Rolling Stones
Album Title: Stones In Exile
Record Label: Eagle Records
Review by Gregory Harutunian
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The Rolling Stones - Stones In Exile
In 1971, the Rolling Stones faced massive tax problems and left England to live in France as a shelter. Their landmark album, Exile On Main Street, came out of this period and was recorded all over the the insides of Keith Richard’s rented villa in a maelstrom of chaos.
Eagle Rock Entertainment has released “Stones In Exile,” a documentary chock full of rare footage and music that chronicles the making of the project. It’s part of a deal with the Stones’ management that will see the long-lost “Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s the Rolling Stones” concert film released later this year.
This DVD is loaded with interviews, and it’s odd to see how people have fared in 40 years, along with their recollections coupled with footage of the recording process. One surprise is a well know TV actor, a child at the time, whose job it was to roll joints for everyone. The sex, drugs, and of course, rock and roll, are well represented—-so it’s a wonder anything got done.
Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts are also shown returning to the scene of the crime at Olympic Studios, where the overdubs to flesh out the tracks for “Exile” were done. The music is the main thing, and rehearsal takes are included in the soundtrack.
The album was initially panned upon its release, and not until a decade later was it considered a masterpiece. The documentary is well done, no filler, and a wild ride, if you’re interested in how this thing came together through all the financial and drug-induced problems. A nice keeper to whet the appetite for the concert film later this year, which featured many of the songs on the album.
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