It's Not Killing Me

It's Not Killing Me
Studio album by Mike Bloomfield
Released	1969
Recorded	Golden State Recording, San Francisco Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco Columbus Studios, San Francisco Columbia Records, Los Angeles
Genre	Blues rock, country rock
Length	36:43
Label	Columbia
Producer	Nick Gravenites, Michael Melford [1]
Mike Bloomfield chronology
It's Not Killing Me (1969) If You Love These Blues, Play 'Em as You Please (1976)

It's Not Killing Me is the debut solo album by American blues guitarist Mike Bloomfield. ^[2] It was released in 1969 through Columbia Records. ^[3] Following his success with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Electric Flag, and in the Super Session recordings with Al Kooper, Bloomfield teamed up with former colleagues to record this largely self-written album.

The album peaked at No. 127 on the Billboard 200. ^[4]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[6]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[3]
Rolling Stone	(negative) [7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[8]

AllMusic criticized its "lack of a powerful vocalist" and the under-use of Bloomfield's guitar, going so far as to say "it makes about as much sense as Led Zeppelin having Jimmy Page sing lead while Robert Plant played tambourine!" ^[5]

Track listing

All tracks have words and music credited to Mike Bloomfield, except as indicated.

Side one

1. "If You See My Baby" – 3:07
2. "For Anyone You Meet" – 4:07
3. "Good Old Guy" – 3:21
4. "Far Too Many Nights" – 5:07
5. "It's Not Killing Me" – 3:14

Side two

1. "Next Time You See Me" (Ben Tucker) – 2:57
2. "Michael's Lament" – 4:22
3. "Why Must My Baby" – 2:38
4. "The Ones I Loved Are Gone" – 3:07
5. "Don't Think About It Baby" – 3:33
6. "Goofers" – 1:50

Personnel

• Michael Bloomfield – lead guitar, vocals, piano, acoustic guitar
• Bob Jones – drums, vocals
• Ronny Schreff – drums, mallets, percussion
• John Kahn – bass
• Fred Olson – rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar
• Ira Kamin – organ, piano, banjo
• Mark Naftalin – organ, piano
• Roy Ruby – organ
• Michael Melford – guitar, mandolin, vocals
• Nick Gravenites – vocals
• Orville "Red" Rhodes – steel guitar
• Ron Stallings – tenor saxophone
• Mark Teel – baritone saxophone
• Gerald Oshita – baritone and tenor saxophone
• Noel Jewkes – soprano and tenor saxophone
• John Wilmeth – trumpet
• Marcus Doubleday – trumpet
• Richard Santi – accordion
• The Ace of Cups – vocals
• Diane Tribuno – vocals

Technical

• Daily Planet – cover design
• Don Wilson – cover illustration
• Peter Amft (son of Robert Amft) – cover photograph
• Jim Marshall – rear cover photograph

References

1. Dann, David (October 15, 2019). "Guitar King: Michael Bloomfield's Life in the Blues". University of Texas Press – via Google Books.
2. Browne, David (November 13, 2019). "Book Review: 'Guitar King' Tackles the Life, Legacy and Tragedy of Michael Bloomfield". Rolling Stone.
3. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 125.
4. "Mike Bloomfield". Billboard.
5. "It's Not Killing Me – Michael Bloomfield | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
6. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 690.
7. Gancher, David (November 15, 1969). "It's Not Killing Me". Rolling Stone (46). San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.: 36.
8. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 69.