Former Stones PR man dies at 73

The music industry giant - known as "Wasso" - died of respiratory failure, publicist and friend Joan Myers said.

During his four-decade career, he worked with seminal acts such as Paul Simon, Tom Petty and James Taylor.

"He was the most important rock publicist in town," music critic Robert Hilburn told the Los Angeles Times.

"He was a brilliant media strategist who helped usher rock and roll into an era of new respectability."

"Rock and roll was this rowdy kind of thing, and he was somehow able to make the mainstream press more interested," he said.

Wasserman also branched out into film - representing actors like Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson, and publicising films such as Star Wars and Annie Hall.

But his career ended in 2000, when he was jailed for swindling some of his closest non-celebrity friends by falsely claiming to be selling shares in investment schemes that he said were backed by stars like U2.

Wasserman pleaded guilty to grand theft and was sentenced to six months in jail, placed on five years' probation and ordered to pay nearly $87,000 (£42,000) in restitution.

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