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Tumbling Dice
When you are running a business and building a team, sometimes on that journey there are little moments of light, just a pause or reflection when you realise how far you have come and that all the effort is worth it. A recent example of this was when our UK team was challenged with producing a promo to help drive a few sales after a particularly quiet, ‘Covid induced’ month. In short we needed a bit of a pick me up for the team to get back on the horse.
Below is the genesis of the idea we would end up running with, in a way it says more about our team than about the times, but I love it, it shows passion and knowledge coupled with an empathy for the times plus it was a great insight and promotional idea. What else could we do but ‘Roll the dice”.
The Recording of ‘Exile on Main Street’ by the Rolling Stones, is etched in folklore. The summer of 1971, at a rented villa in the South of France named Nellcôte, recording for the album began. The loose and unorganised sessions went on for hours into the night, with personnel varying greatly from day to day.
Richards had begun a daily habit of using heroin. Thousands of pounds' worth of heroin flowed through the mansion each week, along with visitors Ranging from Gram Parsons to John Lennon. Parsons was asked to leave Nellcôte in early July 1971, the result of his obnoxious behaviour and an attempt by Richards to clean the house of drug users, as the result of pressure from the French police.
There was a division between the band members and associates who freely indulged in drugs and those who abstained.
The atmosphere was like a pressure cooker, which could have blown up at any minute.
One of the most popular songs on ‘Exile on Main Street’ is Tumbling Dice. A song I feel if listened to in the context of the situation it was written and recorded in, goes a lot deeper than just another song about gambling and women.
At this point, their personal lives were taking them in very different directions, and the drug abuse and debauchery was increasing daily. The making of this album, as chaotic as it was, was an effort to see if the band could, or should, continue.
At this point, their personal lives were taking them in very different directions, and the drug abuse and debauchery was increasing daily. The making of this album, as chaotic as it was, was an effort to see if the band could, or should, continue.
In the chorus to Tumbling Dice, Keith Richards, supplies the answer to ‘got to roll me’ with ‘Keep on rolling’. Those three little words are so powerful, listed to in the context of the situation. The repetition of ‘keep on rolling’, takes the song over, and basically sums up the entire album.
It’s also great life advice, especially in these turbulent times that we all find ourselves in.
Keep. On. Rolling!
By Phil Ashton
We ended up running an ‘Exile on Mainstreet’ inspired creative that promoted a set of T&D Dice with purchases, it looks great and has given us all a lift, and a healthy reminder to keep on rolling the dice.
