The Band Guestbook, June 2000

Posted on Fri Jun 30 21:05:21 CEST 2000 from dhcp21555.sunyocc.edu (198.242.215.55)

Timothy Shea ESQ.

Hanibal??? Hanibal the Canibal (just like sayin that, has a cerain ring). Anyway for those of us in the Syracuse area there has been no word on Levon or Garth playin in the area although it sure would be sweet to hear them.. One could always chech with Dr. Pepper or Bashful Bill tehy might know.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 20:36:03 CEST 2000 from spider-wm061.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.176)

Mike

Rumour is that Garth and Levon are playing a concert in Hanibal NY at "The Sterling Stage". After each plays a set w/ thier repective bands, they are coming out to play w/ each other (for the first time in years). I think they are doing it in tribute to Rick. I just need an e-mail for Robbie so I can at least give him the option of making a cameo. This would be a remarkable task of course...but it is worth a shot.......so PLEASE..someone help me!!!!!! www.kampitheater.com

Posted on Fri Jun 30 20:10:18 CEST 2000 from usr40-dialup21.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.75.213)

G-MAN

Well, you heard it heat !! I agree w/the Robster- Cross Great Divide has some versions that are so hot !! But rest assured--the new releases will be classic BAND, first class. Have a Happy SAFE FOURJULY-Peace!!

Posted on Fri Jun 30 17:29:21 CEST 2000 from usr51-dialup224.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.198.102)

G-MAN

Headed out for Cleve. feelin' half past beat!! Wed. am plumbin backs up, old gets sk inside, young pup gets nuts and chasin a deer. Finally, drop of the dogs and slamb a finger in the door. Get NY's wonder on the I-90--the ticket booth. Pop in MY Band favorites & petal it down. Hghwy 61, Endless Hghwy, Stuff Ya Gotta a Watch, Shape, White Caddy Rando-Man). Well found out Cleve's called the city of bridges-- I never met a bridge I didn't hate !!! Checked in downtown-thanks Sheraton staff. Had dock side lunch @ flats and toured. Back for a little RR & RR. 5 pm--short walk to the hall(it was there-you know who didn't have it moved to Portland: I promised I wouldn't say that). Located some staff, but NO Levon. Thanks security dude--hope ya enjoyed a pizza on us !! Well checked around--NO LUCK. Walkin' out an office door and some dude pushin' in at me. Well, Levon, Butch, and Amy. Can't talk--like climbing Mt. Rushmore and finding Niagara Fall on top. Donna was upstairs makin sure Band CD's had two facings @ the gift store!!!Well codiality plus-Butch hope the jersey fits. The Voodues opened and were REALLY good. Well Levon and the Burners were SUPER . Ms. Amy--is the real deal, a star in the makin'..! She did a nice touch by reachin out to two 5-6 yr. old girls tryin to copy her moves. She slowed down till they got it right !! NICE touch. Well Levon was smokin and Amy sure can sing; the band was stompi. Close to two hrs. wasn't enough. Well, post show--pit stop and to FAT FISH BLUES CLUB and Robt Lockwood Jr.. Voodues show up and sit and talk. Bassman a Bills fan. Hope you liked the story of Joe Willie and why he threw 5 ints vs Bills. Ask him or any old Jet about the INFERNO !!! Well some local Blues men are playin' and Robt. joins in. Some sound. Well the Burner crew arrives. Levons smilin a storm and gettin some pictures w.RLJR. Levon was really nice at the Hall with autographs--much appreciated, and Butch and Amy too. Well he was nice enough to sit down w/Donna & I, for a spell. What do you say ??? What an experience. (I remember meetin Ricky and he'd reach out to shake hands and some drinks may fly off the table!!!)Donna won't wash for two weeks, usually it's once a wk. ,after autographs. Well thanks to the Voodues& Barnburners. Ruth nice meetin ya. Glad ya got home safe; and ya do post !!! BRAD and the cleve. folks who got us to Fat Fish Blues and back safe and sound after closin time !!! Levon--thanks for the cordiality; keep rockin and smilin'. Amy-thanks for the auto-G's, your a star. BUTCH-youse guys are BOSS. Mrs. SS and the G-Ru's Rando-thanks for lookin' out !!! Next to world health and peace--wed. was a keeper !!! See ya all 9/21/00. Peace & Keep Burnin'..

Posted on Fri Jun 30 16:49:57 CEST 2000 from spider-wg061.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.46)

butch

BACK from the Hall of Fame Show,,,,,,,, if you have not made it to Cleveland yet,,,, GO !!!!!! I love that place,,, its a whole lotta fun,,,, where else can ya see LaVern Baker's dress, next to SUN records tape equipment ??? fun stuff like Janis'porsche,, & Levon's mandolin,,,, ANYWAY,,,, The Hall welcomed Levon & The B.B.'s in fine ( catered) fashion,,, & had the stage set,,,,baby-grand piano for David Maxwell, too,,,, Chris took the mike & started singin & playin that harp,,, & Levon jumped in on the snare, sock cymbal & kick,, & off they went,,,, They WERE ON !!!!!!!!! i mean HOT !!! no let up, from the git-go,,,, Jimmy Reed, Muddy, some chris O'Leary originals,, then back to Sonny Boy ,, more MUDDY, Franky & Levon were locked in ,, bass & drums, setting the pace with Chris & David going off to never-never land on harp & piano,,,, Pat O'Shea was just so tasteful on guitar,,, he never overplays,, a real "swing-blues" kinda player,,,, clean,,,, Amy & Chris on harmonies,,, sosweet, a perfect blend,, & then Miss Amy, doin her thang on Hound Dog,, ROCKED THAT HALL !!!! Shake a Hand, with David on gospel piano was so memorable,, took me right away,,,, Then The Grass is Always Greener ( another chris/amy original ) & BING---DONE !!!! Encores were DEMANDED by the loving adoring audience,,,, ( THANKS TO G-MAN & Family,,, GREAT FOLKS ,, YOUSE GUYZ,,,, ,,,,& to all of you friends who made the trek to Cleveland,,, We Love ya for it,,,,, Then that same night,, ROBERT Jr. Lockwood was @ a club in town ,, so we all went over & caught the Master's last set,,,, he was tickled to see Levon & David,,,, we all sat around , had late dinner & puffed a bit,,, then home,,,,, a great visit IMO,,,, we had fun, the crowd seemed to enjoy it,,,, & they gave me 20 % off @ the gift shop,,,, KEWL !!! see ya soon,,, & THANKS TO ALL OF YA,, for keeping it going,,,,, butch

Posted on Fri Jun 30 16:11:03 CEST 2000 from revlukup.clr.com (164.57.254.206)

Brown-Eyed Johnny

Here is the ICE article on the reissues: THEIR WHEELS ARE STILL on fire. In the works for the past three years, Capitol/EMI Music's special markets and catalog division will finally issue on August 15 the first four expanded reissues from one of the most celebrated and revered groups in rock history, The Band - Music from Big Pink, The Band, Stage Fright and Cahoots. Expanded reissues of the Band's next four albums - Moondog Matinee, Rock of Ages, Northern Lights - Southern Cross and Islands - will subsequently be released early next year. The new CDs will displace the current Capitol batch by virtue of their bonus tracks. Music from Big Pink is the most compelling, with nine added songs, while the much-heralded second album The Band offers seven. Stage Fright and Cahoots carry five each. Many of the previously unreleased tracks are alternate takes or outtakes, and there are even rare demos from the seminal Big Pink rehearsals period, courtesy of an anonymous private collector. "This time, it's going to sound right," Robbie Robertson, the group's principle songwriter and lead guitarist, tells ICE. "I never liked the sound of the CDs. They're harsh-sounding and they weren't mastered off the real masters. They were mastered off copies of copies. This sounds so much warmer, so much richer, so much more present, than anything else that's been out there." The Band reissue project deployed the nimble resources of Cheryl Pawelski, director of A&R for Capitol/EMI Music special markets and catalog, and the tape research and mastering skills of co-producer Andrew Sandoval. This resulted in what Robertson calls "things from The Band that nobody's ever heard before . . . They found things that, I'd been told, had been lost for 20 years, or were thought destroyed or lost and never existed." "We tried to source material from all over the place," Sandoval tells ICE. "We've gone back to the original first-generation master tapes on every album except for the second album, The Band, and for that we used the original production master - because the original master had been scrapped, either destroyed or lost many years ago. With Big Pink, we went back to the original analog tape and we even used a tape machine of the same vintage as when that tape was recorded... we went back to a tube machine. And it sounds fantastic."

Posted on Fri Jun 30 16:08:29 CEST 2000 from telisp1c01.ml.com (199.43.32.21)

Ben Turkel

I've been looking for the new ICE magazine with the article about the Band reissues, but haven't come across it yet. In response to the quote from RR from the article that was posted yesterday, I don't think that all of the cd's sound so bad. Actually, I think that the 'Across the Great Divide' and 'To Kingdome Come' collections and the gold versions of 'Big Pink' and 'Stage Fright' all have very good sound. I wonder how the new BP and SF will compare to the gold cd's. I'm really looking forward to these new remasters, but I don't want to have unrealistic expectations for the sound quality. I remember a few years ago when the Jimi Hendrix estate won the rights of Hendrix's recordings and they made a big PR campaign about finally releasing versions from the master tapes. The results were mixed, the new Hendrix cd's are louder, but not necasarily better than previous versions. The re-release of The Who's catalog also has been contoversial due to the fact that much of it was remixed. Hopefully the article in ICE will have more specific information about the re-mastering done with these cd's.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 15:24:56 CEST 2000 from revlukup.clr.com (164.57.254.206)

Brown-Eyed Johnny

A&E's Biography does Bob Dylan at 8 p.m. Eastern time on August 13 and includes an interviews with Levon, Happy Traum and Dave Van Ronk.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 15:10:03 CEST 2000 from usr10-dialup37.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.68.101)

G-Man

Cleveland was GREAT. Will post whole itinerary later, have to finish watching CARNEY. Levon, Amy, Barn Burners & Voodues--THANKS. BUTCH THANKS 10X. What a show !!! Mrs. SS-thanks, & G-Ru's Rando, thanks for lookin' out the gun side !!!

Posted on Fri Jun 30 14:45:33 CEST 2000 from ip-190.dial.wans.com (64.7.64.190)

Molly Z.

Hello to all! I loved your Acadian Driftwood article Peter!! Fantastic job!! Have a great day everyone. :-)

Posted on Fri Jun 30 12:50:23 CEST 2000 from pppb35-resalenashville1-2r1023.saturn.bbn.com (4.16.47.94)

R.D. Simone

You have a very interesting, but necessary site. Anyone interested in getting more information on the sixties and the music scene in Hollywood, should visit The Great Hollywood Hangover at url address: www.hollywoodhangover.com Thanks for paying tribute to The Band. R.D.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 07:45:54 CEST 2000 from 1cust54.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.134.54)

Crabgrass

The best organ solo by Garth I've ever heard is from the Sept. '76 concert at the Palladium (fka The Academy of Music) which was broadcast live on WNEW-FM. I wasn't at the concert but taped it off the air on a reel to reel tape recorder. (This is the same as the bootleg listed as "Take A Load for Free" in the Discography section.) Garth does some amazing things I've never heard before or after - one section imitates the sound of a calliope.

Thanks to Randy Newman and Jonathon Richman for a great concert earlier this evening in Central Park before a capacity crowd. Randy played (accompanying himself on Steinway grand) for an hour and a half. Highlights for me were "Dixie Flyer," "I Love L.A.," "Karl Marx," "Rednecks," and come to think of it just about everything else he sang.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 06:13:22 CEST 2000 from spider-wg021.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.26)

Pac

Peter V., you've done it again. Excellent article! Yes, we call it the French & Indian War. Also want to emphasize how throughout our history American Indians were forced to take sides in every war and always suffered no matter where their "loyalty" lay. Back then the main division of Woodland Indians was what many people call Algonquian-speaking (from below the Chesapeake up to Maine and into the Ohio Valley) vs. the 5 [later 6] groups of the Iroquois Nation -- totally different people, language, history. ... After seeing our beautiful SF Bay Area here destroyed in just a few years by "Silicon Valley" development, it's such a joy to fly back east and see how much forest has not been cleared yet. And if ever you have the chance, take the ferry from Portland, Maine to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in early September. The skies are so magical at nighttime and you may see the dancing Northern Lights. Also, the bay water heats up to a rich, warm temperature by then. Beautiful country. Great for camping! ... On a totally different note, just got back from Borders Books and found a hardcover one called "GARCIA" by the editors of The Rolling Stone for only $4.99! Also picked up a lovely Flying Burrito Brothers Anthology featuring Gram Parson's plaintive voice on many of the 43 cuts. sigh What a loss his death was.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 04:30:02 CEST 2000 from m198214181105.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.105)

pehr smith

thanks again to Peter Viney. loved the new article.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 04:27:01 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9rj.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.167.115)

Pat Brennan

Congratulations to Peter Viney for his excellent presentation on Acadian Driftwood. Despite Richard's slippage, I still love the Palladium version; I think its speediness is a technical snafu rather than a performance problem--it was probably recorded on a two-track with either a tracking anomaly or a poorly set pitch control. I'm guessing as to the problem, but I've performed some pitch correction (down two steps for all you pickers and grinners) and had very fine results.

Posted on Fri Jun 30 02:45:14 CEST 2000 from (216.201.0.218)

Ruth McD

Hi, all. Just back from seeing Levon and the Barnburners in Cleveland! Levon was charming and spent a nice amount of time soaking up the adoration of the faithful followers. He seemed to have a really good time! He is painfully thin though and also hoarse. Amy was divine and beautiful (I hate her -- so thin & pretty). The Barnburners rock! Pictures will be forthcoming. And hi to "G-Man" -- it was nice to meet you and your wife. Thanks for the great web page, Jan. ~~ Ruth

Posted on Fri Jun 30 02:20:36 CEST 2000 from ppp653.on.bellglobal.com (206.172.238.77)

Richard Patterson

S'all right...

PETER VINEY: Thank-you for the "Acadian" notes. You're right,,, To assume French Canadians want to be assimilated is a HUGE mistake... They are a proud culture... (The rest of Canada is continually floored by their referendums for autocracy)... You need to translate this article!

BTW I have visited the Plains of Abraham, and seen some bloody great concerts there...!!

Posted on Fri Jun 30 00:11:26 CEST 2000 from spider-wd074.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.184)

Pac

Tod, exactly. We were there that night at the NYC Academy of Music on Dec. 30th and saw all the recording/sound equipment stacked so high it's what I remember most. GREAT music that night -- definitely suitable for a live album. Just contacted old friends and they recall the same. Re the NYC vs. Brooklyn discussion, they said it was definitely in Manhattan. I looked up the Brooklyn Academy of Music on the Internet. Beautiful website and great films and shows scheduled! I miss The City. Am going back east (shore) in the beginning of August. Any chance of the Barnburners playing NY/NJ then? Can't wait to hear reports of the Cleveland RRHOF gig! BTW, did anyone see the article on the court decision that Robert Johnson songs are protected and not public domain? The irony is I've read Jagger isn't exactly overly generous about child support, yet now he has to pay out mucho to the sole heir (from the one-night-stand) to Robert Johnson's songs from "Exile on Main Street" and "Let It Bleed." Hope everyone's having a great summer. Thanks for all the interesting posts!

Posted on Thu Jun 29 23:41:49 CEST 2000 from crtntx1-ar2-074-173.dsl.gtei.net (4.35.74.173)

Kelly

I just returned from a visit with the family in Los Angeles. While working around my parents house, and thinking I was alone, I put on the 1st DFA cd. Guess what? I lost it to my father who declared in no uncertain terms "that's some of the best music I have ever heard!" I guess I'll be doing some shopping to replace what I lost, and some recording to fill him in. Music does indeed, cross the generations. Good day to all!

Posted on Thu Jun 29 22:50:46 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.229)

David Powell

Bill: You are correct -- The Muscle Shoals Jimmy Johnson is from Sheffield, Alabama. He began working at Rick Hall's legendary Fame Studios, doing odd jobs in the early '60s. He soon became an in-demand session guitarist as well as a talented engineer & producer. He's worked with almost everyone including The Hawk, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Boz Scaggs, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Seger and Levon Helm. He was the engineer at the board when the Stones recorded "Wild Horses" and "Brown Sugar" in Muscle Shoals.

Posted on Thu Jun 29 22:42:29 CEST 2000 from spider-wg063.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.48)

Don Pugatch

First, Peter, excellent on Arcadia, got to print out and give my friend Bobby Hebert, ex QB for the Falcons, Saints, and current Arcadian. Question, being a huge John Hiatt and Rick Danko fan, can anyone fill me in on their connection. I have not heard, seen or listened to any other work together beside the cut on Jubiation.

Posted on Thu Jun 29 21:27:41 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

A few weeks ago I typed in a bunch of snippets from a Canadian music magazine. Here's one I overlooked at the time, from the 13/04/68 issue of RPM: "Jimmy Johnson, a native of Windsor, Ontario, is fronting the band at Nashville's Black Poodle on famed Printers Alley." This is noteworthy because Jimmy Johnson was in Garth Hudson's group, Paul London and the Capers, before he left Canada to tour as Sonny James' guitarist. I've always assumed that this Jimmy Johnson is not the same guy as the Muscle Shoals guitarist of the same name who played on Ronnie Hawkins' Muscle Shoals LP.

Can anyone out there add anything?

Posted on Thu Jun 29 20:17:38 CEST 2000 from sjiassoc16.erols.com (208.58.12.144)

Jon Lyness

I'm enjoying the thread on favorite Garth pieces. Here's a few of my suggestions (sticking to accordian pieces only)--

Rockin' Chair

Strawberry Wine (great solo, especially some of the live versions)

All La Glory

Knockin' Lost John (one of my favorites. Whether you like this song or not, you have to admit, you've NEVER heard accordian like this in a rock song!)

New Mexicoe (just beautiful)

Blue River (DFA) & Soul of My Song (Eric Andersen, Stages) (the accordian on these two is so understated, and perfect. Echoing the comfort expressed in the lyrics & vocals, the accordian on these SOUNDS just like an old friend giving you a hug.)

While not accordian-based, I have to put in a mention for Tom Pacheco's "Four Angels" as well. The arrangement, saxophones, keyboards on this one are truly magical, and the instrumental section is (IMHO) one of the very best things Garth has done in the 90s.

Posted on Thu Jun 29 15:49:12 CEST 2000 from trt-on57-29.netcom.ca (216.123.101.29)

John Donabie

LEE.....Any chance of reprinting the whole ICE article here on the site for those of us who don't subscribe?????

Posted on Thu Jun 29 15:08:34 CEST 2000 from spider-tr031.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.186)

LG

Good article in latest issue of ICE about the reissues. Robbie Robertson makes some interesting remarks:

This time, its going to sound right. I never liked the sound of the CDs. They're harsh-sounding and they weren't mastered off the real masters. They were mastered off copies of copies. This sounds so much warmer, so much richer, so much more present than anything else thats been out there.

In regards to the Capitol Boxed Set Across The Great Divide (1994) I asked them to kill that project. I hated it. There was a tremendous amount of inaccurate information in it, and I just don't like the way it was put together. I was kind of talked into letting them put it out. They convinced me that it was a good idea, and I've regretted it ever since.

Posted on Thu Jun 29 12:11:54 CEST 2000 from tc7-71.blm.bluemarble.net (208.245.166.193)

Todd Berryman

Hey all...not to reopen any controversies regarding the Band's concert material, but thought you might be interested: while I was here at the station, went through the throwaway stack in our library and stumbled across a copy of the RADIO TRIBUTE from '95, illustrated in the "Promotional Discs" section here on the website. On the disc, engineer Phil Ramone says, "That album (ROCK OF AGES) as it exists, is the, what we call the soundcheck night. And if you listen carefully, what the evening was planned to do was that the next night, which was gonna be New Year's Eve, was gonna be the (he pauses) the album. Well, the only thing we ever use from that was Garth's solo."

Posted on Thu Jun 29 06:14:50 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9eg.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.165.208)

Pat Brennan

Essential Garth: the opening to Stage Fright from Before The Flood. Even though it has some obvious overdubs, it's still the pure genius....

Posted on Thu Jun 29 05:30:23 CEST 2000 from tnt1-dial80.columbia.md.kleintech.net (209.27.82.80)

Jonathan Katz

Steve H - How about:

E-Town: Sea To The North, Crazy Mama

Thin Man - Live 66

Norwegian TV piano improv

Instrumentals [3] from Classic Albums

Excerpt from Music For Our Lady Queen of the Angels

Posted on Thu Jun 29 04:36:51 CEST 2000 from dial-14-max-bbvt-01.ramp.together.net (207.41.57.142)

steve s

david powell -thanks for the cite to the RB articles - Roy was an old friend of mine and a client (he introduced me to The Band) Phil Carson has contacted me several times about material for the book - he has done quite a nice job in trying to tie together some very diffuse loose ends concerning Roy's music and life - I just hope Phil doesn't get caught up in the sensationalization of the circumstances of his passing - without going into morbid details, I viewed the body at the funeral home and there were two abrasions on the head looking like dime sized brown discolorations - definitely not a bashed in skull. I was the second person contacted after his demise. Cuirously neither person #1 nor myself were surprised by the news - we were both devastated but unfortunately not surprised. I try to ignore that painful aspect of the decade we spent as friends and instead try to dwell on the great times we had - he reminded me a lot of Levon in many ways - I once arranged a photoshoot for him with Guitar World magazine (they wanted his tele for the centerfold) and he insisted out of respect for me that all the food brought into the shoot be kosher (he also loved a good pastrami sandwich). When I would visit him at home in the DC area (Lovettsville/Reston) he would always ask me to bring down those kosher salamis that have been hanging in the deli for ten years! The only time Rick & I didn't see eye to eye was when he would describe jams way back when with Roy & RR and Rick would insist that RR blew Roy off the stage - I don't see it but if I can ever figure out how to get photos scanned, I'd love to download some fun shots of Roy, Rick, Jorma, Lee, Garth and some very cool shots at the Blue Jean Bash with Lee and Don Johnson, Kim Wilson, Don Tyson, Ronnie, Brian Keith (remember "Firestarter" - after they killed his wife Heather Locklear and he said "You're blind ya sum'nbich" - great great scene) oh well stay tuned and thanks for a wide variety of insights - many quite accurate, some amusing, about a truly unique bunch of guys.

Posted on Thu Jun 29 04:06:17 CEST 2000 from spider-tr051.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.196)

Jason Roy

Hi, this may be a dumb question but is anyone here willing to lend me both "Across the Great Divide" by Barney Hoskyns and "This Wheel's On Fire" by Levon Helm. I've been dying to read both these books as I am a huge band fan. Anyone willing to help me out just e-mail and I'll pay shipping if you want. ~Jason

Posted on Thu Jun 29 03:43:53 CEST 2000 from dialup-348.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.92)

Hank

There's a very Popular Radio DJ here in Ireland by the name of Gerry Ryan.....he's on weekday mornings 9:30-12.......I listen to him quite a bit, he does phone-ins debates, the current state of the nation.......entertaining, thought provoking stuff much of the time...with some good tunes..... yesterday morning I's in the car, listening to his show. when an ad for Bob Dylans 14 Sept. Dublin gig came up...It was one of those ads where they play a mixum gatherum of Bobs hits and there's a voiceover intoning where and when the gig is happening and WHY you should go.....the last line of the ad was interesting tho....it went... "come see Bob Dylan And THE BAND!!!!!!" Now, Gerry Ryan the DJ recognized the mistake and said on air to his producer "Hey Paul!! D'y think THE BAND are gonna be backing Bob on this tour......What'cha reckon?".........THEN his next response was......"sure, half of Them are DEAD!!!!!!"........funny, but in a nasty way.....I'm a gonna ring Gerry Ryan tommorow and ask him to play "King Harvest".....he owes 'em one .........S'only Rock'n' Roll........HANK

Posted on Thu Jun 29 03:13:03 CEST 2000 from spider-tm063.proxy.aol.com (152.163.197.73)

Bayou Sam

I agree with Ben Pike's last post about the Hoskyns book. I read it and enjoyed it. I was thrilled to actually find a book on these guys. It was fun to read the stories and history. Reading the GB lately I'm beginning to think I should hate it. I just thought Ben was short, sweet,not overly anaylitical (did I spell that right?), and on the money. B+ works for me.................................... I was up in Maine this week and I passed a residential community called Whispering Pines. Then when I got to the motel, the motel bar was called Fanny's. I thought that was cool......Keep digging the tunes.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 22:31:30 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Steve H: I'd suggest including "Tennessee Blues" from the Bobby Charles LP if you like Garth's accordion.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 22:12:58 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.229)

David Powell

To view Part II of "American Axe: The Life and Times of Roy Buchanan" go here

Posted on Wed Jun 28 22:10:34 CEST 2000 from (158.72.107.232)

Steve H

I'm the guy who pulled the old Musician interview with Robbie out of the attic. Unfortunately Crabgrass, I don't have old Rolling Stones (and I don't mean Mick and Keith) in the attic to find the article on BAM.

Meanwhile I'm trying to prepare a best of Garth tape and have chosen the following numbers:

1. Feed the Birds
2. The Water is Wide - Karla Bonoff
3. Venice - Van Morrison
4. Caldonia - Muddy Waters
5. It Makes No Difference - Last Waltz version
6. El Rayo X - David Lindley
7. Ophelia - NLSC version
8. Genetic Method - Live at Breeze Hill
9. Chest Fever - Big Pink version
10. Too Wet to Work
11. French Girls
12. Garth Largo
13. Book Faded Brown
14. Forever Young - HOTH version
15. Whispering Pines

Suggestions are welcome.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 21:32:47 CEST 2000 from m198214181111.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.111)

Pehr

thanks David Powell for sharing the article on RB... I seemed to lose the article at "thats what I'm here for", left hanging. is there more up that I'm not getting? really enjoyed it.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 21:21:42 CEST 2000 from spider-to055.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.25)

Ben Pike

One man's opinion: When "Across The Great Devide" came out, having been a lifelong lover of The Band, I thought it was great someone was doing a book on the somewhat mysterious group that had ment so much to a lot of us. I thought the book gave an honest, balenced account of the group's history, warts-and-all on the failings and blown chances, while never denying them there accomplishments. If the boys didn't want to partisapate, for whatever reason, that was not only their right but completely understandable given the unpleasent circumstances of the Robbie/Levon war, which should be settled around the time we all agree on the Cival War here in the U.S. So, all in all, I'd give him a B+.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 19:58:35 CEST 2000 from accs18-48.ttu.edu (129.118.11.144)

Tommy

Great site. We're starting to cover a few band classics in our sets; so thanks for the lyrics and chords. It's nice to know you're getting them right! Is it okay for me to link to your site from our site? Tommy Barker

Posted on Wed Jun 28 19:57:35 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.229)

David Powell

I found an interesting article from "Vintage Guitar Online" entitled "American Axe: The Life and Times of Roy Buchanan" written by Phil Carson. It goes into some depth about the late Mr. Buchanan's career and his unique technique of playing the guitar. In mentioning his brief association with Ronnie Hawkins, Mr. Carson states that "Ronnie lured Roy away from Dale [Hawkins], mostly to tutor the Hawk's talented but unsophisticated guitarist, Robbie Robertson." In discussing this, Buchanan is quoted as saying: "Ronnie was very strict about how he was backed, and Robertson would either overplay or underplay. He'd be playing lead when Ronnie was singing and it just wouldn't work out. So I showed him how to do it, because that's what I was really into, backing up people and making them sound good."

The article also discusses Buchanan's technique of using "pinched harmonics", in which the harmonic of the note is produced by "trilling" or "whistling". Robertson also adopted this technique in his playing. According to Carson, Buchanan "made guitar history" when this technique was first recorded on a song called "Potato Peeler" that Buchanan made with drummer Bobby Gregg in 1962. This is the same drummer who would later play with Bob Dylan.

This excellent article can be found at here.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 18:42:14 CEST 2000 from m198214181105.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.105)

Pehr

Thanks Jonathan Katz for the info on the Dylan program coming up on A&E!!! I'm looking forward to this but hope I dont forget like the conan show recently. Hope y'all remember to remind us forgetful ones.

Enjoyed your post crabby aout the ROA shows and the buildings they were housed in. I wonder if them high falooters know about/appreciate the sacred ground they are on. maybe the place is haunted by things that go wang dang doodle in the night.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 16:38:29 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.229)

David Powell

Thanks Jonathan Katz for the info on the Dylan bio program. This week I picked up an import copy of "The Very Best of Bob Dylan." It's a 2-CD set containing 32 tracks spanning Dylan's career. It was released in Sweden in commemoration of Dylan receiving the Royal Swedish Academy of Music's Polar Music Prize. Among the songs included is just one featuring back-up by The Band, "Forever Young." It does contain two "rarities", a live version of "Love Sick" from the 1998 Grammy awards ceremony, and the complete version of "Things Have Changed" from the soundtrack to "Wonder Boys." Excellent mastering job with a nice accompanying booklet, however, the liner notes are in Swedish but the listing of the tracks and their origin are in English.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 16:23:08 CEST 2000 from hoiberg.hiof.no (158.36.51.55)

jh

testing...

Posted on Wed Jun 28 08:07:41 CEST 2000 from 2cust91.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.137.91)

Crabgrass

I admit to being the last person on the planet to acquire a CD player thinking CDs were just a passing fad and would soon die out suffering a fate much like the present day cell-phone undoubtedly will. I got ROA for the first time on CD just a few years back and since the booklet merely said recorded at the Academy of Music NYC had wondered if what was really meant was the Brooklyn Academy of Music where I saw The Band with the horn section. It's now clear after viewing the Ernst Haas photo (Photos - Other Band Photos 1968-1976) taken at BAM in December of '71 that the concerts I attended were indeed a warm up for the subsequent concerts at the Academy of Music on E. 14th Street in Manhattan. This was an old movie theater re-named the Academy of Music in the early '70s. In the late seventies it was dubbed The Palladium (as has been mentioned). I saw fine concerts by Patty Smith, Springsteen, and Jorma Kaukenen at this venue which was nice but certainly did not have the grandeur which the BAM building did. Subsequently, the seats were ripped out and it was turned into The Palladium disco by the ever enterprising ex-con Studio 54 sleezemeisters Schrager and Rubell. In more recent times it degenerated into a rap disco of sorts and has recently been torn down to make way for a new student housing building for the ever-expanding Blob-like NYU. The structure also housed Julian's the billiard hall where Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason filmed scenes for The Hustler.

On a related note the nearby Fillmore East (where I saw the very first NYC appearance by The Band) was demolished about 5 years back. The front entrance part of the structure still stands but is now an Emigrant Savings Bank ATM center while the main theater structure is now a newly built yuppie condo. Imagine some investment banker in his underwear sipping a brew and watching basketball on TV in a living room which occupies the same space where The Band, Hendrix, and a host of other rock greats once enthralled audiences. Not a pretty picture! A friend of mine has a brick given to him by one of the demolition workers - wonder what it would fetch on e-bay.

My personal recollection of the BAM concerts is rather hazy and I was not sitting close enough to notice how the members related to each other on stage but I can safely say these concerts were the best Band performances by the original 5 I have ever seen. Also, thought it great to be seeing The Band in Brooklyn as I was born there.

Someone mentioned reading a Rolling Stone article mentioning the BAM concerts - maybe that guy who found the Musician article on RR a while back can make another trip up to his attic. I think it would make an excellent addition to the site!

The BAM building btw has been restored and is used for opera, classical, and other cultural events. The small on premises theater where I saw Yellow Submarine - alternating with Don't Look Back between the afternoon and evening concerts is now an "Art Film" venue and I've been told they run a "coffee house" type music club in another room on occasion.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 05:25:47 CEST 2000 from parachute2-156-40-65-132.net.nih.gov (156.40.65.132)

Jonathan Katz

Ooops! Try this page for more info.

Posted on Wed Jun 28 04:53:09 CEST 2000 from 1cust83.tnt1.jackson.wy.da.uu.net (63.26.150.83)

dana

Thank-you Jonathan!

Posted on Tue Jun 27 23:01:57 CEST 2000 from (137.187.144.172)

Jonathan Katz

Check this out boys and girls.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 22:04:17 CEST 2000 from usr40-dialup44.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.75.236)

G-MAN

Jon L.-thanks for the info. !! 25 hrs. to go-out the work door, soon !! Barnburners--don't try to stomp 'em out, their music will burn ya out !!!!

Posted on Tue Jun 27 20:31:53 CEST 2000 from sjiassoc16.erols.com (208.58.12.144)

Jon Lyness

Hey G-Man (and others I hope), enjoy that show in Cleveland tomorrow night! Butch mentioned that David Maxwell will be on piano with Levon & the Barn Burners. That guy is really phenomenal -- I've seen him open for, and play with, James Cotton (another blues legend, & a buddy of Levon's) several times. Make sure you get a spot so you can see him pound away on the keys; you won't believe your eyes! All the best, everyone -- Jon

Posted on Tue Jun 27 19:39:26 CEST 2000 from alb2-as5200-34-82.termserv.net (208.20.67.82)

Diamond Lil

Very nicely put Mr. Powell. Thank you.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 19:26:20 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup7.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.7)

G-MAN

1. Let's have a poll to find out who Wences really is. 2. Peter V. does some fine contributions--he has a right to his opinions. 3. Read both books and took the good from each(what I enjoyed), but learned long time ago--if I wasn't their--take the tail with a grain of salt. I remember the first time I saw parts of TLW. Then took the time to watch it all. I really enjoyed it, thought those guys played great and are having fun. Then more and more inside stuff comes out, and opinions are formed and battle lines drawn. It's a shame. Hopefully, someone like John Simon would do a Band book; after Levon's reissue. Hey, I made w/o bashin' you know who !!! 27 hrs. to Cleveland !!!!!

Posted on Tue Jun 27 18:57:18 CEST 2000 from (206.2.196.66)

Band Thought

Nice to be back here.

To the ROA question from Crabgrass, although it was quite a long time ago and I was only 14 at the time, I was at the New York Academy of Music show on that historic New Year's Eve. You are right, the venue was on 14th street in the Union Square area of Manhattan. That site later reopened as the Palladium, and The Band christened that stage with one of their greatest performances ever.

To your friend's point about the horn section, take note of Robbie's intro prior to Don't Do It on ROA's: "We're going to try something tonight that we have never done before, and we would like to bring out some of the best horn players to help us do it..." If that's true, then you may have been there that night (or, Robbie made that statement for the official recording). If not, then the Brooklyn gig may have been an earlier tune-up for the weeks run leading up to ROA's in Manhattan. There is a picture on this site with The Band on stage at the "Brooklyn" Academy of Music. I could swear that the picture is also on the sleeve of the ROA's album. So, mystery unsolved. Perhaps the Brooklyn shows preceeded the Manhattan shows during that same week. Dylan appeared after midnight on the New Year's Eve show which I attended.

Interestingly enough, The Band did not appear for at least 18 months following ROA's, when they were blowing the roof off of the Academy. The boom could be heard all the way to Brooklyn (home to St. Ann's Church and Garth's greatest solo performance ever).

Missing Rick Danko. John

Posted on Tue Jun 27 18:51:21 CEST 2000 from spider-tl061.proxy.aol.com (152.163.207.201)

bob wigo

For anyone interested click on the home page to see the Ebay item mentioned earlier. Seems a bit curious to me.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 18:45:00 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

I agree with David Powell. If I'd been a friend of Levon's, and knew that Levon was working on his own, competing, book, I wouldn't have talked to Hoskyns either. And that's giving Hoskyns the benefit of the doubt.

Now, having read Hoskyns' book, I wouldn't even have given him that. To be sure, footnotes can be a pain - especially the ones with clever asides or info that could just as easily have been included in the text. The ones that are just numbers with citations are easily ignored once the reader realises what they are. Scupulous biographers often work around the "problem" by means of a complete and clear Note on Sources or something like that. I don't recall seeing anything of that description in the Hoskyns book. I've heard that info on the Revols came from a radio show, but I certainly didn't hear that from Barney.

Of course, none of this in any ways justifies good king Wences' last remarks. We all owe Peter for his contributions.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 18:44:53 CEST 2000 from client-209-158-254-9.bellatlantic.net (209.158.254.9)

Jerry Marsicano

Yes,it is about time you came in to the world again with your music. The music scene is shallow with out your style.As a guitar player my voice is mute with out a voice to speak in front of it.You have a true gift from GOD. A gift few recieve,play on Jeffrey Gains and engolf the world,it needs you.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 17:45:34 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.229)

David Powell

I usually like to focus on the joy that the MUSIC brings me, but regarding the Hoskyns book, let me just add the following. I'm not sure of the exact chronology, but his book was published around the same time that Levon's book with Stephen Davis came out. Why should the members of the group & those around them cooperate with an "outsider's" project, one formed by his perception of events, especially when it will be in direct competition with Levon's telling of his story?

Since biographies involve, to some degree, the opening of old wounds, why trust a stranger with the scalpel. As far as "rock biographies", VH-1's "Behind The Music" series has proven that the "tell all" approach causes no "harm" in the business sense. This approach in fact often helps revive the sales of artists whose careers have somewhat faded. It's the re-telling of the same old story, however, success followed by excess. The biography may help them in a business sense, but what about the harm done to those close to them when old wounds are exposed at the hands of someone who wasn't there?

Posted on Tue Jun 27 17:38:43 CEST 2000 from m198214181166.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.166)

Pehr

Viney Rocks.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 16:02:20 CEST 2000 from cobalt.nextlink.net (206.129.70.172)

Mike

One more thing...I would like to e-mail Butch to ask a few questions about Levon's drum setup. Does anyone have his e-mail address? Thanks. Have a good day everyone.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 15:57:39 CEST 2000 from cobalt.nextlink.net (206.129.70.172)

Mike

The fact that there is precious little material on The Band compared to the Beatles, Stones, Doors, etc., sort of limits us, doesn't it? We've got a few RS articles, a Time cover story, a few videos, their studio and live albums, miscellaneous bootlegs and not much more. The video biography was extremely enjoyable, but could've been done better. Both written biographies have a certain slant but that was expected, wasn't it? So it takes a Guestbook like this to flesh out the myth. I'm always hungry for more "stuff." I wish Serge would write a book about the early days. I would love for Garth to pen something from his point of view. I think Peter's articles are both enjoyable and informative.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 15:29:21 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Vi-NEY, Vi-NEY, Vi-NEY!

Hey Wences, whether you are "who you think (I) am," is irrelevent. Just because the same venom might come from a different mouth (or fingers, in this case) only makes you unoriginal, or dishonest. The fact that you feel the need to disassociate from our well-known curmudgeon, leads me to lean towards the latter, or perhaps both. An amazing photo archive doesn't make you creative in the least.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 15:02:53 CEST 2000 from dialup-103.cork.iol.ie (194.125.43.103)

HANK

Wow.....is it the summer heat or what round here?......things're gitttin' purty heated up .....sorry, folks , did'nt mean to sound like Stephen Davis thar..... y'all sound like yer wound up purty tight.........sounds like someones gonna bite someones goddamn nose off in these here GB parts!!!!!!!..........It's the emphasis on THAT sorta writing that disappoints me in Levons book......OK, Levon's from Arkansas.....he's got a southern accent.....it SHOULD'NT be rammed down your throat by Stephen Davis.......Begob, Musha tooraloora howzit goin'boy? and yer after leavin' the ould sod for Californiayyyye and Father McDermott will be performing the christening and me sister out in Africa on the missions and up the rebels, Brits out while we buy The Sun and The News of The World and watch ITV.......not ALL Irish people speak like that, y'know?......there's a different accent in every county anyway.......besides, I LOVED Levons book.......as I've said...more informative and REAL than Hoskyns book.......All this talk about TLW, who shoulda this who shoulda filmed it yadda yadda...........I've always felt The most sublime thing about TLW were the sequences with Emmylou and The Staples.......what woulda made it an even better movie woulda been if they did set pieces like that for say, Rag Mama Rag, Acadian Driftwood and King Harvest.......those are three very important Band songs that shoulda been in TLW IMHO, any takers on this one? ?????.......OK, I better git outta here before I gits ma nose bitten off by either an Irish RC priest, a white-robed Klansman or a Rock-Band musical biographer-type or all three!!!!!!.....or some irate GBer......see ye later!!!!!

Posted on Tue Jun 27 14:00:20 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

butch (in response to who's opening for the Barnburners): The Voodudes are considered a jazz band. They will be appearing July 13th in Red Bank's (NJ) Marine Park. It's part of a free Jazz in the Park series that takes place on Thursday nights throughout the summer....... It's that or their is another Voodudes group.

Still haven't read AGD and unless i come across a cheap copy, it just doesn't sound like it brings anything new to the table. I'd love to read a Garth book, but i suspect that was GB rumor to fire up some discussion.

Just received my Honky Tonk Guru's cd and after only hearing a couple of tracks, it seems worthy of turning it up louder.

ANd by the way, this new bootleg update, 6/26, does anyone know where i can find it, e.g. cd stores, via magazines, one of the GBer's, etc.., please, i'd love to check some of these types of recordings out.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 12:32:22 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-004.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.4)

Peter Viney

If all the Band refused to speak to Hoskyns, this was really, really dumb, and they were ill-advised. When a major journalist for a major magazine devotes the time to write your bio, then you can be sure it’s going to come out anyway. If you refuse to speak, then you have to put up with the second-hand stuff that will certainly be there instead. They’re not going to pull out because you won’t speak. Robbie probably got the worst from Hoskyns at the end, and Robbie certainly did speak to him. Robbie probably didn’t speak to him as much as Hoskyns wanted him to. On the other hand, friends and aquaintances should refuse to speak to would-be biographers until they check back with the subject. I’ve been approached by biographers of friends, and cleared it with the subject before talking. By "maintaining a distance" I don’t mean that he didn’t try to interview members, but that he kept his perspective and didn’t fall into the trap of writing the fan club handbook. Look at his recent Lou Reed interview – he’s much too experienced at interviewing just about every major star to "buddy up" (or to think that he has done so). Actors (and less so musicians) are usually very good at making journalists like them, which means they tend to get better press. As most of The Band, judging by comments here over the years, exude an aura of likeability, they could have spoken for a biography by such a major publisher (Penguin/ Viking). And of course the biography has done them no harm in a business sense.

One positive thing about the last six months is the relative absence of flaming and abuse on the site. If you wanted to go back and check the archives you’d find that abuse used to be pretty regular, much of it stemming from one person with a wide variety of names and fake e-mail addresses, often with literary references in them. The style is always the same, as are the stock phrases, the dislike of Britain (and for that matter most other places), the knee-jerk reaction to the name Hoskyns plus the anecdote of refusing to talk to him, and the detailed knowledge of past events in London, Ontario. This person’s been around a long time. And it’s not really important anyway.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 10:06:29 CEST 2000 from 169.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.169)

Nancy

Just wanted to add my support for Peter Viney in the face of what appeared to me to be an unwarranted attack on his reputation and personal feelings, which is even worse when it appears in a public forum such as the GB. No description of the good things Peter brings to the GB is necessary as his thoughtful and well written posts speak for themselves.

Although I support the philosophy of free speech in this forum, it should not include the right to slander other people in the name of free speech.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 09:37:59 CEST 2000 from 216-119-162-57.ipset44.wt.net (216.119.162.57)

Michael Shiloh

Crabgrass: Enjoyed your memories of seeing the Band at the Academy of Music; I remember an article in "Rolling Stone" about the concerts in which the author DEFINITELY identified it as the "Brooklyn Academy of Music." I always assumed it was either a rehearsal for or the Actual Recordings Of "Rock of Ages." Can you please give us a more visual discription of the interplay among Band members? Did the guys appear as cohesive onstage as the music sounds on record? It'd be great to hear your memory-impressions.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 09:30:07 CEST 2000 from 1cust210.tnt9.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.128.210)

Crabgrass

First, I'm informed of fraudulent inaccuracies in the Watkins Glen CD, then I discover that all the figures on the Basement Tapes cover are really cardboard cut-outs, and now I learn that Levon's book has a "fake, down-home gloss" (what I liked best about it) which was added by the collaborator!!

I never read Hoskyns' book straight through but rather use it as a reference tool. I wouldn't so easily label a person who puts together a 400 + page tome "an opportunist." With the exception of disagreeing with Hoskyns' assessment of some of the songs on Stage Fright (I find all up to scratch with the stuff on the first 2 albums) I think he's done a service to Band fans everywhere. After all, there's only his and Levon's book to go by unless you want to count Griel Marcus' Dylan/Band excursions.

While I am a fan of Scorcese's films (earlier rather than later) I would have liked to see Werner Rainer Fassbinder document The Last Waltz as I think he would have better captured the angst surrounding it. Would've been a heckuva different film!!

Posted on Tue Jun 27 05:03:57 CEST 2000 from spider-tp042.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.192)

Dave Z

While it was on the tip of my tongue... I just also have to say Crabby... I am still rolling in the dirt laughing over your comment about hearing Rick sing you can jack your dog... and then it hits me... that's what's wrong with the Hoskins book... no good dog stories if I recall right... earlier this year I read a book on the Boston Celtics... and how when on the road in the early days... they used to play a game called Zit... where the object of the game is to spot a dog... and if you spot one peeing it's worth a point... taking a dump... a couple of points... and so forth... and finally if you spot one dog screwing another you automatically win the game... for those wondering about a Band connection... I guess Red used to drive his car as fast as Levon... whenever trying to spot a dog... and then there's that little thing about being the best... with some teamwork, diversity and innovation all thrown in... Peace, love and herbal essence...

Posted on Tue Jun 27 04:55:39 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9sg.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.167.144)

Pat Brennan

Since most biographers never meet their subjects, the fact that Hoskyns never talked to anyone in the group or associated with the group doesn't really mean much, especially since the book is fairly surfacey anyhoo. And from the tenor of a very few of the posters here who claim to be associated with The Band, that's probably a good thing. However, Hoskyns unauthorized use of photos is poor judgement at best, execrable at worst. Slamming Peter Viney--who helps make this site what it is-- is equally execrable (adj. deserving to be execrated; detestable). Try adding something positive next time.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 04:39:32 CEST 2000 from spider-tp042.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.192)

Dave Z

Sorry Crabby... I have to disagree... I love the RR videos especially... Back To Your Woods... I also like Ghost Dance where they show him in reverse appearing to play the guitar lefty... and I like how the version of the song has a more pronounced guitar emphasis than on CD... I also like the in studio stuff with John Trudell from the Making A Noise special... I could go on for a while here... Further On Up The Road at recent R&R HOF for EC... but my favorite... and I don't have all of his video stuff... is Testimony from SNL... Just my opinion... and there's plenty of us RR fans out here who are also Band fans or Rick fans and so forth... Take care...

Regarding various people's comments on quality of truths posted in this GB... I guess I always looked at this GB as a subconscious shadow area for fans and others to express whatever... which nicely balances out the near perfection that Jan has created elsewhere... and where else can you go where all people present discuss the Band... try and set up that dinner party...

Posted on Tue Jun 27 04:36:49 CEST 2000 from spider-wo024.proxy.aol.com (205.188.200.29)

butch

Well Friends,,,, TUESDAY,, we are off to the Hall of Fame,,,, The show is wednesday evening,,,, the VOO-DUDES are opening,,,, (????) The Great Blues Pianist David Maxwell IS playing with the Barn Burners,,, ( James Cotton's pianoplayer ) so, some of you, I will see there,,,, & the rest,,,,, we'll tell ya bout it,,,, Then its off to the Jersey Shore for a July 1st show,, in Somers Point,,,, SO NO JOYOUS LAKE SHOW THIS WEEK,,, BACK NEXT WEEK,,,, Enjoy your weekend & celebrate our FREEDOM,,,,,happy 4th,,, blues with a feeling,,,,, butch

Posted on Tue Jun 27 04:31:08 CEST 2000 from www-cache.vuw.ac.nz (130.195.2.96)

Amanda

AMEN Little Brother!! Let their be peace in the GB, be gone anger & spite

I get the feeling Barney Hoskin's turned on Robbie Robertson at the end because he would not return his calls. I think at the end Hoskin's seemed to lose objectivity and let it all become too personal. The rest of the book was an interesting complement to Levon Helm's

Peter Viney, I drink to your health in lukewarm coffee (since that is the beverage my workplace provides.) Sir, you are a scholar and a gentleman...

Posted on Tue Jun 27 03:45:01 CEST 2000 from 38.mercerville-21-22rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.148.38)

carmen

I was watching a movie with my 5 year old called Jack The Bear on Fox Family staring Danny Devito and out of the blue I here "I shall Be Released".

Posted on Tue Jun 27 03:05:39 CEST 2000 from atmax-10-15.enter.net (207.16.154.209)

Little Brother

In the name of our Webmaster and by His power, we cast you out, every unclean spirit, every devilish power, every assault of the infernal adversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect; begone and stay far from the Band Guestbook, from all who are made in the diverse spirit of the Web and redeemed by the precious music of the Band...

Since I'm likely to be one of the Twelve also, I figured I'd take a shot. I, for one, could sure use more exorcise, and this seemed like a great moment to begin. I had to paraphrase some, though. Hope it works. My head is spinning enough as it is.

Now I think I'll look for the Donovan website, 'cause I just realized I never DID figure out what happened to the OTHER Twelve that got on that boat in "Atlantis". I bet Garth was one of 'em, though. He looks like a guy who can REALLY tread water...

Posted on Tue Jun 27 02:24:14 CEST 2000 from (205.247.237.85)

two spirit

that crazy river video was directed by Scorsese,RR said that during the shooting Marty kept yelling at him,I WANT DUEL IN THE SUN!!GIVE ME DUEL IN THE SUN!!and Robbie didn't know what that meant.....Robbie was asked about that video a couple of years later and got all red in the face and said that it wasn't his idea.I have been reading the archives to get caught up on the last couple of months,I was in the slammer.......I found several posts from someone calling themselves Patricia aka Hatchet Man....uuuh...interesting.Hatchet Man is one of my favorite movies,made way back in 1931 and stars ine of my favorite actors,the great Edward G. Robinson.The interesting thing is that I always thought that "The Hatchet Man" might have been RRs inspiration for "Shootout in Chinatown" I have only one thing to say to Patricia aka Hatchet Man,tho it seems that she has been rode out of town on a rail for expressing something resembling an independent thought!! Patrica,"He who follow truth too closely get dirt kicked in face"If you people continue to suffocate every ounce of new blood that enters this place you are literally going to become the most boring place in the world.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 02:09:12 CEST 2000 from host-216-76-150-144.bna.bellsouth.net (216.76.150.144)

BWNWITennessee

...though I do hope I am considered to be one of those twelve odd people.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 02:04:43 CEST 2000 from host-216-76-150-144.bna.bellsouth.net (216.76.150.144)

BWNWITennessee

I think the Basement Tapes' cover is the best of all the Band's covers. It plays up to the mythology that seemed to develop around just what went on in the basement, as if people really seemed to think that that's what it was like during the sessions. It has a lot of humor, and where else will you ever see RR with a midget on his shoulders?

When I read "Across the Great Divide" I got the impression that one of the reasons Hoskyns seems to dislike Robbie so much is because he is a bit of an Anti-Semite. I can't remember what in particular gave me that impression, though. And don't worry, I'm not too PC (notice how I said "midget" instead of "dwarf"?) I don't know what the deal with the Anglophobe underneath me is.

Posted on Tue Jun 27 01:18:40 CEST 2000 from dial138.gtn.net (209.167.110.218)

Senor Wences

John Donabie: Vic Garber is NOT a Toronto boy. He is from London Ontario. Son of Hope and and the late Joe Garber. The group "Sugar Shoppe" was named because of Vic's diabetic condition. And yes he was in Godspell.

Hank: Hoskyns did NOT maintain "distance" from Band members as Mr. Roastbeef claims. None of them would have anything to do with him, and word spread very quickly NOT to talk to the opportunist. I was approached too, and told him to go pound salt. Don't buy Viney's BS. He knows diddley squat. (Well..maybe he's heard of Bo.) Viney loves to make mountains out of molehills, and fancies himself as some sort of scholar, now that he's had a captive audience of an odd dozen regulars. That mad cow disease does have an effect on the cerebellum.

And NO Mr.V, I am not who you think I am..

Posted on Tue Jun 27 00:54:22 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

Rejoice! Hurray! Lately my younger daughter is playing the brown album all the time... just like her sister... I daresay I taught my children well... :-)

bob wigo... please check the guestbook archives and you'll find all the comments on Hoskyns' turf you want... and more... by all the people you mention... and more...

Pat... are you sure the EH versions on WG and TKC are the same? I thought I heard a slight difference... but maybe I should listen once more...

Well... I almost outnumbered Hank's dots I suppose... ;-)

Posted on Tue Jun 27 00:48:47 CEST 2000 from tcnet24-007.austin.texas.net (209.99.97.133)

Laura Holt

Just received the "Going Home" video today. Thought it was very well done. I liked the fact that he covered a little bit of everything in this video from the start of his career to the present. loved hearing "The Hawk" talk! I wish there had been more footage from "Eat the Document" (haven't seen it yet) Loved the great footage from the basement days. I was very interested in the "Native Americans" project and liked the ending with "Skinwalker" being performed (one of my favorites). Wished that I could have seen "Crazy River" done from start to finish but overall I thought the 70 minute video was well done. As far as someone's comment from the GB saying they thought there was too much MS in there...I have to disagree. I thought the time RR and MS spent was well done and had some interesting conversation going on in that part. I suggest to anyone who ISN'T a "Snobby Robbie" hater to purchase this and see for yourself that the video is a good one and a must to have if you enjoy his work and want to hear his point of view on why he felt like he had to "move on" and do his own thing. PEACE BAND FANS!!!

Posted on Tue Jun 27 00:27:15 CEST 2000 from spider-wl023.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.28)

Salivating to See

To all you folks that had the pleasure of attending Rick's benefit, when can we expect the pic's? Can't wait to see them!!!

Posted on Tue Jun 27 00:02:58 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-052.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.52)

Peter Viney

I think I’ve had my say on Hoskyns. Hank, I don’t know whether your comment’s supposed to be a compliment or criticism. Hoskyns is an excellent journalist, gathering together diverse sources well, on much else besides the Band. You can call it plagiarism or you can call it research. I prefer to quote sources, which makes my stuff considerably less readable, and it interrupts the flow. If you were putting together a book of the length of ATGD, readability is improved by less naming of sources. It’s purely technical in the end. I think he was probably right to maintain a distance from the members, and I also believe he totally under-estimates their solo work. All of their solo work, but Robbie’s the most. I reckon everyone here should read both Hoskyns for the outside view and Helm for the inside view. If you’re interested enough to read one, you have to read the other.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 23:41:27 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Crabb, I really like the RR performance peices to a point. "Go Back to Your Woods" is very punchy, and the excerpts from the Native stuff is very cool (of course, I like that material, so I'm biased).

The complaint, vis a vis "too much Scorcese" (who is one of my fave directors, btw), as well as the shorter chat with Barry Levinson (a more over-rated director, in my view) on the Jimmy Hollywood material is not very revealing - though the discussions on the way sound effects and music were used in Raging Bull are pretty cool. The complaint here is that more material of RR performing could have supplanted much of the film talk, but then again, RR's video and post-TLW performance output is very small, so other than the video to "Crazy River" (which I do think is cheesy, even though I dig the song), leaves little to discuss. Can't critique what's not there, simply put.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 22:09:06 CEST 2000 from dialup-096.cork.iol.ie (194.125.43.96)

Hank

BOB WIGO.....Barney Hoskyns is a pro music journo......He writes for Mojo, Q and probably a buncha other mags as well......before I ever was aware of The GB, I read his book on the Band, "Across The Great Divide" and I found it very informative up to the point of TLW.......after TLW, he starts to berate them like like a school-teacher cross with naughty boys........sorta that exasperated thing of "now, lads, ye were doing so well till we had the big concert....and now ye just won't work at all.......I don't know WHAT I'll do with ye!!!!!"..However, I read Levons book subsequently and found it even MORE informative overall, in every sense....... despite the fake, down-home gloss applied by Stephen Davis.... It's a hard one to call....this "knife-twisting" as you call it........As this GB demonstrates.....people just don't like The Band.......they ADORE The Band........and I get the feeling that people like Hoskyns felt really let down by post-TLW activities or ELSE he saw an oppurtunity to really show the public how human these so-called gods were.......his obit on Rick Danko in Mojo was very sad........instead of writing about what a glorious talent Rick was and how much people loved him....he saw fit to concentrate on what he perceived to be Ricks decline.....I enjoy Hoskyns writing well enough when I come across it...but one things for sure.....people are gonna be singing, playing and enjoying The Bands music for a LONG time after they'll know who Barney Hoskyns was.......PETER VINEY!!! Mojo.....Abba cover......King Harvest......I was going around for AGES after that telling folks about how great King Harvest was after reading your assesment of Richard as a vocalist (Chorus sung lower, quieter than the verses.....theatrical possibilities......) I just came across that copy of Mojo again today and read your bit without knowing it was YOUR bit.........Wonderful!!!!! Spot on, as they say.....Thank you!!!! Hope this makes sense to everyone else..........

Posted on Mon Jun 26 21:41:49 CEST 2000 from m198214181105.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.105)

Pehr

RE: The unknown drummer... I was going through a book I found on Mike Bloomfield the other day, and in his discography is listed "You are What You Eat" - Bloomfield was a part of this project too, which I had forgotten, I suppose he was around woodstock learning Dylan's new songs in early '65 and joined the whole Grossman/Dylan bunch. At any rate the drummer was listed as "unknown"... anyone friends with the guys here might ask if they remember so we can get some sleep again?

As to Hoskyns I've not read the book for a year but do remember enjoying the beginning of the book very much: I felt it moved well and gave me some beautiful images of Toronto and RR's early years... then I saw RR say something to the effect that the first 20 pages were full of B.S and he put the book down, which I found interesting. I went back into it but it seemed pretty consistent with everything else I found on RR. I might go to the library and go through it again to keep up on this thread.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 21:40:17 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Thanks for the christly clarification John! Victor was a member of Sugar Shoppe, who made it as far as the Ed Sullivan Show. Their first 45, a version of "CA-NA-DA" (you had to be here in '67), was on the Yorkville label, of interest to some Band-ites because Ronnie Hawkins released an album and a couple of 45s on it during his King Biscuit Boy / John Till / Richard Bell period. I believe that Garber's cast-mates in Godspell included Martin Short, Gilda Radner and Eugen Levy. And Paul Shaefer on piano.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 20:51:25 CEST 2000 from trt-on63-84.netcom.ca (216.123.96.84)

John Donabie

Victor Garber played Christ in Godspell. Good Toronto boy and former member of what Toronto group Bill?

Posted on Mon Jun 26 20:49:32 CEST 2000 from (205.230.10.2)

Bob Reichers

I just purchased tickets to see Levon Helm and the Barn Burners at the Cape Cod Melody Tent on July 8th-- They are appearing with other bands as part of the Cape Cod Brew Festival. One problem: no one seems to know what time of day or night Levon will be hitting the stage to perform. I have tried to contact the venue but no one there knows either. Perhaps some one who either works with or for Levon "might" read this messege and be able to pass along some info ? thanks

Posted on Mon Jun 26 19:01:51 CEST 2000 from spider-wi052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.42)

bob wigo

I just completed reading "Across the Great Divide" by Barney Hoskyns. I know this turf has been covered at various points on the GB timeline but I would be most interested in hearing some commentary. Can I call upon the esteemed Misters Powell,Brennan,Viney,Crabgrass,Little Brother, among others, to share their thoughts on the matter?

Because of time constraints I will keep my comments brief. I found the references ( and sometimes the lack thereof ) a bit sketchy and often duplicitous.It seemed rather evident that a great deal of the text was constructed from sources many of us keep on our own bookshelves and TV stands. I got a very definite "I'll cop a lot of the stuff that's out there and dress it up a bit" vibe.In addition,the tone of the book seemed to run off in the direction of the subject matter without a great deal of regard for keeping the overall treatment consistent. This was particularly true when an obviously negative point was brought forth. I sensed a need on Mr. Hoskyns' part to not only twist the knife but to pull up on it a bit as well.This was uncomfortably juxtaposed with some high praise that was seriously undermined by his bent for swinging the pendulum like a runaway metronome. I liked some of the lyrics but I sure couldn't dance to that beat.

I hope some of you fine scribes can find a little time to share. Thanks.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 18:35:04 CEST 2000 from 1cust213.tnt14.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.142.213)

Crabgrass

Although several posters have recently mentioned acquiring the RR "Going Home" video I note that thus far no one has commented anything like "Wow, Robbie's music videos are really great!" or "Those songs he sang in the performance excerpts were terrific!" Instead, all I've seen is some comments about there being "too much of Scorcese" in the tape or someone wondering which kitchen Robbie was sitting in.

I find this omission somewhat interesting and rather glaring.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 17:46:43 CEST 2000 from spider-tk041.proxy.aol.com (152.163.206.191)

The Spirit of the late, great Richard Manuel

If you find me in a gloom or catch me in a dream, Inside my lonely room there is no in between...

Posted on Mon Jun 26 16:57:51 CEST 2000 from usr51-dialup357.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.198.239)

G-MAN

Levon Helm, 09/21/00, Tralfamadore Cafe, 100 Theatre Pl. (Main St.) Bflo., (716)851-8725. One mile from city Hall circle-north; Main on east, Franklin on west, Tupper north, Chippewa south. Plenty a parkin. People callin in from ALL over. 50 hrs.to Cleveland. Glad to see Garth's getting a little more attention. Sort of a forgotten soldier who deserves more talk-up on this GB. Stayin out of the feud(ha ha). But, Band movie, needs the Producer and Director from that great cult movie "Carney". Keep Rockin. Listening to Big Foot--some great stuff!!!

Posted on Mon Jun 26 16:03:04 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Correction: it struck me that Victor Garber wasn't, as I said yesterday, Jesus Christ Superstar in the movie. He was Jesus somewhere else - maybe the Broadway play, or maybe it was Godspell. Sorry.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 11:22:16 CEST 2000 from (205.247.237.68)

two spirit

Speaking of Tom Waits,as I was reading the RS article on LH in april I was reminded of one of my favorite of Wait's songs...The Man in the Long Black Coat....or,in RR's case it was The Man in the Long Black Overcoat...he appears..dressed in a long black overcoat...flanked by a small entourage..he is hussled in through a side door...he makes eye contact with no one....oooooooooh!!........When the moon is a cold chisled dagger..and it's sharp enough...to draw blood from a stone....he rides thru your dreams in a coach and horses...and the fence posts in the moonlight look like bones.....he once killed a man with a guitar string....some say beneath his coat there are wings.....he can turn himself into a stranger....they broke a lot of canes on his hide...he was born away in a cornfield......a fever beats in his head just like a drum inside............I've been wonderin',if LH updates his book,are we going to have to hear more of the same kind of venom that we all got a taste of in the RS article?

Posted on Mon Jun 26 08:11:30 CEST 2000 from spider-wd063.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.178)

Ben Pike

Speaking of "The Basement Tapes" cover, I wonder how many know that the dwarf actor is clearly the late Angelo Rossito, who also appears on the cover of Tom Waits wonderful "Swordfishtrombones" album. Rossito had a truely amazing career in films, dating back to Tod Browning's "Freaks" all the way to a featured role in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome." He was in tons of interesting low budget horror films, and just died a couple of years ago.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 06:18:42 CEST 2000 from 2cust72.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.133.200)

Crabgrass

I recall seeing The Band back in '70 or '71 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music - and also recall that the friend I went with told me this was the first time they'd be playing with a horn section. They did both an early show and a late show and after seeing the early show (must've begun in late afternoon) they were showing (for free) Yellow Submarine in the small movie theater which was part of the BAM building (still is btw). After the film we came out and got let into the second show which had already started and sat down in the center aisle until it finished. My best song recollections - "The Unfaithful Servant" and "King Harvest." Those are definitely the most memorable Band shows I've ever seen especially since the BAM is a really beautiful venue.

Anyway, with all the talk of things not being what they seem is it possible that some of the tracks on ROA were taken from this gig? (I believe they did at least 2 nights - and am not sure if these dates preceeded the Academy of Music (on 14th Street Manhattan according to Hoskyns' book) gigs or came after them - or if they were in fact the same set of gigs with the venue being misnamed in Hoskyns' book. The CD booklet with ROA just says it was recorded at the Academy of Music in NYC. Anyone? (I KNOW I was at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.)

Posted on Mon Jun 26 05:30:22 CEST 2000 from user-33qtanj.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.170.243)

Pat Brennan

Someone asked earlier about the different "live" versions of Endless Highway. All three releases--TKC, AtGD and WG--are the same, as are Loving You and Memphis. And futher cementing the "studio source" argument, Richard is playing the clavinet on EH which he definitely was not playing at WG or any other gig that I can recall. He does play clavinet on NLSC's Acadian Driftwood although he played piano live on that cut.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 05:11:14 CEST 2000 from mat-2-6.enter.net (207.16.155.62)

Little Brother

Thanks much, Steve S. "Reticence" is indeed the proper term, and the word I was groping towards. This is what is called a "clam" in music.

I appreciate your rapid response to my facetious but sincere call to "those In the Know" to share some insight into Garth. You are indeed fortunate to have him as a friend.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 05:02:32 CEST 2000 from (205.247.237.68)

two spirit

i think "Going Home"used footage from 86 when RR was putting together the "Color of Money"soundtrack with Gary Gersh and was writing stuff for his first solo record.I think that footage you are talking about was shot in S.Monica,RR looked happy enough to burst so it must have been around then.Would someone please fill me in on the Good Morning America thing...i missed it.Did he go back to Big Pink LIVE with the GMA people or did they just use old footage??? Is RR being blamed for stealing silverware now? What's this deal with the spoons!!

Posted on Mon Jun 26 04:45:14 CEST 2000 from ts1-40.steveston.axion.net (207.34.146.40)

Cupid

Crabgrass doesn't smoking a couple "Fat ones" make you a cannibal of sorts? At the very least it puts a spin on the phrase "Roll Yer own".Carefull brother you run the risk of going down on a "Herbicide" beef.Sorry y'all it's the heat that's makin'me do it.Peace all Cupid

Posted on Mon Jun 26 04:29:23 CEST 2000 from dialup-370.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.114)

HANKLY

OK OK....so obviate means "to make unnecessary".......I looked it up....( Is Funk of and Wagnell Fame on vacation or wha'?) Still, how would a book by Garth obviate The GB? I would imagine the GB would liven up immeasurably after a Garth book..........not that there's anything wrong with it now, mind........but it would be a helluva lot more exciting than spotting RR at a B-Ball game!!!!! I seem to recall reading Garth being interviewed by Mojo magazine around the time of HOTH......if that's any good to anyone.....I remember by pleasantly surprised by how he sounded so cool and willing to talk at the time........

Posted on Mon Jun 26 03:59:00 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-38-166.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.166)

Guenevere

In his new book, I sure hope Garth finally sets the record straight about the spoons ... was it Robbie... (or was it Levon, just trying to make RR look bad?)

btw, nice job Peter V. on the "Dixie" article, you really outdid yours self this time--clever to have given everyone credit, because without it, forget ‘the feud', I'm sure it would have obviated another civil war!

Posted on Mon Jun 26 03:42:05 CEST 2000 from pool-209-138-179-56.ipls.grid.net (209.138.179.56)

Bobby Jones

Has anyone looked at the Rick Danko E-Bay area lately. Someone has a Ampeg SVT amp. up for bid. This auction claims "Rick bought this amp. new in the 70's and had used this as his main amp till the end. It has been around the world several times and used in hundreds of concerts, most notably Woodstock II, Dylans 30th Anniversary show at MSG, The Band at Carnegie Hall, and the last Grateful Dead shows in Chicago in 1996. In addition , it has been used on a slew of records and many TV shows, last seen on David Letterman in 97.

My question is, is this the Real Deal or is someone trying to dupe people. Their asking $1800.00 smackers for this puppy. Seems really low for such a Priceless peice. Anyone know The Truth?

Posted on Mon Jun 26 03:12:44 CEST 2000 from dial-36-max-bbvt-01.ramp.together.net (207.41.57.164)

steve s

hey little brother - Garth's "recalcitrance" (reticence might have been a better choice of words) is both deliberate and "the way he is" as you suggest - he is what you would call a "mentsch" - a truly decent and gentle guy who tries to exist above the fray in a fairly simple lifestyle (as simple as this complex genius can be) He is a true friend who will go to bat for a friend (so are/were Levon and Rick)or who will call out of the blue to say he hasn't heard from you in a while - More than anything else, Garth is a truly humble guy, very deferential and decent. On the night he was inducted into the RRHOF, he was on the phone with another client of mine, a jazz guitarist named Tal Farlow who was playing across town. He had wanted to meet Tal and explained to him that he couldn't make it to the show because he had to be "at an award dinner". During the induction, he thanked virtually everyone who had been instrumental to his career, almost to the consternation of many present (his speech prompted a snide comment by a Jancee Dunn in Rolling Stone" that he somehow "broke the spell" On the contrary, it was refreshing to see someone of his musical stature giving thanks and recognition to those who assisted him and not just a phony "I'd like to thank God and Myself" (as they say - the self made man always worships his creator.) He is a very precise man, who enjoys musical influences without boundaries (he was into world music years before it was en vogue) Garth and Maud are a truly unique and wonderful couple and it has been our pleasure to have made their acquaintance and become their friends.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 02:45:39 CEST 2000 from sarc2b135.snip.net (209.204.88.135)

Chris D.

I'm getting real excited about next week with Levon and the Barn Burners at the Jersey Shore!! Anybody out there gonna make the show in Somers Point? I don't have to travel all the way to Joyous Lake this time, not that I ever minded traveling to here the "Blues done Right!!! See ya there!

Posted on Mon Jun 26 02:34:36 CEST 2000 from spider-tm033.proxy.aol.com (152.163.197.58)

Bayou Sam

OK, I asked here awhile back about a lyric. In Cripple Creek, last verse, it is widely accepted that levon says = "there's a flood out in California". I kept saying that it dosen't sound like he's saying flood to me. I was 99% convinced by some of you folks that it must be "flood." Well, I just got a cd copy of Before The Flood (on e-bay), and there is no way that Levon is saying "there's a flood....". I dunno. Hey that "friend of the questbook" that was here before - could you run that one by Levon for me? Everyone else, if you could drop everything and run right to your BTF cd - let me know what you think. OK, you don't have to drop everything. Just when you get a chance. ..... I have a life, I really do.

Posted on Mon Jun 26 01:45:43 CEST 2000 from 2cust119.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.137.119)

Crabgrass

I smoked a couple of fat ones before hitting the sack last night and got into starin' at the cover of my original vinyl copy of the Basement Tapes while listenin' to Metallica. After about two hours it flashed on me that the only REAL thing on the cover is the basement itself and the little dog up front. Dylan and the others are all life-size cardboard cutouts!! This whole hoax thing is buggin' me out. (BTW you'll all be able to see that I'm correct as soon as the virtual reality 3D model of Big Pink is installed on the website in a few weeks.)

Hey, Harpo and Marcel Marceau have both written bios and so did George "The Quiet One" Harrison - don't give up on Garth you doubters!!

Posted on Mon Jun 26 01:25:53 CEST 2000 from spider-th064.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.74)

Pac

Tennessee: Do you have a copy of Elliot Landy's "WOODSTOCK VISION the spirit of a generation" photo book? (The Continuum Publishing Company, NY, 1994) It includes the outside shots of Big Pink, the kitchen photo you described with Rick in shorts, Richard sitting on the counter, Levon and Robbie talking at the table, and Garth reading something. There's a whole wall of white metal kitchen cabinets in the background. The photo's labeled "Big Pink." Also in the Landy book are 1969 photos of a session in Rick's basement (hardwood floors, Rick & Hamlet the dog), and the beautiful photo of Levon & Robbie upstairs in Rick's house, with light flooding the room between guitar and drums. And then there's the cover of "The Basement Tapes" LP (photographer Reid Miles) in a different basement with a painted cement floor and drop inlet grate. Big Pink? Doubt it. I don't know about heating and plumbing, but the furnace and pipes in this basement are HUGE! Industrial? What do you think folks?

Posted on Sun Jun 25 23:42:29 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

I forgot to mention that I finally got around to listening repeatedly to "The Night TDODD". Whatever Levon says now, I sure didn't hear 'mud'. Didn't really hear 'blood' either, just a muffled sound that ended with 'lud' (or 'lood'). 'Flood' doesn't work, so I'll go for 'blood'.

One thing I know I had wrong for all these years is right after the "like my brother above me" line. Maybe because someone else sang it that way, I always thought the next word line was "I took a rebel stand", rather than "who took a rebel stand". Changes my view of ol' Virge.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 23:32:07 CEST 2000 from atmax-3-22.enter.net (207.16.153.124)

Little Brother

-- Here's something for Jan's "To Do" list, given his inexhaustible energy, talent, and burning desire to constantly push the envelope to improve this site: How 'bout constructing a 3-D model of Big Pink? You know, one of those deals where you can "tour" with the help of mouse, touchpad, or keyboard.

You don't have to conjure up actual Band figures right away, or put ALL the strings and keys on the instruments. Just put us in the house and give us a chance to snoop around and get a feel for the place! I think there's a "Simpson's" website that has a 3-D model, and they're a cartoon! How hard can it be?

-- Obviously this loose talk of a Garth book is The Rumor of the summer, something to keep our ears cocked and tails wagging until the CD (re)releases. Eternally obverse, he remains, for all practical purposes, mute. Any personally revealing interview, much less tell-all book, that might conceivably obviate this GB would, perhaps perversely, only serve to obvert it; it would impact here like a combination of the ghost of Harpo, Teller (of Penn & ), and Jolson Speaks!-- forming a crater big enough to hold Big Pink AND RR's royalty receipts!

I await testimony from Those In The Know as to whether Garth's recalcitrance, especially on all the hot-button Band topics that fertilize this 'book, is a matter of deliberate, intentional policy or just a reflection of the way he is. (It doesn't have to be either-or, of course.)

There's what John Simon calls the "Mad Professor" persona; there are clips of interviews lasting about ten seconds max; there have been anecdotes of people running into Garth in garages, or going out for coffee after a show and chatting for hour(s). Wish I was an invisible fly on THOSE walls! Because even though Garth stays focused on the music to the point of seeming borderline autistic, you get the feeling that there IS a man behind the music who would be a real trip to hang out with.

But the interviews, such as they are, are either the basic anecdotes of how the Hawk charmed the Hudsons into letting Garth sign on as musical director, some comments about the Basement Tapes, or dry esoterica about his sheet music collection or appreciation for polka music. Straightforward, polite, but not exactly meaty.

It's like he's saying, "You want JUICE, you listen to my MUSIC. The rest is none of your business anyway."

It's a pretty persuasive argument, though it doesn't obviate the need to have my baser itches of curiosity scratched...

-- P.S. Another "Bravo!", this time to Peter for his fine article on "Dixie". The layout and illustrations alone are worth the price of admission.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 23:09:26 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Amanda: I had a great time hitching around Aotearoa - from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island, from Taranaki to the East Cape. My only complaint is that it happened so long ago - 1981/82. Can't think of any Band connections whatsoever, though Ngaio's where I was when I first heard Derek and Clive doing "Bo Dudley".

Bashful Bill mentioned Leon Russell's "Song For You". The only version I have is by Tundra, ex-Hawk Scott Cushnie's band circa 1970. Their only hit was a song called "Band Bandit", which was written by John Rutter, aka Johnny Rhythm of Suedes fame (the Suedes being Robbie Robertson and Cushnie's group before they both joined the Hawks). Tundra's last 45 was a Cushnie original, "Time To Kill" - which is unrelated to the Stage Fright song. Cushnie's singing partner in Tundra, by the way, was Lisa Garber, whose brother played Jesus Christ Superstar in the movie. Which I suppose is related to Martin Mull's "Jesus Christ Football Star", which I also first heard in Ngaio (see above).

Posted on Sun Jun 25 22:27:29 CEST 2000 from spider-wg063.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.48)

LG

John, The Hawks/Band songs on The Basement Tapes feature Levon as they were recorded after those Big Pink/Red Room sessions. The material with Tiny Tim was probably cut in NYC and was recorded before Levon arrived back into the fold. Remember this was for You Are What You Eat soundtrack.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 21:22:19 CEST 2000 from dhcp197.13.lvcm.com (24.234.13.197)

PAM (SWANSONG)

i just made a picture

Posted on Sun Jun 25 21:10:28 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-114-171.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.114.171)

BWNWITennesseet

Here's a question for y'all - has anyone ever seen any pictures of the actual basement of Big Pink? I've seen a few things that kind of imply they were from there, when in fact they weren't - i.e, the back of the brown album is Rick's basement, and I've seen a few things from SD Jr's poolhouse that were credited as being from the basement tapes, as well as the video of them playing "Cripple Creek" in some type of studio. But I think the only picture I've ever seen of the inside of Big Pink is the shot where they're all sitting around the kitchen table, where Rick's wearing shorts and Garth is reading something.

Also, I just got the "Going Home" video. There's a scene towards the end where Robbie is sitting in a kitchen with all these white cabinets behind him. Does anyone know if that was filmed in Big Pink? It looks a lot like the kitchen in the other picture, and I had thought that there was some "Good Morning America" special a few years ago where Robbie actually returned to BP. I didn't know if maybe that's where that part was taken from.

If this topic has already been discussed in the GB before, please obviate this question.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 21:04:34 CEST 2000 from dhcp197.13.lvcm.com (24.234.13.197)

pam

this is swansongpam, RICK DANKO signed a copy of my "ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE", i'm pretty sure that it was the last book that he ever autographed before he passed on,i will charish it forever,THANK YOU RICK, for all the great moments.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 20:54:27 CEST 2000 from t-26-182-61.dialup.wisc.edu (144.92.182.61)

Tim(SUNDOG)Corcoran

Hi Pam,hope you like your new computer! Hello Band Fans!

Posted on Sun Jun 25 20:35:04 CEST 2000 from 1cust186.tnt14.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.142.186)

Crabgrass

Can't wait 'til RR makes one of those bond deals - that should really cause a stir in the GB!! (If you want to see the ultimate commercial use of the internet by a recording artist check out Bowie's official website.)

Did someone recently mention that Garth was working on a "tell all" Band bio? Anyone have some more details? Has Garth ever been interviewed extensively in the press - anyone know where or when? If so, maybe the need for his book has already been obviated. I'd still buy a copy though!!

Posted on Sun Jun 25 18:16:29 CEST 2000 from spider-wd034.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.164)

Pac

Just checked out the website for the new Hendrix/guitar/music museum that opened this week in Seattle. emplive.com Also, did anyone read about the Isley Brothers selling bonds backed by future royalty payments? They got $20 million. The story was put out by Bloomberg News. "Such deals are attracting entertainers looking to raise cash because they get the money up front and don't have to wait for royalties to trickle in over the years. At the same time, they retain rights to their songs after the bonds mature." David Bowie and James Brown did the same thing. The catch with the Isley Bros. deal was EMI sued, saying they were to have the first option to match an outside offers for the music rights. The suit was settled in February, the article states. -- Hope you're all enjoying the first weekend of summer.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 16:54:36 CEST 2000 from dialup-306.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.50)

HANK

CRABBY sez in a recent post that Garths "Tell All" book on The Band will "completely obviate the need for this guestbook"......I COULD go to a dictionary but please FUNK of and WAGNELL fame, tell us, O Wise One, what "obviate" means......"The Basement Tapes".......I recall hearing that RR dubbed on the Drum break at the end of "Apple-Suckling Tree".......I don't mind....it's a great little drum-lick which finishes off the song......

Posted on Sun Jun 25 14:48:34 CEST 2000 from trt-on59-10.netcom.ca (216.123.102.10)

John Donabie

This morning I went to the Bootleg section of the site and decided to have a listen to Memphis and I Got You Babe with The Band and Tiny Tim. Question? And I'm sure it's been answered before. The reviewer talks about Levon's drummings; but if in fact Levon was NOT there for any of the Basement Tapes......who's on drums on all those sessions, including the official release? Richard?

Posted on Sun Jun 25 12:37:43 CEST 2000 from alb1-as5200-07-7.termserv.net (208.20.67.7)

Diamond Lil

Bashful Bill: Ray Charles????? Ok..I am incredibly jealous here! Where did he play..and why didn't you invite me??? :-) If you don't want to post more about the show..please e-mail me and tell me everything. Thanks!

And on a personal note to the 2-armed go-go dancer, my daughter didn't think that _anyone_ could talk as long on the phone as I could...and now she knows. Thanks.

Have a good day everyone. Hug Jan.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 09:57:27 CEST 2000 from cache-hki-5.inet.fi (194.197.68.45)

Kalervo

Amanda: Buena Vista Social Club-film isn' t that bad. Warm and simple, not 'arty'. You may like our own Aki Kaurismäki making a film on the Band: black and white, intimate, 'mythic realism'...

Posted on Sun Jun 25 07:06:29 CEST 2000 from spider-mtc-tc063.proxy.aol.com (64.12.105.178)

Bashful Bill

"It's cryin time again, you're gonna leave me..." "Georgia"..."You Don't Know Me"... Who da man? Ray Charles da man! Just saw him play a great show. Two obvious Band connections, had to think of Richard, when he sang those songs. He also did a nice job on a Leon Russell song- "A Song For You". And I saw Leon play that song on the same stage last summer. Don't mind me, just counting my blessings.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 05:19:35 CEST 2000 from spider-wm067.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.200)

Bayou Sam

OK Frank - apology accepted. Thanks. I look forward to your pictures. Peace to you.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 02:23:38 CEST 2000 from tc7-03.blm.bluemarble.net (208.245.166.125)

Todd Berryman

Hello all...Amanda--RR's involvement with Wenders' UNTIL THE END...was the inclusion of "Breaking the Rules" close to the end of the movie (I'm not sure, but it might predate the "Breaking..." appearance on STORYVILLE). Interesting soundtrack album, in that a lot of the music consisted of alternate takes or alternate mixes of songs that appeared on the individual artists' own albums eventually. The movie's the same way...I'd love to track down the alternate version of Peter Gabriel's "Blood of Eden" that shows up in the desert footage. If anyone's got an idea where to find it, gimme a heads up. And thanks--TODD.

Posted on Sun Jun 25 00:53:22 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

Bill- I hope you enjoyed your travels through Aotearoa! You are correct, I was exaggerating the awfulness of the climate.

Re. Wim Wenders- I'll admit I enjoyed the first part of "Until the End of the World" which is also one of my favourite soundtracks. I think Robbie Robertson may have had some involvement with that??

I was just thinking some more about mythology and music etc and how they operate together to add to ones enjoyment of the music. Shallow as it probably is, I must admit that much of my enjoyment of scratchy blues recordings by, for example, Lead Belly or Robert Johnson comes from my belief in their authenticity and because I enjoy the mythological aspects of the old bluesmen. I expect I'd feel very betrayed if, hypothetically, they turned to be a cynical, marketing construct. (Not that the Watkins Glen thing is anything like a deception of that magnitude, of course.)

Oh yes,Little Brother, your discussion of how the sepia toned "mountain men" photos might have been faked reminded me of the hilarious scenes in "Wag the Dog" where Willie Nelson and someone else write a song called "old shoe" designed to stir up American patriotism. Then they put some "crackle" on it and pretend that it was found amongst the Library of Congress recordings!

Posted on Sat Jun 24 23:39:58 CEST 2000 from spider-te043.proxy.aol.com (152.163.195.193)

ronnie

this is the first time here. i am very happy to have a place to share my love of the band.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 22:24:06 CEST 2000 from spider-tk013.proxy.aol.com (152.163.206.178)

frank

To all band fans,i'm sorry sorry sorry. I didn't do that to tick anyone off. I guess it came out the wrong way. anyway i'm sending Jan some of my band pictures so he can share them with all of you. peace to all,frank

Posted on Sat Jun 24 21:55:29 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9m2.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.166.194)

Pat Brennan

ROA: the claim on the album that the concert is from New Years 71-72 is misleading based on a number of eyewitness sources. They did record (if I recall correctly) a number of shows for the album--thus the presence of recording equipment at those shows--but found the rehearsals to be the best performances, save Garth's Genetic Method. Given the theme of Stage Fright, perhaps we don't need to look too far to see why, but hearing those incredible horn charts for the first time probably kicked a little extra into the stew. A good example of an audio edit from the record--at least one of the more obvious ones--is the end of Robbie's first solo in Don't Do It, when the horns come in with the descending figure. Listen to how the audience suddenly disappears when the vocals come back. As regards to Watkins Glen, I don't think there's any question that Rumor, TTK, Released, Cripple Creek, and Henry are live. It's EH, Memphis, and Loving You that may be the studio creations. We'll see. It also seems obvious that the entire audience track is overdubbed. I think that the rarities release may answer some questions, but maybe not, especially if EH has Richard singing it.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 21:06:48 CEST 2000 from 3cust176.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.138.176)

Crabgrass

BTW I knew someone here would eventually come up with a plausible Band / spoons connection. Absolutely sterling!!

Posted on Sat Jun 24 18:04:22 CEST 2000 from spider-wj011.proxy.aol.com (205.188.198.21)

Bayou Sam

I think it is in the Band Authorized video that Phil Ramone says Rock of Ages is in fact a true recording with all the warts left in. I'd have to believe him............ I just recieved a copy of Stagefright on reel-to-reel tape that I won on e-bay. It should be cool to listen to................ Thanks to Little Brother for backing me up on my last post. I had to get that out as soon as I read the post by "Frank". Also, your line about counting the spoons had me LOL.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 17:03:12 CEST 2000 from 1cust73.tnt14.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.142.73)

Crabgrass

I am looking forward to Garth's "tell all" book concerning The Band which I'm certain will completely obviate the need for this Guestbook.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 10:50:46 CEST 2000 from 169.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.169)

Nancy

Hi Frank: its good that you are laughing at "some of the things" on this site as some of them are funny, some are even very funny. But maybe you need to stick around for a while to appreciate what is said in jest and what isn't. And if we're writing complete trash here, you will be providing a service to all those Band people you are so in touch with, by setting the record straight!

Posted on Sat Jun 24 08:46:17 CEST 2000 from 1cust198.tnt1.idaho-falls.id.da.uu.net (63.28.242.198)

rollie

Great music was made.Metamorphosis happens.Great music is still being made.The rest is history.What a great history it was!

Posted on Sat Jun 24 07:05:08 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-116-4.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.116.4)

BWNWITennessee

Rollingstone.com said that Paul Allen "jammed" with Herbie Hancock, Dave Stewart and Robbie Robertson at the Experience Music Rock Cafe thing's grand opening in Seattle. I'll just call it the Experience Hendrix Project because it was reported that Paul Allen hates it when people call it that.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 05:53:38 CEST 2000 from mat-5-19.enter.net (207.16.155.213)

Little Brother

Bayou Sam, I had the exact same thought about Frank's post and second your emotion. Thanks.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 05:51:48 CEST 2000 from dialup-370.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.114)

Hank Three Wheels on My Wagon Wedel

I got flat tyre (tire?) tonight on the way home from the gig and it's pouring rain here in Erin AND I gotta be up in 3 hours......my daughters in a big gymnastics competition.... ...........however, we played three Band songs tonight... I Love The Band.........

Posted on Sat Jun 24 05:31:25 CEST 2000 from spider-wl072.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.52)

Bayou Sam

To Frank = nice of you to drop by and tell everyone that this is a nice little site, even though we're off base - and then leave. Thanks for stopping by and dropping that little tidbit about "knowing" The Band. How about chiming in and straightening out a few things. You might even enjoy it. This is a great site and I'm sure anything you could add would be welcomed by the keepers of the site, as well as us plain 'ol fans who just enjoy the tunes and don't mind that Neil Diamond was at The Last Waltz (I had to get N.D. in there)......................... To everyone else = another moment in Band history that I would like to be at - there are two photos in Levon's book of him and RR in a room at Rick's house working on songs. One pic has Levon at his kit and Robbie sitting opposite him with guitar. The other pic. shows Levon sitting next to RR and playing his guitar as if he's got a chord change idea or something (there's one song Levon co-wrote). Anyway, they are wonderful photos taken before this feud bullshit came to be. It would be great to be a fly on the wall to see these two guys making the music that we all love. This is in the same spirit as jcf's last post............................ ....." woahoooowooahw listen to the music"

Posted on Sat Jun 24 05:14:19 CEST 2000 from mat-5-19.enter.net (207.16.155.213)

Little Brother

-- After another eye-challenging burst of catch-up, I now expect that, like the hypothetical hundred monkeys sitting at typewriters, we'll eventually reproduce the works of Shakespeare. "Ball Four" impressed me like a series of blistering fastballs and jumping curves coming together in a perfect game. All the frowning, sanctimonious troglodytes who played or "reported on" the game and despised "Meat"'s bold and hilarious work came off like the small-minded, hypocritical crybabies they were. These are the same Pharisees who marched at the front of the mob that stoned Pete Rose out of baseball. The rush one gets from smug self-righteousness blows away niceties like letting the punishment fit the crime... I just wanted to vent, and I don't follow soccer a'tall. Of course, like the man said, it's easy to criticize when you're just sitting on your fat ass typing. (And it's FUN, too.)

-- Pat's article on WG was a well-executed kick in the head. Bravo! After finally caving in and getting a CD player after years of holding out, I splurged on the box set first-- but the prospect of hearing live versions of "Time to Kill" and "The Rumor" made WG irresistible.

Maybe my ear is too primitive, but I'm puzzled about the studio tracks. Is it being suggested that the songs were pretty much finished, polished versions to which applause and reverb/EQ were added the way a new chair can be "antiqued" by chemicals, controlled burns, steel wool, etc? Or were those "studio" recordings intentionally recorded to simulate a live concert? Because the performances, for all of the Band's tightness and professionalism, have an authentic "live" patina apart from the crowd noise and other extraneous elements. I'm thinking of things like Garth's strange, grating keyboard riff in the "Rumor" break. They certainly don't sound like the crisp, clean, spring-water clear performances typical of the studio Band. Then again, there's "4% Pantomime"-- and I spoze the enhanced, "sweetened" BT tracks are evidence that they could put out a less refined, funkier, "practice" sound if they wanted to.

I also agree with Pat's later post: From the point they stopped being the Hawks, the Band's career walked a weird high-wire of synthesis-- an absolutely real, deep, transcendentally honest, pure, true, and beautiful music emerging from a group of artists operating behind a veil of hype. A kind of hypeless hype, grounded in Albert Grossman's calculated establishment of an aura of remoteness and detachment. Fictitious, insofar as artificial, but a fiction that resonated with the Band-- especially the remote and detached prime "storyteller".

In a way, if the Beatles or Stones were stars, the Band were anti-stars. And I, for one, bought into it all the way, and even tales of aging glitterati can't take that away from me.

But it still is disappointing to know that they would stoop, or allow others to stoop, to creating a kind of "virtual concert" CD and releasing it as if it were some sort of certified bootleg. Why? It's one thing to call, say, Elliott Landy's photos on "The Band" a kind of mythmaking, insofar as those sublime portraits inspired our imaginations to create that "mountain man" persona. But a NEEDLESSLY fabricated concert CD is kind of like finding out that those photos were done in a studio, with the boys brought in via limo or jet, made up, misted with glycerine, posed, shot, and whisked away. Even if the backdrops were real photos of Woodstock, it wouldn't redeem the phoniness of it all.

Like so many of the points we argue, dispute, and fuss over, it comes down to individual tolerances. Personally, as I've said before, I'd gladly pay for an honest collection of rarities, out-takes, and concert performances, clams and all. (Hmmm... I wonder if we'll find that the Beatles' recent series of "Anthology" CDs were artificially enhanced or otherwise phonied up.)

I have a much harder time accepting that "Rock of Ages" wasn't the actual concert, my admiration for John Simon notwithstanding. Are rehearsals and sound-checks normally performed with such intensity and exhuberance? Do they admit enough visitors to such things to amount to a real mini-audience? Even given the Band's reputation for being stone professionals who could crank it out like machines, it boggles the mind to think they could just graft a "pre-performance" onto sweetened audience tracks.

-- As some have said, and more will, whatever the truth of these controversies, the music can still be enjoyed for what it is. No need to throw the baby out with the dirty bathwater. That said, I'd appreciate hearing more on these mysteries from both expert listeners and those who were actually on the scene. Pity that those who've written books and involved essays on the Band didn't research and probe this issue as Pat has.

-- By the way, someone posted last week that Little Feat's "Rag, Mama, Rag" could be heard in its entirety on their website. I could only get a 30-second clip, which sounded great. Am I doing something wrong, including being stupid enough to think you can get the whole enchilada for free?

-- JCF, maybe the revised edition of Levon's book will expand on Robbie's first dinner with the Helm family. Probably by way of regretting that they didn't think to count the spoons afterwards.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 05:06:26 CEST 2000 from 1cust168.tnt9.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.128.168)

Crabgrass

Of interest to present RR fans:

Excerpt from today's NY DAILY NEWS - "The American Museum of Natural History [in NYC] and an Oregon Indian tribe put a Solomon-like end to an unlikely bicoastal, bicultural custody battle yesterday, agreeing that a 15 and 1/2 ton meteorite could be shared. The enormous pockmarked orb will continue to reside at the upper west side museum, but tribe members will be given annual access to commune with it. The tribe filed a federal claim in February demanding the meteorite be returned to the Pacific Northwest, saying it has been a symbol of purification and empowerment for generations of Clackamas Indians."

I am planning a visit to the museum in the near future and any insights gained as to the meaning of life resulting from my attempt to commune with the meteorite will be reported in the Guestbook. (Actually, I'm disappointed that the tribe didn't press harder to have the meteorite returned as it would've probably doubled the value of my FEDEX stock.)

Regarding Milli Vanilli - I don't care who did the vocals it doesn't detract one bit from my enjoyment of their music.

Posted on Sat Jun 24 04:05:39 CEST 2000 from ns1.schuster.com (199.105.252.66)

Charlie Young

Thanks to Pat Brennan for the interesting piece about the Watkins Glen CD. It made me listen again and rediscover some memorable moments:

1. The pause when Garth apparently points to a distant part of the huge crowd (750,000?) and says something like "over there's Canada," to which Robbie immediately responds, "let's hear it for Canada!" Without missing a beat, Garth launches into the Canadian national anthem. Brilliant!

2.The folk ditty that Levon and Rick sing in part, beginning with a line about "there was an old lady from Houston..."

3.The absolutely exquisite version of "The Rumor."

4.The joyful, energetic take on "Time to Kill."

5.The line that always puzzled me from "Endless Highway," something about the "poison peanut machine..."

Posted on Sat Jun 24 01:15:10 CEST 2000 from spider-th054.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.69)

Don Pugatch

Peter, misplaced your email address, so this post will do, yes on Richard Thompson, did about 9 cuts so far, mellow,or is that an understatement. Being a big fan of covers, The Dark End of the Street, is that Natalie Merchant with RT? Hate to rush the summer, but can not wait till 8/25. hey David Powell, see you there, another plug. Hey, Wim Winder detractors, when are you going to Cuba, easy to criticize sitting on you backside typing away. Ok, take aim here I am Don

Posted on Sat Jun 24 00:56:34 CEST 2000 from spider-wo054.proxy.aol.com (205.188.200.44)

Pac

Again I praise the photos, articles and recent posts. But I do want to clarify that I was at the NY concert for "Rock of Ages" on Dec. 30th and saw all the recording equipment. I think much of the subsequent LP came from that show. It WAS live It WAS real. Nothing's pure in life, but I sure feel blessed with what we've received from all Band members. Have a good weekend everyone!

Posted on Fri Jun 23 23:27:13 CEST 2000 from spider-tk064.proxy.aol.com (152.163.206.204)

frank

Good web site,but some of the things that are said are off base. Knowing the band and people behind the scene makes me laugh at the things said here. Keep a good thought.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 23:13:02 CEST 2000 from webcache2.netdoor.com (208.137.128.32)

Deb

Great Dizzy Dean story, David. Where in Arkansas did he live? A big sign at the city limits of Wiggins, Mississippi claims him as a native son of that town.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 22:19:28 CEST 2000 from cic-proxy02.firstunion.com (169.200.25.141)

Bones

The recent posts concerning the validity of the Band's live records is interesting although nothing new in music. All rock and roll groups have their tapes doctored to a certain extent. It should not ruin the great music however! The Last Waltz is sensational edited or unedited, but I'll still take the so-called "official" version anyday. For over twenty years, we talked about the Royal Albert Hall concert, and even though we now know it was Manchester, it does not make the music any less intense.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 21:15:24 CEST 2000 from unionppp2.union.edu (149.106.172.3)

Danny Lopez

Excellent article Pat. I'm wondering now if even the pictures of the boys on the inside sleeve of the cd are from the WG concert! Life is a carnival, believe it or not. What a crying contradiction for a group that's revered for its artistic integrity and refrain from showbiz gimmickry. The Band, in my mind, always represented something different. Purity and honesty of musical statement, fidelity to musical traditions, what-you-see-is-what-you-get performances (i.e., no flashpots, dry ice, etc.), avoidance of whatever is "hip" at the moment. And now to find out that their legacy is tarnished by 2 musical hoaxes (BT of course being the other). Step aside Milli Vanilli.

I can't be good no more,

Just like I did before,

I can't be good baby,

Honey cause the world's gone wrong.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 20:38:36 CEST 2000 from dhcp21555.sunyocc.edu (198.242.215.55)

Kickin Horse

TO: THE GOOD DR. PEPPER. Hey there, any chance you could sqeeze a little time in between your lacrosse exploits to pick up a paint brush for abit of intense agonizing physical labor ( probably nothing as strenuous as refin a lacrosse game) so I bet you could do it....????? Anyway how about that "jumpin joe w. at the FootPrints out on that beautiful Otisco lake south of Syracuse N.Y.. Could be a good night! I would probably have to spend the entire night though can't be riskin the runnin of the gauntlet with the boys out in force that weekend. Anyway you have another memorable Lacrosse experience and remember to give alittle extra attention to that little twelve year old when your out at Colgate. Thanx T!

Posted on Fri Jun 23 20:37:06 CEST 2000 from (209.2.204.32)

jcf

One of the topics here, a while back, was moments in the history of the Band that fans would have like to witnessed in person. With all the heat between R.R. and Levon, I would think that one moment would have to be something from the formative years of their FRIENDSHIP. How about being present at the dinner Robbie had with Levon and his family shortly after ariving in Marvell.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 20:31:50 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

Capitol's misrepresentation of the Watkins Glen recording pales in comparison with the fact that they have LOST the master tapes of "The Band" album, undoubtedly one of the best recordings in their catalog!

Bill: The Hall of Fame baseball player was Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean (there was another famous player named Dixie Walker). Dizzy, a pitcher for St. Louis in the '30s, was a colorful character who later became a baseball announcer. Like Levon Helm, he hailed from Arkansas and never lost that southern drawl. Dizzy had a brother Paul, nicknamed Daffy, who also pitched on the same team. Perhaps one of the most famous Dizzy Dean stories involves a game he was announcing with his television broadcast partner, Pee Wee Reese. One of the pitchers that day was struggling, throwing more balls than strikes. The camera focused in on a young couple sitting in the stands. Every so often, the young lady would give the guy a kiss, to which Pee Wee commented: "I think she's kissing him on the strikes." Unabashedly, Dizzy then said: "No, I think she's kissing him on the balls."

Posted on Fri Jun 23 19:48:10 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Wasn't there a Dixie Dean baseball player too? And a Dixie Dean bassist in the Bluesbreakers (in the Hughie Flint era)? Maybe there's a law - like the one that says if your surname's Webb, your nickname's Spider.

I tend agree with Amanda's points - though I wouldn't go quite as far in most cases. The Buena Vista movie was disappointing for me too, and there was far too much of Ry voguing, but I still enjoyed it. And I think I saw another Wenders movie years ago and like it. And yes, it does rain in NZ. I arrived on a Sept 2 and stood thumbing in the rain for three straight weeks. But then came five months of virtually no rain at all.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 15:35:14 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup61.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.61)

G-MAN

Was at the Tralf last nite for John Mayoll and they announceded Levon Helm on 09/21. Place went LOUD !!! Can't wait till then--so off to Cleve.. See some of ya there. G-Man and Donna (Blonde gal thin & spiked hair) Band T-shirts and Band cap and G-MAN PRODUCTIONS ID. Could Souche-whatever--just blocks from RR Hall. Keep Rockin and have a Happy Healthy we..safe trip to Cleve., too.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 13:25:54 CEST 2000 from alb1-as5200-09-9.termserv.net (208.20.67.9)

Diamond Lil

To those of you who e-mailed me yesterday...thank you. Everything is fine here.

have a good day everyone. Keep on keepin on. Hug Jan..

Posted on Fri Jun 23 12:58:23 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

Pat - the announced bonus track "EH" will be a Manuel version.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 06:51:43 CEST 2000 from spider-ta018.proxy.aol.com (152.163.205.19)

Herman Berman

Jawbone, when did you first go wrong?

Posted on Fri Jun 23 06:32:18 CEST 2000 from proxy-523.public.rwc.webtv.net (209.240.200.113)

Bob Wyman

Hi all! Here is another good story about Diamond Teeth Mary: http://rock-bottom-blues.com/mary.asp Enjoy! Bob

Posted on Fri Jun 23 05:11:45 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8om.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.163.22)

Pat Brennan

I'm glad people seemed to enjoy my article on WG. There's a a couple of things I'd like to comment on. The WG boot has no where near the ammount of crowd reaction that the Capitol release. It's very obvious to me that the whole crowd ambience is overdubbed. On reflection, I think it's pretty obvious where Memphis, Loving You, and Endless Highway come from. The first two are probably outtakes from Moondog while EH was probably from the same series of sessions, arriving as a new RR song. I think Peter V. Mentioned this first. I won't be surprised if one or all bear a suspicious resemblence to the "rarities" that are due out soon.

I for one can enjoy mythololgizing as much as the next consumer. But this evident need to make people think that things are what they aren't strikes me as bizarre. Why not just release the Watkins Glen performance--warts and all--and accept the reality of the performance? Instead we get some studio cuts, some hints of WG, and some wonderful performances from who knows where. Like I've said many times, there are some killer boots from across their entire career, clean board tapes that capture incredible performances. Put them out.

Recall too that Capitol may intend to rehash some of these songs--EH for example. Whatever the need to control your image, if EH turns out to be the WG version with no overdubbed audience, I would have to question their sanity.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words. And my vote for summer reading (still searching for a Band connection) is "Gates Of The Alamo," an incredible fictional account of that battle.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 04:55:17 CEST 2000 from spider-ta051.proxy.aol.com (152.163.205.66)

Dave Z

Just wanted to say... you got some good threads going in here lately...

Sounds like a lot of good gigs too out East... reminds me I've been a little blue lately... Hope some CDs come out soon... even though I'd much prefer a live show and to drink a beer with some of you nice folks... maybe some day

Anyway, I'm back to the sidelines but before I go... can anybody give me a good Band connection to Denver, Colorado?

P.S. - If the myths keep the music coming... I say lie to me baby...

Posted on Fri Jun 23 04:34:46 CEST 2000 from gdh2-221.twcny.rr.com (24.95.166.33)

DR Pepper

Bashful Bill (what a misnomer that is), Headed to Burlington this weekend to spend some time reffing with the Akwanasne, your buddy Jacques can tell you about that, then on to Colgate to work a LaCrosse camp and shortly after headed to LaJolla to work another camp (right in the middle of the BIG Blues festival in Syracuse...ugh!!!). It's too bad Levon's people never heard about that festival...its always a great one! So enjoy Ray Charles Saturday night outdoors for free and maybe I will see you at the other blues festival in August. I hope everyone has a nice safe, warm, sunny, dry summer! Even in Cork!

Posted on Fri Jun 23 04:09:04 CEST 2000 from (216.201.0.218)

Ruth McD

Hi All. Just wondering if any of these great Band fans will be up to see Levon at Cleveland next week... Would love to hook up with some other affecianados fot the FREE concert. Let me know. Thanks, Ruth

Posted on Fri Jun 23 01:30:45 CEST 2000 from dialup-209.247.142.127.sanjose1.level3.net (209.247.142.127)

tumultguy

What is it about that damn Mason-Dixon line that keeps interest in The Band (if this GB is any indication) so eastcoast and southern? Its not a yankee thing, NY figures in heavily. Woodstock !?!

I think we could all use a little more New Orleans in the bloodstream. Its a state of mind y'all!... Let that Acadian Driftwood float down your creek. My point? Summer has arrived. A toast to you good folks.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 00:36:31 CEST 2000 from www-cache.vuw.ac.nz (130.195.2.96)

Amanda

Kalervo Koskela- Personally I would be very sorry if Wim Wenders got to direct either a biopic about the BAND or, if the BAND hypothetically re-formed the-this-time-we-really-mean-its-the-Last-Waltz sequel of 2003.

I have yet to see a Wim Wenders film that didn't seem overlong, under-edited and just generally pretentious. I love the Buena Vista Social Club musicians but I hate-hate-hate-D the film. A similar treatment of the BAND would mean we'd get to see endless scenery, lots of "clever" camera work- like the back of Levon's head during an interview, or how the curtain was flapping against the window. What we would not get to see is complete songs. And if somehow Ry Cooder managed to be involved we'd be subjected to endless reaction shots of him patronisingly nodding and smiling while, as usual, we'd only get to see split seconds of Garth performing.

Black Tears which I believe was directed by a Dutch woman(?) was a far better documentary about Cuban musicians. She let them tell their own stories and didn't get carried away showing Cuban street scenes. This is all just my humble opinion, of course!

MattK- I agree with your comments re. icons, media manipulation etc generally. Personally, after a period of initial obsession, I have now reached a point where I no longer really care who was right/wrong in the feud or even what sort of people the BAND members are. Since I don't actually know these people and I never will, I have no stake in their relationships with each other or the world except insofar as I'd probably be interested in their future musical projects. Maybe because I'm not American and only a recent BAND convert the historical reasonances don't reasonate very much with me and I find the music more interesting than the myth.

Pat Brennan- very interesting, well written essay. I've said it before but I may as well say it again: I really get a lot out of this GB and website generally so thanks once again to Jan Hoiberg & all contributors.

Posted on Fri Jun 23 00:00:40 CEST 2000 from spider-tj043.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.193)

butch

Hey Now ,,,,, NEW DATES FOR LEVON HELM & THE BARN BURNERS September 21st -------> Buffalo, ny,,,,, The Tralf !!!!! & November 16th-----------> House of Blues, Orlando Fl, more to follow,,,, stay tuned,,,, film @ 11--> <--butch

Posted on Thu Jun 22 22:58:31 CEST 2000 from jan-hoiberg.hiof.no (158.36.52.15)

jh

Just wanted to say "Thanks!" to a lot of people for being so nice and friendly to me when I visited Woodstock/NY/CT a little while ago. The musicians, the Band organization people, the web site regulars (sorry for missing too many of you), the friends... thanks to all of you.

It was a great trip, the musical highlights were Levon and the Barn Burners in Woodstock (blues at it's best, Levon's drumming is _incredible_ and they're such nice guys - thanks to Butch for the little ahem... backstage experience) and the memorial concert in CT. The CT gig was the first time I saw Aaron and the Crowmatix and Jim Weider & the gurus, hope it won't be the last!

Tom Pacheco, thanks for singing "They Can't Touch You Now" for Ricky, I've loved that song ever since I first heard it at the concert for Rick in Bearsville in December (for those of you who don't know: Tom is _big_ here in Norway, it was quite a thrill for yours truly when I met Tom and he started talking about the web site and The Band...)

Garth was brilliant all night, and his wife Maud's vocal on "It Makes No Difference"... just wonderful. I only wish I had a few more days there, so I could have accepted the invitation to the studio and more ... next time, I hope.

Lee and Jayne, see you in the UK soon, I hope. And of course a special thanks to Lil. This world needs more Diamond Lils.

PS. Just received a wonderful article on "Acadian Driftwood" from a certain British writer ... you have something to look forward to, my friends.

PS2. I recommed Czech airlines. Cheap and friendly. Just stay away from the green chicken, and the turbo-prop route frome Prague to Gothenburg.

PS3. And the stage performance I remember best was a little girl, looking beautiful in her new dress, making her mom and grandparents proud. Thanks, Jess.

Posted on Thu Jun 22 21:48:10 CEST 2000 from usr31-dialup32.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.73.160)

G-MAN

Seems like a slow day ! Got some trivia I'd like to post. 08/10/96...."THE BAND" Ignore the term "timeless rock music". It's a myth. The Band's performance put that hype to rest-RIP. Music that defines an era must be soaked in the confines of that era. When it captures that zeitgeist. it transcends current to become historic. Neither their induct. to the RR HOF nor recognition by every rock musician of note over the past 30 yrs. as the wellspring of vigorous American traditions compares to one listening of their debut album, "BIG PINK". The STONES claim title as the Worlds's Greatest Rock and Roll Band: The Band earned it. Their music is Abe Lincoln honest-inflected with Agway soul and harley-davidson rowdyism. A 90+ min. set was filled with classics to be from their new album, "High on the Hog"..like "Get on Back to Memphis". "blind Willie McTell" (danko sang superbly) was a tribute to famous bluesmen and their former boss Dylan; Danko and Helm alternated verses. Classics like "Rag Mama Rag" provided a pulsating beat that had everyone on their feet & dancing (for sure). Our job is to play for the dance, was how Helm summed it up. JJ Cale's "Crazy Mama" sprung dancers up again, within close proximity of the security and stage. (Rick's stage presence was great on this song as well as his playin and singin) The Band ended up with an encore tribute to Buffalo piano legend Stan Szelest, playing his "High Price of Love", which is on the album...Jim Santella.

Posted on Thu Jun 22 20:43:56 CEST 2000 from (24.3.160.27)

Brien Sz

AHHH! Regardless of fact or fiction about Watkins Glen, I've been cranking it up a little bit louder, a little bit louder and finally around 10, it was right there!

Just open the windows as you drive down that highway and let it fly. Man my steering wheel makes a kickin' drum kit!

Posted on Thu Jun 22 19:43:23 CEST 2000 from crtntx1-ar2-074-173.dsl.gtei.net (4.35.74.173)

Kelly

HANK! You are priceless. You make me laugh with all of your posts, even on my bluest of days. Thanks!

Posted on Thu Jun 22 18:31:54 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

For those of you who are looking for some summer reading material, I heartily recommend Howard Bahr's "The Year of Jubilo / A Novel of the Civil War" which has just been published by Henry Holt & Co. Like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", Mr. Bahr's novel is set immediately after the Civil War. The two main characters, one a former schoolteacher and the other a lawyer, return to the ruins of their small home town of Cumberland, Mississippi after serving in the Confederate army.

This is a monumental and complex book, filled with many characters and stories. Mr. Bahr uses an almost cinematic style in which he cuts from scene to scene, weaving the different narratives together. His colorful characters with unique voices are reminiscent of those of Faulkner. His realistic depiction of the horrors of war and its aftermath will remind you of Stephen Crane. Most of all, Mr. Bahr's writing displays a descriptive prowess like that of Hemingway in its precision and clarity.

This novel, sweeping in its scope, presents a hauntingly vivid portrait of everyday life in the South following the devastation of the Civil War. It is a story of the struggle of the war's survivors to transcend beyond the ruins of their society. Mr. Bahr's book describes how you can "raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat."

Posted on Thu Jun 22 17:48:35 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

I'm on the road and it looks like I'm here to stay... here's my silver dollar... errr... my two cents...:

IMHO the "To Kingdom Come" version of Endless Highway is not the same as the _alleged_ "Watkins Glen" version. I hear some minor differences. What do you think Pat?

Posted on Thu Jun 22 17:35:44 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Bashful Bill - simple answer: 'cause Pat rules!

Posted on Thu Jun 22 17:07:48 CEST 2000 from spider-wo052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.200.42)

Bashful Bill

I finally read Pat Brennan's excellent, though disturbing article re Capitol's WG release. That whole weekend is one of the highlights of my youthful folly memories. I don't recall much of the Band's performance, as I previosly explained. I do recall listening closely in my "addled" (Pat's more than appropriate term)way, I just don't remember much of it(one funny memory, during opening notes of The Weight a woman nearby me said"Now i know who these guys are"}.I wonder if I share Pat's reason for never acquiring a tape of the show, though I avidly collect Band shows. A question: with all the boots out there, and all the Band fans who are into details to the point of minutiae(not a bad thing, just look at Jan's GB where we all hang out),why did it take so long for some curious/enterprising individual to do what Pat did?

Posted on Thu Jun 22 16:39:04 CEST 2000 from dhcp21555.sunyocc.edu (198.242.215.55)

Al Bundy

In Response to Dr. Pepper: Yeaaaaauuuuup I was at the Glen that infanous afternoon. Had just gottn outta the hospital where I underwent an operation on my broken eardrum (mastoidectomy). They had me bandaged up so I looked like half an eggshell. I had the good fortune one late night after a concert in the Rochester area to stay up the entire night with the dood doctor and Rick just sittin there on the 10th floor of the holiday Inn (at the time) in downtown Raa Chaa Chaa discussin old times. Rick was his usual animated yet articulate self. At one point he was leanin so far back in his chair leanin against the window that I reminded him that it was a long way down. Think his response was " hey, I never expected to live this long". Anyway, at some point ( around 4 in the am the conversation got around to "The Glen". I told Rick that the Parachutists name was Smitty and he had attended my high school Jamesville Dewitt (outside Syracuse). Smity was attempting to land somewher in the vicinity of the concert grounds utilizing colored flares for a fantastic visual effect ( at least for some of us). Something went terribly wrong and the flare either exploded or caused an outright small fire that somehow ignited his chute. Don't think many of the concertgoers realized the ultimate outcome unless thay wre directly in the area of impact but it was clear that all was not right. The real tradgedy lies in the fact that Smitty had performed this stunt several times before flawlessly. Taking off from the Seneca Falls airfield Im sure he had made all safetychecks. But one never really knows. He was a professional and was a chutist instructor to boot. Rick did vividly remember although he related taht the band members has no idea as to the severity of the incident until their performance had concluded. Rick seemed to be genuinely concerned and had asked if the fela had had a family (he did not). D. P., I think the evening in Rochester was the one in which Rick went back down to his room at about 5:30 am after I kicked him out cause I had to get to sleep and returned to appear at the foot of my bed about 6am and woke me up and then said look I promised you a sandwich and then proceedede to make a perfect spiral pass with a submarine sandwich directly at my head. BULLSEYE! score one for rick. About 10 am we were walkin down to the dining room to have breakfast (on 4hrs sleep) theres rick wide awake and ready to go just finishin up his am meal. Talk about a "road warrior" the guy had stayin power!! What a night..

Posted on Thu Jun 22 16:31:34 CEST 2000 from spider-wo052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.200.42)

Bashful Bill

Hey Dr Pepper, my CNY neighbor whom I rarely see. Doin any Jazz Festival stuff this weekend? email me, better yet call me, I still have your CSNY tape. Anyway, I can do you one better on the parachutist story. One of those guys,I won't mention his name here, was a local charecter who several times in those crazy days dropped into things unannounced. Once I was at a Freddie King show at Jamesville Grove and he joined us from above. He once told me that as he was hurling toward the Watkins Glen scene, getting off on adreneline, the awsome sight, etc. his recollection was hearing The Weight floating up towards him. He even sang "Take a Load off Fanny"... as part of the story. Who knows though? Unfortunately, a lot of the good old days are hazy & disjointed memories. WG memories: once again, times being what they were and my young cocky attitude being what it was, my memories of that several day period are real disjointed. I was in the right place a t right time for the Dead's soundcheck, right near the stage. Already in disjointed territory,overindulging and mixing things we were all taught not to mix. The next day the stage was far away and inaccessible. I was still seriously overindulging and with no exxageration consider myself lucky just to have found H2O, toilet facilities, & basic survival needs that day. The crowd was that huge and the scene was really that intense. I'm sorry to say the Band'd set is a blur, but I recall our visitors from above, and(Crabby, were you there? it sounds like you were) that huge crowd roared and collectively rose to its feet when Garth started to play Chest Fever. I thought that it was a crime CF didn't make the cuton the album but now it appears that the whole thing is questionable. Bummer!

Posted on Thu Jun 22 16:30:54 CEST 2000 from spider-tj071.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.206)

butch

Hey Gang,,,, Another FYI,,, Last night @ The Barn Burner's weekly wednesdaywoodstock show,, Jonell Mosser came by & sang with Amy Helm...... Shake A Hand took on a new twist as jonell's harmonies soared,, right from church,,, she & amy sound so good together,,, the set was hot, Levon's recent turns with Guy Davis, Hubert Sumlin & the Bennett - McGloughlin Band have done him good,, he sounds sooooo good,,, & the fellas are playing such tight sets,,,, our bookings continue,, NEXT WEDNESDAY,,,, NO SHOW IN WDSTK We will be in Cleveland, @ The R&R Hall of Fame,,,, a show @ The Hall,,, big fun,,,, so we're back in wdstk the week after,,, the new B.B. Kings club in nyc,, coming up,,,,,, see ya somewhere,,,, R.I.P. Paul Griffin,,,,,,, butch

Posted on Thu Jun 22 14:53:03 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Jim Bouton - Irony strikes the GB again. Last week marked the 30th anniversary of Bouton's book "Ball Four," where he aired dirty laundry from the locker rooms in MLB, particularly the storied Yankee's of the 1960s.

It was from Bouton that Mickey Mantle's drinking problem (Bouton and Mantle were roomates during road trips and spring training) first came to light (Bouton describes games were Mantle was hungover or even drunk). Coming at the end of Mantle's career, it forever altered our perception of one of baseball's greatest stars of his, or any, era.

Ball Four is an outstanding look at sports, and at baseball in particular and ushered out the era of sports reporting where stars were protected from scrutiny in their personal lives. The book raised a huge controversy in the US and among baseball players, many of whom STILL hold a grudge against Bouton for violating the sanctity of the locker room. Arguably one of the best sports books ever written, Ball Four is one of those books that is regarded (often by the same people) as the best thing and worst thing to happen to sports in the last 30 years.

Watkins Glen: I find this fascinating, but perhaps not as chilling as Pat's excellent article, implies. After all, The Band has always been about myths - from the "mountain man" myth, to the Basement Tapes, to the Ronnie Hawkins "Portrait of the Artists as Young Hawks" article in RS, right through TLW.

I personallly believe that these legends enhance our image of both the celebrities and their work in a strange way. Additionally, it's nothing new. It's fitting that the Jim Bouton thread comes up at the same time. Bouton's crime, after all, was that he pulled down the curtain to reveal the "wizard" for the withered old man that he is. The history and controversy of this group, so often debated here, is a testament to the dificulty we, as a culture, have in seperating our icons from the people they represent.

While I agree that WG should be accurately labled for the dates and personell involved, the stories about Garth, the rainstorm, etc have been passed down long enough to pass into our conscious image of the group.

I'm also reminded of Kazantakis' "Last Temptation of Christ," which resulted in the author's excommunication from the Orthodox church. Kazantakis' "crime" was in depicting the possible difference in the life of Christ and the icon of Christ - to the degree that the character Matthew is depicted writing a divinely inspired "gospel" based on nothing resembling the true biography. The idea being that Christ the man is less valuable to mankind than Christ the icon, and that the "myths" vs. "fact" ultimately don't matter; public figures simply lose their lives once they pass into public consciousness.

Not trying to equate The Band as "chist-like" in a religious sense here. I'm posing the idea, however, that the group (all of them, not just RR), in a sense are merely guilty of deliberatly controlling the way they passed into our consciousness, and recognize that if you're going to recreate yourself in the public mind, you can, in this culture, manipulate the form and function your icon takes on.

matt

Posted on Thu Jun 22 11:40:34 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Rod

more on WG .......

The liner notes for To Kingdom Come states that neither Memphis, Loving You or Endless Highway are from Watkins Glen though the intro from Graham is.It says that EH is from a later gig (but was first played at WG) while the dates for the other two are unknown.

Posted on Thu Jun 22 08:47:08 CEST 2000 from spider-tm064.proxy.aol.com (152.163.197.74)

Bayou Sam

THE BULLDOG = Jim Bouton. Great (and groundbreaking) books that he did. ...................Hey Beth R.- don't worry, we don't all hammer Robbie as if he's a horrible guy that shouldn't do whatever music he wants to do, and go to see a basketball playoff. I get the feeling that people want him to run right up to Woodstock, beg Levon's forgiveness (for what?), and write another Big Pink album.

Posted on Thu Jun 22 07:37:04 CEST 2000 from 1cust93.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.136.93)

Crabgrass

Just did a quick Yahoo! search and two guys named Wayne Watkins came up in New York State with listed phone numbers!! My biggest gripe about the official Watkins Glen CD is that "Chest Fever" is omitted and particularly annoying since part of Garth's intro is included which gets me salivating for it!

At any rate, it's quite obvious that there is ample evidence to initiate a class action suit against Capitol Records for defrauding us. (I suggest however, that an amicable settlement might be reached if Capitol agreed to open the vaults to a committee of Guestbook experts which resulted in a box set release of hidden treasures at a discounted price.)

Posted on Thu Jun 22 06:47:32 CEST 2000 from firewall1.westpac.co.nz (210.55.236.18)

Rod

I have never been a fan of the WG album - mainly because half of the tracks were available elsewhere. Of the remaining, Cripple Creek and Released sound quite similiar to the BTF versions which only leaves The Rumour ,Time to Kill and the jam as unique to this album. Both of these are worth the price of the CD though. Time to Kill is interesting as the instrumentation is different - Garths on Organ and Richards on piano. On the studio version I always thought Garth was on piano with Richard on drums maybe with Levon on guitar.

Pat did a great job with his article. I've never thought too much about it before but the performances do not sound like they are from one concert. I suspect Creek and Release may be from '74. I think he did mention that Endless Highway may have been a studio cut but both the box set and To Kingdom come have applause.

Lets hope the new re-releases are more honest.

Posted on Thu Jun 22 05:57:56 CEST 2000 from gv3-175.oro.net (209.77.96.175)

Trudy Zimmerman

Dear Levon Helm, I enjoyed the concert that you and the band played at the hilton in Reno on May 20, 1996. It was my birthday and Rick dedicated a song to me. I was taken backstage after the show by Dennis Cooper. You, Garth and Rick had left but I got to meet and enjoy the rest of the members of the band while backstage. Your stage manager, butch, gave me a the the high on the hog tape. I also bought Jubilation and Breeze hill and have really enjoyed the music. I feel real bad about Rick passing away. He was special to me for many, many years and I will miss him. I would really like to hear from you. Could you possibly send me an autographed picture? Love, Trudy Zimmerman

Posted on Thu Jun 22 06:00:02 CEST 2000 from spider-we052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.195.42)

Mike

OK -- Let's hear from all you old "Watkins Glenners" out there. Were you there in '73? What did you see and hear? Great article by Pat B., but what's the real scoop? It CAN'T be so hush hush and QT! There has to be an answer...This could be great! It could be like the old Eddie Wilson tapes...

Posted on Thu Jun 22 04:27:43 CEST 2000 from gdh2-221.twcny.rr.com (24.95.166.33)

Dr Pepper

Hank, Jim Bouton was the Yankee pitcher who threw so hard that his hat used to fall off his head after every 3 or 4 pitches. Also wrote best book ever written about baseball and maybe any other sport. A bunch of us picked him up at the Albany airport during college days so he could speak at our school. He was a HUGE partier. As far as the parachutist goes the guy across the street knew him as did Mr. Al Bundy. Bundy even asked Rick about the incident and Rick recalled it so vividly that he could tell you what line he was singing from what song. (I think it was "It Makes No Difference).....and I made a mistake about asking you about O'Connors in Castletownroach .....I should have asked you if you know any Walshes. Next time I am in NYC I will try to get you into some trouble with the barkeep!

Posted on Thu Jun 22 02:56:26 CEST 2000 from spider-wi064.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.49)

Bashful Bill

Coincidence alert: I was just passing the biography section in the bookstore today, and what catches my eye? A new(2000) unauthorized bio on none other than John Sayles. I was on my way out and only had time for a quick perusal, but I did think to jot the author's name down to share with whoever might be interested. It's by Gerry Molyneaux, and unfortunately I didn't think to check what other writings he may have to his credit. Anyway, it's out there for anyone interested, and quite rather timely I thought.

Posted on Thu Jun 22 02:18:57 CEST 2000 from dialup-093.cork.iol.ie (194.125.43.93)

Hank (BAREFOOT IN MY PYJAMAS!!!!)

Watkins Glen , eh?........Lemme tell ya 'bout Watkins Glen......I's 10 years old at the time, 1973.....now, at that time I was living in Floral Park, Queens, NYC.......what I remember 'bout Watkins Glen is seeing on the evening news that a guy died trying to parachute in....AND that JIM BOUTON ( Writer of "Ball Four" and "I'm Glad You Did'nt Take it Personally".......Pro-Baseball exposes....) got into trouble for filming topless ladies at the event and having them shown on Network TV........anyone remember THAT???.....or JIM BOUTON????? I asked Rick about it when he played in Cork and he opined it was better than Woodstock 'cos there was only three bands there. In any case, PAT BRENNAN, yer article on the album is Great!!The other thing I wanna say is that there's 20 miles between Mallow Town, Co. Cork (where I moved to from Floral Park in 1974-where my mom lives still) to Cork City (where I live now).........there's a good highway and last Sunday afternoon, I listened to "Back To Memphis" from "Watkins Glen" FOUR TIMES in a row during the 20 mile journey.....CRANKED!!!!!!.....all on my own in the car.... As I said a few days ago......RR would be alright with everyone if he'd just play some more Rock'n'Roll guitar than he does these days....... with a cookin' band........Ah well......you can't have EVERYTHING, can ya?.... Where would ya put it?.......anyone reckon RR will be on Dylans upcoming comedy special?........No?........CRABBY, those photos are DYNAMITE......THANKS!!!!!.........if yer in NYC, go to a bar called "2A".......it's on AVE. A and 2nd Street, Manhattan (natch)....go there on a non-weekend night and ask for TOM CLARK.....He's a barman there and tell him HANK WEDEL said to pour you a drink on me......tell him how much you dig The Band and he'll probably put something on by 'em.......he's my best friend and a wonderful singer-songwriter Rock'n'Roll performer to boot......just don't ask for a bottle of bubbly like yer 'ole pal RR!!!!!!.......(hey listen, Folks, this offer is exclusive to CRABBY for the photos........I'll be in the height of trouble if all you NYer Band heads go down there and say....."Hey, Tom!!!.....I know HANK from the GB......give us a free beer!!!!".......no, folks we'll all hook up in The Big Apple one day and THEN I'll buy a round for y'all!!!!!.....).....G'night!!!!!!

Posted on Thu Jun 22 01:30:30 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-126-47.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.126.47)

BWNWITennessee

Based on a certain particular scene in "Boogie Nights," and on some of Ronnie Hawkins' comments, it would seem that Mark Wahlberg is more suited to play the young Levon.

Posted on Thu Jun 22 00:20:09 CEST 2000 from spider-wb014.proxy.aol.com (205.188.192.154)

Beth R.

I just caught up with the last couple of weeks of guestbook entries and wanted to say that when I found this site, I didn't know that the majority of what I'd read is against the artist that brought me here, Robbie. Weird.

By the way, I have to check out some of my Paul McCartney tapes. Didn't realize he was "trading on his years" with the Beatles whenever he discussed his history. Funny. --Beth

Posted on Thu Jun 22 00:07:50 CEST 2000 from (198.172.31.40)

Richard Whelan-Stevens

I agree with the opinion that John Sayles is an excellent filmaker and the perfect choice to make the hypothetical Band movie. Films like MATEWAN and LONE STAR are to movies what The Band's music was to music. Not to start up the "who will play who" thread, but I was thinking that Mark Wahlberg (BOOGIE NIGHTS, THREE KINGS) would make a wonderful young Robbie. Does anyone agree?

Posted on Wed Jun 21 23:42:53 CEST 2000 from m198214181089.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.89)

pehr

thanks to Peter V and Pat B for fine articles!

i am getting off work right now and my memory does not serve me well at the moment. I think I have a tape of what became the "Before the Flood" concert but sadly, it only has the Dylan stuff on it. It's nearly identical to the record except the sound is very lo fi, and omitted on the record is an absolutely blistering "Hollis Brown",and a real nice "Just like Tom Thumb's Blues"

Posted on Wed Jun 21 23:36:07 CEST 2000 from oclcc.lib.uic.edu (131.193.153.248)

Rich

I know I sound a little late here, but I didn't know that Rick Danko died. How did he die? I read the bio on this page but it just said he passed away at his home.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 23:34:32 CEST 2000 from spider-tm053.proxy.aol.com (152.163.197.68)

Ben Turkel

I found Pat Brennan's article on "Watkins Glen" very interesting. A few of these songs were released on the "To Kingdome Come" set in '89 and then a few more were released on the "Across the Great divide" set in '94, so Capitol certainly got a lot of use from these wrongly credited performances. I hope that at some point there'll be an official release of a live show by the 90's lineup on cd. There was some talk of the '96 Mountain Stage show being released last year, but I haven't heard anything about that recently.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 22:41:43 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

Summer is officially here and the interest level in the guestbook seems to be heating up. Hats off to Crabgrass for the fine photos and thanks to Peter & Pat for their excellent articles.

Regarding any future release of the Band's set at Woodstock '69 (at least by Capitol) -- Won't this require some legal maneuvering to acquire the rights?

Posted on Wed Jun 21 22:24:37 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-076.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.76)

Peter Viney

Pat Brennan has done a brilliant piece of original research on Watkins Glen. Turn to his article under What’s New before reading further. What’s amazing is that no one else had spotted the discrepancies before him. Let’s put it this way:

Watkins Glen wasn’t actually Watkins Glen. So much so, that at least three tracks don’t even come from the same era and the songs weren’t even played there. The magicking the rain tale is either flawed memory which grew in the telling, or bullshit.

And the Band tracks on the (official) Basement Tapes were never recorded in the basement. Some may date from much later.

And look at the John Simon interview, and other sources, Rock of Ages wasn’t (apart from the Genetic Method) recorded on New Year’s Eve. It was a sound check / rehearsal from the previous day.

We all know that The Last Waltz was heavily overdubbed, but at least some of the actual performances, including all Levon’s parts, were the real concert. It’s beginning to look one of the least doctored (and spin-doctored) live shows in comparison.

According to RR on Moondog Matinee, "A great portion of this album is our old nightclub act that we played twelve years ago", except that’s not true either, though Levon says the same. If we date the end of The Hawks as an independent body, as just after Forest Hills, there was no way that Holy Cow was part of their set. If we take Robbie’s 1961 date, we eliminate at least A Change Is Gonna come too. It’s an idealized fictional set. Lee points to "Back to Memphis" as an MM out-take. Hoskyns says they also considered Bony Moronie, Slippin & Slidin and Loving You (Is Sweeter than ever) for MM. Lovin’ You wasn’t around when The Hawks were, nor was "Back To Memphis.’ If "Lovin you" is a studio track, it might originate from these sessions.

So that leaves "Before the flood" and the bootlegs as genuine artifacts. Has anyone compared Before The Flood with the "Paint the Daytime Black" boot, also recorded in LA on that tour? A myth-making pattern is becoming very clear. "The Band" as we know it, is a construct. You can’t put all the blame on Wayne Watkins either, every one of them’s involved going back to 1971, 1973, 1975. And yes, like Pat, I still love ‘em. Can’t wait for the Woodstock set to emerge, but I’ll take the cover notes with a large pinch of salt.

Franko: Any American who knows about the legendary Dixie Dean is perfectly entitled to comment. Dixie never served on the Anfield Train, but he turned out in blue rather than grey at Goodison Park. Agree about Barmby, but don’t forget we had Steve McM sitting on the bench too.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 22:05:27 CEST 2000 from cache-2.lnh.md.webcache.rcn.net (207.172.11.148)

Krispy P.S.

I just noticed Phil Lesh encored with "Endless Highway" at the Gorge last weekend too! Sorry for the Dead-speak those of you who are offended, but once again The Dead and The Band world's unite :)

LOL - I just made a typo above. I had put "Untie" and it made me think of the old joke "Dyslexics of the World Untie!!" hehe Also, how about the agnostic dyslexic who sat around pondering dog all night?? :)

Have a good one y'all!

Posted on Wed Jun 21 21:53:25 CEST 2000 from cache-2.lnh.md.webcache.rcn.net (207.172.11.148)

Krispy

Been doing a bit of catch up reading in the GB since my post here earlier.

Crabgrass - Nice photos!!!! I wish I had known about the Central Park gig. Instead I was watching an airshow tragedy right up the street from my house :(

As a side note to the new Little Feat version of Rag Mama Rag, Phil Lesh is touring (with Bob Dylan) and he's got Paul Barrere, Bill Payne & Robben Ford from Little Feat playing with him. They did Rag Mama Rag at the show in Portland OR last weekend! I can't wait to hear those tapes!!

Speaking of tapes, did anyone tape the Danko Memorial Concert?? I'd love to hear Maud's rendition of IMND. Thanks to all who gave the reviews. Sounds like a wonderful tribute to Rick!

Posted on Wed Jun 21 21:13:55 CEST 2000 from spider-th011.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.46)

franko

Far be it for an American to comment on European soccer, but since I seem to be the only poster that has a soccer player in his e-mail address......England would have had a better chance had Keegan played Everton's Nicky Barmby more that the 30ish total minutes that he got. Band link - Liverpool club Everton's most famous player was named Dixie "I swear by the mud below my cleats" Dean.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 20:45:36 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime again

I feel deeply sorry for you Jan, but.. .well... the Dutch are on now...

Posted on Wed Jun 21 20:37:30 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

Turn it up louder... louder... just a little louder...

Just listened to Watkins Glen and enjoyed it...

And yes... they certainly fooled me... that wonderful atmosphere that makes you feel you're part of it... is just a matter of refined manipulation...

Chapeau mr. Brennan... great article... and yes... now I know once more...

Things Are Not What They Seem...

Posted on Wed Jun 21 20:30:14 CEST 2000 from jan-hoiberg.hiof.no (158.36.52.15)

jh

&%¤#**@£$*§*!!!! >:-<

Posted on Wed Jun 21 20:14:56 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-132.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.132)

Peter Viney

Senor Wences has a fair, though un-Band related, point on Euro 2000. When the English goalkeepers persistently clear with huge punts into the other half, where the diminuitive Wise and Owen (let alone the slowed-down Shearer) are beaten to the header EVERY time what do you expect? In common with most English people, I watched the scenes of our hooligans in Belgium with horror. The Dutch, according to the Sunday Times, had handled the hooligans far better than the Belgians, by serving only weak beer and by the police re-directing the "fans" to coffee shops to sample more peace-inducing refreshment. This seemed to work. They even congratulated the Portuguese on winning the game in Holland. Whatever, no other country should have to put up with such foul exports from our shores. Ah, well. As an England fan I’d like to have seen them beat Romania (who played better but also earned five yellow cards), but as someone who’d like to eradicate football violence, I would have been quite content to then see them expelled from the competition. The fact they avoided this by getting beaten, gets us no further towards tackling the problem.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 20:11:49 CEST 2000 from spider-tj051.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.196)

LG

Patrick, enjoyed reading your piece on Watkins Glen.

The validity of this show has been questioned since its release. In an interview with Robertson (1974)he talked about working on the tapes and that they sounded good, he also talked of a road film with footage from the 60s and 70s. Don't Ya Tell Henry, Time To Kill and The Rumour were being performed live in 1970, Henry in '69 also.

The two songs which were studio tracks are Back To Memphis & Endless Highway, Back To Memphis being a Moondog Matinee outtake.

Capitol Records have said that Watkins Glen will be deleted (so if you don't have it, get it now!) and will hopefully be replaced with the show from Woodstock 69. I hope that they can release a full video to accompany this as well.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 20:02:18 CEST 2000 from client-151-198-146-33.nnj.dialup.bellatlantic.net (151.198.146.33)

Bumbles

Bill: Paul Griffin seems to have been a to-the-bone New Yorker so I can’t imagine he worked many (any?) jobs with the drummers you mentioned---certainly not Benny Benjamin. As a favored pianist (as well as de facto---i.e., unpaid---arranger) of such legendary record men as Bert Berns, Luther Dixon, Lieber & Stoller, and Jerry Wexler, his session mates tended to be from the pool of A-list New York session talent. Bernard Purdie, Panama Francis, and Gary Chester are three drummers whose names come up.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 18:59:59 CEST 2000 from ric-wht-pxy-int02.wheatfirst.com (204.238.130.68)

Bones

Interesting article on the validity of Watkins Glen. If some of those tunes came from another show, what show?? I've spoken to a number of people who were there, and the only memory that people seem to have is that it rained. Sign of the times I guess.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 18:15:18 CEST 2000 from (206.191.15.194)

Bill

Bumbles: thanks for the info on Paul Griffin's early work, especially the Bang/Shout days. I really like the drummer on that stuff - do you know who it would be? (Sounds a lot like Hal Blaine or Benny Benjamin, but wrong coast.) My favourite Griffin bit, or at least I think it was him, is on Tom Rush's version of David Wiffen's "Driving Wheel". Very powerful wash of sound from Griffin, guitarist Trevor Veitch and dobroist (maybe David Bromberg).

As for the new lineup thread, I'd suggest starting with the core group assembled for Ronnie Hawkins' recent recording: Levon Helm, Richard Bell, Colin Linden, Blue Rodeo's Basil Donovan. Then call in Garth Hudson and, if additional vocals are needed, the other two thirds of Blue Rodeo: Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 16:51:48 CEST 2000 from (209.226.13.34)

Senor Wences

Mr Viney is correct as always. Who really cares what basketball team RR supports. Romania-3 England-2 in Euro 2000 is the only result of any significance. Bye bye hooligans... :)

Posted on Wed Jun 21 16:19:25 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Oops, yes indeed i said 4 but listed 3 films. I was debating including either City of Hope or Passion Fish to the list. Neither of these films is as ambitious as the previous three, so I ended up punting and leaving it with Matewan, Secaucus 7 and Lonestar...

Posted on Wed Jun 21 16:07:58 CEST 2000 from cache-2.lnh.md.webcache.rcn.net (207.172.11.148)

Krispy

Hey folks! Sorry to have missed seeing Levon on Conan and in the NYC area - sound like great gigs!!! Anyhow, just thought I'd post a link to this site. Scroll down a bit and there's a couple nice pictures of The Band from Roosevelt Stadium, 8/1/73. I also liked reading the post from "Beldar" about Garth. Enjoy: Band photos

Posted on Wed Jun 21 16:06:59 CEST 2000 from 1cust112.tnt1.topeka.ks.da.uu.net (63.39.63.112)

Dexy

DIRECTOR: Alan Rudolph MY FORGOTTEN THREAD: (a new lineup of a new band, small b, with a new name that could get on the road and into the studio) -- Thanks Viney, good picks. Here's a revision: Helm, Hudson, Hillman, Hornsby, Weider, Ciarliante. Possible names: Big Pink, Wheels on Fire, Turkey Scratch, Mighty Quinn and The Eskimos.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 15:25:29 CEST 2000 from usr51-dialup211.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.198.89)

G-MAN

Interesting observation; General Almond, X-Corps. Commander Korea, 1950: The General met with North Korean refugees to assure them that the UN would provide food, medical attention, and supplies to rebuild what was devastated by North and South Korean troops. He felt for civilians who were brutalized, raped, and starved. His southern heritage (Virginia) caused him never to forget the the evils that the the defeated and innocent civilians were left to deal with after the Civil War. Robbie was there, too !!!

Posted on Wed Jun 21 08:43:15 CEST 2000 from cache-hki-5.inet.fi (194.197.68.45)

Kalervo Koskela

Oh yes Sayles. It always amazes me that some of you Americans know the real diamonds of your culture! Really... Being child-like one of my favorite movies is Roan Inish. Sayles could be a choice...Wim Wenders?

Posted on Wed Jun 21 08:17:10 CEST 2000 from 1cust229.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.136.229)

Crabgrass

Well, we've already picked the actors and now we've got the director. All we need is to get Robbie to bankroll it! (I suppose he'd want "creative control" though.)

I checked out several of the "Artis the Spoonman" sites earlier this evening. That's the same guy I mentioned seeing at a Clearwater Festival at Croton Point NY about 20 years ago (time flies when you're havin' fun) although he looked a lot less like Ming the Merciless and a lot more like the kid on the Dutch Boy paint can back then. Quite interesting stuff. Check it out if you haven't.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 05:14:59 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

You know Sayles would be the perfect Director/Writer for a Band film. He's great at dealing with diverse personalities (City of Hope, among others) time lines ( I've never seen it done better than in Lone Star)and a group that could never have a label placed on them. Also, the story of the Bands rise to fame, eventual disintergration, attempt to recapture old glory and the many pitfalls that it brought is perfect material for a director of his ilk.

Whether it was a successful film or not, you know it be of good quality and i feel --Honest.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 02:37:26 CEST 2000 from spider-ti063.proxy.aol.com (152.163.194.203)

Ruby

mattk I was just scrolling down and read your message about Mr. Bones. I too saw him a few times in Cambridge Mass. Twice with Rick Danko. He got up there and banged those things!!! I have a couple of photos of him with Rick back in 1987. I really do need to get to a scanner. He was a sweet man too. He passed away some time ago, some years now. Glad I had the opportunity to see him and meet him. Peace to all

Posted on Wed Jun 21 01:08:40 CEST 2000 from spider-tj023.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.183)

Bashful Bill

oh, and Pac, I forgot to thank you for your Sayles/Band connection(Springsteen's Atlantic city video). Good one!

Posted on Wed Jun 21 01:05:26 CEST 2000 from spider-tj023.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.183)

Bashful Bill

Didn't really intend to start a Sayles thread, but MattK- you said 4 of the best movies, but only named 3(unless I misread). I'm really not trying to nitpick, rather I'm curious what the 4th sayles film is. Return of the Secausas Seven is of course the best introduction to his work(not to be confused with his gun for hire stuff, also pointed out by Matt)and I'm happy to say I saw it new in the theatre way back when. It is dated of course, but still a great movie. And I agree completely that Kasdan ripped it off shamelessly with his Big Chill production.I have heard it said that some people feel the same way re Sayles' City of Hope and Kasdan's Grand Canyon. There is definitely a similair theme, but nowhere near the blatant steal that took place in the former case. Another good intro to Sayles, or reacquaintence, would be to watch City of hope and Lone Star back to back.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 00:49:30 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-119-46.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.119.46)

BWNWITennessee

I saw a story on The Band's newsgroup (alt.music.the-band) saying that a man in Mississippi has won a case claiming that he is bluesman Robert Johnson's son, and as a result will collect all of RJ's royalties. He claimed that his mother had a one-night stand with Johnson. Maybe everyone knows this, I'm kind of out of touch with mainstream news at the moment. The man's name is Claud Johnson, and his mother was Virgie Jane Smith Cain. So maybe he's Robert Johnson's son and Virgil Caine's grandson!

Posted on Wed Jun 21 00:34:31 CEST 2000 from m198214181105.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.105)

pehr

in class yesterday the radio was turned town to a bug's whisper. Something i could barely hear beckoned me to drop what I was doing and get up face to face with the radio. It was the new version of Rag Mama Rag! I was gonna write in and ask who it was, but David Powell just answered it! enjoyed the horn parts; (like Garth's ending better.)anyway I really enjoyed it.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 00:15:16 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

I have to concur on the assesment of Sayles as one of the great directors of our time. Sayles employs one of the most spoken, but never honestly, ethics found throughout the creative industries (music, film, writing, etc), mainly the "I'll write some trash, make some cash and use the money to do something cool myth that so many give lipservice to on your average celebrity talk show.

Sayles has been the screenwriter behind some of the all-time cheesey films (Pirahna, Alligator, Battle Beyond the Stars, Quick and the Dead) as well as some uncredited writing for better known films like Apollo 13, Wild Thing, most notably...projects that have, admittedly, been done to pay the bills for his next film(s).

Sayles in turn, except for his forgettable "8 Men Out" and the much better, more recent "Limbo," finances his directorial works completely outside the Hollywood system using a stable of character actors that most recognize, but few can name (with a few notable exceptions like Kristofferson, Mary McDonnell, Angela Bassett and Alfre Woodward).

I find his films to be extremely character driven, and rarely do they end expectedly (Lonestar has one of the greatest endings ever put to film, without a single car chase). Limbo pushes his "real endings" (i.e. like life, lots of loose ends) to the limit--to the consternation of some, even diehard Sayles fans.

Personally, I find the fact that he has not even been nominated for best director (Matewan, Lone Star, and Return of the Secaucus Seven are IMHO four of the ten greatest movies of the last 25 years) to be the best indictment of the film industry and the Oscar process (like it needed more indictment). To be fair, however Lonestar was nominated for a slew of best screenplay awards, including the Oscar, and Passion Fish also garnered an Oscar nomination for best screenplay.

Equally amazing is the breadth of his content, from socially conscious sci fi (Brother from Another Planet) to mystical tales (Roan Inish) to paralyzed soap opera actresses (Passion Fish), his common thread of how we all reach for and achieve redemption in the smallest ways, often in conflict with our social standards of right and wrong (see Lonestar for a mindbender on that one) makes him one of the most challenging, yet enjoyable directors on screen, for me.

Now that I think about it, Sayles gets my vote to direct "The Band" biopic we were tossing around awhile back. He'd do the whole thing with some justice and empathy for the human frailties of all concerned.

Posted on Wed Jun 21 00:08:11 CEST 2000 from spider-to021.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.51)

Pac

Bashful Bill, how's this for a John Sayles connection to The Band: He directed Bruce Springsteen's video of "Atlantic City." Anyone who hasn't seen "Lone Star" should go rent it. It's one of my favorite films. Also loved "Return of the Secaucus Seven" -- made in 4 weeks at a cost of $40,000. I had no idea Sayles still lives in Hoboken! (and upstate NY)

Posted on Tue Jun 20 22:59:12 CEST 2000 from spider-wc042.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.37)

Don Pugatch

If your interested in a "unique" blues group, see Slim Fats, if he comes your way, The center of the 3 piece group is some strange looking dude, playing the Chicken Coup. In the middle of the set, he takes out a dinosauer bone and starts wacking the coup, You wont be disappointed, the key is really Slim, kind of a cross between Ben Harper and Guy Davis. Now the Chicken Coup guy, nothing like him on this planet. Oh, for all you Neil Diamond fans, Neil sang at the commencement in Boulder, for the University of Colorado.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 22:22:42 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

Had to second the John Sayles thing---One of the best directors out there who can weave multiple storylines. L. Kasdan basically ripped off Sayles' Return of the Seacaucus Seven to make The Big Chill. Their are some scenes that are exact. The only thing Kasdan did was make his characters better looking and rich--not to mention a bigger budget! And for anyone interested Sayles is now in the process of adapting Howard Blum's novel Gold of Exodus into a movie. Great book based on a journey to discover the real route of Moses and the Hebrews out of Egypt. Stunning theory! With some strange facts to boot. It totally gives a new look at where Moses may have recieved the Ten Commandments.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 22:22:09 CEST 2000 from usr17-dialup14.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.70.14)

G-Man

Finishin up my plans to see Levon @ the RR HALL and workin' on the Guru's-Saratoga-July ! Started thinkin and came up with, "What would we all be doing if there was no TLW" ? How would the history of the Band and each member of the group changed if TLW didn't take place ?? I'd Keep Rockin', but what band ????? Peace !!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 22:12:33 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

I picked up a copy of Little Feat's great new CD "Chinese Work Songs" which was officially released today. As Charlie Young mentioned, it contains has a wonderful version of "Rag Mama Rag." To listen to this cover version, in its entirety (Liquid Audio plug-in required), go to the following site:

www.littlefeat.net/audio.html

Posted on Tue Jun 20 22:09:47 CEST 2000 from dialup-209.244.106.91.sanjose1.level3.net (209.244.106.91)

tumultguy

"SPOONMAN" is a song by Pearl Jam about Artis the Spoonman and he does have a website: http://www.olympus.net/personal/artis/

He plays music festivals up and down the California coast and beyond. I saw him sit in with moe., Gov't Mule, Little Feat and more. He probably isn't the guy you're thinking of but this guy is the real stuff. He has hundreds of different spoons - wood, metal and plastic - and they're arranged in front of him and he creates some amazing rhythms.

He is a GoodHuman.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 21:04:57 CEST 2000 from spider-th074.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.79)

Bashful Bill

Haven't posted in awhile, but Pac's mention of the film Secrets of Roan Innish caught my eye. Thought I would reccommend one of my favorite directors, John Sayles. In adition to having written/produced/directed this film(which I must admit I unfortunately have not seen, yell at me later Pac) he is a prolific Hollywood screenwriter and "scriptdoctor" with a truly wonderful body of his own work. Like many, he seems to get better with age(his and mine). He also has written a couple critically acclaimed, though underread novels. The only Band connection I can think of is that Kris Kristofferson has appeared in a couple of Sayles movies: Lone Star& last year's Limbo. But I have found when you say no Band connections you are usually proven wrong. Anyway, anyone into movies should go to the videostore and rent basically any of his movies, you will be glad you did.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 20:57:40 CEST 2000 from spider-wi052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.42)

Pac

Bumbles,thanks for stirring up long-forgotten memories. Was thinking about your posting while watering the lawn, and suddenly remembered the first time I heard the spoons. It was in the early '50s at gram's house. All the relatives gathered to celebrate Christmas. Wild Uncle Thomas made a rare appearance. He was known for his smooth dancing and great feel for the button accordion, spoons and bones. Well he gathered all of us kids around the kitchen table, handed each of us a set of spoons, and gave us our first Irish music lesson. Our little hands were a bit small (I was around 3 or 4), but oh how we practiced and practiced at home -- that is, until the arrival of my brother's Gene Autrey guitar, which stole our attention immediately. Brilliant design for kids: it had a plastic contraption you could attach to the neck with buttons you pushed to form chords. Sound familiar anyone? Anyway, it took years to find my way back to the complexity of Irish rhythms accented on the spoons. Eternal thanks to Ennis (Co. Clare) and the Fleadh for that!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 20:29:41 CEST 2000 from ip87-max7-lowell.ziplink.net (206.15.160.247)

Long Distance Operator

Crabgrass, out-f*cking-standing photos!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 19:59:33 CEST 2000 from spider-wi052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.42)

Pac

Sorry Bumbles, but your comment that the spoons and bones are "novelties employed almost exclusively by solo street performers" has got me Irish up! I used to live in Ireland and can say firsthand that many a traditional music session (pipes, flutes, fiddles) was enhanced by a respected old musician's addition of the bones or spoons. They are percussive instruments much like the bodhran. If you can't make a trip to Clare, Galway or Hank's beautiful city of Cork, perhaps you might want to rent "The Secret of Roan Inish" and listen carefully to the music when the children are restoring the Donegal cottages. Also check out Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh who recorded several Irish LPs with DeDanann. And if ever you're in NYC, by all means stay till closing time at an authentic Irish music session (The Bunratty Pub in the Bronx was my favorite) and it's likely you'll see someone from Ireland adding the bones or spoons.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 19:51:23 CEST 2000 from ti32a95-0239.dialup.online.no (130.67.166.239)

Kari Ellen

Hello! I love the song "Goddess on a highway". I have bought the album Dessert songs, ìt`s good, but some of the songs are kinda wird. But I love the album allthoug!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 19:31:06 CEST 2000 from trt-on71-121.netcom.ca (216.123.89.121)

John Donabie

Regarding Mr. Griffin. I will never forget his piano work on "Cheapo-Cheapo Productions Present Real Live John Sebastian 1971." Still not available on CD.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 19:06:11 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

Thanks Bumbles for the sad update regarding Paul Griffin's passing. Although his gospel-inspired playing went largely unrecognized, except in musicians' circles, it was his touch that became an intricate part of so much of the music that has become the soundtrack of our lives.

In addition to the songs Bumbles mentioned, let me add just a few more: That was Mr. Griffin playing the piano parts on Don McClean's "American Pie" that, at least for me, made the song interesting. You can hear Mr. Griffin singing harmony along with Michael McDonald, in addition to playing electric piano, on "Peg" from Steely Dan's "Aja." And who can forget his brilliant piano playing, especially in the opening 19 seconds or so, on Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"?

Posted on Tue Jun 20 17:03:28 CEST 2000 from client-151-198-114-169.nnj.dialup.bellatlantic.net (151.198.114.169)

Bumbles

Paul Griffin, the brilliant New York studio keyboard man whose work on sessions for Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde was the object of recent comments in this guestbook, died on June 13. In addition to the Dylan sessions, he was a studio mainstay, appearing on the Isley Brothers’ “Twist & Shout,” Tommy Hunt’s “Human,” Chuck Jackson’s “Any Day Now,” Van Morrison’s Blowin’ Your Mind, Neil Diamond’s early Bang label hits, Erma Franklin’s original “Piece of My Heart,” a number of Dionne Warwick sessions, and Steely Dan’s Gaucho, among many, many others. The above link leads to an appreciation of the man and his contributions that appeared in Monday’s New York Daily News.

On another note, spoons & bones are novelties employed almost exclusively by solo street performers. A washboard (or frottoir in South Louisiana), however, can be found as an essential rhythm instrument in many zydeco bands.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 16:30:38 CEST 2000 from usr50-dialup126.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.196.130)

G-MAN

Peter V. and all contibutors--nice article. If the word is mud- I'm sure blood has been substituted during performances. For my two quids worth I'd say mud and not because Levon said so! But this is a song and not a book report on the civil war so it isn't to be graded on exactness. Mud comes into play with makin it difficult for a soldier any place. RR spoke of the homes on stilts in the south. The Caines were agriculurists-hence mud. I picture Virgil, after the war ended, standing in a formerly fertile field that was a mud pit after Stoneman's devistation (Boy OJ & Stonemam connected to the nickle city). I think Virgil's grandson is the main character in "King Harvest" ! So when I listen to that song I picture Levon knockin it out, take in the feeling it transfers and go along and enjoy the day. Crabby RR standing at the door to the new RRHOF in Portland with a coin changer on his belt ???? Is that what you're saying ?? Bones were used by pre-historic man for communication and entertainment. Peace !!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 15:36:34 CEST 2000 from 123.0101.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.123)

Nancy

Hank: check out "What's New" for Crabby's excellent photos and Peter's "Dixie" update. BTW Crabby, I like the photo of Levon top left (I think), where he has the huge grin of a guy having fun. Night all.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 12:42:53 CEST 2000 from dialup-307.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.51)

Hank

Well, last night a guy called Rob The Bones played bones with Ray and I at our regular Monday night gig at Charlies here in Cork, so it's been pretty wild switching on to the 'ole GB and seeing all this talk of spoons'n'bones!!!! .......he played bones on "Stagefright" and an extended open-G guitar extravaganza which included "Little Red Rooster" "Dixie Chicken" "Tumbling Dice" and an instrumental I wrote called "Fylte of The Mako Shark". They are a fantastic addition to playing fast Irish jigs and reels, as well as cajun or bluegrass tunes.......this guy also plays the washboard...he's English but living in West Cork and he plays percussion for an English band called "The Boat Band"..........when played well, bones or spoons can really keep a groove on in any performance of any song or tune..... CRABBY, I missed yer photos somehow these past few days.....is there any way or any where I can still see them? I woulda loved to have been in Central Park last Saturday...

Posted on Tue Jun 20 11:58:18 CEST 2000 from ipc379e2a3.dial.wxs.nl (195.121.226.163)

manolito

take a look, please!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 10:50:57 CEST 2000 from ip231.portland.me.pub-ip.psi.net (38.11.101.231)

mattk

When I lived in DC (recently), I had the opportunity to play with a man called "Mr. Bones" who literally played two sets of pig rib bones, two in each hand. He would click on them much like castanets in a percussive fashion, sometimes whackng them of his chest and his legs. The gentleman is in his 70s and claimed to have been playing them "all his life."

Watching him, I was reminded of the old vauldville act (which I believe came from minstrel shows) called "hamboning" where a person would drum with spoons, hands, and originally pig rib bones to a rather intricate rhythm. I rather assumed that "playing spoons" then was a more modern method of hamboning.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 08:31:27 CEST 2000 from 1cust53.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.136.53)

Crabgrass

I believe the washboard is usually played with metal sewing thimbles on the fingers. There was a guy called "The Spoon Man" who played at festival sites gathering small crowds amongst those wandering around. I saw him once at the Clearwater Festival probably about 20 years back (he was pretty young though) and he played all kinds of spoons both metal and wooden. I recall he was also on Bob Fass' WBAI radio show around that time. Come to think of it he's probably got a "Spoon Man" website by now!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 08:25:37 CEST 2000 from tcnet03-60.austin.texas.net (209.99.40.186)

Laura Holt

Does anyone know where I can obtain the RR video "Going Home"??? I'm having a hell of a time trying to find it. An "E-mail" from anyone that knows would be much appreciated. I know some of you out there are probably going "YUCK" at the thought of watching such a RR video but what can i say....I like the guy even if he is self absorbed at times. PEACE from Austin,TX!!!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 07:09:41 CEST 2000 from 2cust38.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.137.38)

Crabgrass

Well, I just watched that Conan segment back and have altered my original opinion that I couldn't hear Levon singing. I now think I might possibly have heard him singing, maybe. Guy Davis is quite good though - real down home sound - to my ears at least.

Jimmy the bartender down the block at The Liffey Tavern (now gone) used to tap out slip jig rhythms by manipulating two quarters gripped between his fingers. Quite amazing. BTW I don't recommend anyone getting involved in any "Forks for China" multi-level marketing schemes. I read that Paddy Maloney was detained and strip-searched after customs agents at the Bejing Airport confiscated two spoons they found hidden in his tin whistle case several years back when the Chieftains toured China. The Red Chinese are planning to have us all eating with chop sticks when they take over the world and have a stockpile of 4 billion extra pairs stashed away in a secret underground location. (Think I saw that recently in "The Plain Truth" magazine.)

And let me not forget to mention that "Taps" has always been one of my very favorite tunes! Am disappointed that someone labeled that story of it's origin "apocryphal" - I just don't wanna believe it!!

One last thing - I think the entire city of Cleveland should be moved to Portland along with the Rock 'n' Roll Museum so the local tourism industry won't suffer too badly - is the ultimate plan to make Robbie the official museum tour guide? That's the big question! Maybe Robbie will answer it in the preface to his forthcoming book - hope it's ready for release when the Band reissues hit the market. (Maybe that's what "Look Out Cleveland" is all about - have to have a close listen!)

Posted on Tue Jun 20 07:08:59 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-117-153.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.117.153)

BWNWITennessee

Just read the new "Dixie" article, Peter. It's great!

When should I be expecting a royalty check? ;-)

Posted on Tue Jun 20 06:25:04 CEST 2000 from pppa93-resalesteubenville1-2r7003.saturn.bbn.com (4.4.6.218)

eileen allison

today, i bought the bring it on home vol. 1 tape...and i absolutely love it!! my husband and i were laughing in bed at 'relax your mind'...good stuff!!! :D :D

Posted on Tue Jun 20 06:14:21 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

I don't know who first came up with the idea of playing spoons. For that matter who first came up with the idea of playing a washboard?

I'm just trying but failing to remember the name of a rather good documentary I saw a while back about cajun music where they devoted quite a bit of time to discussing different techniques of doing this.I think they said that nowadays the preferred method is wearing a key ring on each finger and your thumbs to "scrape" the washboard. I can't imagine what they'd have used before there were key rings.

Re. Easy Rider as a back drop to "the weight." Interesting...I agree it works in some respects. But I see the Easy Rider trip as kind of a sight seeing trip through counter-culture up till the end when, as you say, they lose the weight. Whereas I see the song as a whole lot of specific encounters where nobody really gets what they want/need and the protagonist ends up feeling burdened by the weight of all the expectations that he is unable to meet.

Funnily enough before I really listened to the words of "the weight" I vaguely assumed it was a hippy anthem about how it was good to share the load around- - sort of like "He ain't heavy, he's my brother." I might even have had this idea because of "the weight" being featured in Easy Rider which celebrated living communally, going back to the earth etc.

BWNWITennessee.- It most certainly is winter here in the Southern hemisphere. In fact, although you probably couldn't tell I heroically typed my last post wearing gloves because it is soooo cold.

And Crabbie (just to make up for mentioning the weather) thank you, I did enjoy the photos and looking round the Harry Smith Site.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 05:23:29 CEST 2000 from spider-to058.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.28)

Bayou Sam

Hey Crabgrass - nice photos. I happen to be a photographer and I thought your pics were great....................I think Levon was the first to play the spoons, but Robbie gets credit for it :) ......................................... Neil Diamond

Posted on Tue Jun 20 04:39:37 CEST 2000 from proxy-701.public.rwc.webtv.net (209.240.216.101)

Band Boot Trader

I need to make a correction about my former post. I got the Toronto 12/4/93 (which is on the B-side of my Saratoga tape) show confused with the Saratoga show. The Toronto show was the simulcast version & l have the full version which matches the archives setlist. RE: my Saratoga version; According to the archives, I am missing the first song which is 'Same Thing'. However, I do have Atlantic City as the last track which is not listed at the archives. If ayone has the full version of this show please contact me. Thanks, Mark

Posted on Tue Jun 20 04:18:40 CEST 2000 from proxy-701.public.rwc.webtv.net (209.240.216.101)

Band Boot Trader

A question for fellow traders: Does a good copy of the Last Waltz soundcheck exist? That'd be a crying shame if there wasn't a better one than the one that l just got which sounds like it was recorded over the telephone. Tura Lura is especially a classic. Also, RE: The 8/27/92 Saratoga show; My version is the shorter simulcast version but it doesn't quite match up to the archive setlist. My version starts with Rag Mama Rag & ends with the best version of Atlantic City that l've heard so far but it is unfortunately clipped. So if any of you traders out there have good copies of the LW soundcheck & a full Saratoga show with an unclipped Atlantic City then please e-mail me & let's work out a trade. Mark

Posted on Tue Jun 20 04:08:02 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8tu.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.163.190)

Pat Brennan

Crabgrass, what with your espousal of certain brands of photographic equipment and your baldfaced gladhanding of certain artists, you have indeed become the worst kind of Hollywood pitchman....you kind of remind me of that guy, what's his name, oh yeah, Robbie Robertson. Nice pictures, though.

Posted on Tue Jun 20 03:59:03 CEST 2000 from ns1.schuster.com (199.105.252.66)

Charlie Young

The new Little Feat version of "Rag Mama Rag" made my day today when I caught it on one of the few decent radio stations in the US, Public Radio International affiliate WXPN in Philadelphia. The arrangement reminds me more of the ROCK OF AGES version than the original, but the bottom line is that it works damn well and makes me wish for that tribute album I've been wanting for a while.

I saw the current version of Little Feat in concert in Richmond, Virginia a while back and it was an incredible show. The twenty minute-plus version of "Dixie Chicken" alone was worth the price of admission. I was fortunate enough to trade for a remarkable quality CD-R of the gig if anyone is interested in trading. I just wish they'd done "Rag Mama Rag."

Posted on Tue Jun 20 03:34:47 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-124-208.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.124.208)

BWNWITennessee

Nancy, you're in the middle of winter? You poor thing. I don't care if it is a different hemisphere, that just doesn't seem right - it's almost July!

I always assumed that the playing of spoons evolved from the playing of bones, which comes from (although someone will probably prove me wrong) - Ireland!

Posted on Tue Jun 20 02:56:24 CEST 2000 from 3cust189.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.138.189)

Crabgrass

Hey, let's not hold it against a guy for wearing a dress on stage twenty years ago! Let me assure you that David Johansen is as ballsy as they come when singing the blues. He remarked that Saturday was one of the greatest days of his life ("despite it being hot as a bastard") because he was so honored to be on the same stage with Hubert Sumlin whom he heard play on a Howlin' Wolf record when he was sixteen years old.

I hope to catch him soon with his new group The Harry Smiths (named for the legendary musicologist, filmmaker etc. - check "The Harry Smith Site" - you will all find this interesting) the next time they play The Bottom Line.

I think I'm turning into a pitchman lately - anyone else notice?

Posted on Tue Jun 20 02:16:45 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-24-152.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.152)

Guenevere

I don't know where spoons came from, but I'm still waiting to cash in on my "forks for China" scheme...

Beautiful photos Crabby! I particularly enjoyed the one of Levon with both sticks in the air...

Posted on Tue Jun 20 00:35:04 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Nice pics, crabster!

On the irony front, does anybody else find it weird seeing Levon and David J on stage together? My mind goes to that quote (which suddenly I cannot find) of Levon's stating that the Band was great because they didn't embrace various "attention-getting" props, specifically "wearing dresses?" As the old school punkers will note, David's first mark as a musician was made as the lead singer of the seminal punk band the NY Dolls, who in turn gained a name for themselves by performing in...you guessed it...dresses.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 22:42:18 CEST 2000 from m198214181111.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.111)

pehr

wow Crabby...you made my day with those photos! great job!

Posted on Mon Jun 19 22:14:36 CEST 2000 from trt-on54-49.netcom.ca (216.123.99.177)

John Donabie

Neil Young coming to Toronto on August 31. Not a bad little band with him. BEN KEITH, JIM KELTNER, DONALD “DUCK” DUNN, SPOONER OLDHAM, PEGI YOUNG and ASTRID YOUNG..................OOOH-WEEEE

Posted on Mon Jun 19 21:58:10 CEST 2000 from cic-proxy02.firstunion.com (169.200.25.141)

Bones

I thought I heard Levon's voice in the mix too (Conan show ). I hope he did not overdue it. It's interesting and familier that Levon's first reaction to the re-issues was MONEY. He hopes that Capitol will give him some royalties on them. It's an interesting contradicton. On one hand, Levon seems overly concerned(more than any other Band member) about money. He was the one, unlike Grossman and Robertson, who always wanted hit singles, more paying gigs, better contracts, etc. Yet, there is another side to Levon that is strictly concerned about the love of music. The Barn Burners are a perfect example of this. There is so much joy these days on Levon's face that you get the impression he would play for free.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 21:42:02 CEST 2000 from (206.224.31.3)

Little Brother

Thanks for all the feedback re: "pickin' & grinnin'". Speaking of having one's words closely scrutinized, though, I only asked because I thought there might've been some recent interview or something added to the site library that might provide a context or background to the expression. It's not like it was whispered to me in a dream or something.

The question of whether I'd like to have my every word scrutinized, apart from spelling checks, is moot. My inclination is that I'd deal with it on a case-by-case basis. Actually, if someone from my past dropped out of the blue to confront me with some controversial quote that required, as we now say, "closure", I'd be so amazed that I'd do the best I could to respond.

As far as public figures go, it's part of the price of fame; obsessive nuts will cluster 'round you like fruit flies on a fig.

Lately there have been various posts, some framed by the question of whether Band members ever read this stuff, that wind up implying or declaring that minute scrutiny and/or speculation is inappropriate, idiotic, stoopid (stupid and then some), unhealthy, wrong, trifling, unbalanced, deplorable, or otherwise wicked, evil, mean, bad, mad, or nasty. Some have imagined that say, Robbie or Levon would laugh, sneer, or scrape us off their bootheels in disgust at our unbelievably wrongheaded, crass, and presumptuous attempts to pronounce judgements on matters of which we know nothing, and which are none of our business anyway.

Nevertheless, I persist. And I'm not alone. Such is Jan's gift. Besides, I wouldn't mind being insulted or put down by a genuine Band member. Then I could go around for the rest of my life secure and invulnerable in the knowledge that I could tell everyone else, "Hey, I've been insulted by better people than YOU."

So it's a win-win situation. Let the good times roll!

Posted on Mon Jun 19 19:50:56 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

A couple of responses to recent postings:

I found the discussion of the right kind of movie for "The Weight" to be interesting. Wouldn't Easy Rider qualify, since it's about non-innocents meeting up with weird adventures and characters on their way to get rid of a weight? Of course Peter and Dennis did better with it than without it in the end, but that's another song.

Neil Young's father, Scott, was for many many years much better known in Toronto than was Neil. Aside from his sports column, he wrote a number of hockey adventure books for boys, which I read avidly when I was one.

Rick James was never Richard James. He was Ricky James Matthews when he sang with Neil Young in the Mynah Birds, but his real name is James Johnson. Furthermore, the Mynah Birds wasn't Neil's first band, nor was it ever HIS band: Young's only pre-Buffalo Springfield release was a 1963 45 by the Squires, and the Mynah Birds' only release was a 1965 45 that pre-dated Young's arrival in the group. (The impressive Ricky James sang on one side; the even more impressive Jimmy Livingston sang on the other; Bruce Palmer played bass, and Goldy McJohn - later of Steppenwolf - played organ. Jimmy Livingston soon left the group to join the Tripp, with Richard Bell.)

Posted on Mon Jun 19 19:49:27 CEST 2000 from usr37-dialup19.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.75.19)

G-MAN

Thanks to Crabby for some great shots of Levon and the others ! Robster had no review ??? He's NOT a Laker fan, though from LA.(Portland's owner has big $$ and wants to move RR Hall from Cleveland to Portland-- that's the conection) SPEAKING of the RR Hall of Fame- Levon and the Burner's there wed. 6/28 ??? Anyone have some more info.. Hey Crabby, what is with dissin' the Guru's name. Their music is super and real good bunch- let's stick to bashin others; give these dudes a little slack-get out and buy a couple copies of Big Foot-ha, ha,ha. Good pictures and KEEP ROCKIN' !!

Posted on Mon Jun 19 19:15:28 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9qs.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.167.92)

Pat Brennan

I think it was Steve Young who wrote a great song called "Pickin' 'n Grinnin" back in the mid-70's outlaw days. No condescension there a'tall.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 18:40:44 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

It's my understanding that the old Tony Mart's club in Somers Point, N.J. has been torn down. It was down on the bay right by the causeway that goes over to Ocean City. Although I grew up and spent all but my first few years in Georgia, my family is from Ocean City. We used to visit every summer and I remember riding past the club just before crossing over on the bridge. I was too young to go in Tony Mart's but one of my older cousins, who was a drummer, used to go there to check out the bands and remembers seeing The Hawks. The club used to advertise, like many places at the shore, using banners towed behind small airplanes that flew over the crowded beaches. Several years before Tony Mart's was torn down, the movie "Eddie and the Cruisers" filmed scenes at the club.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 18:08:58 CEST 2000 from webcache2.netdoor.com (208.137.128.32)

Deb

Your Crabness, thanks for the info on the pictures. They're very well done, and no matter how good the equipment is, photographs like that require a good eye, too. Little Brother -- re the source of the phrase "grinning and picking" -- ever watch Hee Haw? There was a regular segment called "Picking and grinning" that started off with Buck Owens hollering "I'm a-picking" to which Roy Clark would reply "I'm a-grinning". I don't know the context of the g & p quote you mentioned, but I don't know that it's necessarily condescending. I've heard musicians use it tongue-in-cheek to describe a kind of casual perfomance style, and I suppose the original context could be self-parody. BTW, aren't y'all all glad your every casual utterance is not as closely scrutinized as Robbie Roberston's are here? I'd hate to be held to account for everything I said twenty years ago.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 17:42:12 CEST 2000 from spider-wg011.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.21)

butch

To all of you who couldnt join us,,, it was a LEVON HELM weekend in the old 212 area code,,,, Thursdays show @ The Turning Point with Guy Davis was a blast,,,,,,,, Band friends showed to give Levon a welcome,, & blues folks to welcome Guy, & Levon, John Platania's playing is just amazing,,, & Levon REALLY loves playing with guy,,,, Get That record,, BUTTNEKKIDFREE !!!!! Then Friday was CONAN,, T-Bone Wolk & Gary Burke were added to the mix for T.V. & what a great addition,,,,,,,, BUrkey's left-handed soft touch was a perfect compliment to Levon's style & these two old friends .,,,, with Mark on bass & T-Bone on squeeze-box,, left so much room for Guy & John,,, they did WAITIN ON THE CARDS TO FALL,, & all the stagehands were boppin along,,,, Jimmy V , & scotty & mike ( piano & bass ) were perfect hosts,, old friends of Levons,,, ( sorry to say it seems Max went a bit HOLLYWOOD on us,,,, we all noticed it,, tsk tsk tsk,,, the Friday night , out in Brooklyn with the Bennett - McGloughlin Band a good ol GRATEFUL time,, just good jammin in a friendly room, with great folks,,, then Saturday,, in the Park With HUBERT !!!!!!! hubert sumlin, Levon Jimmy Vivino, Mim ke Merritt & david Johannsen ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, great show,, ALL the HOWLIN WOLF tunes,,,,, great sliding grooves,,, smiles everywhere, backstage,,,,, ON STAGE,,,,, audience,,, it was a HOT DAY !!!! but the music was HOTTER !!!!!!!! R.L.Burnside was on the bill, too,,,, his GRANDSON,, CEDRIC BURNSIDE plays druns for him,, a young mississippi kid ,,, & WHAT A DRUMMER !!!!!!!!!!! catsch this kid,, he;'s a MONSTER DRUMMER,,,, & YOUNG !!!!! then Saturday night,, jimmy V & I set up a small kit for levon @ chicago blues & Levon sat in on Jimmy's gig ,,,,, hiubert came down, too,, it was a night to behold,,,,,, all that good swampy blues stuff came out,, nary a second between tunes,, just go, bro, go !!!!! Cedric & R.L.'s guitar player came down & played,, it was an oldfashioned juke-joint night in NYC,,,,, Bless Jimmy BV's heart & his band,, their love of the BLUES & the music, really makes for a fun time,,, for us & the audience,,,,, A GREAT WEEKEND !!!!!!!! & a FATHER'S DAY PIECE on Levon & Amy , here in the local paper,,, nice touch,,, later,,, butch

Posted on Mon Jun 19 17:39:52 CEST 2000 from 1cust211.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.136.211)

Crabgrass

Re: spoons - what I'd like to know is who was the first person who figured out how to PLAY them - a truly great musical mind! (My instincts tell me this probably occurred in Ireland.)

To anyone interested - the photos were taken with a Sony Digital 8 video camera which has a 20x zoom, can shoot with practically no light at all, and then processed on my computer. I recently got rid of all my antiquated 35mm equipment - though mainly 'cause I was broke!

Posted on Mon Jun 19 14:15:40 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

Crabgrass: Top notch photos. Way to get in their and grab expressions and be intimate with your photography. Nothing like good light and a long lens to get those shots.

Just got back from New Orleans Sunday morning, what a town! If anyone ever wants great food and fantastic get out of your seat and shake it music, New Orleans is the place to go. I found a great cd store in the French Quarter that specialized in local blues, jazz and Zydeco bands. Sampled a few and walked away with some great live blues and zydeco cd's. The one that stands out is Henry Clay and the Cats. Lots of great piano, harmonica and dueling slide guitars, with a little touch of fiddle on the side.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 12:35:44 CEST 2000 from alb2-as5200-39-87.termserv.net (208.20.67.87)

Diamond Lil

Crabgrass: Very impressive photos. Thanks for sharing!

Calm: Loved your heartwarming story about the origin of "Taps". Now...can you tell me something about the origin of 'Zima'? I hear when you mix it with Coors light, you tend to have trouble with new shoes :-) Smile Bear...

Thanks to the jet-lagged one for the continuing updates of this wonderful site btw. Miss you here. Lots.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 11:32:18 CEST 2000 from 110.0101.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.110)

Nancy

Calm: Thank you for the Civil War story. Although I was sitting and reading it in my pj's in the middle of winter, I think the shiver that went down my spine was a feeling of grief for the father rather than the cold.

I also was trying some time back, to get the Band events into perpective in my own timeframe. I was particularly interested in what I was doing on the night of TLW, so I searched to find the date of Thanksgiving in 1976. Then I went to an old journal I used to keep, to look for the 25th or 26th November, whatever it was, and sure enough, found that that time was marked by a blank spot of a number of weeks! I remembered that I had recently been dumped from a big height by my first serious boyfriend, so that time is marked from choice by blank spaces! Not that this has much to do with The Band, you hadn't guessed had you?

Posted on Mon Jun 19 10:11:19 CEST 2000 from pm3-007.efn.org (206.163.180.7)

deb

Hey, thanks to calm for that Civil War story. Perhaps you or someone can comment on this tidbit I heard today.

This weekend I sold the entire contents of a household of my Grandma who passed away last fall. There was quite a variety of junque, and some customers commented on one item. It was a wooden-handled fork. My assistant told them they could use it for Civil War re-enactments. Then three of them got into a discussion about how you wouldn't use a wooden-handled spool because such things didn't exist during the Civil War.

So, my question is this: true or not. It seems odd. When were spoons invented? Did they exist one hundred fifty years ago? If so, why did the soldiers not use them?

Just sign me "Curious."

Posted on Mon Jun 19 07:44:27 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-113-171.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.113.171)

BWNWITennessee

Mom used to live in Ocean City, NJ, in the '60s and knew about Tony Mart's but never went there. What's wrong with some people? BTW, Little Brother, I used to spend summers in Avalon, too, and Thanksgiving in the Poconos, although it was in the '80s.

It says in the liner notes for "To Kingdom Come" that the line "Lay a flower in the snow" from Robbie's "Fallen Angel" was taken from the "Works" project. I'm curious as to whether anything from his recent Native American work was originally written for "Works."

Posted on Mon Jun 19 07:41:26 CEST 2000 from 1cust8.tnt1.shreveport.la.da.uu.net (63.10.18.8)

Bob W.

Can anybody help me??? I set my VCR to tape Conan the other night, not realizing that the game would be on, so I missed Levon. It stopped recording right in the middle of the interveiw with Patrick Stuart. Does anybody out there have it on tape?? Please email me. Thanks

Posted on Mon Jun 19 07:14:46 CEST 2000 from kala.maui.net (207.175.210.33)

L.A. Bob Schroeder

The Band has, have and always have a special place in my Heart!!! Each member of THE BAND had a special meaning for me and influence in my life of music. I had the pleasure and good fortune to work with them. I lived with them at time up in Bearsville and got to know them. At first I was just a Road Dog then climbed up to being their Sound Man while on the Road. It was the most awesome and learning experience of my career as a Tech. & Sound Engineer. I worked with Garth with The Call, Joel Sonnier and The Band in different varibles and Rick and Richard Manuel with The Byrds, Paul Butterfield and varibles of The Band. I just found out about Rick and it saddens me very much. "RICK" Goodbye my friend you were and are a very special person to me you taught me alot!!! I will miss your presence. PEACE RICK!!! Love You Man!!!! With Love and RespectYour Friend Forever!!!! L.A.Bob

Posted on Mon Jun 19 05:40:51 CEST 2000 from mat-1-22.enter.net (207.16.155.32)

Little Brother

-- Thanks to Bob and Crabby for sharing their fine photos of Levon and friends!

-- This 'book really gets busy sometimes! As one who overthinks EVERYTHING, I brooded too long over my choice for the three "wish you were there" Band occasions. It's a tricky proposition, like the "three wishes" deal in all those folk/fairy tales. I'd pick ANY day (week, month) at Big Pink after Levon's return-- the back half of the Basement Tape period. Then the "Rock of Ages" night, including of course the Dylan encores and post-show New Year's celebrations.

And just for a change of pace, I'd like to have been around during that 1965 stand at Tony Mart's in New Jersey-- the club where the Hawks regularly played until Dylan called. Until a co-worker of my dad's retired and opened a little resort in the Poconos, we spent a week or two in Avalon, New Jersey every summer. When I read Levon's book, it blew my mind to think of the young Hawks soaking up rays on a beach about 20 miles up the coast from where I was splashing around and throwing clams at sea gulls! (I was about ten years old at the time.)

-- On a vaguely unpleasant footnote, what was the source/context of the phrase "grinnin' and pickin'" that ran through the discussion a few days ago? I gather Robbie used it to describe-- what, exactly? Not any Band music I can think of. Bar/club music? It oozes with derision and putdown-- like "blackface".

I foolishly did a "search" using that phrase, and wound up sampling random bits of Band articles. One of them reminded me: What ever happened to the mysterious, Penderecki-inspired "Works" effort? I had the impression (from Hoskyns' book, I think) that it was more than just an idea, that it was something that was really being worked on apart from the final albums, although it never crystallized. Was any of it heard by anyone?

-- P.S. I considered getting out the Hoskyns book and refreshing my memory, but as I sat down an ominous muffled, twanging "thump" rattled my little crackerbox apartment. It seems that a long shelf/clothes rack inside my bedroom closet, piled with too much crap and hung with too much spare clothing, has torn loose and collapsed. Summer clothes and both my not-quite-surplus suits are now neatly accordioned, still on hangers, like sandwich filling between the boxes above and the odd books and papers below. That hard-shell guitar case sure was a smart investment. I imagine I'll excavate the mess on a need-to-wear basis...

Posted on Mon Jun 19 04:28:41 CEST 2000 from spider-to018.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.12)

Pac

Crabgrass, incredible photos! The middle one and bottom left caught the essence of Levon's interaction and tightness with fellow musicians. Someone make sure he gets to see them! You've got the gift, sir. I'm glad you had such a great time too!

Posted on Mon Jun 19 03:37:51 CEST 2000 from 1cust250.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.136.250)

Crabgrass

Well, if Robbie does support Portland it proves he's a traitor of sorts - after all, he does live in California!

BTW thanks for the nice comments on the photos - wish you all could've been there to enjoy it. Then afterward, you could've all beat the crap out of me and gone out for drinks!

There is a new instructional tape from Homespun Video ($35) on the guitar style of Hubert Sumlin featuring the very same lineup, including Levon. Check it out on the Homespun Video website - you might have better luck finding it than I did.

Posted on Mon Jun 19 02:58:50 CEST 2000 from spider-wo032.proxy.aol.com (205.188.200.32)

jimmy

does anyone know that if i was to send levon my copy of "wheels on fire" would he sign it? if you think he would what would be a good address? thanks,jimmy

Posted on Sun Jun 18 23:30:52 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-131.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.131)

Peter Viney

Crabgrass: Absolutely brilliant pictures. Congratulations. Wish I’d seen it.

Actually, I often think Richard Thompson’s "Brit" accent is deliberately exaggerated (a la David Bowie and imitators), but what do I know, I come from Dorset where the accents are near Mummerset (= "mummer" i.e. actor + Somerset in the west of England). It’s the south-west country accent accepted by movies as West of England (though it’s always fake). RT is "south-east plus".

I thought someone pointed out that RR was supporting Portland, not LA. Who cares? England 1, Germany – 0, in Euro 2000 is the only result of significance.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 22:12:36 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8j8.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.162.104)

Pat Brennan

Also, I'd like to clear up something. Earlier I posted that Paul Griffin overdubbed a brilliant organ part to Idiot Wind during the infamous NY sessions for Blood On The Tracks. The Official Bootleg release has a version of IW that claims to be this version; of course, listening to it reveals that it is not. Blood On The Tapes has both versions, with and without organ. I assumed incorrectly that the OB version was the organ version without the overdub, as Clinton Heylin has claimed that Griffin overdubbed his part some days later. In fact, the OB version is a later try at the tune without Griffin, and that the organ version was performed by Griffin with Dylan and bassist Tony Brown. Sorry for the inaccuracy and thanks for the correction.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 22:03:55 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8j8.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.162.104)

Pat Brennan

Although this has nothing to do with the Band, the origins of "Taps" as posted earlier is a bit off. "Taps" was developed by a Federal General named Daniel Butterfield by re-working the last few bars of the "Tattoo", itself a permutation of a French bugle call. "Tatoo" had been around since 1835. The bugler who shined up Butterfield's work was name O.W. Norton. The previous post did get the locale right. Like most history, the Civil War had its fair share of apocryphal stories, the "Taps" story being one. Calm does have a nice website.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 21:47:16 CEST 2000 from spider-wb011.proxy.aol.com (205.188.192.151)

donna

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there! Bob Wigo, have a great day! Congratulations, to Christopher, and the hockey team! Crabby, thank you for posting those wonderful pics of Levon, in Central Park. I'm just sorry that I was unable to make it.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 20:40:35 CEST 2000 from 1cust49.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.134.49)

Crabgrass

The "union rules" point is interesting but not quite clear. Does someone who "appears" to sing get paid less than someone who actually sings? Anyway, this may shed some light on The Last Waltz controversy - perhaps Scorcese had Robbie's mic turned off due to budget constraints.

Also interesting that fellow "roots artists" Los Lobos and Richard Thompson are friends. They played at the reception for Thompson's second wedding - RT lives in CA half the year and the other six months in London probably to keep from losing his Brit accent. (He also seems to fit in about 12 months of touring - don't know how he does it!)

Posted on Sun Jun 18 20:37:45 CEST 2000 from dialup-279.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.23)

HANK

The Story of "Taps" being on this GB is one of many things that makes this such a great GB......Thanks Calm.......Amazing stuff!!!!......PAT BRENNAN......Please don't make me go back........I looked at The Archives.....ONCE......ever since I got here........scarey stuff!!!..............what I mean is, if you wanted to and were REALLY obsessive about what gets written here, you could TRAWL them archives and really get into peoples heads........I prefer to live in the now....plus, my wife thinks it's crazy enuff coming here everyday......and my friends outside of cyberspace look at me funny when I start talking of GB stuff in everyday conversations........Y'know, there are Robertsonians and Levonistas out there in the real world (so to speak) as well......and I get all these insights here.... it does me head in sometimes.......I must admit, tho, that "venting spleen" is a very strong phrase ....sorry 'bout that...........Hey Folks!!! Saw George Harrison at The F1 in Montreal on the telly today!!!!.....now, how COOLER would RR be if he was seen to be hanging THERE with George and Nick Mason, say, than watching The Lakers in LA??......or is RR COOLER for watchin' B-ball??.....I Dunno.....it gets SOOOO confusing....does'nt it??????? I mean, is he really such a cool dude anyway???..........it's only a fool who plays it cool.....has he made his world COLDER?.......or is he just hanging out???.......the only thing you can say about RR is that he should play MORE Rock'n'Roll guitar than he does....apart from that....nothing really matters where he goes, who he sees and what kinda stuff he does IMHO........ you could say the same about George Harrison......I think Ringo should ask George and RR to be in the next incarnation of his ALL-STARR Band......why not??........it'll get 'em back playing a few gigs, at least......You don't see RINGO or LEVON at these silly multi-million dollar sporting extravaganzas, do you?....that's 'cos they're gigging and are in fact, VERY cool......oh man, I better stop now!!!!! Thanks for the encouragement SUNDOG............Wish I coulda been in Central Park yesterday.............

Posted on Sun Jun 18 18:44:27 CEST 2000 from pppa82-resaleclearwaterb9-4r7357.saturn.bbn.com (4.48.11.143)

calm

Not directly Band related. But with the discussions that have gone on about the North and the South, and the interesting snippets of that history that have been posted, I thought this may be of some interest to you. Clicking on "home page" will take you to the site where you can find the words to "Taps" and the story of the origin of the 21-gun salute.

The Story Behind "Taps"

It all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moan of a soldier who lay mortally wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The captain lit a lantern. Suddenly, he caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, he enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial despite his enemy status. His request was partially granted. The captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for the son at the funeral. That request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician. The captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of his dead son's uniform. This wish was granted. This music was the haunting melody we now know as "Taps" that is used at all military funerals.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 18:08:28 CEST 2000 from user-33qta82.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.169.2)

Pat Brennan

Levon singing....that is one heckuva Father's Day gift.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 16:42:07 CEST 2000 from spider-ti014.proxy.aol.com (152.163.194.179)

Ruby

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads here and especially to my friends Bashful Bill and Rick(from Sufferin, N.Y.).Glad you had a great time at the concert Crabby and thanks for the photos.Peace to all

Posted on Sun Jun 18 16:25:12 CEST 2000 from trt-on52-27.netcom.ca (216.123.98.155)

John Donabie

Crabgrass........Great Photos! You've got a good eye!

Posted on Sun Jun 18 16:19:04 CEST 2000 from 209-130-201-32.nas2.mon.gblx.net (209.130.201.32)

Lars

CROW: Happy Father's Day to a guy I consider to be a father figure, in a very real and legally binding sense.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 12:26:58 CEST 2000 from 1cust71.tnt2.poughkeepsie.ny.da.uu.net (63.17.108.71)

crow

I saw the Conan show the other night too and believe that I heard "the voice" in the mix. I should say, though, that due to certain union rules if you sing (or appear to) on a TV show you get paid more than if you just play. Still...I'm pretty sure that it was there. Also interesting is the fact that the other drummer was none other than Gary Burke of the Crowmatix and I believe the electric (slide) guitarist was John Platania -who played with Van Morrison some years back. altogether a pretty stellar lineup and some damn good music.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 10:30:06 CEST 2000 from alb3-as5200-02-98.termserv.net (208.20.67.98)

Diamond Lil

Happy Father's Day to all you dad's out there.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 05:53:25 CEST 2000 from proxy-641.public.rwc.webtv.net (209.240.200.89)

Scott

How does one purchase the Japan import of "Big Foot" with the extra track ?? Help.....

Posted on Sun Jun 18 04:36:40 CEST 2000 from parachute1-156-40-64-165.net.nih.gov (156.40.64.165)

Jonathan Katz

I turned on Conan O'Brien just in time to see Guy Davis. He's doing "Waitin' On The Cards To Fall," one of my favorite songs from his latest album. It doesn't take long for the camera to find Levon, and he looks like he's having a great time! The song's got a good beat, catchy lyrics, and the band starts to cook. Davis is enjoying himself too, almost as much as me - its been worth staying up until two to see my favorite drummer. I didn't notice the mike and its boom at first, but on the chorus Levon turns and sings! And what a glorious sight - could it be that the voice that sang all those wonderful songs of the Band, and spoke some moving dialog in "Coal Miner's Daughter" has not been stilled? God almighty let it be true. I heard it, Crabgrass; and I don't think that it was my imagination.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 03:54:54 CEST 2000 from 3cust32.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.135.32)

Crabgrass

Sorry folks! Not feelin' the least bit crabby after seeing the great free Central Park concert featuring Levon, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Vivino, and David Johansen who in 90 degrees + turned the temperature up to 200 by ripping through what seemed like just about every classic song in the electric blues catalog. One of the very best concerts I've ever seen. The healing power of music seems to be working for Levon!!

In the meantime, those needing a dose of crabbiness will have to make do with my recently surfaced rivals. (I am a bit annoyed about Robbie getting that stupid basketball game on NBC last night and making me stay up past my bedtime to catch Levon on Conan. I'm glad his precious Lakers got trounced!) BTW I did "see" Levon sing some backing vocals but didn't actually "hear" him. Maybe he was using the mic Robbie had in The Last Waltz.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 03:24:07 CEST 2000 from tc7-06.blm.bluemarble.net (208.245.166.128)

Todd Berryman

Hi all...BWNWITennessee - Your comments reminded me of the review I saw in STEREO REVIEW of LL's BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON in 1987...the critic (Mark Peel?) had comments comparing them very favorably to the Band...describing our boys as "four Canadians and one unrepentant Arkansas cracker" (God, I LOVE that line) and citing the Lobos as a group that came through a similar roots-rock tradition. It's also one of the few times I've purchased an album solely on the basis of a review...the love of a good Band comparison dies hard, I guess. To this day, I still hear BY THE LIGHT...as the Latino-rock cousin to THE BAND, two incredible sophomore albums that (in some circles) eclipse their predecessors. Later...TODD.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 03:09:23 CEST 2000 from gdh2-25c.twcny.rr.com (24.95.166.92)

dr pepper

"They had two Cadillacs. I got in with The Hawk. We made two stops. I said good-bye to my boss and told him I was going to Toronto with a famous rock and roll band. Then we went home to get some clothes. I told my mom I was leaving town for a couple of weeks. I kissed 'em good-bye and that was it. I was on the road. Hawk was telling me that I was gonna play a little rhythm guitar, and later I'd play bass. I'd never played either in my life! Meanwhile I noticed that the driver, Bill Avis, has us cruising down Highway 3 at maybe 75, and all of a sudden I saw car lights coming on fast behind us. I thought it was the Mounties. But no. 'Pull over, son,' Hawk said to Bill. 'That's Levon - give him plenty room!' Sure enough, in ten seconds Levon blows by us at 110, windows rolled down with bare legs sticking out. Young girls' legs. He had a beautiful '54 two-door. Filled with young women! This was Levon on his way to Grand Bend, where The Hawks were playing next. Yaa-hoooooo!!!! Away we went!" Rick Danko on his first night with Ronnie.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 02:34:06 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9u1.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.167.193)

Pat Brennan

Hey, Hank, who you crappin'? A week-long defense of the Stones? Go back and check it out--right around April 15.

Posted on Sun Jun 18 02:12:30 CEST 2000 from ip-115.dial.wans.com (64.7.64.115)

Molly Z.

Hey! This kinda has nothing to do with the Band, but I feel like posting this anyway.

I happen to be watching a weird but cool movie called 'A Friend Of the Deceased.' Alexander Lazarev, who's starring in the movie, looks a lot like Robbie Robertson. He's a great actor!

I also updated my website, and it's still being worked on. But take a peek anyway, and say hi. Thanks. Have a good evening everyone!

Posted on Sat Jun 17 23:33:34 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-104.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.104)

Peter Viney

A day in London for a "sonic art show". We were transfixed by a short film (15 minutes) called "Guitar Drag" of a Chevrolet pick-up towing a Stratocaster over rough ground. The Strat was connected to an amp on the pick up truck. Let me say that Leo Fender’s work survived well. The strings were finally ground through when the guitar turned over, but the pick ups kept transmitting even at high-speed on a tarmac road, and the neck stayed on, proving that Townsend used prepared instruments. (The truck had Texas licence plates in case you need to know). Come back, Neil Young, all is forgiven, and it was better played that "Metal Machine Music".

The other event – picking up Capitol’s 24 bit remaster of "The Beach Boys- Best of The Brother years" bodes well for theBand remasters from the same label. The very muddy "Holland" tracks come through clear with better separation.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 23:22:28 CEST 2000 from jan-hoiberg.hiof.no (158.36.52.15)

jh

Testing...please ignore

Posted on Sat Jun 17 20:36:37 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-115-80.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.115.80)

BWNWITennessee

Glad to see the Los Lobos comments, they're one of my favorites, too. Are there any Latin Playboys fans here? They're kind of like LL's Basement Tapes, in a way. I was lucky enough to see the Playboys last year in NYC on tax day during their short tour, it was great. They kind of revved up the songs a little bit more than they are on the records, made them more rocking. They even dedicated a song, "If," to "the phenominal Levon Helm." It made me wonder if maybe he was at the show, or perhaps they had just found out about his throat problems.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 20:26:27 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup58.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.58)

G-Man

Bflo. was really hoppin w/the Robster in town ! Especially when the $30-tickets went down to $10-. I saw in the paper, had time to make the show !! Me and mama decided to take a nap &------- & watch CONAN. Levon looked like he really enjoyed himself, played great, and did a little backup vocal for Guy Davis. Saved $14 quid ta boot.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 19:50:26 CEST 2000 from d185fc175.rochester.rr.com (24.95.193.117)

Dave Hopkins

It was great to see Levon on the Conan O'Brien show last night...a great performance, and he even did a little singing!

Posted on Sat Jun 17 19:23:26 CEST 2000 from 209-130-200-117.nas2.mon.gblx.net (209.130.200.117)

Lars Pedersen

"The management said they were sorry

For the inconvenience you are suffering

And Mister Booking Agent, please have mercy

Don't book the jobs"....all on the same night.

On Sat, July 1st we have some choices to make. Levon & the Barnburners are playing in Somers Point, NJ. Up in Piermont, at the "Turning Point," Weider and the 'Ruse are going on just about the same time (9:00 PM) as Garth & the Crowmatix at the "Towne Crier" in Pawling, NY. Too bad we can only pick one show. Too bad the weekend before looks open for all three groups. Bad luck, kind of a "triple witch" for Band fans.

As for the thread on which three shows I could have seen, I would pick the above three shows. And at least I'll get one of my wishes to come true.

Weather's hot, roses are in bloom, plenty of work out there, the kids are healthy, and the Band family is still making music. This is a good time to be alive.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 17:43:53 CEST 2000 from user-33qt88n.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.161.23)

Pat Brennan

Funny how disagreeing with someone gets labelled as venting one's spleen.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 15:46:55 CEST 2000 from t-8-180-153.dialup.wisc.edu (144.92.180.153)

Tim(SUNDOG)Corcoran

Hank- you should never have to question what you post here, thats what this forum is all about,,,"POSTING YOUR THOUGHTS, MESSAGES, FEELINGS (bad or good), HONORING, BASHING, DISAGREEMENTS, SHARING, LETTING STEAM OFF, ect, ect. Hope all of you have a Grateful Day".

Posted on Sat Jun 17 15:11:01 CEST 2000 from as25.infoflex.com.au (203.23.250.64)

Anthony Frazer

Hi all,

Just a quick (and hopefully not too obvious) question concerning the Capitol re-releases.

I notice that one of the extra tracks to be slotted in on Big Pink is "Katie's Been Gone" a song which, really, was one of the first songs to ever draw me to The Band's music. It still holds a very special place for me. Anyway, does anyone know if it is going to be the same version as that found on the official release of The Basement Tapes or can I hope for an alternate version?

I wait in hope.

Many thanks.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 14:10:03 CEST 2000 from dialup-355.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.99)

HANK

I think I should say that, despite what I wrote a coupla posts ago about The Dead and The Stones.....I LOVE both those groups!!!!!!....ALOT!!!!!!.....I's just pointing out how, in their early days, both those groups had it easy compared to The Band and The Beatles...that's all. I was surprised to see how my comments led to folks here vent their spleen on both The Dead and the Stones. A coupla months ago I stood up for the Stones for about a week when someone trashed them here........... CAMEOS?? D'y'all ever hear Levon playing on Neil Youngs "Hawks and Doves" album? He plays on just one track..... but it's a spooky weirdo track about a horseman........the name escapes me right now.....something like, "Lonesome horseman" or "Headless Rider".........it's long and it's dark....but it's great and Levons playing is wonderful......Maybe they shoulda asked Neil Young to replace RR........I'm surprised that they did'nt work with Neil Young more than they did, actually........any ideas?...apart from the maverick nature of Young.............It midsummer north of the equator folks......enjoy it!!!!.......To those way south of the line, drink lotsa juice'n' water.......take care of yerselves...get plenty....REST...............

Posted on Sat Jun 17 09:53:08 CEST 2000 from user-33qtafj.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.169.243)

Pat Brennan

Crabby, no big deal but it was Newport 65. And there's a great boot of that show which has moments of real musical levity. And I must be nuts, but I regard the Grateful Dead's approach to music making awfully egocentric. No flaming, but I'll take The Band's little three minute numbers over the Dead's extended whatever anyday.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 08:40:09 CEST 2000 from spider-tq072.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.77)

Pac

RPence, really enjoyed your comments on Los Lobos. They remain one of my favorite live bands, especially in a small club or concert hall like the Fillmore. Was thilled to find them on the kids' show "Reading Rainbow" the other day, talking about Latino/American music, jamming acoustically in the backyard, then having relatives and friends couples-dance all around them. Amanda, thanks for your good wishes. "Mystery Train" is fabulous (loved Screamin' Jay Hawkins as the hotel clerk). Tennessee, "Dead Man" was surreal indeed. Have you seen "Down By Law" yet? Tom Waits in the Bayou! Also, didn't Jarmusch film Neil Young's "Year of the Horse"? Great film for the right movie theatre. We caught Neil's last night of that tour out here -- September skies, beautiful moon and dazzling Jupiter overstage; he and Crazy Horse played for over 3 hours straight. Wish there were more concerts with such magic. Ah, so many of you are lucky to have caught Levon & the Barnburners, Garth with the Crowmatix, and all the magic you described from the memorial concert. Good health and the best of music to all.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 08:11:58 CEST 2000 from bey.kiva.net (208.143.0.69)

Todd Berryman

Hi all... Don - I think "Sign Language" was recorded at Shangri-La, probably around the time Robbie was preparing tapes for THE BASEMENT TAPES release (circa 1974/5?). Herman - bad news on additional LAST WALTZ material...considering that there were a lot of "corrections" in the studio to fix some of the bum notes, etc. (a partial reason why "The Weight" is on the "studio" side of TLW), the odds of seeing any "official" release of outtakes aren't so good...however, mountains have occasionally been known to tumble, so one can hope... Be well...TODD.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 07:03:01 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

Ack- last night I had the dubious pleasure of hearing a Nick Cave version of Long Black Veil. I prefer Rick Danko's version! Even though I get the feeling he is making fun of the melodrama of the song he does it with a far lighter touch than Nick Cave.

BWNWITennessee- just responding to a previous post of yours- I've seen Dead Man. I think it does capture the dreamlike surreal landscape of the Weight. Another film by Jim Jarmusch also does this too ie. Mystery Train even though that has a seedy, edge of town ambience rather than the nightmarish, Wild West of Dead Man.

However, I don't think the character in the Weight is an innocent. If he were, why would he need to look for a place to hide? Also, I think the character in the Weight gets to leave town but, as I recall, William Blake is *a dead man* by the end of the film.

I hope everyone with colds,flu, pneumonia and sinus infections feels better soon!

Posted on Sat Jun 17 06:58:35 CEST 2000 from spider-we082.proxy.aol.com (205.188.195.57)

Herman Berman

My question is folks, "When are we gonna see outtakes from the last waltz. They did a whole show and the film shows parts of it. What about "Rag", "Wheels", "Carnival", "Harvest", "Acadian", "Walcott", and any other songs I forgot to mention. We should petition Scorsese and make him put out the complete last waltz. Whadaya say?

Posted on Sat Jun 17 05:54:37 CEST 2000 from 1cust100.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.134.100)

Crabgrass

I wish I'd seen Robbie and Levon play with Dylan at Forest Hills in '65 - actually I was there but sitting quite far back and assumed as many did that Mike Bloomfield was playing guitar since Al Kooper and Harvey Brooks were onstage and they were on the Highway 61 Revisited album. I don't think the personnel were introduced. Recently someone gave me a tape copy of an audience boot - not great quality but interesting. It's amazing that no one apparently shot any film that night though it might have detracted from the concert - which was great!

There are some short snippets of Dylan rehearsing with Mike Bloomfield at Newport '64 (with Peter Yarrow who was adjusting the sound levels yelling at them to stop) in the Murray Lerner film "Festival" (black & white) which was released theatrically on the "art film" circuit about 2 years ago. Some rare additional shots of Dylan in there also. Don't think it's available on video however though I'm fairly certain it has run on PBS. It's sort of the pre-Woodstock "Woodstock" film.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 06:03:47 CEST 2000 from spider-tj023.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.183)

Bayou Sam

I would love to have been at Big Pink on the day Levon came back north to hook up with the guys again- and to watch the first time they went downstairs to jam, without Dylan.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 05:22:08 CEST 2000 from dialup-259.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.3)

Hank

It's toooolate to write any major rant right now....but those of you in the NYC area should go and see Levon play in Cental Park today.....I'll catch up with y'all later!!!!

Posted on Sat Jun 17 03:21:55 CEST 2000 from (129.237.24.44)

RPence

The comment on the RR solo on the Clapton song, which I haven't heard (unfortunately), got me to thinking about which is my favorite appearance by a Band member on another artist's song. For me, it's Levon on "Little John of God" by Los Lobos, the only group that comes close to evoking the chemistry and respect for traditions and innovation that The Band perfected. Plus, like The Band, Los Lobos gained an interesting perspective on America through their dual identities, Hispanic American in the case of Los Lobos. No wonder they picked Levon. I'd like to hear other choices for "best cameo by a Band member in another artist's song."

Posted on Sat Jun 17 02:46:29 CEST 2000 from mat-5-38.enter.net (207.16.155.232)

Little Brother

Don, "Sign Language" is a track on Eric Clapton's "No Reason to Cry" album. And that guitar is all Robbie, at least the trilling, twanging, bending, glissandiing guitar that dominates the song. Deep magic here.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch: Has anyone seen an odd listing on E-bay entitled Lilith?

"A collaboration that had to happen: International rock'n'roll superstar Boris Grebenshikov, often referred to as Russia's Bob Dylan, has recorded an album with Dylan's most famous band. THE BAND." (1998)

Huh?

Posted on Sat Jun 17 02:08:44 CEST 2000 from spider-th031.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.56)

Don Pugatch

Question for the group. Downloaded a duet by Dylan/Clapton, called " Sign Language" Any one know, where was this recorded? Also, the guitar, yes it is most likely Eric, but if you listen closely, sounds likes Robbie's style. Any comments?

Posted on Sat Jun 17 02:04:20 CEST 2000 from spider-th031.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.56)

Don Pugatch

Here is the review from the Hiatt concert last night in Kansas City, Openning act 14 year old Shannon Curfman, with excellent experienced band, her style Rock/Blues. Hiatt came on at about 9:30, played till 11, 3 encores, was with his band(The Goners) that played with him on "Slow Turning" and a special guest Sonny Landreth, one of the best slide guitar players around( Not Ry, but close) Most cuts from Slow Turning, Bring the Family and was thrilled about the new BB/Clapton CD, Riding with the Kings, Hiatt's comments were that the best compliment he has ever had with BB/Eric recording his song. Last encore, came out solo on piano, Little Faith in med, and then the band returned for a 10 minute Thing called Love. Small venue, about 300 in the audience, magical musical momement. Oh well, going to see Dave and Steve in about 30 minutes. Hey John, like you song says, Drive South!!!!!!!!

Posted on Sat Jun 17 02:01:12 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-112-19.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.112.19)

BWNWITennessee

Crabby's reference to Duane Eddy reminded me that when I saw Lonnie Mack in the summer of '98, he introduced a song by saying that he had just returned from Woodstock, where The Band was recording a 20th Anniversary of Big Pink album, with all kinds of special guests, including him. If memory serves me well, I think he also said something like, "Robbie wasn't invited because they don't like him no more." For the life of me, I can't remember what the song he then played was. I don't think it was a Band song, I guess it was something new that he recorded with them. Has anyone else ever heard anything about this? Maybe some of this will be released on the potential '90s outtakes album that Levon has mentioned.

One thing that kind of bothers me about "Robbie Robertson" is that I remember an article from "Musician" magazine during that time where Robbie talked about his dislike for introspective songwriters, saying that "If I ever wanted to go, 'Here's a little song about me,' it would make me want to puke all over the piano." But "Robbie Robertson" is very autobiographical, especially "Testimony."

Posted on Sat Jun 17 01:34:06 CEST 2000 from spider-wd012.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.152)

franko

Love the new line-up, Peter. I'd add David Forman (from Largo) to handle Rick-like ballads and Richard's falsetto. Robbie insists on bringing in Eric Bazilian because he wants two mandolin players in the group so he can get back to his grinnin' and pickin' roots. I heard that it was LEVON that called and end to the run and organized The Very Last Waltz in '06, and hired Mark Stoufer, producer and director of Man Outside, to film the concert.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 00:28:34 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-117.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.117)

Peter Viney

Dexy: A good "What if …" theme to get us all typing. A totally new group, doing new material with Levon & Garth? And Levon no longer singing? As it’s totally hypothetical, we can ignore the feud. Levon – mandolin, harmonica, bass, drums. Garth- kyboards, saxes, accordion. Robbie Robertson – guitar, vocal, Don Henley- drums, vocal, Bruce Hornsby- piano, vocal, Chris Hillman (your choice, but inspired because of his vocal ability) – bass, rhythm guitar, vocal; Pee Wee Ellis or Clarence Clemons - saxes. I think that line up could kick ass on vocal ability. There’d be a few numbers with Levon on Mandolin, Robbie &Hillman on acoustic guitars, Henley just singing, Garth on accordion. In 2001 they open at Winterland, and Robbie needs acupuncture and hypnotherapy before taking the stage. All new material. The only Band number they perform is "The moon struck one". Their "Moondog Latterday" album in 2005 is a tribute to the artists who consoled them through the 90s. "Wonderwall" is the surprise single, but covers of The Chemical Brothers, Bulgarian folk song and Taj Mahal add interest. In 2006 they’d play the Very Last Waltz when RR announces he is leaving, but this time they’d have Stephen Stills & Ry Cooder competing to replace him at once.

Posted on Sat Jun 17 00:06:42 CEST 2000 from dialup-209.244.107.183.sanjose1.level3.net (209.244.107.183)

tumultguy

I own some product and I am a fan but I never saw The Band play live and, living where I do, I never see any of the spin-offs. I have always loved TLW for the music and for the fucked up musicians dealing with the end of their marraige together.

My take on The Band is that, while they were supreme song writers and musicians, they were a little ego centric in the end and it shows. The Grateful Dead on the other hand, while having "lightweight apprenticeships" before being "adopted by rich folks" had a remarkable ability to surrender their egos for the sake of creating music that was happening RIGHT NOW.

We are all selfish creatures. It is survival of the fittest but when a group of humans decide to transcend that biological imperative for the sake of great art I guess you could term the effort, "...generally gave value for money."

Before braking out the hippy killing flame throwers let me say that you regular group of GB posters are knowlegable and thoughtful and my appreciation of The Band has been rekindled.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 23:51:05 CEST 2000 from user-33qt928.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.164.72)

Pat Brennan

Mike, "Remedy" was from the WGN show called "The Road" which featured contemporary country artists in live settings. That performance was recorded in Rockford IL. They also did "Carnival." BTW, Levon also narrated the show.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 23:07:33 CEST 2000 from cobalt.nextlink.net (206.129.70.172)

Mike

A couple of things...Regarding VH1's "Behind the Music" series, did they ever do one on The Band? I know there was the one on JRR, but I haven't seen if there is one on the group as a whole.

Also, the concert clip at the beginning of the "Authorized Biography" where they're playing "Remedy," does anyone know where it is from and if that particular concert is available anywhere?

And the tribute to Rick, is it available? Wish I could've been there, but I'm in Oregon. Thanks.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 21:57:16 CEST 2000 from spider-wc044.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.39)

franko

pehr: I taped the "interview." It was nothing more than a few words from Rick about Dixie. He said something like Dixie, The Weight, and Cripple Creek were the only Band songs to get any play on AM stations, and that he hadn't heard Levon sing Dixie in 20 years. It was about a ten second sound cut, followed by the song. That was it. Thanks anyway for the heads up, LDO, you never know, you know?

I for one LOVE the VH1 video and these days enjoy it more than TLW. Levon and John Simon talking about Rag, Rick's When You Awake, Garth being Garth, Robbie fooling with the guitar or talking about Garth and the others, the Richard clips, etc. When Don Was talks about the Clubhouse, and wanting to be a part of it, he says what I felt when I was a kid. It may not be perfect but that's ok with me.

Someone asked a while back about the Rick baseball songs. They are from a video called Nelvanamation II, 1980, Warner Home Video. Rick's songs are from Take Me Up To The Ballgame, one of the two animated pieces on the video. The second is called The Jack Rabbit Story (Easter Fever) with music by John Sebastian. I bought the vid on EBay a few months ago.

Although I like much of RR and Storyville, I never liked Testimony, because of the lyrics discussed here. While I appreciate the alternate interpretations, I take it pretty literally and see it as a shot at the other guys. Speak the truth. Testify. These are straight at ya lyrics from where I sit. That said, we do spend a lot of time discussing lyrics and meaning - and I spend a lot of time thinking about them -, and in the end who knows? An article posted here recently talked about Robbie making the record, flying over to the UK with a few scribbled words, some unfinished songs and a few horn arrangements. For all we know he may have spent 10 minutes on the lyrics to Tesimony in the back seat of a taxi on the way to the studio.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 21:47:43 CEST 2000 from (207.159.243.157)

jcf

In the first scene of the last waltz, when Rick is explaining the rules of cutthroat, he says that the object of the game is to keep your balls on the table and to sink all the other ones. This never made sense to me. Aren't a players balls always the ones that she/he is supposed to sink. This game would only amke sense if cutthroat was played by more than two players.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 20:55:49 CEST 2000 from m198214181105.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.105)

pehr

I'm with ya again Dexy, I think thats a heck of a band there!

I'm again' ya again Crabby, while "fantastic" may not be the word for it, I think Rick's first solo effort is a real solid record...the songs, music and of course the singing on that record is real together. For me, maybe the most under-rated record of the 70's...

Good point about Newport '65. to get this wish to go back in time to see Dylan with the Hawks and end up seeing the Butterfield guys over a technicality. Be careful what you wish for.

anyone going to tape the Danko interview in boston mentioned earlier this week?

happy weekend, gang

Posted on Fri Jun 16 20:03:36 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8fe.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.161.238)

Pat Brennan

Paul Griffin played piano on "One Of Us Must Know", creating a style that Al Kooper regarded as one of the more revolutionary moments in 60's rock. Later, he overdubbed organ on the NY version of Idiot Wind.All you Band fans should get the Hawks version of "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" to hear what they sounded like in the studio with Dylan. The difference in sound between that single and Blonde On Blonde is remarkable.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 19:09:33 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

A few further thoughts on the "Blonde on Blonde" recording sessions -- Dylan's decision to record in Nashville was a bold move at the time, no doubt influenced by Bob Johnson, who had replaced Tom Wilson as his producer. Dylan's reckless spontaneity in the studio has presented a challenge for his producers, throughout his career. Johnson was familiar with the Nashville studio environment and it was probably him who arranged to contract the "A-List" musicians to play on the sessions. These musicians were used to playing their parts "on the spot" wihout notated charts. In Nashville, songs were often quickly written out using a simple numerical system to indicate the basic chords.

Many of the piano parts on the "B.O.B." sessions were played by Hargus "Pig" Robbins. Mr. Robbins, who is blind, has a legendary reputation for his ability to quickly figure out what to play in difficult passages of music. He replaced the great Floyd Cramer as Nashville's "A-List" pianist when Cramer's career took him out on the road.

The Nashville "establishment" probably laughed when Dylan first came to town to record. However, they soon realized that they owed him a debt of gratitude when other non-country artists follwed suit.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 18:44:25 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

I'm getting a cold, so please forgive me if this comes off grumpy, but I'll keep it short:

1. RR's "Going Home" Video - Actually, it's pretty well balanced between solo and Band work. I suspect that if you don't like RR you won't like it, and if you like him you will. It contains a few gems, especially the final scene of covering the Band era, where he's clearly rather emotional regarding how things ended up after TLW...I see nothing but regret there that they all meant to continue to work together but somehow never did until it was too late and Richard was gone.

   The video was done after Native Americans, so there's only three solo albums to draw on. Personally, I can't stand the interview with him and Marty, mostly 'cause Marty talks too much. All in all the video does a decent job at what it's designed to do, cover RR's career from The Band to film, to the solo albums, weighting each one according to their output.

   Yes, it shows RR in a good light, but then again, Levon's book does the same for Levon - and Coming Home does it without any venom.

2. VH-1 - A couple points here. RR did not produce that special and has remarked himself that he found it a rather unsatisfying document. During his last appearance on "Politically Incorrect" he touched on that saying something to the effect that he was "subjected" to it. Beyond that, the shortcomings and even ethical breaches in VH-1's work has been exhausted here - safe to say most Bandheads, Levonista's and Robertsons alike, weren't that happy with it.
3. Regarding Dylan at Newport and wishing they could see that as a Band moment...don't we all, no Hawks were at Newport. Robbie debuted with Dylan at Forest Hills later on.

...heading for the nyquil now...

Posted on Fri Jun 16 18:32:35 CEST 2000 from 2cust120.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.133.248)

Crabgrass

I bet Robbie had something to do with getting that damn basketball game on NBC and pushing Levon's TV appearance into the wee wee hours!!! I don't mind the ongoing feud between them but this is a low blow!!

Didn't Bo Diddley produce "Ramble Jungle" on High On the Hog and wasn't Duane Eddy inducted into the R&RHOF the same night as The Band? If they'd have let Duane play on "The Weight" it might have been better. For all his praise of The Band I don't think Clapton did much for the song - there's a video clip of it on the Authorized Biography tape I believe.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 16:46:14 CEST 2000 from spider-tj022.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.182)

DP

Watch your NBC TV schedule tonight, with the basketball game, the Conan show may be moved to a later time and the time for Guy Davis and Levon could also be a moving time target.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 16:35:41 CEST 2000 from m113-mp1-cvx1c.lee.ntl.com (62.252.236.113)

Caleb

Bob - regarding your request for thoughts on those lyrics of Robbie's... I think the key word to understanding, contemplating or deciphering (you choose) these lyrics is 'retrospective'. Whilst many of the Band's lyrics in their original form are in my opinion 'introspective' (in that they are deeply personal - 'Stage Fright' and 'In a Station' spring immediately to mind), looking back from a new perspective - in this case a solo career - can, on occasion, obscure this introspection, and what naturally replaces it is hindsight. In my experience, events seen in retrospect are seen through a cloud of bitterness. For example, Neil Youngs 'Harvest Moon' album is as angry album as one could wish to hear, or Springsteens re-recording of 'Born in the USA' - once an anthemic call for justice, whilst the lyrics have not changed, his acoustic version, heavy on a really nasty slide guitar, owes much to the anger he felt after Reagan (or was it Bush - sorry, I'm a Brit) hijacked it in such a callous manner. Back to the lyrics at hand - whilst I am a huge fan of Robbie's musical work (the solo from 'King Harvest' hits me for six every time), lets be honest, he ain't the most self deprecating fella your ever going to meet, and so whilst the lyric "..Those golden days on smokey mountain.." might conjure up images of Big Pink and the whole Woodstock scene, what follows ("..Playing guitar in a one man band..") marks the song, to me personally, as an angry one. Myself and a friend have discussed this lyric at some length - who is the man of the "one man band"? First impressions would suggest it to be Robbie himself, yet we all know that Robbie felt a lot of bitterness towards Levon for what he saw as his controlling and authoritative position in the fabric of The Band (and vice versa), or alternatively it could be the Hawk, the man who wouldn't let the guys have girlfriends, who hated them smoking the whacky baccy and was massively protective of his cars upholstery! Thats why logically (or logocentrically), to me, the line "..I had a revelation like runaway horses..", which represents (aside from the implications of Robbies native ancestory) abandonment and freedom from control, should follow next, since he is free of "..the carnival show..". Apologies if this doesn't make sense, The Band's lyrics just set my head spinning with all the imagery that they conjure up, so sometimes I find it hard to reach up into the old think tank and pull that rich tapestry into its constituent parts. Cheers. Caleb.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 16:35:14 CEST 2000 from 1cust115.tnt1.topeka.ks.da.uu.net (63.39.63.115)

Dexy

Reading the fauxJRR ideas and listening to the Gram Parsons tribute CD got me thinking about a possible new thread. If you could put Levon and Garth into a new group that could carry The Band forward, who else would be in it? Not talking about replacing Rick, Richard and Robbie, but creating a new band that contained elements (in person and in spirit) of The Band. I've often thought, for example, that Rick, Levon and Garth could have been added to The Wilburys. Here's one possibility: Levon on mandolin, harmonica and drums; Garth on keyboards and sax; Ringo on drums; George and Clapton on guitar, vocals and songwriting; Chris Hillman on bass, vocals and songs. Maybe a guest shot from Bob. I'd buy it.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 16:03:08 CEST 2000 from ras-c5800-1-48-250.dialup.wisc.edu (128.104.48.250)

Ryan Stang

Regarding "Blonde On Blonde" In the book "Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions", the author goes through every session,and who played on each session and song, for every album up until the printing of the book. In the B.O.B. section, it goes to say that RR plays on every session, and Band members play on the first 5 sessions, which produced none of the album tracks, even though Rick Danko plays bass on "Sooner or Later...". All the organ on the B.O.B album is Al Kooper, to try to recapture the Highway 61 magic that Dylan wasn't getting. Levon jumped ship, and I guess Dylan thought that his piano would suffice instead of Richard's. There are the other songs from the sessions, like "I'll Keep It With Mine," and "She's Your Lover Now," that feature Band members more prominently.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 13:22:19 CEST 2000 from spider-wo052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.200.42)

Ben Turkel

In response to Crabgrass, Actually Rick and Levon only did a few Band songs in their live shows in the late 70's. They mostly did songs from their solo albums. I don't believe it was until the Band reunion tour in '83 that their set became dominated by Band material. Their were some Danko/Levon shows prior to the this which featured many interesting covers. It would have been interesting if Rick and Levon had incorpaorated an acoustic set into the Band shows when they began touring again. It would be great if some of these shows were released on Woodstock records or some other label.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 12:43:17 CEST 2000 from 63.mercerville-25-30rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.185.63)

carmen

Did anyone see the VH1 Legends on Neil Young? How many of you out there knew that the singer in Neil's first band was a "Richard James" AKA Rick James or that Neil's fateher is in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Sports Caster!

Have a good weekend!

Posted on Fri Jun 16 11:06:49 CEST 2000 from 184.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.184)

Nancy

Wussy is a word I have always spelt "Woosey"!

Woose or Wus = Wimp (my definition)

Wimp = one who whimpers (mine also)

To whimper is "to cry feebly and often plaintively or peevishly". (Merriam-Webster Thesaurus)

It is therefore a misnomer to use the word Woose or Wus in relation to Robbie, as it is precisely his self-confident promotion that has got him into so much trouble with so many people on the GB!

After sharing my Band fantasy (the opportunity to go feral at TLW) with all of you on the GB, a kind person emailed me to say that he had actually been there and done what I wanted to do (he also shared a very good story about Rick). He said that late last year there had been a lot of discussion about the concert, and suggested that if I was interested I could search the achives for it. Well, I am very interested, but after a couple of hours of scrolling through the posts, I can't take any more searching! Maybe there is a configuration or wiring problem in my brain, but I found it to be a mind-numbing experience. Please don't take this as an insult as it is not intended to be. In the light of this, I am wondering whether any of you would like to post or to re-post what you saw and heard at the concert for the benefit of newer posters such as myself?

BTW I was surprised at the level of verbal bashing and insulting that was prevalent then. Don't we all get enough of that in our working lives without getting it during our recreational time as well?

Posted on Fri Jun 16 10:51:55 CEST 2000 from pm3-099.efn.org (206.163.180.99)

deb

Peter V: You have pretty much nailed why the seated players don't get as much video time as the front men. Having videotaped a few live music concerts, I find that the only way to get really good shots of the keyboardist or drummer is to have a roving hand-held videographer right in front of them on stage. Unfortunately, that does tend to get in the way of the rest of the concert. The other way would be to have a camera mounted high, as was mentioned earlier, or on one of those cranes that moves, kind of like they do on The David Letterman Show, amongst others.

The interesting thing about The Last Waltz is the clumsiness of many of the shots, yet the utterly perfect way the movie comes together.

Three things I would like to see in retrospect? The live Last Waltz. In the supermarket, when they went "shopping" and smuggled food under their overcoats, as related by Richard. And the night they played in Jack Ruby's club (when there were only three people in the audience and a fight broke out, according to Robbie).

Posted on Fri Jun 16 10:23:33 CEST 2000 from spider-tq034.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.59)

Pac

Again I respond briefly because I somehow came down with pneumonia. (Thought it was hot flashes for 2 months!) Bo Diddley's beat is built on the clave, right out of Cuba. The 3-part documentary "Routes of Rhythm" does a fabulous job of linking AfroCuban music to the beginnings of rock 'n' roll. The Diamonds' "Little Darlin'" is another example, without Diddley's kick. Does anyone know who first recorded "Mona"? Very similar. And for those who don't know what a Diddly Bow is, poor African Americans in the south used to undo the wire found in broomsticks and attach it to a nail in a wall (like an outdoor plank of a shack). It was played rhythmically while changing the notes by lenghthening and shortening the distance. Saw it played in a blues documentary. Anyway, thanks all for the interesting postings. BTW, did anyone catch VH1 Legend's documentary on Neil Young tonight? New film footage. Watched it twice! Stay cool and healthy everyone!

Posted on Fri Jun 16 09:02:51 CEST 2000 from gateway.tono.no (212.71.68.22)

Jens Magnus

Band moments I would have liked to watch:

The opening at Dylan goes electric, Newport.
Unfaithful servant recording, ROA. (this guitar solo!!!)
After hours in the wardrobe after TLW.
Anyway; the mere soundtracks are fab.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 06:05:42 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-113-110.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.113.110)

BWNWITennessee

Hank, maybe they could have gotten Daniel Lanois to produce their post-Robbie albums. He could have given them a new direction that would probably still have appealed to fans of their old stuff. BTW, I got pretty excited there for a second when I thought I spotted a picture of Rick with Ronnie Hawkins.

Has anyone seen the Jim Jarmusch movie "Dead Man," with Johnny Depp. It's one of my favorites. I was watching it tonight, and it occured to me that it's kind of like a dramatic version of "The Weight." This innocent type of person finds himself uncontrollably getting into all kinds of trouble, he meets all kinds of eccentric characters, and eventually has to work his way out.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 05:50:45 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-25-153.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.153)

Guenevere

Pat B., (I'm not a musicologist, nor do I play one on TV)... I was just making the observation that in Krogsgaard's article, so kindly posted by David Powell, it states clearly that some of the information regarding these sessions is missing. The author himself says, "There are several problems connected to the period 1968-'71. The Recording Diaries for 1969-'71for the Nashville Studios are missing, as well as for January 1967 to December 1970 for the New York studios. Therefore it is impossible to start with a list of jobs and then track down the tapes and recording sheets." I would imagine the record keeping before this time was no better.

Until some definitive sources come forth, I continue to maintain that members, other than Robbie, may be playing on "B on B". (And don't try to confuse me with that stuff about "The Hawks not playing on Blonde on Blonde because of Dylan's one-take style"). I'm speculating that possibly not all the names of people who played on those sessions are on the sessions cards. Based on what I've seen in the past, I am saying that back then, it is very possible that only players who were members of the Musicians Union at the time of the sessions were put on the CO-cards, the reason this may be, is there could've been unwanted tax consequences for any players who were not members of the Union if they were being paid under the table, as well as some for the record company. To further support evidence of probability that not all of the information is available to us, I noticed that in Krogsgaard's article there is no account of "One Of Us Must Know" at all.

http://users.powernet.co.uk/barrett/The-Telegraph/extracts/Session2.html

Posted on Fri Jun 16 05:24:51 CEST 2000 from 1cust116.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.134.116)

Crabgrass

Hate to admit that's a good point about the shared Danko/Dylan credits for "This Wheel's On Fire." And I didn't care much for Levon's solo albums either so maybe I should start dumping on him - and Rick's first solo album isn't that fantastic either. Maybe more is expected of Robbie since many do consider him (rightly or wrongly) The Band's songwriter. Neither Rick nor Levon could have continued performing with as much success without relying heavily on Band songs. Robbie never impressed me as the "grinnin' and pickin'" type - his guitar playing always set just the right tone for the Band songs, conveyed much emotion, and was for the most part very understated but yet as essential to the overall sound of The Band as Garth's organ. Rick and Levon projected a lot of charisma on stage. At live shows someone in the audience would invariably yell out "Hey, Rick Danko!" Robbie and Garth were the introverts and maybe Richard was somewhere in the middle.

I heard Bo Diddley claim more than once that he invented the "Bo Diddley Rhythm" and was miffed that he received no royalties when others copied it. Actually, didn't Duane Eddy's instrumental "Cannonball" come first? (Attention Duane Eddy scholars - I'm joking!) And what about the song that goes "Hambone, Hambone, where you been? Down in the cellar drinkin' gin!" Did Bo write that one? Or was it George Thorogood? And were they drinkin' gin when they wrote it?

Posted on Fri Jun 16 05:21:20 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9mu.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.166.222)

Pat Brennan

Hank: "yet The Greatful Dead and The Rolling Stones had relatively lightweight apprenticeships..." And it showed/shows.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 05:03:23 CEST 2000 from dialup-319.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.63)

HANK

NEW THREADS Perhaps?..........(I Think I need new threads).. ......They really shoulda taken up on Ricks idea to get Richard Thompson in........I's listening to "Who Knows Where The Times Goes" tonight and thought "Rick woulda sung that beautiful......." D'ya figure???....Well, anyway.......I'm reading Brian Enos Diary for 1995 at the moment.......A guy I know who's really into The Band once suggested to me, in a conversation about "HOTH" and "Jericho", that they shoulda got Eno to produce 'em........any thoughts on that out there?.......Thanks to all of y'all who replied to my mail-shot and for the nice things y'all said about the photo of Rick.................I saw an album tonight called "The Greatest Counrty Album in the World ........EVER!!!!" 40-song compliation.....The last track on it was "Dixie"......but NOT Joanie!!!!! It was Levon and The Hawks!!!!! The Band!!!! The Crackers!!!!.....The Woody Guthrie thing is interesting because ain't it true that the very band that outraged all the Folkie purists by hooking up with Dylan, became the rock band that completely did for American Rock'n'Roll what Woody did for American Folk Music.........It spoke of the whole nation......... North South East and West......What went down, went down with those guys......there's always Big Politics and rip-offs when big money and big names are involved, movies, books.....The Band are in no way unique in their end-days squabbling......just like The Beatles, even....It's funny......The Band and The Beatles were, in their early days, as stage artists, the very best around.....both bands played the rat-holes that make great Rock'n'Roll bands .........both bands understanding and affinity with what made great Rock'n'Roll and great songwriting were unrivalled .......yet The Greatful Dead and The Rolling Stones had relatively lightweight apprenticeships....both being adopted rather quickly by rich folks into getting outta their heads on drugs......and being notoriously ROPEY......yet The Dead and The Stones LOVE The Road.....made MILLIONS off it!!!!....people died, people came and went and came again....yet the shows rolled on.....both bands were renowned in the business for having the very best sound enginneers, the best sound systems and generally gave value for money if you went and saw 'em Whereas The Band and The Beatles, despite being Road-hardened, could only get to making movies showing them breaking up....Weird......FUNK and Wagnell!!!!! Define WUSSY!!!!!!!. Me and Amanda used that word...... whadoesitmean??????? BILL and GENE!!!!!!! that was the Best Vest I had at the time.... Thanks once again y'all..........

Posted on Fri Jun 16 03:31:15 CEST 2000 from dialup-209.245.135.91.sanjose1.level3.net (209.245.135.91)

tumultguy

"A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one..." Levon's ode to his amazing woman.

"She takes the wheel when I'm seeing double, pays my ticket when I speed" Bob Weir's ode to his amazing woman.

With all this talk of what specific lyrics are and how much the members of The Band partied I always think of the women in their lives.

I would like to see a scholarly work on song lyrics about the rock stars and the women who love (are co-dependents of) them.

"PARTY!!!!!!!.... Oh, hi baby."

Posted on Fri Jun 16 03:02:19 CEST 2000 from user-33qt85h.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.160.177)

Pat Brennan

I think it's rather clear that the Band didn't play on Blonde On Blonde, although RR did.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 02:46:44 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-12-140.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.140)

Guenevere

I have no other resource (other than allmusic.com) for the credits I posted from Blonde on Blonde... except for my ears, and they told me that The Band is playing on that record.... So, now that its a little clearer than mud... and it seems that all scholarly research has come full circle, those of us who swear we hear The Band playing on that record can say ... "the ears don't lie"... good!!! That was driving me crazy... what's not clear to me Peter is this, are you saying that due to a ‘clerical error', even the credits on the original first release of the album were incorrect? Or is that true on later releases only? Still, the mystery continues.... fuel for more legends...

To combine a few threads here ... namely, the cocaine ridden L.A. music scene of the ‘70's, the dignified stylish finality of TLW, and the game of "I'll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours" : I would've liked to have been standing next to who ever put the lines on the mirror and handed it to Neil Young and Robbie right before they went on stage at TLW ... (not because I would've wanted any) ... I just would have liked to have seen it ... WOW!!!

oh yeah, and in hind sight, Wayne Moss is my choice of who should've been the "substitute" for RR post TLW...

Posted on Fri Jun 16 01:49:39 CEST 2000 from 54.mercerville-28-29rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.151.54)

carmen

Using the argument that all members deserved songwriting credit for their contributions to the songs then wouldn't this qualify Clarence Clemons for credit on "Jungleland"! The Sax is a major part of the song, however, Springsteen gets all the songwriting credit. The E Street Band never seems to question who the song writer is, however, I don't think there are many who would question that their part on many of Bruce's records is significant.

I am also very happy to here that it is RR's guitar on Visions. I love this song so much because of the guitar. Forth Time Around is also one of my favorite's from Blond on Blond!

Regards to all!

Posted on Fri Jun 16 01:49:34 CEST 2000 from pm1-4.delrio.com (208.246.52.24)

Just Wonderin'

Woops! Forgot to thank Hank for sharing that great pic of Rick, his friend and himself! THANKS HANK!!

Posted on Fri Jun 16 01:46:02 CEST 2000 from pm1-4.delrio.com (208.246.52.24)

Just Wonderin'

Bob Wigo: When I first heard those lyrics from Testimony I took them to mean about the time of living and playing with the guys in Woodstock. The carnival show was the travelling involved (maybe even when he was with Hawkins). "Playing guitar in a one man band" to me means what The Band was all about...no one person was better or more important than the others. I still think of this everytime I hear this song.

Maybe the VH1 special on RR does show half about the career with The Band, but I don't think it's necessarily that he's not interesting enough. Remember he did "Making a Noise a Native American Journey"? I realize a lot of people didn't get a chance to see it probably because it wasn't aired in their area, but I think that would be because of the Native American content and not Robertson himself.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 01:43:15 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-116-8.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.116.8)

BWNWITennessee

Sorry, didn't mean to bring up the feud again with my last post. It just bothers me that people say so many things about Robbie, and I think it is in part because he never seems to defend himself against all the allegations. Someone wrote a letter to the editor in "Rolling Stone" after the Levon article came out saying something to the effect of them being sick of Robbie always taking credit for everything The Band did and badmouthing the other guys. I've never seen him do that; he always talks about the fact that were a real band, he has said they were not like Creedence, which was basically one person and some backup musicians. He always compliments the other guys; I've read things where he has said nice things about Levon, and I'm sure he knew Levon's feelings towards him at the time. In fact, there was an article in "Guitar Player," I think, where they asked Robbie about Levon's book. He said that he talked to Levon on the phone about the box set just before the book came out. Levon was saying that they would have to get together and play a little music, like everything was just swell, he didn't mention anything to Robbie about the fact that he had a book coming out that just trashed him. Now what kind of a person does that sound like? But I don't want to trash Levon, either. I'm sure every person in the band is like every other person in the world - they have good points and bad points.

I just think that a lot of people dislike Robbie because of who he is; he is obviously very different from everyone else in the group. I think people don't like the fact that he moved away from Band-type music and is now doing other things. But it's this creative part of his personality that's responsible for what The Band did in the first place. If they were signed a few years earlier, they would probably have made a blues recording, and then people would complain when they went into the softer, acoustic stuff. In fact, John Hammond Jr. did complain about that! And "Northern Lights" doesn't really sound anything like the first two records, but no one complains about that because it's still The Band. But if it were a Robbie solo album, full of synthesizers and songs about Jupiter, then people would say that he had forsaken the old sound.

And I do think that some of Robbie's comments can come off as pretentious, but I don't think they are. People can read them that way, but I just think they are the comments of someone justifiably proud of his work.

I thought maybe the line in "Testimony" about playing guitar in a one-man band could be a reference to just being so dedicated to learning the guitar and spending eight hours a day practicing in solitude.

I didn't see "The Weight" in '95, but does anyone remember Robbie playing "Shake This Town" on David Letterman? He ended the song by having an old second-line march out of the studio as they went to commercial, with the brass band playing the whole while. It was brilliant.

People have been talking about the pre-TLW SNL appearance, but the show that they played before that was at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh. So that was really the last true typical Band concert. The Syria Mosque is now gone. Buddy Holly played there, Chuck Berry, the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd. They wouldn't let Elvis play there because he was too controversial. The Shriners sold it to a company that wanted to tear it down to build an office building. So they tore it down before people were able to get it declared an historic landmark. A city councilman even handcuffed himself to the railing, but to no avail. Then after it was torn down, they decided for whatever reasons not to build the office. So instead, there now stands a lovely and scenic parking lot. Ah, progress. At least the old Stanley theater, where the Grateful Dead played, has found a new life as an opera house. BTW, I was actually in Pittsburgh at the time of that show, but being all of five years old, found myself unable to attend.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 01:15:44 CEST 2000 from alb3-as5200-42-138.termserv.net (208.20.67.138)

Diamond Lil

LG10 & Sharon: Please e-mail me. Can't figure out what I did with your addresses..and I owe you both a thank you.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 01:14:04 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

Two books I read recently which may be of interest to BAND fans:

"Woody Guthrie: A Life" by Joe Klein. This book mentions "lye water" which I think was discussed here a while back. Apparently Woody's mother used it to scrub the floors with. So, I'd imagine all it is is extra strong soapy water- maybe disinfectant strength.

I found the book interesting because it explained (to me) why people in the folk scene felt so outraged and betrayed by Dylan's going electric. It wasn't just that everyone had invested a lot emotionally in acoustic guitars. It was also because Guthrie and Pete Seger and others in the scene saw folk as more than a musical form. In their view folk singers had a political role to play on the side of the oppressed, in favour of unions etc. Dylan was seen as Woody Guthrie's successor. (Indeed, he was even once lent one of Guthrie's suits to perform in.) So by going electric Dylan was perceived as turning his back on their beliefs not just their music.

I also recently read "Waiting for the Sun: the Story of the Los Angeles Music Scene" by the controversial Mr Barney Hoskins. What a depressing read that was! It sounds to me like the Los Angeles music scene in the mid 70's was lacking in soul- too many drugs, too much money and bands breaking up all over place.

At page 247 it says at that time "cocaine ran riot through the entertainment industry...Linda Ronstad said "Cocaine made people deaf, it made people dead and it made people real obnoxious".... Joni Mitchell said coke "sealed of the heart," producing a numbness one could hear in the sterile, clinical sound of mid 70's Californian rock."

In that context what happened to the BAND does not seem all that suprising...particularly since their first albums had so much soul and were so much a product of the 'brotherhood'/synthesis between the members. Its seems obvious that their relationships would suffer in that kind of environment and I agree with the comment made previously that if it all had to end the Last Waltz was a dignified, stylish way to go.

Posted on Fri Jun 16 00:43:17 CEST 2000 from m198214181105.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.105)

pehr

Along Ben Turkel's line of conversation, which is getting interesting... I dont see RR's comment as being a "painter of pictures now" as being bombastic. I think from what I've heard of those records its an honest comment. It has been a long time since he wrote "Pickin an Grinnin'" type music, I dont think he's slagging that approach to music either since so much of him became so involved in it for so many years. No I would never imagine Rick or Doug Sahm talk about writing songs that way,(i.e.,"Painting pictures now"), and if their recent work will go down as "better" than RR's that's ok. I mention them because you mentioned Rick and that made me think of Doug, who as with Rick, was just so much fun, with such warm music. A warmth that even to me RR's recent work lacks.

The key point is as comparing apples to oranges in this case. RR has different motivations (did I hear about 70 people here say "MONEY"?)but sarcasm aside, Robbie's muse is not about going to parties and seeing old friends, or looking into his woman's eyes right now. He is commited to getting straight about his heritage as of native american descent and what it means to him. It was buried for complex reasons for most of his life that few of us here can truly understand. That he is in position to make and market this music is important to him and some others, including myself... music is full of healing powers and the story of the native americans is a story with many angles and much pain and tradgedy, love and ecstacy, hope and doom. I haven't been able to see the videos, I ordered them and dont know what ever happened to the order... well, I wont comment on them per-se (Though I heard people say that they sucked) I'll say that life can be a a bitch, but be truthful, and all I demand from an artist is that they openly, honestly and deeply express themselves. RR's doing that and the list of people working in the native american musical matrix just ain't much of a roll call. It's very hard stuff to write about because it is heavy handed, alot of what goes with it (aboriginal philosophies) is strange and foriegn to occidentals - much of it flies in the face of things that we take for granted.

oh yes, and I dont know but would be skeptcal toward the Idea that VH1 is RR's "people" or that he even had that much to do with it. I've been dissapointed in alot of their specials honestly (last one I saw was Townshend...it was a bore and I love Pete.) ...finally RR cant be "Going Home" without taking into consideration where he has been, which was with a band that as I mentioned the other day, is just loaded with a tremendous amount of heritage and history for "just a rock n'roll band. thanks for reading all this, whew!

Good Luck with your gig David Powell! or, "break a leg!"

Posted on Fri Jun 16 00:38:29 CEST 2000 from bey.kiva.net (208.143.0.69)

Todd Berryman

The question I'm attempting to address here is one we'll probably never grasp completely, whether it's a band or The Band, and it's an attempt to have any answers we come up with get the ghost across to both pro-RR and pro-Levon factions determined to address this in the GB. What is the nature of this group's songwriting process? From all accounts, it's a collaboration across the board, all parties throwing things into the pot and stopping when it looks like soup. But only select members...whether it was Danko with Dylan, or RR, or LH/RR...got the credit due. Example: from Rob Bowman's notes on TO KINGDOM COME to Levon's book, Hoskyns, etc., the creation of "4% Pantomime" was inspiration hitting this group of people in a room, and hitting them hard. Yet if you go by the credits anywhere the song appears on an album, lightning only struck Van Morrison and RR. I have a really hard time believing that, because the logic in the commonly held version of the story of the song's creation argues against itself...were they ALL inspired to create this wonder, or did Van and Robbie walk into the room saying, "We have a great idea," or was it totally improvised, or what? I'm suggesting that it was a collaboration with all involved from the beginning, and that's it...no dishing out assumed motives or taking sides. I like Levon, but I've never bought much of his solo work, likewise I didn't get much out of RR's solo work either. The chemistry of the music that came out of the early Band's albums can't be denied...anyone with ears can tell...though it's also possible that the chemistry was five dewy-eyed innocents amazed to be in a studio. Somehow, I doubt that.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 23:58:55 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8ov.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.163.31)

Pat Brennan

Todd and all, do you really think Rick Danko shared his publishing for "This Wheel's On Fire" (besides with Dylan)? RR was a writer before the Band and continues to be a writer, and there's lots of people who have come to him through his solo work first and the Band later. If this whole publishing thing was such an issue, why was there a second album after various elements ate up the publishing to the first? Why was there Stage Fright after the supposed publishing rip-off from the second album?

Posted on Thu Jun 15 23:39:59 CEST 2000 from spider-ta062.proxy.aol.com (152.163.205.72)

Ben Turkel

I don't want to box myself into a corner as a Robbie basher. I did enjoy his first two solo albums. I didn't care for his last two releases, but I'm curious to hear what he'll put out next. Peter, maybe you didn't see the VH-1 show or the 'Going Home' video, but the VH-1 show in particular spent more than half of the time covering the Hawks/Band period. In my opinion this is self-serving because Robbie/Robbies's people know that his solo material can't sustain interest for an entire program. So, in these instances he seems to rely on old Band footage to prop up his stature as an important musician. I have a promo cd released to radio stations to promote 'Storyville', on which Robbie makes a comment to the effect that he's not makin pickin' and grinin' music any more, rather he's painting pictures now. It's this kind of pompous statement that I objest to. I coudn't imagine Levon or Rick ever saying something like that. Once again this is all strictly my opinion.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 23:35:18 CEST 2000 from bey.kiva.net (208.143.0.69)

Todd Berryman

Hello all...Mr. Viney, apologies for having to post the information repeatedly, but you'll notice I just recently joined the group and didn't take time to read every archive to which you've had access...as regards RR's credits as songwriter, I didn't dispute them. Again, legally everything's probably taken into account, but the "clubhouse" process in place since "the Basement" involved ALL of the members, not just one. Regardless of common practice at the time, it still doensn't make this situation "right." As for your statement, re: Bo Diddley, again, I said that a beat can't be copyrighted (and as Leo Kottke put it, "Everybody goes through somebody). However, Bo did more to popularize that beat and make it a common tongue then virtually anybody before him...which was my point; the beat was a point of influence and yet Bo couldn't collect because YOU CAN'T COPYRIGHT A BEAT. Hope everyone is well--TODD.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 23:11:02 CEST 2000 from spider-wd053.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.173)

Don Pugatch

To show you my priorities, I had a free ticket to tonight's John Hiatt concert in Kansas City. For all the Hiatt fans, your's truly included, Mr. H is going on tour starting tonight, I think there are 26 currently scheduled concert. Check Pollster, for the cities, mostly west of the Mississippi. Oh, getting back to priorities, I will not be attending the Hiatt concert, but instead going to the Dave Powell Extravengaza, with the Miraculous Steve McElroy on lead and vocals at US Bar and Grill, in Suburban Alpharetta. Just shows you, as we get older, we get ................!!!!! Fill in the blanks.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 21:18:41 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

On the intellectual property question, my understanding is that the US is the only major industrialised country NOT to recognise 'neighbouring rights'. This is a mechanism by which performers and producers, and not just songwriters, receive royalty payments when their songs are played. But maybe I've got that wrong too.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 20:18:39 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

Thanks to Peter Stone Brown for clearing up the mystery over who played what. For those of you who may be interested -- Michael Krosgaard's research notes on the "Blonde on Blonde" sessions, that (as Peter Viney mentioned) originally appeared in "The Telegraph", are also posted at the following web address:

http://users.powernet.co.uk/barrett/The-Telegraph/extracts/Session2.html

Posted on Thu Jun 15 19:56:48 CEST 2000 from proxy-651.public.rwc.webtv.net (209.240.200.129)

Ed Blayzor

great pic Hank.anybody going to see Garth & the Cromatix 7/1 at the Towne Crier?any official release date on Rick`s cd? Jan hope you enjoyed your stay in the states and a truly amazing show last week.i hope `Lil took care of you!!!peace -eb

Posted on Thu Jun 15 19:52:01 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-031.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.31)

Peter Viney

Crabgrass & Peter Stone Brown: credits for Blonde on Blonde - "Q" did a CD sized leaflet in their series of extra sleeve notes, but that pre-dated Krosgaard’s work on the tapes and session fees. I’m relieved by Peter Stone Brown’s note on "Visions of Johanna" and "Obviously Five Believers" because it matches what my ears tell me. Every time I hear ‘Visions of Johanna" I think this regarding Krosgaard … there is no 100% proof that any payment schedules or lists written on tape boxes represent exactly what happened in the studio. It could be that those who were booked got paid, and any who happened to be there and perhaps played without being booked didn’t.

Todd, I’ll paste in my usual comment, for the 5th or 6th time: Song copyright rests in the melody line and lyric only. Nothing else … brilliant solos, memorable bass lines, horn parts, unusual rhythms, great harmonies … count as part of the song for copyright. That’s the way it is. "All Along The Watchtower" in Jimi Hendrix’s version is "by Bob Dylan." Similarly, "The Weight" performed by Diana Ross, Aretha, Spooky Tooth or Travis, is still "The Weight" a song written by Robbie, without all the brilliant work of the other four. Major songwriters sometimes share credit, and Brian Wilson seems to have been an easy touch. Allowing that Lennon-McCartney & Jagger-Richards had their own arrangements for sharing, you don’t get the major writers embracing their collaborators often – Neil Young, Springsteen, Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell – even when they’ve played with the same people closely for years. Some seem to need a person to bounce off – so most Don Henley or Marvin Gaye gets a co-credit. The "whole group" credit thing is unfair to the composer, as Cobain found out. RR was doing exactly what everyone else was doing in 1968 … following established copyright law and practice. You can say "Then he should have changed the world" (rather what Levon suggests), but this seems a great weight to put on anyone. BTW, I don’t think Bo Diddley "invented" the "shave and a hair cut / two bits" rhythm.

Ben – Robbie hasn’t "traded on" The Band – he’s simply been proud of great work he did with them, and proud of his songs. He hasn’t had "of The Band" printed in ads for his solo albums, nor has he ever put out live solo versions for sale. I agree that he has problems in performing these live, but given his careful use of backing singers recently, (and his facility at overdubbing) he could have done. In the rare live shows / TV, he’s only done "The Weight" (and Dylan’s I Shall Be Released). They’re his history too. This is hardly trading on the past.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 18:54:18 CEST 2000 from sdn-ar-001paphilp071.dialsprint.net (168.191.210.55)

Peter Stone Brown

Howdy, In regards to the musicians on Blonde On Blonde, the musician credits posted by Guenevere from the recent SACD are incorrect. But what happened there is someone at Columbia (or somewhere) looked at all credits for Dylan albums and lumped them together. Al Kooper does not play a horn on the album. He did play a horn on New Morning. Rick Danko does not play fiddle on the album there is no fiddle. Also for all of Michael Krosgaard's excellent research, many of his assertion's as to who played on what track are incorrect. This has been the source of much controversy on the Dylan newsgroup, and many people, most notably Roger Ford of England have been doing further investigation. To settle the "Visions of Johanna" controversy, I wrote Al Kooper, who plays organ on the track. The lead guitarist on "Visions of Johanna" is Robbie Robertson. The lead guitarist on "Obviously 5 Believers" is Robbie Robertson. Despite what it says on the album, the lead guitarist meaning the one who takes the guitar solo on "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat" is Robbie Robertson. Dylan only plays the opening introduction.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 18:37:47 CEST 2000 from cic-proxy02.firstunion.com (169.200.25.141)

Bones

Mike Carrico: That is Robbie on "Obviously Five Believers".

Dylan/Band Tour '74 and The Last Waltz were great moves by Robbie on behalf of the Band. It added to their "legendary" status in the business. By the late 70s, they would have been back in the bars if it had not been for this. Instead, they had film careers and solo contracts. No one seems to understand this. The wheels were coming off anyway, and Robbie tried to send them out with some grace and class. What was the alternative?

Posted on Thu Jun 15 18:31:12 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

bill

Thanks Gene. Only Hank can confirm if he's wearing his best.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 17:55:24 CEST 2000 from x2-10.poughkeepsie.bestweb.net (216.179.14.184)

Gene

Bill -

I think the Pet Clark line was, "...put on your BEST and wear a smile..."

Posted on Thu Jun 15 17:38:03 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

Crabgrass: The Sony gold CD version of "Blonde on Blonde" did not include a booklet or detailed liner notes. It came with a fold-out page that merely reproduced several photos and the list of session players that appeared on the original LP. Although Sony's "Super Bit Mapping" process used on this reissue offered some improvement over the previously issued CD version, this disc was far from being audiophile quality. The problem was that a second generation, production "cutting" master tape was as the source. The equalisation & compression used on the production copy chopped off both the low & high ends and exaggerated the mid range. Dylan was reportedly not happy with the sound of the gold CD reissue, but since the original master has been lost, Sony had to make do with what they could find in the vaults. This is apparently the same dilemma that Capitol / EMI is facing with the reissue of "The Band" album. Not matter what fancy, digital remastering process or equipment you use, without the original tapes as a source, a great deal of sound detail from the session tapes will be missing on the CD reissue. To borrow a page from RCA -- what little Nipper hears will not be the accurate sound of his master's voice.

Bootleg versions of "Visions of Johanna" (originally called "Seems Like A Freeze Out") exist that feature The Hawks, minus Levon, backing up Dylan.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 17:34:48 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

bill

Hank's clothing reminds me to ask if any of you are experts in lyrics to Petula Clark's hits. Just yesterday I heard "I Know A Place" on oldies radio, and I'd swear a line went something like, "Put on your vest and wear a smile". Which I think would have seemed humorous to an Englishwoman like Petula, since a "vest" translates to "undershirt" in North American English. Anyway, Hank may have been listening to Pet - he's clearly wearing both a vest and a smile.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 17:22:37 CEST 2000 from m198214181053.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.53)

pehr

Moments I'd like to see... I thought about this last night and I'd like to see the night Rick said goodbye to the butcher, bye to the folks and got into one of Ronnie's Cadillac and sped away. another would be Sonny Boy, the whole day, at least until the rednecks ruined it. Woodstock would be weird probably but I'm curious at the moment.

I been meaning to thank Bob Wigo for the photo's too. Hank, thanks for your photo too.

Finally,(for now) I second BWNWIT as to the personal defense of JRR. I dont see much point in hating, judging someone on hearsay, particularly one who in a short period of time produced work that has held such significance to the form of life we take interest in. Nor do I expect an artist of that stature to be putting out the same 3 records for the rest of his life. Well, so the weight circa '95 was bad. I havent seen it but a friend told me about it. Part of life, and part of being an artist is being able to live with f-ing up. Actually, tremendous originality and beauty can come out of real self actualization that doesnt come to the self conscious...

Posted on Thu Jun 15 16:35:22 CEST 2000 from dialup-272.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.16)

Hank

Hey Folks.........Here's a photo of Rick with yours truly and Shane Scanlon, the lead guitarist with my band, Open Kitchen. This was taken at The Bottom Line in NYC in the autumn of 1996.......I'm the guy with the beard.......I lost the beard since.......it's one of many photos on my bands web-site........some of you folks are gonna receive an email newsletter about my band......hope ya don't mind........... I hereby challenge FUNK and WAGNELL to define "WUSSY".....AMANDA from NZ used it recently.......I woulda liked to have been there when 1. They Recorded The SNL thing before TLW..... 2 When They recorded "Goin to Acapulco"..... 3 They played Watkins Glen..........Gots to go now.........

Posted on Thu Jun 15 15:20:54 CEST 2000 from spider-wi042.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.37)

bob wigo

In the song "Testimony" from RR's first solo effort he sings:

"I had a revelation like runaway horses

Took to the road with a carnival show (roll on)

Those golden days on Smokey Mountain

Playing guitar in a one man band.

I have long been a fan of his and he has been most kind and gracious in any contact I have had with him, but I have often wondered about these words. I would like to hear some of your thoughts on these lyrics.

P.S. You are quite welcome Kalervo. My thanks to Jan for posting them for all to enjoy. By the way, my fourteen year old son Christopher had a wonderful eight days in your homeland-Finland. The hockey tournament was a huge success and all were treated like royalty . Memories that will surely last a lifetime. Bless you all for your kindness and generosity.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 15:02:59 CEST 2000 from x2-6.poughkeepsie.bestweb.net (216.179.14.180)

Gene

battle lines being drawn, nobody's right if everybody's wrong

Posted on Thu Jun 15 13:22:08 CEST 2000 from spider-wo064.proxy.aol.com (205.188.200.49)

Ben Turkel

Pat, someone had posted how unfortunate it was that Richard stopped writing after 'Stage Fright', so I was just pointing out that Robbie's output seems to have declined at the same period. Robbie can obviously say whatver he wants regarding the Band, as can Levon or anyone else. It's just my opinion that Robbie's comments are often self-promoting and revionist, such as the song writing comments at Rick's memorial service and the comments to Rolling Stone about the other guys being backup musicians. I guess he has to talk about the Band years because he has such a limited ability to perform the songs live. Anyone remember his massacre of 'The Weight' at the Concert for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the mid 90's? Somehow that didn't make it onto the cd.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 12:39:02 CEST 2000 from alb3-as5200-44-140.termserv.net (208.20.67.140)

Diamond Lil

Just want to wish a biiiig 'welcome home!' to the weary traveller. From Norway to Prague to Joisey to Crazyville to Woodstock to Newtown to Bridgeport to ehmm..Brooklyn..to Joisey to Santa Fe to Prague to Norway...Hmm..and I thought I sucked at reading a map! :-) Hug Jan.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 08:55:00 CEST 2000 from cache-hki-5.inet.fi (194.197.68.45)

Kalervo

Thanks Bob (Wigo) for fine pictures! To me the arguments between Levon and Robbie are like the arguments of an old couple, I have no need to be a third party, you don' t ever see the exact whole picture. So similar to the Mike Love/Brian Wilson war. And hundreds of others... Finland is in Summer the real festival country...it seems that everybody visits here during 3 months..Like in Bothnia, my home county, there are Bloodhound Gang, Kelis, Rage Against Machine, Travis, Deftones, Cypress Hill and many others within 2 weeks! I may see Kelis and Deftones with my youngest son..But to me the real exciting events are folk festivals and Pori Jazz (which is the second biggest in Europe), where will be those sublime Buena Vista Social Club artists among many, many others...Why this wasn' t a reality in 70's when the Band was in its peak! For everyone, have a joyous Mid-Summer! Kalervo

Posted on Thu Jun 15 08:15:15 CEST 2000 from tc7-26.blm.bluemarble.net (208.245.166.148)

Todd Berryman

The Band/Robertson/Helm debate boils down some of the fundamental problems of collaboration. From the Beatles (where George was, whether he knew it or not, a contracted songwriter working for Lennon/McCartney/Dick James Northern Songs) forward, it's the curse of not being able to copyright a beat (hence Bo Diddley not making money offa U2) and the big question of whether a song is just chords/melody/lyric or the "soup" of five musicians in a room sculpting the air. It's basically a "they're both right, and they're both wrong" situation: I'm sure that RR had the basics of a lot of these songs, but you KNOW he couldn't have given Garth notation, or told Rick to lay behind the beat, or told Levon precisely how the mandolin should sound. These basics needed to be given the flesh-and-blood to make them the songs we all know, love and debate. From a legal standpoint, RR's got a solid case...but it doesn't mean that I'd want to hear a solo guitar/vocal version of EVERYTHING from 1967 to 1978. I think RR's skill was providing an overarching context (why Pink Floyd did so well with Roger Waters in the fold), but he couldn't provide the MEAT of the song (why Roger Waters on his own doesn't stick out so well in the collective memory). For my friends in bands, take note: take a page from REM, U2, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, et al...you'd better split everything, all the way, totally equally across the board. You'll all be much happier and (hopefully) wealthier, and your "brotherhood" will be a lot more likely to stay intact. (Forgive the preceding examples and this next one:) When Kurt Cobain wrote songs and split the publishing equally, you got NEVERMIND. When the legalistas and management types got greedy and started splintering things, and Cobain got exclusive rights to the publishing (an arrangement also made retroactive--effectively taking money away from everyone else), you got the (to my ear) monochromatic and not-so-thrilling IN UTERO. QED. Hope you're all well...and thanks for the eyetime...TODD.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 07:31:06 CEST 2000 from 1cust103.tnt9.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.128.103)

Crabgrass

I remember hearing a long time ago that the sleeve credits were incorrect for Blonde on Blonde. However, a few years back a gold CD (supposed) audiophile version was released with an accompanying detailed booklet. Maybe someone out there has it and can see if the credits differ from those previously posted. Listening recently to the acoustic disc of Dylan's LIVE '66 I was struck by how potent "Visions of Johanna" was even WITHOUT electric guitar accompaniment. I don't have the boot version which contains more tracks and wonder if there's a version from the tour with Robbie backing Dylan up. If so, that might clear up if he played lead on the studio session of that track.

I side with the vegetarian(s) but won't bother repeating last year's tirade which apparently had no effect on the hard core hunter/carnivore contingent in the GB. I'm glad Rick's musical talent outweighed his butchering skills. One more great musician and one less butcher in the world. That's some progress at least!

Posted on Thu Jun 15 06:36:44 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

I really liked David Powell's neologism "clarifiction" since so many attempts to clarify facts in this GB seem to lead to a new kind of fiction. Sorry to hear it was a typing error. I'm going to use it anyway :-)

Band moments I would have liked to watch:

1. Just once in my life a show with the Hawk;

2. The Watkins Glen thunderstorm;

3. Brown album recording sessions ("Oh, to be home again...")

Well, we all have our dreams, haven't we...

Ilkka my friend - you should listen to French Girls for a start ;-)

Posted on Thu Jun 15 06:35:52 CEST 2000 from user-33qtagj.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.170.19)

Pat Brennan

Ben, why shouldn't RR trade on his involvement with the Band? It's part of his history. You can be in the present and still hold high regard for your past. It also seems pretty obvious that you (not necessarily Ben but all of us) can find a quote to support any position you might like to adopt. RR wants to stop the rest from touring as The Band (recall his quote about TLW to the effect that he thought they all said goodby), then RR wishes them well. I also question this need to quantify songwriting. Songs aren't something you buy at the store. Writers write for a variety of reasons, but you tread on very shaky ground if you think you can explain why somebody else is experiencing the muse.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 06:06:13 CEST 2000 from spider-wb034.proxy.aol.com (205.188.192.164)

Ben Turkel

I haven't posted here in a while, but after reading the last post defending Robbie I have a few comments. While pursuing his solo career, Robbie has traded on his years with the Band numerous times. The special that was shown on VH-1 a couple of years ago spent at least half of it's time covering the Band period, and the 'Going Home' video also spent a lot of time on the Band. If Robbie is so interested in the present why does he spend so much time looking back to the Band years? Robbie has also made his share of condescending remarks towards the reformed Band. In an interview from the mid 80's he said someting to the effect that he would find it sickening to play the Lone Star Cafe performing old Band songs (I'll dig out the book and find the exact quote). Robbie's songwriting output also dropped dramatically after 'Stage Fright', which leads me to think that his songs were inspired by the closeness of the guys between roughly 1967-70. I'm not trying to be a Robbie basher, but I feel that he generally takes the position that is most self-serving at the moment.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 01:37:42 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-115-195.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.115.195)

BWNWITennessee

Why do people hate Robbie Robertson so much, basing all of their opinions on nothing more than secondhand accounts, when they have never had any contact with the man and know absolutely nothing about him in real life? Frankly, if Levon had a leg to stand on he could sue Robbie for songwriting credits, other people have done it. Levon says that when he told Robbie at the time of TLW that they could continue without him, Robbie said, "We could stop it." Yet Robbie said when the other guys finally did get back together, six years later, that he wanted no part of it, but that his attitude was that they "do it with my blessing." He said, "We're not talking about Matthew, Mark, Luke and John here. These are just some guys in a rock and roll band who miss it, you know? I hope they have a real good time and don't stay up too late." Which apparently they did. But because Robbie's perhaps not as much of an a**hole as certain other members of The Band are and doesn't continually badmouth the other guys in every interview he does, he doesn't draw attention to himself, so people form their opinions of him based on a bunch of crap that they have absolutely no real knowledge about. I'm sure at this point in his life, Robbie really doesn't care what ignorant people think of him. I admire him for staying above the garbage that other people are flinging at him, and not bringing himself to their level but instead continuing to compliment them whenever he talks about his own personal history.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 01:23:24 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

Three moments in the BAND'S history I'd like to have witnessed:

1. The Hawks Session with Sonny Boy Williamson II

2. The Hawks with Ronny Hawkins- when he was still agile enough to do back flips. I bet that would have been a lot of fun.

3. The rehearsal with Muddy Waters before the Last Waltz. Whatever else Levon Helm may have done in his life he was totally right to insist on Muddy's inclusion. In fact, the reason I watched TLW on tv (and thereafter became a BAND convert) was solely because I saw in the tv guide that the film featured Muddy Waters.

Moment I'm glad I missed- the deer incident. I guess that rustic humour just doesn't translate for wussy city folk/ vegetarians like me.

Posted on Thu Jun 15 00:30:05 CEST 2000 from spider-wc073.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.53)

Trevor

I think the Band is one of the best groups of all time. Has anyone heard the newer album(s) by Rick Danko? Any reviews? I recently bought the box set Across The Great Divide so I'm selling my To Kingdom Come 2-CD set on e-bay. If anyone's interested the address is: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350848800 Thanks and good luck!

Posted on Thu Jun 15 00:01:56 CEST 2000 from 216-1-128-29.akorn.net (216.1.128.29)

Mike Carrico

Peter V - thanks for posting all that great session detail; it's remarkable that Robbie isn't on "Obviously Five Believers" though...the guitar tone is very much like his sound on John Hammond's "So Many Roads" album.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 23:46:47 CEST 2000 from cobalt.nextlink.net (206.129.70.172)

Mike

Laura...Yes! I'd just about give anything to be able to actually go back in time and hang with the guys the night of the deer incident. What a riot! It cracks me up every time I read it. I can picture Rick with all that deer crap all over him. "Aw, C'mon guys! Help me!" (Those of you who got mildly upset last year when this "issue" got brought up, no comments needed. Vist a slaughterhouse indeed!) Have a good day everyone.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 23:01:32 CEST 2000 from tcnet25-022.austin.texas.net (209.99.97.211)

Laura Holt

Responding to some of the "Band Fantasies" here in the good ole GB. It would have been great to have been a guest at Big Pink the night Ricky decided to go out for a drive thus hitting the deer. I can't imagine the hilarious scene with Levon and Richard coming to to his rescue -sitting there in the jeep with headlights on Rick as he went to work on the deer THEN ending up with a pile of S--- all over him!!! I would have given anything to have seen the look on RD face when that happened. Can you imagine laughter that came from Levon and Richard as they sprayed him down with the hose to clean him up!!!! Peace everyone!!!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 22:47:36 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-158.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.158)

peter viney

You're right. Brain overload - all the payment slips Krosgaard cites are to 'Joseph A Souther Jnr" aka Joe South

Posted on Wed Jun 14 22:25:54 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

No I didn't mean to coin a new word in my previous posting. It should read "clarification."

Posted on Wed Jun 14 22:24:11 CEST 2000 from client-151-198-146-34.nnj.dialup.bellatlantic.net (151.198.146.34)

Bumbles

Re "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands": Joe South, not J. D. Souther.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 22:22:48 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

A clarifiction on Peter's listing of session credits for "Blonde on Blonde": It was Joe South (who was born Joe Souter) who played guitar in addition to Dylan, Robertson, Charlie McCoy and Wayne Moss. J.D. Souther did not play on these sessions.

Although Joe South is best known as a songwriter, his session credits are also impressive. He played on Simon & Garfunkle's "Sounds of Silence" and on several sessions for Aretha Franklin. That's Joe playing the signature opening lick on Aretha's "Chain of Fools."

What do "The Band" and "Blonde on Blonde" albums have in common? The original master tapes for both of these truly Classic albums are reportedly lost.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 21:08:17 CEST 2000 from ip87-max7-lowell.ziplink.net (206.15.160.247)

Long Distance Operator

Howdy! Great news for the Boston area people that come here, like Ruby, Franko, myself, and others: WROR FM 105.7 is broadcasting a Rick Danko interview at 5:15pm where Ricky talks about the making of The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. I don't know how long it is, or how good a job they'll do, but it's refreshing just to hear Ricky's name on the radio! Just heard the news as I drove back to work, so I wanted to pass it along to anybody within earshot. Latah!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 20:34:06 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-066.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.66)

Peter Viney

Dylan & the Band: Al Kooper once discussed bootlegs of out-takes and said something along the lines of "It it says Al Kooper, it’s Garth Hudson. If it says Garth Hudson it’s Al Kooper." There are two supposedly "definitive" resources on who played on what. Michael Krosgaard went back and checked who got paid for what sessions, and published his research in the sadly gone "The Telegraph" magazine. Clinton Heylin did his thing in "The Recording Sessions." They don’t always agree.

KROSGAARD: The Telegraph 52, Summer 1995:

They did 21 takes of ‘One of must know" on 25 January 1966 in NYC, used take 21, and these people are on the official Columbia session notes: Robbie Robertson – guitar, Richard Danko – bass, William E. Lee – bass, Paul Griffin – piano, Al Kooper – organ. I assume only one played bass per take, but there’s no record of who played on the final track. On the 27th they cut three more takes, plus four of Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat (unissued) and "I’ll Keep It With Mine" (issued on the Bootleg Series) with Robbie Robertson – guitar, Richard Danko – bass, Al Kooper – organ, Bobby Gregg – drums.

21 January 1966: "She’s Your Lover Now" (Bootleg series) features Garth Hudson – organ, Robbie Robertson – guitar, Richard Manuel – piano, Rick Danko – bass, Sandy Konikoff - drums + "Michael John" also got paid for playing, instrument unlisted

On Nov 30th 1965, 14 versions of "Visions of Johanna" (called "Freeze Out"), all unissued + Can You please Crawl Out your window were cut with: Garth Hudson – organ, Robbie Robertson – guitar, Richard Manuel – piano, Rick Danko – bass, Bobby Gregg – drums, Bruce Langhorne – guitar, Al Kooper – organ + for half a session, Paul Griffin – piano, Joseph Souter- guitar.

On October 5th 1965, they cut Medicine Sunday, Jet Pilot, I Wanna Be Your Lover, an instrumental and two unissued takes of Can You Please Crawl out your Window and didn’t note the session details. But according to Heylin, this is RR, GH, RD, RM and Levon Helm with no other participants.

Heylin says that Kooper was drafted in "belatedly" to "One of Us Must Know" on a "protracted session" to supply his "designer organ fills". Sounds like Bob wanted the signature "Like a Rolling Stone’ sound from Kooper, who has always dined out on the story. He was there to play third guitar on "Like a rolling stone", volunteered to play organ, but had never played it before, being a pianist / guitarist at the time. The magic riff came about because he wasn’t used to playing organ. So maybe Garth was too good!

Robbie & Al Kooper accompanied Bob to Nashville for the main Blonde on Blonde sessions. The REAL shock from Krosgaard’s notes is the final version of "Visions of Johanna" cut on Valentine’s Day 1966. Guitar – Wayne Moss. For years I thought of this as Robbie’s finest hour. What I do think (if it’s true, and my ears still make me doubt the session notes) is that Wayne Moss had heard demos of Robbie and played in a suitable style. Robbie was not listed on the first set of sessions (Feb 12 - 17) but is listed for March 8 onwards. However, Clinton Heylin has him there . On most tracks, Wayne Moss and RR share guitar duties. "Mobile" / "4th Time Around"/ Obviously 5 Believers" are all Wayne Moss without RR. According to Dylan, even though both Wayne Moss and RR played guitar on "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" (final version), the lead guitar is Bob himself. "Sad eyed Lady" is Charlie McCoy and J.D. Souther.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 20:10:35 CEST 2000 from polaris-fw1.nspco.com (206.10.243.20)

Dave Z

Let's see.. Band fantasies... only three choices... 1. maybe be the guy who calls 911 to keep both Rick and Richard alive for a little while longer... 2. I just love those Elliot Landy photos of Rick in the creek and Garth with the walking stick... so I guess I would have liked to be the guy walking along the road when somebody yells... hey, got any matches... well, come on over... 3. Be a guest in the Hudson household... and one night I can't sleep so I'm oil painting in the next room... when all of a sudden I start hearing organ and piano sounds at about 2 a.m. or so... and I keep on painting...

Oh and one more... when I was a 16 year old punk we used to "bah" people... meaning yell "bah" from a car window to somebody walking along side the road... I know it's cruel... but I would like to have "bah'd" Levon and Robbie as they were walking down the road...

Posted on Wed Jun 14 19:59:18 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup22.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.22)

G-MAN PRODUCTIONS

Thanks Crabby. Do I see RR live or watch the MAN on Conan; lite nite TV wins again. HM, three top events with the Band. Sittin w/original members while Rick butchered the deer. Sittin w/Levon, Randy, and Garth and listening to them about puttin together some music. Sittin w/Rick & JW and listen to them some heavy guitar riffs: ENCORE (they always do one). Sittin w/RR when he read the cover to the Brown Album. Central Park will be Rockin' the w/e!!!! This is what we have, so enjoy it !!!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 19:36:06 CEST 2000 from pm4-128.delrio.com (208.246.53.128)

Just Wonderin'

MattK: Great post! Just to add to that thought...I read soemwhere that RR was a reluctant frontman for interviews at the time of Big Pink, but somebody had to do it. That's consistant with him being deferential to the other members.

Times I would have loved to be there with them:

Recording the basement tapes

interviews (conversations...hey Marty don't interview Garth now HE JUST WOKE UP! GIVE A GUY A BREAK!) with Scorsese during the post production of the Last Waltz.

Recording of The Band

Posted on Wed Jun 14 19:19:09 CEST 2000 from user-33qt98u.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.165.30)

Pat Brennan

Although Garth and Richard are credited on Blonde On Blonde, if I recall correctly that is a mistake. And Rick's assignment in the literature on the subject as bassist on One Of Us Must Know seems rickety to me. That is also the song that Richard and Garth supposedly play on, and if you listen to it, you can tell it's not them.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 18:44:14 CEST 2000 from 2cust77.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.137.77)

Crabgrass

I wish I could have been present when Levon had a good look at the label on the Brown Album. (I know this falls somewhat short in light of recent Robbie bashing comments but it's all I can come up with. I've been outCrabbed!!!)

Posted on Wed Jun 14 18:51:10 CEST 2000 from spider-tr013.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.178)

butch

For those of you folks joining Levon this weekend,,, here is the schedule -----------------> THURSDAY NIGHT WITH GUY DAVIS, T-BONE WOLK , JOHN PLATANIA, @ THE TURNING POINT, IN PIERMONT, NY ----------------------------> Friday ---- taping the CONAN O'BRIAN SHOW, W/GUY DAVIS AGAIN,,,,,,,,, ------------------------------> FRIDAY NIGHT,,,,,, IN BROOKLYN,, @ LIMESTONE'S 5th ave & 73rd STREET,,w/ The BENNETT - McGLOUGHLIN Band,,,------------------------------------------------->SATURDAY,,,,,, @ 3 P.M. ,,,, CENTRAL PARK,,,, 72nd ST entrance,,,,,,,,,, WITH HUBERT SUMLIN, JIMMY VIVINO, MIKE MERRITT, DAVID JOHANSEN,,, 3 pm,, -----------------> & MAYBE () later that sat nite , @ Chicago Blues,,, with hubert, & JIMMY V'S band,,,, OK ?????? GOT IT ALL ?????? SEE YA THERE !!!! butch

Posted on Wed Jun 14 17:15:52 CEST 2000 from du15-250.ppp.algonet.se (195.100.250.15)

Ilkka

Joining Nancy's Band fantasy:
1.) Choppin' wood
2.) Signing THEE contracts of credits
3.) Playing "Ol' Time Religion"

Ragtime :-)

Posted on Wed Jun 14 15:51:36 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup23.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.23)

G-MAN PRODUCTIONS

Yo-Mattk-thanks for the come back . I really enjoy Robbie Robertson and Storyville, from a super player and underestimated singer (certain type songs). After your enlightening response I went out to get two tickets to see RR. Of course I gave them away ! Seriously, you mentioned Bill Graham notice RR being differential to other members of the Band . This is the same guy who ran super concerts--took care of performers--yet didn't give a hoot re: the artistic side--just to make money. Were your close to Mr. Graham ?? I think you ment sound & fury=significance(zero). I mean RR + what I got from the Hawk + what I got from Bobby D (even bashes him now)+ what I got from Levon+ what I got from the rest of the Band +plus what I got from Albert + what I got from Marty(??) + what I got from Geffen=MO FO ME !!! Fred Carter said it best after RR watched him playin', took what he could and said, " Fred I'm goin ta cut ya." What a great thanks !! Fred said he turned his back, probably said- hey kma !!! If the originals read this they probably don't give a rat's tail about are opinions. Robbie and John Simon should write a book each. It would offer a truly eye opening contradiction, and I am sure very unbalanche !! Keep Rockin'..

Posted on Wed Jun 14 14:27:45 CEST 2000 from 150.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.150)

Nancy

The three Band events I would have most liked to be present for are:

1. Seeing them in their Hawks incarnation with Ronnie Hawkins, at the Le Coq d'or, or similar venue. Just for the chance to see them as fresh faced, innocent looking boys, adopting the then current style of suits, white shirts and ties, and neatly clipped hair.

2. The afternoon of drunken songwriting and musical creation that saw the birth of "4% Pantomine". I didn't know why Van Morrsion was invited to TLW until I started snooping around on this website. I was really excited to find out of the real friendship between Van and Richard, a friendship somewhat enhanced by the bottom of whisky bottles, but a connection, never-the-less. I would have loved to be witness to those two in the throes of theatrical and creative fancy.

3. The third experience I would have liked to have had is the big one - the opportunity to go feral at Winterland during the TLW, just wander around and talk to whoever would talk to me, and watch the stage from the sidelines and soak up the energy and emotion of the the greatest concert ever! This concert is my favourite watch late at night when everyone else has gone to bed and I think it is amazing that I (and I guess many other GB'ers) continue to be inspired and entertained by it.

Come guys, this is a chance to air your Band fantasy, and its a good thread, worthy of a few more megabytes!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 07:20:33 CEST 2000 from parachute1-156-40-64-144.net.nih.gov (156.40.64.144)

Jonathan Katz

I heard that Guy Davis will be appearing on the Conan O'Brian show this Friday night. Levon Helm will be playing drums and John Platania from Van Morrison's band will be on guitar.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 06:23:49 CEST 2000 from spider-wd053.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.173)

Stephen Novik

Thanks to Peter Viney and D. Lil for settling the main inquiry I had. Going to Alabama you say? Ill start looking for it, though on that Beta tape I am sure Rick croons Well Im going back to Canada / now that Ive learned a thing or two.

You can see that my computer still doesnt allow certain puncuation marks (which is odd...)

I wanted to wade into the discussion about the books saying that I saw Levon on the best CBC variety series, Friday Night with Ralph Benmurghui and Ralph interviewed him and Rick about the book to which Levon said he would have included more deerskinning stories but the book sellers wanted more controversy, so henceforth the treatment of Robbie Robertson. Honestly, I dont care! I just wanna one day walk into the book stores and CD stores and see nothing but The Band! More books! More CDs! More Videos! Please!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 05:56:30 CEST 2000 from gdh2-25c.twcny.rr.com (24.95.166.92)

Dr. Pepper

The Lacrosse stick rests against your house as does the ABB "Peakin at the Beacon". I listened to a looooooooooong tape made of Rick talking about life in general and happy birthdays and Australia and Malibu on my way to my annual "Bury the Hatchet" dinner for LaCrosse Coaches and Referees. I feel Robbie should donate lots of money to help out the Iroqouis National Team who are trying to sponsor the World Games. George, talk to you next week! Still looking for that tape! Watch out for the Monkees!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 05:33:14 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-35-163.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.163)

Guenevere

Carmen, Here's the credits from Blonde on Blonde:

Bob Dylan - Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals

Al Kooper - Organ, Guitar, Horn, Keyboards

Robbie Robertson - Guitar, Vocals

Joe South - Guitar

Rick Danko- Bass, Violin, Vocals

Bill AtkinsKeyboards

Wayne Butler - Trombone

Kenneth A. Buttrey - Drums

Paul Griffin - Piano

Amy Herot - Reissue Producer

Garth Hudson - Keyboards, Saxophone

Bob Johnston - Producer

Jerry Kennedy- Guitar

Sanford Konikoff - Drums

Richard Manuel - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals

Wayne Moss- Guitar, Vocals

Hargus "Pig" Robbins- Piano, Keyboards

Henry Strzelecki - Bass

Mark Wilder - Remixing, Remastering

Charlie McCoy - Bass, Guitar, Harmonica, Trumpet

The Band .... and then some....

Posted on Wed Jun 14 05:30:25 CEST 2000 from pool-209-138-11-138.ipls.grid.net (209.138.11.138)

Bobby Jones

What would you think if I told you Robbie quit the group in '73? What if, he decided he had enough of touring and wanted to only play in the studio and spend time writing? What if, Albert had open try-outs for electric guitar players? What if, the ad ran in the Village Voice? What if, Robbie was thinking he could be the muscial director. Heard this once upon a time. The Question is, who was available in 1973 not 1976. By 1976 the music was over.

Anyone heard anything about the two new Danko Boots?

Also heard there is a Levon boot floating around Europe - anything on this?

Posted on Wed Jun 14 05:27:30 CEST 2000 from spider-we064.proxy.aol.com (205.188.195.49)

Bayou Sam

If Levon reads this guestbook he probably marvels(no pun intended) and shakes his head at the amount of time people spend analyzing every thought and move made by him, RR, and the other Band members. He probably howls with laughter, and sometimes can't even read it...... Robbie probably feels like an underappreciated part of the Band by more people than he would imagine. Robbie, however does not need to defend himself or explain himself to us...... I like what MattK said a few posts back. I don't think it was knee jerk Matt. It was well said...........I'd love to see a book by RR. I would really love one from Garth.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 04:56:01 CEST 2000 from user-33qta2f.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.168.79)

Pat Brennan

In 65 and 66, Dylan recorded a number of things with four members of the Band in various configs. Although this list isn't complete, it would only include "One of Us Must Know" ( w. Danko, Robertson) as an album release and "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" (Full group w. Bobby Gregg) as a single. The rest--"I wanna Be Your Lover" "She's Your Lover Now" "I'll Keep It With Mine" a version of "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat" and "Jet Pilot" among others--have seen the light through the Bootleg Series or other unofficial boots. The fact is that the Hawks didn't sound that together in the studio at that time working under Dylan's one take approach.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 04:23:41 CEST 2000 from mat-8-22.enter.net (207.16.156.124)

Little Brother

-- Lots of food for thought, can't sit here all night hoping for a "right" way to respond.

-- If this were The Boss Guestbook, there might be page after page of what the tour was like, linking fans in city after city. I picked Springsteen only because he was all over local news for hurting the NY po-lice's feelings for committing a recent unpleasantness to song. I'm not a fan, but good for him. Anyway, this roundabout reference is only to say again that unless time runs backwards-- are you working on that, Jan?-- the only current events to write about are the various shows, memorial or otherwise, about which we get such excellent reports. But they're like lines of brush fires sweeping along certain timberlines that many of us can't reach. Ergo, the well-trodden history of the Band, their repertoire, recorded or remembered, and the GB itself are going to remain the grist for this mill.

All this to say that threads like "Who might've filled Robbie's shoes?" can be played with like a kitten playing with a skein of yarn, even though I'll bet EVERYONE who contributed knows that the Band's magic was in its unique constellation of shining musical stars. Ludicrous-- of course! But pardon me, Funk, for just this once:

lu·di·crous (lud-krs) adj. Laughable or hilarious because of obvious absurdity or incongruity. See Synonyms at foolish. [From Latin ludicrus, sportive, from ludus, game]

(I do not speak the HTML to preserve or recreate the phonetic symbols.)

-- John Donabie, I thought of Clapton too. As with all the stand-ins in this game, there are lots of similar qualities. The thought of him and Richard drinking each other under the table is too spooky, though. Oh, before I forget, you're by no means alone in noticing Garth's under-representation in all of the film/video footage. Only Saturday Night Live did him justice, by mounting that camera directly ABOVE him, so all of the non-stop, complex thrusts and lunges across his semicircle of keyboards could be seen. A second camera at three-quarter ground level might allow suitable interplay for some really true-to-life filming. Too bad Scorsese didn't go there. And too bad the video listed as the Band "Compilation" hasn't been commercially released; a tape of ALL the Band's concert footage and TV appearances, plus the studio (poolhouse?) segments, would be too much like right!

-- So there's to be a REVISED edition of Levon's book? Is this the one I wished for, with the vacuum-sealed doobie attached to the flyleaf? Will it have bonus tracks? I wonder what sort of "revisions" will be made-- often these involve corrections, either in typesetting or to fix minor factual or continuity errors missed by author(s) and editors. Will there be additional chapters? Hmmm.

-- I recently posted that I was let down when I viewed the "Authorized Bio" video I'd ordered from E-bay. One clarification: When I said the structure beginning and returning to the "new" (1995) Band seemed hollow, I didn't mean that the perspective was insincere. I'm sure it seemed real at the time, just as people have posted that it felt like the "real" Band as opposed to the big lineup in the mid-80s. I only meant that the hindsight of knowing that incarnation would only last for a couple of years, then somehow coast until another tragic loss foreclosed it, kind of killed the upbeat mood for me. Having failed to first seek out the review linked to the video section of this site, I also vaguely expected to find interview clips from ALL members. I figured SOMEONE had to have caught them on tape, even amateur or low-quality tape, before Scorsese!

Yes, RPence, it DID turn out to be a sort of analogue to Levon's book-- almost a video version. But for all that, and all my susceptibility to becoming sad and bummed out, the extensive Levon segments really showed what a smart, good-humored, and all-around charming guy he is. It tripped that fantasy-circuit that whispers, "Must exhume guitar, work hard for six weeks rebuilding calluses and investigating support garments to allow it to remain on knee when being pushed by fat belly, especially when singing. Must then risk life, liberty, and savings blindly procuring insanely-illegal herb, must then find Levon in good mood and spend hours hanging at HIS house..."

I can't argue with the term "vendetta", 'cause that deep Southern sentiment is every bit the equal of the classic Mediterranean passion that inspired the term. But though the reality may have been distorted and intensified by long rumination steeped in bitterness, and we all wish it would be healed or put right, it's clearly his honest, authentic perspective. It's almost become a caricature of itself at this point, like an old Republican uncle who turns purple every time Roosevelt's name is mentioned. One can sort of take it with a pound of salt and work around it. I'm glad you think so, too.

-- I have to think about this some more, but Hank's straightforward point about Robbie being the most afraid, or at least hung up, about performing versus the others really clicked with me! Robbie is a complex guy, though like G-man I find myself keeping my hand on my wallet when I see him. On the one hand, he did go out there almost every night for YEARS, paying his performing dues. It seems absurd to accuse him of being-- a wussy, I think? Yet it DOES seem true to say that where Levon glories in public performance, and saw it as necessary to keep the music going, Robbie locked up once he got to the pinnacle of performing his OWN material. And-- to veer into some hack psychoanalyzing, knowing the folks most likely to get pissed off have long since scrolled away-- going back to the Dylan tour days: Robbie, although "out there" and a killer guitarist, may well have been sort of playing inside out-- his "self" well-armored, deep in the heart of a lonely kid. With a front man, Bob, taking the brunt of the heat. Whereas Levon's "self" was wide-open and out there, and vulnerable. So Robbie could survive the toxic negativity, but Levon was like a trout in a current of salt-water! This, this, is going... somewhere.

-- Carmen, perhaps Peter V. can direct you to Dylanographic sources to disprove the Band's participation in "Blonde on Blonde". I keep wanting to hear them too, especially in tunes like "Most Likely...", "...Johanna", "...Pillbox Hat". But, as in "Self-Portrait", apparently 'taint true. I also wonder why Dylan and the Band didn't work together in the studio more. "Planet Waves" has its moments, but it ain't no "Highway 61". Does Bob have a sort of familiarity-breeds-mediocrity thing with backup musicians? He seems to get better results with "pickup" bands, albeit high-caliber session musician ones.

--Which reminds me of something funny my nephew Dan said to me about six years ago. But the less said about that now, the better. 'Night!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 04:20:55 CEST 2000 from user-37kau15.dialup.mindspring.com (207.69.120.37)

Dan

Matt: I agree with you about the decline in Richard's songwriting affecting the Band, particularly after StageFright, which is a great album despite the relative lack of shared vocals. Ever notice that Richard only plays drums once on Northern Cross while I believe Levon and Robbie credit Richard with almost half the drumming on Big Pink and the Brown Album. I think that the Band was hurt by at least two factors regarding songwriting after the Brown album. The first was the norm back then of putting out an album per year. This probably led to Cahoots and Stage Fright being released in '70 and '71 whereas today Cahoots may have waited for more material or until the guys got the muse. The second is the expectation that "The Band" be "The Band." The Brown album was entirely internally composed and there was this expectation to continue writing the timeless historical songs instead of interspersing fun songs, particularly Motown covers. A few covers here and there would have strengthened StageFright and Cahoots, picture the latter aided by some songs from the Bobby Charles album which was recorded at the same time.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 03:35:47 CEST 2000 from spider-wd013.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.153)

J Ryan

Like to see Levon and the Barn Burners at this one. A Woodstock type gig but small in its 3rd or fourth year in Troy. Check out the guys website. http://pages.prodigy.netlloyd991/ Lot of fun, great entertainment

Posted on Wed Jun 14 03:09:35 CEST 2000 from cfa1.execulink.net (199.166.6.10)

Paul Godfrey

Everybody,

We are, one and all, a living testiment to all the Band ever was or will be. Not a bad thought!

God Speed and Good Health, John John.

And...let it all Shine On!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 02:49:24 CEST 2000 from 224.mercerville-23-24rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.149.224)

carmen

It is said that the only studio Dylan/BAND record was Planet Waves. I was reading "Dylan the Recording Years 1960-1994" and the author (name ?) states that all members of the BAND were involved in Blond on Blond. The CD I have only gives credit to Jamie Robertson. Can anyone clear this up for me?

Thanks!

Posted on Wed Jun 14 02:02:46 CEST 2000 from m198214181105.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.105)

Pehr

I found lots of value in Levon's book, in fact it is one of my very favorite Rock books. Levon is a real great storyteller with a down home sense of delivery. I like the Hoskyns book too, for the most part, though it doesnt have the sense of humor levon's book has in abundance that is easy to forget given the energy that the "Feud" takes up in the latter part; the personal memories Mr. Helm shares are priceless- Hoskyns can't quite place me there the way Helm does, but both books are real page turners.

There are a number of inaccuracies in the first version of Mr. Helm's book, I dont really remember them at the moment, it's been a while since I went through it. But once I start that book it has for me much of the cinematic quality many of us admire in the songs here. The stories about life in Arkansas circa 1940-'58 are priceless as are the stories of The Hawk, The lean years of the "Fabian" era, the "Cannonball Adderley era, Dylan '66, the BT's, and the classic albums, and the long road after. There is no band I can think of that has so much heritage behind it, so it's hard for me to truly accept that there is little of value in it. oh well we can't all like it, I suppose.

Posted on Wed Jun 14 02:01:00 CEST 2000 from dialup-343.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.87)

HANK

I really wonder if RR and Levon read what we write here!!!! If they do......they must be really weirded out by it....so maybe they don't, as a rule.......I've been coming here since Rick went to help out in the heavenly neighbourhood and the more I read all you folks and ponder my own thoughts and feelings about The Band ....pre-GB and post-GB....the more I think that there is a duality of something very Holy AND something very Unholy about them fellas......it's almost scary if you let yourself be carried away by it........Their music is Timeless and it was performed with a mighty passion whether in the studio or live.......it's this passion that we cling to to this day and it was this passion that attracted the Demons AND the Angels that surrounded these fellas........

Posted on Wed Jun 14 00:23:44 CEST 2000 from (129.237.210.106)

RPence

My thoughts on the "duelling Band books." I think Hoskyns' book is a labor of love and that Davis/Helm's is a labor of hate. The biggest flaw in Hoskyns is his use of sources. He lifts generous chunks from various articles almost verbatim without using quotation marks--borderline plagiarism, to say the least. But his book is the most comprehensive and balanced history of the Band. Some guestbookers have criticized Hoskyns for criticizing the post-RR Band. I don't agree with all of his points, but I don't have to agree with everything an author does to admire the overall project. No one has mentioned that Hoskyns is also very hard on RR, slamming him for arrogance/self-promotion/a failed solo career. I can see how some people who buy Davis/Helm's version, which paints RR as a scumbag and the rest of the group as saints, would dislike the Hoskyns account. I've read both books and can find nothing of value in Davis/Helm except some nice rare photos. There are plenty of problems with RR's agenda, but people need to know that LH had an agenda when he dictated his book to Davis. First, sell copies of "Jericho"; second, sell copies of "Wheel." To do this, he chose to trash RR as a musician, songwriter, and human being. Obviously the strategy didn't work because neither the book nor the album was successful. Now "Wheel" is back, revised, so presumably LH can tell us how RR and company killed Rick Danko. I have not seen the video "history" of The Band from a few years back, but my understanding is that it is another part of LH's crusade to get even for "The Last Waltz", etc. When all is said and done, there's one surefire way to get the history of the Band, the one that went out with unique style and class in 1976--listen to their records, 1968-78. My dislike of LH's vendetta will not spoil my memories of the reunited Band show I saw in Denver in 1983 at the Rainbow Music Hall, nor will it ruin TLW for me. And I wouldn't mind going to a Barnburners show, either, to witness the man doing what he's truly on this earth to do (one of the things, at least).

Posted on Tue Jun 13 23:37:29 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Speaking of "getting along," it sez here that the boys in Oasis are at it again, and the bros. Gallegher are at each others throats for the umpteenth time. I wonder which brother duo would win the award for most acrimony, the Black Crows, CCR or Oasis? You'd think they'd learn from the terrible tragedy of CCR and the Fogerty Brothers, who weren't on speaking terms until it was too late and one was deceased. Then again, I'd hope Levon and RR would learn the same lesson.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 23:30:31 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

No pain intended G, just doing my usual knee jerk on the RR bashing. Take care.

matt

Posted on Tue Jun 13 22:41:21 CEST 2000 from (198.242.215.55)

Scott Henderson

If anyone sees Pepper have him stop by with the Lacroose stick and the CD.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 22:04:01 CEST 2000 from usr1-dialup2.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.66.2)

G-MAN

Mat K-bro-ya missed my point. First, you were easier to hook than a starvin northern pike(I don't want to become a Crabby II) ! Second, I have stated many times that these guys are humans and they live w/their decisions. Third, I really don't know them that well. I just voiced my opinion. Finally, I can see the Crowmatix, BarnBurners, or the Guru's and get some great music, a hand shake, and feel good. Maybe I have an alergy to plastic. Peace and really don't take things so seriously. What's over is over, son !! Keep Rockin'. Ok, I'll go see the Robster fri. nite. Peace !!

Posted on Tue Jun 13 21:08:13 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.151)

David Powell

It's hard to define that music & that thing that we call the blues. It goes beyond the expression of raw, honest emotion, through the transcendence from joy to sorrow. To paraphrase the words of a Supreme Court justice, who was trying to define pornography, "I can't tell you what it is, but you'll know what it is when you see it & feel it."

It's form can be menacing like that of Howlin' Wolf's, or majestically regal like the presence of Muddy Waters. It can be a trip to the hot, dusty crossroads down in the delta with Robert Johnson, the hounds of hell on your trail. It can be night in a Georgia roadhouse with Levon, Amy & the Barn Burners romping through the classic cries of bluesmen & women who paved the way in the past. It can be as simple as "I don't want to be sad & blue / I just want to make love to you", or as plaintive as "When I picked up the receiver / The party said 'there's another mule kicking in your stall.'"

Then there's that distinctive sound of B.B. King bending a note on a guitar string. Like a cry from deep within the soul, his singing & playing cuts like a knife down to the bone. How blue can you get. "It's three o'clock in the morning and I can't even close my eyes...Can't find my baby and I can't be satisfied."

B.B. King & Eric Clapton, trading licks and vocals on their new album "Riding With The King". What more can I say? Solid performances of classics such as "Ten Long Years", "Three O'Clock Blues", "Help The Poor", "Worried Life Blues", "Days of Old", "When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer", "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and a bluesy new take on "Hold On I'm Coming." Along with the blue, there's some tastes of some fairly new recipes, like the John Hiatt title song and two songs co-written by back-up guitarist Doyle Bramhall II.

Throw in appearances by such stellar musicians & singers as Andy Fairweather Low, Nathan East, Steve Gadd, Tim Carmon, Jimmy Vaughn, Joe Sample, the aforementioned Mr. Bramhall and Susannah & Wendy Melvoin. This album is a breath of fresh, emotion-filled air in the otherwise stale & narcissistic world of much of today's new music environment. This album serves up heaping portions of the blues -- real music that reveals honest feelings of loss & regret rather than the rage that is so prevalent in much of the music of this present generation.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 20:53:45 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

G-Man, you speak as someone with authoratative knowledge on Robbie as a person and his relationship with the other members--were you the sixth Beatle too?

I myself was not there, but I'll answer the latest 'what if' with some data to support me:

If the Band had been different minus RR's "caretaker" or "leadership" depends on what you mean by "caretaker." Bill Graham reports that when he went to Woodstock in '68 to negotiate the Winterland shows that RR was "clearly the leader" but "very differential, asking 'what do YOU think Garth or what do YOU think Richard.'"

Obviously, this was in the halcyon days before the tensions really grew and fame had spoiled relationships and metabolisms. If we assume that RR played less of a "caretaker" role (i'll let the levonistas and robersons define leadership for themselves and keep out of the "politics" this implies) at this point, we'd have to assume the group would have evolved more under Richard's songwriting skills.

Personally, I think the biggest creative tragedy in The Band was Richard's lack of output after Big Pink, which dwindles to nothing after Stagefright. I guess you'd assume that The Band, like Richard, would have burned out quickly, producing no new songs after Stagefright, and really not much after Big Pink.

Regardless of your opinion of the "songwriting" controversy, no one denies that RR brought the basic compositions to the group, so lacking those, it's hard to know if someone else could have or would have stepped forward and act as an impetus with new material.

OR, they might have ended up more like an NRBQ group with stronger links to the R/B and blues history, and less on the cinematic tastes of RR's songwriting, especially after "The Band." In this sense, the latter day Band probably serves as a good indicator of the direction of the Band minus RR's "caretaking" or "spokesman" efforts (again, I'm not going to get into the usual political debate regarding RR on this point).

As to whether that would play out in more personal terms, I can't even fathom a guess, nor would care to. Lives are a bit to organic to predict. Besides, we all know where it leads us here in the GB...

sound + fury = significance/zero.

matt

Posted on Tue Jun 13 19:37:57 CEST 2000 from usr51-dialup207.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.198.85)

G-MAN

Hm,.....a book by the Robster..I, I, me, I, me,I !!! Robster had to take over & save the Band. ....Albert how do we get this for us??? Oh, Albert isn't part of the Band...sorry fellas-me, me, me, I, I, I, saved the Band. Whew, I quit !! Royalties ?? See the accountant or Albert !!!! I tried--(Marty hold on)-- guys too late now--can't change. Contract says....Oh, what hand shake ?? Come on we're like brothers, RIGHT !!!! Robsters comin to Bflo.--I'm stayin home !!! Let's get a title for Robbie's book !! "Don't Leave Me Alone With the Check Book". First page left blank after all I's @ me's removed.. things!!!!

Posted on Tue Jun 13 19:16:32 CEST 2000 from (192.189.178.1)

BobK

To Jon Reddy: I read on the Jam music archive website that the offical cause of Rick's death was a stroke. Fly on, Rick. We miss you.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 19:09:59 CEST 2000 from cic-proxy02.firstunion.com (169.200.25.141)

Bones

I think we all agree(even Band members) that success was NOT very good for the Band. I have a question for everyone. By the early to mid 70s, Robbie had kind of become the caretaker of the Band. Some of us think he "took over" the Band, and some of us think he had to "save" it. No matter which camp you are in, what do you think would have happened to the Band if he had not done this? That is my question.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 18:57:16 CEST 2000 from 2cust94.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.133.222)

Crabgrass

It's odd that with the exception of the rather slapdash Planet Waves album Dylan recorded no studio albums with the full Band although he toured with them several times (granted, often minus Levon). It seems unlikely that scheduling problems were the cause.

I'd say Robbie's book on The Band is long overdue but will probably never materialize.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 18:55:58 CEST 2000 from m198214181053.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.181.53)

pehr

Moments with the band: I cant pick any right now. can I settle for Hamlet's views of B.T.'s and hanging out& romping round Big Pink?

Thanks for the posts highlighting Rick's memorial show. I miss him too, though we never met, his inspiration has been an important thing to me.

Thanks John Donabie for the latest scoop on The Hawk!

I wonder if Crabgrass should have replaced RR back in '76. It would help to have a true expert in everything leading our fellas into the 80's and beyond.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 18:05:02 CEST 2000 from cache-2.lnh.md.webcache.rcn.net (207.172.11.148)

Jon Reddy

Can anyone tell me what the official medical cause of Rick Danko's death was?

Posted on Tue Jun 13 16:16:53 CEST 2000 from pm4-13.delrio.com (208.246.53.13)

Just Wonderin'

The discussion of Band books makes me think it's time for someone else to write one. Maybe John Simon or Jonathan Taplin?

Posted on Tue Jun 13 15:28:17 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

How about Peter Cetera or that guy from Mr. Mister?

Oops, sorry, wrong guestbook

; )

Posted on Tue Jun 13 14:27:05 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-099.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.99)

Peter Viney

The song "Going Back to Alabama" is the one with the words "man walks by the side of the road …". I’ve asked this before, but there’s a song of this title on the Lionel Richie produced Kenny Rogers album "Share Your Love". I haven’t heard this album, but it yielded "Blaze of Glory" and Danko’s other stage number "My Love" came from Lionel Richie’s own album a year later.

Lil: I find Garth the most watcheable on stage too. It’s true that Garth and Richard were the most under-represented every time a camera got anywhere near them, and this continued after RR left, so he can’t be blamed for later under-representation. I still reckon this is because the seated player (apart from the drummer) doesn’t catch the director’s interest in the way a guitarist / bass player does, and also they were often poorly lit. Were they ever that interested in stage lighting? Good lighting means lots of money, specialist rigs, at least another very large truck, a top lighting director. Which means big gigs – 3000 seater minimum. I don’t know if stunning lighting would have married to the ambience of a Band show, though you can be effective without laser beams and strobes and purple halos. Bands that carried big lighting rigs were usually financed by record companies and sometimes didn’t break even on concert tickets with full houses.

What if: Ry Cooder

Posted on Tue Jun 13 13:30:27 CEST 2000 from alb2-as5200-01-49.termserv.net (208.20.67.49)

Diamond Lil

Deb: I have to agree with you that when The Band was The Band..all 5 members were irreplaceable, which I suppose is what made them so unique and so special. I do have 2 comments to make however.

If anyone had've ever told me that _anyone_ could sing IMND with as much emotion as Rick..I wouldn't have believed it for a moment. And then..last Thursday night...Maud Hudson did just that. It was so beautiful and so eerie..one could only feel that Rick was there..smiling.

And as for 'invisible' Garth (and I understand you meant 'listening')...I have to say that onstage..he has to be the _most_ visible of anyone. No matter what else is going on up there..it's him you find yourself watching...in complete amazement. Noone, in my opinion, can capture the essence of keyboard wizardry the way Garth can. (Not to mention that incredible sax...)

Well..off to work here. Have a good day everyone. And Jan...although they've faded now...I remember...OK/OK. Hug :-)

Posted on Tue Jun 13 13:21:07 CEST 2000 from 146.mercerville-15-20rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.184.146)

carmen

I wish I was a fly on the wall for the following 3:

The Basement

Planent Waves studio sessions

Robbie and Richard in the studio making "Between Trains"

Posted on Tue Jun 13 11:40:04 CEST 2000 from tc7-095.blm.bluemarble.net (63.87.47.4)

Todd (yes, again)

It's a slow night at the radio station... So, anyway, I enjoyed the CLASSIC ALBUMS DVD, by and large. My only complaint...whoever did the editing on this thing annoyed the crap outta me by cutting from John Simon soloing the multitracks on "The Weight" to The Band's performance on TLW. As a result, it makes it sound like the verses are in one key and the choruses are out-of-tune, or vice-versa. It makes my head feel like it's in a vice (and I mean a metal clamp, dammit, not the OTHER type of vice). They nearly compensate for this by playing an absolutely enlightening alternate take of "Whispering Pines" over the end credits. Oh well...like a critic once said in a review of Sinatra's L.A. IS MY LADY, "If you want the steak, you have to take the bone." As always, hope you're all well. --TODD.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 10:50:55 CEST 2000 from tc7-095.blm.bluemarble.net (63.87.47.4)

Todd Berryman

It always happens. At precisely the point that I think, "This is a ridiculous premise and I'm not getting involved and I'm not even thinking about this," I start thinking about it...it's exactly like saying "Don't think about the color red!" What do you do? You think about the color red. Grrrrr. Thanxa bunch, y'all. I have been mulling over the "What if (insert another performer's name here) replaced Robbie post-TLW. I throw this one out in the hopes someone may understand: John Hiatt. Mind you, this is not just Hoosier pride at work; there is a logic I'm bringing into this. In the mid-1970s, John Hiatt was a fantastic songwriter (yet to be covered by Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley, Eric Clapton, et al) who was descending down the path of his own (substance-influenced?) malaise. He rallied in the mid-1980s and began turning out brilliant albums, starting with BRING THE FAMILY in 1986 (recorded in only four days, no less!) and continuing through the present. Granted, adding Hiatt would bring the balance of Canadians v. Americans to 3-2. and Hiatt's lyric sensibility would be more that of a heartlander looking out than an outsider looking in, but I could easily see The Band identifying with the sentiments in a song like "Memphis in the Meantime"...The Band's own collective musical experiences growing up, listening to the radio, playing records is reflected in this tune. In my mind's ear, Levon would've been the perfect harmony vocalist with Hiatt on "Memphis"...two rough-hewn, natural voices blending on a song about a good time. Picture Richard Manuel pounding out the piano and putting those soulful vocal cords around "Have a Little Faith in Me." What about all their voices on "Thing Called Love," with Rick Danko's bass doing loop-de-loops around Nick Lowe's original bass part? I'll just say that Bonnie, try as she might, would have a HELLUVA time getting it away from them. So, I suggest a scenario involving common experience and skill. I now bow out, to the strains of Garth playing a calliope version of "The Twilight Zone" theme... I wish you all well. Talk to you soon.--TODD.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 08:58:45 CEST 2000 from pm3-030.efn.org (206.163.180.30)

deb again

Robbie Robertson is irreplaceable. So are the others in The Band. If you change any one in the equation, then you have a different band. No one else in the group could string words together so that they conveyed so much meaning as Robbie. No one else could have sung "It Makes No Difference" with so much feeling as Rick. No one could sing most everything with so much soul as Richard. Levon's drumming is the backbone of The Band and when he sang he WAS Virgil Caine. And Garth The Invisible could lay down almost invisible notes that added so much to the music without being obvious, yet take those notes away and you would dearly miss them in the mix. All irreplaceable.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 08:45:51 CEST 2000 from pm3-138.efn.org (206.163.180.138)

deb

Franko, you made my day with that story about Neil Diamond. I guess that is why he is in The Last Waltz; to give us all a bathroom break so we won't miss any of the movie.

I have to comment on the greiving process here. It is quite often necessary to deal with the feelings of loss at anniversary times, whether those times are one week, one month, six months, a year, or whatever. Exactly one year after my mom died, I started getting panic attacks. I had never experienced anything like that in my whole life and I thought I was dying. It was only by talking to a sympatico friend that I was able to figure out what the heck was happening. She called it the "anniversary effect" and it can come in different forms. A cousin of mine started losing her hair after her fiancee was killed. Death can have unusual repercussions for us left behind. Talking about it can help. As a friend of mine says: "Better out than in." I hate to see people (you know who you are) giving others crap because of the way they are dealing with their losses. Cut 'em some slack, please.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 08:15:50 CEST 2000 from tc7-095.blm.bluemarble.net (63.87.47.4)

Todd Berryman

Any news on which mixes of STAGE FRIGHT are appearing on the reissue (original vinyl versions or the CD versions--Rundgren's were prominent on vinyl, and Glyn John's had priority on the 1990 Larry Walsh-remastered CD, I think)? Responding to query by Brien Sz (top 3 Band events you'd like to be there for): 1)Any poolhouse session for THE BAND, just to see the magic at work. 2)Any of the BASEMENT TAPES sessions, but particularly the ones with Levon back in the fold. 3)(Said with absolutely no sarcasm and with the best of reasons) Richard's last night...just to give the man a hug and tell him that he's made a difference in my life. Whether it would matter, I don't know...but the man's vibrant ability to inspire me with his music when I've felt low is something I'd like to share with him. Just to say, "you've been an important part in the soundtrack to my own life, and I love you." There are others, but they don't seem so important now. Godspeed and God bless, y'all. --TODD.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 05:39:51 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9dh.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.165.177)

Pat Brennan

I also would like to shoo people away from using the GB as a psycho-therapeutic tool--especially those of you who feel the psychological need to spray all over Robbie Robertson or vent other derisories in an attempt to downplay either your own personal inadequacies or your inability to come to grips with the inescapable fact that RR isn't the person you want him to be. I would also ask people to quit the exercise of posting obviously insulting posts then coyly claim persecution when others respond in kind. And, in my humble and flawed opinion, HOTH can barely be mentioned with the original 5's work.

Here's a topic: how many songs on Jericho employ sequenced drums?

Posted on Tue Jun 13 05:30:28 CEST 2000 from 1cust30.tnt6.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.11.190.30)

Crabgrass

I think it's somehow been overlooked in recent days that the post Last Waltz Band incarnations came up with two excellent guitar players in Earl Cates and Jim Weider (and three if you count Blondie Chaplin who toured with Rick and Richard in the late '70s). Granted they pretty much played the riffs and licks invented by Robbie on the classic tunes but these were an integral part of the songs themselves. And Chaplin contributed the beautiful "Where I Should Always Be" (sung by Rick) to High on the Hog and also played on that album although probably not lead). To suggest that another established artist could have replaced Robbie is kind of ludicrous - people like Fogerty and Clapton had their own repertoires and styles and would not have been content to merge themselves into a previously established musical entity.

Bleecker Bob's on Bleecker St. (not to be confused with Bleeker Bob's) carries mostly used vinyl in all categories and pretty much only "alternative" or "hard core" CDs. Anyone wanting to find The Band's albums on CD should try Tower Records, HMV, Sam Goody's, or Virgin. Also check the CD departments at the larger Barnes & Noble and Border's book stores. If you look hard enough you'll find them all except maybe Moondog Matinee. Happy hunting!

Posted on Tue Jun 13 05:19:07 CEST 2000 from spider-tj082.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.212)

Stephen Novik

Gee, I dunno... Bruce to replace RR in The Band? Well, an equally fantastic guitarist as well as singer-songwriter. You see Cockburn in the lineup too?? ha ha ha. Just being Canuckin funny. But as Colin Linden once said, He may not have been THE boss, but he was MY boss!!

Posted on Tue Jun 13 05:07:55 CEST 2000 from spider-tj082.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.212)

Stephen Novik

Diamond Lil, ooh I love that song you quote -- The Man who walks by the side of the road who can turn himself around / he can pick himself up, he dust himself off / he can start all other again, my friend. I want to know more about this song. Has it ever been released? I am like Steve Anthony who interviewed Rick and Collin and Shrendi Vollmer back in 1989 when they performed it on MuchMusic. IS THERE A NAME FOR IT?? I have been hoping ever since that it would see the light of day. Thank God the Beta machine worked that day... Any info from you or anybody into this mysterious song would be much appreciated. Thanking you in advance, Step.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 04:48:39 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

I've always been intrigued by lists. The Book of Lists some years back (maybe they still do this) asked famous journalists, historians, movie stars, etc.., if there were three people, from history, you could have over for dinner who would they be OR if there were three events in history you could witness what would they be? So i was curious, What 3 events in the Bands history would any of you liked to have witnessed?

Mine, in no particular order. And probably missing some gems

1. First gig with Dylan going electric

2. In the studio when Rick first sang It Makes No Difference, and he knew he nailed it and so did everyone else. How i would have loved to have seen that.

3. The first concert the Band unleashed horns in. Rock of Ages is my top album/cd. I've always loved the way they incorporated horns with their music. It's what made me a fan!

I left out TLW because it was more of an end than the begining of discovering something new and fresh.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 04:22:24 CEST 2000 from user-37kasms.dialup.mindspring.com (207.69.114.220)

Dan

Mike is right on about The Band being a team -- I was thinking about that listening to "Strawberry Wine," a wonderful Helm-Robertson song.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 02:28:24 CEST 2000 from 98afe25b.ipt.aol.com (152.175.226.91)

Lafcadio

To Bayou Sam: thanks a lot, I'll give Bleeker Bobs a try. I can defenatly get into Long Island, no problem, what are the names of some stores around there?

Posted on Tue Jun 13 02:14:01 CEST 2000 from 11.mercerville-21-22rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.148.11)

carmen

How about Bruce as a RR replacement?

Posted on Tue Jun 13 01:37:24 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-117-185.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.117.185)

BWNWITennessee

How about Jerry Garcia as a post-Waltz replacement? He had the knowledge of folk, blues and jazz, and could probably restrain himself as a guitarist in a way that Eric Clapton or John Fogerty couldn't. I don't know if he would be happy doing it, because they would have to stop him from doing 20-minute solos. But I think he would be able to play simple and tastful, Cropper-esque fills between lines, something that Clapton or Buchanon couldn't do. Maybe he could have done double duty with The Band and the Dead, like he did with NRPS in the early '70s.

Posted on Tue Jun 13 00:58:55 CEST 2000 from spider-te013.proxy.aol.com (152.163.195.178)

jcf

I was dissapointed that Levon and co didn't make their gig here in New York on Friday night. Does anyone know the reason for the cancellation?

Posted on Mon Jun 12 23:02:59 CEST 2000 from alb1-as5200-30-30.termserv.net (208.20.67.30)

Diamond Lil

"Wherever you are tonight..I wish you the best of everything...."

Safe flight home. Miss you. Love you.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 22:30:08 CEST 2000 from spider-wd031.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.161)

Don Pugatch

FYI, new BB King/Eric Clapton, Riding with the King, coming out tommorrow, Tuesday June 13. Have heard 3 cuts, Riding with the King, John Hiatt tune, Lean on Me and other cover, which slips my mind.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 22:10:05 CEST 2000 from dialup-373.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.117)

HANK

Well, it's been a bit longer than usual....but I been busy gigging.........I'm knocked out by the ongoing discussions that go on here......the story that knocked me out most of all is the one about Maud Hudson singing "It Makes No Difference"...I woulda loved to have heard that!!!!!.....As ever, the speculation as to who coulda replaced RR rages on and some of the suggestions are really interesting....but I guess I would have to agree that it was much more than a personnel problem The Band were dealing with in 1976...as LITTLE BROTHER and CRABBY have pointed out in recent posts.....OK, here's a scenario..........maybe The Band woulda done well to do with RR like the BEACH BOYS did with Brian Wilson......."You don't wanna go on the road?.........OK, ya big wussy, stay there and write the songs.....WE'LL go on the road!!!" Because, let's face it, RR is a-scaredy cat when it comes to live performance......witness the first big gigs in San Francisco .........hypnotists and huge delays.......he WROTE "Stagefright" for crying out loud!!!!!...... Again, I mean no disrespect to RR, even if I appear a bit flippant about it.....there are many fine musicians and songwriters I admire who are/were TOTAL Road Wusssies.....George Harrison, John Lennon, Nick Drake....... to name but a few....But then again, as has been pointed out here, The Finality of TLW probably made it difficult for those guys to decide ANYTHING ..........I feel a major rant'n'rave about TLW comin' on.......I better stop now!!!!!.....see y'all later.........

Posted on Mon Jun 12 21:31:10 CEST 2000 from trt-on72-64.netcom.ca (216.123.89.192)

John Donabie

A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND A PET PEEVE......

I agree with Mike Carrico when he says "None of the orginal five were replacable. The beauty of The Band is that their sum was greater than their indivdual parts, and that those parts were among the best at their particular musical craft."

Now after saying I agree with that.......just one hypothetical moment. How many interviews have I read how Eric Clapton wanted to be a member of The Band. How interesting it might have been in Eric joined the boys after Robbie's departure. Yes he had his own career going; but what if?? He could provide great guitar, along with songwriting and singing abilities. Both The Band and Clapton love the blues. Just wondering....

To Bones: Feeling better, thank you. Some days's are a little strange. I was supposed to get to Joyous Lake last week; but wasn't up for the 7-8 hour drive.

PET PEEVE: After finally getting a DVD machine I went out and bought The Band Live in New Orleans.

As Popeye used to say, "It's all I can takes and I can't takes no more." WHY IS IT IN EVERY AND I MEAN EVERY FILM ON THE BAND......WHEN GARTH TAKES A SOLO......
THE CAMERA IS ON ANYONE BUT HIM!!! I DON'T GET IT!!! Garth takes a brilliant solo...
and we see Levon's high hat or Rick smiling...not that there's anything wrong with their shining faces.
ANYTHING BUT GARTH!!!!!!!!!
It doesn't matter what film it is; who's ever directing seems to say, "O.K. Garth's taking his solo accordion on Atlantic City now.....pan anywhere else but GARTH!" I'VE JUST NEVER UNDERSTOOD IT! Thank you for letting me get this off my Chest (Fever):>)

Posted on Mon Jun 12 20:53:38 CEST 2000 from ip87-max7-lowell.ziplink.net (206.15.160.247)

Long Distance Operator

Did anybody see the Band at Woodstock '94? If you did, you were lucky enough to see them jam with the inimitable Rory Block, the baddest-ass Delta blues player alive. Check out her website by clicking on the Homepage above. She's touring this summer, and well worth checking out.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 20:41:21 CEST 2000 from 216-1-128-32.akorn.net (216.1.128.32)

Mike Carrico

The speculation about replacing Robbie after TLW is interesting but misses the point: None of the orginal five were replacable. The beauty of The Band is that their sum was greater than their indivdual parts, and that those parts were among the best at their particular musical craft. And they all brought something of equal value to the party.

John Fogerty is a good songwriter (which a RR-less Band needed), and a very good singer (not needed), but he's nowhere near the guitarist that Robbie is. Also he's used to being the whole show; writing & singing every song, and playing every solo on every song. How does that mesh with the concept of The Band? Steve Cropper is much better fit guitar-wise, but he doesn't sing at all and comes up short in the songwriting department.

The Band was organically grown; their brilliance was the fruit of years of working, playing, and living together as brothers, and of honing their skills through countless hours of hard work as a band. Even if an appropriate musical replacement could be found (which I don't think is possible), the necessary chemistry would still be lacking.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 20:35:19 CEST 2000 from ric-wht-pxy-int02.wheatfirst.com (204.238.130.68)

Bones

John Donabie: Thanks for the Hawkins CD info. Great news! How are you feeling?

It sounds like some effort is going into the reissue project. I just hope they add the extra tracks at the end. You should never mess with the original album.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 19:03:21 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-005.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.5)

Peter Viney

Further to my earlier post: I hadn’t realized that Nancy had mentioned Hoskyns using the story about Levon twice. I was re-reading around the 215 area a couple of days ago so knew it was there. But the same comment is on page 37. In this case it seems Hoskyns was trying to get the tabloid value sensation on page 37, then looking down his nose and calling it a "smutty tidbit " on page 215

Ragtime is right – the publisher generally calls for the 2nd edition, but the book stayed around long enough in various formats – hb and pb to justify it, I’d’ve guessed. Mind you, I never looked in a recent pb edition, so I have to put both errors down to another day when I’m peddling bullshit.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 18:50:49 CEST 2000 from usr4-dialup9.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.66.201)

G-MAN

C-Grass-wouldda, shouldda, couldda for Rick wouldda been nice, but that's life; if it was meant to be- itll happen. It's sad, but not for me to address. D'Lil makes real sense. It's easy to be practical and pragmatic(C-GRASS), but some times life throws a curve; an injury that stops you from throwin' the curve; then you go from the estate to real life. Can't dictate emotions or how to heal. Lil's got some soul, she's been their. Trying watchin family go slow over a period of years--and then be so darn practical and pragmatic about it. Some folk have to learn to appreciate things and don't take things fror granted. Good thing we got the Band' music to get us throught. Otherwise, we'd have to follow the oath according crapgrass.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 18:41:26 CEST 2000 from 2cust16.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.133.144)

Crabgrass

It seems to me that all the original members of The Band were out of steam and knew it in '76 - that's why everyone showed up for The Last Waltz. A few short years later however, Rick and Richard, playing together (with Blondie Chaplin) in small clubs relied heavily on Band songs and it was obvious that these songs were so much a part of them they just couldn't let them go. Then when Levon and Garth joined Rick and Richard along with the Cate Brothers it became obvious that Levon and Garth also felt this way. They produced two great videos and toured outside the US though no new original material was produced or recorded - most likely because the spector of The Last Waltz (with the finality of it's title) hung over their heads. Thankfully, this demon was shaken loose with the passage of time the result being the excellent Jericho and High on the Hog (which they enthusiastically toured to support) and the somewhat anti-climactic and low-key Jubilation which was recorded after the touring stopped due to various personal problems - but still a welcome addition to the Band catalog.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 18:24:21 CEST 2000 from spider-wg072.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.52)

franko

Matt's Portuguese, Rick's tribute concert, recent posts about loss and remembering, Lil's strength, the image of Garth scampering across the stage to accompany his wife on her rendition of "It Makes No Difference" - brings to mind one of my favorite Brazilian words (actually, one of the few Brazilian words that I know) SAUDADE. Saudade is "a yearning or longing for someone or something who isn't with you - the aching feeling you have when you miss a lover, a friend, your family or a place. It is an emotion felt in many Brazilian tunes, adding a counterpoint of sweet melancholy to gorgeous guitar chords and surging rhythms."(ahem, the preceding definition courtesy of the liner notes from, ah, a Brazilian CD that I got at, um, well, at Starbucks)

IMND is the greatest non-Brazilian example of saudade that I have ever heard. It is my favorite RR composition and was the highlight of every RD show I ever saw. I remember seeing TLW at the movies with my older sister and her friends. They all had seen the Band live and were hardcore fans, me, I was the yongster. After the movie we (mostly they) talked about the film - why was Neil Young groping Joni, why did Rick, Richard and Garth look so wasted, where was Richard, why was Robbie pretending to sing, what on earth was Van wearing and why, etc. We all loved the movie and the unanimous highlight was Rick's IMND. We stayed for the next showing of the movie. As the lights went down one of the guys said he couldn't wait for Neil Diamond to come on, so he could go to the restroom and not miss any of the movie. In effect, he was showing great saudade for Neil.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 18:13:03 CEST 2000 from du73-0.ppp.algonet.se (195.100.0.73)

Aristoteles

"Tragedy is kathartic."

Posted on Mon Jun 12 18:12:31 CEST 2000 from pool-209-138-152-248-ipls.grid.net (209.138.152.248)

Bobby Jones

Just saw the listings for the first 4 re-issues. It will be interesting to hear Bessy Smith, Don't Do it and Katies Been Gone, among others mixed in their correct historical sequence. If you haven't see the track list, it's on the Jam web site. Check link above.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 17:41:34 CEST 2000 from spider-wn041.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.166)

Pac

Crabgrass, are your friends responsible for your behavior? You have a lot to contribute, but that other side of you is out of control and very hurtful. Paxil did wonders for my friend. hmmm

Posted on Mon Jun 12 17:29:29 CEST 2000 from proxy3-external.wyn1.pa.home.com (24.4.252.10)

Margie Smith

Does anyone know where I can obtain or just view a copy of "Eat the Document"?

Posted on Mon Jun 12 17:26:32 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Eu sou dito em Portugal, não comem crabgrass enquanto contribui à digestão deficiente.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 17:14:15 CEST 2000 from dial-41-max-bbvt-01.ramp.together.net (207.41.57.169)

steve s.

I agree that Ronnie is certainly one of the more colorful figures in R&R. I met the guys in the Band through my work as an attorney, friend (and musician) of the late, great Roy Buchanan in the late 70's. He turned me on to the guys and we hit it off (I guess the fact that I played a fairly decent lick or two didn't hurt, and the fact that I was farming - and still do - with draft horses didn't hurt either. Even to this day Lee still gets a kick out of the fact that there's an attorney as comfortable behind a team of drafters as with banging heads with the record labels! Years ago, a friend took a wonderful photo of Roy, Rick and me in a mock "see no evil" pose. After Roy passed away in 1988, Rick hounded me for years for a copy of the photo. Finally, I had a copy made and framed and I brought it with me to the Clinton Blue Jean Bash in DC following the election, intending to give it to Rick as a belated Xmas gift. Rick was in Ronnie's room screening a video that Ronnie had just finished. Rick knew what it was and tore the package open. Ronnie saw the photo and exclaimed "well I'll be a ------- - if that isn't ole' Roy" he asked Rick how I knew Roy and Rick explained that I had represented him. Ronnie looked scared for a moment and said "look at the video" - it was a tribute to all the Hawks that were no longer with us - he explained that Roy was the only one who he couldn't find any footage of. He asked me if I could get any and I told him I'd put him in touch with the right people. He started saying things like "that Roy, even weirdin' me out from the grave!!" he was so amazed at the timing! but what a truly nice (and fun) guy he turned out to be!! Guys like Roy and Rick are as much a part of our lives today as they were when they were with us - the legacy they left us - the good times, the stories, the music and of course their extraordinary gifts. will always be with us.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 17:05:06 CEST 2000 from usr5-dialup30.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.67.30)

G-MAN

Hey Band Fans--Breeze Hill's version of "NO DIFFERENCE" playin on the box..! Great to hear about the Hawk, RR, and Levon doin some sound. But w/out Ricky- never be the same. Again, nothin against RR-I've said many times individuals make their choices and live with them . The Band had members you can't replace Garth, Rick, and Levon. To me the spokesman was NOT the leader. They got a great guitar player in JW. Stage presence, soul, fire, crowd appeal, etc.-- you either have it or NOT. Check out Rick, Richard, and Levon--they don't have to force themselves on ya. RR always appears to tryin too hard to be accepted. Books-try Levon's first edition, then come fall get the second edition. Has a little more feeling to it. Course with the author-- what you see is what you get--no false pretense.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 16:56:03 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

Peter: was Hoskyns' book ever reprinted? If not, we can't blame him for not updating it, can't we?

Posted on Mon Jun 12 16:47:35 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

John and Charlie: The Rhino best-of-Hawkins CD contains the best of the Roulette material PLUS "Down In The Alley". Though doesn't include the small-label Canadian hits (and near-misses) from the mid '60s: "Let The Good Time Roll", "Bluebirds Over The Mountain", "Goin' To The River", "Home From The Forest" and "Mary Jane".

Posted on Mon Jun 12 14:27:44 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-176.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.176)

Peter Viney

Nancy: the Hoskyns book finishes in 1991 (ish) with them cutting the lost Sony album, which was rescued in part as Jericho. It was written near their lowest point (late 80s) before the three 90s albums. It also misses out Robbie’s Native-American change of direction. Not much was happening. This is probably why it’s depressing at the end.It’s odd that there’s no 2nd edition. Greil Marcus has kept up his interest by updating Mystery Train up to the current 4th edition. This shows continued commitment, I think.

As for the Levon anecdote, that comes directly, word-for-word from the Ronnie Hawkins Rolling Stone interview, which is attributed. If it had been used early on, when discussing The Hawks on the road, it would have been a lift / in there for sensation. It’s not though. It’s in there much later to illustrate what was in the Hawkins interview in R.S. that offended them so badly at the time, and Hoskyns calls it "a smutty tidbit" himself. He also prints Hawkins irrepressable response to the annoyance he had caused. It’s an important story (not the anecdote, but the response to it) because it illustrates how concerned Grossman was about building an image. Anyway, Hawkins is always quotable and more entertaining than virtually any other commentator.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 12:38:58 CEST 2000 from alb1-as5200-35-35.termserv.net (208.20.67.35)

Diamond Lil

You know what you do when life and death kick you in the ass crabgrass? You pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again my friend.

I actually had to laugh at your last post..which was indirectly directed at my last post. As someone who has stared death in the face before, and had to tell a 12, 5, and 4 year old that their 36 year old daddy died...I pretty much have the "he LIVED" thing down by now thank you very much. After nearly 5 years, my kids are happy, largely due to the fact that I never let them forget that their dad LIVED. The 4 of us together have fought our way back from tears to smiles and laughter, and enjoy the times we remember all the funny 'daddy stories'. My kids, now 16, 10, and 9..will tell you that in order to celebrate the fact the he LIVED..you first have to make peace with the fact that he died. And guess what? We did it all without psychotherapy..we did it by talking to each other, supporting each other during those not-so-good moments, and being proud of ourselves during those better moments. Life does indeed go on....sometimes it just takes a little time. And just because someone LIVED, doesn't mean we're not allowed to miss them...

The memorial concert for Rick in CT was all about the fact that he LIVED..and it was a celebration of his life, mixed with some sadness and tears of his death. Another step in the healing process that I felt very good to be a part of. But still..at this point..celebrating the fact that he LIVED doesn't erase the fact that only 6 months ago..he died. The circle of life...and we cope with it as best we can and try and move on.

Thanks for listening.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 12:38:45 CEST 2000 from 170.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.170)

Nancy

Thanks for your attempt to lift my mood of gloom in regards to Barney Hoskyns' book, Little Brother. You have however been singularly unsuccessful in cheering me up!!!

The book, as I said before, is just concerned with times, dates, songwriting, performances.....bare facts, and fails to flesh out the characteristics of the players in a way that is enlightening for the reader. Actually, as I was thinking 'failed to flesh out their characters', I realized that an alternative phrase is to 'put meat on their bones' and I remembered the truly crass reference to the meat on Levon, a reference that appeared, not once but twice. It is a highly personal piece of information (at least where I come from it is), that appears in a book which contains hardly any other details of a personal nature! Maybe if we were talking about Janis Joplins biography "Going Down With Janis", we would expect to find that kind of information - it would be just about mandatory! However, in this factual, no nonsense book it was a strange quotation to include, and in my opinion way too personal. Now through my efforts, it is publicised on the world-wide web, although anyone who doesn't know what I am talking about will have to read the book to find out.

Unnecessary detail though it is, it was provided by one of the more interesting characters to make a colourful appearance in the lives of the Hawks, Ronnie Hawkins. He sounds like a very entertaining character. I wonder how he dealt with the huge success his proteges had after they had flown his coop? It sounds like he maintains a connection with them to this day, going by recent posts.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 11:43:07 CEST 2000 from stcath-ppp73186.sympatico.ca (216.208.72.185)

Richard Patterson

Little Brother: Too bad you didn't like the "authorized biography" (hope you got a deal). I didn't find it hollow at all... Sure it was a bit of self-promotion but so what? Isn't that the whole reason rock 'n roll moved to video? To promote itself?... Thumbs up for suggesting Steve Cropper though... and the person who said John Fogarty was right on the mark. Once again, my feeling is that Robbie was not crucial to the Band's survival. There was LOADS of talent left without him...

You people who get pissed at Crabgrass' posts kill me... Don't you know what to do when you get a crank call?... Don't respond...

Posted on Mon Jun 12 08:34:30 CEST 2000 from spider-wl052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.42)

Bayou Sam

Dave Z. - Will It Go Round In Circles was a number one hit for Billy Preston in 1973. He performed it live a few years back with Ringo's All Starr Band when it included Levon and Rick. I had the pleasure of catching a show at the Jones Beach Theater here on Long Island. If you can find it there is a great cd from that tour with Billy's song as well as The Weight, which Nils Nofgren does a nice intro on, and Rick singing a beautiful Buddy Holley song called Raining In My Heart.................................. Crab ass (whoops, forgot the "g"). You're a pisser. You can make a great point or observation one post, and then rip somebody the next post. As much as you have the right to express an opinion here, you could lighten up and respect others opinions and feelings. As Paul said in Hard Days Night - you're a king mixer..... and BTW, what the hell buisness is it of yours if Robbie wants to go to a basketball game. Hasn't the guy given you enough enjoyment. You're on this site in large part to his songwriting. He dosen't need me to defend him but your smartass remarks just got under my skin.......... Sorry folks.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 08:21:34 CEST 2000 from mat-4-10.enter.net (207.16.155.158)

Little Brother

How about Steve Cropper or Mike Bloomfield to succeed Robbie? Steve had that Telecaster sound and a sort of all-around R&B, Southern sensibility. And Mike Bloomfield was a virtuoso genius, albeit a troubled one; he was definitely anti-commercial. If he could've meshed with the others, it might have infused the ensemble in a fresh way.

Of course, the problem with Hank's hypothetical-- besides the fact that the "what-if" scenario seems to really aggravate a segment of the GB crowd-- is that it presumes that Robbie was the restless loose cannon, and that there was still enough cohesiveness among the others to move forward together.

This is where I wish I could make Nancy feel better by making a case that Hoskyns' story is crap. And he may be crap himself-- and yeah, yeah, we weren't there, etc. But in that post-Cahoots, pre-TLW period, it's obvious by all accounts that the Band members were caught in a malaise. I mean, there's a lot about Robbie that gives me bad vibes, but it's not like HE was the cause of this. It was something that affected all of them.

Last week I got that "Authorized Biography" video from E-bay, and stuck it in the VCR on Friday night. Maybe I was trying to have my own vicarious memorial show. Well, it kind of backfired. And it wasn't just the anti-drug ad they stuck in the beginning. Maybe it was because the profile, though competent, was produced in 1995, almost as a parallel to Levon's book. It had sort of the same arc, beginning with the "new" Band, and ending with the optimistic thought that the Band had risen like a phoenix from the ashes and would carry on. It felt a little hollow, since even before December the "new" Band seemed to have gone into remission in spite of "Jubiliation". It made me feel sad.

More to the point here, everyone from Eric Clapton to John Zimon (sic) commented on what I'm calling this malaise. Even Rick, interviewed outdoors and seeming somewhat wasted with almost-closed eyes, mumbled a couple of times that success could be a monster that devoured some people.

I don't know, in some ways maybe Robbie did finally pull the rug out from under them, but they were tottering pretty bad at that point anyway. Had the four others felt enough solidarity and common purpose, they indeed could have rallied and explored alternatives like a change in talent-- as the wildly inebriated Hank postulated. But they'd outgrown the business-band framework they'd lived with under the Hawk's domination; even Levon couldn't just step up and say, "Hey, this is a going concern, so if Person A cain't cut it, well, we'll just cut his ass loose and pick up Person B!"

They were like cartoon characters who take five or six steps off the edge of a cliff into thin air, then look down and REALIZE nothing's holding them up...

Glad I cheered everyone up by clearing up THAT little question, eh?

Not to change the subject-- but what do you spoze Virgil Caine would do if he kept finding his brother's grave covered with crabgrass?

Posted on Mon Jun 12 06:52:01 CEST 2000 from 142.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.142)

Nancy

People like Diamond Lil don't need to pay for psychotherapy. Being a warm person in touch with her emotions and aware of the need to express her feeling of loss, she won't become screwed up.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 06:02:08 CEST 2000 from nat-elev.skolnet.uppsala.se (192.176.237.1)

Vampyre

Cool site!! :-) Where still working on our!

Posted on Mon Jun 12 05:37:50 CEST 2000 from 1cust112.tnt1.idaho-falls.id.da.uu.net (63.28.242.112)

rollie

Right on Crabby! Nuff said!

Posted on Mon Jun 12 05:23:45 CEST 2000 from 1cust152.tnt6.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.11.190.152)

Crabgrass

I once read an interview with (or an article about) Phil Spector in which he said something like "When someone dies most people go around shouting - He's dead! He's dead! I prefer to shout - He LIVED!"

With the exception of the occasional poster who still believes the original 5 Band members to be together and wonders out loud when they're gonna being playing in his Godforsaken little backwater town in Italy or Deutschland most GB posters are well aware (even painfully) that Rick is unfortunately no longer with us. Those who purport to have been close friends were apparently unable to intervene, did not choose to intervene, or intervened unsuccessfully when it became all too obvious that Rick's state of health and physical condition had seriously deteriorated over the past several years.

For those who relentlessly and admittedly use the Guestbook as a substitution for or adjunct to psychotherapy - that includes the infantile name calling variety of Crabby bashers - I suggest you might find some psychotherapeutic websites where you can vent your emotional stress.

I agree with Phil. Rick LIVED! (Yes, I do wish he would've taken better care of himself and lived longer.) And he left a rich legacy of music which will be enjoyed and talked about for years to come. I'd rather see his music kept alive through discussion, analysis, and criticism in the Guestbook than see the GB turned into a running obituary column. There is no tombstone on Rick's grave and most likely he wanted it that way. LET'S NOT BUILD ONE HERE. Instead, let's celebrate his birthday and his music - not the day he departed. (Same goes for Richard.)

Posted on Mon Jun 12 04:12:27 CEST 2000 from ns1.schuster.com (199.105.252.66)

Charlie Young

I'm reading a great book called "Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture" by Jac Holzman and Gavan Daws (FirstMedia Books, 1998). The book includes an interesting a bit about the time Peter Viney recently discussed here when Carly Simon cut some demos with Dylan and The Band just before Bob's motorcycle crash, but there's also a section in which Jackson Browne discusses his change of musical direction brought on by The Band:

"The Band came out with MUSIC FROM BIG PINK [and] we had never heard anything like it. It was ragged, loose, but it was plugged into something so real...my friends had made some slick records that didn't mean a thing to anybody. Producers were using the same musicians in the studio with very different artists...the session hack syndrome was looming, and it was the enemy. We were taking BIG PINK as a road sign..."

Posted on Mon Jun 12 04:07:20 CEST 2000 from spider-tr034.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.189)

Stephen Novik

I would just like to mention two items which could be added to the list of interesting songs.... 1) Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra covered Bessie Smith on the album Holiday Romance (1998) 2) from 1986, Sylvia Tysons album Big Spotlight features a song called Driftwood-- It is dedicated to both Albert Grossman and Richard Manuel. Hey, who said Canadians abandon their own kind?

Posted on Mon Jun 12 03:42:53 CEST 2000 from 132.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.132)

Nancy

I read Barney Hoskyns'"Across The Great Divide etc" for the first time last week. It was an interesting read with a ton of information about The Band's music and the musical connections they had throughout their career. The author refrained from discussing the private side of their lives in any detail which pleased this reader. I do have a beef with the book though:

After reading the first half, I felt buoyed up with admiration for the courage and audacity of the band members and the spirit of adventure they had (I thought "I haven't even lived!" after reading of the things they did even while they were still young boys). By the time I had finished the book the next day though, I had been told by Hoskyns that the people I had been admiring the day before were all washed up to the point of pity. If you were to believe what he writes, you would think that Robbie was the only one who had bothered to get out of bed since 1976, with the others wallowing in a sea of apathy since then.

His book is so concerned with the bare facts that he doesn't paint a 'sympathetic' (used in the context of 'whole') picture of certain members and what they have been doing since the band disbanded. It seems to me that it is primarily a depiction of "the music", that fails to portray the people who made that music (which may have been his intention). So I feel disappointed in the result because in my opinion, his rendering of the bare facts of the case makes for a harsh assessment of the band members and their achievements since 1976. Someone, please write and reassure me that the gloomy message conveyed in this book is NOT the whole picture, which is what I want to believe.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 03:21:38 CEST 2000 from dialin-253-tnt.nyc.bestweb.net (216.179.1.253)

bill

I just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the Rick Danko Memorial Benefit. Everything about it was great from the location to the performers. One pleasant surprise was Maude Hudson's rendition of "Makes No Difference." She has a great voice and it was obvious she meant what she was singing. Her version will always be imprinted in my mind.

Posted on Mon Jun 12 02:48:32 CEST 2000 from 1cust166.tnt2.idaho-falls.id.da.uu.net (63.25.9.166)

rollie

Any body tape the Danko tribute show?

Posted on Sun Jun 11 23:06:53 CEST 2000 from 140.mercerville-21-22rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.148.140)

carmen

"Robbie flying in to do guitar and vocals!" Sounds kinda strange-the vocals part anyway! Glad to see a lot of activity these days!

Those in the know, any date set for Rick's release? How about news on a RR release?

I was thinking about the reissues and find myself more excited about the last 4 rather then the first 4. I think it is because there is more room for improvement. Just my thoughts!

Crab, you need to lighten up!

Posted on Sun Jun 11 21:02:22 CEST 2000 from spider-wj073.proxy.aol.com (205.188.198.53)

Rick S.

Levon Alert: Thursday, 6/15, 7:30 PM-- Guy Davis and the High- Flying Rockets, Featuring Levon Helm. A CD Release Party. Turning Point, Piermont, NY (845- 359- 1089). $15 (Non-smoking)

Posted on Sun Jun 11 20:50:02 CEST 2000 from spider-ta054.proxy.aol.com (152.163.205.69)

bob wigo

Crabgrass, you are an extremely predictable boreass.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 18:54:52 CEST 2000 from spider-ti071.proxy.aol.com (152.163.194.206)

Ruby

Hey Dave Z It was Billy Preston who sang Will it go round in circles. I am trying to remember if Dr. John did a version too.And to Crabgrass I see you like stiring things up around these here parts. Perhaps you need to take a leave of absence.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 18:52:17 CEST 2000 from trt-on61-04.netcom.ca (216.123.103.4)

John Donabie

CHARLIE YOUNG

I echo your feeling about a true compilation of Ronnie Hawkins works. The double CD on Sequal did a great job of Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks material; but I want to hear Down In The Alley with Duane Allman on slide, for example. There is a mixture of American and Canadian albums that I would love to see put into a double CD. The sidemen alone would be worth the price of admission.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 18:46:55 CEST 2000 from trt-on61-04.netcom.ca (216.123.103.4)

John Donabie

TO DAVE Z

Will It Go Round In Circles is from Billy Preston who toured with The Band for awhile a few years back. He performed with them on their songs and he also did his own solo material, backed by the other members of the Band. RE: THE HAWKINS PROJECT >>> As far as I know, Garth is not a part of the project. Who knows.....he still could be. When it comes to the Hawk, it's not over till the fat lady sings.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 18:07:23 CEST 2000 from spider-ta015.proxy.aol.com (152.163.205.16)

Rick S.

What a night in Newtown! Waving to Jan and Diamond Lil, shaking hands with Randy (because of Ruby, Gurus' biggest fan), and hanging out with Bashful Bill. The show-stopper was Maud Hudson belting out "It Makes No Difference", accompanied by Garth's piano arrangement and Marie. There was a spontaneous standing ovation for Maud. Garth was more phenomenal than ever, on synthesizer and sax. First time I heard the Gurus- can't wait to see them again. Thanks to all the performers who did Rick proud.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 15:13:32 CEST 2000 from spider-we051.proxy.aol.com (205.188.195.41)

Gypsewoman

Diamond Lil: AMEN!!! Crabgrass-your sarcasm, if that is what it was is uncalled for. There are people in this guestbook, myself included, who were very close to Rick and as Diamond Lil pointed out you just don't stop thinking about them or missing them because they are gone. You are lucky if you have never lost anyone you loved, but try to understand other people's grief. Six months is not a long time. And please don't answer this post or Diamond Lil's post with any sarcasm or nastiness

Posted on Sun Jun 11 14:08:35 CEST 2000 from alb3-as5200-13-109.termserv.net (208.20.67.109)

Diamond Lil

Crabgrass: When someone you love, someone close to you..dies..there is an almost bottomless pit of grief that you have to just fight to keep from falling deeper and deeper into. I'm fighting here, as are many others..and your condescending remarks are not appreciated. I do hope that for your sake however, you never lose anyone close to you and have to know the feeling of waking up in the morning and just _knowing_ how long it's been.

Sorry if I offended anyone else. I assure you I was not "reminding" anyone. I just thought this is the place where folks would understand.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 10:06:27 CEST 2000 from proxy-671.public.rwc.webtv.net (209.240.216.71)

Keeley Chevrier

i have had the great pleasure of listening to the band since I was fourteen. I have seen them only twice and that's not near enough. But I understand how time changes everything. I just want to say that I love the music and can't help but dance my butt off when I hear you all play! I'm now 31 and I don't hear anything remotely close to your music now. But my husband plays some of it and it makes me happy. Thanks for the music and the fun.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 09:59:33 CEST 2000 from spider-tj032.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.187)

Rick K

While driving home from work tonite, the car radio had "Up On Cripple Creek" followed by "Bad Moon Rising" - and it got me to thinking about that What If thing Hankus started . . . how about John Fogarty jumping in after TLW? Pretty good singer/songwriter/guitarist, wouldn't ya say? And more to the point, I think he coulda fit right in, spirit-wise . . . and probably coulda put some juice back into the song-writing part of the process, which was crucial at that stage . . . Thanks to all who've shared their impressions on Rick's nite - it sounds like Rick musta been there, overseeing it all . . . . I feel foolish saying this about someone I didn't know, but I truly miss him. Ricky - "Keep On Shinin' Thru the Twilight!" Rick K

Posted on Sun Jun 11 07:56:17 CEST 2000 from dialup-343.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.87)

HANK

OK OK...I's pushin' it with the Paul McCartney bit...just trying to get a point across..........Rick Danko Tributes I WISH I coulda been at some of these shows.....to read the reports, it sounds like the spirit of Rick is guiding y'all to have a great time........What a powerful presence that man has.......Tonight my band played a gig next to a beach in Co. Kerry......it was a resort joint with lotsa holiday-folks......We played a Rock'n'Roll dance set...........the only Band song we did at the gig was "The Weight", but afterwards we went to the house in the hills nearby where our recording engineer lives and where we're recording our new album.......We went up there for some coffee and a smoke before heading back to Cork......all his gear and stuff was set up ....so we jammed......we did our own little Rick Tribute at 3 in the morning....."It Makes No Difference" and "Stagefright" amongst others........God Bless Rick Danko!!!!!!

Posted on Sun Jun 11 07:35:32 CEST 2000 from spider-tf013.proxy.aol.com (152.163.197.178)

Stu Hruska

The Rick Danko Benefit on Thursday evening in Newtown Ct. was one of the most moving and exciting performances I've ever been fortunate to see. The artists, including one of The Band founders Garth Hudson, Band members Jimmy Weider and Randy Ciarlante as well as members of an extended Band family all turned in stiring and memorable performances showing their love and respect for Rick. What stood out most for me and what I will always remember about this particular show was seeing first hand Garth Hudsons wonderful love for his wife Maud. Something that had never occurred to me. I've often seen him lumber around his keyboard, sometimes with a small flashlite and even at times with his back to the audience, but I was completely taken back as he moved across the stage with springs on his shoes to sit next to his wife and accompany her on piano as she sang a very poignant rendition of Rick's "It Makes No Difference". It was obvious to me there was something very special between the two of them going on there. Finally, the feeling of electricity in the audience and among the performers was so evident you could almost hear Rick jumping in here and there in song and conversation.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 07:20:56 CEST 2000 from 1cust26.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.134.26)

Crabgrass

Most likely Robbie's high paying no show Hollywood job and heavy basketball game attendance schedule kept him from the Hawkins session which Levon was at. The Rhino Classic Albums video also presents Robbie in isolated segments from the other remaining members. As I mentioned once before, the Classic Albums: The Band is a misnomer since tracks from both Big Pink and the Brown Album are discussed. And there are other inaccuracies as well not to mention the fact that almost all of the tunes are chopped up into mere fragments. The "concept" behind the Brown Album (if there was one) is not really addressed at all. Still, it beats the self-serving Going Home video which Robbie put out by miles. I recommend the latter just for laughs - especially the Robertson "Music Video" segments.

As one who keeps forgetting that Rick is dead I find it most valuable to be periodically reminded of this fact as well as being informed just exactly how long he's BEEN dead. Keep 'em coming!!

Posted on Sun Jun 11 06:57:31 CEST 2000 from spider-ti071.proxy.aol.com (152.163.194.206)

Dave Z

Thanks for the great news John D... I noticed you were silent on Garth, so he's probably not involved right? In the shower this morning I just started singing the song "Will It Go Round In Circles" and "We'll Go Round In Cirles"... as my twins boys circled from bedroom through bathroom to hallway... and back again... running and laughing... Who sung that song anyway?... I don't even know what it's about or how the words really go?... same thing I've probably thought after hearing every Band tune for the first time... I always liked that tune... and visualized that the Band could have probably done a cool cover... with horns... and life is a carnival swirling sounds thrown in for good measure... Anyway, it's good to hear Ronnie is bringing Robbie and Levon together again even if in separate booths... They are both singing the blues now anyway right?... and I guess at some point they will listen to each other playing on the same song together? May they be hipmotized while they listen... I always thought it would take Dylan... hey, if you mix the Delta and the Indian blues what do you get?... and will it fly high like a bird up in the sky... lot's of Band history being revisited in 2000?... I could still see the remaining originals together on a live TV special... isn't Dylan being considered for a talk show?... How's this for logic... you got a host with a voice that a lot of people maybe don't care for... introducing a guitar player with a voice that a lot of people would prefer he use instead at a Blazers hoop match... who's spoken wordin' it... with a drummer who a lot of people are probably saying can't sing ever again... and I am thinking whenever there's that many can'ts something must surely be possible?... I've always liked Levon's voice on Smoke Signals... could you imagine em' both whispering a jazzy song back and forth together... like sumpin in the wind... and you can bearly hear it... like say the government wants to gave that land back... or maybe like... the people found a way to get it back... or like something that you don't know if it's serious or not... and therefore can be debated on this site until the blood or mud comes home... anyway, I gotta go daydream about the possibility of a Band song being sung at a pro-am golf tournament... I just read that a blues guitar playing chick from ND is gonna play at Tom Lehman's charity tournment... no not golf... but maybe take a load off Fanny?... which I'll sure being doing a lot of as I follow Raymond's group and chug a few brews... still not the same as hearing some NY music... anybody want to trade a Dayton's Challenge golf cap for a Band golf cap... I thought not... as for a replacement for Robbie, I say... Peter Jacobsen, Paul Azinger, Bill Clinton or Russell Means... take you pick... or maybe a GBer like Hank or Pete or Ilkka...

Posted on Sun Jun 11 06:25:30 CEST 2000 from spider-to024.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.54)

Bayou Sam

To Lafcadio from Brooklyn. We're almost neighbors - I'm on Long Island. Go into Manhattan and hit some used record stores like Bleeker Bobs. If you have a way out to L.I. I can point you to other used record places which you will likely be able to get just about all the Band stuff. By the way, I think it's very cool that a 14 year old just got into the Band. You got good taste.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 06:15:02 CEST 2000 from ns1.schuster.com (199.105.252.66)

Charlie Young

John Donabie: thanks for that amazing news from Ronnie Hawkins himself (what a rock'n'roll survivor he is!). I look forward to the release of that CD. I know you'll keep us posted.

Which reminds me: I recently found a pretty new collection of tracks which those of us who are true hardcore Dr. John fans will appreciate. It's called "Return of the Mac: In the Studio With Mac Rebennack (A.K.A. Dr. John), 1959-1961". The great one performs on keyboards and even guitar, but also wrote and produced many of the tracks (most of which were releases by other artists). It's on the Demon/Westside label from England and includes eight never-before-released tracks and twenty others. I wish someone would compile all the old tracks featuring Ronnie Hawkins and future members of The Band on one disc in a similar fashion.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 05:38:42 CEST 2000 from spider-wm054.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.174)

donna

Bob Wigo: Can you tell us where we can obtain a copy of the "Classic Albums" video? It sounds great! I am also looking forward to the August 5 festival at the Pocono's. Hope to see you there. Thinking about Rick today and really miss him. Maybe I'll go "Sip some Wine," In his honor.

Posted on Sun Jun 11 05:27:44 CEST 2000 from ac8a5dca.ipt.aol.com (172.138.93.202)

Lafcadio

After getting the band's first two albums they quickly turned into my favorite band (i'm only 14, so i didn't get to konw them back when the first started playing.) I'd love to get a copy of cahoots, or of northern lights, but i can't find them in a store--online or in person--that has them. Were they ever made into CDs? If they weren't where can i get the records? If they were how can I get them?

Posted on Sun Jun 11 00:31:41 CEST 2000 from ti15a21-0066.dialup.online.no (130.67.112.130)

Dag Braathen

Danko on a 1976 Dylan-tape?? ...I've heard about a tape circulating of Rolling Thunder rehearsals, Los Angeles, January 22 and 23, 1976 and on it are Rick Danko doing "It Makes No Difference" and "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" Has anybody heard this? Are the two songs with Danko from a different source? I have some of those rehearsals on tape, but there's no sign of Danko on them

Posted on Sat Jun 10 23:36:43 CEST 2000 from trt-on54-05.netcom.ca (216.123.99.133)

John Donabie

I spoke to the King of Rock-A-Billy today, Rompin Ronnie Hawkins.

It appears thar Levon and Robbie are going to be on the same album for the first time in awhile. Much like the latter day Beatles their sessions will be seperate. Levon has already laid down the bed tracks to Ronnie's new CD. Robbie will be flying in to do guitar and vocals. Colin Linden, Richard Bell and Basil Donovan of Blue Rodeo are also on the CD. More recording going on this week. The Hawk tells me he's got lots of label offers. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Looking forward to hearing it down the road.

Posted on Sat Jun 10 19:13:04 CEST 2000 from ppp590.on.bellglobal.com (206.172.238.14)

Richard Patterson

HANKLY: Yeah, all us Deadheads are probably gonna go out and see Phil and Bob this summer, but it's simply not gonna be the same without Jerry... Jerry was the heart and soul of the Dead and the one member that their fans most identified with (BTW I hope Phil brings along some "Friends" who can sing cause I've heard he makes Dylan sound like one of the 3 Tenors.. hahaha).

I'm sure the Allman's will get respectable crowds this summer too, but it won't be the same without Dickey... (don't worry folks he hasn't passed... he was kicked out of the band!!! believe it or not!!!) It's just gonna be like the Gregg Allman Band, not the Allman Brothers.

I think the reason that the Band could continue with out Robbie and still maintain the interest of their true fans was because Robbie was not the heart of the Band... That would be Rick (especially), Levon or Richard. I'm not discounting his talent here folks.. (he was OBVIOUSLY a great writer/guitarist), but he wasn't the member that the fans most identified with. (Hey, I just noticed I covered the line-up to Watkins Glen... oh,, to have a time machine).. The Band could still continue because the heart was still there beating... When I saw them in '82 I never for a second thought "this isn't really the Band", like I have felt about the Further line-ups, Pink Floyd, the Allmans (sight unseen), etc... you fill in the blank...

All this to say I disagree with your comment that "no-one is irreplaceable". Love your posts in general though Hank... your "irreplaceable"!!!

Posted on Sat Jun 10 19:10:45 CEST 2000 from spider-to078.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.36)

Bayou Sam

Klaus Voorman for Paul McCartney???? Hank, you're killing me . Yes, Klaus is a great bass player and a hell of an artist but could he sing Long Tall Sally, Oh Darling, Yesterday, Why Don't We Do It In The Road, or I Will. Can he write them for that matter? The fact that the Beatles made a clean break (ok a messy one) adds to their legend.

Posted on Sat Jun 10 18:09:34 CEST 2000 from spider-wm061.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.176)

bob wigo

I just finished viewing the "Classic Albums" video and have to say it is simply wonderful. The production is first class. The presentation is open and warm. The process of isolating tracks to allow better understanding of the musical dynamics is enlightening and just plain fun to hear. As I watched and listened I was drawn into at least a small part of the magic The Band surely experienced as they melded their magnificent individual talents into the timeless masterpieces that have served as the backdrop for so much of my life.

There are several poignant moments throughout the piece but Rick's solos on "Unfaithful Servant" and "When You Awake" are exquisite and deeply moving.His guitar and voice have always seemed so perfectly natural, so unfettered and pure. I'm not ashamed to say those scenes made me cry. I also laughed aloud at some of his quips concerning Garth as well as others.Along with his obvious musical gifts, Rick's greatest attribute was that huge heart. It allowed for all of the emotions to be shared equally and experienced fully. Didn't Pete Townshend say "True beauty is time's gift to perfect humility" ? Rick's soul had found that place and he inspires me to continue my search.

I don't want to go into too much detail because I can't do it justice and I believe you will all be better served to seek out a copy and take from it your own experience. You will share some special moments and be better for the time spent.

I am greatly looking forward to Levon and the Barnburners in the Poconos on August 5 and I hope we can somehow gather some of the luminaries ( and possibly a boffin or two ) from the Guestbook to meet and share some great music in a beautiful setting. My tickets have been ordered and rooms booked and I hope to see you there. Wishing all a restful and rejuvenating weekend. Try to help the neighborhood where you can. The vibe travels well.

Posted on Sat Jun 10 18:10:53 CEST 2000 from spider-tr014.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.179)

Ruby

My post yesterday did not get in so here I go again. I want to thank every performer and all of the people who made Ricks benefit concert possible. What an evening!!!!Quite a rollercoaster of emotions.. a ride I would take over and over again. Peace to all of you Ruby

Posted on Sat Jun 10 17:33:36 CEST 2000 from spider-tk074.proxy.aol.com (152.163.206.209)

Lizz

The Tribute for Rick Danko, Newton Ct. June 8

what an amazing show!Every single performer was amazing.........I have to thank " EB and Mrs. EB" first of all for getting me there( and the couch )!! and Sharon and Lg10 too.....WOW! What a night!There were so many great musicians on that stage it was almost overwhelming. Tom Pacheco " They Cant Touch You Now" was beautiful...Jim Weiders new CD has got to be fantastic, The Gurus did a song called "The Deepest Cut" amazing guitar!( just when ya thought they couldnt get any better!And The HG Gurus did a very Funky- beat version of "Life is a Carnival..." That had many of us in the audience wanting to jump out of our seats and dance. It was wonderful to see Artie Traum, who told stories and played some beautiful tunes too. I enjoyed the bad joke about Artie co writing the song" Niagara Falls" with Joe Flood. The Bacon Brothers Band with Michael Bacon was a nice surprise too.Leslie Ritter's version of Woodstock was fantastic as well as Twilight. Paul Butterfield's "Someone to love" .........and Aarron " Prof. Louie and Marie ( we were calling her Mrs Louie!!) were Rockin the place!! Marie was beltin it out all night!CROW MAAAAA TIXXX!! See them if you have the chance. As others metioned previously, "Mrs. Garth" came out- Mrs. Maude Hudson, with a sparkle in her eye.... and sang "It makes no Difference"..........with Marie on back ups.....and Garth playing keys and saxes..that left us all in tears...They were so many more great sets that I will post on, I just thought I'd get started. There were lots of cameras so Im sure Jan will post the photos for those of you that couldnt make it. more to come later............( gotta get to my packing.....)THANK YOU RICK.........Play on Keep Listening

Posted on Sat Jun 10 17:21:39 CEST 2000 from dialup-286.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.30)

HANK

I've resisted, so far, to say ANYTHING about John Denver........but since GUENEVERE mentioned seeing him in a folk club way back when, I just thought I'd mention that I once had, on tape, a song he sang called "The Readjustment Blues" which was about a guy coming back from Vietnam to find The US in anti-war fever.......it was a pre-"Annies Song" track from about 1970-71......to give credit where it's due, he sang this song with great feeling and conviction.......my Dad taped it off a WBAI NYC anti-war special, when they were dealing with the 1973 withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam.....( any of you old hippies in NYC still listen to WBAI? Is it STILL going?) I looked it up years later and found it on an early John Denver album and discovered he did'nt write the song ....which did not surprise me......but fair dues to him for covering it.....There, enough about John Denver, already!!!!!!!!!!! ................I came home last night and switched on to the GB and, I must say, I was floored by some of the responses to my mad ramble from the night before.......I really did'nt mean to sound disrespectful towards the memory of Richard Manuel......but I STILL do think the rest of the guys should have said to RR: "Yer Leaving?......See Ya!!!"........I KNOW the whole idea of TLW was to put it all to rest and make a movie for generations of people to refer to.......but it's obvious the rest of 'em WANTED to carry on gigging....and eventually They DID......I'm only saying they shoulda done it IMMEDIATELY after TLW..........Yes, folks, it's a bit rich for me here in the year 2000 saying what a buncha guys SHOULDA done 24 years ago.......but hey, it's just my opinion....and that's why I come here, anyway....to interact on this stuff which flys thru my thoughts everytime I hear The Band or see TLW.....another thing, I think The Beatles shoulda replaced Paul McCartney when he announced his split in April 1970......apparently, they were gonna, with Klaus Voorman.......I mean, RR, Paul McCartney.....irreplaceable great songwriters----yes!!!! irreplaceable singers and instrumentalists------NO!!!!....( OK OK OK Paul McCartney DOES have a GREAT voice and SANGS like a mother)....I'm speaking in terms of the mechanics of a Rock'n'Roll band ......no-one is irreplaceable....you can say that JerryBerry is dead, dude....but all you Dead-heads are probably gonna see Phil and Bob gigging with the Further Festival, or whatever they're going out with this summer, and they'll have guitarists doing Jerry's licks and y'all'll be groovin' on it........Ok here I go again....gotta stop now......BTW, MATTK, I would NEVER smoke CRACK!!!!!....Yeeeeeeuccch!!! There's far finer things the Good Lord has provided us with to inhale, y'know!!!!....like fresh air!!!!!!! I think I'll go for a walk!!!!!!!!

Posted on Sat Jun 10 16:30:50 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-35-163.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.163)

Guenevere

Qualifying as a baby boomer, some days I find myself in this strange world where it seems as tho anything that happened more than two years ago, is taboo to even speak about ... I'm finding it very frightening to live in a world that continually throws its musical, cultural and artistic past aside, leaving a very "fashionable" yet "temporary" bridge of cultural references between a huge gulf of generations ... especially when it comes to music ...

that's why I love this music so much....

regarding cultural roots ... the truth is, all the new songs developed out of old songs. Right now I'm trying to imagine the combined record collections of Robbie, Rick, Garth, Levon, and Dylan (probably no "If I Had A Hammer" in there) ... anyway, all these guys were once in the audience, and showed up to study the chops of whoever was playing, so they could learn to play and sing silly lyrics to songs like Long Black Veil ... (which was a great folk song, but it was just too damn hard for anyone to deliver including Joan)... I think Rick did something completely amazing with that tune, he transformed the past into the present, he took the old and make it new. That's what Rick and Robbie and Dylan, and many others are/were good at, that's what The Band is/was good at... making the music...

SO ENOUGH ALREADY!!! Go find a small club where people like the Barn Burners are still playing... listen to some monstrous musicians play some great music. From this site, I recently found two of the greatest shows I've ever seen in my life... Jesse Winchester and Richard Thompson (both in small clubs BTW, and not EXPENSIVE)...

Posted on Sat Jun 10 15:18:12 CEST 2000 from (209.226.13.34)

Ghost of Alan Freed

If..If...If...If I had a hammer, I'd hammer a lot of boring self absorbed people on the cabeza.

Posted on Sat Jun 10 14:21:25 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

Amen, Lil

Posted on Sat Jun 10 14:14:31 CEST 2000 from alb2-as5200-43-91.termserv.net (208.20.67.91)

Diamond Lil

Rick..gone 6 months today..always remembered..always loved. I miss you...

Posted on Sat Jun 10 07:48:39 CEST 2000 from spider-wb022.proxy.aol.com (205.188.192.157)

Bayou Sam

I agree with mattk on the subject of RR's singing. I too think Out Of The Blue is an underrated tune, and Robbie's singing is wonderful on it. I always thought RR had a perfectly decent voice but knew a great thing when he heard it and that great thing was the voices of Levon, Rick, and Richard (in no particular order). Robbie COULD have sang Dixie, but he looked across the room at Levon and knew that he SHOULDN'T.

Posted on Sat Jun 10 07:38:52 CEST 2000 from pm3-perry3-151.arn.net (209.40.144.151)

Cam

My favorite underrated Band songs: All La Glory, The Rumor, Sleeping, When I Paint My Masterpiece. As you can tell, I love Stage Fright. Great songs--actually some of my very favorites (underrated or not). Good night to all!

Posted on Sat Jun 10 07:11:40 CEST 2000 from 2cust91.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.137.91)

Crabgrass

Actually, John Denver could have stepped in when Robbie left. After all, he had some experience in this area - replacing Chad Mitchell in what became The Mitchell Trio when Chad left. I think he was even able to fit into Chad's old blazer.

Another good choice might have been Neil Diamond although he probably wouldn't have risked souring his friendships with Robbie and Barbra Streisand.

Roger McGuinn seemed to rock pretty good with his Rickenbacker 12 string, no? Or check out Blind Willie McTell's "Dyin' Crapshooter's Blues" - it rocks too!! (In sort of a different way - can't decide if the spoken intro is better than the song or vice-versa - judge for yourselves!)

Posted on Sat Jun 10 06:11:34 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-5-133.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.133)

Guenevere

I just had an interesting encounter in my local guitar store. While driving up the hwy to home, I was thinking about a folk club I used to go to in the early ‘60's, where a lot of musicians (John Denver being one of them) often played a Gibson 12-string..., I fell into a dream about the incredible sound they'd get flat picking on songs like ‘Four Strong Winds', ‘San Francisco Bay' and others... I decided that I really missed that style and wondered if very many people are doing it justice anymore, or is that artistry lost forever ... so I detoured into the guitar shop to look around, and AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, a guy happened to be sitting there in the back playing a 12-string. It was so nice to hear those 12-strings ringing out just after I'd been thinking about it. I was drawn to back of the store, and even tho he said it was the first time he'd ever played a 12- string, the guy sounded good on this Canadian guitar, which definitely had a more delicate sound than the Gibson. In fact he sounded great, but the first thing the guy said was "you could never play this on anything that rocks" ... it broke the spell ... (I stood trying hard to think of some way that you could... and then gave up on the idea)... I thought I'd mention this after having been reminded of John Denver in the last few days in the GB... I never bought any of Denver's records, but hearing him ‘live' (before he became a ‘star'), vocally he sounded much like Chris Hillman (of the Byrds) does now in his latest CD, "Like A Hurricane"... (Btw, before The Byrds, Chris used to play mandolin and bass in a bluegrass group in that same club with Denver)... A few others that I've seen fairly recently who can kick a** on an acoustic guitar, and who aren't afraid to carry on with tradition, are Jesse Winchester, Richard Thompson (even tho he definitely rocks) ... and I'm hoping to catch Jesse Colin Young sometime soon too... and what if any of them would've joined The Band after TLW...

Posted on Sat Jun 10 05:44:05 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

Since this is all entirely hypothetical anyway: what about Jimi Hendrix as a replacement for Robbie post the Last Waltz?

He could play guitar a little(!). He also had some native American ancestry. Don't know how his songwriting would mesh with the BAND but it might have worked, we'll never know.

Re. the feud. I see the feudin' Hatfield and McCoys are planning a big reunion for the 100th year anniversary of the end of their feud(see url in the Home page box above) with a picnic, soft ball and a tug of war. Um- I'm trying to think of something profound to say linking that feud to the RR vs LH one but I can't...maybe my point is that a 100 years from now it will all be way in the past??

Posted on Sat Jun 10 04:15:51 CEST 2000 from dialup-383.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.127)

HANK

I must apologise to y'all for my last post.......it was a three-in-the-morning, stoned ramble......I really did'nt mean to sound disrespectful......it's just weird how those guys and their music and their journey fascinates: alot of what i wrote is for the SAKE of discussion and argument ......I really enjoyed the replies and responses I read, tho.......I'll go to bed now....and pick up on it tommorrow......G'mornin'!!!!!!

Posted on Sat Jun 10 04:09:27 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

Back to Peter V's What if: Steve Winwood popped into my head--Not so much as guitarist but general singer--song writer. He has the high harmony of Crosby plus, in my opinion, a stronger voice. I like the question though. I think it's an interesting what if!

Posted on Sat Jun 10 03:21:15 CEST 2000 from spider-wc034.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.34)

Ben Pike

No big fan of Baez, I found her account of Dylan's rather abusive treatment of her the last time they played together, as recorded in her bio, as sadly convincing. She seems to be a person who inspires real devotion or contempt, as people who put themselves on the line ( politicaly speaking) tend to do. I would suggest Joni Mitchell has her own ego problems. Band Reissues? Lord, I was about two thirds done with a set of Japanese imports......

Posted on Sat Jun 10 01:18:17 CEST 2000 from pm3-pt29.pcnet.net (206.105.29.103)

Laura

mattk: I, too, love Robbie's voice on "Out of the Blue." So wistful sounding. Incredible. He's also really marvellous on "Bessie Smith" from the Basement Tapes. Does Garth ever sing on anything?

Re: Richard's problems (perhaps this is none of our business, but... my fondness for Richard makes me want to know and understand more)... Does anyone know much about his childhood? In Levon's book, there is a hint that Richard could have been abused or at least had a disturbing childhood. There is a quote from Jane (page 113) saying that when Richard first met her he told her about his family and said that his father had been "quite violent when he was young." I wonder if Richard's father could have been an alcoholic, too?

My favourite underrated Band songs are (at the moment, at least): "Ruben Remus," "Ferdinand the Imposter," and "You Say You Love Me" (from the Genuine Basement Tapes set). "You Say You Love Me" also has endearing Robbie singing, from about a million miles away. :)

Posted on Sat Jun 10 00:09:19 CEST 2000 from alb2-as5200-05-53.termserv.net (208.20.67.53)

D & J

What an amazing few days! Caught Levon and the Barnburners Weds night at Joyous Lake ( we were sitting on stools by the window Amy Jo..we would've said hi if we knew you were there..) and it was an evening of the blues at it's best. Thanks Levon, Butch, and George for the warm welcome, Amy for a wonderful performance, and Chris for sharing your memories of Norway with us :-)

An incredibly warm and emotional memorial show for Rick last night in CT. Jim and Randy..you guys were incredible! Maud Hudson's beautiful voice filling the room as she sang "It makes no Difference" brought tears to our eyes, as did the touching performances by Tom Pacheco, Amy Fradon and Leslie Ritter. Aaron, Marie, Garth and the Crowmatix really tore the place down at the end, dancing in the seats versions of The Weight And Chest Fever. A memorable event for a wonderful man who is missed so very much. We know Rick would've been proud.

Thanks to Tom Moretti for your help, Paul ( You make me feel like dancing) for the laughter and the beer, Stu, Marcia, and Diane for the hugs and friendship, and love to Lee and Jane Gabites for sharing your company with us. Thanks for breakfast..(and we made it to the airport with 30 minutes to spare!)

Again, thanks to everyone who helped make this a very memorable week for the both of us.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 23:34:18 CEST 2000 from (198.172.31.57)

Richard Whelan-Stevens

Cam from Texas- YES! Two other under-rated Band songs are "In a Station" and "Sleeping". Both capture Richard's voice at it's most vulnerable and passionate, and both remind us how much was lost when he stopped writing, either alone or with Robbie. I always thought "Going, Going, Gone" on PLANET WAVES was a song that he should have written and sang as well. I would list "Ain't No More Cane" as an undercelebrated song that ranks among their very best...and I also have a very high opinion of "Rags and Bones".

Posted on Fri Jun 9 20:50:53 CEST 2000 from usr8-dialup36.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.67.228)

G-MAN

I only mentioned Van and the Band-narrowly picturing them performing, not all the heavy stuff; but that was appreciated. Thanks PV. News made my day..the Robster to Bflo.....so I save 30 quid, cause LEVON and THE BARNBURNERS supposedly headin' west! YESSSS!! Thats the real ticket...some great music !! Not wheel of fortune (what will I be today) !!!! Peace !!

Posted on Fri Jun 9 20:41:36 CEST 2000 from 2cust104.tnt1.gardnerville.nv.da.uu.net (63.11.211.104)

Myrton Running Wolf

How, if possible, can I contact Robbie Robertson? I am a grad student at the University of Southern California Film School. We are working on a project and would like to use some of Mr. Robertson's music.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 18:53:37 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

A couple of weeks ago I posted a couple of Band-related snippets from RPM Magazine. Here are a few more:

Actually, the first one isn't Band-related, but who'd have thunk that "Anyone For Tennis" would have jumped from #100 to #80 on the June '68 Canadian top 100?

The 14/04/70 album chart has The Band on its way down, at #46 - between The Age of Aquarius and Stand.

It gets worse: on 16/05 our guys' classic was sandwiched between The Devil Made Me Buy this Dress and Which Way You Goin' Billy?.

The 16/05/70 issue has some photos from the taping of the first episode of the TV show, Nashville North (aka The Ian Tyson Show). Amos Garrett, Buddy Cage and ND Smart all apparent. And a bassist who I can't identify - except to say for sure that he isn't Kalmusky. Jim Colegrove?

The 16/10/71 issue reviews Cahoots thusly: "The Band are still the Band, thank God, and that clear Bearsville production is still predominant. Singles abound although the LP doesn't really need one to achieve sales. Display this one upfront and let it sell." (Did I mention before that RPM was/is an industry magazine?) Same issue reviews Seatrain's Marblehead Messenger, BB's Live in London, Murray McLauchlan's first, Steppenwolf's For Ladies Only, Sabbath's Master of Reality and James Gang's Live in Concert.

The 30/01/71 issue has a really nice picture of the Flame (i.e., Blondie Chaplin and the Fataars) on the occasion of the release of their first Capitol 45.

The 16/04/77 issue reviews Islands: The landmark reputation of the Band in Canada will make heir latest album an immediate success. This is not unjustified however, as the band produces their own familiar musical style. Most selections are, as usual, Robbie Robertson pieces. Includes "High (sic) As Rain", "Knockin' Lost John" and "Let The Night Fall".

The 18/06/77 issue tells us that the Band is shooting scenes for the Last Waltz film. Mentions the Staples and Emmylou Harris.

the 15/05/89 issues tells us about the "All-Star Hawks Reunion" in April in Stouffville. Hawkins, Helm, Terry Danko, Stan Szelest, Jimmy Weider et al.

The 27/02/71 issue provides the lineups for the next five episodes of Nashville North: Hawkins and Carl Perkins twice, Kris Kristofferson and Jeannie C. Riley, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition (with Mickey Jones), et al.

The23/03/68 issue has a photo of Hawkins appearing on a Gordon Lightfoot TV special (which I vaguely recall seeing). Shows singer Jackie Gabriel, drummer Dave Lewis and bassist Bob Boucher (the latter two of whom appear on the first Jesse Winchester LP, I think).

The 11/05/00 issue of another Toronto publication, Now, has a news snippet about the recent Hawkins / Helm / Bell / Linden / Donovan recording session at Bath Studios in Kingston. It centres on Blue Rodeo bassist Basil Donovan, who has this to say: "Colin knew that Rick and I were friends, so he told Ronnie I was the only guy that could take his place. We finished eight songs in three days, and it was definitely the most fun I've ever had at a recording session."

Posted on Fri Jun 9 18:44:37 CEST 2000 from unionppp2.union.edu (149.106.172.3)

Danny Lopez

To Colin, Ragtime and Little Brother, who have voiced some opinion on Hobo Jungle and Rags and Bones: I do like the city feel of the latter, but both of these tunes, together with Right as Rain and Let the Night Fall, seem too Neil Diamondesque to me. Schmaltzy is a word that comes to mind. I'm guessing (but other GBers will know better than I) that Robbie's association with ND led him to try his hand at the Tin Pan Alley mode, but this is too far away from the core Band sound (or should I say it's a musical extension in the wrong direction) for my tastes. In contrast, I did like the more pronounced rock sound the Band occasionally exhibited in its later years (The Well, Ring Your Bell, Forbidden Fruit and, a little earlier, Volcano). But for me, the best musical evolution would have been a de-volution, i.e., a return to the basement. An album of Knockin' Lost John gems would have been dandy. So Knockin' gets my vote for most underrated song.

All apologies for the ND reference.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 18:23:52 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-095.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.95)

Peter Viney

Back to the what if … game. A version of The Band could have continued after 76. Around that time they could probably have recruited a major writer / guitarist without looking beyond the TLW ranks. Ignore the Van Morrison types, who would end up as leader (or wouldn’t play). Stephen Stills? Eric Clapton? (Probably on a three months a year basis.) Both Stills and Clapton have been prepared to be part of a group in between solo spells. You could see Stills doing Manassas one season, CSNY the next, The Band the next. Dave Mason was an interesting suggestion, as he (or someone called Dave Mason) did play gigs with various combinations later. Stills and Clapton both have signature voices, and Stills (the better natural singer) has worked enough with other great singers to have been able to blend – and swap verses. In 1977 Richard wasn’t going to be able to cut it until he’d recovered (Listen to the 31 July 1973 New Jersey show rather than the 1 August one for how rough he could get), and another strong vocalist would have been a short-term necessity. I’m not saying they’d have lost Richard as well- just that they’d have to have nursed him along for a while.The sound would have changed. The only recruit I can think of filling Richard’s vocal duties in the three part work would have been Crosby who was in equally bad a state.

They wouldn’t have wanted to end up as the "backing band" for another major songwriter/star, and reading his book, Levon at least would have feared adding another Robbie personality. One who could sing at Levon / Rick / Richard’s level as well would have been too much. Just reading the interviews, I’d assume that they ALL wanted time out. For Levon and Rick, the future must have looked pretty good. Rick’s solo album was hailed as Band-like, the RCO All-Stars album had all Levon’s favourite musicians on it. Then there was film work. I would read it that by 1983, it was becoming clear that the solo route wasn’t going to deliver the goods.With fewer albums in the market, back catalogue sales would have been minimal. In 1983, the CD / CD Remaster from the original tapes / 20 bit CD remaster (and around the corner 5.1 remaster) hadn’t been invented to keep churning back catalogues – which also keeps older bands alive and brings in new audiences. Robbie refused to get it re-going in 1983. The first solution was to add four – The Cates. That was an oldies band. Then they lost Richard. It took years and years to find the right guys – Jim Weider, Randy Ciarlante and Richard Bell. By then, early 90s, they’d done solo shows and had evolved a definite new identity, still rooted in their classics, but certainly no way an oldies band. The 90s band had its own virtues. Richard was gone, but Rick took some of his songs / lines, and Richard’s other songs simply went from live shows.

Back in 1976-77 they could have rolled on with an unknown but brilliant guitarist , but they hadn’t yet met Jim. They’d have been short of material. The closest analogy would be Little Feat without Lowell George. Sure, they survived and I like their post Lowell George albums, but every review every time knocks them for dull songs. In 1977, if they’d used the stuff Rick had for his solo album, and perhaps revived the tracks by Rick & Richard that had been used on "No reason to cry" they could well have got their first post-Robbie album acclaimed by the reviewers and bought by the public. The track listing would have been at least 50% the Rick Danko abum, with maybe a significant Dylan cover and some good contributions by songwriters of stature – Randy Newman most obviously. Certainly a studio "You Don’t Know Me". Then history would have been different. They would have had the necessary boost to keep them writing. Might even have got Richard writing again now that Robbie’s personality and obvious star writing ability were removed. It would have hinged around Levon and Richard, as Rick had the material and Garth Hudson can improve ANYTHING he touches. Levon doing material like that on Jesse James and much of American Son as his vocal contributions would have given them one more shot at success. The problem would have been Levon doing accomplished boogie to "Milk Cow Boogie", "Willie & the hand Jive", "Money" or "Get out your Big Roll Daddy." Fantastic live, but you’re not going to stay in the big time without originals. I don’t think either "Country Boy" or "She Knows" would have been pointers in the right direction either.

Colin: I don’t know about the origins of "The Well" – but I’ll take a look.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 18:05:36 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup70.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.72)

G-MAN

"OH WILLIE".....Rockin Chair and Unfaithful Servant just been on while I'm watching th video re. the Brown Album...Just imagine if Van Morrison hooked up as the lead singer of the Band; interesting. Hm, Elliot Landy saying the guys weren't into the star syndrome---most all of em. Keep Rockin !!

Posted on Fri Jun 9 17:43:07 CEST 2000 from spider-mtc-td032.proxy.aol.com (64.12.104.162)

Funk ( of " & Wagnall " fame )

Today's word is: bof·fin

Pronunciation: 'bä-f&n

Function: noun

Etymology: origin unknown

Date: 1945

chiefly British : a scientific expert; especially : one involved in technological research

Posted on Fri Jun 9 17:31:13 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

The Flying Dutchman's on the reef... :-)

I thought I posted my fave underrated Band songs yesterday, but forgot to hit "submit button" apparently... Anyway it's Rockin' Chair of course - didn't make it to compilations... why not?

Furthermore: To Kingdom Come, When You Awake, All La Glory, Rags and Bones, Hobo Jungle, Ring Your Bell, The Well, Out of The Blue.

Well, that's 2 RR, 3 RM, 1 RD, 1 LH, 1 LH-RM-RD and 1 RM-LH-RD vocals.

Ilkka my friend... ain't my selection barking mad... :-)

Posted on Fri Jun 9 17:30:22 CEST 2000 from bey.kiva.net (208.143.0.69)

Todd Berryman

Top 5 Underrated Band songs: 1)"Sleeping" (STAGE FRIGHT)--The first waltz? These guys fall into 3/4 like they're breathing. Levon's INCREDIBLE on this one. 2)"When You Awake" ("BROWN")--The prominence of this on the CLASSIC ALBUMS DVD notwithstanding, probably the least appreciated song on the album. This has triggered many flights out-of-body for me, especially from "Wash my hands in lye water" forward. 3)"Back to Memphis" (TO KINGDOM COME compilation)--Driving music and "Driving Music"...I threw this onto my first mix tape for the car because it helps make long stretches of interstate vanish. 4)"Tough Mama" (Dylan's PLANET WAVES)--This is gumbo. It's years later and I'm still finding surprises in it. Richard's piano riffs sneak in and you never hear them all, regardless of how focused you get. 5)"When I Paint My Masterpiece" (CAHOOTS)--I played this and "The River Hymn" incessantly on the drive down to my grandma's funeral. Whether as a wake or as a benediction, I couldn't tell you. All I know is that Levon's voice singing "Oh, to be back in the land of/Coca-Cola" could be Moses singing "Oh, to be back in the land of/Milk and Honey." I find this comforting. Tomorrow, these might all change to BASEMENT TAPES songs, or covers. But if, like Daniel, I'm fated to walk like a ghost over the land, my Sacred Harp had better have a Walkman attachment and these five songs will be what I take with me. Thanks, y'all.--TODD.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 16:54:32 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

I have to say the entire studio portion of the TLW album is a gem, by my reckoning. It features what is my favorite overlooked Band song "out of the blue." I'm just guessing, but I think RR wrote it for Richard to sing, but for whatever reason decided (or was required by circumstance) to sing the lead part himself (one of two times he ever did with The Band). I know most folks deride RR's voice, but I think he does a great job on this track, maybe because he's doing his best (worst?) to emulate the timbres of Richard's voice.

As I've stated before, I find it unfair that RR's voice is so roundly deplored. I suspect if he had not been in a band with such stellar voices as Richard's, Ricks, and Levon's, he'd be considered a more than adequate singer by most band's standards.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 16:50:29 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.blfld1.ct.home.com (24.4.252.36)

AHROOO!!

As Hank brought up, to just carry on and replace a member. It’s easy to say “get a new guy” if the other one isn’t around. I believe that there are a lot of feelings invested in those bands that’s why people become so bitter when it’s the end at times. Should the Beatles have reformed without John? You would have three original members and whoever to replace Lennon but it wouldn’t be the same. It could be seen as simply a “replacement.” Should Led Zeppelin have gone on without Bonham? He was one of a kind but there are other drummers out there. Why not? Maybe it’s because they felt they didn't want to replace him and believed it would never be the same again. It took years for Lynard Skynard to get back together from their loss. Nobody felt anybody could replace Ronnie Van Zant, and it was only his little brother who could eventually do the band justice. Queen won’t go on without their flamboyant leader, Freddie Mercury. I certainly don’t see the Grateful Dead doing any shows, but only carrying on with other groups or sometimes a couple of members getting back together but not rekindling what they once had. Those are just the ones who are no longer here with us. If you want to put the “carry on” in place, then do you think Levon and Garth should simply carry on as The Band? Otis Williams the only living member of the original Temptations carried on with a new version of the old group and still has the same name.

Then you have the musicians who are still around. Yes, you could probably replace Robbie with another guitarist/songwriter. Only if you did this, it would have a completely different feel. If they were to say right after TLW and get a new guy if he writes, “It sounds good but it’s just not The Band’s type.” Why get somebody different? Why continue as the same group? name? It’s the same band but not the same feel. Pink Floyd went on without bassist/songwriter Roger Waters and it’s not the same. It’s lost it’s edge IMO. There’s an obviousness in some songwriters lyrics. Robbie’s just one of them.

That’s just the magic of bands. Once an element is gone, it’s never the same again. It can’t be replaced no matter what. It’s had it’s time and lets be happy that we can still have something to look back on such as a great body of work that lasted the time that it did and we can pass it along to the next generation.

As for Richard.... From what I’ve read, I’m under the impression that Richard was doing fine until Albert Grossman passed away. Albert was more compassionate about seeing Richard get better than anybody else as was said by Jonathan Taplin and also the book, “Mansion On A Hill.” Who’s to say what would have happened to Richard earlier if The Band was to go on after TLW. “Well, everyone goes through things,” drinking from their teenage years to their thirties eventually wears off. We don’t know that individual person or what makes them want to destroy themselves so badly. Why do they call them alcoholics and have AA meetings, and therapy/rehab programs for these people? It obviously has to start from something much deeper other than just to get a simple high or it tastes good. We’ll never know what really was going on inside Richard or why he chose to end it all.

AHROOO!!

Posted on Fri Jun 9 16:31:51 CEST 2000 from jupiter.oucs.ox.ac.uk (163.1.103.106)

Colin

Dear all, Nice to hear something about Northern Lights/Southern Cross. Some good food for thought here. I think its a very fine album, but lacks the greatness of their first two. On the plus side, we have got away from the rock-star ennui of 'Cahoots' and 'Moondog Matinee', and RR has found material worthy to write about, especially the flight of the French Canadians. This in a way is their 'Canadian' album, after all the Americana- we have Acadian driftwood, the bustle of Toronto city life in 'Rags and Bones' and the brush with the Mounties in 'Ring Your Bell'. All of these songs demand attention, even if A.D. remains the standout. No-one can doubt the sincerity of the singing and playing, or the powerful sense of injustice and alienation underneath. Again, though, the Band's great camaraderie subverts the text- any place where such singing can occur can't be as dispiriting as the lyric suggests! And yet, I sometimes get annoyed with the album. Its all very slow- I thought the Last Waltz version of Ophelia was superb- big and ballsy and blew away the insipid toy-piano dominated studio version. The writer below is correct about Hobo Jungle- on first listen its very moving but it loses its charm with age- cheesy chords, obvious and cliched lyrics, and rather automated instrumenation.Which brings me to the main criticism- there's too much Garth on it! Now, everyone knows the man is a genius, but he dominates the album, so that the others are reduced to sidemen- can anyone remember a memorable Danko bass-line from Northern Lights? Nothing that matches 'Yazoo St. Scandal' for example? The sound is too studiofied- its as if they were just filling up tracks with synths because they had 'em to spare. And where's Richards piano? He hardly seems to play at all on the record. All in all, its a splendid record, but seems to herald the fragmentation of the band. Finally, underrrated song: 'The Well' from TLW. It sounds like a superior Northern Lights outtake- do our resident boffins (Peter Viney stand up!) know anything about the songs gestation?

Posted on Fri Jun 9 16:19:32 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Thanks to Mattk for reminding me/us of the wonderful interview with Richard Manuel. The guy was so sharp and articulate, and with such an odd take on so many things.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 15:30:15 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Hank, a couple of comments regarding your last post: 1) there's always a great Songwriter/Guitarist around. Is'nt there?"

PUT DOWN THE CRACK. PUT DOWN THE CRACK AND STEP AWAY FROM THE PIPE....

2) You said something to the effect that "the layoff hurt Richard most of all..."

I would you recommend you read the lone interview with Richard after TLW on this site located here.

Richard's drinking had become quite dangerous (again)in the period around TLW. You may remember that in the early 70s there were whole YEARS where Richard could not tour or perform due to his alcoholism. In the article (done on the eve of the "reunion" in 1982), Richard notes that he had been able to stay sober for quite some time in the years since TLW.

To say that Richard would have been "better off" is puzzling. We never know what "could have" happened, but it seems clear that staying close to home, for awhile at least, rejuvinated Richard to the point it was HE who initiated the reunion shows. Frankly, I suspect that if they had not stopped working as The Band after TLW, we probably would have lost Richard much sooner than we did.

Matt

Posted on Fri Jun 9 15:17:16 CEST 2000 from spider-wm033.proxy.aol.com (205.188.199.163)

Herman Berman

Anybody notice the shortened version of "The shape I'm in" from TLW? They left out the last verse (ruckus-shuckus). Why did that happen? I love that part! Top five underated band songs: Jupiter Hollow, Kingdom Come, Look out cleveland, Just another whistle stop, The rumor

Posted on Fri Jun 9 15:16:28 CEST 2000 from spider-mtc-tc053.proxy.aol.com (64.12.105.173)

Amy Jo & Ray

Just wanted to post on the great music we got to witness the past 2 nights... Levon Helm & The Barn Burners Wednesday night @ Joyous Lake ... What can we say. Drove from PA 2 months ago (just before their southern road trip) and saw a Great show then ... but now----AWESOME.. they are getting so tight and hot together words Cannot describe.. Anyone in the vicinity who can get to a show GO GO GO ! ! ! Chris' vocals and harmonica are A++ (especially when singing with Amy Helm). Pat's guitar playing (I can only think Robert Lockwood Jr as a reference to his talent)is mind-boggling watching his fingers fly... Frank on bass and Amy on keyboard rounding it out... What a show... and of course "The Man" on drums.... LEVON --- could watch you play the skins for HOURS and HOURS... Kept the drive in the music and the "Finale ,,, just seemed like you wanted to play til dawn.... Butch- thanks again for making us feel welcome (stay Kewl!) and Levon THANK YOU for the hospitality you showed Ray and I..... truly a night and day we won't soon forget!! It is an honor & pleasure to call you friend....... can't wait to see you again ------ The Rick Danko Memorial Benefite in Newtown Conneticut Thursday night...... Great show and tribute to Rick.... Everyone performing kept sayting what a nice and caring man he was.... It was worth the distance we drove to see Garth Hudson in action (Ray just shook his head and smiled throughout Garth's performance) Garth is just in another plane / realm when he is playing & somehow he takes you there with him.. Awesome... and when he played piano beside his wife as she sang "It Makes No Difference".... well what can I say other than "PRICELES".... The Honky Tonk Gurus finished the 1st segment before intermission.... They are one hot rockin' band..... They had the house a jumpin! We DEFINITELY have to catch them at a show of their own in the near future.... GOOD LUCK on the mass release of "Bigfoot"! To Jim and Randy---thanks for the time, hospitality and pictures backstage afterwards--- you guys are Top Notch!! The Crowmatix finished the show and then brought everyone out for the finale of "The Weight"... a great way to end the show with the audience singing along... Amy Jo

Posted on Fri Jun 9 15:07:53 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup186.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.190)

G-MAN

Cam nice analogy. You really missed something by not seeing them perform live, especially if you were up close. You could see the nods, expressions, etc.. P. Townsend is a BUTT HEAD, regardles. If Levon wasn't at Rick's benefit there's a reason or his choice. Leave that stuff alone, let the man enjoy what he's doing now. Also, Im sure JW, Rando, and the rest who played did Rick justice. I don't think Rick was overly sad in TLW, his walking down the hall and bordello comments were kinda typical. Probably just listening to the song. Hey after ten to twelve times of askin him to re-do SIP THE WINE and then hearing it on Breeze Hill-makes me feel real down. Well wish I coulda been at the benefit. Keep the spirit alive!! Have a great weekend !!

Posted on Fri Jun 9 14:56:05 CEST 2000 from port43.ts2.ulster.net (208.242.164.43)

Rick Memorial Show

Just a quick one, I went to the Rick Danko Benefit/Memorial last night in Newtown,Ct. what a show! My wife and I got there under beautiful skies only to see most of the musicians hanging out near The Crowmatix tour bus/rv on the side of the building. We chatted with Randy, Garth, Jimmy Weider, Mike Dunn, from Crowmatix, Tom from Woodstock Records, Tom Pacheco and many,many more, for a short time before heading in to what I can consider one of the most intimate and touching shows, I have seen in a long,long time. The place was sold out and everyone was there for the immortal spirit of our brother, Rick Danko. More on the show later... All I can say is that Rick would have been proud of the legacy, friends and musicians that made this night very special.

peace-nate

Posted on Fri Jun 9 14:21:51 CEST 2000 from h178n4fls20o93.telia.com (212.181.141.178)

Karl Hansen

- I stayed awake for two days and in the morning of the third day - listening to "music for The Native Americans" - at 'Mahk Jchi' I fell in trance - and returned past the years - it was so terrible - the bluecoats - my broters my sisters trashed in the colour of blood - and all became white -

Posted on Fri Jun 9 13:01:46 CEST 2000 from 188.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.188)

Nancy Birch

Hank: on the gender-bender issue that arises as a result of the anonymity thing here on the net, and in particular reference to your post about Crabgrass' gender, and mine. You are correct in guessing that Nancy is a female person. I know that I am not secretly a male person because of the following:

a) after a bad day at work I have a quick howl and then find a sympathetic person in which to confide, rather than stalking off to my cave to chill out

b) I do 90% of the household chores that our family requires for upkeep

c) I shave my legs and wear makeup some of the time (not a definitive criteria, but close enough).

I too have wondered about the gender of certain people on the GB who from their name appear to be either female or male, but really does it matter anyway? I think most of us just enjoy chatting to anyone who interests us regardless of their gender, and are more interested in what they say and how they say it.

Have a fantastico weekend, guys (of both sexes).

Posted on Fri Jun 9 11:39:53 CEST 2000 from tc7-216.blm.bluemarble.net (63.87.47.125)

Todd Berryman

Hello all... When most my friends were stunned at seeing Phil Collins play drums and sing at the same time (rarely, but it DID happen), I always looked to Levon Helm as the perfect example of how to play a kit and sing at the same time. I've always thought that Levon's "signature" on drums was much like B.B. King's on guitar: sing your line, THEN play your sting on your instrument. I cite "Up On Cripple Creek" as a great example of this skill..."you know where I wanna go" (riff) "Straight down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico..." He just does that tumbling down the drums so well that you just hold your breath. You KNOW it's a recording, and you KNOW he can't screw it up at all, and yet time and time again you're blown away by the fact it happens so perfectly. I'm on this kick just to get across that whatever skills I have as a drumming vocalist come 100% as a result of listening to Levon. When I read about his go 'round with cancer, it absolutely broke my heart. Here's hoping... I was also curious about the possibility of the upcoming STAGE FRIGHT reissue using the original mixes as they appeared on vinyl...I'd love to hear the "gumbo"-style mixes of those cuts (specifically "Daniel..." and "All La Glory"). I'm curious as to whether Larry Walsh had to use the mixes on the 1990 CD version because they were all he could find, or if he was MADE to use them. I'm recalling Glyn John's comments to the effect that he insisted Capitol pay him for all his mixes, not just the three that made it to the original album, and if Capitol decided to issue his versions to (pardon me) "get back" at him...having paid for the mixes once, Capitol wasn't really obligated to pay for them again. Or did Walsh have to remix as well as remaster his version of the album? Or am I just paranoid? If anybody's got any info, fill free to e- me directly. I'm trying to figure out if I have to go looking for a replacement for my original vinyl and how much I'm about to get soaked for. Thanks, y'all.--TODD.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 07:32:47 CEST 2000 from pm3-perry1-007.arn.net (209.40.144.7)

Cam

I have been reading on this guestbook (and posted a few times) for several months, and I vowed to stay out of the Robbie/Levon conflict, but I really have to put in my two cents. In response to everyone who has expressed bitterness toward Robbie for leaving, or to Levon for his opinions, I want to say that the magic of The Band has always seemed to lie in that miraculous union of five incredible, compatible musicians. I don't think they could have gone on as the same group had they lost ANY one of the five members, had it been Robbie or Levon or even one of the other three. To me, The Band is a near-miracle of a group of five extremely talented and wonderful people and musicians. Each one of them contributed something to the group that simply could not be found in anyone else (outside the group). It is really sad and unfortunate, especially for a young fan like me who has no chance now of ever seeing them play together live, that The Band as it was in the beginning had to end. But honestly, can't we just continue to appreciate what each individual member--and those five men as a group--gave all of us in terms of music and gave the music world in terms of inspiration and influence? None of us will ever know first-hand what the dynamics of the group had become toward "the end", and none of us will ever know what The Band's fate might have been had Robbie not chosen to leave when he did. But it is really apparent that things were never the same after Robbie left, just as I don't think they would have been the same if any other one of them had left. However, The Band gave us so much to appreciate and enjoy and be inspired by and be passionate about--isn't that why we're all on this website in the first place? I'm sure not everyone agrees with my viewpoint--I just think it's really pointless to continue to be bitter about and badmouth one of the founding members who was an integral part in what The Band became and ultimately gave--and that also goes for all the "Robertsonians" out there who have so many negative things to say about Levon. I love all five of them; even though I have never actually met any of them in person, their music is such an integral part of my life. I strongly believe that EACH one of them had something priceless to offer, regardless of how we perceive the "fall" of the original Band. To me, the importance of that chemistry and magic among them overrides any petty conflict that serves solely to perpetuate stupid "grudges" and distract us from just appreciating the music.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 07:08:56 CEST 2000 from du158-0.ppp.algonet.se (195.100.0.158)

Ilkka's dog

HANK! At least I am a sexually un-ambiguous totally normal healthy and vaccinated MALE dog.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 07:00:53 CEST 2000 from 209-239-208-164.stk.jps.net (209.239.208.164)

Phil

I don't think Rick's 'Sip The Wine ' segment from TLW is sad. I think he's just a bit nervous and proud (and a bit shy) to be playing the first sounds of his first solo album to the world. And wasn't the spin immediately after TLW that 'The Band' would continue recording but would no longer tour? As we all know something went terribly wrong with that plan, but who's to say that Rick just thought he was doing a solo album to keep busy until the next Band project.

And doesn't Mitch make a good point?! If the multi-track tape of the brown album still exist (which appears to be the case if you have seen the VH1 show) why can't they just re-mix it, and make a new master???

Posted on Fri Jun 9 06:44:26 CEST 2000 from spider-wb064.proxy.aol.com (205.188.192.179)

Bayou Sam

Two of my favorite Band songs off the top that don't get mentioned all that much = Thinking Out Loud, and All La Glory.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 06:15:49 CEST 2000 from spider-tk041.proxy.aol.com (152.163.206.191)

Long Distance Operator

Two songs that don't get much play but are nevertheless outstanding: Nothing Was Delivered and Open The Door, Homer.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 04:41:44 CEST 2000 from spider-wd042.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.167)

Mike Carrico

"We Can Talk" doesn't get much mention, but I think it beautifully demonstates the sublime musical and vocal interplay of The Band. It's spirited and playful, and like the their best work manages to sound tight and loose at the same time. Always makes me smile.

I thought our friend Crabgrass had tongue planted firmly in cheek with the Pete/Rick punchout comment; if not, then I wasted a perfectly good guffaw.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 04:38:38 CEST 2000 from dialup-329.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.73)

KEVIN THOMAS MICHAEL WEDEL AKA HANK

WOW! This place is getting as good as Corornation Street!!!! The Long-running British Soap.....what'cha reckon, PETER VINNEY?.... and other Anglo-philes?.......I logged on to the'ole GB here fer me daily fix and Lo! and Behold! Lo! and Behold!......"is CRABBY a lad or a lass?" is the unholy hot topic of the day!!!!!!!!.......Wow, y'know, Crabby's NOT the only sexually ambiguous or even hermaphrodite person here.....you folks blow my mind.....and then, there I am, scrolling up slowly, reading everything, hoping that a CRABGRASS post will appear an' I got to NANCY BIRCH, (a girl/woman/female person, I guess).......and NO CRABGRASS post!!!!!............It's like "Who Shot JR?" around here fer God's Sake!!!!!!!!! BOBK....."just trying to stay busy" is one of the saddest lines in the movie........y'know, I think I've said this before, but they shoulda kept going IMMEDIATELY after RR left........like Ricks first album shoulda been a new BAND album.......their attitude to RR shoulda been......"You're LEAVING?......SEE YA!!!".....and draft in someone new.......there's always a great Songwriter/Guitarist around. Is'nt there?....well-known or waiting to be discovered.....I mean no offence to RR or his fans/supporters.....I think RR is great...but there's other bands that lose some key people and they keep it up and put it out......would y'all agree?....maybe it would'nt have been as good, but it woulda kept them on The Road......which you always read Levon and Rick wanted to...they loved playing live.....and which they ended up doing anyway when they got back together in the '80ies and The '90ies.........The Stones carried on after Brian Jones faded away, Brian Jones put that band together .......and when Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman left 'em .......you may think that Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac were the greatest British Blues band of 'em all...but there are MILLIONS of people worldwide who LOVE FLEETWOOD MAC and would'nt know a Green Manalishi if it came up to them on the street and hit 'em on the head......y'know what I mean.......I mean, there ya go......why not ask DAVE MASON in 1977.........."'ere, Dave, Robbies' left The Band....fancy a few gigs, mate?"....... I'm sure Dave Mason woulda said YEAH!!!!!.......and they would've gone out and did "Feelin' Alright" with Levon taking a verse and dedicating it to Robbie and yes, people, I KNOW it also could've been a loada coke- addled garbage.....but MAYBE it might NOT have.......AND it Woulda kept them BUSY.....which is what Rick said he trying to do "Now that TLW is over.......".....in Levons book, there's a passage where RR sez "we could stop it" and Levons reply was "The Hell you can...." Levon was right........they COULD have gone on without him.........maybe they should have....IMMEDIATELY......the layoff is what hurt them......Richard, most of all, it would seem.......now, PLEASE, folks......don't start to talking about how screwed up Richard was.......we ALL get like that in our lives....even if it's just for a day or a week or a year or from the time you're a teenager to your mid-thirties....but you CAN clean up your act.....if he was working he could have gotten the sense to clean up eventually....lots of people do.......Pete Townsend, a name that's getting some currency round here these days, he was straight for years and then went COMPLETELY beserk on ckoe and booze and smack and then got it together again....Joe Cocker, another complete party animal.....still goes out and gigs....loadsa musicians, famous or not, do....and STILL gig and deal with it everyday......but make music...........Um, what else?......oh yeah....I LIKE the live version of "When You Awake" from "Before The Flood............sorry for taking up all the space and time here, folks.....I wonder if Crabby has posted on the gender issue yet?.......HMMMMMMMMMN.......

Posted on Fri Jun 9 04:38:52 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-49-177.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.177)

Guenevere

Crabgrass a girl??? Funny, I thought that "Funk" guy (assuming that Funk is a guy) cleared that up for us days ago!!!

Posted on Fri Jun 9 03:31:44 CEST 2000 from spider-tq012.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.47)

Pac

Glad to hear Native American (American Indian) music will finally be recognized. Did anyone catch Buffy St. Marie's recent PBS concert? What power and spirituality! Wish they'd tour out here.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 03:31:14 CEST 2000 from mat-8-27.enter.net (207.16.156.129)

Little Brother

-- I'll defer to the Grand Funkster, but I believe the term for "The Moon Struck One" is "inappreciable" rather than "underappreciated".

-- I'd have to pick "Volcano" as an underappreciated track. It's got a fairly lowbrow point of view as Band songs go, but it's got a good beat and you can dance to it.

"Hobo Jungle" is beautifully executed and nice to listen to, but the musical richness overpowers the skimpy lyrical sketch, which leans on sentimentality bordering on the maudlin. Compare "It Makes No Difference", which is PURE sentimentality, but from the inside out, and strong enough to sustain the mood even with all the Tin Pan Alley cliched lines.

"Rags and Bones" does improve with age, I find. It's an interesting counterpoint to "King Harvest" insofar as it's a sort of bouncy cityscape that captures the mundane and the magical refracted through the persona of the "ragman"-- as "King Harvest" does with rural imagery through the voice of the farmer. I think "King Harvest" is more ambitious, and truly transcendental in its power, but "Rags and Bones" is a gem in its own way, with a fine mix of tasty instrumental work.

I also would toss in "I'm Saved", because Garth and Robbie just COOK up a hot and sublime blend that just POURS over, under, inside, and around that rock-steady beat. Pours, I tells ya!

Posted on Fri Jun 9 02:10:59 CEST 2000 from 181.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.181)

Nancy Birch

BobK: I refer to Crabgrass's comment about Pete Townsend punching Rick off the stage and therefore preventing him appearing in "The Kids are Alright". Now correct me if I am wrong here, but I thought Crabby was refering to an earlier post about the incident and was JOKING about Rick being attacked or in fact even being there (or did Pete lay out several people????)

Posted on Fri Jun 9 00:56:46 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-113-110.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.113.110)

Back with no wife in Tennessee

I never cared for "When You Awake" too much, I don't know why. I like "Hobo Jungle" and "Rags and Bones," too. Speaking of underrated, I think "Big Pink" is kind of underrated by some Band fans. I personally think that it is actually better than the Brown album, but I think that I'm in the minority in having that opinion.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 00:45:19 CEST 2000 from (129.237.210.127)

R. Pence

Underrated songs: "Hobo Jungle" and "Rags and Bones" from Northern Lights-Southern Cross, itself a very underrated record. These are great showcases for Richard. I can't figure out how his voice went from the way it is on these songs to how it is on The Complete Last Waltz--or maybe I can. "Forbidden Fruit" is also overlooked, with killer guitar solos.

Posted on Fri Jun 9 00:04:50 CEST 2000 from ns1.schuster.com (199.105.252.66)

Charlie Young

"Long Black Veil" turns up in yet another arrangement on a new album on David Grisman's Acoustic Disc label. Titled "The Pizza Tapes," the album is a collection of odds and ends recorded in informal sessions in 1993 featuring Grisman along with Jerry Garcia and the great acoustic guitarist Tony Rice. The vocal on "Long Black Veil" is one of the better I've heard from Garcia's declining years, and the bluegrass treatment sounds like an Appalachian classic--at least a hundred years older than the song's actual origins. It's worth a listen.

I saw the David Grisman Quintet in concert the other night and they're one of the tightest units I've heard since The Band in their heyday. If you get a chance to hear them play live, do it.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 23:31:06 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Link to the NY Post story Brian Sz was referring to:

www.nypost.com/entertainment/5565.htm

Posted on Thu Jun 8 23:10:13 CEST 2000 from spider-ti051.proxy.aol.com (152.163.194.196)

Bayou Sam

Hey Crabgrass. If you don't mind me asking - are you male or female. Not that it matters, but I've seen this = he/she written so many times that I thought I'd come right out and ask. I even had to write it once. My gut feeling is that you won't say. But it can't hurt to ask.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 23:06:39 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

NY Post entertainment section has picture of Robbie with article about how Native American Music will now have its own category in the Grammy's.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 22:20:38 CEST 2000 from spider-ti023.proxy.aol.com (152.163.194.183)

jcf

When You Awake is also a great song and underrated

Posted on Thu Jun 8 20:29:47 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Mitch, I covered that very fact for Crabby the other day. I assume his/her erroneous kludging of facts is (in typical fashion) done for effect and have nothing to do with a desire to be accurate on his/her part. (i use his/her because, i just realized i have no idea regarding Crabby's gender, not for comedic effect).

Posted on Thu Jun 8 20:11:45 CEST 2000 from ny001a-016.cybernex.net (207.198.211.16)

Rick V.

Does anyone else think it's weird that Levon's not scheduled to play at the benefit concert tonight, especially since he's obviously in the area? Could it be he's not showing up for the same reason he didn't make the Hall of Fame induction?

Posted on Thu Jun 8 20:09:04 CEST 2000 from mt-owen.at.nwu.edu (129.105.188.110)

Mitch

Many thanks to LDO for posting that link to the Boston Globe article on the Band reissues. It's a bit disappointing that the original master tapes for the brown album weren't found, but I remember a similar problem with "Tommy" by the Who. As some of you know, Kit Lambert, for some bizarre reason, literally burned the master tapes after the first pressing of the album. When MFSL remastered it for gold CD, they went to a different master tape with a different mix that belonged to Pete Townshend (I guess it was his personal copy/version of the album). Anyway, what I'm driving at is that I'm wondering if Capitol ever considered doing what MCA did when they remastered/reissued the Who catalog in the 90's. Basically, they went back to the original mix tapes and made a new first-generation master tape of "Tommy." If Capitol has the time, patience, and engineers, maybe they could find the original mix tapes (if they can), listen to a copy of an original pressing of the LP, and mix down a master that matches the original mix of "The Band." I know Rhino did that when they issued their Roy Orbison anthology, and the remixing, with the exception of improved audio quality, didn't sound like remixing at all.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 19:29:34 CEST 2000 from ft161-211.f-tech.net (208.149.161.211)

BobK

Crabgrass: I thought it was Abby Hoffman who was punched in the face by Pete Townsend? You may be right about Rick being erroneously credited in The Kids Are Alright, but this seems odd to me. That documentary came out 1978-79 and all of the footage was archived, nothing new was shot. Therefore if Rick was knocked off stage just before the cameras started rolling, wouldn't Jeff Stein (the filmmaker) have noticed that Rick wasn't in the footage? His name is actually listed in the film's closing credits. Sorry if I seem "nit-picky" but I'm a demon for details...drives the wife crazy all of the time. On another topic, was scanning through The Last Waltz last night and stopped at the scene with Rick and Martin Scorsese in the studio conrtol room listening to Sip The Wine. Very sad scene as far as I'm concerned, Rick seems very sad, wonder if he was thinking about all of the beatutiful music that they could have made. This one scene always sticks out to me.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 19:20:43 CEST 2000 from (209.198.135.153)

Laura Holt

Just a response to BWNWI Tennessee's GB entry regarding Joanie's version of "Dixie". Her singing the verse "Back with my wife in Tennesse" might not be too far off the mark...it was rumored that Miss B was a little affectionate towards the same sex (tee hee)!! This could be so very untrue BUT ya never know!! Later BAND FANS PEACE!!

Posted on Thu Jun 8 16:04:42 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.251)

David Powell

Crabgrass makes a good point about one's sound system affecting what one hears when listening to a CD or any other recording. However, the more accurate one's system is, the more revealing it will be regarding any flaws or short-comings in the source material. You can always make adjustments with tone or equalizor controls to try to correct for overly-bright, harsh sounding or dull, veiled sounding CDs, but, in the words of the late Lyndon B. Johnson, "You can't put a shine on shit."

Posted on Thu Jun 8 15:57:33 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Those of you who can manage to get to Vancouver Island in early July might be interested in attending the Comox Valley Musicfest.

Among the highlights will be Amos Garrett hosting 'The Church of Guitar' with Jerry Donahue, Colin Linden & Big Dave McLean. John Hall, also of Woodstock fame, is in the lineup too.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 15:22:55 CEST 2000 from revlukup.clr.com (164.57.254.206)

Brown-Eyed Johnny

For the record, I love "The Moon Struck One." As excited as I am by the forthcoming Capitol reissues, I am hanging on to my Mobile Fidelity copy of the "Music From Big Pink" CD. I wish all of you guestbook regulars could hear this exquisite snapshot of our beloved Band at their best. Can't wait to see Bob Dylan at Jones Beach on July 26, the first anniversary of his extraordinary NYC Tramps performance, which produced the finest Dylan bootleg to date. Thanks for indulging me.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 12:32:53 CEST 2000 from 29.mercerville-25-30rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.185.29)

carmen

JCF-Rockin Chair is one of my favorites. How about "When You Awake".

Posted on Thu Jun 8 08:00:52 CEST 2000 from du222-249.ppp.algonet.se (195.100.249.222)

Ilkka

Mattk, my friend :-) You seem to go thru my favourite records in alphabetical order: first B-AEZ and now D-ENVER. I noticed that you jumped over C-reedence C-learwater R!
Should I suggest E: E-NYA with her beautiful coastal hymns? How about it ;-)

Posted on Thu Jun 8 07:31:04 CEST 2000 from 2cust27.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.133.155)

Crabgrass

The most underappreciated (Is that a real word? Maybe that "Funked Up" guy can help us!) Band song is "The Moon Struck One" - even I think it stinks. "Rockin' Chair" is high on my list of the very very best songs - very high. And ditto for "The Unfaithful Servant."

I think I was misinterpreted - ultimately the majority of posters seemed to admit LIKING Neil Diamond. That was my assessment. I was shocked!!

Rick Danko is erroneously credited on the "The Kids Are Alright" documentary. He was supposed to be in it but was punched in the nose by Pete Townshend and knocked off stage right before the cameras started rolling.

These audiophile comments seem kind of pointless to me since the sound which any record, CD, etc. is capable of reproducing is ultimately compromised by the system it's played through - and volume effects what comes out through the speakers as well as personal preference settings for treble, bass, and equalization. Different people listening to the same CD on the same sound system would all adjust it differently to suit their own individual tastes and hearing capabilities. The currently available Band CDs sound fine to me.

BTW are all you John Denver fans just gonna sit there and take the recent Denver bashing lying down? (Sorry, I can't help here.)

Posted on Thu Jun 8 07:19:24 CEST 2000 from pm4-157.delrio.com (208.246.53.157)

Just Wonderin'

I was pleasantly surprised to see an old pic of Rick Danko on the front page of San Antonio Express entertainment section today. Inside there was an old pic of Robbie Robertson as well. The article was of course about the reissues. Same article as was posted here yesterday. Thanks Jan! Nice to see the boys mentioned way down here!

Bones: I agree with you about The Band being above all the hype. It's one of the things that drew me to them in the first place.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 06:20:56 CEST 2000 from firewall1.westpac.co.nz (210.55.236.18)

Rod

Can't wait for these reissues to hit the shops. Possibly the biggest event since "Robbie Robertson" and "Jericho". The box set missed the boat and seemed pointless given the dissapointing rarities disk.

It will be interesting what they can add to "Islands".Assuming this was recorded around the time of TLW there may well be some interesting bits and pieces. I imagine that there may be quite a few alternative takes from NLSC. I remember Rick saying they played around with Twighlight quite a bit.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 03:11:49 CEST 2000 from dialup-209.245.129.133.sanjose1.level3.net (209.245.129.133)

tumultguy

I once heard a story about the making of The Last Waltz by Martin Scorsese. Martin, a legendary film buff, hosted all night showings of his favorite films in his bedroom, which was equipted with a 16mm projector and screen.

Members of the Band, Scorsese, Dylan, Van Morrison and others spent many long nights snorting coke and watching film noir. This has always been a wonderful image to me. These icons of popular culture all enjoying their cocaine euphoria listening to Martin Scorsese ramble on at light speed about how brilliant Orson Welles was.

I'll never forget Scorsese casting himself in Taxi Driver as the obsessed jealous husband sitting in Deniro's cab asking if he ever imagined what a gun could do to a ...

Well enough of that.

GoodHumans is a fun place to be.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 02:01:39 CEST 2000 from dialup-259.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.3)

HANKETTE

There's absolutley NOTHING wrong with a guy sing a girl song OR vice versa!!!!! I sing "Blue Kentucky Girl" at my gigs 'cos it's a great song!!!! As much as I think Joans version of "Dixie" is inferior to The Bands, I always enjoyed the story and the imagery and did'nt even consider the gender difference.....it really does'nt matter....I like the point that Mike Carrico made about John Prine and "Angel from Montgomery"......you BELIEVE him when he sings it....also, the comic effect is heightened in these situations...like when The Blues Brothers played "Stand by Your Man".......Here's a something, folks..... I have to say, folks, it really saddens me to read such negative things about TLW here and elsewhere.......as fraudulent and deceptive that movie may have been.......it gave me such hope and example to actually live my life by as a teenager.......it said to me "make a life and living outta playing music and writing songs....and BE with people that also want to do that"...For me, that movie made me feel they were the coolest people on earth.....whatever about the gig, the sequences with The Staples and Emmylou were worth the price of admission alone and actually give the whole thing a focus... Although, I must admit, watching it now, knowing what I know about it, I laugh about things I see in it......There, got it off my chest..........live long and prosper, folks!!!!!

Posted on Thu Jun 8 01:44:52 CEST 2000 from (204.120.54.1)

jcf

Does anybody have an opinion on what is the most underrated or underappreciated Band song? I would nominate Rockin Chair, Caledonia Mission, and Unfaithful Servant. I like these songs at least as much as King Harvest. But this is only my opinion.

Posted on Thu Jun 8 00:35:23 CEST 2000 from spider-to014.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.49)

Bayou Sam

Doc, that was a great little story about running into Garth. I would have loved that if it happened to me...........Bob K -I saw The Kids Are Allright about a million times when it came out. I had NO idea Rick was in it anywhere. Now I've got to watch it again and find him. I haven't seen it in a long time so it will be great to watch again.............I bought a pack of Ernie Ball guitar strings the other day, and on the back of the package is a very large list of names of people who presumably use EB strings. The first three are Clapton, Beck, and Page - no surprise, but across the top line on the right it said The Band.. I thought that was pretty cool.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 23:56:23 CEST 2000 from dialin-30.kingston.bestweb.net (216.179.13.61)

Doc from Woodstock

Thought I'd share this.....last week I'm in the West Hurley Garage waiting for my car....the guy in the chair behind me is humming & playing with his corn cob pipe.....It was Garth. We spent a good hour talking music, cars, genealogy, and whatever...What a nice person. When I told him the first time I saw "The Band" play was in Asbury Park he knew it was the Dylan tour..Thanx Garth for making this 51 year old grandpa feel like he was back in high school.. Levon tonight at "The Lake".

Posted on Wed Jun 7 23:17:18 CEST 2000 from (192.189.178.1)

BobK

First post from a long-time fan and musician. Great site! I have a question that I'm hoping someone here can help me with: Is anyone familiar with the Who Documentary "The Kids Are Alright"? Well, the credits list Rick Danko as a special guest but I can't seem to find him anywhere in the movie. Can anyone tell me where he appears? The imdb (internet movie database) also lists him as playing "himself". Any info would be deeply appreciated. (by the way, I'm listening to netradio.com's Woodstock '69 channel as I type this and they just played "Long Black Veil"...great timing!) Peace, BobK

Posted on Wed Jun 7 22:47:32 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.251)

David Powell

Pat: The fact that Capitol is referring to the source tape using the word "production" tends to indicate that it is indeed an EQ'd copy of the true master. Several production master copies were usually made, some to be sent to foreign production facilities overseas. The EMI Centinary LP reissue of the "brown album" was more than likely sourced from the production master that Capitol sent over to England. That reissue sounds close to the original first pressing of the Capitol album that I have. Several years ago, however, JVC Japan scrapped plans to do a deluxe XRCD reissue of the album because they were evidently not satisfied with using a production master for the digital remastering source.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 21:40:45 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8ig.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.162.80)

Pat Brennan

Dave P., it is possible that the Capitol people have found a production master that is pre-mastering lab, in other words, a safety copy of the master that was intended to be sent to the mastering lab in case something went wrong with the first copy they made. Very common back then to make a number of copymasters, just in case.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 21:07:59 CEST 2000 from (208.218.212.251)

David Powell

As a follow-up to Carmen & Pat Brennan's discussion about master tapes, I'd just like to add the following: A "production master" is a COPY of the true original master. As in the "brown album" era, Capitol and other labels used these production masters to cut the albums. Equalization, and often compression, were added to assure that the needles of inexpensive the record players, common at that time, stayed in the grooves of the LPs. The problem with using a production master as a source is that, since it is a copy, a certain amount of detail from the original master is lost with each generation of the copy process. Equalization and compression also change the sound, altering the true dynamic range of what was originally captured on the multi-track session tapes. The end result is that what you end up hearing is no longer an accurate represenation of what was recorded in the studio.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 20:55:59 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

One of the oldies stations, CHUM, played "The Shape I'm In" this morning. Fabulous organ work. Too bad the station didn't play the song when it was released (unlike John D's more progressive 'FH, which did).

Posted on Wed Jun 7 19:25:17 CEST 2000 from cic-proxy02.firstunion.com (169.200.25.141)

Bones

I always enjoyed the myths surrounding the Band. In the book "Mansion On A Hill" Grossman gets criticized about his treatment of the Band. The theory is that The Band would have sold more records and had hit singles if they didn't run from publicity. I know this sounds elitist, but I always like the fact that The Band seemed above all that.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 19:03:20 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Mike nails it. If the performer does not sell it, they could be singing wholly autobiographical lyrics and still seem stilted. In Joan's case, with Dixie at least, she sounds more like a carpetbagger than a reb. Though I'll give her this much: Her version SMOKES John Denver's...

Posted on Wed Jun 7 18:20:35 CEST 2000 from 216-1-128-66.akorn.net (216.1.128.66)

Mike Carrico

The gender of the singer and the character in the song don't have to match. The question is do you believe the singer or not. John Prine is the old woman in his original version of "Angel From Montgomery". I believe him. I don't think Joan gets within a country mile of Virgil Caine.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 17:49:59 CEST 2000 from spider-wi011.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.21)

Funk ( of " & Wagnall " fame )

Hoooooold on thar Mattkalooooie. I'll do the thinnin' round here.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 16:16:58 CEST 2000 from (198.173.6.246)

Tom

Brien Sz:

In New Orleans, check out The Maple Leaf uptown on Oak Street for blues or cajun. Bring your dirty clothes if you want, they also got washers & dryers. Also check out Tipitina's Uptown or French Quarter. For jazz look at Snug Harbor right outside of the Quarter or Funky Butts on Rampart St. on the edge of the Quarter.

You should also look for any of the great brass bands, like Rebirth, the Dirty Dozen, or Kermit Ruffins and the Barbeque Swingers. They're great fun. Don't be put off by the location of some of the little joints they play in. Anywhere in New Orleans is safe for a music lover on a mission!

For listings, go to www.offbeat.com. Laissez le bon tempes roulez!

Posted on Wed Jun 7 16:11:08 CEST 2000 from 1cust56.tnt1.topeka.ks.da.uu.net (63.39.63.56)

Dexy

I must have somehow missed the link to the new interview with Levon about the reissues. Can someone repost it? Thanks.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 15:53:12 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.lndn1.on.home.com (24.112.158.228)

kerrilyn

Oh the Joan Baez Dixie version....the childhood nightmares that brings back. I was about 5 years old, we had it on 45 and I remember it was beige with black lettering. Maybe the first time I heard it I thought it was OK, but my sister proceeded to play it morning, noon and night. That and I Never Promised You A Rose Garden. YUCK. It was then and there I decided to hang out with my brothers because I realized my sisters weren't cool.

Years later when I discovered The Band and I heard their Dixie, I thought why would they do a cover of that crappy Joan Baez song.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 15:35:00 CEST 2000 from usr51-dialup314.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.198.196)

G-MAN

Good Morning ! Mike N. I remember Lucky in Bflo. and the Hound Dog(George Lorenz)-I was very young, but don't remember the theme song. I'll check around. Bayou Sam- I agree with you ! SHAPE I'M IN--have heard it as SHUCKIN', but have heard substitutes during live shows. (I'm sure some Band members were listenening to WKBW 50 K watts across lake ERIE !!! Hope everyone who's fortunate to attend Rick's benefit enjoy it- except for the reason it's being held. Guru's will knock some socks off. Wish I could be there. Keep Rockin'!! Peace!!

Posted on Wed Jun 7 15:20:49 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Crabgrass, I have a lot of admiration for Abbie Hoffman. But as a musician, I'm also sick of chemically enhanced fools jumping on stage trying to grab the mic during sets, regardless of their intent (be it political, or some strange need to sing "wind beneath my wings"). Additionally, Townshend did not hit him with his guitar, he hit him with his fist. As many may recall, the Who ended their set in typical fashion, and the stage floor was on the receiving end of Pete's guitar bashing later on.

Hank, nope, I'm not Funk, Wagnall, Merriam, Webster, Roget, White, Strunk, nor anyone of that ilk. I do like F&W posts however. I'm a big fan, in fact, but since they're not here and since the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary is a beautiful thing:

di·dac·tic
Pronunciation: dI-'dak-tik, d&-
Function: adjective
Etymology: Greek didaktikos, from didaskein to teach
Date: 1658
1 a : designed or intended to teach b : intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment
2 : making moral observations
- di·dac·ti·cal /-ti-k&l/ adjective
- di·dac·ti·cal·ly /-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
- di·dac·ti·cism /-t&-"si-z&m/ noun

In this case, didactic, as I applied it to Joan Baez, relates to the second definition more than the first. Though Joan would argue she is teacher. I'd call her condescending....

Posted on Wed Jun 7 15:14:31 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com (24.4.252.66)

Brien Sz

Looking for some info: I have to go to New Orleans next week for a conference/workshops. Now I know New Orleans is loaded with tons of great music, so i wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions where i can find a great cajun music joint or a real unique blues bar i can check out? Either e-mail me or post it here, i check in to read just about everyday.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 13:34:52 CEST 2000 from 48.mercerville-23-24rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.149.48)

carmen

Thanks for the explaination Pat.

Hank regarding "The Shape I'm In", in the eighties, a Philadelphia radio station DJ used this song as a lead in to a lunch time health tip by Pat Croce who was a fitnes trainer and is now the owner of the 76ers. This happened every day and lasted for years.

I also noticed that the Philadelphia Inquirer uses RR's "Let The Good Times Roll" in their new TV adds.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 12:59:16 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-004.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.4)

Peter Viney

I ran into this yesterday, Joni Mitchell on Joan Baez: "Oh, she was horrible. She was always super-competitive and threatened by me." (From Both Sides Now by Brian Hinton).

But, as I’ve posted before, Dinky Dawson’s roadie memoirs "Life on the Road" have a different angle. Dawson worked with Fleetwood Mac, the Byrds, Steely Dan, The Kinks, Lou Reed … and both Joan and Joni.. This hardened roadie was charmed by Joan, who would hang out with the crew in truck stops at 3 a.m., and it seems was the total professional, putting her audience first in spite of danger (thunderstorms). On the other hand, he found working with Joni to be "gloomy vibes" and says she was "creating bad karma" and was only concerned with her complex love-life, ignoring "the problems with her performances and her attitude, both glaring issues".

Now I have a complete collection of Joni, and no Joan albums, BUT having seen Baez talking on TV a couple of times recently, I was charmed by her personality. I used to write her off as a humourless folkie with a preachy message and a voice that gave me toothache. This is way off the mark, and the early 60s were a bit humourless in her area of music. Yes, I think her version of "Dixie" is bad … no, appalling … but I’d respect her contribution over forty years, and some of it was very good. Maybe she’s mellowed, as most of us do.

On swapping gender in songs (very common), one of the lost out-takes that has been mentioned was supposedly Levon singing "I Wish I Were a Single Girl again". "Free your Mind" also switched genders. It’s always a bit awkward – The Beach Boys "I met her on a Monday and her name was Jill" doesn’t make it for me. The big question is whether you rewrite the lyrics (It’s been the ruin of many a poor boy/girl) or whether you just present them as they are (as Joan did).

Posted on Wed Jun 7 09:30:49 CEST 2000 from pm3-077.efn.org (206.163.180.77)

deb

Hey, Guen, you have a good point; an Irish Pub. Excellent. It is kind of like the ambience you encounter at cozy little neighborhood bars like Cheers, this Guestbook. I certainly feel like I am getting to know the folks here in a special way.

Crabby is right, there aren't as many Joan Baez bashers as Neil Diamond bashers here, but I can make up for the difference. I was listening to my very favorite local radio station (in Eugene, Oregon) today when what should I hear; but a PSA made especially for the station by guess who? Joan Baez. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. That might mean I will have to stop listening to that station. Darn!

Amanda, thanks for the URL info on music. I will check it out. You know, another thought occurs to me: the traditional Riverdance style of Irish dance very closely resembles some Southern cloggers I saw on t.v. the other day (you know, where they dance like they have a stick up their...you know what I mean).

Posted on Wed Jun 7 07:32:13 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-115-228.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.115.228)

BWNWITennessee

As I stepped in a mud puddle outside of my front door this morning (and swore, naturally), it occurred to me that it might have been the VERY SAME spot where Virgil swore so many years ago. Y'all need to come down here. We'll have a party at my place.

I thought it was great in the "Globe" article where the record company lady says something like, "Levon will be mostly doing publicity," then in the next paragraph Lee goes, "It's just company stuff. I just hope they pay me some royalties." I'd give up any thoughts of a PR career.

As far as Joanie B. singing "Dixie," I think it's pretty common in old-time, traditional (which Joan ISN'T) folk music for people to sing songs from the point of view of the oppositte gender. Didn't Bob Dylan sing "House of the Rising Sun" on an early record (most of my music is still in boxes from the move) from a female perspective? Although, of course, when Joan reached that one line, we all know she really should have sang, "Back with no wife in Tennessee."

Posted on Wed Jun 7 07:17:10 CEST 2000 from 1cust189.tnt14.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.142.189)

Crabgrass

The Joanie bashers seem to definitely be in the minority in this recent round! Baez sang "Diamonds and Rust" when she toured with Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue in the late '70s so Bob must have approved. However, I'll be the first one to admit she ruined Don't Look Back just by being in it.

And poor Abbie Hoffman - one of Americas greatest '60s anti-war activists bashed in the GB and bashed with a guitar by Pete Townshend during a festival extolling "Peace and Love!" Shame, shame! I'm sure Abbie laughed it off since he had an extraordinary sense of humor - it was his trademark in fact. BTW I recall someone mentioning a while back that Townshend assaulted someone else with his ax at a concert causing a bloody mess. Sounds like Pete may be in need of some anti-aggression therapy!

I do read the posts I comment on - my comment on Jubilation was simply of the opposite opinion though admittedly etched in stone. And I think the majority of Band fans would not equate it with any of the first 3 Band albums.

And how about getting the "La, las" changed in the GB transcription - some of you Robertsonians should have noticed that way back!! Isn't it kind of embarrassing that I had to discover it?

Posted on Wed Jun 7 06:24:22 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-59-187.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.187)

Guenevere

I always liked Peter's idea of the of the GB being likened to a Pub, where people can pretty much their speak minds and get away with it... a place where people ‘get over it' and keep coming back for more. But I always wondered what kind of Pub it was, and now I know.... it's an IRISH PUB!! I'm part Irish too!! No wonder!!!

Thanks Peter and Little Brother for taking that chorus epiphany seriously enough to give it some thought. Sometimes when speaking about song writing, many writers talk about the experience of entire songs being "channeled" to them, for lack of a better word. At any rate, I do believe that some lyrics are more purely inspired than others and ‘come through' the writer sort of inexplicably. Whether research was involved or not, maybe "Dixie" was one of those for Robbie. This may sound spooky to the pragmatists, but I think that there could be hidden spiritual elements to certain works that allow them, for whatever reason, like Peter said, to take on a fuller life of their own after they're written ... OK, I gotta go and sell crystals at the Renaissance Faire now...

Bayou Sam, sometimes I think I hear "da feet"...

Posted on Wed Jun 7 05:26:17 CEST 2000 from proxy1-external.blfld1.ct.home.com (24.4.252.36)

AHROOO!!

Ghost Rider, the show you're talking about that Robbie was on, "Good Morning America" it was a shorter version of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." It seems to stop at "Ya take what ya need and ya leave the rest, but they should never have taken the very best.." Apparently it was due to time constraints as variety shows tend to cut things short, for more chat time on the show. A little disappointing but a fine performance. I guess the mud or blood issue is still in question. I think though it's "mud."

The reason that people might have problems with Joan Baez singing "Dixie" is because the lyrics call for "Back with my wife in Tennessee..." This doesn't sound right at all if a woman were to do it. Just like I heard a new version of Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" only a woman was singing it and completely changed the lyrics. I'm sure it was a compliment but if I were Muddy, I'd be rolling in my grave from that.

Best wishes to Jan and Lee when they come on over to ahrooland in the next few days. Come on over boys! Maybe we can meet up FINALLY!

AHROOO!!

Posted on Wed Jun 7 04:41:19 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8qc.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.163.76)

Pat Brennan

Carmen, in the good old days a group would produce a master tape which had the various mixes of the songs on an album compiled. They would then make a copy of that tape and send it to a mastering lab or send the master itself to the lab where the mastering engineer would balance the levels and eq it so that the relative frequencies stayed at the same levels from song to song. When someone says that they have found a master tape, they are generally referring to the original tape, pre-mastering engineer. Evidentally, in the case of the Brown Album, the closest they could come to a master was a copymaster made for the mastering engineer. Close, but not quite the source.

Also in the good old days, mastering engineers used to simply roll off the low and high end so that the song would sound good on an AM radio. Nowadays, the mastering engineer is an artist.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 04:00:08 CEST 2000 from spider-wa013.proxy.aol.com (205.188.192.23)

Ghost Rider

Mud or blood?

I remember reports here of a Robbie Roberstson appearance on The Today Show or Good Morning America, or one of those programs, on which he sang Dixie. What lyric did HE use? That oughta be the final word.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 03:51:30 CEST 2000 from dialup-119.cork.iol.ie (194.125.43.119)

HANKLY

THANK YOU LDO for the link to the Boston Globe!!! It was really interesting to read how Levon felt they should have aimed to get something on the radio.......like a hit single!!!!! But, of course, at the time, The Band SEEMED to be going for a credibility that had NOTHING to do with having a hit single.......Hip Cards were NOT punched for having hit singles in them parts in them days.....at the same time, I believe The Band featured quite regularly on the emergent FM Rock stations of the late '60ies-early '70ies.....HMMMN......A NEW THREAD!!!!!!.......WHICH Band SONG SOUNDS BEST ON THE RADIO?....Two categories: FM and AM......For me, on FM/ "THE SHAPE I'M IN"....(in fact, I would go so far as to say that Capitol should re-issue "The Shape..." as a single for radio to promo the new CD releases.....I LOVE hearing that song coming over the FM radio......LOUD!!!!!.............AM/"THE WEIGHT".....if only because it sounds great no matter where and how you hear it........Poor old Joanie!!!!!! My dad took my sister and I to see Jefferson Airplane at The Academy of Music in NYC in around 1971.....I's 8 years old at the time and while Grace Slick bawled and jumped around the stage.I can distinctly remember thinking "this is too loud and my mom would NOT like this at ALL!!!!!".......a coupla years later, he took us, with my mom this time, to see Joan Baez solo at The Felt Forum MSG..........we had, as I've mentioned on previous posts, her album, "Blessed Are" at home, which kicked off with her version of "Dixie" as well as containing "Help me make it thru the Night" and other songs...my mom liked this album and we all had a great time......lovely!!!! I remember two things clearly about that gig:.... 1. being impressed by her imitation of Lily Tomlin's little girl on "Laugh-In" and 2. my dad hushing my sister and I 'cos we were yelling out for her to sing songs like "Dixie" from the only album we knew by her at the time.....well, folks, the years have gone by and, in the meantime-time, I've come to respect JBAEZ as a professionial rather than admire her work..........she puts on a really pro show and knows how to handle an audience......she also picks great songs to sing/demolish (YOU choose).......but, at the end of it all, I really think she has'nt got a clue about what's going on around her.....especially with regards to Bob Dylan.....(It would take too long to explain here, but I've read things she's written in TWO (!!!!!-count 'em!!!!) autobiographies where she seems to want to get the better of Bob.......NOBODY gets the better of Bob Dylan, as far as I can see......ask Neil Diamond!!!!)........ and as for The Band.....when you think about it, it's kinda interesting how she chose to do "Dixie' in the first place, because The Hawks were the dirty Rock and Roll band Bobby ran away with...she was in that anti-rock and roll folk-music camp that did'nt like "Highway 61" when it came out....here's a question: Did Joan Baez ever attempt to cover another Band song ( if she did "Long Black Veil"....THAT does'nt count)..........if she did....was it ANY good?..........The RS which featuers Levon just hit Irish shelves recently....it's very weird reading it because I KNOW that I woulda been reading it whether or not I was involved with this GB.....now that I AM involved with posting here I found it very hard to read without thinking about it in terms of what I've learned here.......I can't explain it.......but, hey!!! the only thing I can say is THANKS for all the insights here folks!!!.....MATTK: what does DIDACTIC actually mean?........I suppose I should go to a dictionary, but I have to admit.....I LOVE it when The FUNK from FUNK and WAGNELL shows up here on the GB!!!!!!.......could it be That MATTK and FUNK and WAGNELL are the SAME person? .......( I'm only ribbing you here MATTK......I really enjoy yer posts!!!)....anyhow, folks , enough of me here for now.......see y'all tommorrow........

Posted on Wed Jun 7 03:43:50 CEST 2000 from 146.mercerville-33-34rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.153.146)

carmen

Question for those who know and read the article referenced by LDO. What is the difference between the type of Master Tape used for the Brown reissue and that used for the others?

Also, it is safe to assume that Rick also played a part in the reissue process based on the fact that they were three years in the making?

Thanks and Best Regards to all!

Posted on Wed Jun 7 02:40:21 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

King Harvest is a GREAT song. It sends shivers down my spine sometimes it is so powerful and somehow kind of menacing.

Interesting questions you pose about Irish/Southern music, Deb. I'm not really qualified to answer them, unfortunately, but it is something I've thought about - I'm Irish-Scottish too- so here are some thoughts:

Traditional Irish and Scottish music definitely fed into the Southern music mix. I think it is arguable that by singing Tura Lura Lura (An Irish Lullabye) and maybe even by including Van Morrison, at the Last Waltz, the BAND paid tribute to this.

If you are interested in exploring the roots angle you may find it very worthwhile to get (assuming you don't already have it) a copy of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music from the Smithsonian (who incidentally also have quite a lot of interesting Native American music available.)

Here is the url: http://www.si.edu/folkways/harry/hatext.htm

As you will see the Anthology is credited with inspiring generations of popular musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Jerry Garcia.

It contains blues, music by the Carter family (who Johnny Cash married into), cajun music and British (not just Irish) folk songs, some of which date back to medieval times, performed by Southerners. But even those these different musics are distinctive the connections between them and the way they fed into each other in that particular time and place are what really comes through on the anthology.

I like to the think the anthology is probably a good representative sample of the sort of music Levon Helm would have experienced at the medicine shows and I feel sure his father would certainly have known many of the songs.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 01:46:40 CEST 2000 from spider-wd014.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.154)

Bayou Sam

Me again. I always thought Levon sang....."you can't raise a Caine back up when he's in the DEED" - making a reference to his brother being buried in the families ground at home. If you listen, Levon seems to really acentuate the "D" sound at the end of that word. Go run to your cd's and check it out and come back and tell me I'm nuts....(did I spell acentuate right?)

Posted on Wed Jun 7 01:40:18 CEST 2000 from spider-wd014.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.154)

Bayou Sam

you're right Rollie - Levon is a tough cat starting a blues band at age 60. God bless him.......... BWNWITennessee- you present an interesting theory on the identity of "friend of the GB"...........Crabgrass, I said "I" thought Jubilation stood up there with Pink and Brown. That means it's MY humble little opinion, not etched in stone law. You should take your own advice and read peoples posts more carefully before commenting on them. Lighten up....... deb, your right. It did always bother me that Joan Baez sang,"I'm a working man"...........G-MAN's ratings work fine for me. I would go along with what you posted..........Bones, great point on Levons comments from '84. I have to go through my old issues of Modern Drummer and see if I have that one..... ............. Thanks to all who e-mailed me about making paragraphs. As you can see I haven't put it to practice yet, but I will.

Posted on Wed Jun 7 00:47:44 CEST 2000 from proxy.lfpress.com (204.101.153.10)

Mike Nomad

A shot in the dark: does anyone besides me remember a late '50s Buffalo, N.Y., deejay named Lucky Pierre? And if so, what was his closing theme?

Posted on Tue Jun 6 22:35:18 CEST 2000 from ric-wht-pxy-int02.wheatfirst.com (204.238.130.68)

Bones

R. Pence and Bayou Sam: I enjoyed your comments! I never understood why RR gets so beat up around here. I just read an article when Levon was on the cover of Modern Drummer in 1984. HE WAS NOT BITTER AT ALL! In fact, he kept referring to "Robbie" and "Richard" as being the songwriters in the Band. This was post-Last Waltz. As I've said before, I prefer to remember the good times when Robbie and Levon were brothers. I think the bitterness detracts from the legacy of the Band because reporters always want to stress the bad things.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 22:16:39 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-087.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.87)

Peter Viney

Little Brother asked: Don't you sometimes get so close to a song when you're working on an article that it loses its magic?

Yes and no. I know as well as anyone else that the writer didn’t expect the song to be analysed in such detail, but I also think that the lyrics are crafted so carefully that they are worthy of closer investigation, and that hidden depths are often revealed, some of which might seem odd to the writer. There are unexpected pleasures in getting deeper into a song that you didn’t particularly rate. Someone asked me to write on "The Saga of Pepote Rouge" a while back, and I came out of it enjoying and appreciating the song more. I’ve been trying to put together all the comments on "Dixie" and add other ideas. The "mud" one (I hope "Friend of the GB" has genuinely resolved that one) surprised me, and while I accept it, I still think (a) Robbie should have written "blood" and (b) Levon probably sang "blood" some of the time live. The debate on the chorus enriched that part of the song - Guenevere’s point that the victors’ bells are tolling had never struck me, but I reckon she’s right. Overall, the song comes out stronger from attentive listening this week, though my conviction that their first version is way the best grows. I know for a while after writing the "Cripple Creek" article I started skipping it on my in-car compilation. After I’d done a few of the articles, I made up a car CD of the "hardly ever anthologized songs" that I particularly love – Rocking Chair, We Can Talk, Jawbone, … basically, for a change, but then I realized they were ones I hadn’t done articles on.

I’ve just received two e-mails today asking me to clarify things I wrote in books in 1983 and in 1978. This is justice for asking if RR / LH could clarify mud / blood.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 21:40:55 CEST 2000 from m198214176061.austin.cc.tx.us (198.214.176.61)

pehr

been away for a while, glad to see not much has changed.

always and always...the best!

Posted on Tue Jun 6 21:08:55 CEST 2000 from sjiassoc16.erols.com (208.58.12.144)

Jon Lyness

Thanks for the great link on the reissues, Long Distance Operator! In such a short article, there is a lot of great news: all 3 original members contributing, however indirectly, to the project -- Levon's unusually upbeat comments -- and that the reissues will encompass all of the original albums, not just the first four. (Quite frankly, just to see a sizable number of CDs in the virtually empty Band sections of music stores will make me feel good.) I'm especially pleased to hear Rock of Ages is singled out for an overhaul -- the sound of the current ROA CD sounds really dead to me, especially compared with the new Roosevelt Stadium boot or even Watkins Glen. Any other thoughts?

Posted on Tue Jun 6 20:12:12 CEST 2000 from polaris-fw1.nspco.com (206.10.243.20)

Dave Z

Any comments on Joan dancing to Roger McGuinn's Eight Miles High from Renaldo & Clara?... I always thought she had a quality that worked well with Dylan... and a nice smile...

Posted on Tue Jun 6 19:56:36 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

I kinda liked Joan Baez for a while in the early '70s. Can't remember why, but I seem to remember her doing some nice versions of longish Dylan songs. But then came "Diamonds and Rust", which seemed a cold-blooded attempt to squeeze commercial success from her former friendship with the Man from Minn. And then the lovely voice seemed increasingly sterile, and the quaver increasingly annoying. But we all gotta eat.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 19:28:27 CEST 2000 from 216-1-128-65.akorn.net (216.1.128.65)

Mike Carrico

I've had trouble warming up to Joan's music too - there's something oddly uninvolving about her work, despite the beauty of her voice. And that beauty is at the core of the many problems with her version of "Dixie"; it seems to have no connection with Virgil Caine. Especially when contrasted with Levon's salt-of-the-earth vocal, which sounds like the genuine article (which of course he is).

But even more problematic is the arrangement. The uptempo sing-song rhythm is completely at odds with the subject matter. On the chorus when the people are singing, they sound more like they've spent a weekend at the beach, rather than four hard years at war.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 19:09:29 CEST 2000 from spider-tl021.proxy.aol.com (152.163.207.181)

And Now For Something Completely Different

How about Robby Krieger's slide licks on "Been Down So Long"?

Posted on Tue Jun 6 19:04:29 CEST 2000 from du76-0.ppp.algonet.se (195.100.0.76)

Ilkka

Matt, my friend :-) Joan was my dreamgirl in the sixties and I took my first steps in the road of blues by learning the bass line in CH's "On The Road Again". You'll never know what you see when you open this GB! Jan should have a warning for us old-timers: "This GB can seriously rise your blood pressure."
Joan's version of "North Country Blues" (White double album) is acceptable, because her voice is lower and warmer than usual, isn't it. Actually, we should disguss more important issues, like WHY SHE HAD TO CUT THAT BEAUTIFUL HAIR?

Posted on Tue Jun 6 18:29:40 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

bill

I keep forgetting to say that I used to think that the line was "You can't raise a Caine back up when it's in the peat". Which is probably true.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 17:47:28 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

I was never a Joan fan. Long before I ever got into The Band I found her rather didactic approach to music and performing rather tiresome. Personally, even more than Dixie, I have trouble forgiving her for her tepid cover of Peter Gabriel's "Biko" back in the late 1980s. I recently taped (and watched) "Woodstock" off cable, and I have to say that I'm finding it hard to pick whether Baez or Canned Heat turned in the most self-serving performance (Joan, politically, CH for overblown heroics on their blues set).

Also, before recently receiving The Who's "30 Years of Maximum R&B" for my birthday, I might have put Abbie Hoffman's tirade in the mix of stupid Woodstock moments, but (thankfully) Pete makes the point for me. BTW, most folks probably know the story of Pete punching Abbie when he lept on stage during The Who's incendiary set, but to actually HERE it (*whack!* Pete: Get the f*** of my F***ing stage!" is worth the price alone...)

Posted on Tue Jun 6 16:26:17 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-3-131.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.131)

Guenevere

Since the last time the vote was taken, (just don't say Islands) ... I've become a convert and now reside with the monastic order of the ‘Pink and Brown'.

BTW: Joan also did a really nice interpretation of "When The Ship Comes In" by Bob Dylan, a song that makes you go ... (where the heck did that come from?)... and as far as I'm concerned almost could have earned Dylan the title of Poet Laureate in itself. Joan is a very good picker, (and she's a pretty good strummer too). But hey! I always thought "Diamonds and Rust" was written about the duel ("early and late") Neil Diamond personalities, and Neil Young.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 16:20:30 CEST 2000 from spider-th082.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.82)

butch

TRIBECA BLUES SHOW -----LEVON HELM & THE BARN BURNERS ---- CANCELLED !!!!! JUNE 8th, 2000 THE CLUB IS CLOSING !!!! NOTHING, NOTHING to do w/ The Barn Burners or Levon,,,, SORRY, for ANY inconvenience,,,, butch

Posted on Tue Jun 6 16:18:13 CEST 2000 from edslink9.eds.com (199.228.142.2)

carmen

LDO, thanks for the article. Almost seems as if Levon is easing up a little. Nice to see all took part and that my favorite is also Levon's. Best Regards to all GB'ers.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 16:12:08 CEST 2000 from spider-th012.proxy.aol.com (152.163.213.47)

Bashful Bill

With attention payed to RR's "Goodnight,Goodbye" comments here recently, I thought I would mention another silent comment he made a short while later. After finishing "Don't Do It" the guys file off the stage. Richard is smiling, Rick blows a kiss(vintage Rick), I think Levon and Garth are smiling and gladhanding, typical end of show attitudes. It seems to me that RR strides off with a fixed expression on his face and very pointedly doesn't look back or acknowledge what is going on around him. His expression and body language seem to say"I,m done with it". I noted that the first time I saw the movie and it's one of those things I always watch for and have often pointed out to fellow viewers. Now, here is where I have to agree with whoever recently speculated on RR's reactions if he ever scrolls through here. I just anylyzed the way he walked off a stage a lifetime ago, and figured out what he was thinking! He must laugh his ass off!Slightly obsessed, yes, but where else better than Jan's excellent GB? Speaking of whom, Lil's post yesterday sounded like Jan should be bound for thje US today and I wish him well. See some of you folks on Thurs.!

Posted on Tue Jun 6 16:01:27 CEST 2000 from usr4-dialup61.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.66.253)

G-MAN

The Brown album: a 10, all-time classic RR; one of the best ever. Big Pink: unique-influential, an 8+ to 9. Jubilation: a 9, good songs, good sound, makes one feel good and appreciate the groups performance; some the best singing by Rick, ever. The feud-I laid it to rest except for joking around. Those two guys are great, in their respective ways. T. Wolfe said it, "You can't go home again", and we'll never see the Band like we used to !!! Woody Harrelson as Rick-saying "Happy Thanksgiving"; Richard Gere as an older Rick; hyper energy jumping all over the stage and the neighborhood. Peace and Keep on Rockin !!!

Posted on Tue Jun 6 15:47:44 CEST 2000 from ip87-max7-lowell.ziplink.net (206.15.160.247)

Long Distance Operator

Oops! I think I got the correct Homepage now. Sorry about that!

Posted on Tue Jun 6 15:44:01 CEST 2000 from ip87-max7-lowell.ziplink.net (206.15.160.247)

Long Distance Operator

Howdy! It's the LDO with an FYI: Click on the Homepage above for a nice article from today's Boston Globe on the Band reissues. To steal a line from Paul Godfrey... SHINE ON! -LDO

Posted on Tue Jun 6 08:52:04 CEST 2000 from spider-wi063.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.48)

Roger Evoy

Want to say Hi to Carman. R

Posted on Tue Jun 6 07:22:09 CEST 2000 from 1cust174.tnt6.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.11.190.174)

Crabgrass

Always wondered where Dylan got the title "Street Legal" for his album - thanks - now I need to know exactly what it means!

Thoroughly enjoyed the latest round of Crabby Bashing and it's good to see some current support for the GB to become a "Positive Comments Book."

Don't mind comments upon what I post here but how about reading what I write with a bit more care before commenting? I said "La, la, etc." is what it says in the "Lyrics and Guitar Chords" section on this site - an obvious error which should be corrected!

In fairness to Joan she's got a incredible set of vocal chords - I don't like her version of "Dixie" but respect her choice of material which has never been geared towards commercialism. She picks songs which mean something to her. She did a nice version of Phil Ochs "There But For Fortune" early on and some pretty good Dylan covers too - like "Farewell Angelina" and "Daddy You've Been On My Mind" which are damn good (so is "Diamonds and Rust" which she wrote about Dylan.) Also, she's been a committed activist to many a worthy cause.

If you want to see Robbie say "Goodnight - goodbye." again watch his Going Home video - "deja vu all over again" to quote Yogi Berra - one of my favorite baseball players! I wish Robbie had meant it the first time!! Jubilation btw does not "stand right up there" with Big Pink and The Brown album. Let's take a vote for the sake of those not convinced.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 07:09:51 CEST 2000 from pm3-043.efn.org (206.163.180.43)

deb

Now, BWNWIT, you got me a-thinkin' about that post from "A Fan of the Guestbook." This person says they talked to Levon yesterday, which would have been Sunday. My first thought was it was someone who sees him perform at Joyous Lake, but that show is on Wednesday, right? So, who would hang out with Levon on Sunday? If it was a close friend or family member who posted, why not just say who they are. Maybe he DID post it himself; we will probably never know.

"A Fan of the Guestbook" sounds mighty mysterious indeed. Hmmmm...

Posted on Tue Jun 6 07:00:03 CEST 2000 from pm3-043.efn.org (206.163.180.43)

deb aka General Sherman

I ADORE Robbie Robertson. If I had known he was in Portland at that game, I would have gotten a ticket and driven the 2 hours to be there. He is a true poet.It is a rare talent to be able to convey such emotions and images through words and music. Just listen to "Showdown at Big Sky" or "Broken Arrow," as some have mentioned here previously.

One of the reasons I cannot stand to listen to Joan Baez's version of "Dixie" (aside from that wail that will send a dog running away) is this: SHE IS THE WRONG GENDER TO SING IT! The song is obviously from a man's point-of-view, and I don't understand why a woman would even consider singing it.

And, since I am of Irish and part-Southern extraction, I know I should know more about this, but I will pose this thought to the most knowledgeable music experts who will read this (and that means most of you Guest-Bookers): Isn't "Southern" music directly descended from Irish music. It seems like much of the Celtic or Folk type music you hear today is very similar. A story: I asked a friend once why so many people were fascinated with The Grateful Dead, and he gave me a tape with a song (sorry I don't remember which one) that his own Grandfather (who was from Ireland) sang to him when he was small. When he heard it many years later performed by The Dead, he was hooked. Another thought: Fiddles. Irish music is rife with fiddles (thank God Queen Elizabeth wasn't able to burn all of them), and so is much of the music from the South. I know that stats from North Carolina (where some of my ancestors were from) in the late 1800s state that it was over 85% Irish. So, connect the dots: didn't The Irish bring their musical heritage over here? And, does anyone know how it blended and mixed with Blues, and by the way, where the heck did Country music come from? Many questions...

Posted on Tue Jun 6 06:48:40 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-114-14.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.114.14)

BWNWITennessee

Do you think that if Robbie Robertson posted here as "A fan of the GB," he'd say "I asked Levon" just to be a smart-ass, or that if Levon posted he'd say "I asked Levon" just to be a goof-ball?

Posted on Tue Jun 6 06:34:54 CEST 2000 from 1cust99.tnt1.idaho-falls.id.da.uu.net (63.28.242.99)

rollie

Hey Sam, You make some salient points concerning RRs split from the Band.(Did I spell salient right? I doubt it!)16 days on the road is too long, much less 16yrs! It's worse for some than others though. Look at BB King, or Ronnie Hawkins, John Hammond.How they stick with it I'll never know. And John Hammond looks reasonably fit still!I imagine genetics has a lot to do with it.It's a pretty twisted way of going through life.Trying to maintain some semblance of balance is nigh impossible.Levon seems to be a pretty tough cat! Still got the spitfire in em!!! Startin a blues band at 60! I'm 42, and I'm still trying to recover from a gig I played on Saturday night.What day is this anyway? Man, Stage Fright seems like such a long time ago.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 06:04:32 CEST 2000 from spider-mtc-td071.proxy.aol.com (64.12.104.181)

Pac

Pat Brennan, you're right too. My comment was in response to what seemed to me Irish praise of the Confederate rebels. I used to live over there and am 100% Irish myself. South Cork (Skibareen, Bantry Bay) was one of the departing points for the famine Irish. I have accounts of people going all the way over to America only to be drafted in the Civil War! Yes, I know of the proud Irish brigades in the north, and surely there was also southern pride and a sense of duty for those who had lived a long time in the south (not referring to Scots-Irish). My comment was about the famine Irish, many of whom were Brennans like you and me, who arrived mostly in the late 1840s and '50s. I'm just so happy we weren't alive back then. Most of my father's people are still in Ireland and survived those years by eating boiled nettles! Quick comment to someone who asked about "Cherokee Morning Song": I believe the liner notes explain it -- Rita Coolidge and I think her niece sing it on the CD; she learned it from women in her family who sang it to greet the new morning. Any more info would be wonderful. My students have always loved the song. Me too!

Posted on Tue Jun 6 05:21:02 CEST 2000 from spider-to026.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.14)

Bayou Sam

I always thought Robbie Robertson seemed like a classy guy. None of us were there in the room when RR stood up and said, hey guys, it's time to pack it in. Everyone in The Band rehearsed and showed up at The Last Waltz knowing that it was a swan song. To RR's credit, he stood at the mic and said, "goodnight - goodbye", and he stood by it. I too wish that they all stayed together forever. I'm thrilled by the re-incarnation of The Band. I think Jubilation stands right up there with Pink and Brown. But RR is a stand up guy for sticking to what he felt - even if we wish he hadn't felt that way. A Robbie Robertson punching bag is not needed.... .......... here's a thought. I'm a huge Beatles fan and there is a misconception about the movie Let It Be. The common feeling is that Paul is on an ego trip and trying to control everything. What's really happening is that Paul is the only one who wants the Beatles to continue and move ahead. John, George,and Ringo just don't seem as interested. Lennon clearly wants out which he admitted years later. Maybe in The Last Waltz, RR is the only one who really wants to dis-band. With the anger that Levon is hanging onto all these years later, it's a wonder that he had anything to do with TLW at all. Him and RR didn't start this fued right away did they? Maybe the other four guys thought that they might somehow all get together again - who knows.Maybe as the years rolled on and RR's decision was obviously permanent, it got Levons dander up. Again-who knows. RR bashing makes no sense to me. When you log onto this website his picture is right there with the others and he is one of the reasons we come here all the time. Like The Beatles, The Band had a magical grouping of people that would never have been as great with any one missing. Let's be thankful for that and enjoy what they gave us while they were together.................whew!

Posted on Tue Jun 6 04:58:06 CEST 2000 from spider-to026.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.14)

Bayou Sam

So, Joan Baez is the new Neil Diamond of the guestbook.... I was just about entering my teens when JB did "Dixie". I thought it was a pretty cool song and story. I also liked the beat. I even had the 45 (I can hear the gasps from all of you) - then a couple of years down the road I saw the Last Waltz movie and not only fell in love with The Band, but discovered "the real" version of Dixie. I still don't think Joan Baez' version sucks, but it certainly dosen't come within a million miles of the original. I've said before - Levon Helm is "the" person to sing that song. Levon's voice puts you right into the era of the civil war, and you can feel the MUD below your feet just listening. Also, Garth works his magic in that song for me. Right after Levon sings,...." and one day she called to me..." , Garth drops in that great harmonica-ish sound which is not a harmonica but something Garth pulled out of his brain through the keyboards. When I hear that I can see a whole picture of Virgil's wive on the porch with the wind blowing and looking out over the land to see Robert E. Lee and shouting out to Virgil who is out back working the land. That is one of many little Garth fills that I love. I could write a list............mmmmm maybe I will.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 04:52:54 CEST 2000 from user-33qt81i.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.160.50)

Pat Brennan

The Confederate money was actually "no good" for most of the war, as inflation and speculative insider trading that would befit any confirmed Yankee made the script practically worthless. J.B. Jones's "A Rebel War Clerk's Diary" lays the Confederate economic spiral out in gory detail. And the remark about the Irish and the draft is skewed. The most famous Irish organization, The Irish Brigade, was made up of five volunteer regiments; three from NY, one from Mass and one from PA. Irish companies dotted innumerable other volunteer regiments, both north and south. However, the draft was instituted by both governments, and the Irish were probably effected by it relatively equally on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 04:20:57 CEST 2000 from spider-wn081.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.186)

Browser

I'm not sure if this was mentioned in the guestbook or not but Joan Baez clearly says 'blood'. I can't write that she 'sings' 'blood' , never was a Joan Baez fan but just heard the song on the oldie station here. Peace , love and understanding.Love The Band and all their work. Love Robbie , miss Rick , Richard love Levon and Garth . rock on.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 04:05:48 CEST 2000 from dialup-349.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.93)

HANK

Y'know folks.....for many a dark hour (in front of this computer) I been thinking 'bout this.....y'know if NEIL DIAMOND and JOAN BAEZ ever decided to marry each other.......NONE OF US WOULD BE INVITED!!!!!!!!!.....not even to the reception!!!!!!!......no way.......I might crash the reception after the ceremony if they got RR to lead a wedding band for the gig.....but then it'd HAVE to be Levon playing drums and Garth, too............PAC......You are totally correct......sorry if I appear a bit flippant about the realities of the situation......so here ya go......"she took me into her mammys house and treated me quite well.....her hair upon her shoulders..in jet-black ringlets fell"......."I asked her if she'd marry me..she said this could never be...for she had got a lover and he was far at sea......."........

Posted on Tue Jun 6 03:42:47 CEST 2000 from (129.237.77.56)

R. Pence

Re: the comments on RR's solo work, specifically how it has messed up the world for some folks. 1983's "Between Trains" features Richard Manuel, Garth and Rick are on "Robbie Robertson," and "Storyville," too, I believe, all going in new directions that The Band didn't go in--which RR is willing to do, which is part of the resistance to him, I think. Also, his commitment to Native American music means a great deal to many people, even if they don't speak out on this guestbook. I'm starting to think, what with all the Lakers game/lyric controversy/Neil Diamond comments, that this website should set up a "Punch Robbie" page so folks so inclined could interactively give the man bloody noses and black eyes. This would free up some space for more productive exchanges on what The Band means, not only as a unit but as a group of individuals, each with strengths and flaws...perhaps RR and LH see their disputes in black and white, but I think we owe it to ourselves to look at the shades of gray and realize that just as one person was not responsible for the making of the Band, the unmaking of the group cannot be laid on one person's shoulders. Looking for scapegoats is tempting, but it's the easy way out and not true to life.

Posted on Tue Jun 6 02:35:31 CEST 2000 from spider-tq012.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.47)

Pac

Whew! Someone lit a fire -- so many postings to catch up on! Yes, "mud" is right. Yes, Confederate money was no good. Raisin' cane was a brilliant play on words I thought. Side note: when you clear land it sure gets muddy, and is a damned shame if the best is taken (like his brother before him). And Hank, yes, many Irish had to fight in the Civil War because the recently-arrived famine Irish were struggling to survive and many were DRAFTED. Ethically, I don't think they considered slavery the right side. In fact, many Irish were taken to the Caribbean, etc. as "lifers" (slaves) on the very slave ships used for African "cargo." They worked beside African slaves in the sugar cane fields; scholars feel that's the true source of what we call tap dancing. BTW Check out Christy Moore's or Paul Brady's "Lakes of Ponchartrain" song: "I said, 'Me pretty creole girl, me money here's no good. If it weren't for the alligators I'd sleep out in the wood.'" Love to all!

Posted on Tue Jun 6 02:10:41 CEST 2000 from spider-mtc-tc041.proxy.aol.com (64.12.105.166)

Don Pugatch

Max Weinberg is a banger on the drums, constant movement of all his apendages, and with the E street band and Bruce, you need a banger. Levon, he is a caressor (spelling) he can bang, strum, scratch those skins, but that is what makes each one special. No, please, lets not get into a main event of the better drummer, both are pro's at what they do

Posted on Tue Jun 6 02:06:15 CEST 2000 from ts1-20.steveston.axion.net (207.34.146.20)

Cupid

Mattk: Paul Allen is building a rock museum. Experience Music it's called,Initially it was to be a Hendrix Shrine and house Allen's considerable collection of Jimi memorabilia.It has been expanded and there is to be a huge festival[a two day job]to officially open it.A number of high profile acts have been signed to play at the openning.It's in Seatle[Jimi's hometown]and I wouldn't doubt the HOF is upset about it it's suppose to be some fancy joint which will keep people from making the pilgramage to Cleveland[if indeed one can make a pilgramage to Cleveland. As I understand it Death March might be more accurate when travling to Cleveland.But what do I know I'm Canadian]. Peace Cupid

Posted on Tue Jun 6 00:58:21 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-125-208.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.125.208)

BWNWITennessee

I wonder if Joan Baez ever reads the GB.

Here's something else to ask Levon - I always used to think that it was, "And I don't care if MY money's no good," that it was a reference to confederate money being useless after the war. Of course, I don't know if it really was useless immediately afterwards in real life. But now I guess that if he says "THE money's no good," he's referring to the wages received from choppin' wood.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 22:48:09 CEST 2000 from (209.198.135.153)

Laura Holt

Hello all, Just wanted to say to Crabgrass that the name suits you. I have often thought that if RR or LH take a peek in here now and again they would probably think all of us need to "GET A LIFE"!! ...Rambling on about their feud that happened almost 30 years ago. Ah well....I DO enjoy the GB very much BUT feel that Mr. Crab needs to give it a rest on the RR thing. Just my opinion. PEACE BAND FANS!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 22:10:18 CEST 2000 from spider-te014.proxy.aol.com (152.163.195.179)

Jenifer Belvin

i love both of my cds and know them words for word . But i do have a qustin i would like to no the meaning of The CHerokee Morining Song , i go to pow wows a cant sing it if i dont know the meaning so if any one knows i whould love to find out , thank you , jenifer or shadow Fawn

Posted on Mon Jun 5 21:55:26 CEST 2000 from user-33qt9r0.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.167.96)

Pat Brennan

I can only imagine Levon's reaction when he saw himself done up in Federal blue. On the other side, many Canadians fought for the North.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 21:19:50 CEST 2000 from alb2-as5200-28-76.termserv.net (208.20.67.76)

Diamond Lil

Jan and Lee: Safe journey to both of you..please. See you Thursday Lee. And Jan..love you..see you tomorrow! :-)

Posted on Mon Jun 5 20:53:12 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

Paul Allen is a big collector of Rock-n-Roll memorabilia. I believe he was/is trying to have a Rock-n-Roll museum built in Seattle to showcase much of his collection. I'd also heard that there was some opposition from the industry as it would dillute the HOF museum's appeal in Cleveland (seems to me that the Hard Rock Cafe's on seemingly every street corner have already done this).

Interesting that Allen is such a rock sychophant--especially given his ownership of Ticketmaster, which has done as much damage to live music and ticket prices as any evil empire could imagine.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 20:12:33 CEST 2000 from spider-to051.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.66)

Linda

Jan , flying the friendly Czech air aye , have a safe and smooth flight over to the good ole' U.S. of A. I know there are many people waiting to see you. Have a great time @ the Rick memorial concert. I'll be there in spirit. Just one word of advice , get the hell out of Newark fast. Njoy , love ya , catch you next time around. talk to you Wednesday , ...

Posted on Mon Jun 5 20:07:50 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Still listening to Skip. Song 5, "Weighted Down" nicely bridges "The Weight" and Neil Y's "Down By The River":

Weighted down by possessions, weighted down by the gun
Waited down by the river for you to come.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 19:58:18 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Anyone longing to hear the Joan Baez version is advised to listen to some Canadian radio station specialising in oldies. My car radio is stuck on two of them, so I hear it often enough. Also "The Weight" and "Up On Cripple Creek". My radio highlight of last week was hearing three of my most favourite drummers in a row on CHUM: Hal Blaine on "Wouldn't It Be Nice", Charlie Watts on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and Levon on "Cripple Creek". (Other faves, missing from that list but often played on oldies radio, are Bobby Elliott from the Hollies, Benny Benjamin from Motown and the guy who plays on the - sorry 'bout this - Bang-era Neil Diamond hits.)

Speaking of "Cripple Creek", this the title of the second song on Alexander Spence's immortal Oar, which I am listening to at the moment. "He left his wheelchair spinning deeper in the mud. [Something] sent his memories in its body and its blood." Ol' Virg, perhaps?

Posted on Mon Jun 5 19:36:45 CEST 2000 from usr9-dialup56.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.68.56)

G-MAN

After TLW RR did Fallen Angel(for Richard's memory)- Crazy River, Day of Reckoning, Soap Box Preacher, and of course HOLD BACK THE DAWN, with Rick's back-up a real knock out. RR probably in Portland to scout some new musical talent. Guitar sounds great but would rather have 1 of Levon's sticks and 1 of Randy's sticks. Or better still, the guys live one more time (with Rick) !!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 19:20:33 CEST 2000 from ric-wht-pxy-int02.wheatfirst.com (204.238.130.68)

Bones

If anyone wants further confirmation on the "Dixie" lyrics, go to the Rock Hall of Fame. When it first opened in Sept. 1995, there was a nice Band display on the third floor which contained Robbie's handwritten lyrics to the song.

Mattk: Robbie was actually pulling for the Blazers because his good friend and host was Portland owner Paul Allen. I think he attended all seven games. The new issue of Rolling Stone says that Robbie gave Allen one of his signature guitars for his birthday. Only three people have a Robbie signature guitar: Robbie himself, Bruce Springsteen and now Paul Allen.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 19:04:08 CEST 2000 from du102-250.ppp.algonet.se (195.100.250.102)

Ilkka

CRABGRASS says: "The world would be a better place if RR never recorded anything after TLW."
RAGTIME says: "The world is a better place thanks to RR's recordings after TLW."
ILKKA says: "The world is the same." Amen.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 18:56:08 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

"The synesthesia of Crabgrass' fundament regarding Robbie Robertson's solo work is akin to the synesthesia of Crabgrass speaking through his own fundament."

Posted on Mon Jun 5 18:27:06 CEST 2000 from (206.224.31.3)

Little Brother

We'll know that MattK is correct about the Sha-Na-Na thing when the reissues come out and "Dixie" has moved to Moondog Matinee. Hey, hey, goo-ood-bye...

Posted on Mon Jun 5 17:59:34 CEST 2000 from spider-to085.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.37)

Bayou Sam

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, to the "fan of the guestbook" for just asking Levon. You're my hero!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 17:35:55 CEST 2000 from 110.0.252.64.snet.net (64.252.0.110)

John Albert

Hello all -

With the upcoming Rick Danko benefit at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown (CT), I thought folks coming from out of the area might appreciate some directions.

The Edmond Town Hall is located on Rt. 25 in Newtown, just north of the "flagpole" on the left-hand side (you can't miss the flagpole, it sits directly in the middle of the road).

If you're approaching the area from I-84 eastbound (from Danbury or NY state): Get off at Exit 10. At the end of the exit ramp, take a left onto Church Hill Road. Go under the railroad bridge, up the hill, straight at the next light. Continue up the hill to the flagpole, take a right, Edmond Town Hall is a few buildings down on the left.

If you're coming from I-84 westbound (from Hartford): Get off at Exit 10. At end of exit ramp, take a RIGHT onto Church Hill Road, then follow directions above. Note: if you end up down in Sandy Hook, you're going the wrong way....

There's a diner at Exit 10 if you're in the mood; just a little further up the hill on the other side of the road is a fairly decent pizza restaurant. At Edmond Town Hall, you can either park in back or along the street on either side.

If you wish to come north from either I-95 or the Merritt Parkway, look for the Rt. 25 (& Rt. 8) exit going north. It's a limited access highway for several miles, then turns into a two-lane road. You'll know you're almost there when you get to the flagpole in Newtown. Go straight ahead (avoid the flagpole, grin), the Hall is just ahead on the left.

For those coming from the New York City area and New Jersey, I would advise taking Routes I-684 and I-84 as the best possible way. Both I-95 and the Parkways are good roads to stay away from in the afternoon rush.

From the Boston area, I'd suggest the Mass Pike west, then down through Hartford on I-84, as the New Haven area can get VERY congested.

BTW, this is my first Guestbook entry. Although the show is only a few miles from me, I won't be there (sigh), so I won't get the pleasure of meeting anyone from the Guestbook - I'm on vacation that week and will be in Lake George. I *do* get up to Woodstock and the Joyous Lake when I can for the Barnburners....

- John

Posted on Mon Jun 5 16:15:55 CEST 2000 from pool-209-138-153-173-ipls.grid.net (209.138.153.173)

Bobby Jones

Nancy Birch - White Mansions/Jesse James was released by Mercury Records, Album #314-540-791-2. It stars Levon Helm, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Charlie Daniels, Albert Lee, Rosanne Cash, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Eric Clapton, Bernie Leadon and others. Many songs are sung in harmony or to each other. As stated "MUST HAVE".

By the way I think General Sherman had a #1 hit in 1865. His song was known through out the land. Of course it was more popular in the North than the South. I think the song was called "Burning down the House"

Posted on Mon Jun 5 16:15:13 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-60-188.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.188)

Guenevere

Yeah ...

"Funk" outta try climbing out of Crabgrass's fundament and see the light at the end of the tunnel....

Posted on Mon Jun 5 15:59:36 CEST 2000 from spider-mtc-td072.proxy.aol.com (64.12.104.182)

Funk ( of "and Wagnall" fame )

Todays words are:

fun·da·ment

Pronunciation: 'f&n-d&-m&nt Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old French fondement, from Latin fundamentum, from fundare to found, from fundus Date: 13th century 1 : an underlying ground, theory, or principle 2 a : BUTTOCKS b : ANUS 3 : the part of a land surface that has not been altered by human activities

and

synesthesia

Pronunciation: "si-n&s-'thE-zh(E-)& Function: noun Etymology: New Latin, from syn- + -esthesia (as in anesthesia) Date: circa 1891 : a concomitant sensation; especially : a subjective sensation or image of a sense (as of color) other than the one (as of sound) being stimulated - syn·es·thet·ic /-'the-tik/ adjective

Can anyone in the class think of a sentence that uses the words "fundament" and "Crabgrass" together ?

Posted on Mon Jun 5 15:45:38 CEST 2000 from usr53-dialup76.mix2.boston.cw.net (166.62.199.78)

G-MAN

GOOD MORNING BAND FANS. Does it really matter if it is mud or blood or crud (if your wearing shoes) ? Just listen and watch Levon and the crew do that song. The way you feel is the important part, along with the emotion put out by the group. Also, the guys sure enough were spontaneous enough to change words as they went along (or circumstances beyond their control caused a change !!!). Read Janis Joplin's new book(about her), puts a lot of stuff inperspective re. the music culture. Also supports my theory that there won't be shortage of nursing home rooms for us BOOMERS. WE MAY CHECK OUT EARLIER THAN MOM AND PA !!! Real interesting parts about J. Simon and the BEAR. Too bad somebody didn't take old Janis under their wing, forefully, and stop her from self-destruction. But how can you stop something like that. A shame. Too bad we can't hear the Danko, Joplin, Garcia Band. Honky Tonk Gurus CD comming to your record store in June. It is a KEEPER. When is Rick's new CD due; anybody ??? Any list of songs on it ? RR at the Lakers game. It was the Robster in yellow tinted shades. So what-I didn't have to buy his ticket. Hey, STOREYVILLE has some great players and singers on it. Some fine toons too !! Hey, if Levon and RR check in here--Keep Rockin' and do your own thing(s). Picked up E. Landy's "Woodstock" picture book-- outstanding. Keep On Rockin' and have a great week.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 15:30:41 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

I always thought that the chorus of Dixie was a tribute to Sha Na Na, and now that we know it's "mud," I'm sure of it. The whole song is a Woodstock tribute and has nothing to do with the Civil War...how could we have been so blind?

Posted on Mon Jun 5 15:22:43 CEST 2000 from user-33qtaia.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.170.74)

Pat Brennan

Thank you for demonstrating my point so quickly.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 14:27:38 CEST 2000 from spider-tp032.proxy.aol.com (152.163.204.187)

A fan of the GB

mud is the answer. I asked Levon yesterday.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 14:09:11 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

Crabgrass my friend... read my lips... it's na nana nanana nana nanana nana nanaha of course... la lala lalala lala lalala lala lalaha wouldn't make any sense wouldn't it :-)

and btw you went too far this time... this world is a better place thanks to (among lots of other things) the stuff RR recorded after TLW. Did you ever listen to Broken Arrow? Soap Box Preacher? It Is A Good Day To Die? I rest my case.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 09:07:50 CEST 2000 from 155.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.155)

Nancy Birch

DEB's real identity could be anyone, could even be General Sherman's cousin (nine or ten times removed), getting onto the GB to complain about all the bad PR the General has been getting since 1865, especially all that stuff about him and his loyal supporters doing a lot of killing down south, leading to a lot of blood soaked soil, as written about by four renegade Canadians and someone from Arkansas: I think in some sort of a SONG......called Dixie or something like that anyway.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 08:05:31 CEST 2000 from spider-wg012.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.22)

Stephen Novik

Would just like to say Ive recently seen a re-run of an excellent CBC show from the late 80s called Street Legal and there featured towards the end was Fallen Angel from the new album at the time, Robbie Robertson. Dont recall if I noticed back then, I was first introduced to the Band on Murray McLauchlans CBC special Floating Over Canada in 1984. Really! Lee lip-syncing to Richard in Acadian Driftwood. What I dont understand is why my computer wont allow me quotation marks.... Odd. Oh well, cant wait for the summer. Bonus tracks from the best Band ever! Yee-haw!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 07:57:41 CEST 2000 from pm3-027.efn.org (206.163.180.27)

deb

Hey, ya'all: dont ya' know we're still fighting the war; only now we do it with words instead of guns (at least the more civilised amongst us).

I have often wondered if (especially in the live chatroom) any members of The Band were talking there. That's the thing about going online; the person at the other end is unknown to you; and could be just about anybody. Heck, no one knows who I really am, do they?

Posted on Mon Jun 5 07:40:07 CEST 2000 from atmax-1-20.enter.net (207.16.153.30)

Little Brother

-- I return from a LONG day out at a family event to find myself cheated out of a chance to jump in to the thick of a lively series of "Dixie" postings. Not to mention having my bbals busted for misspelling Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus-- a slight enough sinn, as sinns go...

-- Notwithstanding my skewed timing, I'll chase down the spent wave as the last foamy remnant sinks into the sand. Mostly to agree with and echo some points. First of all, to say that of course it's possible to indulge in this kind of song analysis without screwing one's head so far up one's fundament that the joy of the music is killed or lost. All the speculation, nitpicking, semantic and etymological dissection, and miscellaneous grand blather is a kind of game, with real rewards and comparatively slight risks.

One risk being that saturation can indeed trip you into rejection-- I'd guess we've all eaten, drunk, or otherwise overindulged in choice items or actions that made us so violently ill we swore we'd never touch/do it again. But with music, the effect is seldom permanently ruinous. Peter, don't you sometimes get so close to a song when you're working on an article that it loses its magic?

-- Blood, mud, Bud, cud, it's still a fine song. In the "great minds" category, all that focus on the accuracy of the dates and the final verse got me thinking about the chorus also. And listening to it in my head convinced me that the song's power lies in broad metaphor. I'd never bothered to think about it much before-- of course "THE night" isn't "A night", but a metaphor for the darkness of crushing defeat. And Guen's point about the bells and singing belonging to the VICTORS was truly an epiphany for me. (Didn't they ring all the bells on November 11, 1918, to commemorate the signing of the armistice?) Go 'head, Guen! When you look at it that way, it backlights Virgil's tragic, bitter silhouette all the more intensely!

-- I've already ranted about Joan's awful mutilation of this song, so I can't pretend to describe, much less judge it, objectively. I don't know how it got to be a hit, but it wasn't because her interpretation contained some alternative redeeming authenticity. You'll sooner convince me that the novelty release of "Jingle Bells" performed by that chorus of barking dogs brought a hitherto unheard magic to the tune. That release also was inexplicably popular.

Actually, I would like to hear Joan's effort again, just to see if I can avoid retching. What I remember of it is that it was an upbeat, loosely-phrased arrangement in which she pretty much flung down the lyrics and danced upon them. As if she were trying to work against the too-serious, measured, solemn, starchy Band version by rendering the Matthew Brady/woodcut original as a finger-painting-- a SNAPPING-finger painting with the period imagery transformed into swirls and warbling daubs. Pardon my synesthesia. Ugh. I also would love to know what RR or Levon think of her rendition, apart from the fact that it was a few more coins in the bank for Robbie.

-- Manufactured bands, manufactured music: ugh again. I remember many, many years ago, when I'd go along with a friend who worked in a music store, repairing, and occasionally delivering and installing, sound equipment. One time in particular, he tested a setup in a disco club by playing a few popular EPs of the day. I was bummed, and he asked why. (We'd probably acquired a nice buzz on the way.) "All this totally righteous technology," I mourned. "And all the garbage pouring out of it." He was a Yes/ELP/Tull fan, not at all a disco duck, but he was annoyed at my narrow-mindedness. "That's just your OPINION," he rebutted. True. And to that opinion I adhere.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 07:33:11 CEST 2000 from adsl-216-101-184-240.dsl.snfc21.pacbell.net (216.101.184.240)

Gregg McVicar

As a lifelong Band "head" and now producer of a national radio program that often spins the new music of Robbie Robertson -- I was wondering if someone here could help me find the early Canadian release of "Contact..." -- with the bonus tracks. Thanks! gm

Posted on Mon Jun 5 07:24:29 CEST 2000 from 1cust77.tnt11.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.134.77)

Crabgrass

And an even better place if Robbie had never recorded anything after The Last Waltz!!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 07:02:17 CEST 2000 from stcath-ppp73148.sympatico.ca (216.208.72.147)

Richard Patterson

Hank,

The world would be a better place if Joan Baez had NEVER recorded ANYTHING!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 06:35:07 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-112-91.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.112.91)

BWNWITennessee

I know that members of the Allman Brothers do read, and sometimes post on (with increasing and alarming regularity, if you're aware of what's going on over there) their site's GB, so it wouldn't surprise me if Robbie or Levon are aware of our debate and getting a great big chuckle over our concern about one word that was written thirty years ago.

And if they are, geez guys, you COULD help us out a little bit.

BTW, the Robbie Robertson guitar book says that "Dixie" has also been covered by Tanya Tucker and Merl Saunders. And it says "mud."

Posted on Mon Jun 5 05:53:24 CEST 2000 from dialup-120.cork.iol.ie (194.125.43.120)

HANK

DOUG PUGATCH.......saw Springsteen once....1985....great show, but Max Weinberg does not compare in ANY way to Levon..............NANCY BIRCH.........I would have to agree with you on manufactured bands.....they've always been manufactured bands...witness The Monkees......but these days it's getting to be the new fascism......perfect boys and girls with perfect bodies an' teeth havin fun like Hitler Youth only in Video Colour......... Well folks, Cork beat Limerick today at hurling match in Semple Stadium, Thurles, Co. Tipperary......there were 40,000 people there and no sign of RR!!!!!! Not even anyone from U2!!!!!!!!.....hey, tho, as a matter of interest, VAN MORRISON played here in Cork City last night........and sang amongst others, "Brown Eyed Girl"....which apparently he usually REFUSES to sing.....He also did "Baby Please Don't Go"........I was'nt at the gig 'cos I had me own gig in town to do, but I know alot of folks who went to it......they all said he was ROCKIN'.........guitar bass drums TWO keyboard players...hmmmmmmn just like The Band, eh?.... Y'all should know Co. Corks credentials as bein' down south here........First of all....Co. Cork is known as "The Rebel County" here in Ireland.......The River LEE runs thru the City of Cork......the river breaks into a delta .....it's the home of Rory Galagher...one of the greatest blues guitarists ever, not to mention Michael Collins.......the father of modern guerilla warfare....and when folks go to big stadium games, like today, they wave big ass AMERICAN Confederate flags to show they're from Cork.......actually, while I'm on it.........as far as I know, more Irishmen fought in The US Civil War than any other ethnic group at the time.....on BOTH sides.......there was a factory in Limerick City making uniforms for BOTH sides......I wonder who had THAT contract.......???? ..........JoanBaez.........I think Levon Helm singing "Dixie" is one of the profound things I've ever heard......without question........so why did Joanies version end up being such a big hit?.....was it REALLY that bad?......what's the deal here?.........here's a thread...Would the world be a better place if Joan Baez NEVER recorded and had a hit with "Dixie"?.........I have'nt heard it for ages meself, but the album it's from, "Blessed Are", was at home when I was a kid..........she had a go at The Stones "Salt of the Earth"......ever hear THAT?.....it's the first version of it I ever heard......it's sufficient to say she made a better job of "Dixie".........here's another question.........did ANYONE else even ATTEMPT to cover "Dixie"....if so, was it any good? (Yes, fellow Dead-Heads, I know Jerry-Berry did it, dudes........ but seriously, folks........).........and again.......I asked this before, folks, but to NO avail.......did RR or Levon ever comment on Joanies version of "Dixie"?.....THAT is something I'd LOVE to read about.......wow, I went on a bit there!!!!!!!....see y'all in the morning......g'night!!!!!!!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 05:35:42 CEST 2000 from 166.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.166)

Nancy Birch

In regards to "Dixie" again, I feel that dissection of lyrics vis a vis "blood", "mud", "night" etc, is not necessary, although of interest to the GB. As concluded by others, mud and blood are interchangeable and are equally effective. The use of the word "night" cannot possibly be taken literally. Analysing RR's choice of words is somewhat like trying to find literal meanings for other abstract concepts which stand on their own with no other explanation necessary or desirable. An example is the idea or feeling of love: to try to describe it in words only results in diminution, as words cannot describe it adequately, and such a description is never needed to convey the feeling anyway. I feel the same exists for certain songs.

Different people may hear different lyrics and find their own message in the song, but as long as there is enjoyment and appreciation of the feeling the songwriter intended, then effect is achieved. I haven't listened to the song under discussion to the point of fatigue to pin-point whether it is mud or blood, because I feel know, like the rest of you, what effect Robbie intended to create without needing to identify which word he chose.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 05:33:33 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8gj.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.162.19)

Pat Brennan

Regarding "raise a Caine"; don't jump on the "raising cane" angle and consider the "Ain't no more cane on the Brazos" take. Virgil's brother, born and bred from the fertile land of the south, cut down to grow no more. Makes the line brilliant, doesn't it? In fact, the entire song is brilliant, easily the best piece of popular music to deal with the Confederate defeat. Easily. The chorus fits either side of the fight--the joy of the north and the pain of the south. Oblique yet evocative enough to cast different shades of blue and gray, another brilliant facet of the tune. To call it "shoddy"--as someone here did--especially after engaging in such a wide-ranging and interesting discussion of the lyric, reveals a prejudice so blinded that it's hardly worth noting. And it's "mud".

As far as the history behind the song, Peter Viney's article tells you all you need to know.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 04:50:42 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-34-162.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.162)

Guenevere

I guess we needed another controversy after all!! I was glad to discover when I got back from the movies that I wasn't the only one who never heard that in the chorus. And I'm no Civil War buff (that's fer shure), but to logic this thing out, how can someone write a song called "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", if there was no actual "night"... if not then, what day, battle, time, place was he talking about... hmmmmmmmmm(?)

For anyone who's exhausted their Civil War reading, and who likes dark humor, Political Science and the Civil War all rolled into one, (and needs a good novel for the summer), I suggest reading John Updike's "Memories of the Ford Administration" ... Updike humorously examines the parallels of the lame duck administrations of Ford and Buchanan, while shedding a fascinating light on the inner workings of Abraham Lincoln's head and heart at the end of the war ... its educational and funny and you'll like it.... (however, Woody Allen's new film is not and you won't)...

Posted on Mon Jun 5 04:46:50 CEST 2000 from 166.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.166)

Nancy Birch

Bashful Bill and Bobby Jones: thank you for the update on "White Mansions". I didn't expect to hear that it had been released on CD as it isn't exactly mainstream music to appeal to the masses. Coupled with The Story of Jesse James, it sounds like a great double CD to have, especially with Levon making an appearance. To find it, I will have to have to place an order through a local music shop. Could you please tell me who released the set to make ordering a bit easier? I'd really appreciate the information.

Does anyone else find the GB is a hazard to the old "Savings Account", as hearing of *must have* music turns it into a "Spendings Account"? I have found this to be the case as I am hearing of so much more music than the stock standard fare that that is always on offer in the local music shops - as I said earlier, the sort that the shops can count on the appeal to the masses.

BTW is anyone else interested in discussing "manufactured" bands as compared to the bands who do it the way The Band and others of similar ilk have done it? We have a very manufactured band in Australia at the moment with a song that debuted at number one on the local charts. The concept of throwing a handful of talents togther and mixing in almost unlimited finance to get them up to speed to produce a hit single, seems so at odds with how bands and performers that we grew up with made the grade. Can't help feeling sceptical of the process and label it as artificial. Anyone else want to comment?

Posted on Mon Jun 5 03:35:42 CEST 2000 from pool-209-138-154-210-ipls.grid.net (209.138.154.210)

Bobby Jones

Nancy Birch - White Mansions and Jesse James are out on CD. Amazon.com has them listed as a double CD. This work is pre, during and post american civil war. Some GREAT SONGS about the way people felt then. My favorite is on Jesse James.

I could fill a hundred ditches with those yankee sons-a-bitches and not care!

Great songs sung by Levon. Another must have!

Have a Good one!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 03:34:42 CEST 2000 from spider-wd024.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.159)

Bashful Bill

Nancy Birch-White Mansions was released on cd last year. A double cd, paired with a must have by Bandfans: Legend of Jesse James, another Paul Kennerlay project, this one from '80. Levon, Emmy Lou, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels,Rodney Crowell, and others in a post-civil war musical retelling of the James/Younger gangs. well written and composed by Kennerlay and of course well sung by the stellar cast of singers(it has one of Levon's finest solo numbers, in my opinion, a song titled High Walls). It was released by Mercury records, but I see no address on the booklet. Maybe Kennerlay has a website, he was inaccurately rumored to be deceased a couple years ago.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 03:13:31 CEST 2000 from 209-128-164-233.dial-up.ipa.net (209.128.164.233)

Pammi

Wow, great website! I've listened to The Band music for years and years and will never tire of it. I would love to hear the group in person but nobody ever seems to come to Arkansas! I've linked your website to my Mega 60's Band's Site (address above). Keep up the great work! Peace and Love, and God Bless!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 02:54:21 CEST 2000 from hyp01-207-97-142-110.i-2000.net (207.97.142.110)

BK

The Richard Thompson/Band talk reminded me of some great quotes I had seen in the liner notes of a Fairport Convention compilation album called "Fairport Chronicals" (Thompson and Robbie being two of my faveorite players) I went and dug it up, it's from 1972, and wwritten by a Sam Sutherland:

Regarding Thompsons playing: "His electric leads range from a restrained lyricism to a blistering, fiery attack that invites favorable comparisons with one of his personal favorites, Robbie Robertson"

Regarding their drummer Dave Mattacks: "...has been hailed as one of Britain's most distinctive drummers, if there is an American counterpart to Mattacks, it's probably Levon Helm."

Finally, regarding Fairport as a band: "One central point to the band's collective style is their emphasis ensemble playing as well as soloing. It's no accident that the band was powerfully influenced by the evolution of The Hawks into The Band: both Fairport and that understood that musical color could be achieved only through genuine sympathy between individual styles." Thought it was kinda cool.

BK

Posted on Mon Jun 5 02:49:46 CEST 2000 from spider-mtc-tc061.proxy.aol.com (64.12.105.176)

Don Pugatch

On another non Band, but could be Band note, saw Da Boss last night, words would be superficial. Just thought of a Band connection as the show was going on. Hammond B3, and then accordian, yes Garth, could be a great addition to the E Street Band. Then on a sad note, major bass influence, going directly to the Stand up Bass, think of the picture on the Rick, from Jubilation. I did close my eyes, twice, sorry,

Posted on Mon Jun 5 02:35:52 CEST 2000 from 1cust40.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.136.40)

Crabgrass

Well, I always heard "Na, na, etc." so was surprised to see "La, la, etc." in the website's lyrics section! I still think it's the former however and that Robbie consciously or unconsciously stole the line from either "Hey Jude" or "Land of 1000 Dances." Some possible evidence for multiple copyright infringement lawsuits here! I look forward to the forthcoming article (book?) on "Dixie" which will no doubt answer these questions once and for all! [Used to really like this song btw but with all the recent dissection it's all too obvious that "Dixie" is a rather shoddy piece of work!]

Just listened to the version of "Visions of Johanna" on the Live '66 CD and definitely hear "like a mirror." Or maybe that's been settled already and escaped my notice. Is there a Neil Diamond version of either of these songs?

Posted on Mon Jun 5 02:14:03 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

OOps

Of course I meant to type "to raise KANE" in my previous post when I was referring to the colloquialism rather than the song. I wouldn't want to upset you folk who are distressed by bad speling!

Posted on Mon Jun 5 02:07:48 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

Has anyone mentioned the possibility that blood could = relation therefore Virgil is standing on his brother's grave?

The thing that troubles me about the Night they drove old Dixie down is the part "you can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat" The song is brilliant right up till then but I find this line jarring. In fact, the "raising Caine" image strikes me as being a clumsy piece of word play and a bad pun. (Sorry RR! )

I may be wrong but I've always thought the saying "to raise Caine" expressed good humoured exasperation or exaggeration. For example the children were yelling so loudly they could have raised the dead/raised Caine. As such, the word play seems totally out of place in the song.

Posted on Mon Jun 5 00:58:17 CEST 2000 from spider-wd014.proxy.aol.com (205.188.193.154)

Lee

Apologies if this has already been mentioned here... But I just noticed on www.woodstockrecords.com that there is a show and CD release party for Rick's solo album on Aug. 19 at Stephen Talkhouse, Amagansett, NY. Hey, lucky for some.

Posted on Sun Jun 4 23:21:43 CEST 2000 from spider-wj023.proxy.aol.com (205.188.198.28)

Bayou Sam

Here's what we need. We need one of you Band fans from the L.A. region to go to a Lakers game, and work your way over to Robbie - or follow him into the mens room, and come up to him and say, "hey Robbie, is it mud-or blood?. If he dosen't have you arrested he might give you the answer. Tell him that millions(or maybe a few dozen) Band fans will rest easier at nite once they find out this answer. Of course we don't know that Robbie really wrote the songs (OPPS - wrong controversey)..........Actually, it would be nice to see an interview with RR where he goes through all the songs and comments on each one. John Lennon did that in 1980 right before that son-of-a-bitch took him away from us. Anyone from Rolling Stone reading this?

Posted on Sun Jun 4 23:05:38 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-115.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.115)

Peter Viney

The article is now about twice its original length because of all the great comments recently in the Guestbook. I never mentioned the chorus in the first version, but I will in the second. Personally, I see the bells ringing for disaster and danger and the people singing a lament, but Guenevere’s reading has given me cause for thought. I keep thinking I’ve finished, then another good point appears. I’ll hold it another couple of days. Anymore comments on Dixie?

If you think this is over-detailed, there are more than 50 songs to go yet!

Posted on Sun Jun 4 22:43:55 CEST 2000 from host-209-214-112-5.bna.bellsouth.net (209.214.112.5)

BWNWITennessee

Guenevere's post brings up an interesting point. What exactly is the chorus of the song about? I had always thought that the bells ringing and the people singing was just kind of imagery of people mourning the end of the Southern culture as they knew it. I didn't think it was supposed to be an actual occurence. I mean, the whole song is kind of a metaphor, because he's not really talking about one actual night when everything happened. The NIGHT they drove old Dixie down never really happened. I suppose it could have been the day when Richmond "had fell," but as we've seen before he's doesn't mention that date specifically.

But now Guen seems to bring up that it could be the Northerners who are ringing bells and singing "Na-Na-Na," as if they're ridiculing the fall of the South and celebrating their own victory, something which I had never even thought of before. Maybe Peter's article talks about this more, I haven't read it yet.

Posted on Sun Jun 4 21:45:40 CEST 2000 from 1cust237.tnt12.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.136.237)

Crabgrass

Great minds think alike - though some are quicker to post! I suppose if Joan Baez sang "blood" she would be redeemed in the Guestbook. Interesting comments regarding the chorus - now it's clear, or is it?

I think that thing about The Band and Richard Thompson is in Thompson's bio which came out about 2 years back.

Haven't seen 2000 Maniacs but it sounds like the later movie Deliverance ripped off the theme. Another more serious movie in this vein is Southern Comfort (1981) set in Bayou country where a platoon of trespassing soldiers in training is dealt with by the locals. A really good film with an interesting acoustic guitar sound track by Ry Cooder and a sort of parallel thematically to the Vietnam War.

Posted on Sun Jun 4 21:18:45 CEST 2000 from pm3-073.efn.org (206.163.180.73)

deb

About song lyrics:

My vote goes toward "blood" because of the image that blood was spilled. It is a much stronger statement than "mud."

Also, Hank, I'm pretty sure it is "shuck," if only for the reason that in live concert they could have substituted the "F" word.

Posted on Sun Jun 4 20:07:58 CEST 2000 from stk-pm1-28-156.dialup.slip.net (207.171.230.156)

Guenevere

Oh I get it!!! Joan demolished the song, so it doesn't matter what she sang!!!

Because of this mud-blood controversy, I was forced to listen to Dixie (*over and over) this morning, and suddenly I had this funny thought that there must be a bunch of people around the world at that very moment doing the same thing....*Now I still (hear) "blood", but I (think) "mud" because it makes more sense to me... and thanks for all these enlightening views, the song has been transformed for me. Go ahead call me a dummy, but I just had my mind blown while listening to what before, seemed to be a sort of ‘sing-song' filler chorus, (probably because of Joan's version) "The night they drove old Dixie Down and the people were singing".... in those words, I'm (finally) now hearing an account of the heartbroken Caine, in a moment of personal defeat, agonizing over trying to either banish from his mind, or come to terms with, the unbearable memories of being there and watching while half of the country was reveling in the devastation of his family and his way of life...

"and ‘the people' (but not his people) were singing"...

"and the bells (the wrong side's) were ringing"...

Posted on Sun Jun 4 15:47:26 CEST 2000 from spider-tq031.proxy.aol.com (152.163.201.56)

Ben Pike

Recently saw for the first time Hershall Gordon Lewis's film "2000 Maniacs"; sort of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" as rewritten by Leatherface. Now, here we have "the blood below my feet" wheather or not thats what Robbie wrote. A group of unfortunate northerners wander down to a (Literal) Southern Ghost Town, and are murdered by the local rednecks in a series of fakey but horrible ways. The ramifications of making this film in the mid-sixties and having it a huge hit in redneck drive-ins is a bit scary. The theme song went "YYYYEEEEEHHHHAAAAAA!!! The souths gonna rise again" . The movie makers saw it as kind of a comedy. It looks great and has terrific commentary on the new DVD from "Something Weird."

Posted on Sun Jun 4 15:25:55 CEST 2000 from dialup-322.cork.iol.ie (193.203.148.66)

Hank

UMMMM......it's risky business asking this I 'spose, but what did Joan Baez sing; blood or mud? I'm sure it's "blood" she sang. Now I KNOW Joanies version of "Dixie" is more unpopular around here than Neil Diamond at a GB dinner party but she DID had a hit with it in the '70ies.......does anyone here know the circumstances which led to her recording the song? It would have the job of her record producer Norman Puttman (?) to make sure that she sang the song correctly or at least in a way that would make sense........if they went out and bought a Band music-book it would've read "mud", according to most accounts here........but for some reason, I THINK she sang "blood"......seriously, tho' does anyone know what led her to record the song?..........Wow, CRABBY!!........Rick wanted to ask Richard Thompson to join The Band?.......THAT would've been amazing!!!......Thompson is an awesome talent and he woulda revigorated The Band!!!!.........too bad they did'nt go for it.....even for a tour or a few live shows.... OK, maybe this has been discussed here before but, in "The Shape I'm In" does Richard sing "y'know they feel..they're trying to shock us" OR is it "shuck" us??.......Shuck or Shock????.......OK OK OK....I'll stop now!!!.....see y'all later.........

Posted on Sun Jun 4 09:29:28 CEST 2000 from 1cust233.tnt9.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.128.233)

Crabgrass

Okay, I'm easily persuaded - mud it is!!! Even though I originally said I thought I heard "blood" and liked it better. (I'm not even sure now!) And BTW I don't agree with others who find this topic which has been driven into the ground (or should that be mud?) for the last 5 days tedious and boring. Indeed, it has turned up some interesting and long forgotten words such as "quotidian" and "chthonic" and also a pretty nifty reference to Cincinnatus (unfortunately misspelled!) who now takes his place in the Guestbook alongside such luminaries as Liberace. Welcome aboard General!!

Posted on Sun Jun 4 06:37:59 CEST 2000 from user-33qt8ak.dialup.mindspring.com (199.174.161.84)

Pat Brennan

Regarding Dixie: the song is written from the point of view of a man returned home from the war. He's talking about the end of the war as something in the past. He's not singing about the war while standing on some battlefield; he's standing on the land he's working. Thus, "mud"--almost a metaphor for the difficult conditions he and his family now face-- would be the more appropriate word to match the setting. "Mud" also appears in the RR song/guitar book in which he seemingly had some input.

That, of course, doesn't mean that Levon never used "blood" at some point. I was listening to "Unfaithful Servant" from a live tape and Rick sings "That train will be coming, and soon we'll be going." Heavens, he and the Unfaithful Servant are leaving together, which really messes up the meaning of the song. Changing the words in the course of the performance is a spur of the moment type of thing, which rarely relies on or invites post-mortem analysis. Which doesn't mean we won't weigh in on it anyways.

The Danville line was the last open railroad line that connected Richmond with the rest of the south. Virgil served as a train guard which was pretty easy duty compared to the condition of the troops hunkered down in the pestilent trenchs near Petersburg VA at the end of the war. My sense was that Virgil wasn't even with his brother when his bro met the Yankee bullett.

Posted on Sun Jun 4 06:14:40 CEST 2000 from 183.0102.bun.iprimus.net.au (202.138.60.183)

Nancy Birch

The considerable discussion on the lyrics of "Dixie" contains mention of the emotional feelings Americans have in regard to their civil war. For me it feels significant that the song was written 100 years after the end of the conflict (give or take a few years or months, given that I don't know exactly when the song was penned - does anyone here?)

It makes me wonder what kind of emotions RR experienced when he made his foray into what would have been enemy territory a century before, because it was these feelings that resulted in the highly emotive song. It is well documented that meeting Levon's family raised feelings of warmth and comraderie within him. It seems to me that he could well have become obsessed with thinking about the death and destruction, especially since it finished in 1865, when he was cruising the same territory in 1965.

On this subject, has anyone heard the album "White Mansions. A tale from the American Civil War 1861-1865", a compilation in a narrative style, written and composed by Paul Kennerley? It basically describes the course of the war in song, with performers such as Waylon Jennings, Steve Cash, Jessie Colter and John Dillon taking the role of various protagonists. Even Eric Clapton makes an appearance, a fact that had escaped me until I got the album out today when writing this. Many of the songs are truly heartrending and the horror and pathos in them is backed up by original photographs in a book that is part of the set. Anyone who enjoys listening to "Dixie" would enjoy this album as well but I imagine that it is hard to find, if not unavailable (first produced 1978).

i've checked for speeling erors as I also dislike them.

Posted on Sun Jun 4 06:14:38 CEST 2000 from atmax-4-32.enter.net (207.16.153.180)

Little Brother

My tattered "Big Pink/the Band" songbook says "mud"; so does the "Rock of Ages" songbook, which is probably a copy of the former (although the chord frames look different).

I vote "mud", with all due respect to the worthy arguments in favor of "blood"-- including the fact that it wouldn't surprise or bother me if Levon actually sung "blood" in concert if it suited him. Mostly because I always heard "mud", and also because I think it's just right in the context of a bitter chthonic lament.

Perhaps those among us steeped in the lore of the War Between the States could offer an opinion of what "serving on the Danville Train" actually entailed-- because it occurs to me that Virgil's viewpoint is decidedly UNmartial. He's more a minor Cinncinatus, albeit a defeated one-- a citizen/soldier who leaves the military traditions and high rhetoric on the battlefield, whose speech is rife with the quotidian: the wife, chopping wood, money, land. I'd expect him to swear by his brother's bones before he'd think to echo Lincoln's imagery of blood-hallowed ground.*

Regardless of whether Levon would settle the question, who'd dare ask? Even with all the comforting first-hand accounts these days that Lee is ridin' high and feelin' good-- more power to him!-- is there any reason to think he'd take kindly to questions about "Dixie", of all songs? Maybe Butch can find out...

* He might have used "blood" thusly:

"...And I swear by the blood left in my veins/ You can't stand up tall if you lean on a broken Caine..."

Posted on Sun Jun 4 06:14:21 CEST 2000 from t1-69.crisp.net (199.224.12.69)

Ken

Does anyone know if the Rick Danko tribute concert (in Bearsville)was recorded? If anyone has this please contact me at deckard99@hotmail.com Thanks

Posted on Sun Jun 4 02:44:44 CEST 2000 from ti13a63-0282.dialup.online.no (130.67.102.154)

Runar B.

Middle of the night here.Just Like to share with all of you out there, no direct connections with the Band,but after having just enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe(based on the novel by Fanny flagg) I only want to recommend this to those of you who haven`t seen it, I find it hard to describe but the keyword must be friendship, the location is Alabama,in the thirties and the nineties,touching things happen,cruel things as well and I probably woke up my sleeping neighbours because my friends say I do have a special laughter.The colours are beatiful.Rick Danko once said of Norway that it must be God`s country,when viewing the mountains, valleys, rivers and forests of our country.This film makes me want to see the South i can tell you that.This is also one of the few times a film seems to make you smell(both fried tomatoes and barberque).And of course there is music,a nice version of Dylan`s(ah! another link)I`ll remember you.Good night:

Posted on Sun Jun 4 01:49:27 CEST 2000 from eraser39.dpo.depaul.edu (140.192.157.87)

Peter Shaw

Actually, I think "mud" makes more sense considering the verse begins with "Like my father before me, I will work the land." What makes the song really powerful, I think, is that it gets beyond the simple southerner=bad/northerner=good stereotype that is propounded in simplistic textbooks. As with most soldiers, the average southern soldier had little to gain from fighting the war. Win or lose, most would go back to their farms where most did not own slaves, just to till the soil again and hopefully live off of it. Anyways, I think it is a sad but great image of this guy who is defeated not really by the war but by the loss of his brother cussing the land which bore him. Note that this simplistic and hopelessly romantic analysis ignores concepts of opposing economic systems.

Posted on Sat Jun 3 20:29:45 CEST 2000 from sjiassoc16.erols.com (208.58.12.144)

Jon Lyness

Can't resist leaping into the fray on the blood/mud controversy...Ragtime, I would argue that "blood" makes perfect sense, especially given the line that comes before: "when a Yankee laid [my brother] in his grave" -- "blood" then echoes the imagery of countless numbers of the singer's kin and ancestors lying below his feet (in their graves). "Blood on my feet" would suggest death stemming only from the (then-recent) Civil War battle, but "blood below my feet" makes it more metaphorical: the singer is swearing by not just what those people died for in the Civil War, but by what all of the his people had lived and died for throughout their history. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into this word. (Do ya think?) :)

Posted on Sat Jun 3 20:21:58 CEST 2000 from spider-te013.proxy.aol.com (152.163.195.178)

Bayou Sam

All this talk about "reched" and "wretched makes me wanna puke..... het Witt look at all the sports talk we got going in here...... speaking of sports, the Knicks are out of it. Oh well, as the Brooklyn Dodger fans used to say - "wait till next year"...(I spelled "till " like that on purpose- so all you spelling fans can relax)........ hey, can someone repeat - or e-mail me - the instructions on making paragraphs in here? I wasn't paying attentuion last time. If someone can do this for me I won't mention Neil Diamond for awhile. Thanks.

Posted on Sat Jun 3 19:52:06 CEST 2000 from 1cust180.tnt14.nyc3.da.uu.net (63.23.142.180)

Crabgrass

Glad to hear that Robbie is touring again, albeit as a sports spectator! One of the many privileges of having a high paying "no show" job. Maybe he'll pen a theme song for the hoopsters that the Laker Girls can lipsync and dance to - could be a big hit! (Robbie could be in the MTV video singing backup and adding some guitar licks in between close-ups of the girls and inserts of action game shots. Couldn't be much worse than his previous music videos.)

I would imagine that the Canadian members of The Band were really into curling - the greatest cold weather sport of them all! Can't imagine why it never caught on south of the border.

Glad to see that "address" is now spelled correctly in all places on the Sign In page! (Misspelling bugs me - especially when I do it!) Can someone scan a copy of that Rock Dreams illustration and get it posted here? Think it would be a good addition.

Glad to see Richard Thompson mentioned by someone other than me - I think he's the most potent of the older singer/songwriter crowd consistently coming up with Grade A stuff - both lyrically and musically. A great live performer and incredible acoustic and electric guitarist too. (He can blow off the roof with just his acoustic guitar!) Rick is said to have wanted him to join The Band at one time - but the others nixed it. Don't know if that would have worked out though.

Posted on Sat Jun 3 17:41:08 CEST 2000 from cobalt.nextlink.net (206.129.70.172)

Mike

Re: Dixie lyrics...It's blood (IMHO). It makes perfect sense. Robbie's (?) lyrics often reflect Biblical imagery. (Daniel and the Sacred Harp for one.) The Dixie reference would be similar to Abel's blood "crying out." It was an unjust death. (The main purpose of war is power...control over people and real estate, which means BLOOD being shed.) In context the song is the taking of the very best -- the slain brother. ("...Like my brother ABOVE me (he's in Heaven)... He was just 18 proud and brave...) Blood gives the lyric so much more power. Mud would only take the story so far --the battle over the land. But blood takes it to another level. Even a casual reading of Civil War literature will show the overwhelming importance of family, kin (Next of Kin!), etc. Southern roots run deep. When Levon's dad told Robbie the South was going to rise again, he was talking about something deeply rooted in the southern experience.

Posted on Sat Jun 3 16:13:14 CEST 2000 from spider-wg052.proxy.aol.com (205.188.196.42)

Bashful Bill

Bobby Jones, THANKS!so much for reminding me that I still have a very dog-eared copy of Rock Dreams. A beautiful book with that wonderful illustration of The Band in Civil War setting and garb. I wonder what a good copy of this book would be worth? Priceless renderings of many GB favorites:the Stones and Dead of course, The Doors, Beatles , a great Rod Stewart, Beach Boys get several pages,with a haunting painting of Brian Wilson in his hermit years. Early influences like Hank, Elvis, Everly Bros.Ike & Tina,Jerry Lee and Roy, the book opens and closes with Frank Sinatra who has seen his share of discussion around here. Beautiful, and brings back great memories of my old days, circa early 70's. Thanks again Bobby Jones!

Posted on Sat Jun 3 16:00:25 CEST 2000 from schltns.demon.nl (212.238.41.164)

Ragtime

Read my lips... it's "mud". Has to be. "Blood below my feet" doesn't make sense. In that case it should have been "blood on my feet".

Posted on Sat Jun 3 14:51:50 CEST 2000 from du-tele3-160.mailbox.co.uk (195.82.121.160)

Peter Viney

Bloody mud: A boy named Sue fought his pa in the "mud and the blood and the beer." We resolved the Holy Cow debate by someone simply asking Rick at his next concert. This one is irritating me. Is anyone going to get a chance to ask Levon? The problem being that he’s wise enough to know the power of enigma in rock lyrics. i.e. tell you to go off and listen.

I had a good look at TLW, to see if I could detect detect a "m" / "bl" mouth movement, but it’s side on and you can’t see (or hear) which it is. There’s an irritating camera swing just before the line too, as if they started to pan away then realized they should stay and swung it back – or more likely they just knocked the camera. The best way to cover the jerk and swing would have been by cutting to another performer, then back to Levon. Scorsese (correctly) didn’t do that, leaving a bad piece of camera work on screen, but keeping the narrative focus where it should have been. And it makes it feel live. Which the lead vocal and drum part were at least.

Am I right in assuming that sheet music would have been left entirely for the publisher to transcribe from the record? By the late sixties, musicians were not concerned about this tiresome task. I can’t imagine RR handing out the notes on bits of paper either. But there’s one relief. I put the Toshiba-EMI version of the brown album on and played it loud and frequently in the car, and now I’m hearing "blood" again.

I only saw one live baseball game, and that was the Blue Jays, so they’re the best team I’ve ever seen. (They won). Never seen any of The Band with a Blue Jays cap, but I guess the rise of The Blue Jays was well after their time in Canada.

I’d forgotten the Band painting in ‘Rock dreams" (which I have). thanks for reminding me.

Posted on Sat Jun 3 12:32:48 CEST 2000 from 100.mercerville-21-22rs.nj.dial-access.att.net (12.78.148.100)

carmen

Just wanted to say hi. Looking forward to Ricks new release. Anyone have news on the date? Will this be another Breeze Hill release?

Since we are on the subject of sports, I always wondered if the BAND members were hockey fans. There is the pictue of RR wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey.

Took my wife to the Barn Burners in Stanhope a few weeks back. Had a lot of fun. The place was packed. I think they may have to start moving into larger places to play.

Best Regards!

Posted on Sat Jun 3 10:07:37 CEST 2000 from spider-wi022.proxy.aol.com (205.188.197.27)

Ben Pike

Last thoughts on the last of The New Dylans: The oft derided post-Beatles, post-Dylan era of the "singer/songwriters" looks better and better as the years go by. A period that kicked up Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, John Prine, The McGarrgle Sisters, Steve Goodman, Arlo Guthrie, and yeah, James Taylor doesn't have to be compared to the new dark ages of Britney and the Backstreet Boys to look pretty good. And all do respect to Don, many, many albums by the above can hold there own with "Sunshine Superman." Sure, there was some navel gazing self indulgence, but a lot of it holds up swimmingly. And if Dave Marsh veiws this as naturaly inferior to The Sex Pistols or Madonna, well, it's no wonder he can't get any of his candidates elected. And while some of the old pros have crashed and burned(Joni, I take no pleasure in writing) many have done great work heard by too few. Richard Thompson, a glaring example, throws of four or five real built to last jems with each new album, yet is lazily sadled with the "ain't what he used to be" tag time and time again. And doesn't the spirit of Richard Manuel hover gracefully of Loudon Wainwright's perfect "dreaming?" You probably don't know, because you probably haven't heard it! O.K., I've said my peice, have a nice weekend.

Posted on Sat Jun 3 09:31:27 CEST 2000 from ip8.portland.me.pub-ip.psi.net (38.11.101.8)

mattk

Very strange, but I've not really been watching the Portland/Los Angeles series in the NBA playoffs, but tonight I happened to be flipping channels and found myself watching about 5 minutes of the game...lo and behold, once again with the Speilberg contingent was Robbie. Even stranger, the game was NOT in LA this time, but in Portland. I guess the guy must actually like the Lakers (they lost, btw). Either that or the boys at SKG are just throwing one hell of a playoff bbq...

Posted on Sat Jun 3 06:24:12 CEST 2000 from cf3k-3.paradise.net.nz (203.96.152.183)

Amanda

Actually its late Saturday afternoon here HANK but top of the morning to you. Aren't time zones weird?

Moving on...I just read Scars of Paradise:the Life and Times of Janis Joplin.(I don't have to justify being a bit on the obsessive side here, do I?) Its not too sensationalist and maybe a bit more than a biography. Alice Echols, the author, is a historian rather than just a journalist and she makes some attempt to place Janis in the overall cultural context of the 60's.

The notorious Peggy Caserta is quoted as saying she did not write the opening line of her book (that was referred to here a while back) and she has found it quite a trial to live under the shadow of that sentence for the past 20-30 odd years.

John Simon makes an appearance. Someone says he acted like he was being tortured while he was producing Cheap Trick for Big Brother and the Holding Company. Apparently he has perfect pitch so he found the occassional wrong notes and their laid back attitude towards musicianship extremely difficult. He actually refused to let his name be on the album cover.

BAND fans may well be interested in this extract. Apparently John Simon played Big Brother and the Holding Company "a pre-release tape of Big Pink and announced "This is what I like." Simon claims he wasn't trying to disparage Big Brother's music, but thats the way the band felt."

Another related and interesting factoid at page 206 John Simon attributes the development of multitrack tape recording to "the fact that rock groups couldn't really cut it in the studio. Before then, things were recorded on three-track, or on four-track for something special. But usually it was three tracks with the vocal in the middle and the band in split stereo because all the musicians could cut it. They'd walk into the studio and play whatever they had to play. The Band was like that."

Posted on Sat Jun 3 05:21:15 CEST 2000 from pool-209-138-9-130.ipls.grid.net (209.138.9.130)

Bobby Jones

Hey Hank - Levon used to have a Hoop in his garage - 10 foot off the floor. There were some pretty roudy games played there. Also Levon is a Big Football fan. (Razorback)

On The Band re-issues, I spoke to the Manager of a store known as "Best Buy". He stated that they will be running a 90 days same as cash if the set is purchased, worth looking into?

Does anyone actually know the name of the next Danko release and the actual tracks?

On the U.S. Civil War front, There was a artist rendering of the band as a group of confedrate soldiers. I believe the book it's in was named something like "Rock and Roll Dreams". I have the book and the band is pictured around a camp fire. Very cool

I just picked up the cd with Gene Clark, Rick and Richard. It is really great stuff.

As Rick would say, LIVE LONG AND PROSPER

Posted on Sat Jun 3 04:11:19 CEST 2000 from dialup-091.cork.iol.ie (194.125.43.91)

HANK

MATTK..yep, yer right....I really DON'T mind hearing 'bout RR at a basketball game.....I's just gettin' in the spirit of things here..............Y'know, I think RR is alright, really.......It's too bad that he made some crummy decisions on how to end his relationship w/ The Band but it's also too bad the way Brian Jones was treated by The Stones.....what can ya do except hope that those who survive go on to make great records and/or play great shows?......It's kinda rich for us to sit here and go on about the so-called "feud", I think...........we should just be grateful the two boys in Question got together at all and gave us what they did......I sometimes wonder if they check in here and laugh their basebasketballs off at what we write here...... RICK K.....I dunno if the Irish invented Hockey but there IS a game here called HURLING (no WRETCHED jokes about about vomiting, please!!)....Hurling is kinda like field hockey, except you can pick up/catch and handle the ball...I don't think ANY of The Band ever played it.......even when Rick was here in Cork...he never mentioned it....but I would like to hear his baseball song!!..........Good Morning AMANDA.....Sweet Dreams, everyone else!!!!!!!!

Posted on Sat Jun 3 02:49:23 CEST 2000 from on-tor-blr-a58-02-858.look.ca (216.154.9.96)

Rick K

I always kinda thought Dylan was saying "The one-eyed undertaker plays a FUNERAL horn . . . " - but then again I thought another line was "I came in from the wilderness, a creature boy of Ford" . . . final dig - chauvinistic Canuck legend has both Baseball and Basketball as invemtions of Canadian origin - and, as we all know - the Irish invented hockey (right HANK?). ------ R.I.P. ROCKET, the greatest "lean to the left, but stick to the Right" rightwinger of all time. ---------RICK K

Posted on Fri Jun 2 23:37:58 CEST 2000 from twmaine-208-5-183-171.twmaine.com (208.5.183.171)

mattk

ABA: The American Basketball Association. I grew up in Denver, and to this day am a Nuggets fan (or a masochist, depending on your view). Red White and Blue basketballs, three-point shooting, spectacular dunks, fast break basketball, no defense, giant afros, Dr. J, David Thomson, Dan Issel, Moses Malone, 145 - 148 scores. We used to watch the NBA on CBS in the 70s and think the Celtics sucked 'cause they couldn't break 100 points.

Of course, ABBA was very popular then...

Posted on Fri Jun 2 22:56:14 CEST 2000 from gw.itac.ca (209.146.161.1)

Bill

Mattk: I'm lost by your reference to ABA. Did you mean your "ABBA-bred sensibilities"? Band link: for some reason I always figured "Fernando" was a bull, and probably related to "Ferdinand The Imposter".

Posted on Fri Jun 2 22:18:22 CEST 2000 from (206.224.31.3)

Berry Gordy, Jr.

Speaking of feuds, or fueds, or fyoodz, there was a piece in today's Metro (the free public transit newspaper) on the Supremes because of the upcoming tour. Everyone probably knows that "diva" Diana Ross is teaming up with two Official Supremes who, however, made the roster long after she left the original trio. The two-page spread included a dissenting view from the embittered Levon-- whoops, I meant Mary-- Wilson.

Do ya spoze there's a http://thesupremes.hiof.no in which "Mother Dears" and "Buttered Popcorns" perpetually rehash who's right and who's wrong?

I propose the Ultimate Double Date, with appropriate chaperoning and permission of significant others: The Divas, Robbie and Diana, and the Burned, Mary and Levon. I'd love to be a fly on THAT wall-- not too near the long reach of the Divas, though...

Posted on Fri Jun 2 21:21:56 CEST 2000 from hqda242-234.army.pentagon.mil (134.11.242.234)

Nick