Stoned: Andrew Loog Oldham

'People say I made the Stones. I didn't. They were there already. They only wanted exploiting. They were all bad boys when I found them. I just brought out the worst in them.'

Andrew Loog Oldham was a mere nineteen years old when he stumbled upon and subsequently became the manager and producer of a then-unknown band called The Rolling Stones. His radical vision, audacious strategies, and sheer force of will transformed them from a starving South London blues combo into what would become universally known as The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band That Ever Drew Breath. The revolutionary tactics he employed to achieve this provoked an astonishing mixture of adulation and revulsion throughout British society and far beyond its borders.

Oldham was the quintessential ultra-hip mod of his era, flash, brash, and schooled in the cutting-edge style propagated by Mary Quant. He was a hustler of undeniable genius, driven by an insatiable appetite for scandal, notoriety, and innovation. This book delves into the very core of that transformation, revealing how Oldham's cunning and relentless ambition not only shaped the band's image but also ignited the cultural firestorm that followed their rise to global superstardom. It offers a fascinating insight into the dynamic between a young, raw musical talent and a manager who understood implicitly how to manipulate the burgeoning media landscape to create a legend.