Journalism versus corporate PR at the heart of the Rolling Stones

There are some fantastic anecdotes in ‘Under their Thumb’, the journalist Bill German’s account of life inside the Rolling Stones bubble.

As the editor of Beggars Banquet, the official Stones newsletter, Bill can lay claim to more insight on the band than any other member of the media.

Early copies of the fanzine were must-reads for Mick, Ronnie and Keith who invited their devoted follower to interviews, parties and exclusive gigs.

For many years, the business arrangement worked in that Bill paid his way on tours, was allowed to write objectively about the various goings on, and sold the newsletter to eager fans across the world.

But as ever money - or more accurately the corporatisation of rock and roll - got in the way.

Access can be given and it can also be taken away. As time went on, it became the tour managers, promoters’ publicists and other PR types who called the shots. One of the fascinating aspects of this book is how the various managers rather than the band members themselves decided who got backstage, who could take photos and who could say what in print. It seems that being in the band only gave you so much clout in the pecking order.

On the Steel Wheels tour, Bill recounts his desperation at being barred from taking potentially great photos for Beggars Banquet under an edict laid down by management that photographers could not shoot past the first two songs of a concert.

Showing up without exactly the right backstage pass meant Bill would have to argue with publicists and security guards to be let in. Many were not Stones fans and had never heard of the fanzine. He was accused of being a ‘delusional psychotic’ when he told one gatekeeper that Keith and Ronnie had personally invited him to the show.

Despite his undeniable credentials in promoting the Stones to thousands of fans over many years, Bill couldn’t get permission to interview the band on radio as tour promoters had auctioned off all rights to radio interviews. The various managers and PR gurus also sought to steadily restrict what went into written copy.

Rock and roll is a mammoth business and with vast sums of money invested in tours, studios and honing the right image, obviously PR has to play a role. In Bill German’s case though, it’s just a shame he was under such pressure to stop being objective.

Under their Thumb, published in 2009 by Aurum, is brilliant. Bill provides an update on more recent Stones’ shenanigans on his blog at www.billgerman.com where you can also order the book.