Thread for The Band

Bonjour, Hoser.

Probably my favorite Band song:

https://youtu.be/11Y987Uf1wY

That's my favorite Band song as well.

They were such a fascinating group, one that was so incredibly tight and could go so many places effortlessly, yet one that always seemed to me to be missing the one thing that made them in the first place, the thing that gave them their name... a leader/front person.

I have just mad respect for them, but I also feel as someone who never saw the original group that the best effort I've ever heard from them was their final concert, when they had multiple & widely varied lead players, and they backed every one perfectly.

That night they proved that they were truly The Band, and I think The Last Waltz shows exactly what their great gift was, being able to back just about ANYbody, just about perfectly.

The were truly special, but ultimately they were always missing the final ingredient.

Oh, I love The Band. First saw them as the Hawks when they toured with Dylan in 1965 or '66. Went to the show at Sacramento Municipal Aud, then to Berkeley Community Theatre. I think the other time I saw them was the first time they used the name The Band, at Winterland, 1969 with Ace of Cups and Sons of Champlin opening.

First off in case you didn't know Robbie has a new record out very soon, I'm not a fan of his solo work except for Broken Arrow and parts of Story Ville. I first saw them for free in Central Park in 1968. My sister had returned from first year of college with the record and turned me on to them. The concert was part of the yearly series in Central Park that cost either 1 or 2 dollars to get into but you could sit outside and hear perfectly if you wanted to spend that buck on Boone's Farm. There was a place behind the stage that was rocky but if you got there early and found  a flat surface was great. Hearing Garth's organ echo around the rocks during Chest Fever was unreal

FYI sorry to be a jerk, but  "Baby Don't Do It" is  a Marvin Gaye song covered by The Band

Been picking out Ophelia with an alternating "8-per-4" bassline for a few weeks, both thumb-picking and that hybrid/Richard Thompson-type thing (but slower and more deliberately).  The C A7 D7 G7 part between the verses is pretty addictive.

Still not sure what to do with the intro and outro.  All those horn lines are seared into my brain since the 70s and it's hard to just pick something.  It's either too little or too much.

Long enough I been up on skid row, and it's plain to see I've nuthin' to show

https://youtu.be/eK1Id1SKiF0

Just popped back in here. 

You weren't being a jerk Elvis, you were just trying to keep the record straight.

I do know that Baby Don't Do It wasn't an original song written by The Band and I can see how my post could have been written more clearly. I should have said it's my favorite song The Band played. I really liked their take on Mystery Train as well.

Good effort Siobud. You got a little Neil Young thing goin' there.

The Band played a nice version of that song, but for me Marty Stewart owns that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eagOGsc7-lw

Hey now Jay nice job, I see you got no ,,,,  

https://youtu.be/jTbX_XYo6xI

In 1973 I saw the Band play at Watkins Glen (the show was interrupted by rain) then two shows at Roosevelt Stadium, opening for the GD.  With Levon, Rick Danko & Richard Manuel singing, these were wonderful shoes. 

In September 1976 they played two Palladium NYC shoes, right B4 the Last Waltz. I saw one of those.

Levon Helm wrote an interesting book called This Wheels On Fire. 

“The book is notable for providing readers with an inside look at the evolution of a rock 'n' roll group, as well as for placing the blame for the Band's break-up on the shoulders of guitarist Robbie Robertson. Among the accusations Helm makes against Robertson is conspiring with record companies to steal song-writing credits from other members of the Band, arranging the group's break-up as a part of a private agenda, and conspiring with The Last Waltz director Martin Scorsese (a personal friend of Robertson) to make Robertson appear to be the leader and most important member of the group.  Helm's bitterness toward Robertson is balanced by his effusive praise of other musicians, especially other members of the Band, even pausing to admire Robertson's stage presence and talent as a guitarist.”

In fairness to Robbie, he did write the lyrics for most, if not all of the Band’s  originals.  Robbie did very little singing, but posed onstage like he was.  The other concern Levon expresses is that Martin Scorsese hardly showed Richard Manuel at all, in The Last Waltz. Plus he changed some of the music originally played. 

^^^Great stuff in the book on the Neil Diamond appearance^^^

Robertson, who had just produced a Diamond studio album, pointed out his connection to a key part of the musical tradition that informed the Band's craft. Fellow performers like Band drummer Levon Helm and guest performer Neil Young remained openly derisive.

"When I heard that Neil Diamond was going to play, I asked, 'What the hell does Neil Diamond have to do with us?'"

Young was said to have contemptuously introduced himself to Diamond. "Nice to meet you," he reportedly said. "I'm Neil Sedaka." Urban legend says Dylan went one step further after Diamond came offstage and boasted, "Top that!" Dylan supposedly shot back, "By doing what? Falling asleep?"

Diamond never performed "Dry Your Eyes" again

I heart this thread, & the band

well done, zoners ~

Sio you a canuck now?

Full show from Asbury Park, 1976 

https://youtu.be/1ZeboTzerHQ

Some great music in here!

https://tiff.net/events/once-were-brothers-robbie-robertson-and-the-band

new film about the band, robbie seems to be the main focus

Robbie's putting on a Last Waltz tour with Warren, Medeski, Lukas Nelson among others.  Sounds like someone lit a fire under his ass --- 'It's your last chance to make some $$'.  

My understanding is he's just helping 'sponsor' the tour. He will not be performing.

>>new film about the band, robbie seems to be the main focus

Exactly the problem with The Last Waltz.

This one was added to YouTube comparatively recently (March) - Wembley, '74: https://youtu.be/0JODrU3A8OM  

Always loved seeing them. Great opening band for the dead