The Story of How "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan was Recorded - Al Kooper

The "guitar player" that Kooper mentions, BUT NOT BY NAME, was Mike Bloomfield for cryin' out loud, one of the hippest blues-rock guitarists of the era. Did Kooper FORGET the name of the guitarist that intimidated him so??? Didn't Kooper do the "Super Sessions" album with Bloomfield??? What is it with these guys? They can't remember the most obvious facts of their most historical moments? I guess he was embarrassed to tell us it was Bloomfield, but WTF??

Recorded 15 years ago, when he was 64-now 79 in 2023. Born: 1944 (age 79 years).
Thanks, Al for all the great music. Michael Sherrer aka Riff Digger.

Love that story. First read about it
1990 or so, I think Marc Greil ?? book.
Like a Rolling Stone would've been a great record
without the sound, the backing band, but the sound
is what makes it --- the organ especially. I saw Dylan
and the Band in Memphis in 1973 I think it was, and
me, was expecting "Stuck Inside of Mobile" as an encore
my favorite Dylan song. But of course it was LIke a Rolling Stone.
The Band, I assume it was Garth H did the organ just like the record.
Even with the lyrics, the vocals and everything which are great, to say the least,
the organ makes it.

I have listened to this interview rapt with attention for several months. I have to say its the most revealtory interview in music history from what I have previously absorbed. This was the most consequential song ever recorded in terms of what Like A Rolling Stone meant to music. Greil Marcus wrote a book about this song and puts out the idea of what happened if these musicians recorded a different time and different place in a slightly different setting and what the result would be, and that in and of itself sheds a light on how fleeting art is. Had Kooper not done what he did, how would this song have manifested itself? The way it turned out in the end is nothing short of an absolute miracle, and it created, to me, the greatest 6 minutes of studio music in the history of rock and roll.

I havent even got thru this interview. Iit and Al Kooper are hilarious.

Fantastic story, gentleman. Down to earth. Cool dude.

Is it ever known for sure if the song was inspired by Edie Sedgwick?

Without question best musician story ever.

What a fascinating story. Al plays on one of my favorite Butterfield albums (In My Own Dream) His blues solos are so good.

The "other guitar player" was Mike Bloomfield.

Phenomenal story. Might sound trite, but that song really is a big part of the sound track of our youth. And the organ part is a key element in it. It's genius.

seriously thank u for this mahalo

I lived in a LA when “Like a Rollin Stone” was number one on local radio. KHJ and KMET played this longest hit song ever over and over. The organ were the song’s signature sound. What a great story.👏

Such an awesome tale! Thank you for sharing it. <3

No Direction Home plays the studio chatter when Tom Wilson comes back, sees Al at the organ and starts laughing his ass off, and asks, “What are you doing there?” Barely able to get the words out because he’s laughing so hard. Supposedly, Tom was also tripping on acid at the time.

Great story from a really sound fella. To have played on a Dylan track is quite something but to have played on that particular track and played the organ which really adds dimensions to its overall sound, is just absolute magic. Thanks Al .

I wish he would have said how he came to use the chords he used in the song at that part in the song.

One of rock's great stories. I never tire of hearing it.

What a story!

i have a vinyl record - The Blue Project/Projections. Great stuff

amazing story,talk about meant to be.

I miss you Joe, still cannot believe you're gone

What an amazing story and it reminds me of my Aunt Carlie . She love Bob Dylan and it was my job to put on his album when she would arrive to Thanksgiving to our home each year.

Let’s give credit where credit is also due: Edie fucking Sedgwick

One of the most beautiful stories I've ever heard in the music business.

That's so dope 👏

Great story! The guitarist Al was referring to that was 50 times better than him was Mike Bloomfield. Dylan has suggested himself that with all due respect to Hendrix, Clapton and others, he felt Bloomfield was the best he had heard.

Cool story!

Ha! Cool man cool!!

How does it feel...

the story of a keyboard player in a guitar world. where i live :)

He really is the smartest idiot in the whole world with respect ofc

Thanks Al Kooper for your candid interview. ' I really wanted to play on Bob Dylan's session'.
Your truth is refreshing.
..."you're just a guitar player Al" says the session recorder.
But the Hammond organ becomes a tripping the lights fantastic moment..
Love this amazing moment in time. ♡
Dylan's instrumental tribute to Like a Rolling Stone.
90% ambition 10 % talent.
100% invested into Bob Dylan's orchestral magic.
It stands suspended in music history like multi-faceted prism... 'Like A Rolling Stone' solidified this generation's heartbeat into an awakwning to our rising consciousness.

Alan Price Rising Sun

One of the better musician interviews. Great to hear the unlikely story of the song we were all listening to back then.

This story cant be true. You know what they say...never let the truth get in the way of a good story. He has to be embellishing.

What a great interview! Al Kooper is just awesome, what a great story teller, great insights!

Tim Robbins needs to play him in the movie.

awesome ♥️

The guitar player that he said was so much better than he, was Mike Bloomfield. I love this story. He took the bull by the horns and changed the trajectory of his career. The organ helps make the song great.

Great story kinda similar to how Orson Wells described his experience of directing Citizen Kane. He said ignorance was the biggest reason why he shot the movie the way he did.

He came up with the most recognizable lick of the song, responding to every "how does it feel" with the organ.

Thanks so much for this fantastic piece of music history Joe!

so cool....only Al Kooper could pull that off!!

Good one

LUV LUV t Organ sound on Like a Rolling Stone AND Positively 4th Street-- SO Hugely Impactful for t entire song. A-mazing Great Story & testimony. WOW. Thanx God!

(please not) one more time🌻

If you listen to the recording, you'll hear the organ coming in an 8th note late on each chord change because Al Kooper wasn't sure of what he was doing -- and it's perfect. How hilarious. . . . But that's part of the genius of Bob Dylan. He recognized that organ sound was important and turned it up.

if that story is even half true it's still a mind boggling story. i had to go listen to the song cos i couldn''t associate the tune with the title ( not a big dylan fan) nor could i remember the organ in it. At 21 yrs old he had bigger kohunas than most. That said he must have been able to play an organ cos that organ sounded great, probably made that song great.