The significance of Stanley Booth as a writer will forever be marked by his proximity to the Rolling Stones. He had full access to the band, drinking, drugging, and screwing alongside them as they barreled through the late 60's. His book about the Stones, The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones, is considered by many to be a classic of rock journalism, and it is indisputably one of the most important books ever written about the legendary band. Quoth Keith Richards, "Yeah, that's how it was."

A native of Georgia, Stanley Booth brings a unique perspective to his subjects. Intellectual and bluntly honest, he is also emotional and forthcoming, his style reflecting both the literature of the American South and the rhythm 'n' blues music he cherishes. While Booth can be curmudgeonly, he remains vital and engaged - this despite his assertion that, "I think rock is dead, and thank God. Rock journalism was never anything worth paying attention to."

In addition to his books, Booth has written for Esquire, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Mojo, and many other magazines. He is currently working on a biography about Gram Parsons. (Read more about Stanley Booth on the All Music Guide.)

The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones
by Stanley Booth (1985, revised 2000)
There are rock biographies that focus on the facts, and there are those that focus on intangibles. The former, typified by Peter Guralnick's books about Elvis Presley (which Booth predictably loathes), are necessary. Without the facts - the who, what, when, and where of a story - there is no truth. The latter sort, though, stirs in the crucial ingredient of "why," often painting an even truer picture of an artist's worth sans the dreary details. Stanley Booth's diary of his time with the Rolling Stones is a nearly definitive example of this sort of journalism. As much Booth's story as the Stones', The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones covers a brief (albeit pivotal) period in the lengthy history of the band, and it culminates at one of the group's darkest moments - the violence-plagued concert at Altamont. But, when striving to understand the creative dynamic of the Stones, or when deciphering their timeless, mystical appeal, The True Adventures Of The Rolling Stones is required reading. (Originally titled Dance With the Devil: The Rolling Stones and Their Times.) [top of page]

Keith: Standing in the Shadows
by Stanley Booth (1996)
Back in the 60's, the author was a near doppelganger of our beloved "Keef." They looked alike, and they shared a passion for delta blues and fast living that clearly led to a deeper bond between these two sharply drawn individuals. The adventures they shared those many years ago - and the continuing access Booth has had to Richards and the Rolling Stones over the years - makes Keith a fitting companion to Booth's earlier Stones tome. To modern, casual observers, Keith Richards has become defined by his incoherent slur and mummified, disheveled exterior. Booth explains why without Keith there would be no Mick and, further, no Rolling Stones. [top of page]

Rythm Oil: A Journey Through the Music of the American South
by Stanley Booth (2000)
Though Rythm Oil (named after a popular but poorly-spelled Southern healing potion) has no direct connection to the Rolling Stones, it goes a long way towards explaining why that bunch of working-class Brits formed such a strong bond with Stanley Booth, an intellectual American. Mainly, it was the music. Folks forget that Mick, Keith, and company started off as a blues cover band, emulating Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and other bluesmen who originated nearly exclusively from the American South. Booth (a native of Georgia) explores that world with enormous passion and graceful language that would make his forbears - both literary and musical - proud. [top of page]