The Smiley Smile Message Board

Or, The Artists Formerly Known As The Crackers.


Robbie Robertson

Classic case of great talent marred by a repugnant personality. Mean guitarist, when he shuts up - less is more, which makes The Last Waltz a tad grating. Then again, his personality makes The Last Waltz a bit grating. His lack of a singing voice is the greatest service he did for us all, given that he had to get the three greatest singers in rock to sing his songs. And he did start a song with 'The management are very sorry for the inconvenience', which is possibly the least rock and roll lyric in the history of the medium. But then he did write The Weight, Up On Cripple Creek, It Makes No Difference, etc etc.

Beard rating: 4/10. Not feeling the John Lennon schtick.

Richard Manuel.

Poor bastard. Voice of an angel, a wasted songwriting talent (the guy knew a way around a spectral ballad). Does a mean Ray Charles, even with his voice charred by Gran Marnier and cocaine, and despite being barely conscious as in The Last Waltz. Possibly my favourite singer in The Band - the longing and emotion he gives a song like Rockin Chair is just.... goshdarn. His drumming is also great.

Beard Rating: 6/10.  Haggard. Unkempt. Mesmerising. Indicative of the man.

Rick Danko

Locked in perpetual battle with Manuel to sing the most heartbreaking ballad, but there is no shame in defeat here. Major props for throwing down serious moves on the bass. A goof, it seems in The Last Waltz, yet sounds like he gargles gravel on the first lines of the movie. Plays a mean fiddle.

Beard rating: 3/10. In a band of beards he just does not suit them. A tragedy.

Garth Hudson

Oh yes. Mad genius Garth. Favourite anecdote from the Barney Hoskyns book is where someone interviews the group, not expecting much from Garth until one question to him prompts a 40 minute lecture on the history of jazz piano. If more bands had Garth Hudson figures we'd have world peace. Beat Stevie to the clavinet. Plays mad honky tonk piano next to anglican hymns. Writes obit notices in all caps. Restores church organs. Doesn't cash $25,000 cheques. Nigh on monosyllabic in The Last Waltz, which adds to his zen qualities.

Beard Rating: 9/10. Flawless execution with flailing trails of hair during excessive organ playing is on the next level beard game and we mortals must simply look on in awe.

Levon Helm.

Funkiest white boy in rock. The only American in a band primarily concerned with the place. Sang like a frog. According to a Toronto prostitute, was hung like a horse. Watching The Last Waltz schools most drummers and the guy was playing for 4 hours with bleeding hands, sometimes on songs he barely knew. Ain't no thang for him to play with Joni Mitchell and Muddy Waters on the same night. Sang that country cool. Pretty much defines the group by the fact he sang The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Mandolin is a bitch to play. Fought bitterly to get Muddy Waters on The Last Waltz, which is a public service. Buddy Rich's favourite rock drummer.

Beard Rating 6/10. Simple, well executed and yet has no 'X Factor' to elevate it to a Garth.

Levon Helm has always been my favorite member of the Band. Awesome voice, good drummer and mandolin player, and is much missed. Danko is my second favorite; 'It Makes No Difference' is a great song made incredible by his voice.

I had no idea Levon was Buddy Rich's favorite rock drummer, that's cool.

Nice writing, hypehat. I've been wanting to get into The Band for quite some time now as I love this song very, very much:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0WMBYQL14U (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0WMBYQL14U)

That's Richard Manuel singing, right?

Oh yes. Written by His Royal Bobness. So beautiful. I haven't voted yet, but that's the sort of thing that would tip it for Richard.

Thinkin about Music From Big Pink, it's all about Manuel's tunes for me - The Weight excepted - and it makes me think what kind of band they would have been if Manuel had taken the lead in songwriting. He and Robertson are equal in songwriting credits on that record. We may have been saved the snooze that is Cahoots.

Richard Manuel, tried to trade his jacket for a guy's girlfriend.

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hypehat, can you PLEASE do this with The Beach Boys? ....... And then every band! :)

My vote is Richard.

There was a time in college where I'd just HAVE to play Tears Of Rage (Big Pink version) each and every morning before heading out to class.

Oh my god, what a vocal. He just wrenches out some of those lines.

It's a toss up between Richard and the rhythm section, I gave Danko too short shrift in the original post. I guess it all depends on which one I'm listening to at the time...

I'd say when they all lock their voices together for the "get your cannonballs" part of The Weight (Last Waltz version): the whole Band is my fave!

My other particular fave Richard moment is during the big group/guests wail-fest of I Shall be Released.... Richard takes a verse but this time in a rich tenor rather than his famous falsetto.......and not a single camera cares to capture the moment........

'Whispering Pines' has my favorite Richard vocal. Incredible song.

It looks like a three way tie between Levon, Rick, and Richard. All great singers, and even better musicians (Levon inspired my love for the mandolin). I mean, Rob and Garth are nice and all, but when one of these guys steps up to the mic, you know you're in for a treat. Just great stuff all around. Long live The Band.

I have to go with Levon.  He just seems like he was such a sweet guy.  And he was a great drummer and singer.  I know Robertson wrote those songs but I think Levon brought them to life.  Just look at the sad sight that was Robertson, Danko, and Hudson performing as The Band at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and you'll see how essential Levon really was to the group.

Danko. Something about that guy, when he is on screen in The Last Waltz, I just can't keep my eyes off him. Maybe I have a man-crush on him or something. Love that voice, and those great bass lines. And my all time fave Band song is one he sings, It Makes No Difference. And my second fave is Stage Fright. Gotta love Levon, too, seemed like the one it would've been most fun to sit down and talk music with. I know he hated the Waltz film, but I think he comes off great in it, great talker, but doesn't come off so pompous like Robbie.

Am I the only guy on the planet who loves the Cahoots album?

Maybe, lol. The opening track is stunning but most of the rest loses me. 

As for a favourite member, I can't choose. Like, who is my favourite member of Free? An enlightened poster mentioned them locking together----now that was the strength of The Band (and Free, come to that). The interplay between Garth and Robbie in the instrumental break in "Sleeping", Richard and Levon's heartbreaking call and response in "Whispering Pines"...

To be fair, though, The Band in the 80s-90s without Robertson (and without Manuel for the back half of that time) had no magic either (despite some good moments).  It really took all 5 of them to create the transcendent music and be THE BAND.

I think it is unfairly maligned because it followed three stone cold classics, but most bands would have killed to have "Life is a Carnival," "When I Paint My Masterpiece," "4% Pantomime, " "Smoke Signal," and "The River Hymn" on one album.  And the rest of the album is solid, just not reaching the heights of the three prior albums.  And certainly on the first two albums, you'd be hard pressed to imagine them without any of the songs on them.  There are no duds.

RE: Cahoots, yeah any album with Life Is A Carnival and When I Paint My Masterpiece on it isn't dreadful. And I quite like The Moon Struck One, in it's way. The River Hymn sounds amazing but I couldn't sing anything but the backing vocals to you if asked. And the rest sorta plods, I listened to it twice over the weekend and I can barely remember anything about the album apart from the weirdo chimes in the Chinatown song and that annoying effect they keep putting on Danko's voice.

Man this is tricky. I think that what's great about The Band beyond the musicianship is that each member brings such a personality to the blend that none of them are superfluous.

After much deliberation, my vote goes to Levon. That he can sing like that and do such awesome drumming at the same time - the man's a miracle. Just listening to Highway 61 live at the isle of wight from the recent Dylan Bootleg, it's Helm that makes the song with his beautifully idiosyncratic drumming and backing vocals.

Levon I think. What a voice and such a fantastic drummer.

I did quite like Robbie's solo album, forget what it is called but Eric Clapton is on it, not so much his voice but he is one hell of a guitarist and wrote some great songs.

The Last Waltz should be watched by anyone who wants to play music, it should be on some sort of rock curriculum.

Yeah, a lesson on what not to do when you play guitar in a band  ;)

It's annoying, tbh - Robbie spent most of The Band's career being a perfect accompaniment on guitar. Placing his solos properly in the context of the arrangement, neat chord voicings, playing for the song, etc. Never too much of anything. Gives everyone room.

And on The Last Waltz he's just soloing all the damn time, regardless. Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

Also, did Robbie ever play anything but guitar in the band? For all the instrument swapping that went on in the group, I can't place a song where Robbie doesn't play guitar.... he's static on the first two, at least.

I love robbie's early guitar work, he plays within the song and let loose when needed. He sounded great on the 1966 tour with Dylan.

Only one vote for Richard Manuel so far? You damn savages.

I was the one who voted for him.

Hey! I did too!!

I go against the Robbie bashing much as I go against Mike Love bashing -- so much of it seems to be reflex and uninformed (face it -- by far most of us were NOT there).  I'm sure they could all be dicks.  Surely not saints.  What I see in the Last Waltz is a guy (Robertson) who wants to get off the road to save his life.  He steps out a bit in his playing and certainly reaches for the spotlight more than ever, but I'd say he does a good job of it.  It's Rock and Roll!  As for song writing credits, well that can be a bit dicey, but ultimately it was Robertson who sat down and put it together.  Kinda like Jagger/Richards in the Stones.  I admire bands like the Doors that made a point of democratic credits, but that is certainly the exception.

And Levon, great as he was, seems to have been content to hold a grudge a long long time, not what I consider an endearing quality.  Though I understand Robbie did visit him at the end and I hope they made peace.  But yeah, what an incredible talent.

BTW I voted for Danko because my favorite Band songs are sung by him.  And he seemed like a really likable guy.  But now I wished I had voted Garth.  Or Robbie.  Or....

IDK, there are shades of gray. You can accept Robertson's failings. I do it with Mike Love!

It doesn't hurt that he wrote all those amazing songs.  One thing we all seem to agree on is we dig the Band.  Like the Beach Boys, their story is one of the greatest of heights along with squandered opportunities; interesting, brilliant, complex personalities interspersed with tragedy.  And of course some of the best music ever made that we can listen to any time we like.

I'd say he wrote maybe a handful or less of amazing songs and a whole lot of merely OK ones that were elevated to near greatness by his band's vocal/playing chops and his own playing chops.... I still love him though.

I think the problem with Robertson's writing is that his storytelling can often become laboured. Like, Up On Cripple Creek clearly tells some kind of a story. It's a narrative. And so is, ooh, Daniel & The Sacred Harp.

But Cripple Creek isn't much of a story, it's a Tortilla Flat/Cannery Row kinda thing. It holds no great meaning. It's a shaggy dog story. Guy comes into town, he and Bessie have some fun, he leaves. Robertson sticks to the punchlines, the details are there when they need to be (an entire verse is about a horse race just to set up Besse tearing up his winnings 'just for a laugh', but then hey it has it's own little punchline too to keep you going). And, for me personally, you learn a lot about America and Americans by reading books like Tortilla Flat or Cannery Row.
But yeah, it's 'I went to Louisiana cos it's fun. Here is some of the really fun fun I had. I'm off now, somewhere, but I might be back'. With emphasis on the middle section.

Daniel & The Sacred Harp is literally a story, or more of a parable. Daniel hears about The Sacred Harp. Daniel goes off to find The Sacred Harp. Some time passes. Daniel comes back. He has... The Sacred Harp. Someone asks him how he got The Sacred Harp. He tells you about a guy he knows who got him The Sacred Harp. Daniel is sad because the Sacred Harp has a EVIL PRICE (that price just means you'll go to prison, tbh). He goes up on the mountain top and plays The Sacred Harp and notices a hackneyed manifestation of being a Lost Soul. Ner Ner Ner Ner. He goes for a dance in the fields, for reasons unspecified. And sells the rhythm section The Sacred Harp.

And for a song that detailed, it really doesn't explain a lot - Daniel just wants The Sacred Harp because... it's there? The guy just leaves him there and comes back with it? Yeah, I totally want a few lines of Levon singing about a guy sitting on his ass for 20 years or something rather than him singing about a daring harmonica heist and that guys odyssey to get some dude a stupid harmonica.

Also this song is about a harmonica, you can buy one of those for like £5, c'mon Daniel, why would you even want a second hand harmonica anyway that's nasty.

If that same approach was given to Up On Cripple Creek it'd be a verse and a half of him getting off the mountain. Or why Levon wants off the mountain. He'd never make it to Cripple Creek. It'd just be about Levon Helm having a boring time doing his menial job on the mountain and then it would finish with the first verse.

I think he gets confused as to what good storytelling in song actually is. I mean, you could sit and read Daniel & The Sacred Harp, sure. But you sure as hell can't listen to it.

Whispering Pines is blowing my mind....

One of The Band's finest. Richard and Levon's call and response is positively heartbreaking.

Listening to the early albums, and its apparent how Richard Manuel was almost a robbie's equal in songwriting. Such a shame Richard stopped developing from too much booze and drugs.

Hey, ain't that the story with most of us?  >:D

Except Mike Love. ;D

If Richard had lived, he'd probably be writing songs like "I was up on cripple creek suffering from stage fright, driving old Dixie down through the night; on that endless highway northern lights, ...."

Richard got my vote - voice and beard.  Only Stevie Winwood could equal his Ray Charles.  Great falsetto too.  Cahoots is not a snooze.  It came after three stunners, and Robbie was trying to write about something more than just songs of the south.  It was their last record of original material made in the Woodstock area, at the Bearsville Studio.  They went on to make some great music after this, but the power shift changed things.  Let's leave it at that.  Cahoots had power under the needle.  The Moon Struck One is my favorite.  Shoot Out in Chinatown and 4% Pantomime (boy, wish they would have taken advantage of having Van at Winterland to do it) are brilliant.  Smoke Signal and Volcano worked even better live, as did When I Paint My Masterpiece and The River Hymn.  And, this is when Robbie approached Allen Toussaint, which led to his help on Rock of Ages - one of the best live records ever.  I got to see the Before the Flood tour with Dylan, but they were even better at the Day On the Green show in Oakland 1974 when they were one of the opening acts, along with Jessie Colin Young and Barnstorm, for CSN&Y's incredible four hour blow-out/bow-out.  I have a DVD boot of the London show, and next year they will make it official.  The Band played for over three hours.  Hypehat, Daniel and the Sacred Harp was born out of a discussion on Sacred Harp, a type of traditional Protestant/Church of England hymnal using four-part singing. IIRC Levon mentions this in The Last Waltz, when he talks about singing "rounds."  But, a round is different than a Sacred Harp.  The group did this often, The Weight is a good example, each taking a turn then all coming in together.  Daniel Read was one of the American leaders (First New England School) of the style.  Garth is a music historian, and could have been the one to first bring it up - though he did not ask for a co-writer credit.  But it was just such what Levon did feel, that the songs were a group effort.   Although Robbie could have just been going for a Biblical reference using Daniel, and Levon adding "blew" his harp, the imagery is most surely the kind of harp an Angel plays - Robbie plays Auto-Harp on it.  Can I resist mentioning Levon changed a word without the appropriate credit?  Nah, can't.  Not when it made you think what he was singing had a completely different meaning.  The song is a parable - Faustian, about greed.  Check with Robert Johnson for more on that.   :lol         The track is from my favorite Band long-player, Stage Fright.  Recorded mostly at The Woodstock Playhouse.  Which btw, has now been rebuilt after burning down in 1988.   Will    

Decided to give their discography a try and started out chronologically. I'm listening to 'Music from Big Pink' for the first time just as I'm typing this. Just out of curiosity, can someone point out to me which members sings lead on each song? Also, what's the general consensus on the 2000 remasters?

My vote goes to Laurie Anderson.

Feelsflow, that is amazing you saw the "before the flood" tour of 1974.

So did I, at the L.A. Forum. Blew my mind. Was on the floor, bout a third of the way back. Probably the best show I ever saw (that and McCartney & Wings Rock show).

The Weight is one of my all time favorite songs of all time and I"ve been  playin that song Off + on for 30 yrs..  I love the band GREAT songs..!  Another fave is  It makes No Difference.. When I  got a  divorce I would put that on + cry in my beer + jam along with it.. Very touching song + vocal.. You can hear the pain in his voice when he sings it. { Rick } He knows all too well the pain inside.. The Band gets a 10..

I'm always reading that their first and second albums were great, and everything that followed was worthless, so it's nice to know that I'm not alone in enjoying their later stuff. It Makes No Difference had the same effect on me after a very painful breakup. I was in a record store in the winter of 2000 when that song came on, and it just tore me to pieces.

All their albums are worthy some more than others..  The problem is the 1st two were perfection so they were bound to disappoint .. They elevated song writing + musicianship to a higher level.. Clapton broke up Cream cause He knew after listening to The Band that Jamming was worn out and good songs were IT..  Huge Influence on music back then..I LOVE EM..!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the opening post Hypehat!

A fantastic and funny read, I just got their albums on japanese mini LP and will be burning and re-listening to the discography during bus trips over the next few days.  I'll pick a favourite after that I think!

100% correct in your beard ratings  ;D

Good songwriting will always outshine jamming.. When I heard  The Band I had the same reaction as Clapton. .But I was a nobody in high school .. Around the same time The Byrds were getting country With Gram Parsons + Clarence White so the song form continued.. I changed musically from a jammer to thinking songs way back then still to this day..  I only bring this up cause of the HUGE movement around then towards the changing of music values.. I mean after that you had the country rock thing + the singer songwriters mode..  You still had bands that jammed but you had to be REALLY good + songs.. {Allmans + Dead }  Bands Like Iron Butterfly  And those bands died away.. It all started way back then.. I have a lot of respect for The Band..

I like their second album the best, followed by Northern Lights-Southern Cross. I never cared much for jam bands, although I know plenty of people that eat up that stuff. IMHO the jammers brought out the worst excesses in music, and hundreds of second and third rate musicians look up to them as icons. Better I say to model yourself after The Band - not a note was played that didn't need to be there. It all served the song.

I could have gone with practically any of them except for Robertson.  In the end I chose Garth, the unsung genius of the group.

I guess Garth is the easiest one to overlook, he wasn't a singer, or a songwriter, but boy, could that man play! All that classical training he had as a young man sure enhanced his playing. Very inventive musician. Now if I was to go by The Last Waltz alone, I would say Richard was the easiest to overlook - he was barely in it, only got a couple vocal leads - The Shape I'm In and during the I Shall Be Released finale. I don't know if this was Robbie's doing, or if Richard just wasn't up to it by that time.

Better late than never. This, to the best of my knowledge, is the run-down (corrections welcome):

"Tears of Rage"----Richard
"To Kingdom Come"----Robbie
"In a Station"----Richard
"Caledonia Mission----Rick, Richard's falsetto added in verses
"The Weight"----Levon (first 3 verses), Rick (fourth verse), Rick/Levon (fifth verse), Richard's falsetto added in choruses
"We Can Talk"----Richard/Rick/Levon
"Long Black Veil"----Rick
"Chest Fever"----Richard/Rick/Levon
"Lonesome Suzie"----Richard
"This Wheel's on Fire"----Rick
"I Shall Be Released"----Richard 

According to biographer Barney Hoskyns, whose Across the Great Divide supplied much of the above information, "In The Band's staple three-part harmony, Richard's falsetto sat on top, Rick was in the middle, and Levon lay on the bottom."

 

Cheers for that, man. I've learned to recognize their voices in the meantime, but I appreciate it anyways. I've been obsessed with the first two Band albums ever since I wrote that post. Just incredible music and incredible blend of talents and personalities.

Also found this useful section on a Band website called 'Who Plays What Instruments' : http://www.geocities.jp/hideki_wtnb/bandplay.html (http://www.geocities.jp/hideki_wtnb/bandplay.html)

I'm a huge fan of The Band. Every one of the members was unique, fantastically talented, and essential to the group mix. 

One of my favorite documentary clips of them is right here, where Levon and John Simon play back Rockin' Chair (one of my favorite Band tunes) and Levon analyzes Richard's singing and the group's harmony mix on the chorus. Well worth a few minutes of your time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLTZGTlRTus

Levon is pretty well in ecstacy!----and who can blame him? The whole documentary is really something. As Hoskyns says, how many bands are there with such an even distribution of talent? I'd certainly place Free in that category. What others are there? It might make an interesting topic.

Thanks for that link, Ovi. Looks like I'll be spending a few minutes of my time there too.  :=)     

Voted for Danko, I just LOVE his voice. His backing vocals on the 'The Weight' are the very first thing that caught my attention when I started listening to 'Music From Big Pink'. 'Long Black Veil' and 'Unfaithful Servant' are my two favourite Band songs at the moment.

Curiously, this poster of The Band crops
up in a beautiful Dutch children's book
about two mice, Sam and Julia, who live
in a Mouse Mansion (http://hetmuizenhuis.nl/wpfiles/wp-content/uploads/Muizenhuis-The-Story-behind-the-Story.pdf)...   

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e-T6mUQ1KtQ/TQQRI7ktKtI/AAAAAAAAAc8/n9_U8B1SliM/s400/the_band_randy_tuten.png)

I'd like to suggest you the gentle man known as 'Pops' Staples be added...because while my vote goes to Rick Danko for the same 'man crush' reasons as listed earlier, I'm pretty I'd have to vote for Pops if he were added in.

(http://i.imgur.com/bTKERIQ.png)

Look at how beautiful and gentle he is! He was actually inducted into the R&R HoF on the merits of his own band, The Staple Singers.

Can anyone recommend a good book on The Band?

Get a copy of 'Wheel's On Fire" written by Levon Helm. It's very telling - things like Robbie's mic being turned off for The Last Waltz  :lol

http://www.amazon.com/This-Wheels-Fire-Levon-Story/dp/1556524056

No slur on Levon, but Barney Hoskyns' Across the Great Divide is a more objective read. Highly recommended.

yes, Barney's book is much better.  He is one of The reasons I kept buying MOJO mag. for years after the internet made such short form information redundant.  Barney Hoskyns is one of the best writers of 60's/70's era books.  I still buy books, I'm reading Ian and Jon's concert book right now.  Excellent it is.  I read both of Hoskyns' books on the Southern California scene a couple of years ago, Hotel California and Waiting for the Sun, well worth your time.

Levon also grumbled about how the Band members came across on screen in the Last Waltz, which  I find amusing, because I think Levon and Rick come off very well in the film, even Garth in his own way, although he didn't get nearly as much screen time. Levon was quite the storyteller. Robbie wanted to be the star of that film, but Levon is just such a natural on camera, talking about growing up in the south, and his musical influences, and then there's that mischevious little boy Rick, can't help but love him.

Yeah, Barney Hoskyn's book is the one to get. Levon's (ghostwritten) autobiography has lots of cool sh*t about his youth and the early days but it gets a bit vague the further on you get into it.


I can't believe I didn't mention this at the time, but;

1) The Last Waltz version of Don't Do It is straight fire, it's pure funk, everyone going for broke, even Robbie's last solo sounds like he spent all his tricks and is going on sheer cocaine/adrenaline. Levon and Rick sing it like a suicide note.

2) The version on the boxset of the last waltz is obviously studio created - a boot of The Last Waltz shows that they didn't have the horns, or half of the vocal performances, bass, etc.

The ultimate failure of the last waltz is that in the attempt to show The Band as a truly great entity of 'authentic' music, they went back and f***ed with everything that the five men onstage actually did - "your last show wasn't good enough, do it again!"
Scorcese fucks with this notion of authenticity by showing the very nature of actually trying to film a band, from Rick trying to accommodate Scorcs in the cuthroat bit to Robertson requesting that he say bits of his interviews again so they sound more definitive.   

But I'll just play Don't Do It again....

hypehat, do you have a link to the hornless, untampered-with version? I can only find the Rock of Ages-style arrangement...   

I remember watching The Last Waltz in the cinema and jigging around so much during "Don't Do It"----which I could not believe!----that my wife moved to another row until the intermission!!! :=)

Aye, it's here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiEWeaM-D78#t=3881 That should go to the correct time, otherwise it's at 1:04:40

I think i was being uncharitable towards it being re-recorded - you can even see the horn section onstage and playing, even if you can't hear them (and they mixed up Robertson... obviously)  You can hear more Garth tho!

Thanks for the link hypehat.  I'll have to set some time aside to watch more of that.  The cat posting, put that and some CSN&Y footage up just last April.  Cool, I had not seen the footage before.  Too bad it's B&W.  Hope it has some of the songs that were cut from the film.

Dude, Robbie literally says something, then stops Scorz from following it up and goes to say it again with more gravitas! It's in the bloody movie! Leaving it in is a nice touch. The first interview segment shows them discussing what to say. It's a pretty bold move for a doc!
They were also apparently in big cahoots during the time, staying up late, doing coke, plotting the movie and gig, and it shows in the movie's focus on Robbie. In a way, it's understandable - the rest of the group range from completely wasted to simply reticent and uncomfortable during their interviews whilst Robbie will happily self-mythologize with his new best friend until the cows come home. He's the Canadian Mike Love.

I downloaded the box and it's great - has a lot of cool other things as well, like a rehearsal session, some demos. I wish it kept the poetry from the intermission (Lawrence Ferlinghetti!) but I think it's supposed to be the lot. 

Very tasty. And Garth sounds great! Uncharitable? It was bonkers to re-record it. Thanks very much for that. :=)

Okay, okay hypehat.  I haven't watched it in a while. ;D  I'm still on the mend from last night's party.  Yeah right - excuses, excuses... Better lay off posting for the day.  Your bit about the Canadian Mike Love, how bold of you to mention with all the sensitive ears around here.  Let's give you the cool guy for the day award for jogging my memory. :hat

You can go to bobdylan.com and listen to the entire Isle of Wight concert for free. Now, if you happen to have a way of making an audio recording from that....well, I'm not advocating anything.

Thanks Lonely Summer.  I was over there the other day researching my top Dylan records post. Didn't notice it was there.  There Is a lot of great info at that site - well documented.  Loads of set lists.  I was at two of the Fox Warfield San Francisco shows during a long run of shows Bob did there in 1980.  They had the list for all.  And all the lists from the 1974 Bob/Band tour, including info on the many boots made of them.  It was interesting. 

I meant that they actually use the live take, edited slightly - the intro is cut down, iirc - and drastically remixed (you can't hear the horns on the boot) whereas I had previously thought they redid a whole lot of it. According to Levon, a lot of The Last Waltz's soundtrack was redone, but I haven't put in the legwork.

Rewatched The Last Waltz today, actually - didn't mean to jump down yr throat, Lonely Summer! God it's a miserable film. And a lot of the guest spots make no sense. Ok, Neil & Joni rocking up for Canada, Ronnie Hawkins & Bob Dylan make sense, Muddy Waters too... but Eric Clapton? Paul Butterfield? Neil Motherfuckin Diamond (god they all look so bored during his song).

But I'd totally go and steal baloney with Manuel & Danko. They the best.  ;D

Okay, now I need to seek that one out! Thanks feelsflow!

Okay, new day - and I'm fully awake.  hypehat, I was just paraphrasing the scene, trying to make it a bit more funny.  No big deal though, you're among friends.  Not many of us are even postin' in this thread.

Essential viewing! A making of documentary of The Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW7Z2bOJfmE

Yes indeed. One viewing is not enough. Truly heartwarming. 

I love the inclusion of Rick's entire performance of "When You Awake". That (and all the solo shots of Garth doing the spider fingers thing) really made the documentary for me.

Not that the rest of the movie wasn't great  :)

Even though they announced they were retiring from "the road" (Robbie makes 16 years sound like a hundred! And I have to wonder if Dylan had that in mind when the opening line of his next album was "16 years"...), supposedly The Band would continue to make records. At least that's the way it was told at the time. Well, Robbie may have had his share of live performing, but Levon and Rick went right back out - Levon with the RCO All Stars, and Rick with Paul Butterfield. And eventually the guys reunited minus Robbie. But I guess it's no shock they never recorded with Robbie again.

I have mixed feelings about Robbie's decision to cut The Band short.

Like, when he talks about how horrible and destructive 'the road' is, he's almost certainly not talking about himself. Richard was essentially comatose drunk at this point, Levon & Rick were reportedly dabbling in heroin, EVERYONE was on coke (although I can't imagine Garth on coke...), and they were creatively spent. Islands was supposed to be the first release of the new 'studio era' of The Band and it's, well, lazy. At best. Their last album was only eight songs long, and whilst it has some corkers... eight songs? And it took them long enough to record!

I guess Robbie wanted to get them back to a clubhouse style of recording. Big Pink, The Band, Stage Fright were all recorded in that loose style. Shangri-La was supposed to be that. Instead, they just used it as a clubhouse.

But that's not what Levon and Rick wanted (I can't recall reading that Manuel felt too strongly either way, I guess he was too far gone and Garth was happy wigging out on his keyboards anywhere I suppose so long as he could keep up the maniacal side projects he'd grown accustomed to). They wanted to keep playing live, as they enjoyed it. And Robertson decided to just pull the plug abruptly.

I guess maybe it was the right decision pragmatically but Robertsons execution (pun slightly intended) made everyone hate his guts for the way it went down and ensured they'd never play with him again.

But on a happier note,

Everyone should check out this acoustic performance by Rick (guitar) and Levon (mandolin/harmonica), which is exceedingly cool - loads of folk and country tunes, along with ripping versions of It Makes No Difference, Down South In New Orleans, and Rag Mama Rag. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbH5MkKuMkI

(It sounds a bit watery but if you put it up to 480p it sorts itself out)

Well, at least there is a happier note!  Thanks for the link.

I don't really have a favorite member (unless Helm is to be believed and Robbie is a total ass in which case screw him) but I've been listening to "The Weight" for literally days on endless repeat and I just cannot stop. It is SUCH A GOOD SONG. Obscenely good.

I think we've all been there. Sounds like me 10 years ago.  I wish I would've made it easier on my friends though, and occasionally listened thru headphones.  I found out years later that everyone was annoyed with me. I was constantly listening to that song.  :-[ 

I just had the pleasure of introducing the song to someone just a few hours ago. I envied them getting listening to the song for the first time. Wish I could do that again :(

Right. I first heard it (well, half of it) on Radio Luxembourg in 1968, not long after seeing it in the US charts. That's something I'll never forget...

And----how about this documentary, just as good in its way as The Last Waltz?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxCCqzHG2yY

Festival Express ROCKS. Seriously, that performance of Slippin and Slidin is so lovely, I wish I could have seen The Band live and in their prime  :'(

I voted for Danko but now I want to vote for Richard. Someone help me because he is the real Band member. and the greatest

I wish there were more interviews with him out there. He's really funny in The Last Waltz.

I watched the DVD that came with the Musical History box last Saturday night.  It adds two tracks that were left off Festival Express, "Rockin' Chair" and "Long Black Veil."

I voted for Danko too, but Richard's my favourite at the moment. He has that 'tortured genius' vibe to him. When do you think his voice started deteriorating? I hear it as early as Moondog Matinee (and Rock of Ages for that matter, but I don't think judging on live performance is really fair).

Almost finished reading the Across The Great Divide book. Fascinating stuff. One of the bigger shockers was the part with Robbie and Scorsese becoming coke-sharing, wild-partying bff-s. Was totally unaware of that. I mean, the whole book presented Robbie as the exact opposite of that. Think I'll pick Levon's book too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blz_sef-jj4&hd=1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blz_sef-jj4&hd=1)

Also, this is too much...possibly my favourite song ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGrucjh971k&hd=1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGrucjh971k&hd=1)

...and this is a surprisingly good performance for such a late year. From the period he was sober after Last Waltz I'm guessing?

It was a pretty slow decline I thinks...every year his voice had more 'grit'. It was in good shape for the Rock of Ages (they did 3 nights, all of their voices sound a bit tired at different points). Before The Flood, even worse condition but not bad. In between Before the Flood and The Last Waltz was really the cut off point between his two states as a singer. After that he really couldn't manage lead falsetto...poor guy. His songs were so great.


Ooh, I just finished Levon's and I'm looking to pick up a copy of Great Divide. We should swap. He shares some ridiculous stories...and I now have some mixed feelings about Robbie Robertson. Levon trashes him quite a lot from the Last Waltz onwards.


This is one of those things where I feel lucky to be able to watch this...I'm thankful it exists.

Same goes for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9M4azk6-GM
BRILLIANCE>>>

The Band is addicting. The only group I like more would be the BBs. I've gone through pretty much every Band song out there, so I think I'll have to content myself to listening through live bootlegs.

Garth plays away the festival rainstorm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0jAmAGyTDI

It isn't true Robbie's mic is off on The Last Waltz. You can hear him sometimes.

Nice to see you so passionate, Niko. 'Rockin' Chair' is another huge fav of mine as well. I remember one night in Jan/Feb before an exam being stressed out of my mind (other things were going on in my life as well). At one point I just said "f*** it", lit one, sat back and played the brown album. I was absolutely mesmerized when Rockin' Chair came on - the vocals, the little guitar flourishes, the background vocals in the chorus, the accordion, the mandolin - everything was just perfect (I had  played the album many times before that, but somehow never listened to this song with full attention). I replied it over and over again almost forgetting that there was more of the album left. In retrospect the rest of the night is kinda blurry, but the song still hits the spot every time I play it.

And while we're at Manuel-sung videos, here's the one that made me a fan in the first place:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ore6K3ESTLc&hd=1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ore6K3ESTLc&hd=1)

I've never been a fan of the way they approach it during the Last Waltz show. That all-join-in, sing-together type of stuff...just doesn't fit the atmosphere and the lyrical content of the song at all. Dylan has been doing the same with Knockin' On Heaven's Door, another tune that works much better when sung from a perspective of a desperate, isolated person on the verge of collapsing, rather than a bunch of coked-up rock-stars singing at the top of their lungs.

.

.

Each member is so good I could turn my account into a fanboy tribute to any of them. Tomorrow I could be "Beard Fever" as a tribute to Garth's beard and that unearthly organ riff. My photo could be a beard playing the organ with it's fibers, presumably Chest Fever being the go to song for any Garth-esque beard to be rockin'. The caption underneath could be "Garth the Marth" and would make no sense, like something Garth might say to be funny, cuz he did give that really long speech at the R&R HoF ceremony for The Band right after saying "I'll make this quick." Then I'd put "I'll make this quick. And fast!" somewhere else on my profile.

For Rick I would be "Danko Unchained".

.

Maybe you could be the Blondie analog to my Rickie.

I'd like to get into The Band, just don't know where to start...

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I've heard of the Last Waltz, but not the others.

The second album has always seemed more accessible than Big Pink to me for some reason, so I'd recommend starting with that one. But I truly love them both equally.

Yeah. Genius stuff - and The Band live is a totally different beast.

I can't find the Georgia On My Mind performed at SNL video anymore on YouTube, only a bad quality one. What am I supposed to do with my life now?! Richard looked and sang so greatly in that one. Anyone know the actual origin of the video?

DUNNO ORIGIN BUT HERE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_4L4MeTvg8

I had it open already so it was not hard to find  :-D

if you go to google you'll get such strange album reccomendations for the band, its just best not to use it.

Myeah. Damn, if only Richard was more sober during the Last Waltz shows, perhaps Scorsese would've given him a spotlight performance akin to this one. I still can't get over how underrepresented he is in the movie.

Is this performance better the studio version? I've yet to hear the Islands album.

Islands is better than its reputation, but it just doesn't have any songs that stand strong on their own. Northen Lights before it had Ophelia, Makes No Difference and Acadian Driftwood - Islands has....Georgia.

Just give it a spin without any expectations. You can't listen to Stage Fright expecting The Brown Album, but if you look at it as its own thing, its great.

I've been there  :thumbsup

It feels like a waste in that situation if I'm not listening to The Band or The Beach Boys. They are the best. and the greatest.

Took me a while to find copies of Big Pink and The Band that were acceptable...and I ended up just going with reissues. Everything else is an original press.

(http://i.imgur.com/2vITEBa.jpg?1)

I doubt I'll pick up Cahoots or any of the other albums...limited space/money.

Is 'Out Of The Blue' the Band's most overlooked song? Great one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upQk-O2k67U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upQk-O2k67U)

Indeed. There's some great unknown stuff on that comp.

I like louie d's comment:
 
"Love the tune.  Robbie does as good as he can.  BUT!!!    Listen close.  I've used this song as a lesson in teamwork.   

"No way Robbie pulls this off without great help - Rick Danko shadows Robbie throughout, adding a fullness to his voice, almost a vibrations.  More important, there are parts Robbie simply just can''t pull off,  For these few words, mostly towards the end of the song, Robbie stops singing, Rick continues seamlessly, stops singing for only a second only once Robbie can pick up again,  Utter genius, utter teamwork, total selflessness on Rick's part." 

I just voted for Richard----he deserves to be up there with Rick.

 

Great singing too. His singing on Kingdom Come is kinda harsh, but he sounds great on this song.

I have RR's first solo album...I'm a little skeptical after hearing 'Crazy River'. The music video for it is bizarre...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KP9PNSUME4

Interesting, I didn't hear Danko at all, maybe I need to listen again. But it wouldn't be the first time, they also sang in duet on the gorgeous Bessie Smith.


That was terrible.

Love your new username, Niko!  :lol

Dontcha just love the guy who appears at the end of the chorus and stares at you? It comes across like that's RR's lover, who he brought in to make the video more fun to make.

Or something. IDK, it was the 80s. I hear good things about the album.

I am watching you.

I've been listening to 'In A Station' for the last few nights before going to sleep. Absolutely incredible recording, even Manuel's humming I find perfect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXhj45urx3Y (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXhj45urx3Y)


(http://johannasvisions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/richard-manuel.jpg)

I have watched this too many times. TOO MANY. It's just so good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Y987Uf1wY

Damn right. One of the great live moments ever. Love Levon's fill at 2:19----while he's singing!