Under Their Thumb by Bill German Summary
Overview of Under Their Thumb
From teenage superfan to Rolling Stones insider, Bill German's memoir reveals Keith Richards' surprising warmth and Mick Jagger's aloofness. What happens when a Brooklyn kid's fanzine becomes his backstage pass to rock history's most notorious band?
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Key takeaways
The Teenager Who Became the Stones' Insider
September 1978. A sixteen-year-old Brooklyn kid with long hair and a "Free Keef" button sits in his high school supply room, mimeographing copies of a homemade Rolling Stones newsletter. His classmates mock him, embracing disco while he worships guitar gods. Record shops refuse to stock his fanzine. Yet this rejection only fuels his obsession. What Bill German couldn't have known was that his scrappy publication, "Beggars Banquet," would become his golden ticket-a seventeen-year backstage pass that would take him from teenage outcast to drinking bourbon with Keith Richards, cleaning up Mick Jagger's spills, and witnessing the inner workings of rock's greatest band. Unlike sanitized rock memoirs that airbrush the chaos, this story reveals something rarer: what happens when a passionate fan crosses the velvet rope and discovers his heroes are brilliantly flawed humans navigating their own labyrinth of ego, addiction, and betrayal. Keith Richards himself reportedly told his inner circle, "This kid got it right."
From Outsider to Insider
The Devil in the Details
When Brothers Become Strangers
The Carnival of Misfits
Behind the Greatest Show on Earth
The Breaking Point and Beyond
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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