[citation needed] Stone was a few years younger than his later musical partner Michael Moorcock but grew up in the same part of South London, knew the same book- and music-shops and had the same enthusiasms.

Educated at Whitgift School, he initially wanted to be a journalist and began as a cub reporter on The Croydon Advertiser, interviewing Jimmy Page when he was still a session musician.

[2] Stone played in many groups, including Junior's Blues Band, Stone's Masonry, Almost Presley, The Action, Savoy Brown Blues Band, Mighty Baby, Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, Les Soucoupes violentes, Southern Comfort, Pink Fairies, The 101ers, Wreckless Eric, and the Gibson Girls.

[citation needed] He continued to play, backing Marianne Faithfull in her live performances, lead guitar in the French band Almost Presley and others.

He was a great fan of the writer M. P. Shiel, who first inspired his passion for book collecting and later book-selling, achieving an international reputation as a bookrunner.