The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones

By: Rich Cohen

Narrated by: Rich Cohen

A gritty, one-of-a-kind backstage account of the world’s greatest touring band, from the opinionated music journalist who was along for the ride as a young reporter for Rolling Stone in the 1990s

ONE OF THE TOP FIVE ROCK BIOGRAPHIES OF THE YEAR—SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—KIRKUS REVIEWS

A book inspired by a lifelong appreciation of the music that borders on obsession, Rich Cohen’s fresh and galvanizing narrative history of the Rolling Stones begins with the fateful meeting of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on a train platform in 1961—and goes on to span decades, with a focus on the golden run—from the albums Beggars Banquet (1968) to Exile on Main Street (1972)—when the Stones were at the height of their powers. Cohen is equally as good on the low points as the highs, and he puts his finger on the moments that not only defined the Stones as gifted musicians schooled in the blues, but as the avatars of so much in our modern culture. In the end, though, after the drugs and the girlfriends and the bitter disputes, there is the music—which will define, once and forever, why the Stones will always matter.

Praise for The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones

“Fabulous . . . The research is meticulous. . . . Cohen’s own interviews even yield some new Stones lore.”—The Wall Street Journal

“[Cohen] can catch the way a record can seem to remake the world [and] how songs make a world you can’t escape.”—Pitchfork

“No one can tell this story, wringing new life even from the leathery faces of mummies like the Rolling Stones, like Rich Cohen. . . . The book beautifully details the very meaning of rock ’n’ roll.”—New York Observer

“Masterful . . . Hundreds of books have been written about this particular band and [Cohen’s] will rank among the very best of the bunch.”—Chicago Tribune

“Cohen, who has shown time and time again he can take any history lesson and make it personal and interesting . . . somehow tells the [Stones’] story in a whole different way. This might be the best music book of 2016.”—Men’s Journal

“[Cohen’s] account of the band’s rise from ‘footloose’ kids to ‘old, clean, prosperous’ stars is, like the Stones, irresistible.”—People

“You will, as with the best music bios, want to follow along on vinyl.”—The Washington Post

“A fresh take on dusty topics like Altamont and the Stones’ relationship with the Beatles . . . Cohen takes pilgrimages to places like Nellcôte, the French mansion where the Stones made Exile on Main Street, and recounts fascinating moments from his time on tour.”—Rolling Stone

“On the short list of worthwhile books about the Stones . . . The book is stuffed with insights.”—San Francisco Chronicle

WOW. Good book

WOW. Good read. Give it a try. Good stone's history. Try reading this book soon.

Best Stones book yet

Recalls a lot of the old Stones stories that we've read in other books. The main difference is that Cohen attempts to put the story of the Rolling Stones in the perspective of a Gen-X'er.

Best Biography

What did you love best about The Sun & the Moon & the Rolling Stones?

I have been listening to many Rock biographies and this is the BEST yet.I liked the writer's tone and vocabulary he used. It kept my interest to the end and I decided that there was enough meat in the story to listen to it again.I don't normally feel that way. This book is different and is great as an audible presentation.

What other book might you compare The Sun & the Moon & the Rolling Stones to and why?

Keith Richards "Life"

What about Rich Cohen’s performance did you like?

I liked the energy of the story and the inside knowledge of the band that he shares.

want an intimate look into a rock n roll band? This is for you

So much I didn’t know about The Rolling Stones and now it is answered. The band dynamics; their origins; their fighting; their enduring success. The sections on Altamont and Redlands were particularly thorough and intense. The author narrates well but since this time has found his stride as a reader of his own work.

Compelling and Informative

I commend Rich for the amount of metaphoric circus he scattered along this book. If one is reading not knowing of the stones, they will learn a richer history than most. If one is going in as a huge fan they will be reminded of all reasons they love the band so much. I was lost in only one chapter do to its information build but I find myself research heavy already so this chapter was not a bore due to the author. Great book to read after already reading so much stones literature!