The Rolling Stones: Off the Record

by Mark Paytress

Outrageous Opinions & Unrehearsed Interviews

A collection of original, off-the-cuff remarks by and about the Rolling Stones, unearthed and reassembled into a vivid verbal documentary shot through with the authentic flavour of the group in their heyday and the cultural landscape they helped define.

In the Sixties, before the self-styled 'greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world' became an institution and Mick Jagger became a knight, the Stones outraged the British establishment with their behaviour and public comments. Always more dangerous than The Beatles, the young Rolling Stones actively courted public disapproval and set out to be controversial. To behave badly and never say sorry was their creed.

Stones authority MARK PAYTRESS sets it all out as never before in this candid potrayal of their 40 year career.

Excerpt

The poll provokes an even bigger outbreak of Beatles versus Stones rivalry. Time for John Lennon to wade in . . .

John Lennon: "There comes a point where the only thing left to do to a group like us is to knock it. I get on all right with Jagger, but ask him where the hell's their new record? They need one out now!"

But wasn't this clear evidence that the Beatles were indeed slipping?

John: "I think there probably was a moment a few weeks ago when the Stones had it over us just a bit. Jagger's the one, of course. He is the Stones, isn't he? Well, about the time everyone went potty for Jagger, that's when it could have meant something about them 'taking over'. But I don't know about now. I just don't know."