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, the Who, 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.
Download and start listening now!
“Goodman’s eye-opening biography of a pivotal insider reveals the record-company machinations behind some of the biggest names from the 1960s.”
— Booklist
Klein changed the way rock does business. In this balanced, fascinating, and well-written biography, Goodman gives him credit where it's due.
— Kirkus Starred Review“Klein changed the way rock does business. In this balanced, fascinating, and well-written biography, Goodman gives him credit where it’s due.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“I want you to read it so you can see how the world really works. Allen Klein reinvented the wheel.”
— Bob Lefsetz, music industry analyst and criticBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Fred Goodman is the award-winning author of several books, including Fortune’s Fool, The Secret City, and The Mansion on the Hill. He is a former Rolling Stone editor. His book The Mansion on the Hill was a New York Times Notable Book and received the Ralph J. Gleason Award for Best Music Book.
Mike Chamberlain is an actor and voice-over performer in Los Angeles whose audiobook narration has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards. His voice credits range from radio commercials and television narration to animation and video game characters. Stage trained at Boston College, he has performed works from Shakespeare and the classics to contemporary drama and comedy.