Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards by Al Kooper
|
List Price: Buy Used: from $8.97 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
(Click here)
Book Reviews of Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards
Book Review: Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards
Summary: 5 Stars
Great book - I couldn't put it down. Here's some insight into some of the greatest acts in rock - Dylan, Mike Bloomfield, Hendrix - it's all there. Al Kooper is a funny guy and I enjoyed the book tremendously!Book Review: What a long, strange trip it's been!
Summary: 4 Stars
Al Kooper (not to be confused with Alice Cooper) is a true rock and roll survivor with a music career spanning several decades. Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards gives us Kooper's perspective on his career as well as encounters with various significant musicians. Kooper's book is a rarity in this field because he comes across as an intelligent and likeable individual rather than the stereotypical rock musician qua druggie/devirginator. So don't go to this book if you're looking for lurid stories of ODs and groupies. Some of Al's fellow musicians, such as B.B. King, Gene Pitney, and George Harrison, are characterized as really great human beings but Al doesn't hesitate to take potshots at those who have done him wrong such as Bobby Colomby and Steve Katz of Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Kooper has had an amazing career playing with such notables as Bob Dylan, Mike Bloomfield, George Harrison, the Rolling Stones (You Can't Always Get What You Want), and Jimi Hendrix. And he was one of the writers of This Diamond Ring, a number one hit for Gary Lewis & the Playboys. Kooper writes intelligently and his book is a fun read. My only criticism is the lack of detail on some of Al's more interesting musical adventures. He came up with the idea for the Super Session album involving Mike Bloomfield, Steve Stills, and others but we don't get very much information about what it was like to work with Bloomfield beyond the fact that Bloomfield left with the album half-done apparently because of insomnia. On the other hand, Al is upfront in admitting that he showed up for Dylan's Highway 61 session expecting to play guitar but quickly abandoned that notion when Bloomfield played a few riffs on his Telecaster. Kooper was on the scene to work with Jimi Hendrix on the Electric Ladyland album but there's very little on this. Hendrix did think highly enough of Al to send him one of his guitars. There are interesting sections detailing Kooper's production work with Lynyrd Skynyrd and TV work with Ray Charles, and the crime drama "Crime Story." All in all, this is a very entertaining book even if it's somewhat lacking in details.Book Review: A Wild Ride
Summary: 4 Stars
Kooper writes honestly -- almost painfully, sometimes -- about his 40+ years as a professional musician. He's best known for his almost accidental organ part on Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" created under pressure late one night in 1964. It's part accident / part intuitive stroke of genius / part BS-er. Which is how Kooper sort of describes his entire career.
The book is gritty and moves quickly. There are parts that will make you cringe (Oh no! I can't believe he's going to do that) like you are watching an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
He's clear that he's seen bad times. He's amazingly honest about a lot of it. You get a taste of the boredom and frustration of being a bit of a rock star. But don't feel too bad for him. He's had lots of exhilarating good times as well. And, at this point in his life, he seems like the last guy who would want anyone to feel sorry for him.
Book Review: The life adventures of Al Kooper
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book but for some reason I felt I didn't respect the writer Al Kooper after I had read it. At times I didn't feel sorry for him because of his life style choice in drugs and partying and not respecting the 3 or 4 wives he has had and letting down people who trusted him.
I respect the work he did with Mike Bloomfield and Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bob Dylan. Some of the stories are very enlightening and funny.
Al is a great story teller but rushed past many things like how he went on the sessions of Electric Ladyland and many other important issues are glossed over.
I guess there are only so many pages that can be filled.
Book Review: Backstage passes and backstabbing Bastards
Summary: 4 Stars
What a remarkable story of a near miss star. Al Kooper was some of the glue that held early rock together. While never a star in his own right he added so much to what he did play on, that is, more ground breaking hits than anyone I know of. Just being the first organ in Rock is enough plus the horn band idea with BS&T, wow! His work with Leonard Skinered was a career in itself. Too bad he let his ego take him away from the limelight he deserves. He seems bitter in the end. Truly a story of Rock and Roll itself with Al as a matrix. He doesn't seem to know just how lucky he was. Can't say he let any moss grow on him though.