The Band: A History
The Band: A History
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Exploring the history of Canadian-American roots rock group, The Band.
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17 hours ago
Massey Hall
In this unique episode, I intertwine history with engaging conversation. The Band made their inaugural appearance at Massey Hall in 1970, a highly anticipated hometown performance that critics hailed as nothing short of a "religious experience." Massey Hall holds a revered place in Toronto's cultural heritage, akin to the Ryman Auditorium, situated north of the border, and it has hosted some of the greatest performers in its hallowed halls.
On November 18, 2023, Chest Fever, who received the official seal of approval from Robbie Robertson before his passing, will bring their outstanding celebration of The Last Waltz to Massey Hall. Joining them will be an illustrious lineup of guest artists. I sit down with Chest Fever to explore their journey from the intimate confines of Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern to the grandeur of Massey Hall. We delve into their meticulous preparation, the mounting anticipation, and much more!
If you're interesting in attending the event, you can visit http://chestfeverofficial.com/thelastwaltz and use my promo code "thebandpodcast" for five dollars off.
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Aug 28, 2023
Levon Helm '78
Amidst the initial turbulence of his inaugural solo release and subsequent tour, Levon Helm and his ensemble found themselves grappling with an unfortunate dearth of problems. Plagued by undisclosed health adversities and the intricate orchestration of conflicting timetables, Helm sought solace within the confines of the studio, setting in motion the creation of yet another album. Mirroring the approach of his maiden endeavour, he enlisted the renowned Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. In 1978, the fruits of his labour materialized in the form of his latest record, bearing the succinct name "Levon Helm. Determined, Helm tried to rekindle his solo career and finally garner the recognition he deserved.
If you're in Toronto or want to come up for a special evening, Chest Fever is doing a Last Waltz Celebration at the legendary Massey Hall on November 18, 2023. Buy tickets here.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson and post-production sound and editing by Michael Koehler.
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Aug 9, 2023
Rest In Peace Robbie Robertson
I try and put a few words together to honour Robbie Robertson, a legendary guitarist and songwriter. In lieu of gifts, Robbie's family has asked for donations to the Woodland Cultural Centre here.
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Aug 7, 2023
Carny
Following the triumphant launch of "The Last Waltz," Robbie Robertson redirected his ambitions toward carving a prominent niche in Hollywood. With a fervent desire to attain recognition as a distinguished producer and a rising star in the film industry, he set his sights on a captivating script known as "Carny." This enthralling tale delved into the dark and enigmatic world of travelling carnivals, promising numerous hurdles for the aspiring filmmaker – drug-induced debauchery, the inherent challenges of a novice filmmaker, and the lurking spectres of vanity. Undeterred by the daunting odds, Robertson embraced this opportunity as his pivotal moment to make an enduring mark on the cinematic landscape.
If you're in Toronto or want to come up for a special evening, Chest Fever is doing a Last Waltz Celebration at the legendary Massey Hall on November 18, 2023. Buy tickets here.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson and post-production sound and editing by Michael Koehler.
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Jun 12, 2023
Moondog Matinee Roundtable
2023 marks the fiftieth anniversary of The Band's fifth studio album Moondog Matinee. A cover album with a mixed critical and audience appraisal, now fifty years later, The Band: A History is joined in a roundtable discussion by Michael Koehler and Annie Burkhart to dig into the album's merit.
If you're interested in following today's guests, you can follow Annie here and Micahel here.
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May 3, 2023
The Beige Period
The Band had moved bases in 1974 from the East Coast and the cozy colony of Woodstock to the West Coast colony shores of Malibu. Richard Manuel, struggling already with balancing the demands of his band, his family life was falling deeper into manic depression, which led to excessive alcohol and drug consumption. With his family fractured and his habits excessive, the reeling Manuel continued to tour with The Band and Bob Dylan, rent expensive beach houses and cycle through a series of girlfriends. In reflection, Manuel called this time his "Beige Period." The drug use, recording and touring life, and some exciting times spent with Joe Cocker and Eric Clapton ultimately led to Manuel finding himself without a place to go after The Last Waltz. Would he continue to let his mental health and addiction enthrall him, or would he manage to gain control?
This episode was produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson and edited and engineered by Michael Koehler.
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Feb 19, 2023
Honey Boy
He is genuinely the most original, brilliant and moving keyboard players that has ever operated within rock ’n’ roll.” Author Barney Hoskyns noted in 1993 in his book Across The Great Divide.
Following The Last Waltz, Garth Hudson didn’t have much issue continuing to do what he loved doing – playing music. The industry and musicians were intrigued by Hudson, the quiet figure hunched behind a mountain of keys was always deemed the magic touch, the member that helped push The Band into a territory of its own, and everyone wanted a little of that magic on their records.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson and post-production sound and editing by Michael Koehler.
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Feb 5, 2023
The Roxy
“Sitting around my house in Malibu and walking around the beach. I’ve been doing that for a long time, and frankly, I’m tired of it.”
Rick Danko’s quote in 1978 could accurately reflect the temperate of a few members of The Band as the end of the decade neared. A purgatory of sorts had settled over The Band. Following The Last Waltz in 1976, The Band lay dormant. Was it over? Well, not officially. Danko, Helm and Robertson all talked publicly about recording again, downplaying that they hadn’t been seen in the studio since The Last Waltz.
Levon and Rick had already set motion to their solo careers, Helm with the RCO All-Stars and Danko with his first album on Arista Records. Robbie hadn’t technically left the world of The Band, he kept steady with post-production on The Last Waltz with the film and album, and Garth Hudson was busy building his new life and session work. Manuel took things slower, struggling with his demons; he sought to fight them.
1997 through 1978, continued the perplexing situation surrounding The Band was still lurking in the background. Robertson and Danko continued with heavy schedules throughout the year. Still, The Band members did overlap at various points throughout the year.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson and post-production sound and editing by Michael Koehler.
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Dec 2, 2022
Interview: Jude Warne
The Band: A History sits down with writer, columnist and author Jude Warne to discuss her recent essay on The Band's 1970 studio album Stage Fright, which is part of a larger scholarly study of The Band entitled Rags and Bones: An Exploration of The Band published by the University Press of Mississippi.
You can find Rags and Bones: An Exploration of The Band here and visit Jude's website here.
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Nov 7, 2022
Rick Danko (Album)
“I was looking for a simpler, fresher routing... I really like this new group. I can go out and perform the record now.”
Rick Danko was now out on his own. Nearly two decades with The Band left him wanting more. More music, more touring and more control. He told Harvey Kubernick in 1978, “I’m the focal point on stage this time, and it doesn’t bother me. I put this new group together, I telephoned them all. I sought out personalities who could bus and fly together and continue to put up with each other. What I do is collect performances from everyone. I make quicker decisions in this position than when I am a member of the Band.”
Outro song by Ian James Bain, stream his music everywhere.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson and post-production sound and editing by Michael Koehler.
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Sep 9, 2022
Levon Helm & The RCO All-Stars
With the break-up of his band and his family, Levon Helm did what he knew best, make music. While The Band was all but extinct, Helm continued to tell journalists they’d keep making music. However, he started putting together a new band, and he moved back east to set up permanently. As he recalled, “I decided to remain in Woodstock. I loved the town and the people and the way of life too much to sell my house and relocate.”
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson and post-production sound and editing by Michael Koehler.
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Jul 27, 2022
Interview: Chest Fever
The Band: A History sits down with Chest Fever, the official revival of The Band.
If you remember my interview a few months ago with Mrs. Henry, a great band from California. In that case, they are back with a new project, Chest Fever, a band that has been given the stamp of approval to carry on the musical legacy of The Band. They are taking their show on the road for the fiftieth anniversary of The Band's live album Rock of Ages, touring across the United States and Canada. I chat with them about how Chest Fever was created, the preparation for the tour and the balance of replicating The Band's sound and making the music their own.
Find out more about Chest Fever and their tour dates on their official website: http://www.chestfeverofficial.com.
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Jul 11, 2022
Interview: Bob Clearmountain
The Band: A History sits down with legendary recording engineer, mixer and record producer Bob Clearmountain, whose innovative approach has led him to work with industry-heavy-hitters like Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and The Rolling Stones. Having mixed Robbie Robertson’s first solo album in 1987 and sharing a working relationship since it made sense to bring him aboard when tackling the 50th anniversary of Music From Big Pink in 2018. Bob has been back, working on all subsequent anniversary releases by The Band, including the most recent, Cahoots. The Band: A History talks to him about his working relationship with Robertson, the challenges of re-mixing records from five decades ago and the new technology he brings to the remixes.
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Jun 12, 2022
Islands
Assembling in the studio at various points during 1976 through 1977, The Band put together a plan for Islands. It was described later by Robbie as being similar to The Who’s Odds & Sods album. In essence, it was a hodgepodge of older recordings along with some newer cuts to complete their eight album record deal with Capitol.
Regardless of all of the exterior distractions, The Band were still professionals. They were incapable of putting out terrible music and they assembled ten tracks that while uneven still pack a serious punch. And with that, the original incarnation of The Band was done. It wasn’t executed perfectly but nothing ever truly is. As many fans, critics and peers have mentioned, The Band was one of the finest groups of musicians that ever played and while they may have not gone out exactly as planned, their influence was never diminished.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson with additional research and writing by Alex McGil…
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May 15, 2022
The Last Waltz - Part Six
Full-on post-production of The Last Waltz took place over an eighteen-month period from the winter of 1977 through the spring of 1978. It was a monstrous undertaking with many moving pieces between the studio, producers, technicians, crews and the musicians.
Ultimately, the release of the film and soundtrack in April 1978 led Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson across the globe to promote their film. The Last Waltz, the imperfect masterpiece was a defining moment of their careers whether or not they knew it or wanted it to be. Forever on celluloid, one of the most important acts of the 1960s and 1970s was immortalized surrounded by their peers.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson with additional research and writing by Alex McGillivray and post-production sound and editing by Michael Koehler.
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Mar 31, 2022
The Last Waltz - Part Five
At first, the viewer sees nothing but a blank screen and hears only the voices of Rick Danko, Martin Scorsese and another member of the film crew as they run through a first take, Danko manages to only utter one word "cutthroat"
The Last Waltz dragged on. With the concert wrapped and filming complete at the MGM soundstage, Martin Scorsese wanted to now add a series of interviews to further contextualize the footage shot. With the go-ahead and more budget from the studio interviews were filmed.
Filming took place at The Band's clubhouse Shangri-La and most evenings didn't start until well after midnight. The goal was to reminisce about the “good old days” and play some instruments. It becomes quite evident through the various interviews littered between the concert footage, that much was being left unsaid. It’s no surprise at this point The Band minus Robertson was uneasy with the whole proposition. In exchange, we get a series of uneven interviews but enough to glean new informat…
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Mar 13, 2022
Interview: Jim Weider
The Band: A History sits down with former guitarist of The Band Jim Weider. Jim joined The Band in 1985 and remained their lead guitarist until the group dissolved in 2000 after Rick Danko's death. Known as one of the premiere Fender Telecaster players in the world, outside of The Band, Weider has played with Robbie Dupree, Dr. John, Graham Parker, Keith Richards, Scotty Moore and Bob Weir. Weider was also a member of the Levon Helm Band from 2009 until Levon's death in 2012 and has since created The Weight Band, which originated inside the barn of Levon Helm in 2012 when Jim Weider and Randy Ciarlante (former members of The Band), were performing "Songs of The Band" with Garth Hudson, Jimmy Vivino and Byron Isaacs. The Weight Band is getting ready to release their second album "Shines Like Gold" on April 1, 2022. You can find out more about the band, their music and their tour dates here: https://www.theweightband.com/
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Mar 4, 2022
Interview: Mrs. Henry
The Band: A History sits down with Mrs. Henry, the California-based rock group who is heading out on the road with their show Music From The Band. Mrs. Henry first tackled The Band with their extensive rendition of The Last Waltz that later was pressed on vinyl. Since then, the group has continued to craft their own music and tour. Now, there are back with their Music From The Band Tour, featuring songs from The Band's entire career. During the interview, we talk about the band's inception, how COVID-19 struck them, their new tour plans and more.
If you want to learn more about Mrs. Henry's tour you can find information here: http://www.mrshenry.com/
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Feb 10, 2022
The Last Waltz - Part Four
“It hadn’t really hit me that when the song was over, so was The Band.” Levon Helm later remembered as The Band stumbled from the Winterland stage at 3:00 AM following one of the biggest shows of their lives.
However, it wasn't over. After combining through footage it was determined they needed to film additional content. Thus, The Last Waltz Suite was born. A combination of live recordings on the MGM soundstage featuring The Staple Singers and Emmylou Harris and studio recordings including all-new material.
It was a confusing time, a group that had at the very least said they were publically finished, kept working away on material but they were drifting apart. Each member began to work on various projects as if the band they had put over a decade into didn’t exist anymore. They rather neglect the elephant in the room rather than fully deal with band politics.
The Band: A History is produced, written and hosted by Tyrell William Lisson with additional research and writing by…
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Dec 12, 2021
Cahoots 50th Anniversary Reissue Roundtable
The Band: A History is pleased to welcome The Manuel Archive's Breanna McCann and music journalist Allison Rapp to discuss the 50th anniversary reissue of The Band's fourth studio album "Cahoots". We talk about Bob Clearmountain's updated mix, the positive and negative changes, the tracklisting and bonus features.
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Nov 28, 2021
The Last Waltz - Part Three
With the show underway and a plethora of performances next up included Neil Young, who had the unfortunate experience of sporting a massive cocaine booger in his nostril as he floated through his set of numbers before more performances took place including Joni Mitchell, a controversial Neil Diamond, the electrifying performance of Van Morrison, who almost got to scared to go on stage, a collection of performances from beatniks, Hells Angles and poets, and their old friend Bob Dylan who was being difficult the night of the Waltz and almost didn't appear.
At the close of the concert, the sudden rush of triumph and sadness washed over the exhausted group as they left the stage. Drenched in sweat, blood and tears, they had just completed the ultimate marathon, not only had they played over forty songs with their peers and friends, they had just completed the marathon that was their humble beginnings in Southern Ontario in 1957 when Robbie Robertson met Ronnie Hawkins and Levon Helm that e…
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Oct 5, 2021
The Last Waltz - Part Two
Backstage The Band were a mix of emotions. Robertson recalls an “anxious but ready” Scorsese, and that each member of the Band was calm and collected.
At around nine the The Berkeley Promenade Orchestra left stage and the house lights slowly dimmed. A large curtain of shimmering confetti lit from all sides was let down in front of the stage, chandeliers were then lowered to a position above the stage, increasing in glow as they descended.
Suddenly, in the darkness, a spotlight erupted on Levon Helm, who kicked things off at 9:07. "Good evening..."
Produced, hosted and edited by Tyrell William Lisson. Additional writing and research by Oscar Ashley.
The Band: A History is part of Pantheon Podcasts. Listen to The Band: A History and a variety of other great podcasts over on Pantheon.
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Sep 10, 2021
Interview: The Manuel Archive
Originally released on The Band: A History's Patreon. We sit down and talk with Breanna McCann, the curator and archivist behind the new project The Manuel Archive.
We discuss her love of The Band, and how it started with their song "Acadian Driftwood", her passion for sixties and seventies culture, film and music and what her motivation was for starting The Manuel Archive. Breanna also talks about her interest in Richard Manuel as well as her opinion on his portrayal from writers, critics and his own bandmates.
It was a pleasure to talk about The Band and Richard with Breanna, anytime there is a new project that I come across that is related to The Band it gets me ecstatic. I encourage you all to follow The Manuel Archive on Twitter.
For those interested in the song playing in the intro and outro of the show that is a Richard penned, Band demo entitled "Words and Numbers". Written and demoed sometime in 1967. It was never released on an official Band studio album.
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Aug 13, 2021
Interview: Joe Forno Jr
This week we sit down and chat with Joe Forno. Forno was born in Woodstock, New York. His father an influential local and was friendly with The Band. Forno graduated Albany College of Pharmacy in 1973 and had a career as a pharmacist before assisting Richard Manuel and Levon Helm with their business dealings in 1983 that eventually lead to Forno managing The Band after Richard Manuel’s unfortunate death in 1986.
We talk to Joe about his career managing The Band, his personal relationships with Richard, Rick, Garth and Levon and some large revelations about the group in his new book, Levon’s Man: The Death of Richard Manuel, And My Decade Managing The Band.
Part of Pantheon Podcasts.
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Jul 21, 2021
The Last Waltz - Part One
“None of us truly understood where we were headed, but we knew change was inevitable.”
The Band meant something, their music had spoken to many. Whether that meant flying from another continent, taking a train cross country, selling their worldly possessions or quitting a job, even the slightest hint that The Band could hang it up caused a reaction, a tidal wave.
And while uncertainty hung in the air for everyone involved and feelings were mixed. The Last Waltz as it was titled, was about to become a defining moment for a group of four Canadians and one American that had spent the better of sixteen years making music together.
Certainly, it was unfathomable to think November 25, 1976 was about to become one of the defining music moments of the decade, let alone popular music history. The alchemy The Band concocted that evening with seventeen of music's biggest stars will forever be etched into history.
Produced, hosted and edited by Tyrell William Lisson. Additional writing and r…
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May 5, 2021
All Our Past Times
The release of Northern Lights - Southern Cross seemed like a new beginning or a re-conquering of rock music for The Band, but that was all critical appraisal. Northern Lights - Southern Cross publicly and privately held very different truths.
Deemed a comeback, and with that the expectation The Band resumed their mantle as kings of authentic rock music, The Band didn’t really see it that way on the inside. As critical praise mounted, starting with their massive tour with Dylan in 1974 through the release of a very solid album in Northern Lights - Southern Cross, the members of The Band were steadily declining.
Thus begins the story again, confused, frustrated and angry, The Band took their talents to the works of Neil Diamond and Eric Clapton. However, this time it was a breaking point. They didn’t know it, or maybe they did, but it was only a matter of time before the glass house shattered.
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Apr 12, 2021
Interview: Jonathan Taplin
Fans of The Band may know Jonathan Taplin from his time as a road manger for The Band, but Jon’s career spans several decades in multiple industries.
A Princeton grad who marched with Martin Luther King, he was drawn to folk music from people like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez and soon found himself working for Albert Grossman, Dylan’s manager.
Not long after he went on to work with The Band for several years during their seminal years making their second album, playing Woodstock, Isle of Wight and much more. He left The Band in 1971 to do a number of things from his time with the Rolling Stones, producing movies like Mean Streets with Martin Scorsese to coming back into the fold and producing The Last Waltz.
Jonathan is now an academic and author and his latest book "The Magic Years: Scenes From A Rock N Roll Life" is coming out May 14. You can learn more and pre-order the book here.
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Mar 15, 2021
Interview: Jan Høiberg
The Band: A History sits down with Jan Høiberg, the curator and owner of https://theband.hiof.no, the number one resource for all things Band related. Started in 1994, the website grew to become the official website of The Band. As years passed Jan became friendly with Band members Rick Danko, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson, travelling to Woodstock, New York on several occasions.
Høiberg has run the website from Norway for over twenty-seven years, and his obsession as an eighteen year old kid seeing The Last Waltz in 1980 has led to to creating one the finest resources on the web.
This show is a part of Pantheon Podcasts.
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Feb 17, 2021
Northern Lights - Southern Cross
“It took us coming in there to get them all in the studio with one another because there was a lot of bitching” Clapton reminisces about The Band’s state of mind in 1975.
For all the success The Band had, The group was never truly able to become that cohesive group that they once were. Like timeless other examples in other bands, priorities were different, opinions were divided and drugs and alcohol blurred the lines even further.
Would the group be able to put aside their differences momentarily to go into their new studio and put together an album?
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Dec 24, 2020
Shangri-La
“Nobody’s done what Bob Dylan’s done for us over the years. He helped Rick and Richard write those songs and was part of our workshop. Bob Dylan knew that The Band was not in great shape, and he wanted to help us out of the sense of goodness he felt for us.”
Pressure was mounting on The Band who hadn't put out a critically acclaimed album in some years, nor were they getting on personally like the once had. With the group calling California home, and setting up in Malibu they established a new clubhouse, Shangri-La, hoping to recreate some of the magic they once had in upstate New York.
Tour problems were also mounting, the drugs and alcohol were becoming an issue again and The Band’s headlining gigs were not as successful as they had hoped. While The Band wasn’t having much personal success, on their own they were keeping busy. Rick and Levon worked with Neil Young on his album “On The Beach”, Robbie had a third child and Garth met his future wife.
Learn more abou…
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Nov 8, 2020
A Road Trip With The Band
The Band: A History is joined by The Hippie Historian to talk about The Band's steeped history in Southern Ontario. We take you to some of the historic venues they played, the towns and areas in which they lived and much, much more.
Find out more about the road trip and support The Hippie Historian here.
Summer Garden Farewell
The night is chill, the ballroom deserted The sound of dancing feet is gone The sound of music has faded away There is no sound of voices, they have disappeared There is no laughter Farewell, dear old lady Summer Garden. There are tears I cannot hide, so I smile and say as the flames die Smoke gets in my eyes… – Don Ivey, January 9, 1979
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Sep 28, 2020
Planet Waves
Even after a few years of meaningless wandering, riddled with substance problems, creative problems The Band, unbeknownst to them, were about to embark on a two year journey that would elevate their profile to the largest they’d ever have. A new album with Dylan, a massive stadium sold out tour and much more.
Was it something they expected, most certainly not, was it something they wanted, besides Robbie probably not, but it was a chance to play with their friend Bob Dylan again and catch some of that spark they once had.
As with the change in status, came with a change in geography, The Band so synonymous with upstate New York, uprooted their families and headed west for the sunny shores of Los Angeles, California.
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Aug 14, 2020
Interview: Sandra Tooze
The Band: A History interviews author Sandra Tooze about her new book Levon Helm: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of The Band and Beyond. Sandra is author of the acclaimed book Muddy Waters: The Mojo Man where she originally interviewed Levon Helm. We discuss Levon's career, spanning his early years, through The Band era and the post-Band era of The Barnburners, Midnight Rambles and more.
Sandra's book comes out August 25, 2020 and you can order is online now.
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The Band: A History is part of Pantheon Podcasts. Listen to The Band: A History and a variety of other great podcasts over on Pantheon.
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Jul 17, 2020
Interview: Garth Hudson
Something from the vault! We interviewed Garth Hudson a few years back. This interview mainly details a project I was working on about Richard Manuel, meaning most of the questions pertain to Garth's experiences with Richard Manuel.
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May 31, 2020
Moondog Matinee - Part Two
When The Band entered the studio to continue to record Moondog Matinee, they switched locations. This time they flew out to Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, California, to finish the last few songs. Los Angeles had been pulling The Band westward for some time. With the rest of the album to finish, The Band couldn't turn down a request from George Harrison and Ringo Starr to help them record in the studio as well.
"Levons Barn" song provided by Adam Traum (https://www.adamtraumguitar.com/)
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May 1, 2020
Moondog Matinee - Part One
"That was all we could do at the time. We couldn't get along—we all knew that fairness was a bunch of shit. We all knew we were getting screwed, so we couldn't sit down and create no more music. 'Up on Cripple Creek' and all that stuff was over—all that collaboration was over, and that” said Levon reflecting on the period just before the recording of "Moondog Matinee".
In 1971, "Rock of Ages" led to an unofficial hiatus for The Band. Independently, The Band worked on various projects separately, whether it was producing, writing or performing. There were also attempts at getting The Band back together to work on their next studio album. Though, none of those attempts led to anything fruitful. Richard hadn’t written a song or at least presented a song to the group in some time, and Robbie wasn’t offering up much either since he was hitting some serious writer’s block.
Eventually, The Band came out of touring retirement in 1973, which led to a legendary performance at Watk…
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Mar 22, 2020
Interview: Elliott Landy
The Band: A History sits down with famed photographer Elliott Landy to discuss his lengthy career in photography and the time he spent with The Band in their formative years. Landy has since gone on to publish a number of books including his second book about The Band entitled "Contacting The Band" which is currently being crowdfunded.
You can find information about "Contacting The Band" and support the campaign here.
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Feb 24, 2020
Rock of Ages
“Everybody had been so easily satisfied before and then it got harder to do what we did at ease… The feeling that the group had become what we’d rebelled against… that’s what a lot of the music after The Band was about.'' Robbie Robertson reflected in 1982 on the Rock of Ages period in The Band's history.
It had felt like a while since The Band actually felt like a well-oiled unit. Truth be told, The Band’s success was like a mousetrap, it had finally sprung, and they were now stuck in more ways than one. Each group member was going through their own personal struggles in one way or another. Each member had their own life with their wives, children and friends. It seems like they didn’t know how to communicate or to stop the ever-moving freight train from taking a second to slow down and come up with a plan on how to move forward in their new environment.
After “Cahoots,” there was a momentary sigh of relief. It was a desperate attempt at keeping it all together.…
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Jan 19, 2020
Cahoots
In 1993 Rick Danko told The News-Star: "I think we shipped a million copies of that second album and that changed a lot of people’s lives — in particular, the Band’s. After that, we were only getting together once a year, for a couple of months, to record. It was like we were too decadent to play.”
1970 was a hard year, but it wouldn't get any easier in 1971. Having struggled through "Stage Fright" and taking on the disastrous Festival Express music festival, The Band was burnt out and in a dark space. However, it was back into the studio to record a new album, even if they didn't want to. From the exterior, The Band was the perfect group. They were pretty universally loved by their fans, their critics and their peers. The opposite was true for the five guys in the group; once, a group of tight-knit brothers was shattering. Creative droughts, drugs and alcohol continued to plague them deeply. "Cahoots" is a manifestation of the period. The songs crafted for the album don't do a…
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Nov 25, 2019
Interview: Daniel Roher
The Band: A History sits down with Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band filmmaker Daniel Roher to discuss the making of his documentary on Robbie Robertson. We discuss Roher's career in the Canadian documentary world, elevating his craft, the luck of landing "Once Were Brothers" and all that went into making the film, from star-studded interviews, Robbie and Levon's feud, Garth's exclusion and much, much more.
You can find information about "Once Were Brothers" and where it is screening here. You can also find Daniel Roher on Instagram here.
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Nov 3, 2019
Stage Fright
Rick Danko stated once: “Those first royalty checks we got almost killed some of us”.
By 1970, The Band started to reap the rewards of their first two albums. Remember, it has only been two years since the release of “Music From Big Pink”. It may feel like an elongated period of time, but The Band was a workhorse powering through producing an album yearly while also staying busy on other projects. They were now receiving millions of dollars for the songs they wrote and performed.
Frustrating from multiple avenues were starting to creep into what The Band had established. Drugs, alcohol, money, etc., were all working towards destroying what The Band had built. With little time and a label to keep happy, as well as an attempt to push all the issues aside, The Band went back into the studio to record their third album, "Stage Fright".
However, it wouldn't be as easy this time. "Stage Fright" tested the group and pushed The Band to its limits.
"Levons Barn" song provided…
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Sep 8, 2019
Divide & Conquer
The Band's follow-up self-titled album "The Band" was a success and bigger than their first effort. You'd think they'd slow down and smell the roses, but they didn't. The Band never followed the same path as everyone else and continued to dive deep into recording. Oftentimes as individuals rather than a group, each member spent serious time in 1969 and 1970 working on their friend's projects, including work for John Martyn, Todd Rundgren, Jesse Winchester and John Simon.
However, with success came the demands of a fanbase and a label. The Band spent time on the road in 1969 for the first time in an extended capacity. The success opened the door to a new lifestyle, a place where everyone wanted to be their friend, and everyone had a party. With touring also came press in a meaningful way. The Band broke ground being the first American band in TIME magazine. The Band was also re-introduced to the press with a very spicy interview given by Ronnie Hawkins and much, much more.
The Band embr…
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Aug 4, 2019
The Brown Album
While The Band had critical success on their first studio effort in 1968's "Music From Big Pink" they didn't waste any time before getting back into the studio to make their follow-up. The Band was now respected in their own right apart from Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. They had the support of a growing fanbase, critics and most importantly musicians like George Harrison and Eric Clapton.
However, The Band were enjoying the frills of a now more luxurious lifestyle that didn't impede on their music-making. Their self-titled second album later referred to as "The Brown Album" pushed them even further in the music cultural zeitgeist. The approach is similar to what they had done with their first album. This time holing themselves up in a homemade studio in the Hollywood Hills as opposed to the mountain wilderness of the Catskills in upstate New York.
The Brown album went on to produce some of The Band's most well-known songs like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "Rag Mamma Rag", "W…
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Jun 11, 2019
Music From Big Pink
The mythical proportion that has graced "Music From Big Pink" has been there since the beginning. By the late sixties, everyone was buzzing about what Dylan and The Band were doing in upstate New York.
"Music From Pink" quaked the music world, and its profound impact changed the perspective of the largest artists of the day. George Harrison was obsessed, and Eric Clapton famously quit Cream and wanted to join The Band. . In an era saturated by fuzzy blues, acid rock and psychedelia, the authentic, raw and roots music of The Band was fresh air.
In this episode, we will go through The Band’s collective process for creating arguably their best album, the album that skyrocketed them to fame.
Check out Adam Traum who provided the track "Levon's Barn" for this episode.
http://www.adamtraumguitar.com
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May 5, 2019
The Basement Tapes
This week we dive deeper into the legendary roots-rock group, The Band, as they move up to join Bob Dylan after he recovers from his motorcycle accident. Excited to spend some time off the road, they took the opportunity to write and record some music. They started to rent the famous clubhouse they called "Big Pink". The Basement Tapes became the legacy of over a year of creating and making music in the basement of Big Pink.
Check out Adam Traum who provided the track "Levon's Barn" for this episode.
http://www.adamtraumguitar.com
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Apr 7, 2019
The Dylan Years
This week we dive deeper into the legendary roots-rock group, The Band, as they join Dylan. Detailing the years between 1964 through 1966, we take a look at the group as they get to see the world: private jets, A-list celebrities, turmoil and more. The Hawks got to experience the very best of music and the very worst. From seeing how a master like Bob Dylan writes and performs to having crowds of thousands hate your guts. This episode of The Band: A History packs a punch.
"Levons Barn" song provided by Adam Traum (https://www.adamtraumguitar.com/)
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Mar 10, 2019
The Hawks After Hawkins
This week we dive deeper into the legendary roots-rock group, The Band, after they left Ronnie Hawkins. Detailing the years between 1964 into 1965, we take a look at a group of young musicians who were experimenting with their sound. From their relentless touring across Eastern Canada in through the Southern states of the United States of America, we are exposed to a very interesting period of time in The Band's history. From session work with John Hammond Jr. to jamming with Sonny Boy Williamson to drugs and arrests, this episode of The Band: A History packs a punch.
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Feb 8, 2019
Ronnie "The Hawk" Hawkins
Ronnie "The Hawk" Hawkins recounts the legendary singer from Arkansas's role in music history, specifically rockabilly and his role in developing the sound in Canada through Canadian musicians. Moreover, the episode looks at how Hawkins put together a group of musicians that later became the legendary roots-rock group, The Band.
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