Joshua Tree

When Mick, Marianne, Keith and Anita went to Los Angeles together in the summer of '68 whilst the Stones were recording "Beggar's Banquet", they hung around a lot with Gram Parsons, who was quickly becoming best friends with Keith. Gram took them to Joshua Tree National Park in the desert, and they all, along with Phil Kaufman and ever-present photog friend Michael Cooper who took these photos, ate psychedelics and tripped out with nature.  These are some of my all time favorite rare photos of Mick and Keith and their wild women. AND Gram. Enjoy.

Phil Kaufman (Gram Parsons' professional babysitter/minder/road manager) with Marianne Faithfull, pulled over at a gas station on their way to Joshua Tree, California, 1968:

Gram Parsons:

Keith climbing the rocks:

Marianne, spreading her wings in the desert:

Keith observes the rising sun:

As does Gram:

Gram, Anita and Keith:

All photos taken by Michael Cooper, scanned by me. Please credit if you repost.

Exiled

Every summer it happens; when the air is saturated with that sticky, humid thickness and the sun is burning, I always feel like listening to Exile On Main St (well, technically I should say, "I feel like listening to Exile more than I usually do", which is already an amount more sizeable than any person I know).  And it's not because Exile is a particularly 'sunny' record or anything (although it does contain the 'kind-of' love song, "Happy", written by Keith about Anita and two-year-old Marlon, and it doesn't contain the absolutely heart-wrenching, wrist-slitting ballads of its predecessor or successor, Sticky Fingers and Goat's Head Soup respectively, that contain songs like "I Got The Blues", "Wild Horses", "Sister Morphine", "Coming Down Again" and "Angie"). It must be because my mind can't help but transport itself to the summer of 1971, wandering through the long halls and gargantuan rooms of Villa Nellcôte, the mansion Keith Richards had rented in Villefranche-sur-Mer, where much of what became Exile On Main St. was written and recorded. It is, in fact, probably my top favorite Rolling Stones “I wish I was there” daydream – laying out on the veranda with Anita, eating a lavish meal at midnight while Keith and Gram strum their country blues, wandering down to the dark basement for a “Sweet Virginia” singalong…

Nicky Hopkins:

One of my favorite pics of Anita - making baby faces at Marlon:

Keith with Gram Parsons:

Anita with Marshall Chess:

Mick with Mick Taylor and his new bride, Rose Millar, who had recently given birth to the Taylors' daughter, Chloe:

Do those horseback riders know they are in the presence of greatness?

 This photo was taken by Michael Cooper:

Nicky Hopkins:

Family portrait on the grass

 All photos unless specified otherwise were taken by Dominique Tarle, scanned by me from a variety of sources. Pleeeeeeease credit if you re-post. Thanks.