiscoaster]

Thanks for the recommendation ... it sounds like an interesting read.

 

[pcake]

the demo bill wyman refers to in the book. pretty scratchy, but worth a listen.

I read it some time ago, it was good enough for me to finish it. A certain amount of it read sort of like a travelogue combined with an accounting ledger. He spends time giving Brian Jones his props, which is OK.

Keith's book is the one. Maybe the best autobiography I ever read. Up there, anyway.

keith's book i definitely found more engaging.

This is an outtake gem from Beggar's Banquet (I believe) that Bill wrote, it was released on Metamorphosis as "Downtown Suzie" for some reason even though Jagger does say Lucy in the song. I think this is a GREAT tune and don't know why it wasn't released, there is some low frequency feedback from a drum mic in places but they could have fixed that so it shows me they were probably never serious about the tune. Check it out.

thanks - that's great!

 

[bobyoung53]

thanks - that's great!

Isn't it a great tune? I'm really surprised they didn't put it on the album.

"You Can't Judge a Book By Cover" That must have been an acetate, they don't last very long, I have it on a bootleg: 'The Legend of Emerald' complete studio sessions 1961-1966, its available if you look around. I have a lot of early bootleg stones live and recorded, they were really good live, tight

 

[Jeff K]

the demo bill wyman refers to in the book. pretty scratchy, but worth a listen.




keith's book i definitely found more engaging.



thanks - that's great!

An old band I was in (in the '90s and '00s) used to do Bo Diddley's version of "You Can't Judge A Book..."). It was always one of my favorite, fun songs to play...

 

[bobyoung53]

Rolling Stones- Rice Krispies jingle 1963

 

[TomB]

This is an outtake gem from Beggar's Banquet (I believe) that Bill wrote, it was released on Metamorphosis as "Downtown Suzie" for some reason even though Jagger does say Lucy in the song. I think this is a GREAT tune and don't know why it wasn't released, there is some low frequency feedback from a drum mic in places but they could have fixed that so it shows me they were probably never serious about the tune. Check it out.

Wow! To me this tune’s almost line a missing link! Ignoring Satanic Majesty as an aberration for just this moment, this song really tied Between the Buttons to the Beggar’s Banquet / Let It Bleed era in my narrow view. Great find!

 

[Confunk]

Wow! To me this tune’s almost line a missing link! Ignoring Satanic Majesty as an aberration for just this moment, this song really tied Between the Buttons to the Beggar’s Banquet / Let It Bleed era in my narrow view. Great find!

Hmmm- i actually kinda liked "SMR, kinda sorta, maybe a little. Not "Exile" or "Sticky Fingers CERTAINLY not "12 x 5" or "Let it Bleed", but...

The Rolling Stones - 2000 Man (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

 

[bobyoung53]

Hmmm- i actually kinda liked "SMR, kinda sorta, maybe a little. Not "Exile" or "Sticky Fingers CERTAINLY not "12 x 5" or "Let it Bleed", but...

The Rolling Stones - 2000 Man (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

I did too, got it for Christmas when I was a kid when it was new, I can do without the last tune on side two though.

 

[Confunk]

I did too, got it for Christmas when I was a kid when it was new, I can do without the last tune on side two though.

I wish to all get-out I still had my vinyl!!! Remember the cover?? 3-d piece plastered on?
I might think it would be worth a bit now, IDK?

So, I say:
The Rolling Stones - Sing This All Together (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

 

[TomB]

Oh please, I in no way meant to dis SMR - I loved that album and have similar adolescent holiday remembrances (or lack thereof of that album). I was only thinking that of the Stone’s evolution this tune is musically more of a throwback to earlier stuff, and yet very much a part of the Let It Bleed era.

 

[Confunk]

Oh please, I in no way meant to dis SMR - I loved that album and have similar adolescent holiday remembrances (or lack thereof of that album). I was only thinking that of the Stone’s evolution this tune is musically more of a throwback to earlier stuff, and yet very much a part of the Let It Bleed era.

I guess it was their stab at SGT Pepper, pretty quirky from a "die-hard" Blues-base band.
It's now a part of history, though.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Chock full-O interesting information:

“In 1965 we sat down one evening in a hotel and worked out since the band had started two years earlier I’d had 278 girls, Brian 130, Mick about 30, Keith six and Charlie none. People always assumed that Mick, particularly, was very active sexually, but it wasn’t so in the Sixties. Mick and Keith usually stayed in their room writing songs and back in London they had steady girlfriends to whom they were vaguely faithful. Charlie was one hundred percent faithful to [his wife] Shirley. Brian and I were not faithful at all.”

 

[jnewmark]

If you want tons of photos and Stones trivia, read his book, "Rolling With The Stones."

 

[pcake]

Rolling Stones- Rice Krispies jingle 1963

Chock full-O interesting information:

“In 1965 we sat down one evening in a hotel and worked out since the band had started two years earlier I’d had 278 girls, Brian 130, Mick about 30, Keith six and Charlie none. People always assumed that Mick, particularly, was very active sexually, but it wasn’t so in the Sixties. Mick and Keith usually stayed in their room writing songs and back in London they had steady girlfriends to whom they were vaguely faithful. Charlie was one hundred percent faithful to [his wife] Shirley. Brian and I were not faithful at all.”

yeah, he seems deeply interested in letting us all know how many girls he had (he's a rolling stone - we already knew that), name-dropping and and letting us know negative things about the other stones and management than talking about music, gear and so on.

i must admit, i liked him better before reading this book...