Rolling Stones Quotes -Keith Richards about the Stones’ Time at Muscle Shoals Studio in 1969

By Marcelo Sonaglioni on December 22, 2024 • ( 1 Comment )

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Keith Richards about the Stones’ time at Muscle Shoals Studio in December of 1969, where they recorded ‘Brown Sugar’, ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘You Gotta Move’

“I thought it was one of the easiest and ‘rockingest’ sessions that we’d ever done. I don’t think we’ve been quite so prolific…ever (laughs). I mean we cut three or four tracks in two days, and that for the Stones is going on something! We left on a high with “Brown Sugar.” We knew we had one of the best things we’d ever done. I always wanted to go back there and cut more, you know?…

…Then shit happened, so we ended up in France in a basement there doing Exile on Main Street. Otherwise, Exile would have probably been cut in Muscle Shoals–but politically it wasn’t possible—I wasn’t allowed in the country at the time. So, that was that! (laughs) Those sessions were as vital to me as any I’ve ever done. I mean, all the other stuff—”Beggars Banquet,” and all the other stuff we did: “Gimme Shelter,” “Street Fighting Man,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” you know? But I’ve always wondered…that if we had cut them at Muscle Shoals, if they might not have been a little bit funkier?”

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More about The Rolling Stones at Muscle Shoals studio in 1969

*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
In 1969, the Rolling Stones made a significant and pivotal visit to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to record some of the most memorable tracks in their history. The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, known for its deep roots in American soul and R&B music, was the perfect backdrop for the Stones as they sought to capture a new sound for their upcoming album Sticky Fingers. The studio had already gained a reputation for producing hits for artists like Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Percy Sledge, and the Rolling Stones were keen to tap into its unique energy.

The sessions at Muscle Shoals were not without drama. At the time, the band was in a period of transition, following Brian Jones’s departure from the group in June 1969. The band’s lineup had been reshuffled, and Jones’s replacement, Mick Taylor, was still relatively new to the group. These sessions marked an important moment for the band as they navigated personal and professional changes.

The Muscle Shoals sessions were also notable for the band’s collaboration with the studio’s legendary house band, the Swampers. Their contribution to the sessions was integral, especially in the creation of a laid-back, yet intensely rhythmic sound that was the hallmark of the Muscle Shoals style. The result was an album that would define the Rolling Stones for years to come, blending Southern soul, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll in a way that no one had quite done before. The sessions were a true fusion of styles, marking a new chapter in the Stones’ evolving sound.

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