Sold Date: April 6, 2018
Start Date: March 7, 2018
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Half-Speed Mastered 180g Double LP!
Limited Edition Replica First Pressing Packaging!
Includes 12 Original Postcard Inserts Photographed by Norman Seeff!

Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Rated  7/500!
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - "Tumbling Dice" - Rated 433/500!

Exile on Main Street is regarded as one of the greatest albums in rock 'n'  roll history and one of the most defining of the Stones' catalogue. Upon its  initial release Exile on Main Street innovatively wove varying musical genres,  instruments and even artists into a compelling rhythmic masterpiece.

The original 18-track double-album was recorded in various stages at multiple  locations, including Olympic Studios in London, Keith Richards' mansion Nellcôte  in France, and in Los Angeles where the literal "Main Street" influenced the  album title. These atypical circumstances surrounding the recording process  greatly affected the album's outcome which was highly reflective and influenced  by the sociopolitical turbulence that marked the late '60s and early '70s. The  Stones nixed the influences of a flower-child era and directed their creative  process with the edgier, excessive, "more is more" approach of the '70s. Exile  reveals a sprawling mix of genres with undertones of blues, country, R&B and  gospel mixed with lyrics that fervently demand for release and liberation.

The album pulled together an electric array of talent including Dr. John, the  late Billy Preston and pianist Nicky Hopkins. Guitarist Mick Taylor, who  replaced Brian Jones in the band shortly before Jones died in 1969, is a  magnificent blues player who brought an intensity and elegance to these epic  tracks. At times, these musicians and others lived on the recording studio  premises with the band creating an extremely open and creative collaboration for  the album.

The sleeve is famous for the collage of images taken from Robert Frank's 1958  book 'The Americans'. Characters used in the artwork include Joe Allen, "The  Human Corkscrew", a renowned contortionist from the 1950s and, perhaps most  famous of all, Three Ball Charlie. Three Ball Charlie was a man able to fit a  tennis ball, a golf ball, and a "5" billiard ball simultaneously in his mouth –  a remarkable feat - and his image is the one that many people associate most  readily with this unimpeachable rock classic.

The original cut for this record was half speed mastered at Abbey Road Studios.  According to Miles Showell, Mastering Engineer at Abbey Road, the source for  this record was 24bit/96khz digital transfers supplied by the Stones made from  original 1/4" tapes. "This album was cut from a high-resolution digital transfer  from the best known analogue tape in existence," explains Showell. "Only minimal  sympathetic equalisation was applied to the transfer to keep everything as pure  as possible. Also, as this was an analogue, vinyl only high quality release, I  did not apply any digital limiting. This is added to almost all digital releases  to make them appear to be loud and is responsible for 'the loudness war' and in  almost every case is anything but natural and pure sounding."

"The album's riveting portrait of artists pushed – by the times, by  themselves – to the very limits of their creativity has provided inspiration to  every musical generation that has come along since Exile was released in 1972," said author Anthony DeCurtis. "Every song on Exile on Main Street is  elevated by its relationship to the music that comes before and after it. The  album’s irresistible power is unlikely to diminish any time soon."

"Originally titled 'Good Time Women'... Tumbling Dice' had numerous faster  incarnations before it was recorded at Richards' villa, Nellcôte. 'I remember  writing the riff upstairs in the very elegant front room,' said Richards, 'and  we took it downstairs the same evening, and we cut it.' Since Bill Wyman wasn't  around, Mick Taylor played bass." - Rolling Stone

Features:
• 180g Vinyl
• Double LP
• Half-speed mastered at Abbey Road Studios
• Replica Limited Edition first pressing packaging with additional 'obi strip'
• Includes 12 original postcard inserts photographed by Norman Seeff, art  director for the original 1972 pressing
• Album photography and concept by Robert Frank
• Original color printed inner sleeves
• Made in Germany

Selections:
Side A:
1. Rocks Off
2. Rip This Joint
3. Shake Your Hips
4. Casino Boogie
5. Tumbling Dice
Side B:
1. Sweet Virginia
2. Torn And Frayed
3. Sweet Black Angel
4. Loving Cup
Side C:
1. Happy
2. Turd On The Run
3. Ventilator Blues
4. I Just Want To See His Face
5. Let It Loose
Side D:
1. All Down The Line
2. Stop Breaking Down
3. Shine A Light
4. Soul Survivor