Throughout a profession that’s lasted for 50 years, Al Kooper has participated in a lot of rock’s most wonderful milestones. In addition to taking part in the keyboard components on Bob Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone and the Rolling Stones’ You Can’t At all times Get What You Need, the ever present New Yorker additionally took half in Jimi Hendrix’s Electrical Ladyland classes.
Lynyrd Skynyrd had been only a bar band till Kooper, the founding member of Blood Sweat & Tears, found them. Simon & Garfunkel, Alice Cooper, Tom Petty, Stephen Stills – Kooper has identified extra stars than Patrick Moore.
Bob Dylan
With Bob you don’t know which Bob you’ll meet, however I believe that’s attention-grabbing. I owe him rather a lot. I’d began out within the enterprise on the age of 14. Previous to taking part in on [Dylan’s] Freeway 61 album I wrote a No.1 music in America – This Diamond Ring, by Gary Lewis And The Playboys – which couldn’t be farther from what Bob Dylan did. So I didn’t say something in any respect to him for a few years, till my hip card had been punched. We constructed up a pleasant friendship. He recurrently got here to my home once I lived in Nashville. We haven’t spoken shortly. I believe he’s going by way of one in every of ‘these’ intervals, however that’s okay.
George Harrison
I labored on George’s Someplace In England album, in 1981. Sense of humour-wise we actually related. I used to be dwelling in Hollywood and my doorbell rang at 11 o’clock at evening. And it was George, this Beatle, coming utterly unannounced to a home that he’d by no means even visited earlier than. That’s the type of stuff he did.
John Lennon
I knew John in the course of the time he spent with Harry Nilsson [in the mid-70s], when he was exiled in LA. He was witty and wonderful, particularly for those who noticed him in sunlight hours. Through the night he tended to be tipsy. I knew him in each situations. After I was doing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s second album, the Document Plant studio turned our clubhouse. At some point John walked into the management room. After he’d gone, Skynyrd requested: “Was that John Lennon?” After I replied that it was, they sighed deeply and stated: “Uh, we’re gonna should take a break.” And so they did.
Paul McCartney
At a session for Kenney Jones, the Faces drummer, I used to be shocked to see McCartney taking part in bass. He was along with his eventual spouse, Linda. A part of my job was educating Linda one thing to play on one other keyboard in order that she might take part. That was actually bizarre, however I did it anyway. On a break, McCartney sat on the piano and performed Georgia On My Thoughts, which was fabulous.
Ringo Starr
I cherished Ringo’s drumming. I performed on some tracks of his that George Harrison was producing. I nonetheless have a beautiful Polaroid picture that Ringo took of he and I collectively – it’s in my e book Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs Of A Rock ‘N’ Roll Survivor, which is able to quickly be in print once more.
Jimi Hendrix
I noticed him on the Café Wah on what was probably the night he was grabbed by Chas Chandler and brought to England. I used to be the stage supervisor on the Monterey Pop Pageant in 1967, and Jimi requested if I might sit in with him on Like A Rolling Stone. I needed to flip him down as a result of I used to be working. It was a mistake. However he lived a block from me when he moved to New York. We jammed collectively rather a lot and have become excellent pals certainly. Jimi was very shy and quiet, a sweetheart, the exact opposite of the ostentatious approach he’s perceived.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
I used to be producing an album in Atlanta, Georgia. Within the evenings I’d frequent a membership. This band with an unpronounceable identify was taking part in there for six nights, two or three units an evening. By the third evening, I sat in on guitar. By the fifth evening I ended up at a celebration with a few the blokes and mentioned signing them to a manufacturing deal.
They had been so good that I began my very own label, Sounds Of The South, and we reduce the primary album in two weeks. Certain, Ronnie Van Zant was feisty, however he was the most effective bandleaders I ever met. He dominated Skynyrd with an iron hand. If anyone went up towards him, they’d get punched out. They rehearsed tougher than any band I’ve seen; all of the guitar solos had been written prematurely.
The Who
I performed on Mary Ann With The Shaky Hand and Rael, each from The Who Promote Out. [Keith] Moon was the lunatic that legend suggests. He as soon as invited the author Terry Southern and myself to his residence in LA to look at the film Night time Of The Residing Lifeless. It was the times earlier than video, and a projector and display screen had been arrange. In the course of the movie, Keith introduced he was going out to purchase cigarettes and beer. However he didn’t come again, leaving Terry and I sitting there along with his girlfriend.
Alice Cooper
I performed on his 1977 album Lace And Whiskey. Alice and I used to stay in Coldwater Canyon in LA. As a result of our names are related we’d typically get one another’s mail. We had shirts made; mine stated ‘Al not Alice’ and his stated ‘Alice not Al’. We had been each going out with dancers, however Alice really stayed along with his and married her.
John Belushi
I met him at a Blues Brothers present. Dan Ayckroyd and John had been followers of mine. After I wrote a narrative on Steve Martin for Crawdaddy journal, Steve got here to my home with Belushi to do some images. I laughed so laborious at Belushi’s anecdotes, my ribs harm for every week afterwards.
Brian Wilson
Pet Sounds is my favorite album of all time. A pal took me to Brian’s home in 1966, two weeks earlier than Pet Sounds got here out. Brian performed me the album – twice, as a result of it was rather a lot to absorb. On the time, I believed there was quite a lot of ego coming from his aspect. Now I can look again and say perhaps I misunderstood that. However I’m 64, and the way outdated was he?
Harry Nilsson
I wasn’t round for these Hollywood Vampires nights on the Rainbow Bar & Grill, although I had my share of instances in that place. Harry’s capability for alcohol was appreciable, although most likely not as spectacular as Lucinda Williams, who I’ve seen drink many males beneath the desk.
The Zombies
I don’t know them too properly as folks, however on my first day working for CBS Data I needed to get up and inform label boss Clive Davis he was making a mistake in not releasing their album Odessey And Oracle [1968] in America. Clive listened, however the unsuitable single was put out. I needed to complain once more earlier than Time Of The Season turned large. They nonetheless inform that story at each gig.
The Rolling Stones
After producing a number of albums in succession I got here to England for a trip in what I believed was secrecy. However the Stones tried to e book me. I advised them I wouldn’t do it; I simply wished to go searching for information and garments. Then I ran into Brian Jones and he says: “Al, we’re so wanting ahead to the session with you.”
So I advised myself I’d go, and if it wasn’t enjoyable then I’d simply get sick and depart. You Can’t At all times Get What You Need was achieved on the primary evening. It was super. However Jimmy Miller was busy rolling the joints and didn’t appear to do a lot when it comes to producing. Mick Jagger was the actual producer of that music.
The Tubes
Their self-titled debut from 1975 might be the best-sounding report I ever made. I wished a sound like a Broadway Authentic Forged album, with strings and horns however retaining a rock’n’roll really feel. With seven members of the band all saying: “Make me louder!”I needed to hold throwing them out of the studio as we blended the report.
Joe Walsh
We’ve been pals since he was within the James Gang. I toured with Joe in 1991, taking part in guitar and keyboards. It was a superb expertise, however Joe was fairly excessive on the time. Having gone by way of that myself I believed it was just a little unhappy. However he acquired straightened out finally and is now clear as a whistle.
Stephen King
He’s a major instance of a nerd. I used to be an enormous fan, so it was nice to satisfy him once we performed collectively in a band of authors known as the Rock Backside Rainmakers in 1992. Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, was additionally part of that. Stephen performed guitar and was… kinda common. However he was very obsessed with music.