one of my favorite musicians of all time. i'm really sad at the moment.
the band doing buddy holly's "slippin' and slidin'" on festival express, goddamn levon what a great drummer and singer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZu6NucfLHM&feature=related
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 17 April 2012 21:42 (twelve years ago) link
xp i don't know, generally my favorite singer in the Band is whoever's singing at the time. they're all so amazing. but yeah, such a wealth of talent there.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 21:43 (twelve years ago) link
^^i mean the drumming on that is SO GOOD
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 17 April 2012 21:43 (twelve years ago) link
yeah, i mean the dude is a serious compendium of key american drumming styles -- new orleans, rockabilly, country, soul, blues, he covers it all.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 21:45 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFgyD3Uk1JQ&feature=related
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 21:46 (twelve years ago) link
also for some reason i always find it way more impressive when awesome drummers can sing at the same time than when ppl that play other instruments sing at the same time, though i guess i don't know why i think that's different
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 17 April 2012 21:51 (twelve years ago) link
damn :(
surprised he's made it this long, but still v sad news.
― it's smdh time in America (will), Tuesday, 17 April 2012 21:59 (twelve years ago) link
With Helm, it's the way the his voice is simply not effected by what his left hand is doing -- he'd smack the back beat HARD and just behind the beat enough, but he could still sing in a different, straighter style right on top of it when he wanted to. That's impressive.
― Three Word Username, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:00 (twelve years ago) link
not an expert on his solo album, but I've got this one, it's a good bbq recordhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_95DOmt9Bc&feature=related
― tylerw, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:02 (twelve years ago) link
levon had a great laugh too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgVxszM42DI&feature=relatedcheck about 1:25
― tylerw, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:10 (twelve years ago) link
the greatest drummer w/ the greatest group
― Ward Fowler, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:10 (twelve years ago) link
a sweet bonus track from one of those reissues a few years back. beautifully vulnerable vocalhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymLzaDFPPs
― tylerw, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:42 (twelve years ago) link
this is also goodhttp://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lquomjz4jV1qzy30io1_500.jpg
― tylerw, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:45 (twelve years ago) link
willing to bet that levon was the better ping pong player.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:48 (twelve years ago) link
the band doing buddy holly's "slippin' and slidin'" on festival express,
― i just believe in memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:50 (twelve years ago) link
oh yeah oops sry lil rich my bad, i only know buddy's version
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 17 April 2012 22:54 (twelve years ago) link
Their cover of "Don't Do It" features all time drumming.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 17 April 2012 23:26 (twelve years ago) link
super sad. one of my fave musicians in the world. :'(
― caulk the wagon and float it, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 00:31 (twelve years ago) link
What other people said above -- he's totally classic as both a drummer and a singer, but as a drummer-singer I think he's pretty much #1 all time. And (the key here is) the reason he's a great drummer-singer is that his singing and his drumming grow out of the same impulse -- for want of a better word, soul. They're different expressions of the same feeling.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 02:49 (twelve years ago) link
This hasn't fully sunk in yet. In addition to all the other things that make Levon great is the fact that he is the kind of guy who says things like "Muddy Waters, the king of country music."
― i just believe in memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 02:52 (twelve years ago) link
also far and away the most likable member of The Band (Of Weirdo Drug-Addicts/Mad Genius Recluses/Domineering Frontmen)
― caulk the wagon and float it, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 03:11 (twelve years ago) link
robertson: Last week I was shocked and so saddened to hear that my old band mate, Levon, was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. It hit me really hard because I thought he had beaten throat cancer and had no idea that he was this ill. I spoke with his family and made arrangements to go and see him.
On Sunday I went to New York and visited him in the hospital. I sat with Levon for a good while, and thought of the incredible and beautiful times we had together. It was heartwarming to be greeted by his lovely daughter Amy, whom I have known since she was born. Amy’s mother, Libby Titus, and her husband, Donald Fagen, were so kind to help walk me through this terrible time of sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandy.
Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I’ve ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever.
-Robbie Robertson
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:21 (twelve years ago) link
oh and I just posted this little collection of Levon & The Hawks recordings, 1961-65 http://doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/post/21327965061/what-a-party-like-so-many-others-my-thoughtsgreat stuff.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:22 (twelve years ago) link
Levon Helm's son-in-law is Donald Fagen?
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:23 (twelve years ago) link
Or wait, Donald Fagen is married to Helm's ex-wife?
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
― caulk the wagon and float it, Tuesday, April 17, 2012 10:11 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i dunno garth hudson is p loveable too imo
danko and manuel you kind of want to adopt and take care of
robbie isn't likeable though
his "fake singing into the microphone during choruses as if my voice doesn't totally blow goats and i'm not in a band with three amazing vocalists" is the most annoying stage mannerism of all time
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
fagen's his ex-wife's new husband, yeah, i think. xp
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:25 (twelve years ago) link
At any rate, I'm surprised Robertson didn't try to say that he was the one suffering from throat cancer.
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:25 (twelve years ago) link
everybody except robbie is pretty lovable, i think. i saw garth hudson play a couple times when i was in college and it was a fun time. just him doodling around on old standards and then hey how about a sax solo.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:26 (twelve years ago) link
― pplains, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 11:24 AM (18 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
checked wiki, and yeah not his ex wife but they had a relationship and daughter together (amy) and then she married fagen in the 90s
that's crazy
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:28 (twelve years ago) link
"Hear Alexis P. Suter sing this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3qu0xNRaI4 ... I am too sad for words right now. Please continue praying for Levon and family." - Garth
― Three Word Username, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:29 (twelve years ago) link
tyler, i think my opinion of robbie is most based off of his camera hogging interview segments during the last waltz, he's such a douche in that
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:29 (twelve years ago) link
Saw him in Winnipeg in 2010 and optimistically thought/hoped he was beating the cancer. I always love drummers who set up side-stage at an angle. Great show, not great video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM3a8B4edBA&feature=related
― Advanced Uncle Meat recovery system (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:30 (twelve years ago) link
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ATAexrDtFes/TNlKJ5fsX9I/AAAAAAAACtk/lCU6l4bzwnQ/s1600/20101109_LibbyTitus.JPGhere's libby titus, she's got a couple cool records.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:30 (twelve years ago) link
and yeah, my opinion of robbie as a lame-o just comes from the Last Waltz too. whatever, dude is one of my top 5 guitarists and an amazing songwriter. he can be a lame-o if he wants to be!
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:31 (twelve years ago) link
Picturing Fagen sitting alone in the waiting room with daytime television on. Robertson gets off the elevator.
"Yeah, they're all in there. He just woke up a little awhile ago."
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:31 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgVxszM42DI
Kind of a "Saturday Night" pink.
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 16:38 (twelve years ago) link
Think there is another thread where some of us watched his instructional video which was kind of fun
― i just believe in memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 17:39 (twelve years ago) link
I saw the post-Robertson version of The Band live in June '84 ... opening for R.E.M.!
― World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 17:47 (twelve years ago) link
ha, weird! i guess garth hudson was practically a member of the Call for a bit in the early 80s. i know some friends who saw the post-Robertson Band and said they were still great. Jericho from the early 90s has some good stuff on it -- a great "Blind Willie McTell" (which I think Dylan called definitive) and "Atlantic City."
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 17:50 (twelve years ago) link
hey Robbie haters can we maybe dial it back during this time? Robbie-hating is a fucking disease. I mean sure he's an asshole but among Band fans it's like "hey what'd you have for lunch?" "just some potato salad, I wasn't too hungry. FUCK ROBBIE ROBERTSON"
― same old song and placenta (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:05 (twelve years ago) link
Robbie was mouthing that post as you wrote it, Steve.
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:06 (twelve years ago) link
I lol'd
― same old song and placenta (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:07 (twelve years ago) link
oh like i said, i don't hate robbie at all, he's a huge part of some of my favorite music ever. i'm sure all the Band were jerks in their own special way -- they were rock stars in the 70s! it was their right and privilege.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:08 (twelve years ago) link
I'm glad everyone is making their peace in these final days and whatever good that comes out it can only be beneficial.
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:09 (twelve years ago) link
― Mississippi Butt Hurt (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, April 17, 2012 5:51 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
it totally is imo, just because you use so much more of your body and especially upper body playing a drum set than most other instruments, also requires i think a little more breath control or consciousness of moving around or away from the mic.
― some former lust object you've shamefully forgotten (some dude), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:11 (twelve years ago) link
hey those songs had to come from somewhere, so no prob w/ Rob. but i can imagine being in a Band with him could be unbearable
― it's smdh time in America (will), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:12 (twelve years ago) link
According to Helm in his autobio, many of the songs that came from "somewhere" were co-written by other Band members, while being solely credited to Robertson.
― Waterloo? Oh, we've sunsetted that. (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:16 (twelve years ago) link
Singing drummers: I've seen gorillas ride bicycles, but it still seems like it shouldn't be possible.
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:17 (twelve years ago) link
I wasn't able to see Helm at the Old Town School here a few weeks back, but he was joined by Fagen there, too. Apparently they're neighbors in Woodstock and good friends, which would explain why someone like Levon, who was having trouble singing, would tap Donald as his unlikely ringer.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:40 (twelve years ago) link