The Band.

this is otm -- for being known as such a "down-home, authentic, straightahead" their songs are hard as fuck to play. i mean, there's straight up rockabilly, but also new orleans + appalachian + country rhythms going on, sometimes all in the same song.

― tylerw, Thursday, April 29, 2010 2:57 PM (57 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

garth hudson was classically trained and i really think some of his modern classical influences are apparent as well, esp in stuff like the genetic method, but little bits of a lot of songs i can hear stuff like ives and copeland etc

there was also this poll: The Band poll

how funny, i thought this was a new thread...

http://i50.tinypic.com/2eam8n4.gif
hey check out the maine's new shirt at hot topic today ! :D
http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Apparel/TShirts/BandTees/The-Maine-Target-SlimFit-TShirt-972970.jsp

what a rag mama rag

king spam (has surely come)

D:

has anyone explored band members' post-Band solo stuff? or want to rep for the post-Robertson era records? I've only heard bits and pieces. Danko's first record has some gems. And I know I've heard a couple Levon Helm records. Never pulled the trigger on any of Garth Hudson's recent solo things. every robbie robertson record i've heard has been terrible.

I've long been intrigued by Robbie's solo records based on the glowing reviews in the 1990-era Rolling Stone review guide, but never enough to buy them (I've never even seen them in a store). I guess they're not great? Aren't they Lanois productions? I guess I know what I'd be in for. Does Robbie actually sing?

yeah they are the kind of records that rolling stone would give a good review to

they are very lanois

robbie cannot sing for shit

yeah, he's not a great singer. and the songs are pretty weak too, at least on the s/t record. lanois production is just the icing on the crap.

the bono duet is pretty lol

http://archive.gg.ca/media/pho/galleryPics/1340.jpg

is that a recent pic? if so, robbie has actually aged pretty well!
seems funny to me: he's a fucking unbelievable guitarist (listen to Live 1966!) but i wonder if he even touches his guitar anymore. doesn't seem like he guests on other people's records or anything.

i like the story about robbie joining the hawks, and the departing guitarist teaching him the wrong way to play harmonics or whatever out of spite. ends up backfiring, becoming an awesome robertson "trademark" or whatever.

i'm talking about those "popping" sounds, (like in the solo of "king harvest" on rock of ages)

from 2006; he looks pretty straight!

never forget:

I mean, years on the road.
The numbers start to scare you.

I couldn't live with years on the road.

I don't think I could even discuss it.

listening to Moondog Matinee, pretty tight record! seems like no one gives it the time of day, since it's covers, but it is a lot of fun. not as straightforward as it might seem on the surface (is that a vocoder on helm's voice on "ain't got no home"?!) "Share Your Love" has a pretty classic Manuel vocal. anyhoo, if you see it for a buck on vinyl, totally worth it.

also, this "mystery train" is as close to cosmic disco as the Band ever got. there should be a 12-minute Tom Moulton remix. Someone make it happen.

Band fans should really seek out the s/t LP by Bobby Charles. Garth Hudson, Levon Helm, Dr. John, I think Danko too? and Richard Manuel? Great record, imo.

http://theheatwarps.blogspot.com/2008/02/bobby-charles.html

yeah, that's a classic from start to finish.

yes on Bobby Charles---"Tennessee Blues" is a stone cold classic for sure. His album Wish You Were Here Right Now is pretty great too, with a smoking "The Jealous Kind" (which he wrote, despite the Joe Cocker version being the famous one) & with Neil Young guesting.

It's funny that I only know four songs off Moondog Matinee, off the box set A Musical History, &you mentioned three of them, Tyler. I like that "Mystery Train"!

yeah, that mystery train is great! some kinda sun records gone disco thing.

fucking the best

yes!

totally regret never going to see Rick Danko in the late 90s -- he played a bunch in upstate NY in random places. could never convince anyone at school with a car to drive me. curses!

aw man. RIP, rick.

say whaaaa http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/robert-pattinson-says-hell-be-starring-in-a-movie-about-seminal-rockers-the-band-20120524
Pattinson also dropped this little bit of info: "I'm going to do a movie about The Band, the one that played with [Bob] Dylan. [It's] a beautiful script about the nature of songwriting."
in other news, the classic albums doc about the making of The Band is on netflix streaming now. Watched it last night, recommended, if only for the scenes of Levon at the mixing desk.

Making Of seconded, for same reason

Thirded. Also love John Simon's perspective on Band arrangements as analogous to those of the Ellington orchestra.

yeah, simon seems to be a big part of the band saga -- i think he actually asked them if he could be a member at some point and they turned him down!

RR told him "we already have two piano players"! Also never paid him any producer royalties until JS held him up when they asked him to do The Last Waltz. At which point RR's accountants wrote him a lump sum check and told him they would give it to him if he agreed never to ask for any more ever.

ha, that blows. i guess he and levon had some commiserating to do when they filmed the doc, then.

A decent part of Levon's book is "Let's let John Simon tell you how it was."

I would watch a biopic about The Band, even with Robert Pattinson. It sort of makes sense, his girlfriend was in a Runaways Biopic.

Finally watching that VH1 Classic Albums making of --- Levon at the desk is awesome, where he's just laughing and air drumming along with Danko on Rag Mama Rag is just pure joy to watch

I am trying not to get super sad that so many of them have passed now but the music makes me so happy it balances out :)

Yeah, that's a great one. Love when Garth Hudson is playing and says, "Ooh, how's he gonna get out of this one?" and smiles knowingly after executing some crazy-ass turnaround.

There was a VHS doc back in the late 80s/early 90s, when the Band were still active, has lots of great, charming Levon moments.

love how they talk about recording in sammis' house in LA

via Scott Seward: http://music.yahoo.com/news/garth-hudsons-belongings-sold-off-garage-sale-152544389-rolling-stone.html

eek what a weird story. i saw a post about it on facebook and didn't realy understand what was happening.

among the goodies are uncashed checks, including one issued from EMI in 1979 for $26,000

dude!

lol, right? that would've solved half of the problem there...

"i don't go to the bank for less than $30,000"

mentioned this on the reissue thread but this band-related stuff seems cool

http://therisingstorm.net/borderline-sweet-dreams-quiet-desires/

nice, hadn't heard that before. sounds excellent.

Of course there is no download available to purchase, just in time for my no more CDs edict.

i hear CDs are totally coming back #RememberCDs

Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson both grace this class act recording credited respectively as “Dick Handle” and “Campo Malaqua"

Perhaps he misplaced the check and then had them issue another.