Under Their Thumb: How a Nice Boy from Brooklyn Got Mixed Up with the Rolling Stones (and Lived to Tell About It)
Under Their Thumb: How a Nice Boy from Brooklyn Got Mixed Up with the Rolling Stones (and Lived to Tell About It)
“German is party to all sort of Stones’ doings, many of which are enjoyable, quite a few of which are scandalous. Great rock ‘n’ roll Babylon stuff.”
- Booklist (Starred Review)
“The epic tale of an obsessive teenager who launched a Rolling Stones fanzine and spent the next two decades capturing the band’s whirlwind metamorphosis from behind the scenes….First-rate, firsthand account of the world’s greatest rock ’n’ roll band, and a disenchanted chronicle of its increasingly crass commercialization.”
- Kirkus Reviews
As a teenager, Bill German knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life: chronicle the career and adventures of his favorite rock band, the Rolling Stones. And in 1978, on his sixteenth birthday
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Bill German gets his Ya-Yas out,
The Rolling Stones are one of the most studied and documented rock-n-roll bands in the world, second only to the Beatles. So I was a bit skeptical when I saw Bill German’s book, wondering if there was anything left to write about Mick an’ the Boys that hasn’t already seen the light of day.
In truth, there are no earth-shaking revelations in German’s book — and that’s just fine. Rolling Stones fans will still enjoy this fine account of a young super fan who — through hard work and dedication — found himself on the fringes of the Stones’ inner circle — close enough to smell the sulfur (literally, in one case).
And that’s where the considerable charm in this book lies: Long-held beliefs about the Stones are confirmed: Mick is “a great bunch of guys.” Keith is the cooly unflappable older brother we all wish we had. Ronnie seriously needs ADD medication, Bill is courtly and slightly above it all and Charlie is painfully introverted. And, as Ian Stuart points out to German, they’re all at least a little bit crazy due to the insane lives they lead.
Serious Stones fans won’t find much here about the creative process or inner workings of the band itself. But they will catch of glimpse of what life is like at the eye of the 40-year old storm that is the Rolling Stones. Ultimately, this book is Bill German’s story — but it’s a great addition to any collection of works on the Rollilng Stones and adds a nice piece to the puzzle that is the world’s greatest Rock-n-Roll band.
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|Under Their Thumb Gives The Finger…To Mick,
Bill German’s book is a fascinating read, and not just because it’s about one of my favorite all-time bands — the Stones. It’s also a great insider’s view to the music industry in general and — perhaps inadvertently — into the life of an obsessive fan.
German began writing the Beggars Banquet when he was just a teenager; the Stones are so impressed with the ‘zine that they allow him to hang out with them and gain rarefied access to their concerts and their life. The personalities become well-defined: both Ron Woods (Woody) and Keith Richards are surprisingly down-to-earth guys with solid marriages despite their zany lifestyles. Charlie Watts is an extreme brooding introvert who would rather not be bothered by anyone. And Mick? He’s portrayed as a mercurial personality who is jokingly referred to as “he’s a bunch of nice guys” because no one is ever sure which Mick will show up.
The business of rock and roll is unveiled in all its darkness; obscenely lucrative, merchandise-oriented tours where the original supporters are ousted and big business takes over…so much so that the Stones themselves don’t have tickets to give to their own wives, let alone fans. Mick is the one politicking for these big tours, where each song is sung just the way it was recorded and no surprises or mishaps are allowed. One of the more humorous scenes is when Donald Trump “buys” the Stones for a weekend and fills his front seats with leading clients, most of whom are blue-haired and race out after the first few chords.
The insider information is priceless, but in the end, it is Bill German who is unveiled and the book REALLY becomes what it’s like to be an obsessive fan. German earns less than $20K a year, lives in a roach-infested tiny apartment, foregoes dating and sex, and lives “under the thumb” of the Stones, who change plans on him at a whim. He is horrified when he discovers that the ‘zine he lovingly puts out is viewed by many fans as — gasp — a way to access the Stones, not as a way to revere Bill’s research and writing. He defines himself as — and strives to be — a serious journalist, but can’t understand why he is not taken seriously when he covers just ONE topic (at one point, he seriously compares his “beat” to covering ONLY the White House!)
In short, it’s written by a man who loses perspective and who can’t imagine a life away from the Stones…and who believes that being a Stones groupie is one of the most important things in the world. That may not be the book German set out to write, but it is the one he DID write. And that’s the most revealing part of all — and well worth the read.
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|A MUST READ FOR STONES FANS!,
I purchased this book the day it came out. From the moment I picked it up to read, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.
I was nervous that Bill German might tell stories that would scar my fantasies about what the Stones were really like. But I have to say, he wrote the whole book in a very tasteful and classy way. He did not bash the Stones, and always looked for reasons people could have possibly been in a bad mood when certain incidents happened.
I will say it’s obvious that he adores Keith and Ronnie. And I’m so happy for him that he was able to become so close with them. Mick is a different story. Any Stones fan realizes though that Mick can be difficult at times, and Keith is the laid back, easy going one.
I truly hope if you are a Stones fan, you will purchase this book. Not only is it a great book, but you’ll love Bill German. You want this book to succeed for his sake.
AGAIN, I WILL RESTATE: THIS IS A MUST READ BOOK FOR STONES FANS! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
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