The Rolling Stones – Exile On Main St.

Artist: The Rolling Stones
Title: Exile On Main St.
Label: Rolling Stones Records
Catalogue Number: COC 69100
Country: UK
Released: 1972
Format: 2 × Vinyl LP, Album, Stereo
Pressing: Very Early Original UK Issue – No-TM Rear Sleeve Variant
Sleeve: Shorewood-Printed Centre-Loading Gatefold
Includes: Both Original Printed Photo/Credit Inner Sleeves
Postcards: Not Present

Matrix / Runout

Side A: COC 69100 A2 ROLLING STONES RECORDS ST-RS-7225.07
Side B: COC 69100 B2 ROLLING STONES RECORDS ST-RS-72250 · 8
Side C: COC 69100 C2 ROLLING STONES RECORDS ST-RS-722509
Side D: COC 69100 D2 ROLLING STONES RECORDS ST-RS-722510

All four sides carry the distinctive Artisan Sound Recorders stamp, sometimes described as the “drumsticks” logo.

A very early original 1972 UK issue of The Rolling Stones – Exile On Main St., issued on Rolling Stones Records as COC 69100.

This copy has the particularly interesting No-TM rear sleeve variant. On the rear cover, the Rolling Stones tongue logo at the lower right appears without the small grey “TM” beside it. This is a recognised early UK sleeve variation; specialist documentation describes it as an early, possibly earliest, UK sleeve printing, although the otherwise similar Grey-TM version appears to have circulated at approximately the same time. 

The original sleeve was manufactured in England by Shorewood Packaging Co. Ltd. in the distinctive centre-loading / Unipak-style construction used for the first UK issues. Both original colour-printed photographic inner sleeves are also present, carrying the Rolling Stones Records / Musidor / Kinney credits and period stereo-playback notice. 

The records carry A2 / B2 / C2 / D2 matrices, the etched American ST-RS-722507 through ST-RS-722510 mastering references, and the characteristic Artisan Sound Recorders stamp in the deadwax. Artisan stamps are documented across the original UK COC 69100 pressings. 

Recorded largely during the Stones' celebrated period at Villa Nellcôte in the south of France and produced by Jimmy Miller, Exile On Main St. brings together blues, rock & roll, country, gospel and soul across one of the band's defining double albums.

Highlights include Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, Loving Cup, Happy, All Down The Line and Shine A Light.

Please note: the original set of 12 postcards is not present.

Condition

Sleeve: VG+

The original Shorewood-printed centre-loading gatefold sleeve remains in very good collector condition.

There is age-related storage and handling wear consistent with a sleeve now more than fifty years old, but the distinctive Robert Frank artwork remains strong and the overall construction is intact.

Most importantly, this is the early No-TM sleeve variant, with no small TM printed beside the tongue logo on the lower-right rear cover.

The original Shorewood manufacturing credit remains visible.

Graded conservatively at VG+.

Original Inner Sleeves

Both of the original printed photographic inner sleeves are present.

These retain the distinctive green and reddish/purple photographic designs, together with the original Rolling Stones Records, Musidor, Kinney and stereo-playback information.

They are an important part of the presentation of an original UK copy.

Vinyl: VG+

Both records retain a good glossy appearance with light signs of previous handling and play appropriate to the VG+grade.

The runouts clearly retain the early UK matrix information together with the distinctive Artisan Sound Recorders stamps on all four sides.

The records will be professionally degritted prior to dispatch.

Please Note

The original 12-postcard set is not included.

This has been fully taken into account in both the description and valuation.

Please study all photographs carefully as they form part of the description and condition assessment.

Track Listing

Side One

1. Rocks Off
2. Rip This Joint
3. Shake Your Hips
4. Casino Boogie
5. Tumbling Dice

Side Two

1. Sweet Virginia
2. Torn And Frayed
3. Sweet Black Angel
4. Loving Cup

Side Three

1. Happy
2. Turd On The Run
3. Ventilator Blues
4. I Just Want To See His Face
5. Let It Loose

Side Four

1. All Down The Line
2. Stop Breaking Down
3. Shine A Light
4. Soul Survivor

Highlights

• Original 1972 UK issue
• Rolling Stones Records COC 69100
• Early No-TM rear sleeve variant
• Original Shorewood Packaging Co. Ltd. sleeve
• Centre-loading / Unipak-style gatefold
• A2 / B2 / C2 / D2 matrices
• Original ST-RS mastering inscriptions
• Artisan Sound Recorders stamp on all four sides
• Both original printed photographic inner sleeves
• Sleeve VG+
• Vinyl VG+
• Features Tumbling Dice, Happy & Shine A Light
• Postcards not present

All non-sealed records are degritted prior to shipping.

The records are shipped outside the outer sleeve to help prevent seam splits during transit and packed securely in a purpose-made record mailer with oversized cardboard stiffeners to ensure they arrive safely.

Impala Records