Exile on Main Street

What a great title!  Exile on Main Street. The irony of it.

I think Main Street means America and american music.

And I think Exile means living in France to escape the taxes, the fans, and the expectations.

But to me, Exile on Main Street means the greatest rock and roll record ever made.  It is in the Top 50 and has been from day one.

Since 1982, in every home that the Gotham Gal and I have lived in, after setting up the music system this record is the first one played. Exile on Main Street is it when it comes to rock in roll in our house.

What prompted this outburst of love for this record?

I just finished Bill Janowitz’ 33 1/3 book on Exile.

Bill loves this record as much as I do.  If you are in the same camp, get the book.

He does a great job of explaining the way the Stones weaved rock and roll, country, blues, gospel, and soul into a Route 66-like tour across the heart of America.

And did it all in the basement of Keith’s mansion on the southern coast of France.

But most of all, he explains how this record is about the evolving relationship between the Glimmer Twins.

Best of all, this book caused me to listen to Exile five times in the past couple days.  What could be better than that?