The Band Guestbook, March 1-19, 2021

Entered at Fri Mar 19 19:12:51 CET 2021 from cpe-104-175-202-187.socal.res.rr.com (104.175.202.187)

John Scheele

Subject: Thanks and Farewell

Saw that your your awesome site is closing, after so many years.

Thank you, Jan for pulling this community together and for your great service to Band fans and friends!!

Have been enjoying Dag's site on Facebook recently and see that you post there as well. Look forward to being in touch by other means...

Best wishes to all !!

John

Entered at Fri Mar 19 16:10:50 CET 2021 from c188-148-96-55.bredband.comhem.se (188.148.96.55)

Ilkka

Subject: Guestbook history

GUESTBOOK HISTORY:

This forum was closed between 2008 and 2013. In the meantime a Band fan in Netherlands kept this forum alive. His name is NORBERT. He paid it from his own pocket. A lady with Polish name was active in this project, too. It was called for 'Little Pink'. Peter V was the moderator (I believe that Pat B was involved too, and even Australia's best jazz mandolin player.) I followed Norbert's work and supported him. I fooled around as a debuty moderator but left the jobb soon. To fight against drug sellers near my school and bad guys who tried to get young people's organs was enough to me... especially when they losened the bults in my wheels. I cooperated with Swedish internet police because they thought that this was a pedo forum for cis-men!!!

I have contacted my friend Norbert (who actually saved the forum) but maybe too late to post a message to you all. Norbert loved you good people.

Entered at Fri Mar 19 16:05:21 CET 2021 from host-173-252-28-180.public.eastlink.ca (173.252.28.180)

joe j

Take care all. See you on facebook I guess.

Entered at Fri Mar 19 14:32:38 CET 2021 from node-1w7jr9srhbzkkfbb1640m99mp.ipv6.telus.net (2001:569:bd23:b200:60fd:a181:f7a9:2f01)

Norm J

Subject: All my friends are gonna be strangers

I'll leave y'all with bit of country magic from Merle (and you get to see our old friend from up here in Surrey) "Redd Volkaert" pick some of his Telecaster Magic. Thanks again Jan. and I'm on Facebook (as many here know). email tsolum666atgeemaildotcom ..........solong.

Entered at Fri Mar 19 14:13:05 CET 2021 from 2001-1c00-2405-ab00-adc4-6440-3aca-0853.cable.dynamic.v6.ziggo.nl (2001:1c00:2405:ab00:adc4:6440:3aca:853)

Ragtime

Subject: geebee ... let it be ...

Robertson at 1:31

Entered at Fri Mar 19 13:31:32 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-30-69-159-81-222.dsl.bell.ca (69.159.81.222)

Bill M

8:00 pm CET sounds ominously close, doesn't it? So I'd better unload my final 'contribution' about now.

I've noted here more than once that I see two Paul McCartney songlets from "Abbey Road" - "Carry That Weight" and "In The End" - as McCartney's 'Mr Optimist' attempt to resolve the troubling morality of "The Weight" by insisting that good deeds are repaid in the end: "And in the end, the love you take will be equal to the love you make", or Giveth and ye shall receive.

Working from the thought that "The Weight" is a day in the life of the guy who pulls into Nazareth, I listened to Sgt Pepper and realised that if you pull out just the McCartney verse from "A Day In The Life" - "Woke up ... Somebody spoke and I went into a dream" followed by some dreamy instrumentation - you can imagine "The Weight" as being that dream. Couldn't be, of course, as the Beatles recorded it in Jan 1967, and our guys didn't even get to the Basement until February. Spooky action at a distance.

Entered at Fri Mar 19 12:18:00 CET 2021 from (2001:700:a00:ff42::123)

jh

...is tonight (here in Norway) at 8pm CET.

Entered at Fri Mar 19 08:45:30 CET 2021 from 108-88-109-12.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net (108.88.109.12)

Pat B

I've enjoyed almost every minute. Getting roped into moderating when Jan shut it down was probably the craziest. We had one poster who couldn't control himself with the drama and the persecution complex, but most of us understood the need for cordiality and acted accordingly.

I've communicated with a lot of you and enjoyed it all. Peter V, BEG, the late lamented David Powell and Peter Stone Brown. And I need to mention Lars Peterson who doesn't post anymore but with whom I still exchange messages. Pretty cool.

Speaking of drama, remember when the Woodstock posse got up and left? Diamond Lil and the hothead (I can't remember his name). And they blocked many of us from joining their country club? Fact is, I liked Diamond Lil. All in all, pretty funny.

Anyway, I'm Lenny Pincus on Facebook. I've already run into some of you on Dag B's great page. I hope to continue.

Jan Hoiberg. Thank you. Someday the fates will be kinder than they've been and we will hang in Chicago or Oslo and you can show me the pictures of The Cat's kids and we'll have some laughs.

As for the rest of you, so long you heathens.

Entered at Fri Mar 19 05:19:22 CET 2021 from (2600:1700:a550:8460:bc5c:5db6:caf5:f2c1)

Adam

Thank you Jan... for starting this, bringing us all together, and allowing me to write and publish articles for your wonderful site. Please search for my pieces by title, and god bless.

"GARTH HUDSON'S DIAMOND JUBILATION"

75th birthday article/interview (August 2012)

seven pages, four exclusive photos

"THE MIDNIGHT RAMBLE"

review of last performance with Levon Helm (January 21 2012)

three pages, exclusive photo

Entered at Fri Mar 19 02:52:35 CET 2021 from 2603-8081-1410-5acc-7881-686e-1166-e903.res6.spectrum.com (2603:8081:1410:5acc:7881:686e:1166:e903)

Glenn

Many many thanks to Jan. This site has been an outstanding gift to those of us who share a love of The Band. And this guestbook has been a wonderful meeting place to share stories, concert experiences, musical insights. To verbally tussle over this 'n that. To laugh, to learn. To vent, to yearn.

And to all those who took time, either on a regular basis or just now and then to share your thoughts and to click the submit button – Thank you! I certainly do hope to keep in touch with a few of you (and I do have a facebook page). But I will miss all of you, including the man in black and his finger : )

As Dag put it (ala Dr. John): Such a site!

Entered at Fri Mar 19 02:14:48 CET 2021 from node-1w7jr9sshkzwo0fu4i996wzcn.ipv6.telus.net (2001:569:be12:5700:933:8819:33a5:14f7)

Carl G (BONK)

Subject: Guestbook

I, like a lot of others, will miss this place so much. The wealth of knowledge about anything concerning music from so many people here opened my eyes like nothing before. I guess I jumped on here when Rick passed and stayed with it until 2003 until it was shut down for 5 years. And then it came back and I've peeked in every day since. First thing in the morning and last thing at night. A lot of times someone would post something that I didn't know and I would spend days researching what they had posted until I was bleary eyed and had to get away from the computer. In the early days I got in some trouble with Jan because I was new to social media and didn't realize, or understand, how to behave. He would delete me and others and it would piss me off like you wouldn't believe. Then I learned to take it private and made a lot of friends while doing so. I think the simplicity of what Jan started here and continued with was/is one of the reasons we all come back. It's easy and friendly reading with no ads or bullshit. Thanks Jan. And thank you to every one of you who took the time to say Hi. Love you folks. Anybody that wants to stay in touch it's carlgraham at mac dot com. I always wonder how Friendo and Roz are doing.

Entered at Fri Mar 19 00:16:51 CET 2021 from (2601:192:4180:6c40:411b:fd56:8658:ca4b)

Tom Doran (bassdocta)

Subject: When you awake lyrics

I read all of the commentary on just what the song when you awake means. After chewing it over for only maybe 50 years or so my latest take on it is that it’s a narration about a person who really isn’t very bright who is constantly criticized by Ollie and takes comfort from grandpa. Grandpa issues advice on how to deal with the world and how to go out on your own and how to travel and eat well. The line that I believe is key is “you were born to grow old and never know”. He’ll never know because he’s incapable. The ad libs at the end then become snatches of advice that he adheres to in order to get by in the world.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 23:26:06 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu Mar 18 22:29:23 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-30-69-159-81-222.dsl.bell.ca (69.159.81.222)

Bill M

Entered at Thu Mar 18 21:46:28 CET 2021 from (2a00:23c8:b89:ac01:5cbc:2dca:5ba0:4677)

Dunc

We crossed in the ether. Good luck, Alex.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 21:43:06 CET 2021 from (2a00:23c8:b89:ac01:5cbc:2dca:5ba0:4677)

Dunc

Subject: Thank you

Thanks Bill M and Haso for those shouts. I played the Poor Souls just today.

This will be my last post. I remember quite a few years back when one summer a few of us kept the GB going, with some banal posts, even more banal than my normal posts, from me.

I’ve spent a month of my life in Toronto and Ontario and would like to have meet up with some of the Canadian GBers.

We visited Richard’s grave and bench in Stratford, and met a distraught lady at the bench, who had looked after her late father for many years, and was now being evicted by the rest of the family. My wife was great at calming her, working out a plan of action for her and getting her to see a lawyer. It’s one of those unusual life experiences that appear in your mind from time to time. I hope she’s ok.

I’ve found a lot of new music and still enjoy Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Roseann Fino and a host of bands that Peter introduced me to from Forever More to Bobbie Gentry to Montrose to Sky In My Pie to the Unthanks and a hundred more.

A special thanks to Peter for his kindness, contributions and writing, the Band has a great ambassador here in the UK.

Thanks to all the knowledgeable contributors and great writing, and a special shout for the girls.

My first live band was 1965 and my final concert with my good lady will be by Hamish Stuart and other Scots the year before last and the encore was ‘Here We Go Round Again’ and ‘Pick Up The Pieces’ - a great concert.

My favourite album of all time is still the Brown album, and our appreciation of the Band is why we are here.

Thanks Jan and fellow GBers.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 21:20:42 CET 2021 from modemcable208.75-178-173.mc.videotron.ca (173.178.75.208)

Alex

Subject: Goodbye

As the sun slowly sets on this GB, I would like to say thank you to Jan for keeping the store open. As well, thanks to Norbert for operating a GB when this one was closed down. I joined in Autumn 2005 and although I haven't posted like I once did, I would check in to see what was going on.

I wish everyone here and those who haven't posted in ages, the best of health and happiness. Myself, I have had health issues that I've been battling successfully for a year and a half. I hope that everyone goes out and gets the vaccine. I also recommend that anyone who needs medical attention, not to hesitate and get examined. Medical advances have and are still improving. I came out of a 9-1/2 hour operation with no pain whatsoever.

That's my message before I go. Lots of love to everyone. It's been fun.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 20:07:17 CET 2021 from (2601:183:867f:d1f0:6539:e8a7:6ab3:e961)

Todd

Subject: Letters Never Sent

Thanks to jan for creating and hosting this place for all these years. It’s been quite a ride, and has always been one of my favorite corners of the internet.

As sometimes happens, I often look in here and don’t always have the time to reply thoughtfully, so I end up putting things off until it’s too late or not relevant to the current topics of the day. I have on my desk, a little pile of post-it notes with things that I always meant to reply to. Since closing day is tomorrow, I’ll do what I can now to wrap up any loose ends.

BEG, thanks for tagging me with the reference to Ringo's song ‘Photograph’ a while back. It’s a fun song and I have it on 45. I keep it inside my copy of George’s ‘All Things Must Pass’, as it seems like a good place for safekeeping. The only proper Ringo album I have is ‘Ringo’s Rotogravure’. Thanks also for posting a video from Ollabelle performing ‘Northern Star’ at a small club in NYC. I was there that night, so it was a nice memory to revisit. The club was "Banjo Jim’s” on the lower east side of Manhattan. It’s actually the place where Ollabelle formed when it was called “9-C”. I had many good times there.

Peter V, A while back you asked about Lobby Cards. I wasn’t familiar with them but my guess is that they would have been printed on a press of some sort, rather than a traditional silver gelatin (darkroom) print on photo paper. But I could be wrong about that. Most of the movie theaters that I went to over the years (in the 1980's and onward at least) had larger movie posters, not the smaller lobby cards that you mentioned.

Also thanks to you, Bill M. Jan and Roger for supplying me with great travel advice for my trip to England in the Summer of 2019. My last real travel as it turns out, since 2020 ended up being a washout. Glad that I went when I did. I did end up making it out to Essex county where some of my ancestors were from, and found the house and the land that they lived on. It was a manor type of house surrounded by a lot of farmland. We showed up unannounced, just intending to look at the house from the outside, but the lovely people who lived there invited us in and actually had some historical records that they shared, which included everyone who had resided at that property going back to the 1500’s. Definitely exceeded my expectations. Walked around the property with them, and had a pint at the local pub. A perfect day. Another highlight of the trip was a visit to Abbey Road and walking in the footsteps of giants. Another fun moment was standing in the alley in back of the Savoy hotel where Dylan did his cue-card scene in ‘Don’t Look Back’. Also had a great day trip out to Bath, then Lacock, and then a visit to Stonehenge at sunset. Never made it to the southern coast to visit West Bay or Lyme Regis, as most of our time was spent in London, but would like to try if we ever make it back that way. Loved the scenery of the show Broadchurch which did some filming in that area, so would like to see it in person at some point.

Haso, my fellow New Englander. A while back you posted about something called “The Powder Mountain Festival” from 1970. The ski area it was held at is called Powder Ridge, and since Southern Connecticut doesn't have much in the way of impressive mountains, most local skiers referred to the mountain as “Powder Bump”. It was supposed to be sort of a Woodstock type of event. That was a little before my time. The location is not far from where I grew up, although I was only 4 years old at the time, so wouldn't have known about it. Apparently the festival never officially happened as the local town leaders pulled the plug a day or so before the festival was supposed to begin, so none of the acts showed up, but about 30,000 concert goers did and had a wild weekend. The singer Melanie did show up at some point and performed a set from the top of an ice cream truck.

Thanks to all who shared, especially our friends from Canada, the land where the Hawks found each other, to go on and create an amazing legacy. I learned a lot here, (even a thing or two about tugboats!) and it was great to get input from people from all corners of the earth. Thanks again for jan for being a patient host, and giving us a place to let it all hang out!

“But when we get to the end, He wants to start all over again”
Thanks to Dag for having a place on FB where we can carry on.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 19:50:33 CET 2021 from gsswlib10.bc.edu (136.167.102.19)

Dave Hopkins

Though I was never a frequent poster, I've been a regular reader here since the mid-'90s. I'll always have fond memories of this community: thank you to Peter V, John D, Pat B, Bill M, Brown-Eyed G, Norm J, and all the other regulars who have stayed here over the years, and to the many others who were here for a while and have moved on. And of course, my appreciation to Jan for keeping this great site running this whole time.

"All kinds of people you might want to know...once you get it, you can't forget it"

Entered at Thu Mar 18 19:23:56 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-30-69-159-81-222.dsl.bell.ca (69.159.81.222)

Bill M

Subject: two books to watch out for ...

There are two upcoming books to watch out for if you're interested in (Levon and) the Hawks and the pre-Hawks groups (as opposed to just the Band). One is Greig Stewart's forthcoming "Hawkins, Hound Dog, Elvis, and Red: How Rock and Roll Invaded Canada" (see link). The other is a biography of Gene MacLellan, a successful songwriter in the '70s who'd previously been in a couple of early but locally consequential bands with Robbie in the late '50; that one probably won't be out until the end of 2021.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 19:14:55 CET 2021 from 85-210-232-51.dynamic.dsl.as9105.com (85.210.232.51)

Solomon

Entered at Thu Mar 18 19:08:54 CET 2021 from (2600:1017:b81a:920e:c9e8:50bf:e71d:49bc)

Jed

Entered at Thu Mar 18 18:12:29 CET 2021 from cpe-67-246-38-157.nycap.res.rr.com (67.246.38.157)

Joe Frey

Subject: Goodbye

Thanks again Jan. I will miss this guestbook a whole lot. I don't post as much as others, but I do visit it two to three times every day.

Although the lyrics are not all that relevant with the ending of this wonderful resource, I commend all to listen to Allen Toussaint's When the Party's Over.

It's the melody in that song that I think about when I have to say goodbye to an old friend. In this case, all of you.

Like Peter, I never have been on facebook. I guess it's time for a change. Be well. Joe

Entered at Thu Mar 18 18:07:27 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

No one ever answered me about Paul Fleming. Is he still selling his Band paintings? Just wondered. Also, blessings to Dr. Jerry & David Powell. Most great musicologists. You were just an important part of this board. I remember when we hadn't heard from David in a while. I remembered his home town and googled it. Furthermore, I went to obituaries and there he was. What a shock. Jerry T. We talked just a couple of days before you passed on. We would meet from time to time, and you were always so gracious. Memories rushing in.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 17:23:33 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: What a long strange trip it's been …

Possibly my "last post" so an appropriate musical link.

Thanks to Jan for being my first internet port of call for over twenty years and for all your great work.

Thanks to all my virtual friends. You've all meant a great deal to me over the years

I'm going to miss this place.

You can find me on my blog peter viney dot wordpress dot com, or via Facebook. I post most days. Hope to see you there or on Dag's FB site. I avoided Facebook for years, but if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 15:25:20 CET 2021 from (24.114.96.249)

Kevin J

To think that if Jan hadn’t seen The Last Waltz in 1980, none of this wonderful 25 year history of learning and enriching conversations would have happened. Also, it strikes me in these last days of the GB by reading so many of the posts referencing lyrics just how important Robbie Robertson’s words have been in people’s lives. My wish is that Band fans will always honour this, honour Robbie and continue to always honour all members of The Band. Tune out the sad, pathetic types who have unfortunately taken control of some Band Facebook pages and seem to have a main mission to wallow in hate. Rise above this , turn it around by continuing to celebrate the beauty of The Band - all members of the Band and the music they made together. Dag’s Facebook page “Music From The Band” and Joshua Manuel’s Facebook page “The REAL Richard Manuel” are superb. Highly recommended to carry the torch - information and dignity both - always.

Finally, a nice answer by RR on a question from Rick Danko’s manager Carol Caffin....

How would you want the Band to be remembered?

Robertson: I would want the Band to be remembered as a real band. There was just a wonderful balance in this group, the way the whole thing worked. What Garth [Hudson] did was completely unique. Nobody else in the world was able to do anything near what Garth would do in the group. Rick, his singing and his playing—god only made one of those, and he broke the mold after that. Richard Manuel could make you cry in a second with his singing, and he was also just an amazing, beautiful soul, too. And Levon is one of the most talented people I’ve ever crossed paths with in my life. Levon taught me so much and is the closest thing I’ve ever had in my life to a brother. So anyway, I just have such warm, fond memories of the Band, and I would just want that to be passed on.

Amen

Entered at Thu Mar 18 14:51:46 CET 2021 from cpe84948c1e91e3-cm84948c1e91e0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.242.124.138)

GregD

An infrequent poster but one who checked in often, I'd also like to add my words to the others to thank Jan for his hard work in creating and keeping the site running (while also trying to maintain the peace sometimes). I'd also like to thank all the contributors over the years who enriched the site and made it a special place to visit to learn about the Band and other related musical acts.

All good things must end (unfortunately).

Entered at Thu Mar 18 14:25:33 CET 2021 from 2001-1c00-2405-ab00-2446-43fb-1cb3-3830.cable.dynamic.v6.ziggo.nl (2001:1c00:2405:ab00:2446:43fb:1cb3:3830)

Ragtime

Subject: Goodbye and thanks

Goodbye to you all, and many thanks to the master from Østfold,

and one little reminder of the very best song of all time:

"The smell of the leaves, from the magnolia trees in the meadow..."

Entered at Thu Mar 18 14:02:43 CET 2021 from ool-18bc4179.dyn.optonline.net (24.188.65.121)

Rick S.

Jan, thanks for keeping the site running for 25 years. Glad you became friends with Levon and Garth. I enjoyed your interview that you uploaded. I would have paid to listen to Garth as a college music professor. Thanks again.

Entered at Thu Mar 18 10:56:35 CET 2021 from sannin29149.nirai.ne.jp (203.160.29.149)

Fred

"Thank You" to Jan, creator of, perhaps, the best website the internet has ever known.

And a heartfelt "Thank You" to all of you who have posted here, regularly and irregularly, through the years. Your discussions have been entertaining to read, while the musical suggestions have been an aural adventure.

Stay healthy, stay safe and keep enjoying the music. (If inclined to...play it loud).

cheers : )

Entered at Wed Mar 17 20:22:10 CET 2021 from 153.89-11-151.nextgentel.com (89.11.151.153)

Dag B.

Such a site!

Entered at Wed Mar 17 16:21:46 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

Love the first Edition line Norm. It was my favourite of all their material.

Entered at Wed Mar 17 15:34:28 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:9555:b91e:6b53:16d2)

brown eyed girl

Subject: 🎈🎉 Celebrating The Band and The Band Guest Book

💕Timeless music created by Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson

💕Honed their musical chops with Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks

💕Eager to blend many genres of music

💕Bob Dylan was part of their musical journey which brought them from the bars to the stars (Garth Hudson)

💕All musicians were inspirational to other musicians and Band fans

💕Noteworthy for three unique singers, one classically trained and one emotional guitarist

💕Dedicated to The Band by Guest Book Norwegian webmaster and professor Jan Hoiberg and by various contributors world wide

Entered at Wed Mar 17 03:23:58 CET 2021 from (2601:188:c300:8680:20ea:8adc:b131:590f)

haso

Subject: 3.19

As a latecomer to this venue, thanks ever so much for the interesting reading, Jan. And in particular: Peter V, Angie, Lisa, Norm, Todd, and Dunc. Hoping that Norm, Angie and Glenn T will still say hey, now and again, via email. I don't know as yet, whether I'll connect to Dag's fb; so far we've resisted getting an account on that ubiquitous platform. And, will be away on closing day.

As Ricky said: "Really any good music, I like".

Entered at Wed Mar 17 02:24:33 CET 2021 from node-1w7jr9srhbzkiyxglp4wcgo0h.ipv6.telus.net (2001:569:bd23:b200:14d:d9d3:db69:6991)

Norm J

Subject: The beginning of the End

Just looked in........to see what condition my condition was in! That is a nice gift you have left us Jan. I've saved it. Thank you.

Entered at Tue Mar 16 19:05:36 CET 2021 from pool-108-29-86-224.nycmny.fios.verizon.net (108.29.86.224)

Jon Lyness

Thanks again, Jan.

Entered at Tue Mar 16 17:51:19 CET 2021 from (2600:1702:29d0:c0e0:c93d:33b1:a5c0:f351)

Bill

I read Mr. Viney's excellent article about the song "Bessie Smith". Does any reader think there's a chance that Robbie or Rick were referencing/channeling Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston's 1927 road trip where they detoured to see Bessie in concert in Macon, GA? BTW, many thanks to the creators and contributors to this treasure of a website.

Entered at Tue Mar 16 09:27:41 CET 2021 from (2407:7000:9b95:db00:9844:7238:3f2b:8ca3)

Rod

But that don't mean the parties over

Thanks Jan the Man

Goodnight, goodbye

Entered at Tue Mar 16 05:53:19 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:c039:ac57:9909:f63b)

brown eyed girl

Subject: Newfoundland Celebrates St. Paddy's Day two days before the rest of us

joe j...So ya checked out Reggae For Kidzzzz....You Probably liked Puff The Magic Dragon? My friend Mr. Maximus texted me today to see how I was doing and to remind me that it was St. Paddy's Day in Newfoundland today. He lived there for his first five years. He always goes on about Screech.....Two different times in NYC during the week of St. Paddy's Day I saw The Pogues with blue-eyed girl from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia at the Palladium.....excellent....and The Chieftains with the South American.....well.......;-D

Entered at Tue Mar 16 05:24:49 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:c039:ac57:9909:f63b)

brown eyed girl

Loves The Band, classical music and art

Intelligence and a willingness to use it

Sends beautifully painted cards to her Band friends

Articulate posts about music, films and life

Entered at Tue Mar 16 04:54:45 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:c039:ac57:9909:f63b)

brown eyed girl

J

Easy peaceful time enjoyed in Woodstock

Dead Head, Dylan and Band fan

Entered at Tue Mar 16 05:19:04 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:c039:ac57:9909:f63b)

brown eyed girl

Oh, sister, am I not a brother to you
And one deserving of affection
And is our purpose not the same on this earth
To love and follow his direction

Just a caring practitioner who helps many people with their addictions

Easy peaceful time enjoyed in Woodstock

Dead Head, Dylan, Band and Hoops fan

Entered at Mon Mar 15 23:14:28 CET 2021 from host-173-252-28-180.public.eastlink.ca (173.252.28.180)

joe j

What I was playing at 7:00 AM. Thanks BEG.

Entered at Mon Mar 15 22:05:49 CET 2021 from (2601:183:867f:d1f0:888:7b99:27ad:65d2)

Todd

Subject: Still Waters

Jed, there's finely honed stoicism that many of us crusty old Band fans wear as a badge of honor, which can sometimes come across as dry and emotionless.
Bubbling just under the surface for many of us, is a passion and drama that would make make the earth tremble and hellfire rain down from the sky. We're just really good at hiding it most of the time! It's a self preservation / coping skill really....ok, climbing back under my rock now. I'll say goodby for real before Friday.

Entered at Mon Mar 15 20:48:07 CET 2021 from (2605:8d80:6c0:f291:142c:22c:6a49:22b7)

Bill M

Lisa: Thanks to you too. I've always appreciated your contributions - sense of music, sense of history, sense of fair play. And yes, even if we weren't exactly bubbly, emotions were seldom far from the surface.

Entered at Mon Mar 15 19:01:35 CET 2021 from s0106a84e3f63c293.vf.shawcable.net (96.48.242.117)

Lisa

I'm going to say goodbye to everybody now because I don't think I can bear to wait till the last day. You will never know how much you all contributed to my life and how much you've meant to me. I'm going to miss checking in on everybody each day and reading what's new. Love and best wishes to you all!

Love, Lisa

Entered at Mon Mar 15 17:31:26 CET 2021 from 2001-1c00-2405-ab00-857c-afd5-efd3-db8e.cable.dynamic.v6.ziggo.nl (2001:1c00:2405:ab00:857c:afd5:efd3:db8e)

Ragtime

Subject: They say the site is closing down

Hiof ! No !

I hate to tell you son, that train don't stop here anymore. Now when the rumor comes to your town, it grows and grows, where it started no one knows. Some of your neighbors will invite it right in, maybe it's a lie, even if it's a sin, they'll repeat the rumor again. "Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?" The management said they were sorry for the inconvenience you are suffering. And although nobody here really knows where they're goin', I will wait until it all goes round. For if I live again, these hopes will never die. With you in sight, the lost are found, at the very same time nobody's lost. It makes no diff'rence, night or day, the shadow never seems to fade away. I spent my whole life guessing, then I turned from the sun and saw everyone searching. And the sun don't shine anymore, and the rains fall down on my door. He spent a lifetime tryin' to reach beyond that rainbow, and found when you look down it gives you vertigo. Hang around, Willie Boy, don't you raise the sails anymore.

Entered at Mon Mar 15 12:16:35 CET 2021 from (2600:1017:b822:7bd4:bc52:c59d:405d:f9da)

Jed

BEG. The one with a heart. A soul. Compassionate. In a very dry emotionless place. BEG gave it a heartbeat. The one I’ll miss from here. I envy her temperament. Will miss the spirit BEG brought to this place. Makes perfect sense that You are a hoops fan-hipsters and hoopsters are required to have souls. All the best to you BEG. May you have a blessed and wonderful life.

Entered at Sun Mar 14 18:58:39 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:cd46:cfb9:b0b4:bcf2)

brown eyed girl

Subject: What a rush......

Oooh and ILKKA !! Your post was so funny that every time, every time I read it I laughed so hard!!! So glad you returned from......Just one correction...He stole my hair pastiche not my wig. Just sayin'. Thank you!

One poster sent an email back in the day from this community who turned out to be quite the storyteller in the GB. Remember with our emails available to all you never knew from day to day who would just pop by.....So one day someone landed in my mailbox and told me about his Christmas Eve. I'm reading along and all of a sudden......I realize that he's zooming me! I can be gullible at times. So I sent off an email telling him so. His reply was simply....."But did you like the story?" LoL

Jed...Sally Grossman...She had a full life for sure. I cannot even imagine.....Her cover on Dylan's recording....Yup it's something else. The other iconic cover photo for me is Sara Dylan on the book....Wanted Man: In Search of Bob Dylan by John Bauldie. At one time I used to have dinner once a month with an educational consultant and one day she surprised me with a gift....Dylan book.....She was a fan as well.....Classic Bob Dylan 1962-69 My Back Pages by Andy Gill. It was so cool to have a basketball comrade in this GB. You are so fortunate that you have a place to hang in Woodstock.....I enjoyed very much my weekend there and hope to return. I never made it to a Ramble....Levon's Godson Jerome Avis told me to save up my money when I met him in Cobourg, Ontario..... I have however seen Levon with Garth at Massey Hall....special tribute to Ronnie Hawkins. We walked out with a key chain of Ronnie maybe made out of pewter? It's very heavy.....beautiful memorabilia.....beautiful.....Levon with his Ramble crew and John Hiatt opened at Massey Hall, with Rick Danko at the Pearcy House and with The Barn Burners at the Silver Dollar with Amy Helm......and on the Blues Cruise with Sumlin and Johansen in NYC.....so much musicality in Levon and he's so secure in it that you cannot help but notice this with other musicians he's playing with.....If Robbie hadn't had ties to the Grand River I probably wouldn't have been so caught up in the drama when I first started posting........Live and learn?

Nomadic Mike.... Keep in touch. :-D

Kevin/Jimmy Lafave/Angie

Entered at Sun Mar 14 17:35:13 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:cd46:cfb9:b0b4:bcf2)

brown eyed girl

Subject: From Dylan and The Band's Down In The Flood to Mark Olson and Gary Louris Ready For The Flood

🐰🌼🐰🌼

PETER V...Congrats! I love the cover of your book.....I admire your discipline to finish what you start. I on the other hand.....Maybe once the GB is closed I will have no choice but to get on with it.

I ordered and received from Book Outlet Robbie's Hiawatha and the Peacemaker. Believe it or not; while growing up by the Grand River...I was the one in my family when we were down to five from 10 who was the peacemaker. I also bought another book on Louuuu....by PhD Anthony DeCurtis as it was sooooo inexpensive. I finished an excellent book by a former Chicago lawyer Christie Tate...JM will be reading it next.

GROUP
How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life

Entered at Sun Mar 14 17:28:22 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:cd46:cfb9:b0b4:bcf2)

brown eyed girl

The Best Albums of February 2021: Slowthai, Julien Baker, Aaron Lee Tasjan, THE BAND, and More

JON DOLAN & MANKAPRR CONTEH & ANGIE MARTOCCIO

Entered at Sun Mar 14 16:55:11 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-247.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.247)

Bill M

The lockdown lightened up here, so I went out to buy records yesterday just because I could. The target store had a five-person limit and a 10-person lineup so I went around the corner to a nostalgia / junkstore that has some record bins. Bought a few for various reasons. One was Artie Traum's "Life on Earth" album, mostly because Richard Bell plays on one song, "Riptide" - a very Bandish song, but unfortunately not the same "Riptide" that was huge hit a couple of years ago. Another was Ian and Sylvia's fifth Vanguard album, "Play One More", which is the one that Bob Dylan borrowed "French Girl" from for use in the Basement. Gorgeous song; easy to see why it would have struck Bob as worth playing.

Traum's "Riptide" didn't turn up when I looked on Youtube, so I've linked Rick Danko singing "Long Black Veil" with both Traums, Sredni, Larry Packer et al.

Entered at Sat Mar 13 19:21:36 CET 2021 from (2600:1017:b81b:ce2c:101:abb2:eb30:5726)

Jed

Entered at Sat Mar 13 16:13:08 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-247.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.247)

Bill M

Entered at Sat Mar 13 13:48:30 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: A new novel by me …

NEW! A dystopian pandemic novel. Now available on Kindle or as a paperback from amazon. It should be in your local amazon market wherever. It’s aimed for adult and young adult. Only 200 pages- a fast read!

Twenty years after the Great Pandemic, a virus that destroyed the brain. The Isle of Wight is the last bastion of the old world as it was before the disease, protecting its frontiers from the crazed ‘Frenzies’ on the mainland by any force necessary. Then one day, Nat, a young frontier guard is abducted from the beach at Alum Bay. Nat is taken to a community on the mainland run by a research scientist and his adopted daughter, Freya.

Nat’s controller, Edwin begins to question the society that has grown up on the island, with its ‘navy’ consisting of an escaped American guided missile destroyer. Can Nat be rescued, or will he bring back the virus and destroy the island?

LINK is to US store, but it's available on all of them.

Entered at Sat Mar 13 13:10:53 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-247.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.247)

Ronnie H

Entered at Sat Mar 13 11:48:11 CET 2021 from c188-148-96-55.bredband.comhem.se (188.148.96.55)

NortWestCoaster's Dog

Subject: 'The Guestbook Band with Robertson/Helm' (Rare and unreleased)

Beside "The Road from Turkey Scratch" this is probably rock history's most secret record. The one that The Band website gbers did with Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson.

The idea for this record was born after a violent argument between Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson. It's said that the bitterness that was present in the group - after fame, money and heroin - always stayed hidden. But that night it definitely surfaced.

But next morning Helm and Robertson had an idea; why not record another album, just for fun. Quickly and unplanned, with just old songs. As therapy, to weld together what was still left of The Band. The original idea for that album was to record it, in principle, live with gbers during their meeting in Woodstock. They had to keep PETER V out of this project because it was secret, though. No one should read an album review next morning in Peter's blog. Everybody felt guilty but BILL M came with a solution: "We ask him to write sleeve notes on album cover." "No. that is not enough. It must be a booklet. Eight pages." That was BEG. "Sixteen pages!" That was NORBERT.

With the instruments in place in the basement of Big Pink (btw thanks to the current owners), the old songs started to flow. And it didn't take them long to understand that it was time to bring the recording equipment.

The first song they taped was "Rag Mama Rag." They had to retake the last verse, when the mike missed NORM's screams as he dropped to his knees, draining out all his feelings. It was like all tension loosened, like all disagreement was blown away by the emotional storm. Quickly, with an almost manic energy, they recorded three more songs: "I Shall Be Released", "Volcano" and a sparkling new version of "Rag Mama Rag" with RAGTIME playing piano.

JOHN D ran into BOB DYLAN in the street on his senseless world tour. Of course he was invited to their recording session.

This time Dylan felt to sing "When I Paint my Masterpiece". They nailed the song in one take; it would not be possible to insert one more ounce of emotions into it. RAGTIME's piano solo almost gave them tears in their eyes. When the song ends one hears less than a second later how NORM's evil guitar, alone and aggressively, starts a version of Diddley's "Who Do You Love". Everything was so good, just so good. So good that they had to call RONNIE "THE HAWK." Everyone was screaming into the telephone and sang "Hey Bo Diddley" out of the key.

The bluegrass version of "The Weight" was odd because ILKKA played 3-string balaika instead of 5-string banjo. He liked to be called "the best bluegrass balalaika player this side of Rio Grande". If you know another one Ilkka will be the second best.

BRIEN SZ did the photo shoot. It was not an easy task. He wanted to do it Brown Album style. The rain was there allright but everybody smiled happily. Helm was the first to look angry and others followed him one by one. Except of course BEG who giggled hysterically when Robertson borrowed her rasta wig.

The record was never released, and not even turned over to the record company. Nobody knows or, more correctly, has told why. Maybe the idea of having brown vinyl instead of black vinyl was an expensive way to make it even if the idea was marvelous: The real _BROWN_ Album. The market for this jamsession of semi-amateurs would have been . . . hmmmm . . . "limited". To put it kindly. It would have cost too much to print two album covers: "The Guestbook Band with Robertson/Helm and "The Guestbook Band with Helm/Robertson" depending on your preferences.

But where is the tape? It is said that Elton John has been trying to buy it for a long time. For astronomical amounts. In this case, who would get the money? Some say Robertson...

My information about the tape comes from Swedish rock journalist LENNART PERSSON who lived here on the coast. He said he had the original tape. (Don't ask me how he got it. I don't believe a word anyway.) This is what he said: "After I got the tape from DR JOHN the tape was lost, during a very dramatic divorce. - She cheated on me. I poured a liter of sour milk over her and said a few not very friendly words, she got her revenge by burning parts of my record collection. And a handful of tapes that she randomly pulled out from that little drawer next to the stereo... "

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

IN MEMORIAM: Leif Persson, Swedish rock journalist (1951-2009)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Entered at Fri Mar 12 21:59:41 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-247.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.247)

Bill M

Subject: The Rising of The Sun

Dunc: This is for you in case you pop in here at some point before Closing Time. The song at the link is by the Rabble, a late-'60s Montreal group, whose guitarist-singer John Pimm subsequently moved to Toronto and joined John Moran's Poor Souls band about the time it changed its name to Moran (and had its only real hit here, "Beatles Thing").

Entered at Fri Mar 12 21:49:08 CET 2021 from cm-84.209.135.19.getinternet.no (84.209.135.19)

jh

...to go before we will post our final updates to this site, on the same day that the GB celebrates its 25th birthday. Also, in a week, you lot will post your final entries here. I see quite a few of you have started the move from our "antique site" to social media already, i.e. mainly Dag B.´s magnificent "The Band from Big Pink" FaceBook group. Power to you, and thanks to everyone still carrying the torch out there. Ourselves, we are looking forward to "retirement" (we´ll keep our daytime job, though...).

Entered at Fri Mar 12 17:10:53 CET 2021 from bras-base-wlldon1606w-grc-26-74-12-12-165.dsl.bell.ca (74.12.12.165)

Mike Nomad

Angie, an honor justly deserved. I for one have richly benefitted. Music that I would never have stumbled upon had it not been for you. Thank you. The illustration, I have heard from the street, captures your very true essence . . . like, totally. (Maybe not the reefer, though.) So . . . au revoir.

Entered at Thu Mar 11 22:16:51 CET 2021 from 2001-48f8-9021-732-e98d-f6ff-3203-f47c-dynamic.midco.net (2001:48f8:9021:732:e98d:f6ff:3203:f47c)

Dexy

Entered at Thu Mar 11 15:37:09 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:840f:c75f:3fa7:1a45)

brown eyed girl

Interview: Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams on Marital Collaboration, Levon Helm and Why ‘It Was The Music’
Dean Budnick
March 5, 2021

Returning to the Guest Book allows me to give thanks and praises once again. Many thanks to jan h for setting up the brown eyed girl page which documented the links I had posted for a two year period.....total surprise out of left field! I have no idea where the illustration came from.....but I'll say it again.....my eyes were captured quite well. Not sure if that was a huge spliff....lol.....maybe because of my love for roots reggae? Otherwise I've never been a regular smoker of any sort. My links honoured every Band member. I no longer have favourites so I guess I've come full circle.

One clarification re David Powell in a previous post. I sincerely apologize if it sounded a bit flippant.....It wasn't meant to be at all as we were virtual buddies as I was with so many here. Those of you who came later to the Band Bar were not aware that our emails were available to all so that's why we had so many buddies and some became friends for a short time and some for a long time until.......David was always a gentleman in this GB and in private communication. We shared about the music most of you were not into but we were into. He was a very private person. I knew something was up when he was going to send some music in exchange for a brown eyed girl mix as he had all the boots I had......and then we all heard the very sad and unexpected news. When I asked Peter for one recording I couldn't get a hold of as I no longer play albums......The ones I have were all given to me via music reps in stores I worked in.....Anyway, I had no idea how ill he was......Once he stopped communicating I just thought he was super busy. The small amount of albums I still have....always think about him when I take them out to just look at them and think maybe one day I'll go to Bay Bloor Music store and buy a really good system and hear the records the way David was able to really listen and pick up on every nuance.....So glad the GB is still open to clear that up as he was a huge contributor to this site and although I don't think he met anyone; he communicated with many outside of the GB.

Entered at Wed Mar 10 22:26:11 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:88da:4ff2:ae24:68cf)

brown eyed girl

Subject: GARY LOURIS of JAYHAWKS BIRTHDAY! 66

Last BIRTHDAY I will be honouring in the GB.

GARY LOURIS of THE JAYHAWKS!

It is his comforting voice that is soooooothing my soul as of late.

Lovable

Overcame his demons

Underrated but not by brown eyed angelina

Refreshing harmonies

Intelligent

Sexy singer-songwriter who shares soothing vibes during dark and light times

Entered at Wed Mar 10 22:01:08 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:88da:4ff2:ae24:68cf)

brown eyed girl

Subject: Norman Seeff and The BAND/Stage Fright/Bob Cato

"After Cato assigned him to shoot liner-note art for the Band's Stage Fright album in 1969 – his first big gig – Seeff got lost on the way to Woodstock and arrived an hour late. "By the time I'm there, the band is really pissed off," he recalls. Because he couldn't afford to buy more film, the session only lasted an hour. When he turned his photo in to Cato, he was so embarrassed, he simply pushed it under the door and left. Two weeks later, Cato called back and said the photo was going to become a wrap-around poster.

"And suddenly I have an image in every bar in town. Every club. Every record store," says Seeff, who became creative director at United Artists Records a year and a half later."The next happy accident was The Band. You'd been discovered by Bob Cato, a leading graphic designer who shot for Columbia Records who liked your portfolio. He assigns you to take some shots for the liner notes of The Band's Stage Fright. You arrived late, unused to driving on the left side, and managed to quickly shoot the few rolls of black and white film you could afford.

And when I came back, I didn't like anything I'd shot. I worked on this one image that I was still very uncertain about and pushed it under Bob's door because I was too embarrassed to actually show him face-to-face…

And when Robbie Robertson saw the picture, as he would say decades later in his memoir, "I had never seen this texture, the style of art, in photography before. It was soft and stark at the same time, in a modernistic sepia tone."

I love that Bob was then secure enough in himself to say "I'm not going to use my own [photos], I'm going to use your shot as a fold-up poster"—the one that when you pulled the shrink-wrap off, people went, "wow," and up went the poster on people's walls. Every bar that I went to suddenly had this picture posted up by the jukebox. And everyone in the graphics business saw that poster. From being unable to even get in the front door, I was [now] having people call saying "would you please come in?" I was in demand in New York and getting work.

Soon after, Bob Cato was tasked to do a nationwide search for a creative director for United Artists Records…

And I've never done that before, but he spoke to United Artists and said "take this guy as your creative director" and based on his gravitas they agree. So that's how I came to L.A."

Hi Ilkka! You can check out anytime you want but you can never leave. :-D

Entered at Wed Mar 10 18:33:53 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed Mar 10 18:14:16 CET 2021 from 2603-7081-4000-1500-690c-e32e-f7dc-ea17.res6.spectrum.com (2603:7081:4000:1500:690c:e32e:f7dc:ea17)

Joe Frey

Entered at Wed Mar 10 18:08:36 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

Thank you so much for your offer Joe. Very, very kind of you. BUT..... I went to my favourite plaque mounters, and he asked me how I was doing? Not happy Charles. Let's see. You want the barcode and the capitol yellow writing removed? Uh. Yes. Give me this original.

He came back two minutes later. OK. It's been scanned and the bar code and the yellow writing will be removed. No problem. Thank goodness for high-priced scanners. You've been a good customer. Don't worry about it. My rant earlier still stands. He said "Good thing Capitol records aren't in charge of the Mona Lisa." We laughed. Problem taken care of.

Entered at Wed Mar 10 17:50:54 CET 2021 from 2603-7081-4000-1500-690c-e32e-f7dc-ea17.res6.spectrum.com (2603:7081:4000:1500:690c:e32e:f7dc:ea17)

Joe Frey

Subject: Stage Fright NS Photo

John D,

I recently got the 2015 Capitol Vinyl Box set. I have a clean photo. In the lower right hand part of the photo it has the copyright symbol with "1970 Capitol records Bxxxxx. Not really noticeable.

I would be happy to send it to you. MY Elliott Landy MFBP photo is the only one that I have framed and I was not planning on doing anything with the NS photo from State Fright. joe

Entered at Wed Mar 10 17:01:27 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

Peter. This morning I decided to take my new Norman Seef 2021 photograph over to the guys who plaque mount my Band photos for me. This is partially my fault; but I'm still really pissed. I take the photograph off the album; which I bought separately for $33.00. It's beautiful

Then I turn it over!!! Shame, shame, shame on Capitol records. They have embedded a barcode into the picture with faint yellow album credits beside the barcode. Over a beautiful photograph and the ONLY reason I bought the vinyl. I went back to the internet and sure enough I missed it there. I checked the deluxe edition, and it is there as well. Not only that, but I still have my 50-year-old photo; though a little blurry and beat up. NO BARCODE. NO WRITING! I can still have it done; by cutting the barcode off, and then I would lose part of Garth's feet.

My fault. I was so excited to get the new Seef, I didn't see the barcode. SHAME ON SOMEBODY HERE FOR DESTROYING A BEAUTIFUL ICONIC PHOTOGRAPH LIKE THIS. Thanks for reading.

Entered at Tue Mar 9 15:00:12 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-22-76-69-73-96.dsl.bell.ca (76.69.73.96)

Bill M

Re the quality of Robbie's solo albums, I'm with you re the greatness of Native Americans - though I would put Redboy rather than Clairvoyant in the same category. The first album was/is awful, I thought; fortunately the second was and is very strong.

Entered at Tue Mar 9 06:41:10 CET 2021 from (24.114.67.202)

Kevin J

As we exit this burning bar and realizing just how sad it is that certain things will never again be made available to learn - a big thank you to Bill M for educating me and countless others on aspects of the Toronto/Hamilton and Montreal music scenes that I otherwise would never have known.......I’ve thought about you often during this covid live music shut-out and how much it must have affected your life. Almost over......so I hope you have many more years of live music enjoyment.

Recent name dropping posts reminded me of a funny cartoon in the New Yorker years ago where a forlorn looking guy was seated in a chair seemingly looking blankly out a window and it read: “While he was in Paris, Warren knew Picasso, Miro, Hemingway, Stravinsky, Cocteau, and Fitzgerald.......Nothing ever came of it”

Robbie Robertson Solo.......on Brian Sz’s observations......Just my take but I consider Robbie’s “Music for Native Americans” to be a masterpiece, Every song, every sound sounds as fresh and perfect today as it did 27 years ago.....and I feel almost the same way about “How to Become Clairvoyant”.........Straight Down the Line, The Right Mistake, When the Night Was Young, She’s Not Mine, Won’t Be Back........great songs......and anyone who doesn’t hear Richard on “She’s Not Mine” or especially “Won’t Be Back” is just not listening.

Entered at Mon Mar 8 14:57:50 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

Thank you, Bill. You're very kind. Very nice of you to say.

Entered at Mon Mar 8 03:44:03 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-22-76-69-73-96.dsl.bell.ca (76.69.73.96)

Bill M

Entered at Mon Mar 8 01:22:18 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

My very first Pye recording was a 45 that was thrown out into the crowd; during a CKLB radio remote broadcast. It was Joe Brown and A Picture of You. Of course one of my all-time favourite British bands The Searchers, recorded for Pye.

Entered at Sun Mar 7 22:44:43 CET 2021 from (2605:8d80:6c1:30af:7422:c57d:967b:b5d5)

Bill M

Entered at Sun Mar 7 17:25:46 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

On AROUND AND AROUND, I've just added Pye's prog label, Dawn, to the Pye label section. Designed as Pye's underground label, but its best-seller was Mungo Jerry and they started off Brotherhood of Man. Among that they made some prog LPs which are now eye-wateringly expensive.

Entered at Sun Mar 7 12:57:37 CET 2021 from (2600:1017:b815:137a:440f:4e8:d19a:c58e)

Jed

Entered at Sun Mar 7 12:23:18 CET 2021 from c188-148-96-55.bredband.comhem.se (188.148.96.55)

NorthWestCoaster's Dog

Subject: Precious memories, how they linger

BROWN EYED GIRL posted what gb has meant to her. Let's ask another gber about his feelings. Ladies and gentlemen, my interview with BOB DYLAN:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

BOB DYLAN: - Is it rolling, Lappy?

ME: - Yes. How did you get to guestbook?

BOB DYLAN: - I rode a freight train to look for money and love.

ME: - Oh c'mon Bob, start again!

BOB DYLAN: - Someone had told me to go there. This gb was like a subterranean tavern, liquorless, ill lit, ugly painted in dark brown. JAN HOIBERG was the Master of Ceremony and the Maestro in Charge. I asked him if I could post in gb. He answered “go to Hellsinki”. He could have been nicer.

ME: - Did you find your place among other contributors easily?

BOB DYLAN: - No. Gbers were a disjoined and awkward collection of collegiate types, suburbanites, rock journalist wannabees, female lunch-hour teachers, ventriloquists and rabbit-in-the-hat magicians and a guy wearing a turban. Nothing that would change your view of the world.

ME: - I don't understand. There were regulars like PETER V.

BOB DYLAN: - Everybody posted ten or fifteen lines. He would post for however long he felt, however long the inspiration would last. He had the flow, dressed conservatively, with an enigmatical gaze and an angry and powerful baritone voice. He was the emperor of gb. You couldn't touch him. Peter V was a man down there. Still I would not have had Jan's job for anything...

ME: -... but why, Bob, why is that?

BOB DYLAN: - ...because Jan was constantly pestered and pressured by moocher types who wanted to post one thing and another. The saddest character of all was a Finn named ILKKA. He also called himself for NORHTWESTCOASTER . I believe he was an early bird because Jan would usually let him post sometime during the morning when gb was empty. He’d spent sixteen days and nights in asylum but on the seventeeth he burst. Also burned a mattress there. Sailing on Titanic I would not have wanted to share lifeboat with that fella. SUNDOG posted in gb, too, but most of the time he played bamboo pipes and silver bells.

ME: - There has never been that many female regulars, right?

BOB DYLAN: - Tell me about it, they were mistreated by these people. Constantly. My favourite was JOAN. She is a white blues singer. Funky, lanky and sultry. I'd actually met her, run across her the previous summer outside of Reno. She has a voice like Billie Holiday's. We did a couple of country songs together in a local folk club.

ME: - Did you stay in Little Pink when NORBERT was in charge?

BOB DYLAN: - Norbert is a trip. Being ladies man and living in Andalusia in Spain he has scars on his hard bitten face after several duels.

ME: - Did you ever get to meet JAN HOIBERG?

BOB DYLAN: - No. We never talked personal at all. Hardly being polite and absolutely not friendly. I heard stuff about him, that he was an errant sailor, harboured a skiff in Norway, had hooker friends and shadowy past. Whatever it was, it wasn't a huge story. He always tried to make a place for most gbers and was as diplomatic as possible. I believe gbers sympathized with him, would likely had given him pocket change and say "Here... so you'll keep out of trouble."

ME: - Your identity is a well-kept secret in gb. Could you tell us who you are?

BOB DYLAN: - CHARLIE Y posted that I write about same issues in my “CHRONICLES” as some gbers used to do. Charlie made me nervous. He came close.

ME: - That was not an answer to my question. . .

BOB DYLAN: - For the first, I am a female poster and for the second my eyes are not blue. That is all I say.

- - - - - - - - - -

Entered at Sat Mar 6 18:11:44 CET 2021 from cpe9050cad3c1f3-cm9050cad3c1f0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.230.130.222)

brown eyed girl

Uhhhh....Previous post.....broken smile......I messed up! I also spoke with the following people in their own cities as we were not able to meet up....Serenity, Put Em Up...I know, I know....lol.....and Joan. The other person I was supposed to meet in a train station but I was upstairs and she was downstairs and.......Jenny T. I am very challenged when it comes to directions and spatial.......Calm and Critter saw this aspect of me in person as well and we'd laugh about it over and over again.......Of course there are others I would have liked to have met but it wasn't in the cards......

Cover Classics: The Band’s ‘Moondog Matinee’
Cover Classics, Feature

Special thanks to PAT B who via email showed me that you can appreciate a musician's career but not their work....stay calm before you post....and less words.....Still working on that one! I still from time to time dream that I'm in Chicago and just come up to you while you're on break as I did with Hank and say, "Hi. I'm brown eyed girl." Well.....two decades is a long time here......The Band Guest Book was really a community.....a Bar.....group therapy.......comforting station.....refuge...anything else?

Entered at Sat Mar 6 16:19:38 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:f547:8ea0:6a4c:5ef8)

brown eyed girl

Awwww.......Gary Louris and Mark Olson - Turn Your Pretty Name Around (Live for 89.3 The Current)

Entered at Sat Mar 6 16:06:53 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:f547:8ea0:6a4c:5ef8)

brown eyed girl

I've been sorting my The Band memorabilia this morning and found my The Band button. The other two buttons were given to Peter V and Northern Boy. Here are The Band posters who I met along the way over two decades. Some I met once and some many times. JM has only met two of them and Mr. Maximus has met one and was with me many times to various The Band related gigs......Calm with Critter and two grandkidzzz, John D with A a couple of times and one time with son, Coby with friend, Jerry T, Bill M with sister-in-law, Bonk with friends, Northern Boy and Northern Girl, Pretty Little Girl via Greece, England and TO, Blind Willie McTell with brother, Wittgenstein, Hank from Cork, Crab, Jon L, Butch, Donna H, Ralph....Robbie, Garth, Maude, Jan Haust, Amy Helm in New Joisey, Jim Weider in NYC, Bill Avis in Cobourg, Ontario....Conversations with Paul Godfrey, Ray M, Cupid, Rollie, Norbert, Amanda, Ed V......Others I have exchanged real cards, CDs, gifts. David P was going to send me Carny but he must have been ill at the time so Peter V stepped in. PETER V is one of the most generous people here who has shared so much info and passion and music with many of us. If I make it back to England you know that I will contact you as I also correspond with K from time to time. Remember the days when many of us were emailing all the time? As Robbie said, it wasn't always about being on stage or posting in the Guest Book. Thank you to all! I will continue to post about The Band until our time here is frozen......but you know I have to share about other artists....Hope it's all good. :-D

Entered at Sat Mar 6 15:05:55 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:5073:746e:ed91:5112)

brown eyed girl

Gabrielle Bossy
Nov 8, 2020

An Ontario Road Trip Inspired by the Band: Part 2, Toronto
Nov 9, 2020

Entered at Sat Mar 6 15:01:25 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:5073:746e:ed91:5112)

brown eyed girl

Gabrielle Bossy
Nov 8, 2020
An Ontario Road Trip Inspired by The Band: Part 1 and Part 2

Stop 2: Long & McQuade, The Former Concord Tavern
Address: 925 Bloor St. W. Toronto

"This is a great stop for music lovers! While Once home of the infamous Concord Tavern, another early Toronto venue for Ronnie & The Hawks, today 925 Bloor St. W. hosts a large Long & McQuade music store. Pop in and check out the instruments, housed in the iconic venue that opened in 1948 and managed to hang tight until 1983. Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks played 2-week long residencies here in November of 1961 and 2 more in August and September of ‘64 at their popular Twist and Dance Nights. "

Entered at Sat Mar 6 14:36:14 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sat Mar 6 10:29:28 CET 2021 from 115-189-87-173.mobile.spark.co.nz (115.189.87.173)

Rod

Works is a interesting one. Maybe it got plundered over the years. I did read that the line lay a flower in the snow was from that. As was the 2 piano song

Entered at Sat Mar 6 10:17:06 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

We were watching Paul Simon’s Concert in Hyde Park last night. That band sets up such an infectious vibe, and you get 100,000 people singing the chorus to The Boxer. We were inspired by Norm linking Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes on Facebook, and dug out the DVD. There’s a lot on YouTube too. It set me thinking about popularity, having seen Paul in Hyde Park twice. You know Dylan has never had 100,000 dancing on the spot and singing along like that. The vibe is incredible, mainly because the band is SO good. And on song after song, his craftsmanship and quality control shows.

Entered at Fri Mar 5 21:44:45 CET 2021 from (2600:387:4:802::7d)

JQ

Although I understand that folks will sometimes relegate this LP to a lower rank in their catalog and I get that aspect and that it was likely easy pickings for them. But I’m with John D that it’s a great record that I’m so glad they made and I’ve never stopped playing it. I feel they brought something new to those classic songs with the arrangements and particularly the vocals being strictly being top notch!

Entered at Fri Mar 5 19:15:24 CET 2021 from nat01.medtronic.com (144.15.255.227)

Brien Sz

Subject: Slow writing

Maybe RR became a slow writer. The evidence shows he had no problems with writing up through Cahoots. But after that it seems the writing slowed a bit. Maybe it was partially because Cahoots was so weak and RR decided that he needed more time to develop ideas... just guessing. Moondog seems like filler until he could come up with something better than the material on Cahoots. The other guys were struggling with their demons and none of them were songsmiths - RR was carrying the load when it came to material after the first two records (though he seemingly wrote most of that). What constitutes songwriting is of course up for debate but you can find evidence due to the lack of it found on solo albums and later Band albums. From Cahoots to NLSC is four years, which in the 70s was an eternity. And we all know Islands was a contractual obligation of mostly weak material.

Even RRs output is dodgy. His first two solo records, for me, are brilliant. The Native American themed records have some great moments but there are some dirges in there as well. I still throw Reb Boy on in the car from time to time. Haven't listened to Music for NA in ages. Then it's a dozen years then eight for the next two, which I also think have moments but overall are average. I know RR is busy but I also think the creative output waned. Whatever the reasoning, it's still a helluva a catalogue to have on the resume. There are really only a handful of artists that can consistently produce great stuff. At some point, the well runs low, drys up or just doesn't have the same kick or enthusiasm it once did. Just my thoughts.

Entered at Fri Mar 5 17:10:43 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-9.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.9)

Bill M

Entered at Fri Mar 5 17:08:42 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-9.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.9)

Bill M

Entered at Fri Mar 5 12:37:37 CET 2021 from c188-148-96-55.bredband.comhem.se (188.148.96.55)

NorthWestCoaster's Dog

Subject: This site in the history of internet

When internet archeologists find this site (and especially Guestbook) they will probably concentrate on following aspects:

1. The code of this site is hacked by hand. (Or it must have been manually hacked in the beginning.)

2. It has minimum of JavaScript, if not any. Despite of this - or maybe just because of this - it works.

3. The internet begann in academic institutions and this site is situated in university college.

4. The maintainer of the site is a real person. You are able to contact him. I could bite him in six hours time if needed. I can't do it with Google/Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

5. Discussion could be held outside so called "Big Data" without faceless censorship.

6. The site runs under open-source software (Linux).

7. Even dogs could post (but sometimes censored, though.)

Entered at Fri Mar 5 06:14:45 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:3402:7ea:2098:ed4f)

brown eyed girl

Subject: Encore RICHARD MANUEL 💕💕 Stratford Exhibit

Entered at Fri Mar 5 05:51:08 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:3402:7ea:2098:ed4f)

brown eyed girl

Subject: RICHARD MANUEL'S BIRTHDAY

Richard Manuel's BIRTHDAY 💕

Influential

Charismatic

Highly influential in the music community

A sensitive soul who sometimes felt too much

Revol member from Stratford, Ontario

Deserves to be honoured and cherished

Entered at Fri Mar 5 03:57:45 CET 2021 from (2601:602:8501:7350:1df7:57c4:afa3:f64f)

cp-in-seattle

Subject: Missing Richard

Listening to all the songs Richard sang lead to honour him today Mar 4.

Entered at Fri Mar 5 02:42:11 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

You mentioned earlier that you believe that Robbie Robertson and Paul Simon are what you call slow writers. Here's my question. I always loved Moondog Matinee; but do you think that re-recording those classic hits was a way o filling a commitment to Capitol between Band albums with songs written by Robbie? Giving him more time to write. I remember some of my Band fan friends felt that way about Moondog, as much as they loved the album; at the time.

Entered at Thu Mar 4 16:25:38 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:1071:b040:bebf:3fb9)

brown eyed girl

There's always just one more.....well.....most of the time. Here's the musician GARY LOURIS fell in love with from Toronto.....MICHELLE McADOREY from CRASH VEGAS. The bass player is the sister of Daniel Lanois...JOCELYNE LANOIS.

Entered at Thu Mar 4 15:53:35 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:1071:b040:bebf:3fb9)

brown eyed girl

Subject: TWO HEARTS...THE JAYHAWKS

Two Hearts
Over My Shoulder
Bad Time
Ann Jane
Bottomless Cup
Gonna Be A Darkness
Quiet Corners and Empty Spaces
Angelyne(Angeline)
One Man's Problem
Blue
Better Days

Well, the love you need
I don't expect you to let me see
You held your grace
It's just two hearts that make us pay
Two hearts that make us pay

You appear so strong
Only faith could lead us home
Alright, okay
It's just two hearts that make us pay
Two hearts that make us pay
Oh, two hearts that make us pay

Entered at Thu Mar 4 15:14:56 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

I have always loved the Jayhawks.

Entered at Thu Mar 4 15:11:56 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:1071:b040:bebf:3fb9)

brown eyed girl

Subject: Better Days

Made love in the Toronto rain
(I've seen better days)
From Hamilton I look the train
(I've seen better days)
What you regret, you softly said are things you never do
I regret I didn't turn
And run back home to you

Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Lay me down, down, down
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Better days, better days

GARY LOURIS of THE JAYHAWKS...Preferred electric guitar whereas MARK OLSON preferred acoustic guitar and country/folk influences. Louris could have attended any Ivy League school. He has a BA in architecture but followed his musical passions. I love his voice, glasses, 6'2'' frame, his candid sharing of his feelings and his struggles with anxiety and depression and that he now has a podcast with his son Henry. Thank you! Better Days...THE JAYHAWKS

Songfacts: "So tell me about writing that song. Do you remember what inspired it?

Louris: Yes. It was a woman named MICHELLE McADOREY. She was in a band called CRASH VEGAS. (She is the woman in Blue Rodeo's video, "Try".) We totally fell head over heels for each other in a very short amount of time, and then somehow it didn't work. She was in Toronto while I was in Minneapolis, and I was married. It was one of those things.

It was my ode to her. And I still love her. I haven't seen her in so long. But it was one of those songs of regret: I could have done that... if I would have done that... if I could have done this.

So to me that's a Canadian song. That's a song about my time, Toronto, Hamilton, wherever we were where we fell in love and then it ended. It ended quickly and it was like one of those "what could have been" songs. So it's a song of regret, really. And it's an ode to Michelle, and I love her dearly, and I haven't talked to her since I wrote that song. But it's a pretty heavy, heavy lyric as far as my memories of her apartment. That was an innocent little time we had together, but it was a beautiful time."

Entered at Thu Mar 4 14:20:25 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-9.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.9)

Bill M

Subject: RIP Chris Barber

Sorry to hear about the passing of British jazz-skiffle bandleader Chris Barber. The striking cover of the Chris Barber Jazz Band's "Petite Fleur" stands behind me in a frame in my 'home office' (aka spare bedroom). There's a full obit in "The Guardian", to which a Canadian publication added the following paragraph:

"In 2006, with two packed-house nights at Hugh's Room in Toronto, Barber was the special guest with Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards. Those shows were were recorded and released on a Stony Plain Records album, It's Tight Like That."

So both Garth Hudson and Chris Barber gigged at least once with Jeff Healey.

The link above is to an interesting article about his early work in support of Alexis Korner and British blues - and the crucial influence on the Rolling Stones.

Even without Korner and blues, Barber's skiffle band fronted by Lonnie Donnegan, along with their main rivals, the Vipers, were of monumental importance to British rock and roll - and thus all of our rock and roll.

Entered at Wed Mar 3 16:26:21 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Catch-A-Fire is one of the 10 LPs I'd rescue in a house fire or flood!

No Woman No Cry from Live at The Lyceum is one of the very best live recordings ever- up there with Dixie from TLW. (They're probably the top two)

Entered at Wed Mar 3 14:35:06 CET 2021 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Moondog Matinee

More than 20 years ago, I did a long article on The Band's Moondog Matinee for this site. I looked at it recently and realized how much information had appeared in the years since, so I've done a total revision on AROUND AND AROUND, and one with much more illustration.

Entered at Wed Mar 3 07:28:02 CET 2021 from (2601:183:867f:290:556f:9fc2:ac2d:c8c1)

Todd

Subject: The Jayhawks

R.I.P. Bunny Wailer. Definitely one of the three legs of the tripod that made up the early Wailers.

I think Levon Helm was a fan of the Jayhawk's 'Hollywood Town Hall' album back in the 90's and it might have been on the strength of his endorsement, that I picked up the album. Enjoyed it at the time, but haven't played it in years, so will give it a spin tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder BEG.

Entered at Wed Mar 3 06:21:36 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:4597:c99c:b8c9:ff54)

brown eyed girl

Subject: The Jayhawks

I've been listening to The Jayhawks lately. Apparently they were named in honour of LEVON and THE HAWKS ....and/or......"The name "Jayhawks" comes from the Kansas Jayhawker freedom fighter and anti-slavery movement during the Bleeding Kansas era of the American Civil War." I have two of their CDS and never thought about it as the bands that have been a part of my life the most......I value the groups and musicians for being themselves during a time and place which can never be repeated. They live on because we have their music. Richard Manuel was the only one.....who I was not able to see perform.

Mark Olson in one interview said they listened to THE BAND, JONI MITCHELL and NEIL YOUNG. He was sooooo impressed with the writing....especially TNTDODD.

Entered at Wed Mar 3 05:46:06 CET 2021 from (2607:fea8:620:880:4597:c99c:b8c9:ff54)

brown eyed girl

BUNNY WAILER, a founding member of The Wailers alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, died Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021, at the age of 73.

I exposed the kidzzzz to REGGAE FOR KIDS.

1. PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON - Gregory Isaacs
2. SOMWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW - J.C. Lodge
3. SAFARI - Eek-A-Mouse
4. THIS OLD MAN - Yellowman
5. REGGAE ROCK - Michigan & Smiley
6. BLACK & WHITE - Freddie McGregor
7. PEACE AND LOVE - Peter Broggs
8. THREE LITTLE BIRDS - Freddie McGregor
9. JAMAICA, JAMAICA - Brigadier Jerry
10. SWING LOW, SWOOT CHARIOT - Charlie Chaplin
11. BACK TO SCHOOL - BUNNY WAILER
12. TIME TO THINK - Black Sheep
13. JOY TO THE WORLD - Root Radics

Entered at Tue Mar 2 18:53:09 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-9.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.9)

Bill M

Subject: same Bandish musicians but with John Cale singing

Cale, Szelest, Konikoff and Corallo - song from "Vintage Violence".

Entered at Tue Mar 2 18:26:22 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-19-76-64-14-9.dsl.bell.ca (76.64.14.9)

Bill M

Subject: Bandish music from Garland Jeffries (with Konikoff and Szelest) 1970

Most of the Grinder's Switch album comes from this sort of place - Garland Jeffries, Stan Szelest, Sandy Konikoff and Ernie Corallo in 1970.

Entered at Mon Mar 1 19:15:24 CET 2021 from 107-209-13-89.lightspeed.dybhfl.sbcglobal.net (107.209.13.89)

Dan

Subject: Stage Fright and Thank You Jan

Thank you Jan for your labor of love in developing and maintaining this site. A well-deserved rest. I really enjoy Stage Fright 50th. I even sent a copy to my cousin who I discovered had his main detective in his novel listening to the Last Waltz. I can listen to the Calgary Hotel run throughs of Get Up Jake and WS Walcott all day. It's a line back to that Basement Tapes feel, the comradery of playing songs togther, perhaps waiting for Garth to paint the skies but not fill up the space and for Levon to add his persona, drums, vocals and talent. Thank G-d for these tapes and for Garth capturing the Basement and John Simon capturing Big Pink and the Brown Album. I imagine that the reviews of Stage Fright would have been markedly different had the album been issued in this order. An upbeat Walcott opener followed by a number of classics would have eliminated the "dark" reviews I believe mentioned by Chris Morris in the first reissue. This order is how we used to "dub" albums as kids - put the best first. In any event, if Stage Fright had inserted a few cover like MFBP or added Get Up Jake or Bessie Smith... Finally, the live disc is great, at top of game when the Band could tour on the current classic. NSLC had some of that but the 5 equal cylinders no more. Rod, I'd go with Between Trains or take different songs from DFA, RCO All Stars and Robbie's Second Album (which had a good amount of Garth). I saw them once reformed do When I Get My Rewards and that's that.

Entered at Mon Mar 1 17:09:44 CET 2021 from bras-base-toroon0812w-grc-30-69-159-81-181.dsl.bell.ca (69.159.81.181)

Bill M

Subject: Matchedash Parish - the spirit of the Band lives on ...

Am listening to this album now. Hopefully these people are still ready, willing and able to bounce back into action when the pandemic has abated.

Entered at Mon Mar 1 02:27:25 CET 2021 from cpef81d0f88efd3-cmf81d0f88efd0.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com (99.227.162.85)

John D

Just Garth.

[See the guestbook archive for more]