Andrew Loog Oldham (left) with John Cavanagh.




George Gallagher (left), Frazer Watson (centre0 of The Poets with Andrew.

When evaluating the importance of key figures in popular culture of the last 50 years, it would be impossible to over-estimate the importance of Andrew Loog Oldham. In the early days of the Beatles’ career at Parlophone records, their manager Brian Epstein turned to Andrew to boost their publicity beyond the realms which labels understood in the U.K. at that time. Soon Oldham would be creating an indelible image for the band he was managing and producing in his own right: The Rolling Stones.

So much of the music industry searches for an imitation of what is already successful. ALO’s ears were open to unique sound, such as those from Glasgow’s Poets, a band whose sales success in the ‘60s showed little indication of the esteem their music is held in today. Oldham championed talents as diverse as Nico and Del Shannon, Vashti Bunyan and John Mayall and realised the importance of fashion and image as part of the music explosion of the 1960s.

His two volume autobiography, ‘Stoned’ and ‘2 Stoned’, is a fascinating insight into the life of this highly influential figure - the third volume in this triography, ‘Stone Free’, will be published soon and HBO (Home Box Office, original cable provider of The Sopranos) are developing a series from the first two books. He has been a DJ/commentator for Little Steven Van Zandt’s ‘Underground Garage’ on the US satellite station SIRIUS/XM for the past five years

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Andrew Loog Oldham (left0 with Del Shannon