Albert Grossman and Bob Dylan
Photo by David Gahr
On this day in 1986 — 36 years ago today — Albert Grossman died of a heart attack while flying on the Concorde from New York to London.
Grossman managed Bob Dylan (between 1962 and 1970), Peter, Paul and Mary, The Band, Janis Joplin, Odetta, Gordan Lightfoot, Richie Havens, The Electric Flag, Ian and Sylvia, Phil Ochs, Jsse Winchester and Todd Rundgren.
Grossman built the Bearsville Recording Studio near Woodstock in 1969 and in 1970 he founded Bearsville Records. The cover of Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home album was photographed at Grossman's home in Woodstock. The woman in the cover photo with Dylan, in the red trouser suit, was Grossman's wife, Sally.
Having returned to Woodstock at the end of his 1966 World Tour, Dylan was on his way home from Grossman's house in West Saugerties when he suffered the motorcycle accident that precipitated his eight-year withdrawal from touring.
In his autobiography, Chronicles: Volume One, Dylan describes first encountering Grossman at the Gaslight Cafe:
"He looked like Sydney Greenstreet from the film, The Maltese Falcon, had an enormous presence, always dressed in a conventional suit and tie, and he sat at his corner table. Usually when he talked, his voice was loud like the booming of war drums. He didn't talk so much as growl."
The contracts between Dylan and Grossman were officially dissolved on July 17, 1970, prompted by Dylan's realization that Grossman had taken 50 percent of his song publishing rights in a hastily signed contract. Grossman had a reputation for aggressiveness in both his method of acquiring clients and the implementation of their successes. That aggressiveness was based in large measure on Grossman's faith in his own aesthetic judgments.
He charged his clients 25 percent commission (industry standards were 15 percent). He is quoted as saying, "Every time you talk to me you're ten percent smarter than before. So I just add ten percent on to what all the dummies charge for nothing."
In negotiations, one of Grossman's favorite techniques was silence. Musician manager Charlie Rothschild said of Grossman: "He would simply stare at you and say nothing. He wouldn't volunteer any information, and that would drive people crazy. They would keep talking to fill the void, and say anything. He had a remarkable gift for tipping the balance of power in his favor."
Grossman sometimes appeared treacherously devoted to his clients' satisfaction. While wooing Joan Baez into representation, Grossman is quoted as saying, "Look, what do you like? Just tell me what do you like? I can get it for you. I can get anything you want. Who do you want? Just tell me. I'll get you anybody you want."