KooperKast

Al talks about playing on shows with Chuck Berry in the 50s and then backing him up with the Blues Project in the 60s, and just how difficult it was to play for the great Chuck Berry.

Al talks about working with the great photographer Richard Avedon for the cover photos for this album.

Al talks about getting that high vocal sound like the Beatles were using, a crazy song to his mother, and a song based on an actual nightmare with great steel guitar by Sneaky Pete and great scat singing by Vanetta Fields.

Al talks about turning the folk song 500 miles into rock with a secret guitar solo by Terry Kath of Chicago and stellar scat singing by Rita Coolidge. 

Al talks about going to London to work with bass player Herbie Flowers, who he connected with through his friend Elton John, co-writing with Phyllis Major, bass playing legend Carol Kaye in LA, and about working with session players.

Al talks again about how he brings Bobby Colomby, who kicked his ass out of Blood Sweat and Tears, to play drums…. because Bobby is a really good drummer. Al also explains how a bit of Eleanor Rigby ends up in the 12 minute blues, Baby Please Don’t Go.

Episode 1 about Al's 1970 solo DOUBLE album, Easy Does It.  Al talks about how Easy Does It became a double album, how Columbia Records let Al do his thing, and how weed contributed to the amazing piano intro to I Got a Woman.

Al talks about some of the specific songs on his first solo album and how this album might have gotten lost among all the other big selling albums he brought out, from Blood Sweat and Tears first album through the various SuperSessions albums.

Al talks about making his first solo album, including wrangling a 14 piece string section, horns, and much more.

Al talks about his great affection for Harry Nilsson and his sadness over Harry's decline into alcohol and drug abuse. We also talk a bit about the tribute album, For the Love of Harry, which Al co-produced.