Installment#2
Casting as Life and Art
Brown Gavin Brown as Andrew Loog Oldham
 
Although we decided early on to only feature the 'main Stones' - Mick, Brian and Keith - we knew the band had to have a manager, just like a gallery artist has to have an art dealer. When we considered all the New York gallerists, the one who made the most sense to play the role of Andrew Loog Oldham was Gavin Brown.

Gavin is handsome, English, and one of just a handful of dealers who has an artist-like relationship to his position - he started off as an artist and subsequently became a dealer. Similarly, Andrew Oldham had a creative relationship to his role as manager: he structured situations and events to manufacture an image for the Stones. He forced Mick and Keith to write songs. He wasn't just a 'money man' - and, finally, that's why Mick replaced him with a more commercial type, Klein.

Gavin's personal and professional style is kind of neo-'60s. His gallery has its own scene, which now includes a bar. Sometimes you can find Gavin mixing special cocktails behind the bar at a party. He has an independent approach to the gallery business and a casual confident demeanor. Each of his galleries - first in Soho, and now the one in Chelsea, have been geographically on the fringe of the commercial gallery neighborhoods, reflective of his conscious attempt to construct a kind of major-marginal position within the gallery circuit. Like other rebel-style dealers, he doesn't put all his money into buffing the floor of the gallery (everyone agrees that collectors like art that has good floors underneath it) or advertise in commercial art magazines. Of the artists he represents, one of the most successful is Elizabeth Peyton, whose work over the past few years has revolved around images of famous rock stars. I have one of her drawings, of Ringo Starr. Gavin also works with Rikrit Travatia, Rob Pruitt, Chris Ofili, Laura Owens and others. Gavin doesn't talk about Prada shoes all the time, like so many of the other dealers (and museum curators) do. He's one of the New York dealers who the young aspiring gallery artists, the ones who live in Brooklyn and dream about their first solo exhibitions, think is really cool.

Leslie and I both agreed that Gavin was best for the role of Andrew Oldham. We didn't have any idea at all about whether he would want to do it or not. It's kind of weird asking people you barely know to do something they don't usually do - and without offering them money as compensation. Accepting a role in our cast means being obligated to show up and perform; and it requires some trust in us. Everyone in New York is busy with their own game: when someone agrees to play your game, they are doing you a favor. When we decided to offer Gavin the part, it was my hope that he would find the project interesting enough to commit to. Because if the idea didn't appeal to him, there's no other reason why he should do it. In accordance with our general casting procedure, after Leslie and I agreed that we wanted Gavin we waited until the proper casting moment presented itself.
Gavin's moment arrived in an invitation to a book signing party for Elizabeth Peyton, to be held at Gavin's gallery, Gavin Brown Enterprise on West 15th Street. Since the book features Peyton's paintings of rock stars, the right mood would be in the air for Gavin to envision himself as the Stones manager. Leslie and I agreed that we would have to arrive at the event early, before it became too noisy and crowded, if we hoped to speak to Gavin with the minimum of distraction.

I think Gavin was flattered by our request, although only he can tell you for sure about that. Like nearly everyone in the cast (except me), he has his own real relationship to the Rolling Stones. The Stones are an important part of his cultural heritage. He knew all about Andrew Oldham and had a few pointed comments to make about the unfortunate position Mick has carved out for himself in the present, especially in regard to how "Street Fighting Man" has become a conservative. After making a few jokes about wanting Cosima's role, Gavin agreed to play Andrew.

Nanney Chuck Nanney as Kenneth Anger
Parrino Steven Parrino as Hell's Angel
Ganahl Rainer Ganahl as the Vogue Photographer
Amer Ghada Amer as a Rolling Stone Reporter
Theobald Stephanie Theobald as Julie Burchill
Cobett Aaron Cobett as Aaron, the Band's Make-Up Artist
Michael Lucas Michael as François de Menil
de Land Colin de Land as Robert Fraser
Dalrymple Clarissa Dalrymple as Tony Sanchez, the Band's Drugdealer
Beckwith Patterson Beckwith as David Bowie
Norton Peter Norton as the Pizza Delivery Boy
Yau John Yau as John Yau
Force Yvonne Force as a groupie
Jones? Where's Brian Jones ?
New York New York is the star of the film
Cottingham How I came to be Mick Jagger
von Bonin Cosima von Bonin as Anita Pallenberg
Eisenman Nicole Eisenman as Keith Richards