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02 June 2009
One of the best rock and roll books ever!
In 1981, I borrowed a book from a friend called "Backstage Passes" by Al Kooper. He never got the book back.
About 10 years later, I let a friend borrow "Backstage Passes" by Al Kooper. I never got the book back.
And now, more than 15 years later, I purchased the combo of "Backstage Passes" and "Backstabbing Bastards" by Al Kooper, and it is, without question, one of the most entertaining books I've ever read.
Unlike many books about rock and roll personalities, Kooper doesn't spend much time with his childhood. He pretty much starts with his entry into the music business, and takes us through everything from his early songwriting experiences, to the "accidental sound" on Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," to getting booted out of Blood Sweat & Tears (the group he formed), to stumbling into what became known as "Super Session" with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills (and Bloomfield's penchant for eating dog biscuits), to great stories about touring, a French horn solo for the Rolling Stones, discovering Lynyrd Skynyrd (and trying unsuccessfully to get them to change their name!) to producing the Tubes and Nils Lofgren. He even has stories about Smokey Robinson, Miles Davis, and Milton Berle. That's right, Uncle Milty! And he takes us through several marriages as well.
When you read this book, I believe you seriously get to know Al Kooper - his history in the music biz, his ups as well as his downs, and his marvelous sense of humor, while getting to know a little about his personal life as well. It's been a pleasure (re-)acquainting myself with Al Kooper.