The story of notorious manager Allen Klein, revealing new, behind-the-scenes details about some of the biggest rock bands in history. Allen Klein was like no one the music industry had seen before. The hard-nosed business manager became infamous for allegedly catalyzing the Beatles' breakup and robbing the Rolling Stones, but the truth is both more complex and more fascinating. As the manager of the Stones and then the Beatles-not to mention Sam Cooke, Donovan, the Kinks, and numerous other performers-he taught young soon-to-be legends how to be businessmen as well as rock stars. In so doing, Klein made millions for his clients and changed music forever. But Klein was as merciless with his clients as he was with anyone else, earning himself an outsize reputation for villainy that has gone unchallenged until now. Through unique, unprecedented access to Klein's archives, veteran music journalist Fred Goodman tells the full story of how the Beatles broke up, how the Stones achieved the greatest commercial success in rock history, and how the music business became what it is today.
"Writing about contracts, percentages and deals can be tedious, but Goodman makes it as exciting as reading about an artist's sex life. The book explodes with inside dope."
Jim Farber, New York Daily News
"Fred Goodman makes this world come alive, and any fan of rock or insider tales of the music industry will be in heaven reading about this fascinating, troubling character."
Judd Apatow
"One highly engrossing read . . . Fred Goodman is a superb writer and his account here of one of rock 'n roll's most polarizing figures could not be more readable. [A] triumph."
