Mick Jagger

A supreme achiever to whom his colossal achievements seem to mean nothing . . . A supreme extrovert who prefers discretion . . . A supreme egotist who dislikes talking about himself . . . Philip Norman has long towered above other rock biographers with his definitive studies of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Buddy Holly, and John Lennon—legends whom the world thought it knew, but who came to life as never before through the meticulousness of Norman's research, the sweep of his cultural knowledge, and the brilliance of his writing. Now Norman turns to a rock icon who is the most notorious yet enigmatic of them all. Throughout five decades of fronting the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger has been seen as the ultimate arrogant, narcissistic superstar, whose sexual appetite and cavalier treatment of women rival Casanova's and whose supposed reckless drug use touched off the most famous scandal in rock history. Now a grandfather nearing seventy and a British knight of the realm, he still creates excitement at the mere mention of his name; still remains the model for every young rock singer who ever takes the stage. Norman shows Jagger to be a character far more complex than the cold archseducer of myth: human, vulnerable, often impressive, sometimes endearing. Here at last is the real story of how the Stones' brilliant first manager, Andrew Oldham, transformed a shy economics student named Mike Jagger into a modern Antichrist...of Jagger's vicious show trial and imprisonment on minuscule drug charges in 1967...his remarkable feat at the Stones' Hyde Park concert in making a quarter of a million people keep quiet and listen to poetry...his unpublicized heroic role at the Altamont festival that brought the sunny sixties to a horrific end...the cavalcade of beautiful women from Chrissie Shrimpton to Jerry Hall, whom he has bedded but not always dominated...the enduring but ever-fraught partnership with his "Glimmer Twin," Keith Richards. While playful about some aspects of Sir Mick, Norman gives him long overdue credit as a songwriter, whose "Sympathy for the Devil" is one of the few truly epic pop singles, and as a harmonica player fit to rank among the great blues masters who inspired the Stones before money became their raison d'etre. Mick Jagger , above all, explores the keen and calculating intelligence that has kept the Stones on their plinth as "the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band" for half a century. About the Author Philip Norman is an English novelist, biographer, journalist, and playwright. He is the author of the bestselling biography John Lennon: The Life and the history of The Beatles Shout! The Beatles in Their Generation . Norman has also published biographies of Buddy Holly, the Rolling Stones, and Elton John, as well as six works of fiction and two plays, The Man That Got Away and Words of Love . He lives in London. A Mick Jagger Biography That Explores The Keen And Calculating Intelligence That Has Kept The Stones On Their Plinth As The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band For Half A Century. Throughout Five Decades Of Fronting The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger Has Been Seen As The Ultimate Arrogant, Narcissistic Superstar, Whose Sexual Appetite And Cavalier Treatment Of Women Rival Casanova's And Whose Supposed Reckless Drug Use Touched Off The Most Famous Scandal In Rock History. Norman Explores The Keen And Calculating Intelligence That Has Kept The Stones On Their Plinth As The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band For Half A Century. Prologue : Sympathy For The Old Devil -- The Blues Is In Him. India-rubber Boy ; The Kid In The Cardigan ; Very Bright, Highly Motivated Layabouts ; Self-esteem? He Didn't Have Any ; 'what A Cheeky Little Yob,' I Though To Myself ; We Spent A Lot Of Time Sitting In Bed, Doing Crosswords ; We Piss Anywhere, Man ; Secrets Of The Pop Stars' Hideaway ; Elusive Butterfly ; Mick Jagger And Fred Engels On Street Fighting -- The Tyranny Of Cool. The Baby's Dead, My Lady Said ; Someday My Prince Will Come ; The Balls Of A Lion ; As Lethal As Last Week's Lettuce ; Friendship With Benefits ; The Glamour Twins ; Old Wild Men, Waiting For Miracles ; Sweet Smell Of Success ; The Diary Of A Nobody ; Wandering Spirit ; God Gave Me Everything -- Postscript. Philip Norman. Includes Index.

Author Phillip Norman, whose previous bestseller, John Lennon: The Life, was praised as a "haunting, mammoth, terrific piece of work" ( New York Times Book Review ) and whose classic Shout! is widely considered to be the definitive biography of the Beatles, now turns his attention to the iconic front man of the Rolling Stones, "the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world." Norman's Mick Jagger is an extraordinarily detailed and vibrantly written in-depth account of the life and half-century-long career of one of the most fascinating and complex superstars of rock music—the most comprehensive biography to date of the famously enigmatic musician. Keith Richards had his say in Life. Now it's time to get to know intimately the other half of the duo responsible for such enduring hits as "Paint It Black, " "Sympathy for the Devil, " "Gimme Shelter, " and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Mick Jagger is a must read for Stones fans, and everyone who can't get enough of the serious memoirs and biographies of popular musicians, like Patti Smith's Just Kids, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? by Steven Tyler, and the Warren Zevon story, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.

Author Phillip Norman, whose previous bestseller, John The Life , was praised as a haunting, mammoth, terrific piece of work ( New York Times Book Review ) and whose classic Shout ! is widely considered to be the definitive biography of the Beatles, now turns his attention to the iconic front man of the Rolling Stones, the greatest rock n roll band in the world. Normans Mick Jagger is an extraordinarily detailed and vibrantly written in-depth account of the life and half-century-long career of one of the most fascinating and complex superstars of rock musicthe most comprehensive biography to date of the famously enigmatic musician. Keith Richards had his say in Life . Now its time to get to know intimately the other half of the duo responsible for such enduring hits as Paint It Black, Sympathy for the Devil, Gimme Shelter, and (I Cant Get No) Satisfaction. Mick Jagger is a must read for Stones fans, and everyone who cant get enough of the serious memoirs and biographies of popular musicians, like Patti Smiths Just Kids , Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? by Steven Tyler, and the Warren Zevon story, Ill Sleep When Im Dead . The word gifted has never been applied to a kid like Donovan Curtis. It's usually more like Don't try this at home. So when the troublemaker pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he's finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), a special program for gifted and talented students. It wasn't exactly what Donovan had intended, but there couldn't be a more perfect hideout for someone like him. That is, if he can manage to fool people whose IQs are above genius level. And that becomes harder and harder as the students and teachers of ASD grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything). But after an ongoing experiment with a live human (sister), an unforgettably dramatic middle-school dance, and the most astonishing come-from-behind robot victory ever, Donovan shows that his gifts might be exactly what the ASD students never knew they needed. (Book Cover) Bestselling biographer Philip Norman offers an unparalleled account of the life of a living legend, Mick Jagger. From Home Counties schoolboy, to rebel without a cause to Sixties rock sensation and global idol, Norman unravels with astonishing intimacy the myth of the inimitable frontman of The Rolling Stones Biografie van de Britse rockmuzikant (geb. 1943), leadzanger van de Rolling Stones