Last-modified: 1994/06/23
Version: 1.08

            Welcome to the Rolling Stones' Mailing list FAQ list
            ====================================================


/***********************************************************************/
     COPYRIGHT 1994 (c) Anthony J. Rzepela  (the "compiler")

   This collection of four works is under the copyright of the compiler, 
   who may, at his discretion, relinquish said copyright to the authors 
   named herein.

   This collection may not be broken up, or be made available 
   by any publisher.  It may not be redistributed in any form 
   if any changes are made to it except by the holder of the 
   copyright.
   
   The compiler of this FAQ retains all rights for use of it.

   No author or proofreader or assistant credited herein grants 
   the use of his or her name to any publisher.  Be warned that 
   attempts to publish this shared work-in-progress may interfere 
   with legal commitments individual authors may privately hold 
   with publishers.
/***********************************************************************/


  This FAQ list is intended for new subscribers to the Rolling Stones' 
  Internet mailing list and digest, known as 'Undercover', and users of 
  alt.rock-n-roll.stones, where it is a monthly posting.

  It is a four-part FAQ list, with the following sections:

        Part 1:  basic question list. You are reading it now.
        Part 2:  basic recording history 
        Part 3:  a bibliography of Rolling Stones-related material
        Part 4:  The "Lazy Man's Discography"

  Revisions, as they are made, will be available at the FTP site at 
  ftp.uwp.edu, in the directory 

              pub/music/faqs

  and, pending approval, archived at rtfm.mit.edu in 
      
              pub/usenet/news.answers/music/rollingstones-faq/part<x>
 
                       (where x is in [1..4])

  where it is accessible by an automated email server. Simply
  send an email message with the line: 

              send usenet/news.answers/music/rollingstones-faq/part1

  (or, part2, part3, part4, whichever is appropriate)

  to the address mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu;

  To get on Undercover, the Rolling Stones mailing list, send a 
  human-readable request to:

          undercover-request@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca

  List owner Steve Portigal (stevep@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca) can be contacted
  personally if there is a problem.

  Last revised - July, 1994


How to use:    In the body of the document, you can just skip to the next
-----------    question  by  having your software  SEARCH  for  the  next 
               occurrence of "@Q"

Disclaimers:   The  authors of information on  hard-to-find items are unable
------------   to  provide  you  with any more  information than is provided 
               here on locating those items. Particularly where unauthorized 
               recordings are  concerned,  do not write anyone whose name is 
               listed  here as an  author and ask if  they can  help you get 
               your hands on such-and-such a recording.  

               Please realize that when you do so, you are asking a perfect
               stranger to give you advice, in writing, on how to carry out
               an illegal act.

               The authors of this document make no guarantees about the 
               quality  of  workmanship  or service  you will  get  from 
               patronizing a publisher, CD house, or magazine listed here. 
               The information is provided to guide you, not make
               recommendations on which vendor to spend your money with.

Authors:     
--------                                            

    For part II of this document (recordings history), we thank D.H. ("Mr. X.")
    For part III (the bibliography), we thank Stephen Carter (e-address below).
    For part IV  (EPs and albums), we thank Anthony Rzepela (e-address below).

     Contributors to Part I of the Rolling Stones FAQ list are: 

        Jens Backlund        (jbacklund@finabo.abo.fi)
        Frank Blau 
        Jon Brode 
        Stephen D. Carter    (stevedc@central.sussex.ac.uk)  
        D.H.
        Charles Papworth
        Ken Pennington       (hfin011@uabdpo.dpo.uab.edu)
        Steve Portigal       (stevep@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca)
        Anthony J. Rzepela   (rzepela@cvi.hahnemann.edu)
  
     We'd also like to thank the fine-tooth brigade: our FAQ helpers/
     proofreaders/fact-checkers:

        Todd Furesz          (furesz@kids.wustl.edu)
        Jim Henning          (ujhennin@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu)
        Michael Honig        (honey@mwald5.chemie.uni-mainz.de)
        Mark C. Walters      (mark@pluto.logica.co.uk)


     Finally, we would like to thank the Rolling Stones, for....whatever.


Maintenance:   Maintenance on parts one, two, and  four are carried  out by 
------------   Anthony Rzepela. Part three, the bibliography, is maintained 
               by Stephen D. Carter, who  should  be emailed directly  with 
               updates, corrections, arguments, etc.


Summary of questions:
---------------------

        1. Who ARE the Stones - what is the band lineup/history?       
        2. Hey! Do you think they read email???
        3. Not even Bill?
        4. Where can I get an online discography?
        5. Hey! Why isn't this discography complete?
        6. Well, where *can* I get a complete one?
        7. What about CDs? What do I need for a complete
           set? How do they sound???
        8. Can you at *least* tell me about the solo records????
        9. Where can I get bootlegs? 
       10. Which bootlegs are best? Which will have my favorite song?
       11. Where can I get online lyrics/chords/tabulature?
       12. How can I get that Keith sound in the comfort of my own home?
       13. Wouldn't it be neat if there were a Stones "museum"? 
       14. I'm a novice.  Can you recommend the best...
                a. albums
                b. movies  
                c. books
                d. home videos
                e. fanzines
       15. What is/who are 
                a. "Nanker Phelge"
                b. "The Glimmer Twins"
                c. "Rock and Roll Circus" 
                d. "Altamont"                  
                e. "Cocksucker Blues"                
       16. Gossip
                a. How many times have they been arrested?
                b. How many times have they been married?
                c. Will the band break up?
                d. Are they going to tour?
                e. Do you think this is the last time, really? 
                f. How old ARE they?
       17. Myths & legends:
                a. Did Keith really get his blood changed?
                b. Do they worship satan?
                c. Is Paul dead?


Sources used in this FAQ list:
------------------------------

(full publication information on these books can be found in part three of 
the FAQ list, The Bibliography From Hell)

The primary resources for fact-checking in this document are:

Dalton, David             - "The Rolling Stones - The First Twenty Years"
Giuliano, Geoffrey        - "The Rolling Stones Album"
Wyman, Bill               - "Stone Alone"
Weiner, Sue & Lisa Howard - "The Rolling Stones A to Z"


==========================================================================
Answers:


@Q1. Who ARE the Stones - what is the band lineup/history?

  The first Rolling Stones long-playing album was released in 1964, to
  enough advance excitement to encourage the band's management to
  release it with only a portrait of the band on the front.  Once you
  understand that, all the rest really just falls into place. 

  Originally comprised of Mick Jagger (vocals), Brian Jones  (gtr),
  Keith Richards (gtr), Ian Stewart (piano),  Charlie Watts (drums), and
  Bill Wyman (bass), Ian Stewart was 'demoted' by de facto manager 
  Andrew Loog Oldham by the time of their first album, because he did
  not look the part of a Rolling Stone.  Although Ian did not appear in
  photographs or get listed in band personnel information, he played,
  credited, on records and in concert with the Stones up until his death
  in 1985.

  The first 'real' personnel change took place with the dismissal of 
  Brian Jones in 1969, who died several weeks later.  Before his
  death,  his slot was filled by a young guitarist named Mick Taylor,
  who had been in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and who stayed with the
  Stones until  December 1974.

  Ron Wood, already a star from his work with Rod Stewart and the Faces,
  joined as a 'special guest' in 1975, and became a full member by the
  end of  the year.  In 1993, bassist Bill Wyman, then 56,   officially
  quit after years of rumours and speculation.  As of this  writing, no
  permanent replacement has been announced for Mr. Wyman.

   
@Q2. Hey! Do you think they read email???

  There is no evidence that any popular musician is hooked into the
  Internet, and the world of electronic communication, unless you count
  Billy Idol. And maybe the Edge.

@Q3. Not even Bill?

  No!

@Q4. Where can I get an online discography?

  Part IV of this document has a minimal listing which includes all 
  Rolling Stones EPs and albums released in the US and UK, excluding
  out-of-print compilations. Original release dates, producer, song 
  lists, and maybe a biased comment or two, are added.

  A section of it lists tracks which cannot be found on albums as 
  of the time of this writing. 
        
@Q5. Hey! Why isn't this discography complete?   

  To assemble a complete discography of the Rolling Stones is indeed a 
  daunting task.  The band has, in its' long recorded history, multiple 
  versions of the same songs, multiple versions of an album depending on 
  country of origin, multiple record labels releasing their post-1970
  recordings,  mono and stereo versions of pre-1970 albums, mono and
  stereo and "electronically processed" stereo versions of individual
  songs, dozens and dozens of singles, dozens of European compilation 
  packages, and then, in the eighties, the re-release of three-quarters 
  of it all on compact disc. (!)

  To give you an idea of the volume, take the experience of German Stones' 
  authority Dieter Hoffman, who has a book out on the topic called the 
  'White Book'.  The work covers all these issues in excruciating detail,
  and requires more than 560 pages to do so.

  So, in a nutshell - *you* want a complete online discography? Be our
  guest, and feel free to type one up.
        
@Q6. Well, where *can* I get a complete one?

  Although it has a mistake or two (out of THOUSANDS of opportunities),
  Dieter  Hoffman's 'Das Weissbuch'  (German for the 'The White Book', 
  ISBN: 3980248940) lists all official releases, vinyl and CD, single and
  LP, promos and dance remixes,  by the Stones in Germany, Japan, the UK
  and the United States. It is more than 560 pages long and includes
  photographs of covers and labels, and a detailed index of all known
  recorded selections by the Stones, even those appearing on 'official
  unauthorized' recordings (see question 8).  It is available  as an
  import, and will set you back about $US 90.00.  As of this writing,  it
  is available from the Connecticut mail-order firm "The Disc Junkie".
  Their phone number is 1-(203)-483-8317.

  A more reasonably priced ($US 16), if less thorough and accurate book, 
  is available by Martin Elliott: 

            'The Rolling Stones: Complete Recording Sessions'
            ISBN: 0-7137-2118-9

  Great for a beginner, this book answers many basic questions. It is 
  current up to October 1989.
   
  Stones "fanzines" can also be a good ongoing source of information for 
  collectors and interested parties.  Please see the "fanzine" section 
  under question #14.  

        
@Q7. What about CDs? What do I need for a complete set? How do they sound???

  Part IV of this document also includes a brief summary on the 
  state of the Stones in the format of the eighties and nineties.

  It briefly overviews who issues Stones CDs, what you need for
  a complete set of Stones music on CD (answer: you can't do it 
  on Compact Disc just yet), and what kind of sound you can expect
  for your purchase.


@Q8. Can you at *least* tell me about the solo records????

  Fair enough. For our purposes we are not, at this time, including any 
  appearances by band members on others' recordings, or band members' 
  efforts at producing or presenting other artists, but restricting 
  ourselves, in the interest of brevity, to recording projects prominently 
  featuring the member, his name, or some variation thereof (e.g., the Charlie
  Watts Orchestra), and excluding singles and configurations that do not 
  present previously unavailable material. 

  Although considered the first 'solo' effort by a group member, 'Memo From
  Turner', sung by Mick Jagger in the movie 'Performance', released in
  1970, is credited to the 'Rolling Stones' on compilations, although the
  soundtrack, which is still in print, says 'Sung by Mick Jagger'.  No one,
  apparently, was all fired up to collect similar credit for Mick's song in
  the movie "Ned Kelly": "The Wild-eyed Colonial Boy".  A traditional song
  sung by Mick's character, the movie came out on videocassette in 1993,
  if you want to rent it. 

  Next up, in 1972, was a collection of lukewarm 'jams' which took place
  several years earlier in the studio while the Stones were  'waiting for
  our guitar player to show up'.  The effort was called  "Jamming With
  Edward", and it features the talents of Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Mick
  Jagger, and non-Stones Nicky Hopkins and Ry Cooder.  It was released on
  the Stones' own label.

  The rest of the recordings should be fairly straightforward. 
  Promo-only versions have an asterisk.

  
  Jagger, Mick       "Don't Look Back"                      sgl     (1978)
                           (billed as a co-lead vocal w/Tosh in some countries)
                     "State of Shock"                       sgl     (1984)
                           (billed as a co-lead vocal w/Michael Jackson)
                     She's the Boss                         LP      (1985)
                     "Hard Woman"                           sgl     (1985)
                           (German 7", re-recorded version of the LP track)
                     "Lucky In Love"  (4:51*, 4:45, and 3:57* versions)
                     "Lucky In Love"  (extended, and a 6 min. + dub version) 
                     "Dancing in the Street" (duet w/ David Bowie)
                                                            sgl     (1985)
                     "Ruthless People"/"I'm Ringin'"        sgl     (1987)
                     Primitive Cool                         LP      (1987)
                     "Catch as Catch Can"
                          (flipside to "Let's Work")        sgl     (1987)
                     "Memory Motel"
                          (re-recorded for a BBC TV show)   song    (1990)
                     Wandering Spirit                       LP      (1993)
                     "Sweet Thing" 12" single 
                          ("Mick's Extended Version", "Mick's Dub",
                           "Instrumental of Extended Mix", "Extended Remix",
                           "Stripped Down Version", "Instrumental of
                           Stripped Down Version")          12"     (1993)
                     "Sweet Thing" CD5
                          ("Mick's Extended Version", "Mick's Dub",
                           "Extended Remix", "Stripped Down Version", 
                           "Instrumental of Stripped Down Version", "LP Mix")
                                                            CD5     (1993)
                     "Everybody knows About My Good Thing"/"Sweet Thing 
                                                    (Funky Guitar Edit)"
                          (flip selections on "Don't Tear Me Up" Euro-CD5)
                                                            CD5     (1993)
                     

  Richards, Keith    "Run Rudolph Run"/"The Harder They Come"   
                                                            sgl     (1978)
                     Talk is Cheap                          LP      (1988)
                     "Make No Mistake" (single edit)        sgl     (1988)
                     "Make No Mistake" (extended edit)      12"     (1988)
                     Live at the Hollywood Palladium        LP      (1991)
                     Main Offender                          LP      (1992)
                     "Eileen" US CD5 has 4 extra non-LP tracks     
                          ("Gimme Shelter",  "Wicked As it Seems", and
                           "How I Wish" live, plus "Key to the Highway"
                           with Johnnie Johnson)
                                                            CD5     (1993)


  Taylor, Mick       Mick Taylor                            LP      (1979)
                     Stranger in This Town (live)           LP      (1990)
                     Too Hot for Snakes                     LP      (1991)
                                 (Mick Taylor & Carla Olsen)
                     Once in a Blue Moon                    LP
                                 (Gerry Groom, Mick Taylor & Friends)

  Watts, Charlie     Live at the Fullham Town Hall          LP      (1986)
                     (Charlie Watts Orchestra)
                     From One Charlie to Another 
                     (CD plus book "Ode to a high-flying bird")
                                                            BOX     (1991)
                     A Tribute to Charlie Parker
                     (Charlie Watts quintet)                LP      (1992)
                     Warm and Tender                        LP      (1993)

  Wood, Ron      I've Got My Own Album to Do                LP      (1974)
                          (aka "Cancel Everything", on CD)
                 Now Look                                   LP      (1975)
                 "Sweet Sunshine" (flipside to 'Big Bayou')
                                                            sgl     (1976)
                 Mahoney's Last Stand (w/Ronnie Lane)       LP      (1976)
                 Gimme Some Neck                            LP      (1979)
                 1234                                       LP      (1981)
                 "It's Not Easy" (soundtrack to "Wild Life")        
                                                            song    (1984)
                 Live At the Ritz (w/ Bo Diddley)           LP      (1989)
                 Slide On This                              LP      (1992)
                 "Seven Days" (appearance on Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary CD 
                               CBS C2K 53230)               song    (1993)
                 "Somebody Else Might" (3:48  remix)/     
                    "Ain't Rock & Roll" (3:46 remix)        CD5     (1993)
                 Slide On Live (Plugged in and Standin')    LP      (1993)
                 "Stay With Me" (edit from live LP*)        CD5     (1993) 
                 "Somebody Else Might" (5:59  remix)/"Josephine" (remix)
                    (tracks are on US "Stay With Me" CD5)   CD5     (1993)
                                                            

  Wyman, Bill        Monkey Grip                            LP      (1974)
                     Stone Alone                            LP      (1975)
                     Bill Wyman                             LP      (1981)
                     Green Ice (film soundtrack)            LP      (1981)
                     Digital Dreams (video soundtrack)      LP      (1983)
                     Willie and the Poor Boys               LP      (1985)
                         ("superstar" group w/ Charlie Watts, others)
                     Stuff (Japan only)                     LP      (1992)


@Q9. Where can I get bootlegs?

    Stones fans are pretty lucky when it comes to bootlegs.  There are
    hundreds of bootlegs available, many of them are even high quality
    recordings. You can find all sorts of things on bootleg: demos,
    rehearsals, outtakes, concerts and interviews. Unfortunately,
    bootlegs are sort of illegal. 

    A legal loophole discovered by 'Swingin' Pig' records in 1986 created
    an explosion in the "unauthorized recording" market, although it still
    finds challenges in court by the likes of U2.  Many, but not all,
    "unauthorized recordings" are not "bootlegs" but legitimate releases 
    throughout much of Europe.  (You may find "unauthorized recordings" at 
    your own local store clearly marked *IMPORT*.)

    Here are the 4 main ways to acquire bootlegs:

    First, know your local record stores.  Avoid the large chains - they
    generally only carry legitimate items. The small, independently run
    stores are good places to look, but used record stores are your best
    bet.  Get a phone book and visit all the stores listed.  Bigger
    cities usually have better stores. College towns are excellent, too. 
    Go to your nearest metropolis or campus and comb the stores.

    Second, go to record shows and conventions. Even the ones that have
    a "no bootleg" policy can be rewarding, as they often don't enforce
    the rule very well. Check in area newspapers and with local record
    stores for dates and locations. Goldmine magazine prints record 
    show listings, but it may not list all of the shows in your area.

    Third, use mail order places. Record magazines, such as Discoveries, 
    (or "Record Collector", in the  UK) abound with ads offering Stones  
    merchandise.  Of course, there's always an extra risk involved when  
    dealing with  mail-order places,  but most  that advertise in major    
    magazines are reputable.  If you're unsure, start small and work up  
    to larger purchases.  Start with buying one item from a vendor.  If   
    they are  prompt with  that order,  then send a larger one. You can    
    usually find a copy of Discoveries or Record Collector in record or 
    book stores, or get in contact with them directly.                  
                                                                        
    Fourth, trade with friends. This is the cheapest way to build a
    collection of bootlegs. Buy a few and trade tapes to get other
    things.

    Caveat emptor. Bootlegs are often over-priced and low quality. Most
    places don't have a friendly return policy on bootlegs either.


@Q10: Which Stones bootlegs are best? Which will have my favorite song?

  Part two of this document is occupied with nothing but answering 
  this question.  It is a concise history of the band's performing 
  career,  and it includes remarks on availability of outtakes,  
  unreleased studio recordings, and live performances.
        
@Q11: Where can I get online lyrics/chords/tabulature/GIFs?

  If you have access to USENET news, look at the groups                
  rec.music.makers.guitar.tablature and the less official              
  alt.guitar.tab. People will often post chords or tablature to Stones 
  songs on those groups. If you have chords and/or tab for a song, feel
  free to post it to those groups. Tab is probably not appropriate for 
  posting to undercover (although it's been done before). If you are   
  posting tablature, perhaps the best solution is to post it to the    
  newsgroups and just indicate on undercover that you have done so.    
  Offer to mail it to anyone who doesn't have news access.             

  The Rolling Stones are just one act with goodies archived  at
  the FTP site ftp.uwp.edu (131.210.1.4). In the
  pub/music/artists/r/rolling.stones directory JPEGs, lyrics and
  so on can be found. In pub/music/guitar/r/rolling.stones AND
  pub/music/ guitar/r/Rolling.Stones (don't ask) you can find a
  selection of archived chords and tablature.


@Q12. How can I get that Keith sound in the comfort of my own home?

  Two approaches, here:

  If you want to play like Keith, well you *really* need a  Fender
  Telecaster ;-). As well, Keith plays in open G tuning, his own  5
  string version. Take your low E string OFF the guitar and tune it:
  (low to high) GDGBD. You can always tune the low E string to D as well
  if you don't want to remove strings. Keith sums up his guitar playing
  thusly: "5 strings, 3 fingers, and one asshole."

  or:

  barre at the 5th fret (that's a C in open G tuning) and slam a few
  chords... hammer on an Am7 form in fron of the bar.. that's an F... slam
  a few more... repeat progression at the 2nd fret... noodle around on the
  open G.... that'll get you through about 70% of all the solo albums and a
  great deal of Stones stuff as well. A few tidbits... Keith uses talcum
  powder on the neck before he plays...it speeds things up a lot, but if
  you are really picky about strings, you will have to be religous about
  wiping them when you are finished. And of course, never be so dull as to
  actually play chords ON the downbeat... wait about 20 nanoseconds from
  all major timing cues...get that one string about 2 clicks out of tune...
  it's all in the tension, you know. And remember, no effects boxes and
  keep in mind that "it only tightens up"...

@Q13. Wouldn't it be neat if there were a Stones "museum"? 

  Bill Wyman operates a restaurant called "Sticky Fingers" in the 
  well-heeled Kensington section of London. The food is much the 
  same general type of menu as you might find at Hard Rock.  Cost 
  seems OK.  The whole place is of course a shrine to a certain 
  well known band!  Bill has decorated it with framed (etc)
  posters, magazine covers, guitars, gold discs, etc etc. - even
  an especially  good blown up cutting on the right of the door
  as you go out, headed 'Korner Cancels', referring to the
  first real Stones Gig, on 12th July 1962. No trouble finding
  things to read and gaze at while you await your meal.  Most of the
  time Stones music plays.  Location: 1 Phillmore Gardens, London.
        
@Q14. I'm a novice.  Can you recommend the best...
                
  First.... a note on the worth of opinions. They are, as the saying 
  goes, like anal cavities.  Everyone has one and they all stink. They
  are also free, so remember that you get what you pay for.

  Detached, objective judgment of the worth of a particular period  of
  the Rolling Stones' career is a problem all its own.  As Keith
  Richards has said, people tend to be fond of what they were hearing
  the first time they got laid.

a. albums

  If you are thinking of starting out with live albums or greatest-hits
  compilations for an exposure to the Rolling Stones, (or for someone
  else's benefit!), consider:
 
  Their early work (the first eight years), originally on DECCA records 
  (London Records in the USA), is covered by any of the greatest-hits
  compilations that are now being released on CD by ABKCO.   

  "Hot Rocks 1964-1971", the double-CD set, is a near-definitive  collection
  of hit singles. Alternatively, you could pair up the single CDs "High
  Tide and Green Grass (Big Hits)" and "Through the Past  Darkly (Big
  Hits Part 2)" for a collection of equal length with a slightly 
  different impact.  Or, get the 1989 ABKCO  3-CD set called "The London  
  Years", which is full to the rim with just about anything the band put 
  out as a single in these years. It includes everything found 
  on the American versions of the two "Big Hits" compilations, everything 
  on "Hot Rocks" with the exception of three songs, and it has several 
  somewhat rare selections otherwise unavailable reasonably to CD 
  consumers.

  (As of this writing (June 1994), the three compilations mentioned 
  below seem to be off the shelves indefinitely and _superseded_ by the 
  1993 European compilation "Jump Back".  If you can find any of these 
  three compilations on your store shelves, you may consider that they may
  be gone forever soon. No big deal, really, except that "Sucking in the 
  Seventies" has a couple tracks on it unavailable elsewhere on CD.)

  Several compilations cover their post-ABKCO work.  "Made in the Shade"
  was originally released in 1975, and "Rewind (1971-1984)" in 1984. 
  Unfortunately, the CD  releases of these two albums have an overlap of
  four songs.  "Rewind" is the  better value for your CD money. "Sucking
  in the Seventies", from 1981, is of interest largely to collectors. 
  It has three tracks otherwise  unavailable on CD, and single/promo
  edits of 6 Stones numbers released after 1975. A 1993 compilation, 
  entitled "Jump Back", was not released in the States, but has, on a 
  single CD, everything from the "Rewind" CD except for "Hang Fire" and 
  "Heartbreaker", plus "Bitch", "Wild Horses", "Respectable", "Mixed 
  Emotions", and "Rock and a Hard Place"


  The Rolling Stones have released five "live albums", and except for 
  'Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!', (1970), everyone seems to hate something 
  about all of them.  

  Moving on to "regular" releases, many people are strongly persuaded that
  the Rolling  Stones' years with Mick Taylor, and just before, are an
  artistic peak that no one before or since has been able to touch.  To
  acquire that era, you can obtain the  albums released from 1968 to 1972.
  (In order of release: 'Beggar's Banquet', 'Let It Bleed', 'Get Yer
  Ya-Ya's Out' (live), 'Sticky Fingers',  and 'Exile on Main Street'). 

  While an investment in the ABKCO compilations provides a fairly complete 
  overview of the best of the Rolling Stones' first eight years, the band's 
  first three American releases ('Newest Hit Makers', '12 X 5', and 'Now!')
  stand as a powerful documentary of what all the fuss was about. 
  'Aftermath' is also a favorite among many aficianados.

  What one critic has referred to as their 'silver age' occurred  in the
  late 70's-early eighties, after many had given the boys up for dead.  The
  albums "Some Girls", "Emotional Rescue", and "Tattoo You" (released from
  1978 to 1981)  show a veteran outfit churning out top-notch material
  which was a critical and commercial success. Common rock criticism to the
  contrary, this rejuvenation was NOT just the result of the appearance of
  punk rock and the Sex Pistols in the world. After all, the punk
  phenomenon didn't seem to do much for Led Zeppelin or the Who.  

b. movies
  
  The Rolling Stones are the focus of several films that have not made it 
  to the home video market. 

  Their film history is somewhat chaotic.  Part of the reason you 
  can't see them all at your leisure may have as much to do 
  with technical feasibility as court injunctions.

  Any movies that were subsequently released to the home video market are
  listed under part d. of this question, "home videos"

  'Cocksucker Blues' - 

      A concert film cum tour documentary, widespread exhibition of 
      this film has been frustrated by much legal wrangling over the 
      years.  See question #14.

  'Ladies & Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones' - 

      A concert film by which all others surely must be judged. High 
      excitement prevails in this film of two concert performances from 
      their 1972 American tour. 
 
  'The Rolling Stones At the MAX' - 

      A concert film of the 1990 European tour (the 'Urban Jungle'
      tour),  this film was the first 'entertainment' film (i.e., no
      penguins, no beavers) to be filmed with the IMAX process.
      Exhibition of an IMAX film  overwhelms your peripheral vision, and
      displays several stories high, resulting in a realism and
      immediacy unavailable with conventional  filming techniques.

      This requires specially-equipped exhibition theatres, the kind 
      usually found only in planetariums or learning institutions. 
              
      An excellent, highly realistic technology capturing a compelling and 
      exciting performance. Highly recommended. 

c. books
  
  The number of published books about the Rolling Stones can (and does)
  fill up a separate document all its own: Part three of this FAQ list.  
  Still, it is probably of some use to have a 'shortlist', some starting
  point, so here are the titles of five current books we recommend for
  giving you a good  start in learning about the history, influence, and
  greatness of the  Rolling Stones. 

  Please note that these five are not necessarily the best 
  books about the Stones, but they ARE the best of what's currently 
  available.

       'Dance With the Devil' 
       Stanley Booth
           - Delayed for years due to litigation, this book combines 
             equal parts tedious personal confession and juicy Stones-tour 
             gossip. Particularly compelling is the detailed description of 
             a group rehearsal. An insider's account of the Stones' entree into 
             the big time.

       'Symphony For the Devil' 
       Philip Norman
           - Stops in 1983, but the author delivers a respectful and 
             competent biography.  Bookended by anecdotes about their 
             1981 tour, Norman's analysis of characters in the play 
             known as the Rolling Stones is deep and thoughtful. Revised
             and reissued in 1992.

       'Keith Richards - the Biography' 
       Victor Bockris
           - Little more than a cut-and-paste job of other,
             indiscriminately chosen biographies, this book still has the 
             advantage of recent vintage, and the fact that the author
             can turn out seductive and flowing prose.  Never a dull moment, 
             which is actually difficult to say about lesser Stones'-related 
             works.

       'The Rolling Stones Album' 
       Geoffrey Giuliano
           - Biographically, nothing is very deep - only a thumbnail 
             sketch of the band's history is attempted.  Sometimes, though,
             this is more refreshing than failed attempts at deep analysis.  
             Intended as pornography for the Stones-memorabilia fetishist, 
             this book has great color photographs of records, books, 
             promotional items, and posters. If a picture paints a thousand 
             words, this is a million-word chronicle. 

       'Stone Alone' 
       Bill Wyman (with Ray Coleman)
           - The only book by any band member that was there in the early 
             years, and at the height of the madness, this can (surprisingly)
             get awfully boring.  If, as is said, the devil is in the details,
             then opportunities abound here, as one of Wyman's techniques is to 
             provide the full text of letters for rather unseemly work-a-day 
             tasks.  Yet, there is no discussion of the band's working 
             techniques, except as they pertain to, for example, how long they
             would spend working on a new song of Wyman's versus one penned by 
             Jagger and Richards. Great opportunities missed, but others taken,
             if you have the interest and patience. NB: only covers up to 
             July, 1969.


  Now these five *are* the best: good luck finding them all!          

       'Stone Alone' - Wyman/Coleman
       'Symphony for the Devil' - Phillip Norman
       
       'An Illustrated Record'
       Roy Carr
           - A beautiful, thoroughly researched, large-format book which 
             presents the Rolling Stones' discography up to 1976. It includes 
             tour history, side-project information, interviews, unreleased 
             album covers, and beautiful reproductions of the original DECCA 
             LP covers. Essential.

        'The Rolling Stones - The First Twenty Years' 
        David Dalton 
           - Dalton has edited several books on the topic, any and all of
             them worthwhile. Another large format book, this collection of 
             essays, reviews, band history, interviews, photographs, and a 
             sessionography, remains overwhelming years after you acquire it.
             Out of print, and highly recommended. 

        'S.T.P.' 
        Robert Greenfield
           The abbreviation of "Stones Touring Party", and the name of a 
           drug, this out-of-print classic is about life on the road
           with the World's you-know-what on their most infamous excursion
           to the United States, in 1972.

d. home videos

  The Stones have several releases on home video.  
  
  Note: ("import") means this is a title that is not generally available 
  in the States except in 'specialty' stores.  Since the rest of the world 
  has a different video standard from the US, these tapes are often made 
  through a format-conversion process, and so may suffer in son et lumiere.

  'The Rolling Stones: Unauthorised Biography'       

      This program consists mostly of *still* *photographs* in a small 
      portion of the screen with a black background.  There is occasional
      motion picture footage (a couple uninteresting complete shots of 
      some airport arrival or departure which would be shown for only 
      two seconds in a judiciously edited documentary.), and the *only* music 
      one hears is about 30 seconds of "Around and Around" in front of that 
      froofy curtain (is this PD stuff YET?).  There are a couple TV news 
      stories (Mick's 1967 bust and the 1976 UK tour), about one minute
      of a Wyman interview, and two minutes of of an interview with Mick 
      done after his solo appearance on Saturday Night Live. (He wouldn't 
      do his Keith imitation without the props.)

  '25 X 5 (The Continuing Adventures of the Rolling Stones)' - 

      This two-hour retrospective of the band's entire career, released in 
      1990, has some exclusive footage and performances from the band's own 
      collection.  It's narrated by interviews with the band, so bring your 
      own grain of salt. Highly recommended.

  'Mick Jagger & the Rolling Stones'            

      A 30-minute episode of something called 'Celebrity Showcase'. At 
      least the outside box is honest: it warns potential customers
      that there is no Rolling Stones music on the entire program. Not
      reviewed.

  'Video Rewind' - 

      A one-hour feature, this early attempt at making a unique offering 
      in the then-infantile home music video market is occasionally 
      successful and funny. Includes rarely seen "official" videos of 
      records released from 1978 to 1983, two television performances
      from the mid-70's, and a cut-and-paste version of "Brown Sugar",
      using footage from several tours.

  'Let's Spend the Night Together' - 

      The home video version of the film of their 1981 US tour, directed 
      by Hal Ashby. Opinion on this film is widely varying.  Some longtime 
      Stones' enthusiasts are disappointed by the performance, while others 
      find it an exciting document of a great tour (current author loves
      it, but he was 18 when the tour took place!).  A video rental costs 
      you three bucks - we're not going to sweat making a bad recommendation. 
  
  'Rolling On' - 

      A 60-minute television documentary, assembled in 1982, but consisting 
      of an annoying 'rock' soundtrack (no Jagger-Richards tunes), and some 
      rarely seen footage from the 'Charlie is My Darling' era (1965). Little 
      to recommend it except when you mute the horrendous audio tracks, and 
      watch Jagger work a crowd in some rarely-seen early live footage. 
      
  'Gimme Shelter' - 

      This home video of the documentary of the 1969 tour and the disastrous 
      free concert that closed it ("Altamont") stands as a classic film 
      separate from any other rock film due to its' too-true human drama 
      and its portrait of the end of an era.  Refurbished in 1992, the newer
      editions of the VHS tape are in Hi-Fi.

  'The Stones in the Park' ("import") - 

      A one-hour Granada TV documentary of the Stones' July 1969 free concert 
      in London's Hyde Park. The stage debut of new guitarist Mick Taylor, this
      show has snippets of some classic performances.

  'One plus one (Sympathy for the Devil)' -     

      A pretentious bore by Jean-Luc Goddard, this film has splices of the 
      Stones building and recording the classic track 'Sympathy For the Devil'
      in the studio. Seeing the Stones 'behind-the-scenes' at work is so rare,
      this is a valuable document. No. No. Yes. No. No. No.

  'Charlie is My Darling' ("import")  

      A one-hour documentary of their 1965 tour of Ireland. Some stunningly 
      funny documentary footage of Keith and Mick, drunk, at a piano and 
      singing. Also, a nice portrait of the frenzy and excitement that 
      accompanied their early road work, including a truly frightening mob 
      scene at a show that got out of hand while the band was playing.  
    
  'That was Rock/The TAMI Show' - 

      The Stones perform five songs in twelve minutes on the "Teenage 
      Music International" show, filmed in Los Angeles in 1965. Other 
      guests on the show(s) were Chuck Berry, James Brown, Lesley Gore, 
      Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, and Ike and Tina Turner. Worth it to 
      see a young Mick and Diana Ross singing together at the finale. 

e. fanzines

*   Basement News 
    c/o Dieter Hoffman 
    Lausitzer Strasse 13 
    D-63110 Rodgau  
  
    (Germany) 

    $20/3 issues (air mail)

    Published by Dieter Hoffman, the author of the Schwarzbuch (Black
    Book) bootleg bible and Weissbuch (White Book) listing of legit
    releases. Provides detailed information on current band activity,
    bootleg reviews, and the scuttlebutt on new Stones or Stones related
    record or CD releases.  

*   Beggars Banquet
    P O Box 6152
    New York, NY   10128
    (USA)

    Monthly - 20 US Dollars in the US, 25 US Dollars for overseas

    Originally a 'pure' fanzine written by Bill German, this survived
    being the semi-official Fan Club Magazine in the Mid-80's. Rather
    tame and uncritical, and perhaps too much 'Bill German and the Stones
    (usually Ronnie).  Wouldn't be without it.

*   Le Club Des Stones
    BP535
    75666 Paris Cedex 14
    France

    Actually the name of the French fan club for the Rolling
    Stones, they'll issue four A4 magazines per year to you 
    (in French, natch) for 100F.


*   Tumbling Dice
    9 Collingwood Close
    Westage-on-Sea
    Kent   CT8 8JD
    (UK)

    Quarterly

    9 UK Pounds in UK, 12 UK Pounds in Europe, 18 UK pounds in rest

    Only been going since early 1991 and still finding its feet.  Each
    issue much improved on the previous, and distribution problems
    slowly disappearing.  No band access. 

        
@Q15. What is/who are

a. "Nanker Phelge"?

  The author of several early compositions ("Stoned",  "The Underassistant 
  West Coast Promotion Man"), "Nanker Phelge" is actually a pseudonym used 
  for group compositions. "Nanker" was the nick name for a rather unpleasant 
  facial expression band members used to make, and "Phelge" the surname of 
  an early roommate of Keith, Mick, and Brian's whose personal hygiene left 
  something to be desired.

b. "The Glimmer Twins"?

  The production team known to the world as "The Glimmer Twins" consists
  of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, so dubbed because of a chance encounter 
  with an elderly woman on vacation, who thought she recognized one of the
  Stones, but only had a "glimmer" of the real identity of her find.

c. "Rock and Roll Circus"?

  Mere days after the release of 'Beggar's Banquet' in 1968, the band 
  pulled together a 'circus': a show consisting of real circus performers, and 
  some progressive rock acts of the day.  Jethro Tull, The Who and Eric
  Clapton were in attendance, as were lions, trapeze artists, and Yoko Ono.
 
  The idea was to produce a unique television show, but the footage was
  eventually shelved, due to what the Stones felt was a sub-standard
  performance. It has not been seen to this day, except for a brief
  excerpt in the home video entitled '25 x 5', and the Who's performance
  of 'A Quick One', seen in their own film/career documentary, 'The Kids
  Are Alright'.  It has been spotted  on bootleg video,  but only, as
  the saying goes, in an 'umpteenth-generation' presentation.  (For 
  five years and counting, the officially unofficial rumour on official 
  release of a long-form home video version has been "any day now".  
  The rights are owned by Allen Klein.  If this can produce money, 
  rest assured you will see it at some point.) Several 
  bootlegs of the audio portion exist.  It was Brian's last performance
  with the band.  
 

  The two main musical highlights were a 'supergroup' consisting of 
  Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell (of the 
  Jimi Hendrix Experience), and a performance of several songs 
  by the Stones themselves, including 'Route 66', 'Confessin' the
  Blues', 'Parachute Woman', 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', 'Sympathy for the
  Devil', 'No Expectations', 'You Can't Always Get What You Want', and
  'Salt of the Earth'.

d. "Altamont"?

  The band planned a large, free concert in San Francisco to cap off 
  their highly successful 1969 tour of the United States, similar to a
  successful event they had done in London's Hyde Park several months
  earlier.  Between permit denials, greed, and a last-minute change of
  venue, the event devolved from a potentially powerful West Coast
  Woodstock to a poorly-planned mess.  A bad choice of security
  (American biker gang the "Hell's Angels") contributed to a  day-long
  sideshow of violence and "bad vibes". 

  By the time the Stones came on in the evening, tempers were short.
  The dramatic stabbing of a spectator by one of the Hell's Angels
  during the Stones' set was captured on film in the documentary 
  "Gimme Shelter", available now on home video.
  
e. "Cocksucker Blues"? 

  It is the title of both a notorious slow blues song performed by 
  Jagger which has been frequently bootlegged, and an unrelated film
  project by  Robert Frank which was a documentary of the Stones' 1972
  American tour.

  The song tells the woeful tale of a "lonesome schoolboy" who has come 
  to the big city (London) but does not know where to find all the 
  amenities a young man needs.  Presented as a single by Jagger to 
  fulfill a contractual obligation to DECCA records, the label declined
  to release it. It did appear very briefly as an 'official' release
  as part of a German boxed set in 1984.  The box was quickly pulled, and 
  re-released without the offending tune.

  The film is rarely seen, as a unique legal settlement has required 
  that its' director, Robert Frank, accompany each and every showing of
  the film.  More bark than bite.  Drug-fueled orgies and
  all kinds of human degradations were rumoured to be captured on film. 
  This was more a reflection of what people thought went on on a Stones'
  tour than what actually happened.  Rather tame, it has some tit, some
  drunken revelry, some drug use by band members, and some footage of
  the greatest rock and roll band in the world in action. 


@Q16. Gossip

a. How many times have they been arrested?

  The band's longtime acquaintance with law enforcement started with an 
  infamous 'pissing' incident in March of 1965 in which Bill Wyman, who
  needed to use the rest facilities at a car fuel stop, was not only
  refused admittance to the chamber, but told to promptly  vacate the
  premises.  Mick Jagger and Brian Jones joined Bill in pissing  against
  a wall, and the Stones' image as 'bad boys' was firmly established. In
  a remarkable  show of solidarity and opportunism, which was not to
  be repeated, all five band members showed up at court, several
  weeks later...

  Unfortunately, being pop-stars in the "swingin' sixties", they were
  easy targets for aggressive  narcotics enforcement officers.  Human
  nature and law enforcement being  what they are, these officers
  descended on the weakest and most vulnerable  of the lot, Brian Jones,
  with some regularity and viciousness, although by the end of the
  Seventies, Mick and Keith also found themselves "busted" several
  times, culminating in the most serious case, Keith's 1977 arrest for
  heroin possession in Canada, which threatened the continued existence
  of the band.

  The Eighties, the decade of the "War on Drugs", produced its own
  comical efforts at putting Stones Behind Bars, but these were so
  poorly executed, they failed almost upon impact. Ron Wood, several
  years younger than everyone else in the band, got his own taste in
  1980.  Although charges were dropped, Mr. Wood was said to have problems
  with unspecified drugs in the early eighties, and also to have taken
  care of them with a "Betty Ford"-type cure while the Stones were
  languishing unused mid-decade.

  1965 - "Pissing" incident at a gas/petrol station. Five-pound fines
         for Mick, Brian, and Bill are appealed.  
  1967 - The "Redlands" bust - allegations of carpeted girls and Mars bars.
         Keith's conviction on "allowing his premises" overturned on
         appeal; Mick's pep-pill possession successfully appealed - Court 
         found that he had been more severely sentenced than an "anonymous 
         young man".
  1967 - Brian busted same day as the "Redlands" case court appearance.
  1968 - Brian busted for cannabis. Found guilty and fined.
  1969 - Hashish possession: Mick and Marianne Faithfull; Marianne
         acquitted, Mick is fined.
  1972 - Jagger and Richards held on assault of a photographer; delay means
         the evening's show in Boston starts after midnight. 
  1972 - Keith's French pied-a-terre is raided; Coke, Hashish, heroin found.
  1973 - Keith present when his British residence is raided. Drugs and guns. 
  1975 - Keith gets in trouble for carrying a knife in Fordyce, Arkansas
  1977 - Keith fined 750 pounds + costs for coke possession.
  1977 - Keith arrested for heroin possession in Canada.  Eventually
         "sentenced" to play a free concert and take his cure in New Jersey. 
  1980 - Ron and Jo Howard hang out with the wrong crowd in St. Maarten, 
         and spend several days in jail for possession of cocaine.
  1987 - Jerry Hall gets into some trouble in Barbados when the local
         customs people decide a 20-lb. package of marijuana is hers.
         The "Kangaroo Customs" officers screw their own case, and Jerry
         is found 'not guilty'.

b. How many times have they been married?                            

  Both Charlie Watts and Keith Richards are on their first marriages.  
  Charlie married in 1964, Keith 19 years later. Brian Jones was never
  married. Mick Jagger and Ron Wood are both on their second marriages, 
  to women they met in 1977. Ex-Stone Bill Wyman was the only member
  married  when he joined the group, and he entered his third legal
  marriage  shortly after leaving the group in 1993.

c. Will the band break up?

  At some point, we believe.

d. Are they going to tour again?

  The band has announced plans to take their "Voodoo Lounge" tour, kicking
  off August 1, 1994 in the United States, to Japan, South America, the 
  Far East, and (in 1995) Europe.  

e. Is this the last time, really? 

  They were first asked this in 1966. 

f. How old ARE they?

  Birthdays are as follows:

      Jagger       July 26, 1943         
      Jones        Feb. 28, 1942    (dismissed June 8, 1969; died July 3, 1969)
      Richards     Dec. 18, 1943 
      Stewart      July 18, 1938    (died December 12, 1985)
      Taylor       Jan. 17, 1948    (quit December,    1974)
      Watts        Jun. 02, 1941         
      Wood         Jun. 01, 1947         
      Wyman        Oct. 24, 1936    (quit 1993)     
                                 
@Q17. Myths & legends:

a. Did Keith really get his blood changed?

  It was a widely circulated rumour that to cure himself of an addiction
  to heroin, Keith Richards flew to the Swiss chalet of an exclusive 
  physician who had a method for replacing all of a patient's nasty 
  addicted blood with good clean blood. 
 
  Great gossip. Bad science.

  While it has been claimed in print by at least one biographer,  this
  author was also Keith's dealer for several years. It is widely 
  considered  to be little more than another colorful urban legend.

b. Do they worship satan?

  Among the phenomena that have become known to us since the formation 
  of the Rolling Stones are: CDs, wireless amps, home video, and 
  Serious Rock Criticism.  Early Serious Rock Critics, trying in vain 
  to capture in prose the mystique, wonder, beauty, arrogance, and power
  of the  Rolling Stones, would often resort to demonic imagery.  It did
  not help  matters that the band released songs like "Sympathy for the
  Devil",  or that Jagger performed in a swirling cape bathed in red
  light.  Blame this one on the old "four blind men describing an
  elephant" syndrome.
                
  Professional demonist and man-about-town Kenneth Anger once asserted
  that Anita Pallenberg  (Keith's paramour in the Stones' supposed
  'demonic' period) was a 'witch'.  But that's Kenneth Anger.

c. Is Paul dead?
       
  He is rumoured to have shown up at a Rolling Stones concert in 
  New York City in 1978 to catch the festivities. Other than that, 
  no one seems to care.


