The Band

[DMann2003 0]

I recently bought The Band's first two albums, Music From Big Pink and The Band, and I had already been familiar with a few of their songs but, wow, this is some of the most stripped, laid back beautiful music I have heard is so long. Maybe it's just current music (certainly popular) doesn't attempt the arrangement or inner reflection these songs have. When I'm listening to it, I get a sense of a group playing in the moment, letting the song guide them vocally, lyrically and musically.

 

I'm sure there are others here who have great appreciation for their work and feel free to discuss their work. And if you haven't discovered them yet, do yourself a favor and give them a chance.

Edited January 4, 2006 by DMann2003

[snuffbox 0]

Im a fan. 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' is one of the best American folk songs ever.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

"The Weight" gets stuck in my head at least a couple of times a month.

[Annabelle 0]

stage fright is almost, maybe even equal, to THE band's first two albums. they were great, though. they kidna lost their magic towards the end. but even that wasn't half bad, considering they had three of the greatest vocalists & one of the tightest rhythem section of all time. every piece of the group made sense. they had the chops to pull off whatever they wanted. it seemed to come so easily, although their mid 70's output kinda proves to the contrary. they were sorta responsible for dylan's finest musical contributions as well. no one sounded like them at the time, nor has anyone ever really sounded like them since. can't really go wrong with the band. not at all, i reckon.

 

just listen to their harmonizing on the aforementioned THE weight. i mean, c'mon, its beautiful.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Richard Manuel is my least favorite vocalist of the three, yet he usually got the most mic time. I do like him, but a little of his tenor goes a long way. That's just me, I guess.

[Annabelle 0]

manuel was the most versatile. i agree his tenor reached ear piercing levels at times. my favorite, by a long shot, has always been rick danko. his voice has a lonesome quality that only some of the old country greats used to have. a very emotional voice. levon's was great because of the thick southern accent. it was almost syrupy over the rest of the music. honestly, manual is probably my least fav, too.

[DMann2003 0]

What I loved about their harmonies is that, to me, they're not going for that perfect unison ala CSN&Y, one or the another might be a half a step behind, as if they just decided on the spot "hey let me join in and sing too", it lends to their of-the-moment quality I enjoy- I intend to pick up Stage Fright sometime soon.

[Henry Spencer 0]

Music From Big Pink is still the only one I've heard in full, and I like it just fine, but I'm not crazy about it.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I like The Band; The Band is very good. That's really all I have to say about them. It's nothing that changed my life, but still good stuff.

[DCMaximo 0]

I bought "Music From The Big Pink" after reading Griel Marcus' "Mystery Train" and I love it, one of those albums I listen to last thing at night, in the dark.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I like their work with Dylan, of course dig "The Weight" (are there people who don't?) and, inspired by this thread, picked up a used copy of the Music From Big Pink remaster today. Really good. I could see myself loving them a few albums down the road.

[DMann2003 0]

I'm glad to know I got someone else to pick up an album of their's through this thread. Tears of Rage is such a haunting beautiful song and Richard Manuel hands down might have the most aching vocals ever commited to record.

[snuffbox 0]

I would like to add that I saw some of an Allman Bros concert last summer and after hearing 'Midnight Rider' I started walking away to find my friends that had wandered away after gobbling some acid. The next thing I heard was 'Virgil Cain is the name and I served on the Danville train'...I immediately swiveled back to watch their awesome Band cover and then went to check the buds.

[DMann2003 0]

Man Greg Allman's probably the only other guy who could do that song justice

[Annabelle 0]

Man Greg Allman's probably the only other guy who could do that song justice

 

nope. only levon. better leave it as such too.

[snuffbox 0]

Man Greg Allman's probably the only other guy who could do that song justice

 

nope. only levon. better leave it as such too.

 

Sorry, bud, it was a good cover. Remember, Greg Allman is from the South as well so he can convery that kind of emotion like Levon could. Im not saying it was better, it wasnt...but it was a very good cover.

 

The Grateful Dead are also on record doing a much lesser cover.

[Annabelle 0]

just because he was from the south, he could sing at as good as levon? is that the ONLY reason?

[snuffbox 0]

Again, he didnt sing it as good or any better...but it was a very good cover. Matching Levon is impossible but some artists can do an admirable cover nonetheless. Greg Allman is one of the few.

 

Example - I like Natalie Merchant's cover of Jeff Buckley's 'Last Goodbye'. Is it as good or better? No. Is it still good/enjoyable? Yes.

[DMann2003 0]

I figure the next two albums of their's I'll get will be Stage Fright and Northern Lights, Southern Cross, as the concensous seems to be those are the next strongest works.

[ZGangsta 0]

just because he was from the south, he could sing at as good as levon? is that the ONLY reason?

And besides weren't four of the five members of The Band Canadian?

 

Anyways, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is easily one of my favorite songs of all time.

[snuffbox 0]

Yes, I think Levon was the only American member. But he sang lead on 'Dixie' and also helped Robertson write some of the lyrics as he had an obviously better understanding of the American South.

 

DMann - Have you seen the Last Waltz?

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

The Last Waltz is interesting, but it's too much of a Robbie Robertson strokefest.

[DMann2003 0]

Yeah I own the DVD, wish it had more of the Band though, sorta turns into a show for the guest acts (which I guess is its selling point)- I'm just so into the Band music right now I wanted to see them performing more of their tunes- I guess that's what Rock of Ages is for.

[Annabelle 0]

the band in general is a robbie robertson stroke fest. only casual fans are foolish enough to believe robertson's own hype. anyone who knows anything realises that their legacy has sorta been tarnished by robertsons self congratulatory reminisance of the band's glory years. levon still sings monthly with a hole in his throat while robertson hangs out in hollywood, soaking his body in bronzing tanning lotion, & telling anyone who cares funny antectotes about his influence on rock music. what does he care that richard manual hung himself. or that rick danko died a broke 350 lb beast? he didn't. rolling stone magazine & every other media outlet helps him forget about his fallen comrades. its sad, really. how the band broke down & died. the last waltz amplified how totally screwed up all of them, sans hudson, trully were. the music was great...for about 3 years.

 

southern cross - northern lights is okay. it lacks the magic from big pink. its very electronic & unfaithful to the sound that made them so great. but it has it makes no difference - the greatest vocal from a band song.

 

and am i the only one who finds rock fo ages overated? stick with the first three albums. its all anyone needs. its about as good as music gets.

[snuffbox 0]

I agree about staying with the first 3 albums. And that Robertson has definitly (and terribly unfairly) overshadowed all his Band-mates.

 

Robbie Robertson was a very good songwriter...but he wasnt another Neil or Bob no matter how hard any mainstream critics have tried to sell him as.

[Annabelle 0]

people dont necessarily love the band for the lyrics. and all of the music was a group effort. robertson simply paid off the band in '77 thus they all sacrifice any royalties that robertson makes. no one except him saw any money for the last waltz. no one can say robertson wrote the organ solo on chest fever, right? robertson simply got singwriting credits because he was the most aggressive. he should be thankful he played with one of the tightest groups for so long. and i'll go even further to state that it was robertsons "songwriting" genius that greatly hindered the band from cahoots onwards. levon admitted after that period no one bothered to contribute to any songs because they didn't get any credit. they gave up, & spent their time getting wrecked.

[snuffbox 0]

Kind of a Billy Corgan syndrome?

[Annabelle 0]

Kind of a Billy Corgan syndrome?

 

i dont know much about the pumpkins, but i assume as much. just the guy who loved the spotlight & acts like an enormous douche. look at a present day picture of him. the day he releases a book of his poetry, i'll put a hit on him.

[snuffbox 0]

Corgans poetry book wasnt 'too bad' in that it differed from his lyrics. Kind of interesting, but definitly no Ginsberg or Corso. But, despite the Pumpkins being one of my favorite bands growin up, Corgan certainly fits the 'giant douche' role. Corgan does get some credit for actually being able to play and write for all the various instruments...something Robertson didnt/couldnt do.

 

I wonder how Bob Dylan gets along with the surviving members of the Band?

[Annabelle 0]

dylan was always most chummy with robertson. don't know about the others.