The Rolling Stones: Unzipped

by The Rolling Stones, Anthony DeCurtis

An intimate and comprehensive volume tracing the incredible musical career and creative life of the Rolling Stones. “As well as going back through our history we wanted everyone to experience and feel exactly what it’s like to be in the Rolling Stones.” For almost 60 years the Rolling Stones have helped shape popular culture around the world. Unzipped traces their impact and influence on rock music, art, design, fashion, photography, and filmmaking. Packed with evocative archive photos, artworks, outtakes, and memorabilia, this stunning book immerses readers in the world of the Stones. Peppered throughout with insightful new commentary by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood, this volume also features a compelling introduction by Anthony De Curtis, as well as essays by Buddy Guy, Don Was, Anna Sui, John Varvatos, Martin Scorsese, Shephard Fairey, Patrick Woodroffe, and Willie Williams. In addition to stills from films, videos, and documentary footage, vivid photographic sections showcase the Stones’ musical instruments, their stage clothing, album cover designs, notebooks with lyrics, and tape boxes from the original recording sessions. Bold, glamorous, and captivating, Unzipped is the perfect showcase for “the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world.” 370 color illustrations

Genres: Music

288 pages, Hardcover

Published October 26, 2021

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The introductory overview by Anthony DeCurtis is a great summary of this 60 year phenomena. He writes how the Stones grew from a struggling blues band to “The Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World”. DeCurtis captures their significance and essence of their trajectory . Young people may be surprised by the early photos.

The book has a topical arrangement:

- Blues Roots – Buddy Guy salutes the Stones for what they have done for the blues. There are short statements on the blues by Mick and Keith.

- Short interviews of Mick and Keith by Edith Grove – with misc. hand written documents and album covers.

- Recording – an interview of Don Was and quotes from the band. On p. 62 there is a great photo of Jagger in 2002, but photos are mainly filler: old equipment, magnetic tape box labels, log book covers.

- Songwriting – this will be of most interest to not just fans but also those who study music and the creative process. Keith and Mick have different takes on “Satisfaction” - A thunder storm is transformed into “Gimme Shelter” – “Jumping Jack” is Keith’s gardener who walks with “plunk” sounds from his boots. There are hand written drafts that I found very hard to read.

- Instrument folio – If you are interested in instruments, you will appreciate these 44 pages of mostly color photos of guitars, harmonicas and drum sets. There are 2 pages of antique instruments that need a better explanation.

- Style – clearly my favorite chapter. Great styles – 100 pages of mostly color photos arranged chronologically so you see the evolution of their styles and the times. This section, along with more narrative, would be an excellent stand alone volume.

- Film – a short chapter reflecting that the Stones have not done much in film

- Art and Design – seems to be a miscellaneous photo collection of covers, logos, different views and a photo of Jagger and Warhol

- Live- Patrick Woodrull writes about the process with squibs and photos on selected tours and Willie Williams writes of designing performances for maximum video. This chapter (and the book) ends with tour posters and Ronnie Wood’s song drafts.

Loyal Stones fans will want this book on on their coffee table. For casual fans this is for browsing at the home of your friends who are serious Stones fans.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

andy warhol called keith adorable, so real

[Rick Pucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. I learned a lot. Too much on the Stone’s fashion which I couldn’t care one iota about as I’m only into the sound and not the appearance.

Finished reading unzipped. An inside look at The Rolling Stones. Thanks to Greg Hopper for turning me on to this.

As I suspected, most of my favorites were written by Keith Richard’s and not Mick such as Ruby Tuesday, Street Fighting Man ( that’s an over amplified “acoustic guitar” that opens this song, not a bell sounding electric guitar like everyone thinks), Jumpin’ Jack Flash and my fave: Gimme Shelter.

Mick’ s writings not to be outdone include Sympathy for the Devil, Brown Sugar, You can’t always get what you want and Dead Flowers.

( Satisfaction and Honky Tonk Women were Keith’s riffs and Mick’s lyrics).

Finally, That iconic stones icon is NOT mick’s lips, lol, but an inspiration taken from Kali a Hindu Goddess, lol.

[Russ Bertetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Stones' fan since 1964, I enjoyed this book on a number of different levels. I really enjoyed the section about their songs; Mick and Keith discussing their memories of certain songs, how and when they were constructed, meanings behind them and the changes that took place with them during the creative phase. I also enjoyed their memories of their earliest days, especially in that apartment (Edith Grove) that should have been condemned.
The section on their instruments was beautifully shot and their thoughts on those guitars (and a few drum sets) illuminates just what these instruments mean to them. The clothing section was fun to look through and see the evolution of their clothes and styles but honestly I didn't read much of it.
Like McCartney's "Lyrics" which I just finished it's full of notes, doodles and drawings that just add a touch a humanness to these larger than life figures.
The opening remarks by DeCurtis didn't do much for me. They just read like more "rock critic words" about The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World" which I usually cannot stand-which was the case here.

[Ron Titley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, how do you rate this book. It covers it all and covers very little. There is so much history on “The Rolling Stones” no book can cover or come close to telling their story. This more of pictorial history of the long and short of 60 years with interesting comments from major players in this bands life. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this book and been a diehard fan since their inception. 🎸🥁

[Peter Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stones are one of my favorite bands so it wouldn't take much to get me to love this book. My only complaint about it is that they don't talk about the songs that much compared to long chapters devoted to their outfits and stage design. I would have liked to hear more about the music as that's what made them famous in the first place.

[Blane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only looked at the pictures. Another pointless cash-in from the kings of such things. Interesting that most of the non-tour related pics stop around 1978...after which their cultural relevance pretty much ended.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[BJ Kellogg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stones have been two steps ahead leading the dance for 50 years. The fashionable stage outfits, album covers and little notes made this a enjoyable read