The Band: they don't make 'em like that anymore

[pinkyfloyd]

I'm going through a phase now, where I'm obssesed with The Band. I keep watching "The Last Waltz", and every time I watch it, it gets better and better to me. They were the perfect definition of a "band." They didn't dress to be noticed, didn't have elaborate stage shows, they just went out and played their asses off. There aren't too many bands today-as a matter of fact, I can't think of any bands today, that can rival the pure and professional way that The Band made music. In this day of Brittany Spears and every hack, one-hit wonder, rap-rock group that comes along, any one who truly loves music and hates the direction that it has taken over the past few years, needs to go back and watch "The Last Waltz." THAT is what music is all about.

Oh, by the way, which one's pinky?

The more I know, the stupider I know I am. - Gary Busey

[Mike Teacher]

When I was attending Villanova University; I was in a dorm three doors down from the guy who was in charge of showing movies at VU. Long story shory, since this was way before VCRs, we'd watch the movies in his room. So when The Last Waltz played at VU, thered be a crowd in his room watching it in the afternoon before he took it to the theatre.

This is a really really long boring way of say I saw the Last Waltz maybe 20 times in a two week period.

1. They were an amazingly talented band all by themselves.

2. They were Dylan's band, music from Big Pink, etc.

3. They were an appalachian folk meets blues meets whatever and The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down is perhaps the saddest thing ever written.

4. Ron is dead right about 70s movies; they were simultaneously awesome, but loose. This is one loose movie. Scorcese basically rented the best equipment he could, dressed up the Winterland, and got Clapton, Joni, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Neil Young and even Neil Diamond and that's just for starters. Some numbers are dead on, some struggle a bit while guests find their place, but every single song just kicks ass. Some of the footage was so bad some concert scenes were shot afterwards, but for the time, it was both state-of-the-art, and sloppy as hell. Awesome.

5. Like all great 1970s movie documentaries, you have horrific interviews where the band members are as wasted as the interviewers, and you get some ramblings, but then the occasional nugget of gold.

6. Levon Helm may be the coolest human ever born. You watch the movie 'The Right Stuff?'. All those scenes where Chuck Yeager goes up in a jet once again, and his assistant, Ridley, always has a stick of Beeman's for Chuck? That's Levon fucking Helm. Coal Miner's Daughter too. Anyone who can play drums and sing and act, and do them well, Rocks.

7. I have to stop making lists. Oh yeah, and the DVD re-release blows the original movie's head clean off. Go get it. Now.

http://www.miketheteacher.com

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[DarkHippie]

The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down is perhaps the saddest thing ever written.
listen to them play "long black veil." It makes my heart break every time I hear it.

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<marquee>"Last night I went running through the screen door of discression, for I woke up from a nightmare that I could not stand to see. You were a-wandering out on the hills of Iowa and you were not thinking of me." Dar Williams "Traveling III (Iowa)"</marquee>

[East Side Dave]

Oh lordy, how I do love the Band! In fact a couple of months ago I got a chance through my radio station to meet Levon Helm. Even though he was very brittle and when he shook hands with you it felt like you were breaking animal crackers in your palm, he still took time to affectionately greet and speak a few words to everyone who wanted to talk to him... And I wanted to do more than talk with him, if you know what I mean!*



*author wanted to attach rubber cabels to Mr. Helm's arms and legs and force him to play the drums to "It Makes No Difference" while author played cazoo and pretended he was Rick Danko

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Big Ass Mafia

[high fly]

Didn't have elaborate stage shows

I seem to recall that ticket prices for the Last Waltz were astronomical because part of the deal included a gourmet dinner.

Still, they were great.


I can't think of any bands today, that can rival...


Check out Little Feat.


" and they ask me why I drink"

This message was edited by high fly on 8-27-03 @ 11:10 AM

[pinkyfloyd]

Levon Helm may be the coolest human ever born DEFINITELY. No one could sing a song like him, although, I thought I read somewhere that he had throat cancer, and can't sing like he used to. Is it true that the Elton John song "Levon" was written about him?

I seem to recall that ticket prices for the Last Waltz were astronomical because part of the deal included a gourmet dinner. Yeah, but didn't that make it an even better deal; having Thanksgiving dinner and watching The Band, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, etc.? I would have gladly paid extra for all that.
I love the song "The Shape I'm In." What a great, gruff voice Richard Manuel had. But, the sad thing is that today, a song like that might never be heard because Richard Manuel looked like the poor man's Unabomber. MTV would never have played a song by someone like him, or anyone in The Band, for that matter, because they didn't have choreography, or squeaky-clean looks. Fuck MTV. They have destroyed music by brainwashing us all into believing that, if you don't have blonde hair and work out every day, that means you can't sing and make good music.

Oh, by the way, which one's pinky?

The more I know, the stupider I know I am. - Gary Busey

[TheMojoPin]

Fuck MTV. They have destroyed music by brainwashing us all into believing that, if you don't have blonde hair and work out every day, that means you can't sing and make good music.

Jesus.

The next time you want to scream "SAVE CHRISTOPHER CROSS!!!", just come out and say it.

Rock stars have rarely stopped being hideous. Pop stars have been too pretty for their own good in EACH generation. This isn't rocket science we're stumbling on here.

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[mikeyboy]

The next time you want to scream "SAVE CHRISTOPHER CROSS!!!", just come out and say it.


Video killed the big, fat singer-songwriter.

http://www.themusicindex.com/rockahead/interviews/ccross_still.jpg


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[A.J.]

"Do what I did when they used a skinny bitch in the video -- SUE!"

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Red Sox Nation

[42nd-delay]

I started getting into The Band in a big way last year, after reading Levon's book. I've even gone to see him play with "The Barnburners" a couple times. It's a great book, btw, and you'll never view "The Last Waltz" the same way.

They were a great, great band, but like everything in music, they were in the right place at the right time, just when music was going back to folksy country stuff after psychedelic at peaked. They struggled for years before finally making it. They might not have been successful on their good looks, but their image as being outsiders and seemingly from another era and place was a definite help to them.

And the fact that they could play their balls off.

------------------------------
"42nd-delay is the only person who's making sense." - Ron, 3-12-02

[high fly]

SAVE CHRISTOP---uh, wait, someone's done that one.



(sorry)

" and they ask me why I drink"

[pinkyfloyd]

The next time you want to scream "SAVE CHRISTOPHER CROSS!!!", just come out and say it. Oh, no, no, no...I KNOW you're not comparing The Band with Christopher Cross!? Actually, "Arthur's Theme" wasn't so bad... :)

Oh, by the way, which one's pinky?

The more I know, the stupider I know I am. - Gary Busey

[TheMojoPin]

Hey, I'M not the one openly hankering for monstrously ugly rock stars, mon frere...

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