Their few excursions into this area, such as 2005’s Rolling Stones Rarities 1971-2003 (EMI/Virgin 0946 3 45401 2 4) generally induced yawns from the fans, who already owned much stronger material via private trading circles. But with Disc 2 of Exile’s Deluxe Edition, the Rolling Stones successfully beat the bootleggers by offering 10 tracks containing multiple new overdubs not just by Jagger and Richards, but even by long-departed guitarist Mick Taylor in a very unexpected reunion with thrilling results. have long been reticent to revisit the past, rarely opening the vaults and releasing the kinds of rarities compilations offered by so many of their contemporaries. Purists can breathe easily that the notoriously sludgy mix has been left intact in this new edition remastered by Stephen Marcussen and Stewart Whitmore. Interviews have borne out that a remix was briefly considered (and this author would find one illuminating as a companion to, rather than replacement of, the existing mix - especially in a high-res format!) but vetoed. “I Just Want to See His Face” still sounds as if it was recorded in a tunnel. But it’s a testament to the enduring quality of Jagger and Richards’ edgy, intense songs that Exile (assembled ultimately from not only the France sessions but work in London and Los Angeles) remains a gripping listen from start to finish. “Rocks Off” is an appropriately sleazy opener complete with pulsating horns, while “Happy” (enhanced by Paul Buckmaster’s strings) and “Tumbling Dice” are as exciting as they were the first day we heard them. “Shine a Light” received prominence recently as the title song of Martin Scorsese’s 2008 concert film of the Stones, and it retains its primal power as Exile’s penultimate track.īut if the first disc (available as a stand-alone CD, for those interested) should make purists smile, the second disc of the Deluxe Edition is the most talked-about part of the reissue campaign. Jagger & co. John pops up on backing vocals. The thick mix has been a source of controversy since the album’s release how would it be handled for the deluxe reissue? Even when a melody sounds rollicking, it has a bleak, world-weary, wrenching feel.
Billy Preston even contributes his trademark organ. Dr. Yet mixed reviews greeted the now-acknowledged masterwork on its initial release. Why? Besides its lengthy running time, one can only speculate that its legendarily-murky mix was a big factor. Mick Jagger’s throaty vocals are often buried in a dense instrumental blend. In addition to Keith Richards’ and Mick Taylor’s guitars, Charlie Watts’ drums and Bill Wyman’s bass, Nicky Hopkins makes an indelible impression on piano. Jim Price’s trumpet and Bobby Keyes’ saxophone are both prominent pieces of the Exile puzzle. Exile’s territory was hardly new to the band most of the songs veer between blues, country, soul and R&B, creating that familiar Stones sound. A villa in Villefranche-sur-Mer named Nellcote is rented. Music is made. Sex and drugs abound. Somehow in all this debauchery a record is produced, and that record is Exile on Main St. When Universal Music acquired the rights to reissue and remaster the Rolling Stones catalogue, the big news was the long-promised expanded edition of Exile. It’s arrived, in a variety of forms, and it remains as fascinating and frustrating as ever.ĭecadence seems to be synonymous with Exile in every aspect. Stuffed with 18 tracks, it distills the Stones to their purest essence: dark, boozy, cocksure, swaggering, menacing, and above all, rocking. Few records hold the mystique of the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St. Myths have grown and books have been published in an attempt to explain the sprawling album. The story generally goes that 1972 found the band, literally, as tax exiles, seeking refuge across the English Channel in France.