A live film recorded by one of the most important and best rock bands of all time at the height of their powers using the finest recording equipment known to man somehow became lost in a legal and logistical quagmire for nearly 40 years, but now possibly the greatest EVER live concert film is due to reclaim its place at the top.

Despite a gruelling eight month recording process that had seen personal drug problems take their toll on the band, the Rolling Stones had just completed their career defining album in Exile On Main Street, which was released in March 1972. Later that year filmmakers Bob Freeze and Steve Gebhardt were enlisted with the responsibility of documenting the Rolling Stones’ North American tour.

Freeze and Gebhardt took their opportunity to record the band at four shows in Houston and Fort Worth in late June 1972 and their ambitions were extraordinary. Filmed in 16mm by filmmakers the film was blown up to 35 mm with a “fluid gate” process for theatrical release.

The concerts were recorded in 32 tracks and the soundtrack was mixed in Twickenham Studios in England. In its initial U.S. theatrical run it was released in “Quadrasound” which was a variation of the four-track magnetic sound format. Instead of the usual right, centre, left and single surround tracks, Quadrasound fed right and left screen speakers and right and left (split surround) speakers.

The objective of the quadraphonic sound recording was to transform the 650 seat motion picture theatre auditorium into the auditory phenomenon of a 10,000 seat rock ‘n roll arena. The film required a specialist 44 JBL driver sound system (four systems were built and used during the road show performances of the film). Each sound system was capable of generating 3300 Watts RMS, and was transported to each venue in a 14 ft. bed truck.

Played at 100 dbA in evening and midnight performances, the sound track had to be mixed by a dedicated sound engineer (who travelled with the film around the country) based on the number of people in the audience in order to achieve optimal clarity.

But once the film completed its limited runs around the world over a period of two years, and despite the fact that it gathering across the board critical acclaim, the film was never released internationally and never received a home release on either VHS or DVD, save for a 1980 release in Australia which has been bootlegged repeatedly for 20 years.

It’s a danger that mythical out-of-print movies such as this gather a legend about them that belies their actual quality (for example, the Stones’ Cocksucker Blues, which was recorded on the same tour, is really not as good as anyone remembers it). However, Ladies And Gentlemen… doesn’t suffer under the weight of expectation. In the days before concert films were de rigour, this captures the sweaty, intense, raw energy of the greatest rock n roll band of all time better than any movie before or since and it’s a real mystery as to why we’ve waited for nearly 40 years to see this again. But with rumours of 50th anniversary tours and retirement nonsense it’s going to be a joy to remind ourselves exactly why we love the Stones so much in the first place.

Widely accepted as one of the greatest concert films of all time, LADIES & GENTLEMEN… was recorded during the band’s Exile On Main Street American Tour in June 1972. It was released via limited theatrical runs after premiering in 1974, but it has never received an international release at the cinema and has never seen the light of day on video or DVD in this country.

But that is all about to change…

On Tuesday 7 September the amazing LADIES & GENTLEMEN: THE ROLLING STONES will finally see the light of day once more, remastered and remixed and sounding better than ever..

Then there will be dozens of screenings in cinemas across the country taking place between 16-21 September. The film will then be released on Blu Ray and DVD on 11 October.

“It’s a full on performance and energy levels are really high…everyone’s very together and on.” - Mick Jagger