Thank you for the info bdp. I find it a little disconcerting that one surviving member seems to have a slightly different view of the collective known as The Band. Recent interviews, statements, make me much more sympathetic to Levon's views on this person (very clearly exposed in his book) than they ever were. And I was always in Levon's camp. The Band was just that, a band, rather than a collection of backing musicians supporting the vision of a leader. I miss Levon, Richard, Rick, and wonder what Garth is doing and feeling these days. Levon, at his barn, was pure love and magic.
Once Were Brothers in theaters Friday, February 28th
The new documentary on the greatest self-contained (songs, instruments, vocals) Rock ’n’ Roll band in the music’s history---The Band, is in theaters tomorrow. Quotations from the movie:
John Hammond Jr.: "Bob Dylan thought they were phenomenal. So he hired the guys."
Taj Mahal: "If there was any American musicians that were comparable to what The Beatles were, it woulda been them."
Bruce Springsteen: "There is no band that emphasizes becoming greater than the sum of their parts than The Band. (I disagree; even taken individually, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manual, Garth Hudson, and Robbie Robertson are master musicians, singers, and songwriters).
Bruce continues: "When they came together, something miraculous occurred."
Eric Clapton: (upon hearing Music From Big Pink) "I thought, this is huge. It changed my life."
Mine too, along with every good musician I knew then and have known since.
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Agree 100%, @rpeluso. I know there are Robertson apologists, but I see right through his self-serving rationalizations for what he did. He is a fine guitarist and songwriter (or rather was), a terrible singer (he "fakes" singing all throughout The Last Waltz. I find his solo albums unlistenable, and quite pretentious.), and not much of a friend. In his autobiography (Testimonial, which I refrained from reading until very recently, out of respect for Levon. It’s actually fantastic, the best retelling of their story I’ve read.), Robertson talks about the songwriting credits issue, and his explanation sounds very bogus. I stood next to him at a movie theater on Sunset Blvd. in the early-2000’s, and was sorely tempted to say something nasty to him. Let it go, Eric ;-) . It was Levon who had a great post-Band career, not Robbie. Including a Grammy for one of his albums. A not bad actor, too (The Coal Miner’s Daughter, The Right Stuff, a couple others). You’ll notice Muddy Waters walks right past Robertson as he exits The Last Waltz stage, over to Levon’s drum riser to shake his hand. During rehearsals it became apparent the show was running long, and Robertson asked Levon to tell Muddy they were going to have to cut him from the show (instead of Neil Diamond?! Robertson was at that time producing Diamond’s in-progress recordings sessions ;-). Levon replied "If Muddy don’t play, I don’t play." When Muddy’s segment became a highlight of The Last Waltz film (in spite of Robertson’s showboating on guitar, and his uncalled-for vocal proclamations), Robertson acted as is having Muddy on the roster was his doing. He’s shameless. By the way, there’s a video on You tube chronicling Garth Hudson’s revisiting the Big Pink house, and speaking with it’s current owner (a musician). It’s fantastic, including a snippet of Garth displaying his incredible prowess on piano. |
Great Band, BUT, let’s not go overboard, they had their ’unlistenable’ period, it took them and Bob (didn’t know how to play with others) a while to get it together. Robbie tells you all about it in his terrific book https://www.amazon.com/Testimony-Robbie-Robertson/dp/0307889785 best quote: Bruce continues: "When they came together, something miraculous occurred." |
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