From a new interview on Jambands.com:

I’m going to ask you this – and we don’t have to get into it if you don’t want to: I’ve never seen you credited with anything on the Exile album and it’s really hard for me to imagine you being there and not contributing.

Well, let me tell you what went down.

When the Stones came back to England, they went into Olympic Studios. Bobby called me and said “We’re here at Olympic and we’re waiting on Keith – come on down. Jimmy wants to finish that discussion you guys had at Nellcôte. And I said, “Cool.” I jumped into my car – it didn’t take long to get from Ascot to Olympic in that Daytona I had at the time.

I went in and talked to Jimmy in the control room. Mick and Charlie and Mick Taylor were all out in the studio area milling around. Jimmy’s manager was George Greif and he was interested in becoming my manager, as well. Jimmy wanted me to sign with Jimmy Miller Productions, which we agreed upon – and that was that.

Keith still hadn’t arrived and those guys were still out in the big room, so I walked out and talked with them. There was this little brown Wurlitzer electric piano there; the drums were to the left and behind; and the bass was up against the back wall, just to give you an idea.

Mick and I were talking – just casual stuff – and he had a pen and pad in his hand. He asked me, “Your dad was a minister, wasn’t he?”

And I said, “No, my dad was a Southern Baptist hellfire and brimstone preacher – about 5 foot tall.” (laughter)

I started playing this little groove on the Wurlitzer – (mimics piano riff) – almost like “Green Onions”, you know? Same kind of feel.

And Mick’s singing, “That’s all right … that’s all right … don’t want to talk about Jesus … just want to see his face …” Just sort of scat singing, you know? I didn’t think anything about it; Charlie joined in and Mick Taylor picked up the bass and we just jammed around for a little while.

Keith shows up after that and I hung around to listen to them do one song. Keith nodded out in the middle of it – and was still out in the studio when they were listening to the playback. I’ll never forget it: Jimmy Miller said to me, “You watch this – he’ll come around.” Jimmy hit “record” at the right moment and – BANG! – Keith came back around just like that and played his solo. Man, I never seen anything like it; Jimmy Miller knew exactly when to hit that button. After that I went home.

When I met wth Jimmy a month or so later out in LA, we got talking about Exile. I said, “Yeah – we did that little jam thing.”

And he says, “Yeah … that was ‘Just Want To See His Face’.”

And I said, “Yeah – that was me.”

He says, “Oh, man … I’m sorry – I forgot. We didn’t keep good records …” You know, making excuses.

So I didn’t bother to get a copy of Exile and nobody gave me one, ‘cause my name wasn’t on it. And all these years I hadn’t thought about it until about a month ago. You know, they credited Keith with the piano and as a co-writer – NOT! Man, that should be a Jagger/Whitlock song … (laughs)

Well, with your blessing, I’d like to include this in the article.

Oh, yeah, man. They know. I wrote Mick to remind him: “If it hadn’t been for Bobby Keys … and all the other stuff that happened because he called me … there would not have been a ‘Just Want To See His Face’, Mick.” (laughs)

Complete interview HERE.

Terrfic story and great find. Thanks for posting!

I heard/read about it but not from him. Nice find!
Seems they really messed up the Exile credits. Ask Dr.John/Didimus for Amyl Nitrate on SB Angel.

amazing. now when I listen I'll be thinking of Bobby Whitlock and his dad..

Whitlock was so talented. A lot of the Layla album was written or co-written by him. Great vocals and piano/organ player.

I read his book a couple of years ago. If my memory serves me correctly Bobby at some point had sold his writing credits back to the record company. Years after that Clapton heard about it and bought the rights back and gave them to Whitlock stating that Bobby wrote the songs and he should be credited and enumerated/paid.

Just another Exile filler.

It's not even a song really, just a soul jam.

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howled
Just another Exile filler.

It's not even a song really, just a soul jam.

that may be but it is a part of a classic album

..love the spontaneity

The magic of the Stones : the one song that had the devilish Nellcote mystique written all over it was in fact born in a posh London studio.

I love this band!

Jeez, All Mick did was use the preacher idea over a jam, wham bam finished next, and Keith couldn't have given a toss.

Exile is full of fillers.

The White album is full of fillers.

Most double albums are full of throwaway fillers.

I never want to hear Rocky Raccoon again and I'd say that I'm not alone.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2013-08-30 18:31 by howled.

Vital part of the album.

Filler?!?! Who are you people? I sure would like to hear some of your songs. They must be fantastique. Filler? That's hilarious, did somebody drop you on your heads when you were born?

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howled
Jeez, All Mick did was use the preacher idea over a jam, wham bam finished next, and Keith couldn't have given a toss.

Exile is full of fillers.

The White album is full of fillers.

Most double albums are full of throwaway fillers.

I never want to hear Rocky Raccoon again and I'd say that I'm not alone.

Yer really quite against any stories that may mean someone else helped write a stones song eh?

I have a feeling that the George Greif mentioned is the same Mr. Grief in George Harrison's Crackerbox Palace. He also managed Lord Buckley.

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howled


I never want to hear Rocky Raccoon again and I'd say that I'm not alone.

You're not. That's when all suspicions were confirmed about these...'Beatles' guys.
Its a damn good thing they did Abbey Road after that...still cant stand 'em though.

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howled
Just another Exile filler.

It's not even a song really, just a soul jam.

I assume you need a chorus/verse/chorus structure and strong hooks to enjoy a song?
That was true in the 50's but fortunately things have changed.

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CousinC
I heard/read about it but not from him. Nice find!
Seems they really messed up the Exile credits. Ask Dr.John/Didimus for Amyl Nitrate on SB Angel.

I've got a friend who's talked to Mac Rebennack about it, off the record, and he is STILL really mad about that credit. Of course he is a classy guy and has moved on, but Dr. John kinda thinks it's a disrespect to the player to credit him (Didimus) like that. On his own album with the fake or altered names in the credits (Remedies), his musicians each got to choose to use their real name or pick their own fake name.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-08-30 21:08 by Turning To Gold.

A treasure!!! thanx

Good story.

As for the songwriting, what does he want? Equal writing credits? A tip-o'-the-hat acknowledgement? Money?

I can see him giving him a "special thanks" on the back of the album cover, but that's about it.

It was definitely an interesting read. Thanks for posting. BTW, I always confuse this guy with the drummer who killed his mum. Jim Gordon?

Greetings from the Jersey Shore.

Read Bobby's autobiography if you have the chance - it covers his entire life and it's fascinating. One of the best I've ever read.

People who claim that EOMS has filler on it are the people that don't "get it. Its a dark complex album that really can not be explained. Pure Stones magic.
"
'

Filler my eye.

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slew
People who claim that EOMS has filler on it are the people that don't "get it. Its a dark complex album that really can not be explained. Pure Stones magic.
"
'

The original folding open vinyl double album artwork was 40% of the mystique and charm. It was as muddy as the music.

Give another 10% to being recorded at Nelcote (for the most part)

Nope, I can honestly say I've listened to the album for 41 years, endlessly, as it's my favorite album ever--and by that I mean "album," not "collection of songs," as every single one contributes to the whole--but I looked at the cover art when I first got it and have hardly looked at it since. And I had no idea at the time where it was recorded, and it wouldn't have meant anything to me if I had.

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Aquamarine
Nope, I can honestly say I've listened to the album for 41 years, endlessly, as it's my favorite album ever--and by that I mean "album," not "collection of songs," as every single one contributes to the whole--but I looked at the cover art when I first got it and have hardly looked at it since. And I had no idea at the time where it was recorded, and it wouldn't have meant anything to me if I had.

I am going to revise that downward to>>>> The original folding open vinyl double album artwork was 20% of the mystique and charm

What I love about Exile..all meat and texture, no filler. There isn't a song I'd drop in favor of any of the outtakes or demos I have heard. It all works.

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misterfrias
Good story.

As for the songwriting, what does he want? Equal writing credits? A tip-o'-the-hat acknowledgement? Money?

I can see him giving him a "special thanks" on the back of the album cover, but that's about it.

It was definitely an interesting read. Thanks for posting. BTW, I always confuse this guy with the drummer who killed his mum. Jim Gordon?

Yes, Jim Gordon.

Morale of the original story:

If you want any kind of song credit from Mick/Keith you better get it in writing and have the best lawyers possible.

No filler on Exile just perfection. The Stones did exploit musicians however but in their era that was the norm...

vs.:

I Just Want To See His Face: Another good example of Keith Richards's "vibe" school of writing, "I Just Want To See His Face" is more a feel than a completed song. Owing to its gospel nature - and some fine overdubs in Los Angeles - the band was obviously happy to let it stand as a finished track, where most jams of this type were developed considerably before being considered fit for consumption.
...

Recoded on a steamy hot Sunday on the Riviera, with Keith directing from the Wurlitzer electric piano, Jagger described the scene to Roy Carr: "'I Just Want To See His Face' was just another song that I just made up as we went along. Keith was playing the piano one night ... we set up two mikes, and I made up the words right on the spot."

*** from John Perry's book on Exile. You make the call.

BTW, I am not arguing. In fact, I believe the version you posted over the one I posted.

Give the guy a "thank you" card & a bottle of wine and then they will be done with it.

Greetings from the Jersey Shore.