New ‘M Means Music’ Episode Tackles The Rolling Stones’ ‘Exile On Main St.’
‘Exile’ was originally released in 1972.
![The Rolling Stones - Photo: Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/The-Rolling-Stones-M-Means-Music-2-1000x600.jpg)
Season three of M Means Music has returned with a new episode offering an in-depth look at The Rolling Stones’ classic album, Exile On Main St.
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Host Daryl Easlea opens with a bit of background, saying, “By 1972, musical mores were changing – The Stones rivals, The Beatles had split up in 1970, and glam rock was the sound of the charts – Mott The Hoople were to sing David Bowie’s words about his brother being at home with his Beatles and his Stones, never getting off on that revolution stuff. The Stones needed to reassert themselves, and by heavens with this album they did.
“Exile On Main St. is probably the Rolling Stones’ most deeply loved album – the story of its recording, from 1969 in England to its conclusion on Los Angeles in 1972, is one of the most enduring in rock history – because of course, it was the middle section recorded in the basement of Keith Richards rented house in the South Of France that has gone into legend.”
Easley goes on to explain the context of the album and where the Stones were at in their career. “A lot had happened to the Rolling Stones by the time Exile On Main St. – their tenth – was recorded. And, by 1971, the British tax structure was that the Stones simply could not afford to live or record in the UK , the group relocated to the Cote D’Azur. Bill Wyman and Jagger were living at Grasse, Charlie Watts in the Camague and Keith Richards at Villafranche-sur-mer.
“The Stones had extricated themselves from both their Decca deal and the management of Allen Klein, and had established their own label, Rolling Stones Records through Atlantic. Although their first release on the label Sticky Fingers still had older material on it – all eyes were on their next work.”
Listen to the M Means Music episode on The Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main St.