2. music
  3. 155045-2248

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.

128x128bdp24
bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,816 posts
 

The Band are sort of a Rorschach test. ;-) Bob Dylan thought they were phenomenal, Nick Lowe says Brinsley Schwarz (in which he was the bassist/songwriter/singer) were trying to be the British Band, Elvis Costello has expressed his deep appreciation, as have Lucinda Williams, Ry Cooder, the guys in Los Lobos, Buddy Miller, T Bone Burnett, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Richard Thompson, John Hiatt, Neil Young, the guys in Little Feat, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Jim Lauderdale, Springsteen (as noted above), Bill Graham, countless others. And Clapton gave up Cream after hearing Music From Big Pink, saying the album "changed his life." Is that "a bit overpraised."? ;-)

But that’s just them. Like anything else, The Band are not for everyone, only those who understand and appreciate what made them very, very special. No offense intended. I myself didn’t "get" them at first, try as I might. I couldn’t hear what all the fuss was about (there was a lot of fuss made about them in 1968 and ’69). Once I did, a new world was opened to me. You either get it, or you don’t. For those who don’t, oh well.

asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,672 posts
 
*S* The Last Waltz....it was like a party thrown by that girl that wasn’t the most attractive at first glance, but after you were there for awhile...
You were havin’ such a damn good time with her and her friends, you’d remember it like yesterday....even the hangover felt Good. ;)

"Chest Fever" (for the organ intro) and "Rag..." (for the violin intro) are on my playlist...

*...sits down next to schubert...* (Don’t be scared...I’ve had my shots, and haven’t been near China....)

Y’know, schu....I Do enjoy an occasional ’sesh’ with the Old Masters...Listz, Bach, Viv., Verdi, Strauss. et al.... It’s where the ’roots’ of ’serious music’ come from, and it still shows in the ’low bar’ contemporary music. You may not approve of it within the squall of a synth and the percussion line behind it.....but it’s there.

Consider:

The Art of Noise; the group, not your response.

Deadmau5 or Crystal Method: Turn the subwoofer Down, there’s nuance in there...;)

"200 Motels", F.Zappa: ...who argued with Zubin M. to get the mezzo-soprano to sign "Munkins get me hot!"....and won.

P.D.Q. Bach: Saw him Live in Houston. The house was Packed, EVERYONE was in Evening Dress. We had a Great Time. ;)

And...a personal favorite....

The Sound of Music..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjY3bHRZl-k

...but I’m just an urban spaceman.....:)
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,672 posts
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-daYplQj5CE

Yeah...so there....or, maybe, over there....no, over here.....
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,229 posts
 
The first two albums get the most attention, but don’t underestimate the orher studio recordings. They’re pretty awesome.
winnardt
174 posts
 
I agree with bdp24 and I don't get what all the fuss is about. Yes, they may have been influential in creating that "down home country soul garage band" sound, but I just don't get connected to or emotionally moved by much of what they were doing (believe me, I've tried). I think their sound is sort of muddy and the vocals are kind of lazy. I prefer a crisper, more energized style of rock, so you can count me as one who just doesn't "get it". And to have only one song listed in many greatest songs of all time lists (The Weight) doesn't say much for the song writing abilities. Just trying to be honest here.
More to discover