MICK JAGGER TURNS 60,
ROCKS CANADA, RELEASES NEW BOOK
U.S. Publisher Chronicle Books Releases Stones Authorized Autobiography

SAN FRANCISCO (July 25, 2003): Venerated rocker Mick Jagger turns 60 today, just days before the Stones' Canadian show and the release of a new authorized autobiography, According to the Rolling Stones.

The Stones front man celebrates his birthday Saturday at a secret party in the Czech capital, where the band performs Sunday as part of their "Licks" world tour. After playing Prague, the Stones will head for Canada, taking a special detour from their schedule to headline a one-day concert in Toronto.

As excitement over next week's Rolling Stones concert mounts, San Francisco-based Chronicle Books, one of the most admired and respected publishing companies in the U.S., releases According to the Rolling Stones (available at www.amazon.com), the history and inside story of the band -- as told by the Rolling Stones themselves.

In According to the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood remember forty years of making music together, opening personal and band archives to divulge the rare and intimate images interwoven with the text. Here, in their own words and photographs, is the life and work of a band that has consistently retained its position as a globally acclaimed, instantly recognizable cultural icon.

According to the Rolling Stones tells the story of four decades of music, created together. Band members describe the evolution of their music, revealing how events in their own lives have in turn helped, or hindered, their music making. The Stones also talk about the four decades of life they have lived together: from landing their first gigs to selling out stadiums and arenas, from starting out as a cover band to becoming one of the most covered bands in the world.

The book's text was drawn from new interviews with the four rockers, extensive discussions conducted during the fall and winter of 2002/2003, especially for this book. The personality and individuality of each of the Stones' voices has been captured in the twelve chronological chapters, each band member giving his own take on different events and influences, views that are in turn insightful, funny, poignant and surprising -- but, above all, completely authentic.

Interspersed with each chapter are short reflections written by key participants in the Stones' forty-year story, including insiders such as Atlantic Records boss Ahmet Ertegun, photographer David Bailey and current producer Don Was. A reference section, covering the Rolling Stones' discography, gigography and chronology, completes this must-read volume. Rather than simply listing dates and data, this invaluable appendix is punctuated by the Stones' own pithy comments on the music and the memories.

Although the Stones began their forty-year journey with almost immediate success, they also experienced inevitable pressures, emerging from periods of acclaim and adversity to continue together, always stronger, always exploring. From single hits like "The Last Time" and "Satisfaction," to fresh, new songs such as "Don't Stop" and "Losing My Touch," released on their best-selling 2002 compilation Forty Licks, the music of the Rolling Stones has been an essential part of the soundtrack of at least two generations of people.

According to the Rolling Stones
October 2nd, 2003
$40.00 hardcover
0-8118-4060-3
8 7/16 x 11 7/16 in, 360 pp, 350 color images

About Chronicle Books
Inspired by the enduring magic and importance of books, the objective of Chronicle Books is to create and distribute exceptional publishing that is instantly recognizable for its spirit, creativity and value. One of the most admired and respected publishing companies in the US, Chronicle Books was founded in 1966 and, over the years, has developed a reputation for award-winning, innovative books. The company continues to challenge conventional publishing wisdom, setting trends in both subject and format, maintaining a list that includes fine art titles in design, art, architecture and photography. To visit Chronicle Books online, go to www.chroniclebooks.com.

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