Rating: 
Summary: Al could have been the President of General Motors, baby
Review: A terrific book about rock and roll in the 1960s and 1970s written by a musician who not only lived through it but also shaped the landscape. Kooper played with the best, including Mike Bloomfield, Stephen Stills, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stone, the Who, Joplin, BB King, and more. This book details Al's life in the music business and his insistence at putting the music ahead of commercial success. A true survivor. The books is well-written, funny and really interesting. A real page turner. Great gift for any rock and roller!
Rating:
Summary: Al could have been the President of General Motors, baby
Review: A terrific book about rock and roll in the 1960s and 1970s written by a musician who not only lived through it but also shaped the landscape. Kooper played with the best, including Mike Bloomfield, Stephen Stills, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stone, the Who, Joplin, BB King, and more. This book details Al's life in the music business and his insistence at putting the music ahead of commercial success. A true survivor. The books is well-written, funny and really interesting. A real page turner. Great gift for any rock and roller!
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: Al Kooper has been at the center of the rock music scene for thirty-plus years. He's been a songwriter, producer, sideman, bandleader, A&R man, Label head, talent scout, writer, etc. He is not a hanger-on, but a vital link in the chain. This book is an overview of his career from his own lips. After reading this book and getting to know him via the internet, my respect for the man and his achievements has grown by leaps and bounds. To put it bluntly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a lesser place without Mr. Kooper as an inductee.
Rating:
Summary: Great read from a rock-n-roll legend
Review: Al Kooper seems to have managed to be in the right place at the right time on many, many occasions! This book brings you inside the music business and reveals it, warts and all. Chock full of incredible stories and extremely well-written, you almost feel as if you were there rubbing elbows with Bob Dylan, George Harrison and the Rolling Stones among many others. Don't miss this terrific, funny and very engaging book.
Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing Memoir by a Masterful Musician
Review: Candid, honest, revealing, and funny, Al Kooper takes readers on a rock and roll rollercoaster filled with classic sessions with legends like Dylan and the Stones, groundbreaking work with The Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears, and the master's touch that brought Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Tubes to prominence. Writing in a fluid, friendly style that feels like he's sitting right next to you pulling out albums from his own collection and telling you what turns him on, Kooper dishes the surprisingly-sour-grapes-free dirt on the nastiness and selfishness of the music industry and how it made him decide to leave the business and do the things he wants to do (such as teaching at Berklee and playing occasional gigs with superstars from late-night-TV-show bands) on his own terms. Amazing photos, incredible puns, and a promise to sign your book if you bring it to one of his shows are just some of unusual things that make this book a must for anyone who digs rock and roll, the blues, the 60s, or just a good story well told.
Rating: 
Summary: Good time rock & roll
Review: First of all, if you don't know the difference between Alice Cooper and Al Cooper, you should probably stick with your Dr. Suess books.Al Cooper has played with some of the greatest rock and roll artists and bands of the 60's, 70's, and 80's ( Electric Flag, Blood Sweat & tears, Bob Dylan ) to name a few. If you are interested in true rock and roll artists, and insights into how they work and think, then you will really enjoy this book. If Alice Cooper is your favorite artist, and you don't know the difference between Al Cooper and Alice Cooper, buy a book about the Partridge Family, as you might ' get ' them.
Rating: 
Summary: Buy his CDs, not this book.
Review: I am a fan of Alice Kooper's music and I thought, great, I'll read his memoirs. Wrong. He is no writer. I thought such an interesting life would be interesting to read. Well, maybe if a real good author penned it, it could have been. Plus, he admits to being stoned on all manner of drugs ( except herione, as if that makes a big difference ) and booze, then expects us readers to take him at his word about his past. I think he is fuzzy at best about his past. Name dropping is his favorite past time...*Yawn*. Spend your money on a CD...enjoy the music. I doubt you will like this book. I didn't.
Rating:
Summary: Who Knew?
Review: I didn't know much about Al Kooper. I just like to read biographies. Who knew that this rock star had the rare ability to write an extraordinarily absorbing biography? Oh, and the trivia! Besides that now classic "Like a Rolling Stone" story, this guy had the gonads to play French Horn on "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Being a Horn player myself, that's practically impossible to imagine. Living vicariously through Al as he took risk after risk, freely admitting his failures along with his successes, was an inspiration to me. The only bummer is that the book had to end, but now I get to go discover more of this guy's music.
Rating:
Summary: Who Knew?
Review: I didn't know much about Al Kooper. I just like to read biographies. Who knew that this rock star had the rare ability to write an extraordinarily absorbing biography? Oh, and the trivia! Besides that now classic "Like a Rolling Stone" story, this guy had the gonads to play French Horn on "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Being a Horn player myself, that's practically impossible to imagine. Living vicariously through Al as he took risk after risk, freely admitting his failures along with his successes, was an inspiration to me. The only bummer is that the book had to end, but now I get to go discover more of this guy's music.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant update from the artist's very creative past.
Review: I followed Al's music from the mid 60's as studio musician and with the Blues Project through his formation of Blood, Sweat & Tears, his amazing work with Michael Bloomfield and his solo work. This book captures and accounts for this very creative and brilliant work. This book is very educational and simply loaded with facts and interesting tidbits of information for not just a fan of Al's or of music in general but everyone. The book goes into detail and makes you feel as if you were there experiencing the events yourself. This is an excellent read and I highly reccomend this book and also Al's CD's (Rekooperation and Soul Of A Man, Live). This is brilliant work by one the most prolific, creative and soulful musical artists that ever lived. Thank you Al and keep on Rockin'.
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