Do you ever fantasize about what your life would have been like in an another era?
Say, the 1970's?
(via here)
Oh yes.
It's the summer of 1971 and the Rolling Stones are recording their new album at Villa Nellcote in the South of France.
(Piero and me, 7/23/11, on our way to a '70's party)
I like to imagine it would have gone a little something like this...
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(Photograph by Dominique Tarle)
In a rented mansion heaving with glittering chandeliers and elegant wrought-iron balustrades, barefoot minstrels are birthing musical history.
(Photograph by Dominique Tarle)
Over the decades, every participant in that legendary summer has been exhaustively written about...
(Photograph by Dominique Tarle)
...except for these two.
At long last, their contribution to rock history can be told.
She was a free-spirited embroiderer brought in to embellish the bands' stage costumes.
He was hired to cook up a little dolce vita in the kitchen, tell a few jokes and keep a continual supply of espresso at the ready. Little-known fact: Keith would often tuck a wedge of Piero's almond spice cake into the front of his pants to ward off a low blood sugar spell.
(Photograph by Dominique Tarle)
As for Mick? There was nothing he longed for more after a long day of rehearsing than a big hearty bowl of pasta e fagioli.
(Photograph by Dominique Tarle)
Below, Keith relaxes in the Cote d'Azur sun while Lisa decorates his vest with a happy face and some rainbows.
(Photograph by Dominique Tarle)
Around 6pm, the band would start lining up for dinner. Those boys could eat.
(Photo by Dominique Tarle)
Little-known fact: One night, after a particularly delicious dinner of Provencal çioppino (recipe HERE), Lisa embroidered a pair of lips with a protruding tongue on the back pocket of Mick's favorite blue jeans as a humorous reminder of the meal.
Alas, when you're footloose and fancy-free, it's hard to stay in one place. Despite much pleading from the band, after just two weeks with the Stones, Lisa and Piero felt the urge to spread their wings and keep on truckin'.
"Why do I feel as though you're leaving us in exile?" Keith said as he hugged them goodbye. As their orange VW bus crunched down the gravel driveway, Mick called after them, "Don't forget there's roadworks up ahead -- avoid the main street!"
"Exile." "Main street," remarked Keith. "There could be something in that."
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Now it's your turn...
Who?
When?
Where?
Costumes: Shoes, Jeffrey Campbell; dress and shirt, vintage; hairpieces, Hollywood Wigs.