rare recording found Mon, 17 Jul 2000 14:57:36 -0400 It was 1971, and the Rolling Stones were "exiled" in the south of France, busy with recording songs that would eventually be released as "Exiles on Main Street," arguably their best album. During that long summer, the on again/off again recording sessions combined with the relaxed atmosphere, drugs and alcohol, and hangers on, to create a potentially explosive atmosphere. Fortunately, the explosions were kept to the creative kind, and with the release of "Exile" in 1972 the Rolling Stones reached their creative peak. One of the many hangers-on that summer was Gram Parsons, who would one day be hailed as the "founder" of country-rock. However, in 1971, Parsons was anything but the legend he would become: musically adrift after quitting the Flying Burrito Brothers, and indifferent to his talent, living off a trust fund and dreams, frying his mind on a variety of drugs, Parsons easily slipped into the Rolling Stones cocaine fueled trashed jet set lifestyle. Parsons had met the band on their 1969 American tour, and became fast friends with country music fan and fellow-imbider of high quality drugs, guitarist Keith Richards. Upon Richards invitation, and despite Mick Jagger's evident distaste of him, Parsons jetted to France and set up house in Richard's rented sea-side mansion. Until recently, only a few photos and rumors of guest vocals survived to document this meeting on two musical minds. But the recent finding of a cassette tape among the archives of the late Peter Quentin-Quisp, an Austrailian journalist, sheds much light on this much speculated upon era. An edited transcription follows. August 28th, 1971, late afternoon. KR: (singing and playing guitar) "She's a devil in disguise....telling dirty lies.....what's the next line, then?" GP: "Hell if I know, man. Like I wrote that piece of shit. Are you hungry? Let's get some more of that killer shrimp." KR: "Sure, why not? Hey, Anita, dahlin; why don't you run down to the market for us? Here's a fiver." GP: "My oh my, you are one fine lady, Miss Anita. I sho would appreciate it if you could get some beer, too, ma'am, if you could find it in your beatiful heart to do so. (Anita leaves the room, muttering "fuckin assholes") "Ah, that ol southern charm. It works everytime! She sho do have some pretty eyes, tho. I could write a song about those eyes." KR: "Mind yeself, mate, and pass that joint over ere!" GP: "Sure, man, be cool, be cool!" Let's see that guitar!" (sounds of a guitar, slightly out of tune) GP: "Anita.....Aneeeta....I neeed ya.....to buy some beer and bring it here...." Aw fuck it. Hey man, you ever hear that George Jones song "White Lighting? We should cover that one when we record our album, man! George Jones: the king of broken hearts.... KR: "aw Christ, ya ain't gonna start bawling again, are ya? (listens to GP fumbling through the song) Naw, mate, it's in A....that's right. Next chord is D. Give me the geetar, man." I needs to play some blueeeessss.!" MJ (entering room): "Oh, I thought I'd find you here Keef, ya flash c__t bastard! (sees GP) Oh, you're here, too, of course. Working on a country song are ya? Lovely, just lovely. GP: "Oh hey ya, Mike." MJ: "It's Mick!" GP: "Whatever." (GP and KR burst out laughing) MJ: "We do have a vocal session scheduled that you are supposed to be at, you know. Suppose you might button up your trousers and come on down, or do I need to leave a trail of joints to lure you on down. No, wait, that bugger would eat em all up like shrimp first!" KR: "He said "shrimp!" (he and GP start laughing again) MJ: "That does it, I'm going to the picture show with Charlie!" KR: "Is he gone yet?" GP: "Man, that cat needs to mellow out and get high on some cosmic country, you know? Maybe I should get him and Hillman together and....." KR: "See which stick is farther up the bum!" (Laughter...) GP: "Where the hell is the beautiful lady with the shrimp? (sings) Angie.....Angie... KR: "Anita, mate! GP: "Hey that's cool. I need a mate too!" (laughter) End of transcript.