From rick155@aol.com Wed Feb 05 10:10:53 2003
Subject:Re: Al Kooper...Alice Kooper?? No!

In a message dated 2/5/2003 12:51:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, b3burner@ca.astounditv.net writes:

> Is this the same guy that I have on my "Legends of Rock" video who sang this God Awful song called EIGHTEEN, and sounds like "Crusty The Clown" from the SIMPSONS?
> Jeez, please tell me I'm wrong...

Ok, you're wrong! :-) Look him up on allmusic.com for a bio and extensive discography. Excerpt from that site:
"Al Kooper, by rights, should be regarded as one of the giants of '60s rock, not far behind the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon in importance. In addition to co-writing one classic mid-'60s pop-rock song, "This Diamond Ring" (though it was written as an R&B number), he was a very audible sessionman on some of the most important records of mid-decade, including Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone." Kooper also joined and led, and then lost two major groups, the Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears. He played on two classic blues-rock albums in conjunction with his friend Mike Bloomfield. As a producer at Columbia, he signed the British invasion act the Zombies just in time for them to complete the best LP in their entire history; and still later, Kooper discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd and produced their best work. Instead, in terms of public recognition, Kooper has been relegated to second-rank status, somewhere midway between John Mayall and Steve Winwood. Apart from the fact that he's made, and continues to make great music, it's the public's loss that he's not better respected outside the ranks of his fellow musicians."

I can remember when the "Super Session" album, with Mike Bloomfield, was considered a must-have recording. The first BS&T album is of course a classic. I have a few of his solo albums - "I Stand Alone" (featuring the Hammond tonalities of "Soft Landing on the Moon"!); "New York City You're a Woman"; and "Easy Does It". Defintely *not* Alice Cooper!

Rick