The Rolling Stones: The Origin of the Species

by Alan Clayson

The early history of the Rolling Stones—long shrouded in myth and confusion as a result of 40 years of the rock and roll lifestyle—is made clear in this concise account. Chronicling the band members from boyhood through the band's first record, cut in 1963, this biography contains rare photographs and never before published interviews with family members as well as every member who played with the band prior to the recognized line-up—including pre-Watts drummers Erky Grant and Mick Avory; Mick Jagger’s cousin, Rick Huxley; early Stones member Dick Taylor; and Phil May, a schoolmate of Jagger and Richards and member of The Pretty Things. Every aspect of the band’s development is explored, from their recording sessions to landing on the music charts, in this myth-shattering musical history.