Exile Redux
While I was going through my old TWANG! columns I came across my favorite one -- and ode to the Stones' "Exile on Main Street." I thought I'd post it up here.
I truly do classify Exile as one of the most dangerous of Rock and Roll records -- it is so engaging that it really isn't usable as background music. If you are going to listen to it, make sure you can give it your undivided attention, or you risk bodily harm...
TWANG!
Driving Stoned
By David Rey
There are few activities more dangerous than operating a motor vehicle under the influence of “Exile on Main Street.”
I found this out during a routine two-hour drive back from Idaho on Tuesday night. After some innocent singing along with a Lucinda Williams disc, I popped in the Rolling Stones’ devil music and just one minute into the opening song, “Rocks Off,” I nearly drove into the ditch.
It was like having my finger shoved in and out of an electrical plug-in. My eyes glowed yellow, my teeth began to grind and my toes twitched uncontrollably. And I liked it.
That record, released when I was a mere two years old, is the definition of a Rock and Roll record. It’s got all the necessary elements – it’s loud, it’s raw, it’s somewhat ill mannered and it shouts “yes, yes, yes!” when mom is saying “no, no, no.”
Energy of the sort pouring off of that record is found in just a few Rock and Roll records – “Highway 61 Revisted” by Bob Dylan, Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio’s mythic album on Coral Records and “London Calling” by The Clash – to name three.
I managed to keep things under control and between the lines – despite shouting “The sunshine bores the daylights out of me,” at the appropriate time.
After 20 miles, I finally made it to song two.
The record shifts into a boogie mode for the next few songs, allowing the listener to relax a bit before getting knocked over by the “Tumbling Dice.”
The instrumental break in the middle part of that song is pretty near perfection. It’s hard to concentrate on the road and catch every word Mick Jagger is mumbling. Thankfully, I had listened to the record enough times that I could keep half my mind engaged on driving.
Everybody that loves that record has their favorite track. Mine is “Stop Breaking Down,” the best remake of a Robert Johnson song – ever.
A guy on the Internet’s Telecaster Discussion Page said every time he hears the raw opening riff of that song he wants to “hock a big loogie on the nearest wall or Republican.” It certainly isn’t a George Bush kinda song.
Not with lyrics like “Stuff is gonna bust your brains out baby, gonna make you lose your mind.” You know, it’s not bragging if it’s the truth.
Rolling Stone magazine critic Paul Nelson once called “Exile on Main Street” aural film noir. I think that pretty much captures it.
I made it home unscathed but not untouched. My wife gave me a strange look when I got home from work today and the first words out of my mouth were, “Don’t move your lips, just shake your hips.”
Also…
I just finished reading “Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” by Nick Tosches. It’s an underground classic that I’d been meaning to pick up and read for the past few years.
All the things you didn’t want to know about early country music and its roots are in this book. Of course, the things you didn’t want to know are the most interesting. The passage that talks about Western Swing pioneer Spade Cooley murdering his wife is alone worth the price of the book.
You’ll never listen to country music the same again after reading Tosches’ work. If you’re curious, you can pick up a copy on Amazon.com for $12 new or $7 used. I highly recommend it.
Dave’s Top 5 Car Stereo Songs for Jan. 3
1. “Rocks Off” by The Rolling Stones
2. “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man” by The Byrds
3. “Country Blues” by Dock Boggs
4. “Walking the Floor Over You” by Ernest Tubb
5. “Baby, Let’s Play House” by Elvis Presley
I truly do classify Exile as one of the most dangerous of Rock and Roll records -- it is so engaging that it really isn't usable as background music. If you are going to listen to it, make sure you can give it your undivided attention, or you risk bodily harm...
TWANG!
Driving Stoned
By David Rey
There are few activities more dangerous than operating a motor vehicle under the influence of “Exile on Main Street.”
I found this out during a routine two-hour drive back from Idaho on Tuesday night. After some innocent singing along with a Lucinda Williams disc, I popped in the Rolling Stones’ devil music and just one minute into the opening song, “Rocks Off,” I nearly drove into the ditch.
It was like having my finger shoved in and out of an electrical plug-in. My eyes glowed yellow, my teeth began to grind and my toes twitched uncontrollably. And I liked it.
That record, released when I was a mere two years old, is the definition of a Rock and Roll record. It’s got all the necessary elements – it’s loud, it’s raw, it’s somewhat ill mannered and it shouts “yes, yes, yes!” when mom is saying “no, no, no.”
Energy of the sort pouring off of that record is found in just a few Rock and Roll records – “Highway 61 Revisted” by Bob Dylan, Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio’s mythic album on Coral Records and “London Calling” by The Clash – to name three.
I managed to keep things under control and between the lines – despite shouting “The sunshine bores the daylights out of me,” at the appropriate time.
After 20 miles, I finally made it to song two.
The record shifts into a boogie mode for the next few songs, allowing the listener to relax a bit before getting knocked over by the “Tumbling Dice.”
The instrumental break in the middle part of that song is pretty near perfection. It’s hard to concentrate on the road and catch every word Mick Jagger is mumbling. Thankfully, I had listened to the record enough times that I could keep half my mind engaged on driving.
Everybody that loves that record has their favorite track. Mine is “Stop Breaking Down,” the best remake of a Robert Johnson song – ever.
A guy on the Internet’s Telecaster Discussion Page said every time he hears the raw opening riff of that song he wants to “hock a big loogie on the nearest wall or Republican.” It certainly isn’t a George Bush kinda song.
Not with lyrics like “Stuff is gonna bust your brains out baby, gonna make you lose your mind.” You know, it’s not bragging if it’s the truth.
Rolling Stone magazine critic Paul Nelson once called “Exile on Main Street” aural film noir. I think that pretty much captures it.
I made it home unscathed but not untouched. My wife gave me a strange look when I got home from work today and the first words out of my mouth were, “Don’t move your lips, just shake your hips.”
Also…
I just finished reading “Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” by Nick Tosches. It’s an underground classic that I’d been meaning to pick up and read for the past few years.
All the things you didn’t want to know about early country music and its roots are in this book. Of course, the things you didn’t want to know are the most interesting. The passage that talks about Western Swing pioneer Spade Cooley murdering his wife is alone worth the price of the book.
You’ll never listen to country music the same again after reading Tosches’ work. If you’re curious, you can pick up a copy on Amazon.com for $12 new or $7 used. I highly recommend it.
Dave’s Top 5 Car Stereo Songs for Jan. 3
1. “Rocks Off” by The Rolling Stones
2. “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man” by The Byrds
3. “Country Blues” by Dock Boggs
4. “Walking the Floor Over You” by Ernest Tubb
5. “Baby, Let’s Play House” by Elvis Presley
posted by D.Rey at 12:12 PM
1 Comments:
Hot damn...I stumbled across this googling for a Liz Phair DVD. I am about the biggest Stones I know, but just when I thought it safe to leave this album in the past, this blog post kicks my ass about how this album won't be forgotten by me or anyone else it has infected.
Now I have no choice but to call myself a Stones critic and start blogging appropriately!
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