Exile on Main Street
Steve L
Hell Street by Robert Greenfield, and then following it up by reading the
second printing of STP written 30 years earlier by Greenfield as the
documentary of the follow-up tour of the same album and the following year
after the production of Exile in the south of France.
Great one-two punch to that.
But like, I dunno, I'm an old fart I guess, but I just don't get Exile on
Main Street music. In fact I don't get much of anything the Stones did after
Sticky Fingers.
What am I missing? Have they done anything that ever surpassed Sticky
Fingers and Beggars Banquet?
Great band and I love them, but like many other great bands the early music
was fabulous but it seemed to dry up. True of many artist, not just the
stones.
DGDevin
There are two great books about that album, both called Exile On Main
Street. One if by Bill Janowitz, the other is by John Perry (the latter
seems to be out of print at the moment). Although I don't think anyone
needs to read a book about EOMS to appreciate the music (it's been one of my
favorite albums since it was released) maybe these books will let you
consider it in a new light. Exile isn't a concept album, but it does seem
to have its greatest impact when considered as a cohesive whole rather than
just song by song.
Most artists have a creative arc that maybe lasts ten years. I think the
Stones did their best work in their first decade, and while they continued
to pull occasional rabbits out of the hat later, the difference was that
they were no longer on the cutting edge. Up to Exile the Stones mostly did
what they wanted and the public followed where they led. After Exile it was
the Stones trying to figure out what the public wanted them to do, Jagger
even admitted as much. Leaders vs. trend followers--that's a big
difference.
Gary Rosen
"DGDevin" <dgd...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
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Good analysis, there were probably some other factors at play as well.
For most of the '70s and '80s the Stones were fighting first Keith's
drug addiction and then the Jagger-Richards feud. After those were
resolved they came out with two of their best albums since the early
days, Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge. Also after the punk
revolution took place it was hard for the Stones to maintain their
stance of being farther out on the edge. At some point you become
old fogies to the young generation no matter what you do.
- Gary Rosen
Steve L
"DGDevin" <dgd...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
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I'll go back and listen a few more times. Admittedly some music needs to
grow on you.
Jens Hansen
"Steve L" <srl...@comcast.net> skrev i en meddelelse
news:hbqvvd$2mf$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
disappointed and put it aside and then later went back to it and today it is
one of my alltime favourites.
Jens Hansen
rwalker
wrote:
It took me a little while to warm to it as well. But it's right in
the middle of that great run from Beggar's Banquet to It's Only Rock
and Roll. That's about as solid a run of albums as exists.
DGDevin
> I'll go back and listen a few more times. Admittedly some music needs
> to grow on you.
When Exile was first released the legendary critic Lester Bangs said he just
couldn't get into it and he put it aside, but when he came back to it awhile
later it floored him. Lots of people have had a similar reaction, they
initially found the album impenetrable but over time it became one of their
favorites.