Controversial, no-nonsense, outspoken, opinionated, calls them as he sees them.
Nope, not Allen Klein, the subject of Fred Goodman’s brand new and riveting biography, Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out The Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Roll (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, June 2015)—but in this instance Bob Lefsetz who first put the portrait of the music industry insider on our summer reading list to begin with:
“I want you to read it, so you can see how the world really works.
A man from nothing, who even lived in the orphanage, desires to make it. Chances are you don’t have this drive, you did not do without. And therefore you’re not only unwilling to do the extreme work, you’re unable to cut corners, work in the shady areas, because life is about survival, and if you’ve got no one looking out for you you understand this.
So he managed the Beatles and the Stones. Sounds interesting, but not really. What is interesting is Allen was insecure, he could not be alone. He lived to make others feel good, burnishing his own image in the process. And how did he achieve his goals? BY REINVENTING THE PARADIGM!
…But the truth is the record business was built on obfuscation and irregularities, oftentimes illegalities. They can teach you how to market at music business college, but they won’t teach you how to cheat, and they most certainly won’t teach you how to reinvent the wheel. And Allen Klein reinvented the wheel.
A great musician or a producer is usually a lousy businessman. Klein would get their ear by promising them a million dollars, with no commission, only a guarantee that if he delivered the money, they’d give him his accounting business.But unbeknownst to the talent Klein would figure out a way to get paid on the deal. Furthermore, he might end up owning your catalog.
The truth is winners aren’t team players. Certainly not the traditional teams. They’re not about getting a gig at the company, but making the company crazy, via their demands or their competition. And we haven’t had that spirit in the record business for far too long…”
Well, we’re team players, and as the headline above attests, we have an autographed copy of Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out The Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Roll—and a vinyl copy of the Rollings Stones’ Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)—the classic platter with the die cut cover from his famous charges—to pop in the mail to one of you.
Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) was originally released in September 1969, and is the second compilation album of hits by the Rolling Stones, following Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass). Through the Past made a huge splash on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching #2 in both the U.S. and UK.
The album includes numerous Stones’ classics including “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Let’s Spend The Night Together” and “Honky Tonk Women.” The packaging stays true to the original layout, with its trademark octagonal-shaped album cover.
Enter to win Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out The Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Roll by Fred Goodman and a vinyl copy of The Rolling Stones’ Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) on ABKCO Records by citing your favorite track from Through the Past—and briefly why—in the comments below.
We’ll choose one savvy entrant with a North American mailing address one week from today, July 28. Our winner will be notified directly via email.
