The full weight of the British Empire came down on us.
First they thought they would just do us with the dope and stuff and it did not work, so they put financial screws on.
It became that if you wanted to keep the band going, you were exiled.
Keith Richards
Ak sa spýtate fanúšika The Rolling Stones na jeho najobľúbenejší album, väčšina z nich vám odpovie: Exile On Main St. Album z roku 1972 láka preto, že táto nahrávka je tou najlepšou esenciou Stones v ich dlhej histórii. Tento špinavý, neuchopiteľný a rôznorodý album v čase vydania zožal rozporuplné recenzie, ale v nasledujúcich rokoch sa stal klasikou.
Možno sila tých pesničiek vyplýva aj z príbehu Stones, ktoré začiatkom 70. rokov prežívali zložité obdobie. Po rozpade The Beatles bola pätica tou najväčšou kapelou v Británii, no po spočítaní banku ale rýchlo zistila, že nie je schopná platiť extrémne vysoké dane.
Stones si preto zbalili kufre a v lete 1971 sa odsťahovali na južné pobrežie Francúzska, kde si v mestečku Villefranche-sur-Mer prenajali vilu Nellcôte s tým, že tam dokončia svoj nový album.
Svedkovia tých sessions hovoria ako o veľkom chaose. Priestranná rezidencia bola 24 hodín denne plná priateľov a hostí, až je zázrak, že Stones boli schopní pracovať.
Keď Stones koncom roku 1971 nahrávanie Exile ukončili, presťahovali sa do Los Angeles.
Na Côte d'Azur sa Stones už nikdy nevrátili.
50 years ago, the biggest rock band in the world, the Rolling Stones, landed in the south of France. Following various tax woes in England, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor decided to come and seek shelter in France. The young photographer Dominique Tarlé who had known the band for a few years in London and on tour, came to join his favorite musicians in order to immortalize them in this new environment.
He began with the now-famous Villa Nellcote, rented by Keith Richards, overlooking Villefranche-sur-Mer harbor. He came to spend the day with the guitarist and his family, and will only leave 6 months later, following Keith's invitation to enjoy this special moment in their lives. How do you refuse such an offer, when you are a fan of photography and rhythm and blues?
Dominique Tarlé then became the only photographer ever to live with this legendary band, at the height of their career, during the creation of the no less legendary album Exile on Main Street, going in the same day from the simplest daily events to the pure musical moments between professionals.
This unforgettable summer would forever leave its mark on the photographer's life and the history of rock'n'roll; the trust the band gave Dominique Tarlé still holds even today and is testimony to the sincere friendship that bound him to these artists.
Julia Gragnon
