Time Out

ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM
TIME OUT

By Ross Fortune

And so to the books. Most notable are Bill Wyman's 'Rolling With The Stones' and Andrew Loog Oldham's '2Stoned'. The latter is the second part of the Stones' former rogue-svengali-manager's autobiography. The former is a big, but surprisingly dull, picture book history, aimed fair square at the Christmas market. Wyman is undertaking signing sessions this week at Harrods and WHSmiths in Sloane Square. Which just about says it all.

'2Stoned', however, is fantastic. The definitive book about music, money, rock 'n' roll drugfoolery, poncey designer threads, the feeding of monkey glands to US presidents, the Stones (of course) and the '60s (and beyond). Oldham, of course, was the pivotal protagonist in the Stones rise from pub R&B to the world stage. As Alan McGhee extolls, he 'did nothing less than originate the pop life as we live it'.

'2Stoned' is a 'warts and worse' account told (like the first volume 'Stoned'), not in the straight narrative style, but in the form of extended quotes from Oldham and other significant protaganists (Marianne Faithfull, Pete Townshend, Nik Cohn, Allen Klein, Donovan et al). Insightful and confessional, it's also very funny. 'Cunt of the month,' says Keith of Mick. 'She should join Aerosmith…'

Oldham comes across as searingly honest, but is occasionally hampered by lapses of memory. 'I had sex with either Susan George or Susannah York. I remember that, but I can't remember the difference between them. One of them I dated and one of them I slept with.'

Of the Stones today he is generous, writing in an email from his Bogota home of 20 years: 'In a post September 11 American, the Rolling Stones can truly entertain in an arena where the home-grown, like Bruce Springsteen, are lucky if they can rise above the level of being able to console. The Rolling Stones are the forgiven Enron. They are no longer "the bad boys of rock", they are even beyond the tag of being the "greatest rock 'n' roll band", they are pure "materialanza".'

'2Stoned' is a brutally honest, hugely entertaining, consistently stylish and eminently readable book. There is no better history of the period, more thrillingly told. Last word goes to Oldham. 'The irony,' he notes 'is that the '60s are not over, and may never be.'

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