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Rolling Stones unreleased: Exile On Main St. Blues
Before streaming previews, deluxe editions, and endless hype campaigns, The Rolling Stones were already teasing fans the old-fashioned way—with a flimsy flexi disc slipped into New Musical Express. Just weeks before Exile on Main St. arrived in 1972, listeners got a sampler featuring the mysterious unreleased Exile On Main St. Blues, where Mick Jagger delivers a raw vocal over simple piano. No stadium swagger, no layered chaos—just mood, melody, and a reminder that legends sometimes whisper better than they shout. The disc also previewed classics from the album. In typical Stones fashion, even their leftovers felt more exciting than many bands’ masterpieces.
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles, USA, March 28 1972 (Exile On Main St. sessions)
From Martin Elliott’s book The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2012: Following the release of the Tumbling Dice single, the New Musical Express British weekly music paper provided the fans with a sampler of the album (as a flexi disc), which was to be released in two weeks. Mick, plus a piano accompaniment, is heard singing this song, which incorporates lyrics from various song titles from the album. The flexi disc continues with excerpts of tracks like All Down the Line,Tumbling Dice,Shine A Lightand Happy.
A Hidden Gem from the Exile Sessions
Amidst the legendary Exile on Main St. sessions in March 1972 at Sunset Sound Studios, there was a rare and unreleased track simply known as Exile On Main St. Blues. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, this haunting piece never made it to the final album, yet it offers a fascinating glimpse into the creative process behind one of rock’s greatest records. What sets this track apart is its intimate feel—just Mick’s voice accompanied by piano, a raw and stripped-down sound that contrasts with the sprawling, layered textures of the album. This version was shared in a unique way: the British music weekly New Musical Express included it as part of a flexi disc sampler to tease fans ahead of the album release.
On this flexi disc, Mick croons a patchwork of lyrics pulled from various songs on Exile on Main St., weaving them into a sort of lyrical collage. The sampler also features snippets of some of the album’s most iconic tracks, including All Down the Line, Tumbling Dice, Shine a Lightand Happy. This little-known flexi disc remains a collector’s treasure, offering a snapshot of the band’s creative atmosphere at that moment in time. It highlights Mick’s emotive vocals in a rare solo spotlight and reminds us that even amidst their rock’n’roll swagger, the Stones could reveal a tender, bluesy side that felt deeply personal and raw.
The Flexi Disc and Fan Connection
The decision to release this sampler on a flexi disc was a clever move by the Rolling Stones and the NME—a way to build anticipation and connect with fans in an intimate, almost secretive manner. It allowed listeners to catch a fleeting glimpse of what was to come, including the unreleased Exile On Main St. Blues, which remains a haunting footnote in the band’s vast catalog.
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