STONES IN EXILE DVD

I've got to say, I've really been digging listening to The Rolling Stones' classic Exile On Main Street over and over since the reissue came out. Tonight I watched Stones In Exile, the documentary about the album.

The doc was pretty cool, it was interesting to see footage of the era.  But you know Mick Jagger really isn't too into talking about it (in a recent interview he said he didn't know the point of it, other than getting paid, or something like that), and Charlie Watts really really isn't into talking about it. Keith Richards is cool with talking about whatever, but he didn't have any incredible insight, nor did former members Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman, although it was cool to see and hear them in the doc. My favorite parts were the interview segments with Bobby Keys, who played sax on the album (and still plays on their records and tours today). But I enjoyed the doc.

What I loved about the DVD though, was a bonus feature with extended interviews with "Exile fans": Jack White, Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, will.i.am and Caleb Followill from Kings Of Leon, as well as Martin Scorsese and Don Was.   I used to do interviews with rock stars, and I often was more interested in talking about things other than themselves - especially music that really, really meant a lot to them. Whoever did these interviews, I was definitely envious of, because these were the types of conversations I loved, back in the day. It was fascinating to see what Exile meant to these folks: to Jack White, it was an album that could confound rock critics, they could no longer box the Stones in. To Sheryl Crow, it was how they looked at the place where she was from, the south. will.i.am is one of the most proudly modern and commercial artists - but he likes the fact that it is an entire body of work, and part of a greater continuum of work, and one that isn't reliant on having hit singles.  It's the "cool" album to like, because it isn't as well known. Followill, the son of a preacher man, thought it sounded like the devil's music, and loved it. Don Was, an artist and producer (who has produced The Stones' records of the past 15 years) can't figure out what is on the essence of the album (which I'm sure some critics will have field day with).  And Liz Phair, as her fans know, has a pretty complex relationship with this particular record. Maybe the doc will get some Stones fans to pick up her debut, the classic Exile In Guyville. I know Mick, Keith and Charlie exec-produced the doc, but I would think that they might be weirded out by all of the things that everybody said about the album - not just Liz (but especially Liz!).

A cynic could say that they selected the artists they interviewed for marketing purposes, but I take a different point of view.  Through these interviews, you really see why the album, and the band is so relevant today. I give the main doc a B but this feature an A.

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: ROCK AND ROLL! (THE STONES, BLACK KEYS, HOLE)

For those of you who are new to No Expiration, every Wednesday morning at 9 am ET I go on the SIRIUS XM channel OutQ. I am a weekly contributor to The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick. Tomorrow I will earn my title (given by Larry) of "rock reporter."

First, I'll be talking about The Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street reissue, which I love. The Stones have never really been too interested in adding bonus tracks to their catalog releases, but I'm glad they did for this one. Actually some of the songs are kind of like collaborations between the Stones of the late '60s/early '70s and today, as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and even Mick Taylor have added some new parts to some of the bonus tracks (which were unfinished and sitting in the vaults for decades). Of course, even without any extra stuff, Exile is a classic album and perfect for the summer.

I recently wrote about how much I like The Black Keys' Brothers. I'm excited to play them for people who aren't familiar with them.

Likewise, I'm excited to play The Len Price 3 for people. They are an awesome garage rock band who I doubt I would be familiar with, were it not for Little Steven's Underground Garage. They remind me of The Who or The Kinks from the early '60s.

Finally, the new Hole album, Nobody's Daughter. I think it is weird that Courtney Love is using the Hole name, since none of the other members used to be in the band. But I guess Hole has always been about her. I don't know if I love the album, but "Skinny Little Bitch" is pretty classic.

Hey, if you're around a computer or radio at 9 am ET, tune in and let me know what you think!

GET THE "NEW" ROLLING STONES SONG ON iTUNES

The first of the "unearthed" songs from The Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street resissue, "Plundered My Soul," is now out on iTunes. Of course I'm going to buy the deluxe reissue, but I couldn't wait to hear this.

"Follow The River" is another "unearthed" track.  It's known that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards added bits of guitar and vocals to the track. It's also known that Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman didn't add anything to the original track. But what's interesting is the other rumor: that Mick Taylor also added some guitar parts. A while ago, England's Daily Mail reported that Taylor was living in a small apartment and was going to sue The Stones for not paying him for his term in the band (which many would consider their greatest era, as it included Exile and also Sticky Fingers). His manager called the NME to say that that was just not true at all. Now, maybe that was because Taylor was actually speaking with the Stones, and was hoping to either get paid or to actually rejoin and he didn't want to screw things up.  Or maybe he was 100% telling the truth.

But another rumor is that the Stones are getting tired of Ron Wood's antics. If they got rid of him, even though he is the "new guy" in the band (having only been a member for three decades or so) it would make the band look less legit. But if they replaced him with the guy he replaced, Mick Taylor, then it seems a bit more OK. Since Taylor played on Exile, it would make even more sense if they did a tour where they focused on that album.  Another cool option is having Mick rejoin and have him and Ron switch off at guitar and bass (they both play bass as well).

At any rate, it's great to hear a "new" Stones song - they have never been the best at putting out interesting reissues - and here's hoping it isn't the last we hear from them.

THE ROLLING STONES NEW REISSUE: WORTH YOUR YA-YA'S

The Rolling Stones are one of my favorite bands of all time. Unlike other bands like The Who, they don't seem very interested in doing cool things with their catalog. Most of the compilation albums (other than 40 Licks) seem thrown-together, their reissues are not exciting (the first wave of reissues with remastered sound was definitely necessary, but they never include bonus tracks or liner notes or anything). I think that's because Mick Jagger tends to run this stuff, and he never seems interested in exploring the band's archives, wheras Pete Townshend can get himself lost for years doing that with The Who's archives. That's what makes the Get Your Ya-Ya's Out expanded edition so cool.

So, what's the deal with this reissue? It is a expanded version of the band's live album that was recorded at Madison Square Garden in 1969, when they were in full swagger (this was during the era that Mick Taylor was in the band). The box set contains five tracks that weren't on the original album, as well as the full sets by opening acts Ike & Tina Turner and B.B. King. And a DVD of performances and backstage footage. There's a "super-deluxe" version that also includes all the music on vinyl as well.

Who is it for? Obviously Rolling Stones freaks will want this: so will B.B. and Tina's fans. But I don't think it would be alienating for new fans. The band played lots of hits, like "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Sympathy For The Devil" and "Street Fighting Man," and the bonus tracks include "Under My Thumb" and "Satisfaction." The album also features the definitive version of "Minight Rambler." There are also very cool lesser-known songs like "Live With Me," "I'm Free" and a slowed down version of "Stray Cat Blues." It also spotlights some of the band's influences: B.B. King and Ike & Tina, as well as some of the artists who they covered: Chuck Berry's "Carol" and Robert Johnson's "Love In Vain."

One of the reasons that this box came out the way it did is because it is from their ABKCO catalog, which they don't control. But next year, they are supposedly releasing an expanded version of their 1972 classic double album, Exile On Main Street. I found that surprising, as that album is on Rolling Stones Records, the part of the catalog that the band does control. Long a critical favorite, Jagger has expressed surprise in interviews that people make such a big deal over the album, as it didn't yield many radio hits. I imagine that when the Stones took their catalog from Virgin to Universal, one of Universal's demands was an expanded Exile. And next year, I'm sure we'll all be grateful for that. I wonder if it will be the centerpiece of their rumored tour: with so many other "heritage" artists doing full-album performances, and the fact that the Stones have toured so much in the past two decades, and the fact the Mick stays on top of every trend that could possibly affect his bottom line, it wouldn't surprise me. It would probably be easier to just skip making an album (although if they entered the studio with Jack White, as has been rumored, just for a few songs, that would be awesome).