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batcave

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HonkeyTonkFlash
RollingFreak

Generally loved The Last Waltz but still have one burning question; "Why Neil Diamond? Why?" He's about as un-rock and roll as it gets in my humble opinion.

True, but I really like the song and they all performed it fantastically.

Always wondered about Neil Diamond too. I'm looking at my copy of The Last Waltz and obviously they knew it would work. And it did.

I believe Neil Diamond was there because Robbie was producing (or had just finished producing) his upcoming LP. Coulda done without him but he wasnt awful...Levon said Robbie and Martin Scorcese wanted to cut Muddy to make time for Neil Diamond! Levon said no Muddy = No Levon.

Robbie is emphatic in his book that Muddy was definitely in and Diamond was a call back to the early days when Robbie visited Tin Pan Alley looking for songs for Ronnie Hawkins, as well as the fact that Robbie had come to respect Diamond after producing him. One never knows but I seriously doubt Robbie or Scorsese would cut Muddy for Diamond. I still haven't read Levon's book though.

I would also add Endless Highway" to any playlist from The Band.

Thanks
Fernando

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bleedingman
Robbie is emphatic in his book that Muddy was definitely in and Diamond was a call back to the early days when Robbie visited Tin Pan Alley looking for songs for Ronnie Hawkins, as well as the fact that Robbie had come to respect Diamond after producing him. One never knows but I seriously doubt Robbie or Scorsese would cut Muddy for Diamond. I still haven't read Levon's book though.

Yeah, that sounds like a Levon exaggeration. I don't believe they'd ever cut Muddy. In the Last Waltz DVD commentary Robbie and Martin both say they almost didn't get Muddy then thankfully got Mannish Boy. So maybe Levon took that and tried to weave his own exaggeration around it. And I say that as a big fan of Levon. But thats why you gotta try and see all the different sides and find the truth.

I thoroughly enjoyed both Levon's and Robbie's books. Robbie's in particular is very well written.

I would guess that the truth lies somewhere between their respective takes on the demise of the group.

I suspect that Garth is going to stay quiet on the subject, so Robbie gets the last word on the group. Without citing Levon's book, he carefully debunks many of the criticisms levied at him in This Wheel's on Fire. At the same time he takes the high road by consistently professing his love for his erstwhile band mates.

I never really dug the Band until five or six years ago. Heard Acadian Driftwood on the way home from work one night and I said to myself I've never given these guys enough of a chance. I had most of their cd's but never listened to them except the well known songs. Their version of Dylans's When I Paint My Masterpiece is sublime. Music From Big Pink is in my top ten albums. Beautiful stuff. They also elevate Dylan to another level on Before the Flood. Levon Helm is one of my favorite singers and I am always amazed by drummers that can sing and keep perfect time. Love them!

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bleedingman
Robbie is emphatic in his book that Muddy was definitely in and Diamond was a call back to the early days when Robbie visited Tin Pan Alley looking for songs for Ronnie Hawkins, as well as the fact that Robbie had come to respect Diamond after producing him. One never knows but I seriously doubt Robbie or Scorsese would cut Muddy for Diamond. I still haven't read Levon's book though.

I heard that Irv Azoff (sp?) managed both Robbie and Neil and wanted him included.

"No Anchovies, Please"

I've always liked The Band and recently read the Robbie Robertson bio which was okay (I would have liked him to talk about the demise of the group and life after The Band but maybe that's for another book) and it made me revisit their catalog.

Like fine wine their music get's better with age unlike some other groups who have not fared as well. I feel The Band was underrated. Each of the members fit perfectly within the group and were excellent musicians in their own right.

Richard Manuel had the sweetest voice and could sing just like a bird as the song lyrics state.

Rick Danko could harmonize with the best of them and his vocal on "It Makes No Difference" still gives me shivers to this day.

Levon Helm on drums and mandolin with a voice right out of deep Arkansas.

Garth Hudson keyboard virtuoso was the glue that kept The Band's sound together.

Robbie Robertson great writer/guitarist/arranger it's hard to believe that these songs of Americana came from a Canadian.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-03-09 16:51 by reg thorpe.

hope Robertson and levon buried the hatchet before helm died, the band was a underrated band

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dgodkin
hope Robertson and levon buried the hatchet before helm died, the band was a underrated band

Robbie went to visit Levon in the hospital some days before Levon's death. [www.theguardian.com]

THe Band are not easy. I found that I had to dig into the records; and they take a while to reveal themselves in full.
That said, it is impossible for me not to melt at the chorus of "Twilight".

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Palace Revolution 2000
THe Band are not easy. I found that I had to dig into the records; and they take a while to reveal themselves in full.
That said, it is impossible for me not to melt at the chorus of "Twilight".

agree

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Cristiano Radtke

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dgodkin
hope Robertson and levon buried the hatchet before helm died, the band was a underrated band

Robbie went to visit Levon in the hospital some days before Levon's death. [www.theguardian.com]

Eh, everyone has their own opinion on it. I think its nice, but I remember when it happened people were saying "Robbie is just trying to look like a hero at the last moment." "Levon wouldn't have wanted him there anyway but couldn't protest due to illness." Just proved to divide people more. Who knows who's right or what mindset either party was in. I thought it was a nice move on Robbie's part, when at no point during his life did he try to diminish Levon or anyone's participation. He just didn't pay them.

pretty open, frank ,and honest

Presumably Robbie's book confirms or denies the allegations regarding royalties?
Dylan's Basement Tapes album has about 6 tracks composed by the others (or shared with Dylan and Robbie).'I don't see how legally these payments could have stopped.
"This Wheels on Fire' by Danko/Dylan was a big seller, for example.

And Robbie was a decent actor too. Unlike so many other rock stars...

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Stoneage
And Robbie was a decent actor too. Unlike so many other rock stars...

'ya think?

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jlowe
Presumably Robbie's book confirms or denies the allegations regarding royalties?
Dylan's Basement Tapes album has about 6 tracks composed by the others (or shared with Dylan and Robbie).'I don't see how legally these payments could have stopped.
"This Wheels on Fire' by Danko/Dylan was a big seller, for example.

He says the other members asked him to buy them out. He didn't want to (he says) but they insisted since he technically wrote most of the material anyway. He says Levon also asked him but (at the time) he talked him out of it.

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bleedingman

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jlowe
Presumably Robbie's book confirms or denies the allegations regarding royalties?
Dylan's Basement Tapes album has about 6 tracks composed by the others (or shared with Dylan and Robbie).'I don't see how legally these payments could have stopped.
"This Wheels on Fire' by Danko/Dylan was a big seller, for example.

He says the other members asked him to buy them out. He didn't want to (he says) but they insisted since he technically wrote most of the material anyway. He says Levon also asked him but (at the time) he talked him out of it.

I'm confused? Why would they do that? I guess I don't get royalty publishing and how it works but that doesn't make sense to me.

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RollingFreak

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bleedingman

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jlowe
Presumably Robbie's book confirms or denies the allegations regarding royalties?
Dylan's Basement Tapes album has about 6 tracks composed by the others (or shared with Dylan and Robbie).'I don't see how legally these payments could have stopped.
"This Wheels on Fire' by Danko/Dylan was a big seller, for example.

He says the other members asked him to buy them out. He didn't want to (he says) but they insisted since he technically wrote most of the material anyway. He says Levon also asked him but (at the time) he talked him out of it.

I'm confused? Why would they do that? I guess I don't get royalty publishing and how it works but that doesn't make sense to me.

I can see how they have done a deal on record royalty income. They nay have agreed to a one off payment (to bail them out?) and waived any rights to future royalties.
Perhaps that's the deal Mick Taylor struck?
But songwriting royalties... I would be unsure about that.

Used to love this band. Saw them live 5 or 6 times. Their first 2 albums are excellent. Can't say the same for the rest. I bought their albums up to the Last Waltz but that was it. Unlike many others, I found their tour with Dy;an in the 70s lame and their live with Dylan a terrible listen. Liked much of the Levon Helm and RCO Allstars album, liked the first Robbie Robertson solo album. Haven't listened to either in years.

A very good interview with Robbie

I saw the first comeback concert with Dylan in Chicago in 1974. It was one of the best shows I've ever seen. The atmosphere was electric. Later in the tour, Dylan and The Band are said to have hated it, and the excitement was lessened. But that show was special.

The Band had an instinctive feel for each other's playing that only the best groups have. While they were all great, I'd argue that Danko, in particular, is not sufficiently remembered now for his skill as a very unusual bass player, and as a vocalist.

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dmay
Used to love this band. Saw them live 5 or 6 times. Their first 2 albums are excellent. Can't say the same for the rest. I bought their albums up to the Last Waltz but that was it. Unlike many others, I found their tour with Dy;an in the 70s lame and their live with Dylan a terrible listen. Liked much of the Levon Helm and RCO Allstars album, liked the first Robbie Robertson solo album. Haven't listened to either in years.

I think it just shows how important a real band is. The chemistry...
And all 5 of these guys were very, very good. But once the bond was broken, neither could access that greatness anymore. The singers, the instrumentalists, the writers. I tried "Storyville", "American Son", and Rick Danko's projects. All decent enough.
PS = Maybe Robbie gets so much criticism for his vocals because he was surrounded by 3 stellar lead vocalists. But I always liked his vocals. The rough "Twilight" is excellent.

I'm just listen to Nothern Lights, Southern Cross, it was their last big effort. Richard's voice was simply fantastic.
I've been in touch with Jim Wieder which replaced Robbie for the Band's 90's reuion. He's still touring, celebrating the Band's legacy, because their songs are too good not to be played anymore.

Keep on rollin'
Gangster