Stones in Exile: The Making and Tour of ‘Exile on Main St.’

Musichead Gallery proudly presents Stones in Exile: The Making and Tour of ‘Exile on Main St.’, examining the creativity, chaos, and peak era of The Rolling Stones in 1971–1972. Highlighting the importance of Mick Taylor and the Exile mythology, this photography exhibition will feature 20 photographs by 10 acclaimed photographers, reminding us that great art often emerges from turbulence and that creative freedom is always worth fighting for.

On the run from British tax authorities, the band took refuge in the French Riviera, setting up a makeshift recording studio in the basement of Keith Richards’ rented villa, Nellcôte. What followed was chaos: long nights, loose schedules, and a blur of collaborators. But from the disorder came brilliance. Exile on Main St., the raw, sprawling double album, is widely considered their masterpiece.

Finishing touches came in Los Angeles, where Mick Jagger refined vocals and arrangements while guitarist Mick Taylor, at the height of his powers, added the soulful leads that elevated the album’s sound. Then came the 1972 North American tour, a whirlwind of swagger, sweat, and unrelenting energy. Captured by legendary photographers and journalists, it remains one of the most iconic rock tours ever staged.

On display are photographs of the Rolling Stones at Villa Nellcôte in France, where the recording of Exile on Main St. began in the summer of 1971. Visitors will also see images from Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, where the band completed the album, along with the original studio photographs featured in the album’s first pressing. The exhibition also showcases photographs from the band’s legendary 1972 North American tour, a raucous and unapologetic stretch that captures the Stones at their most unfiltered, untouchable, and unforgettable.