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Still, when listening to The White Album, I think Exile could have been so much better. And when their 'second' guitarist is on relatively so few tracks ...[/quote

Exile is perfect.
I can't imagine it any other way...

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pmk251
<One of the greatest aspects of Exile is the dense mix, with the buried vocals, and the wonderful instrumental parts that emerge out of nowhere only to disappear back in the mix....>

True. This is my gut feeling about this record: No one speaks well about its making. Much of it sounds cobbled together. But whoever did that had a brilliant vision, worked extremely long and hard and was probably lucky. I suspect a whole bunch of chaotic tape (made under chaotic circumstances) was shipped to Los Angeles for someone to put together. Exile is a masterpiece of production. The band got away with one and it turned out to be its swan song. Nothing that came afterward packed as much power or was shrouded in as much mystery. Much of the album is a brilliant mess. It is a masterpiece in spite of itself.

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71Tele

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Mathijs

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DandelionPowderman
A thing that rarely is mentioned about the recording of Exile is that several tracks were recorded (partly) at Mick's place

Shake Your Hips
Tumbling Dice
Sweet Virginia
Sweet Black Angel

And why is Mick Taylor credited (on some Stones sites) as co-composer of Just Wanna See His Face?

er, I have been stating for years now on this site that this myth of recording Exile in the basement is exactly that: a myth.

It's just the basics of about half a dozen tracks that where recorded at Nellcote, all the rest is from Olympics and mostly Sunset in LA.

Mathijs

Jagger said nine tracks, which is half the album and exactly 50% more than six.

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71Tele

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FP

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Loudei
So Exile is a Keith Richards induced record? No Taylor on most tracks?

As DandilionPowerman said: No Taylor at all on Let It Loose, Sweet Black Angel,Loving Cup or Happy.

He plays bass on Torn & Frayed, I Just Wanna See His Face, Tumbling Dice

Debatable if he is on Turd On The Run or Rocks off but I think he is.

But it is a double album with lots of songs and remember Bill Wyman is missing from quite a few tracks as well. Taylor plays epic solos on Ventilator Blues and Shine a Light and overall you can hear his musical presence.

Bill Wyman is missing from half the record. Taylor is definitely on Rocks Off and Turd, by the way.

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2000 LYFH

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71Tele

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FP

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Loudei
So Exile is a Keith Richards induced record? No Taylor on most tracks?

As DandilionPowerman said: No Taylor at all on Let It Loose, Sweet Black Angel,Loving Cup or Happy.

He plays bass on Torn & Frayed, I Just Wanna See His Face, Tumbling Dice

Debatable if he is on Turd On The Run or Rocks off but I think he is.

But it is a double album with lots of songs and remember Bill Wyman is missing from quite a few tracks as well. Taylor plays epic solos on Ventilator Blues and Shine a Light and overall you can hear his musical presence.

Bill Wyman is missing from half the record. Taylor is definitely on Rocks Off and Turd, by the way.

Can't find the reference now, but Bill did state that Jagger screwed up the credits on EOMS and that he was on additional tracks! I tend to believe Bill...

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2000 LYFH
Can't find the reference now, but Bill did state that Jagger screwed up the credits on EOMS and that he was on additional tracks! I tend to believe Bill...

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DandelionPowderman

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FP
I was always a big fan of Taylor's stunning melodic solos on Sticky Fingers and Goats Head Soup, 2 albums where there is a clear division between the lead and rhythm guitars of Taylor and Richards. When I first heard Exile I was a bit disappointed; I loved the songs but missed the solos. It was always a more dense and difficult album to define who played what, being a rhythm based album with piano, horns and other percussion fighting for space with the guitars. It took me a while to unpick all the layers of playing and now it is my favourite Stones album. Despite being a huge Taylor fan I do feel this is Keith's album through and through and in many ways the mix seems to marginalize Taylor's talents aside from the flashes of inspired slide guitar. He is relegated to bass on many tracks or missing completely. For no particular reason I decided to listen to the whole album and assess Taylor's contributions on each track. Most of this is guess work or based on things I have read in other places but I want to leave it open for debate!

Rocks off

Richard on left opening riff followed by another Keith rhythm part on right and a melodic harmony riff in centre from Taylor. Then main rhythm riffs by Richards take over for the bulk of the song as Taylor is mixed very low to provide a few melodic parts which sound almost like an electric piano. At .50 into the tune Taylor brings in a slide guitar part that sounds like a ghostly backing vocal. The rhythm guitars keep up the same feel then Taylor plays an elegant run at about 1.05. Taylor is mostly inaudible until after the bridge when some slide comes in at 2.50 followed by a run at about 3.00. At 4.00 Taylor plays the same fill as at 1.05 followed by a brief solo at 4.15, the only time he comes up in the mix before a sudden fade. I always wanted the end solo to go on further and it feels more like a warm up than an actual solo. Live Taylor played some nice country fills on this tune but as on Tumbling Dice this song never seemed to work with any lead guitar and Taylor seems to over play live rather than meshing with Keith. I always assumed it was all Keith playing rhythm parts but if anyone knows better let me know.

Rip This Joint

The rhythm guitars on this song again both sound like Richards. Taylor comes in a 0.23 with a slide fill. Taylor returns with a melodic fill at 0.46. At 1.16 he again plays a slide fill. His playing is again quite low in a dense mix but cuts through better than Rocks Off.

Shake your Hips

Another song which could be all Keith, but as it is such a dense tangle of guitars it feels like a live take and I think this is Keith on the left and Taylor on the right. The solo like fills are Keith I think as he plays them in rehearsal videos I have seen. If it is Taylor this is a very nice example of how he could mesh with Keith when required but it is a rare example of this type of playing which was more prevalent in the Ron Wood Years.

Casino Boogie
Keith on riff on left and Taylor right, a nice mesh like the previous tune unless all rhythm parts are Keith? Sounds like Taylor on the bass as well as the part is very melodic. Taylor (?) plays some nice slide riffs 0.26. Subtle rhythm playing with occasional slide embellishments through first verses on right. Nice slide fills through out sax solo from 1.20. A great bluesy riff from 2.10 comes in on the left, sounds like Keith but then develops into a solo that is surely Taylor? Bounces off the slide riffs on the right to great effect as it pans around. Quite low mix though sadly.

Tumbling Dice
Taylor on bass for this one. Keith plays the intro riff before being joined by a slide riff at 0.09 which I presume is Taylor? A second rhythm part on right could be Taylor or Richards. The slide is very concise which makes me think it could be Richards? Through out the slide adds a melodic element without being a solo. The main break is at 1.49 where the slide plays a rhythmic device before playing a delicate harmony on the bridge chords. At 2.30 a descending melodic riff comes in on both left and right with some slide textures, could both be Keith layering.

Sweet Virginia
Richards opens with chords on left followed by mandolin link trills from Taylor. Taylor plays melodic acoustic accompaniment throughout the tune plus backing vocals.

Torn & Frayed
Keith plays all the guitar with Taylor on bass and steel guitar by Al Perkins.

Sweet Black Angel
Sounds like just Keith on acoustic and does not feature Taylor? Possibly Taylor plays the high acoustic outro.

Loving Cup
Keith comes in at 0.25 with beautiful acoustic strumming. Another heavier electric riff comes in at 0.55 but this sounds like Keith so I am not sure Taylor is on this tune although he plays the heavy riff part live.

Happy
Richards plays the signature riff and it feels like he plays all the guitars on this. Either way both slide guitars play variations on the same riff in the Keith style. Most likely the guitar on the right is Taylor if he is on it at all. The slide solo at 1.12 sound like Richards as it is very cool but quite easy.

Turd on the Run
All Keith until about 1.00 when a great riff comes in from Taylor. Sounds like horns but is a syncopated guitar part. This comes in again at 1.50. Great unique sound particularly the shuffling guitars at the end.

Ventilator Blues
Cool riff from Taylor starts the song. Richards plays some acoustic rhythm from about 0.30. Most of the guitar sounds like Taylor, playing some acoustic slide in the middle. A similar solo under the coda as Casino Boogie but much tighter and higher in the mix from Taylor.

I Just Want to See His Face
Taylor on electric bass and Richards on electric piano?

Let it Loose
Leslie speaker arpeggio guitar, sounds like it is all Richards unless Taylor is just playing the same part doubled? Or maybe Keith's idea but played by just Taylor?

All Down the Line
Most conventional rhythm and lead split on the album, Keith plays charging riff and Taylor plays searing slide through out plus a great but brief solo at 2.05.

Stop Breaking Down
Similar to the above accept Jagger plays rhythm guitar and Taylor great spooky slide though out . Could be a follow up to previous Jagger/Taylor duet Sway but this is a cover of course.

Shine a Light
No Richards on this. Mainly piano and organ based until Taylor’s solo fills come in at 1.00. He plays epic guitar until the main solo at 2.40. The best mixed solo on record but again rather abruptly cut off in mid flow by a bridge of strange Leslie effect vocals. Brief coda solo before sudden ending. Taylor and Wyman claim the bass line.

Soul Survivor
Sounds like this could be all Richards. Left channel riff is Richards with a slide part also coming in on left at 0.05 with some delicate extra rhythm on right. Not sure if slide is Taylor but most likely contribution particularly the parts from 3.34 as it has his thick rich tone.

No Taylor on Rocks Off, until the ending.

No Taylor at all on Let It Loose, Sweet Black Angel, Turd On The Run, Loving Cup or Happy.

Taylor is only heard toward the ending on Ventilator Blues.

No Taylor guitar on Torn & Frayed, I Just Wanna See His Face, Tumbling Dice

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DandelionPowderman
If you hear him, can you tell when he's audible?

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FP

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DandelionPowderman
If you hear him, can you tell when he's audible?

Sorry I don't understand? There was some dispute over whether he is on this track apart from the end solo. I always liked the strange textures in the background of the released version and was convinced it was Taylor, even though it sounds like an electric piano part or maybe backing vocals. Hearing the demo version you can clearly hear the same parts and that they are Taylor playing all the way through the song. Accept on the EOMS version the parts are treated in a more ambient way in the mix than the mix heard on the demo.

On the demo he is playing very subtle parts on the between the two Keith parts although the song. On the released version I hear him play from the first riff a melodic harmony riff in centre. A few melodic riffs in the back ground of first verse then at .50 Taylor brings in a slide guitar part that sounds like a ghostly backing vocal. Then Taylor plays an elegant run at about 1.05. Taylor is mostly inaudible then until after the bridge when some slide comes in at 2.50 followed by a run at about 3.00. At 4.00 Taylor plays the same fill as at 1.05 followed by a brief solo at 4.15.

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DandelionPowderman

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FP

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DandelionPowderman
If you hear him, can you tell when he's audible?

Sorry I don't understand? There was some dispute over whether he is on this track apart from the end solo. I always liked the strange textures in the background of the released version and was convinced it was Taylor, even though it sounds like an electric piano part or maybe backing vocals. Hearing the demo version you can clearly hear the same parts and that they are Taylor playing all the way through the song. Accept on the EOMS version the parts are treated in a more ambient way in the mix than the mix heard on the demo.

On the demo he is playing very subtle parts on the between the two Keith parts although the song. On the released version I hear him play from the first riff a melodic harmony riff in centre. A few melodic riffs in the back ground of first verse then at .50 Taylor brings in a slide guitar part that sounds like a ghostly backing vocal. Then Taylor plays an elegant run at about 1.05. Taylor is mostly inaudible then until after the bridge when some slide comes in at 2.50 followed by a run at about 3.00. At 4.00 Taylor plays the same fill as at 1.05 followed by a brief solo at 4.15.

With all due respect, I think you're hearing ghosts - either that or I'm becoming hearing impared (I'm not ruling out the latter...)

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Mathijs
This is what I hear:

I Just Want to See His face: both Taylor and Bill Plummer are credited to play bass, but there is no bass on this track. The bass is from the electric piano.


Mathijs

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LuxuryStones

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Mathijs
This is what I hear:

I Just Want to See His face: both Taylor and Bill Plummer are credited to play bass, but there is no bass on this track. The bass is from the electric piano.


Mathijs

There's a double bass on IJWSHF. You can clearly hear (pizzicato) DB lines. My Stax SR-009 Electrostatic Headphones just revealed it again. Must be Bill Plummer then.

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DandelionPowderman
It's kinda muddy in there

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Mathijs
This is what I hear:

Rocks Off –jazzy intro lick, in the far back throughout the song jazzy chords drenched in reverb, outro solo

Rip This Joint – rhythm guitar and slide guitar: Richards.

Shake Your Hips - The main rhythm guitar, starting from the intro on.

Casino Boogie: all guitars are Keith except for the lead guitar starting at 2.12m.

Tumbling Dice: bass. Main rhythm guitar and solo Keith, second rhythm guitar Jagger

Sweet Virginia: acoustic in right channel, starting with the ‘mandolin’ licks.

Torn & Frayed: bass. All guitars by Richards

Sweet Black Angel: All guitars by Richards

Loving Cup: no Taylor. All guitars by Richards

Happy: no Taylor. All guitars by Richards

Turd on the Run: no Taylor. All guitars by Richards

Ventilator Blues: All guitars by Richards, lead guitar starting at 2.17 Taylor.

I Just Want to See His face: both Taylor and Bill Plummer are credited to play bass, but there is no bass on this track. The bass is from the electric piano.

Let it Loose: no Taylor. Guitar by Richards.

All Down the Line: slide by Taylor.

Stop Breaking Down: slide by Taylor, rhythm guitar by Jagger.

Shine a Light: guitar by Taylor, no Richards on this track.

Soul Survivor: slide guitar.

Mathijs

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kleermaker


Also bass on Shine A Light imo.

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Mathijs
This is what I hear:

Rocks Off –jazzy intro lick, in the far back throughout the song jazzy chords drenched in reverb, outro solo

Rip This Joint – rhythm guitar and slide guitar: Richards.

Shake Your Hips - The main rhythm guitar, starting from the intro on.

Casino Boogie: all guitars are Keith except for the lead guitar starting at 2.12m.

Tumbling Dice: bass. Main rhythm guitar and solo Keith, second rhythm guitar Jagger

Sweet Virginia: acoustic in right channel, starting with the ‘mandolin’ licks.

Torn & Frayed: bass. All guitars by Richards

Sweet Black Angel: All guitars by Richards

Loving Cup: no Taylor. All guitars by Richards

Happy: no Taylor. All guitars by Richards

Turd on the Run: no Taylor. All guitars by Richards

Ventilator Blues: All guitars by Richards, lead guitar starting at 2.17 Taylor.

I Just Want to See His face: both Taylor and Bill Plummer are credited to play bass, but there is no bass on this track. The bass is from the electric piano.

Let it Loose: no Taylor. Guitar by Richards.

All Down the Line: slide by Taylor.

Stop Breaking Down: slide by Taylor, rhythm guitar by Jagger.

Shine a Light: guitar and bass by Taylor, no Richards on this track.

Soul Survivor: slide guitar.

Mathijs

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TravelinMan
Anyway, songs like Happy and Tumbling Dice would have benefited from Taylor's lead, especially if he was allowed to work out a part. Like Richards admitted: he, himself is not a lead guitarist. He sounds like Chuck Berry in slow motion. Don't get me wrong, he's one of the greatest rhythm guitar composers of all time, I think he should have stuck to that on this album.