The Band

How may of you out there recall "The Band"....you know.. Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson????

I'm sure most of my elder bretheren will recall them, but how about you younger ones...familiar with their work? If you don't know them, check out the film.."The Last Waltz"..amazing film.. wonderful stuff..

Anyway, the reason I bring them up is twofold...

1) My band had a gig tonight, and when we were booked about two months ago the party (company holiday party) requested a few "The Band" tunes that we had to learn.. We covered "The Weight", Ophelia, Up on Cripple Creek, The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down and Chest Fever... We had a gas.. those songs are so fun to perform..

2) In preperation for this gig, I "rediscovered" The Band.. I hadn't listened to them much in the last 12 or so years.. Sure I watched "The Last Waltz" on DVD when I bought it.. but that movie only really covers their hits..and slopy live versions at that. As i dug into the archives and played my old vinyl versions of "Northern Lights, Southern Cross", "Music from Big Pink", "Moondog Matinee", and "Stage Fright" I came to realise just how good these guys were...

They were just F#@$ing amazing.. The musical quality, their tight rythyms, the wonderful vocal harmonies ...and their lyrics ... oh man.. the lyrics... just beautiful...

How may of you remember the song "Acadian Driftwood".. It gives me chills.. I have to learn that song..

Anyway.. give me your thoughts on "The Band"....

I am not a huge Dylan fan, but I believe, and correct me if I am wrong, that they were at one time his back-up band (thus the name).

Exactly right.... In the early days they were "The Hawks", Ronnie Hawkins backup band.. But when Dylan went "electric" in about '68 or '69, they were his road band.. After the tour, they stayed together as "The Band'.

I have r-mstrd CDs of ' big pink ' & ' stage fright ' & they both have some good bonus trax;
I saw them live not long before rick danko died & they were fantastic, I always liked ' acadian driftwood ' too - also robbie robertson's ' showdown at big sky ' release is real good..

The "Brown Album" is one of my all time favourite CDs, so many brilliant tunes - "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Up On Cripple Creek," "King Harvest," "Whispering Pines," "When You Awake," everything basically. What a fabulous group, I would give anything to have seen them all together.

The Band... they played on the concert for George Dvd right? Or maybe I was just watching a Dvd of The Band....I've heard them tho

I've seen The Final Waltz on tape, and have it on CD. Good stuff...haven't listened to it in a while though.

The Final Waltz!! thats what I watched!

Um.. It's called "The Last Waltz"


I know.. picking nits..

close enough....

I remember my guitar teacher having the video of "the Last Waltz" and trying desperately to turn me onto them (about 1978) but at the time I didn't think it was "cool" so I politely declined. Recently, though I have heard them frequently on the radio and have developed an interest.

Crap...I know that didn't sound quite right...well, I haven't seen/heard it in quite a while; perhaps I need to dig it out.

Well worth it my friend..

The Band is freakin great. Period.

i love The Band

i don't own any of there albums but my father does and he will play them everyonce and awhile