Ladies and Gentlemen....Blood, Sweat and Tears.

[Doug's Tubes]

 

[Doug's Tubes]

 

[Doug's Tubes]

 

[GtrGeorge!]

Such a great band. It was never the same after Al left. You GOTTA read Al Koopers Auto-biography...its a scream!!!!!! So funny and so many stories that inform his very varied and influential career. btw: I may play some AL Kooper BS/T on my 2017 gigs.

 

[Phletch]

Great, great band! David Clayton Thomas is in my list of top 5 favorite singers (right up there with another Canadian singer, Burton Cummings). Such an incredible, powerful voice.

This isn't the best recording; it's pretty raw. And they still sound fantastic.

 

[Northerner]

There's 2 very different Blood, Sweat, and Tears.
Always dug Al.
His story about recording "Like A Rolling Stone" is priceless.

 

[Dave2512]

Love all versions but post AK is my fave.

 

[scott944]

As a teenage "band boy" (the favored pejorative amongst the jocks at my junior high school, and perhaps the basis of my nearly life long dismissal of sports, but that's another post ), BS&T, along with Chicago, were huge! Always loved this one...

 

[marktweedy]

One of the bands that provided a soundtrack to my youth. And I agree entirely with @GtrGeorge! that Al Kooper's autobiography, Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'n Roll Survivor is a great read.

 

[ddeand]

I still have the original Al Kooper-led BST album. They were a wonderful group that did some unique stuff back when. This is one of my all-time favorites from their second incarnation.

 

[blad51]

BS&T is one of my all time favorite bands. (My favorite BS&T song is "Go Down Gambling.")

My dad is a singer and a sax player.

He brought me up with all of the classic horn bands from this Era.

In the spring of 2000, my Dad's band opened up for BS&T. I was beyond excited.

I couldn't wait to meet David Clayton Thomas.

I didn't get a chance to meet him. But I got a chance to shake his hand. As I was shaking his hand, I was excitedly telling him how much I love his work and how he influenced my music.

He pulled his hand back and . . .

My hand got stuck on his ring as he pulled his hand back.

He gave me a look like I was trying to steal his ring.

He then got on the bus.

I was speecless. I was crestfallen.

Now I realize it is a great story.

 

[GtrGeorge!]

Yeah, there really were 2 different BS&T bands. I favor the AK years, because it was truly innovative and clever, very creative. Me and my brother often quote dialogue from that era, or the lyrics. The later stuff, while excellent ,is a very different animal. VERY,VERY well recorded..smart charts. But imho..and its all mine,folks....it was a more standardized affair. I have spent alot of time around jazz heads (a very cliquey bunch,wherever you find them) and waxing philosophic about inversions is their hobby. I hear alot of that in later BS&T. It's music for music readers,if you follow me. It's very entertaining on paper, and Lord knows they nailed the performances.... But the emotional range is always kept close to the vest. Less risks, safer stuff. Sure, I dig "Spinning wheel" ...but is it anywhere near as risky as the AK stuff? I don't think so at all. Al went onto other really cool efforts..but I do feel he left a part of his youthful soul in that band..and some sense of innocence..in the tracks we hear. It was/is special stuff. It still speaks to me.

 

[major-minor]

I was digging this long before The Doobies had their hit with it.

Bs& T 4 is one of my all time fav albums.

 

[major-minor]

BS&T is one of my all time favorite bands. (My favorite BS&T song is "Go Down Gambling.")

My dad is a singer and a sax player.

He brought me up with all of the classic horn bands from this Era.

In the spring of 2000, my Dad's band opened up for BS&T. I was beyond excited.

I couldn't wait to meet David Clayton Thomas.

I didn't get a chance to meet him. But I got a chance to shake his hand. As I was shaking his hand, I was excitedly telling him how much I love his work and how he influenced my music.

He pulled his hand back and . . .

My hand got stuck on his ring as he pulled his hand back.

He gave me a look like I was trying to steal his ring.

He then got on the bus.

I was speecless. I was crestfallen.

Now I realize it is a great story.

A friend of mine worked security for one of their shows back in the mid-80's.

He described David Clayton Thomas as a "pompous prick".

Great singer though.

 

[GulfportBound]

From their first (and absolute best) album:

 

[bob-i]

BS&T was a revolving door of musicians. I'd bet there have been more than 100 people in that band over time. I always liked the early work, child is father to the man, and blood sweat and tears, but after that I lost interest.

 

[buddyboy]

Always thought this was a pretty cool cover. Bonus 'Burst content:

 

[wombat66]

Yeah, there really were 2 different BS&T bands. I favor the AK years, because it was truly innovative and clever, very creative. Me and my brother often quote dialogue from that era, or the lyrics. The later stuff, while excellent ,is a very different animal. VERY,VERY well recorded..smart charts. But imho..and its all mine,folks....it was a more standardized affair. I have spent alot of time around jazz heads (a very cliquey bunch,wherever you find them) and waxing philosophic about inversions is their hobby. I hear alot of that in later BS&T. It's music for music readers,if you follow me. It's very entertaining on paper, and Lord knows they nailed the performances.... But the emotional range is always kept close to the vest. Less risks, safer stuff. Sure, I dig "Spinning wheel" ...but is it anywhere near as risky as the AK stuff? I don't think so at all. Al went onto other really cool efforts..but I do feel he left a part of his youthful soul in that band..and some sense of innocence..in the tracks we hear. It was/is special stuff. It still speaks to me.

The so-called "AK Years" (Al Kooper's time) only lasted about 4 months.

 

[wombat66]

A friend of mine worked security for one of their shows back in the mid-80's.

He described David Clayton Thomas as a "pompous prick".

Great singer though.

Steve Katz wrote a pretty good autobiography.
He also pretty much describes David Clayton Thomas as a pompous prick.

 

[DustyRhodesJr]

I like the David Clayton Thomas era the best.

Fantastic band. I think I have all of their albums.