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Topic: EOMS-A Season In Hell-Greenfield-Riffy's review Return to archive
16th October 2006 09:57 PM
Riffhard "Late one night as Keith picks up debris in the living room,he notices a pill lying on the floor. Although there is no saying who dropped it there or what it in fact may be,a leaper,a creeper,or a black bomber(but most certainly not a vitamin of any kind),Keith picks up the pill and examines it for a breif moment. Popping it in his mouth,he then goes upstairs to bed. As Stash (Stanislaus Klossowski de Rola)will later note,Keith is tanned and looking well and up every morning by ten to greet the new day. Surrounded by good friends and a few casual acquaintances,the man is clearly having the time of his life. As always where the Stones are concerned,things are going so good that something bad has to happen. And so it does."-Thus opens Scene 7,Chapter 1 of Robert Greenfield's brilliant new book "Exile On Main Street.-A Season In Hell With The Rolling Stones".


My lovely girlfriend bought this book for me yesterday,and I gotta say that as Stones' books go this one is a great read. Greenfield knows his subjects,and this particular subject,better than most and it shows. I would rank this book right up there with Booth's "True Adventures...". While it is nowhere as comprehensive as Booth's tome(it only really captures the insanity of the Nellcote days),it's just as exhuastive in it's research. Greenfield spares no punches at all. What he puts down on paper actually makes you whince at times. The debauchery is real and in your face.


I have gotten through about two thirds of the book,and I feel that I may need detox myself once I put it down! He also slams other Stones' biographers. Spanish Tony is revealed as the ultimate outsider looking in,trying in vain to ingratiate himself to the "inner sanctum" of the Stones circle only to ultimatly have to settle as the "dealer by appointment" to the band,and to Keith in particular. Many of Tony's convienently leftout facts,exaggerations,and outright lies in "Up And Down.." get revealed here for the first time. While most of us Stones' fans always knew that Spanish Tony was,at least slightly full of shit,Greenfield really spells this fact out. He also slams Stephen Davis for his horrid fact checking for his book "Old Gods Almost Dead". If I didn't know better(and I don't) I'd swear that Greenfield has read these boards! It's comical some of the facts that Davis just completely fucked up. Greenfield points out that Davis printed that Keith had Gram Parsons booted from the Stones camp because he was constantly bitching about the Stones not sharing their drugs. As a major fan of the Stones I immediately thought that that claim sounded suspect. And so it was. It was actually Stephen Stills that was deemed persona non grata by Keith,and subsequently the rest of the band. That's a rather large screwup considering that Gram actually lived at Redlands,and then Nellcote with Keith during this time! Davis butchered that obvious fact and Greenfield points it out in the very first chapter.
Greenfield also points out the authors that got it right. The aformentioned Stanley Booth gets props,as does Dominque Tarle.


The thing that really sets this book apart from the average Stones cut and paste jobs is that Robert Greenfield so obviously adores his subjects. Don't take that to mean that he does not dish the dirt on them. He does,and to devastating effect. It would be hard to write a true account of the recording of Exile at Nellcote without delving into the drug induced depravity that surrounded it. I always thought that this was one of the reasons that Mick never really got behind the record in subsequent interviwes. This album was clearly Keith's coming out party. It was his villa,and he set the timetable and the rules,such as they were.


While Jagger was indispensable as co-creater of the greatest album in rock and roll history,it was Keith that set the mood for the actual recording process. Greenfield also paints a "through the glass darkly" look at some of the Stones' closest confidants. Anita is explored in great detail(note to Gypsy!),as is Bianca in all her bitchingly prima donna best. The other hangers-on,dealers,and swindlers are also examined. While these may seem like a bunch of overindulgent factoids they are not. To understand the not-so-halcyion days that were the spring/summer of 1971 at Villa Nellcote we must understand the players that were so integral during the mad dash through hell that helped shape Exile On Main Street. Greenfield has tapped many sources,and quite a few foggy recollections form people that were actually there and lived to tell about it. He also pointingly examines the ones that did not make it out alive,sane,or died shortly there after. A great great read! An absolute must for any real Stones/Exile fan!


Go buy it today!



Riffy
16th October 2006 10:10 PM
pdog Thx Riffy. I will own this book within 24 hours!
16th October 2006 10:11 PM
SweetVirginia
I just ordered it. Now I can't wait to read it.

Thanks, Riffy.

P.S. You coming to AC?

16th October 2006 10:22 PM
Altamont Thanks Riffy, sounds good. I'll buy it tomorrow before I see the Stones!
16th October 2006 10:37 PM
GotToRollMe Excellent review, Riffy!
16th October 2006 10:38 PM
Riffhard
quote:
SweetVirginia wrote:


P.S. You coming to AC?





Would that I could darling,but unfortunatly I have to work. I tried to get the day off,but as my radio station is in a ratings period there is no way that I will be allowed a night in AC. Yes,I am bummed. Verily so I might add! I will enviously read about the excitement as I spin another mindless song from the likes of System Of A Down,or some other such shit. Have fun though and spare a thought for poor Riffy.



Riffy
16th October 2006 10:41 PM
GotToRollMe
quote:
Riffhard wrote:


Would that I could darling,but unfortunatly I have to work. I tried to get the day off,but as my radio station is in a ratings period there is no way that I will be allowed a night in AC. Yes,I am bummed. Verily so I might add! I will enviously read about the excitement as I spin another mindless song from the likes of System Of A Down,or some other such shit. Have fun though and spare a thought for poor Riffy.



Riffy



Aw, shit. Shit shit shit!
'Scuse me while I go throw a little tantrum...


[Edited by GotToRollMe]
16th October 2006 10:41 PM
SweetVirginia Damn, Riffy. Wish you could join us.

Sneak in a spin of "She Was Hot" that night at the Rat, OK?


16th October 2006 10:49 PM
monkey_man
quote:
Riffhard wrote:


Would that I could darling,but unfortunatly I have to work. I tried to get the day off,but as my radio station is in a ratings period there is no way that I will be allowed a night in AC. Yes,I am bummed. Verily so I might add! I will enviously read about the excitement as I spin another mindless song from the likes of System Of A Down,or some other such shit. Have fun though and spare a thought for poor Riffy.



Riffy



Bummer . . . I was hoping we could meet!
16th October 2006 10:51 PM
Riffhard You ladies are too kind! And,yes,SV I will certainly be spinning some Stones that night. If I can't be there I might as well play some Stones and pretend that I am!



Riffy
16th October 2006 10:55 PM
glencar This new?
16th October 2006 11:13 PM
Riffhard
quote:
monkey_man wrote:


Bummer . . . I was hoping we could meet!




Thanks Monkey Man. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger there man. I too would have loved to meet you,and others that I have gotten to know through this virtual insane asylum. I only hope that the Stones will do a few "one offs" in the future and that another Stones Summit will be possible. If not,there is always the much talked about "Summit Of Reflection". What? You have not heard of the SOF? Well then lets start talking about it,and getting the plans underway!



Riffy


PS-Hey Blue when you say,"Is this new?", I assume that your talking about the book,right? If so,then yes. It's brand new. Just hit the shelves yesterday,and it's the real deal.
16th October 2006 11:15 PM
glencar Riffy, thanks!


You can't make AC? Wha-wha-what????
16th October 2006 11:26 PM
monkey_man
quote:
Riffhard wrote:

Thanks Monkey Man. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger there man. I too would have loved to meet you,and others that I have gotten to know through this virtual insane asylum. I only hope that the Stones will do a few "one offs" in the future and that another Stones Summit will be possible. If not,there is always the much talked about "Summit Of Reflection". What? You have not heard of the SOF? Well then lets start talking about it,and getting the plans underway!

Riffy



What time does your radio show end? We're all going to be going all night after the show!
16th October 2006 11:27 PM
glencar !
16th October 2006 11:28 PM
Riffhard
quote:
glencar wrote:
Riffy, thanks!


You can't make AC? Wha-wha-what????



Yes tis true Blue. I am so bummed that I will try and relive Chapter 1 of Greenfield's new book and drown my sorrows in all kinds of booze,and pills,and powders. Well,maybe just the booze,and perhaps some smoke,but I am pretty bummed about it all. I had a choice. I could take my girlfriend to see the Stones at Giants thereby giving her the whole effect of a Stones' stadium extravaganza or I could cough up some serious cash that I don't really have at present to take her to AC on the off chance that I might actually find a pair of tickets together.


She loved the Giants show,and I got a new book out of the deal and some great loving for my troubles. All in all I'd say I made a wise chioce. That,however,does not decrease my level of frustration that missing the AC show will most certainly bring come show day.


Riffy
17th October 2006 02:25 AM
FotiniD Thanks for the great review Riffhard!

I've ordered the book from Amazon, it'll take another 2 weeks approximately to get here and now I'm even more anxious to read it

The whole Nellcote era by the way, the making of Exile etc. is my favorite period of the Stones. All this image of the warm weather in France and the old villa and all the Stones plus wives plus friends plus hanger-ons together in one place... You could make a movie just using THAT part of the Stones history. Very enticing.
17th October 2006 02:29 AM
pdog Fuck Riffy... I hate your job! That sucks hard!
Amazon should give you a cut, you sold like ten books in a few hours!
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