First published 2012
Philip Norman examines the life of Mick Jagger, the lead singer who transformed the Rolling Stones into one of rock's most controversial bands. Norman traces Jagger's evolution from a conventional middle-class student into a rebellious rock star who captivated global audiences across four decades. The biographer explores how Jagger navigated scandals, imprisonment, countless romantic entanglements, and eventually a knighthood while maintaining his status as rock's ultimate sex symbol. Norman's approach reveals the contradictions within Jagger's character: his combination of modesty and showmanship, his intelligence beneath the rebellious exterior, and his ability to embody the "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" lifestyle while remaining surprisingly tasteful. The book examines how Jagger's raw charisma and distinctive stage presence helped reshape popular music, yet Norman argues that beneath the enormous fame and wealth lies a more complex story of unrealized potential and unfulfilled artistic promise.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, music, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: celebrity, fame
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
640 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday Canada