Saturday, March 16, 2013

ROCKIN' WITH ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM

Andrew Loog Oldham, the manager who famously introduced the Rolling Stones to our known universe gave an articulate talk last night (3.14.13) at Book Soup, Hollywood promoting his third book "Stone Free." He read a passage from same about the late Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, reminding all that everyone in the music business to this day owes his late colleague an incalculable debt for rebooting popular music and attendant pop culture in the 1960s.

Your humble photojournalist normally eschews autographs but concluded that same would look dandy on his vintage portrait by one of my few photographer idols David Bailey in the latter's  book "Birth of The Cool" whereupon Oldham graciously obliged. Oldham's reading was followed by a Q&A from the packed crowd, one of whom fondly recalled Oldham's own star quality equal to that of his charges the Rolling Stones backstage at the T.A.M.I. show in 1964.



Also seen with Oldham were Evita Corby and Rodney Bingenheimer, who certainly participated in pop culture heydays themselves. Evita was former booker of The Roxy's On The Rox and currently designs rock 'n' roll couture (alongside a former teenaged notoriety posing in her garter belt and stockings while its musicians kissed her derriere for Suzan Carson's shot on the back cover of Iggy Pop and James Williamson's iconic Kill City cd,) while DJ/onetime English Disco club owner Rodney has attained perennial Sunset Strip mayorship with his happily equally eternal "Rodney on the ROQ" radio show.  In the same vein, Oldham broadcasts his own great show on Underground Garage on Sirius/XM. His analyses of pop cultural appeal remain spot on. Smart cookie, he.

Almost exactly a decade ago to the day presented another photo op of this fascinating, erudite insider. Pictured above, Andrew Oldham, his beautiful wife actress Esther Farfan and famed producer/mover & shaker Lou Adler after Oldham's keynote speech at New Music Reporter convention, 3.14.03.  

 Also attending Oldham's reading at Book Soup were his friend and literary consultant Harvey Kubernik ("Canyon of Dreams," "Hollywood Shack job" et al.,) his brother and occasional co-author Ken Kubernik, Michael Ochs of his famed eponymous Archives, radio magnate Elliot Kendall, publicist and manager of band Dengue Fever Josh Mills, fellow photogs Harold Sherrick and Gary Strobl, and a slew of artist managers for whom Oldham had been such inspiration. Book Soup is renowned for its frequent celebrity author readings open to the public, and earlier in its theme-related day, music biz executive supremo Clive Davis spoke. It was whispered that he drew not one fifth the crowd that Andrew Loog Oldham did...
 
Everyone there enjoyed Book Soup's Andrew Loog Oldham event!

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