Liner Notes: Inside the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio — ‘Mystery to Me’

Liner Notes: Inside the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio is part storytelling tour, part listening session, exploring the legendary albums recorded in the “Sistine Chapel of rock ‘n’ roll.” Step back in time and experience Mystery to Me as it was recorded through the RSM.

Guided by one of the National Music Centre’s talented musician-educators, each tour will highlight a different landmark record from Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and more. Hear the music on vintage equipment, uncover the stories behind the recordings, and enjoy a live interpretation by your guide.

Conceived by Rolling Stones tour manager Ian Stewart and built in 1968, the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio (RSM) helped redefine how—and where—albums could be made. For this session, we turn to Mystery to Me, a pivotal moment for Fleetwood Mac as they pushed deeper into a refined, guitar-driven sound while navigating internal change and creative transition. It would become a closing chapter in several eras at once—the band’s final album recorded in England, the last to feature a two-guitar lineup until Behind the Mask, and the final collaboration with co-producer and engineer Martin Birch. With standout tracks like “Hypnotized” and “Emerald Eyes,” the album has since become a cult favourite for its atmosphere, strong individual songwriting, and understated, late-era cohesion during a period of transition.

Please note: this session includes mature themes and may be best suited for older audiences.