Bitten by the Blues – The Alligator Records Story (Chicago Visions and Revisions)

Loved it…

Very in-depth story about an important blues label.

I bought this book and read it within 24 hours. Enjoyable throughout. I've known Bruce Iglauer, who IS Alligator Records, since his very first record, but I didn't even know there was a book until a few days ago. I'm glad I found it. Very straightforwardly written, this tells the story of a young guy who got hooked on the blues and then pursued his passion -- starting an independent record label, and one that has remained true to its vision throughout. At one point, there were hundreds of indies (I co-founded one of them) but Alligator always stood out for its dedication to one genre and serving it well. The label clearly believed in its artists and helped book and manage them as well. This book tells how Bruce got the label off the ground -- one record a year for the first several years, and recounts many of the challenges along the way. Even those who were never part of the record business can appreciate the way it worked, because the writing is clear and doesn't presume knowledge of business jargon.

As a fan of the Blues who grew up in Chicago, I have been aware of Alligator Records since the 1970’s. This book by founder Bruce Iglauer was a highly entertaining read.Iglauer tells the story from the very beginning, of literally launching a record label with what amounted to pocket change, passion for blues music and a desire to succeed. He takes a reader throughAny twists and turns of growing his roster, branching out beyond traditional blues artists and continuing to release top quality music.It was really touching to read about the relationships Iglauer developed with so many artists, that went above and beyond a normal artist/label scope. It is very evident how much Iglauer cares about these artists and his commitment to them (even if they eventually left Alligator for another label).I also found it fascinating to read about the challenges of a record label through the launch of cd’s, to the advent of streaming and the diminishing pool of people who purchase physical copies of music today. Iglauer finds a way to roll with the changes and stay relevant nearly 50 years after it all started.One final thing: it is awesome to read a story about someone who followed their passion in life, found a way to make a living from it and who was able to rebound with the seismic shifts like those in the music industry since 1971. Amazing stuff!!!

Soon as I saw this book I had to order it, if only to re-pay a kindness Bruce Iglauer extended to memany years ago when he smoothed the way for me to take photos from the stage area atthe Long Beach Blues Festival (1985)(of which many of these photos are to be seen at mywebsite JAZZ FOR MOSTLY)-------------- What a great memoir and I am only halfway done! (I keephaving to get up and pull an Alligator record off the shelf to re-visit all the stories he tells)------- Bruce isonly a half dozen years elder to me, so, besides being extremely jealous of his Chicago days, I cancertainly relate: Imagine being a white guy from the middleclass suburbs of the sprawling SouthernCalifornia raised on 60s pop & rock music & the Rolling Stones and one night walking into a beer jointin South Central (we called it Watts back then) in 1973 and hearing Pee Wee Crayton ---- I thought I wasin heaven, here I was a beer drinker myself, among a whole room of beer drinkers, the odd tone of myskin stood out but was irrelevant in the bath of sound coming off this little stage ----------- Bruce gets toall this, and I also appreciate that he reveals much about the business of being a record company------I sure wish he had a camera those years, this guy was no slouch when it comes to going into dangerousterritory ---------------- and I also appreciate that he lays out the differences of South Side Chicago fromWest Side from North Side, something I’ve always wonder’d about-----------------It hits you soon asyou get inside the beer joint that these black blues guys could mop the floor with the Rolling Stones, Iwas hooked, and all those years I should have been in collitch, I was in Watts drenched in BLUES music------------ANDI was unaware that Mr Iglauer was one of the founders of LIVING BLUES magazine, of which, I’ve been asubscriber since issue #10------------------------------signed, Mark Weber