DVD Review: Stones in Exile

Artist: The Rolling Stones

DVD: Stones in Exile

Worth Buying: Yes

You will be interested in this album if you are a fan of: The Rolling Stones classic “Exile on Main Street” album.

Tell Me More: Music fans who ran out and grabbed the recent highly-anticipated reissue of The Rolling Stones’ seminal “Exile on Main Street” now have a worthy DVD
companion to position next to that classic audio collection released back in 1972.

“Stones in Exile” (released by Eagle Rock Entertainment on June 22, 2010) features an hour-long documentary that revisits the events and sessions that resulted in The
Rolling Stones’ best-ever studio album.

Combining amazing film footage and still photography taken in the early 1970s with modern-day interviews with all the key players (singer Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith
Richards, drummer Charlie Watts, as well as former band members guitarist Mick Taylor and bassist Bill Wyman), this production really displays why this album was so dramatically different than the Stones’ previous work. And to shed an even greater light on the difficult process of recording the album are a wide-range of interviews from the likes of producer Jimmy Miller, engineer Andy Johns and sax player Bobby Keys.

“That whole period was incredibly creative for all of us,” Mick Taylor explains in one of many magical interviews. “Once we got into a studio and picked up our guitars, we were in our own world; nothing else could really get in the way.”

Some of the most revealing moments in the movie (and in the bonus features included on this wonderful DVD) are where Mick and Charlie returning to both Olympic Studios
where some of the earliest tracking for “Exile on Main Street” was completed, as well as Mick’s then-residence, the country estate Stargroves.

Directed by Stephen Kijak, “Stones in Exile” is a must-have and affordable addition to not only fans of The Rolling Stones, but to those who love rock ‘n’ roll.

What about the packaging? “Stones in Exile” comes on a single disc, but the standard
package does include a fold-out booklet with a number of period photos of the band members. There is even more bonus material on this collection than the actual
documentary itself.

What about the sound? The Dolby Digital Stereo mix sounds fantastic. I detected no flaws.

Get Stones In Exile

Book Review: Old Gods Almost Dead: The 40-Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones By Stephen Davis

A dear friend gave me a copy of this book. She said to me, I think you'll really enjoy all the music history that this book covers.

She wasn't kidding. OGAD isn't a tribute book. It isn't a tell all book, It isn't a book of dirt (although there some of that). It is a book that really does cover the HISTORY of an iconic band that has spanned more than 40 years. It does this by first looking at each of the groups founding members history from birth, their upbringings, social status in society and their experiences with the music that would influence them, and how they first started to become acquainted with each other.

As important individuals that become important to lives of the bands members (wives, girlfriends, Managers, etc) their history is briefly given too in order to better understand how these different lives affected each other.

The takes a serious look at the music that influenced them and the influence that the Rolling Stones themselves would have on the rest of the music world.

Numerous other famous and not so famous names from recent music history weave in and out as their paths intersect with our main players. The Beatles come off as big fans of the Stones referring them to as "As our new favorite live band". At this point the Stones are not writing their own songs yet (and are just covering the songs of their hero's) and Mick and Keith are awestruck at how easily the John and Paul are able to just knock out an original song (I Wanna Be Your Man) for them.

Bob Dylan comes off as quite the ass though. Playing mind games with Brian Jones. Messing with Ron Wood and Keith Richards right before their Live Aid performance (and yet Keith and Ron are still in admiration of Dylan).

And of course this is the Rolling Stones, so yes, there will be more than just a few  tales of decadence (not to mention self destruction) too. It's often been joked

that after the bomb drops, the only things left alive will be cockroaches and Keith Richards. But after reading this book, I really don't think that, that is a joke anymore.

Lastly I should say that OGAD is not an authorized biography.

Whenever I read a biography vs. and autobiography two versions of the same cynical thought run through my head.

Biography: How objective are they being? And how much can I trust when subject of the biography isn't taking part?

Autobiography: How honest are they really being about themselves (how honest are any of us about ourselves).

OGAD though appears to be very well researched. As a musician, one of my favorite aspects of this book was the details given on the recording of each album. What other musicians played on the album? Who played what on what song? How was the song written? What was the inspiration for the song? Who produced? Who engineered? How did they get that sound back then? Who was to stoned that day to be able to play and so therefore had to be replaced by whom? It's all there.

Prior to reading this book, the Stones for me, where that "other" iconic 60's band. Unlike the Beatles, whose entire catalog, I know like the back of my hand. I mostly only knew the Stones by their radio hits. Since reading this book I have listened/explored 12 of their studio albums and I am still interested in exploring more.

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