When The Rolling Stones made Exile On Main St. between 1969 and 1972, with main recording sessions occurring around 1971, the band were themselves exiles. They fled the U.K. for the south of France, where Keith Richards rented Villa Nellcôte. Most of the album was recorded in the basement of the villa.
Videos by American Songwriter
For once, Mick Jagger wasn’t in charge of every aspect of a Stones album. Because of this, he has often said it’s one of his least favorite, calling it “lousy” or lacking “concerted effort of intention.” However, Exile On Main St. is still considered one of The Rolling Stones’ best albums.
It all started when it came time for the Stones to pay taxes in the U.K. In the years leading up to 1972, the band was flush with cash from live shows and songwriting credits. However, they were also heavy partiers, too.
Jagger and Richards often indulged in the party scene during those years. When it was time to pay the taxman, the Stones came up short. Bill Wyman once explained the tax situation in the 2010 film Stones in Exile.
“Tax, under the Labour government of [Prime Minister Harold] Wilson, was 93% if you earned a million quid, which we didn’t, you’d end up with 70 grand,” Wyman said. “So it was impossible to earn enough money to pay back the Inland Revenue and stay here, in England.”
Unable To Pay Taxes, The Rolling Stones Become Exiles
The making of Exile On Main St. is shrouded in myth, folklore, and darkness, as is much of The Rolling Stones’ early career. However, as many of the band’s associates stated in the documentary, there was also an incredible lightness surrounding that time.
To be young, in France, and creatively unlimited in the 1970s must have been a heady experience. Surrounded by drugs, alcohol, sex, and music, The Rolling Stones were known for their rock and roll lifestyle. The making of this album did not disappoint.
“There was cocaine, a lot of joints,” said Jake Weber in the documentary, who is the son of Stones contemporary Tommy Weber. Jake was eight years old around that time, and his father brought him to hang around with The Stones.
“If you’re living a decadent life, there is always darkness there,” he continued. “But, at this point, this was the moment of grace. This was before the darkness, the sunrise before the sunset.”
For Keith Richards, this time in France was more than avoiding having their assets seized by the government. The Rolling Stones were, in a way, fleeing more than their financial situation.
“There was a feeling you were being edged out of your own country by the British government,” said Richards. “They couldn’t ignore that we were a force to be reckoned with.”
Featured Image by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.