Nils Lofgren was already a Rock & Roll Renaissance Man by the time he turned twenty. He worked with Neil Young on After The Gold Rush, with Neil’s band Crazy Horse, appeared on Stephen Stills 2 and even had his own band – the aptly named Grin. And, that was just the beginning. After a few albums with Grin, Nils went solo in 1975 and released a brilliant, self-titled album featuring the soon-to-be-classic track, “Back It Up.” 

 

Even though the critics and the audiences for his live shows knew the magic was there, the record-buying public was still largely unaware of Lofgren. The question became how to get everyone else on board. The answer was to take a radio concert, press it up, disguise it as an “authorized bootleg” and do a then unheard of commando run on the masses. 1,000 records with hand-pasted, photocopied cover art found their way to rock radio, and the legend of Nils Lofgren became a reality.

 

Featuring the iconic Al Kooper on keyboards (who just happened to be producing Nils’ follow-up studio release at the time), former Grin-mate (and brother) Tommy on guitar and the rhythm section of Mike Zack and Scott Ball, Back It Up!! Live…An Authorized Bootleg showcased tracks from Nils’ current release and four Grin classics. This band was truly on top of their game, and while the listener may not have been able to see Nils do his back-flips, they felt them in blistering versions of tracks like “Keith Don’t Go”, “I Don’t Want To Know” and the Goffin/King penned “Goin’ Back.”

 

Most who’ve heard this record place it near, if not at the top of Nils’ recorded achievements. In fact, were it not for Nils not wanting to potentially divert attention from his upcoming, second solo release, it might have seen the light as an “official” album. 

 

Hip-O Select is proud to finally “officially” release this “authorized” bootleg as part of its Performance Classics Series. Ten years after this incredible live display, Nils would add his acrobatic assault to Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band. But, it would be this release that would set the live bar high (not that Nils couldn’t do a back flip over it anyway…)