The Band

It's hard to explain how much The Band was an influence on my taste in music. When I first heard Music From Big Pink (named after the house The Band lived and recorded the record in Woodstock, NY), I was completely blown away. It was like nothing I had ever heard before. When the record first came out, people like Clapton and George Harrison thought it was unbelievable, and All Things Must Pass showed Big Pink's influence. I remember reading somewhere that people at the time were blown away with The Band opening the record with a slow song (Tears of Rage). At the time, it was considered a risk. What bands wanted to do was to hook people in with powerful, fast songs. The Band, who's direction was mostly led by musical guru Garth Hudson, thought it better to focus on the quality of their songs rather than trying to hook people in with quick, powerful songs. I heard a story that when Hudson joined The Band, fearing that his parents would be furious that he was throwing away his musical knowledge in a rock and roll band, charged each member $10 a week for "music lessons". He was so knowledgeable musically that if any member had a question regarding music theory, Hudson was the first person they'd turn to, and he always had the right answer. Also remarkable is that every member of the band could play at least 2 instruments except Robbie Robertson (guitar). After the release of their second album "The Band", it was evident that The Band had created a new style of music, based off of country and toeing the rock and roll line. They had even been dubbed "Country Rock", a new genre named for their style that they were hesitant to accept. They didn't want to be stuck in any single genre at all. They had some success with "Stage Fright", "Cahoots", and "Northern Lights - Southern Cross", but The Band was beginning to fall apart. Robbie Robertson was becoming overly authoritarian and Levon Helm took offense. Robertson was putting only his own name on the writing credits of songs that had been written by others in the band, or the band as a whole, and the rest of the members weren't happy. With touring taking its tole on all of the members, and their health beginning to decline, they decided to have a last concert which they called The Last Waltz. They invited friends from throughout their career. Fan favorite Richard Manuel (who song on the beautiful Whispering Pines and In A Station) ended up hanging himself in 1986, ending any hopes of a reunion with all of the original members. Rick Danko would die in 1999. Hudson, Robertson, and Helm still perform.

I saw Garth Hudson 6 or 7 years ago and although he is noticeably aging, he can still rip the piano and saxophone like you wouldn't believe and you could see the emotion in his face when he performed The Weight and I Shall Be Released.

Tracks:

1. Tears of Rage (from "Music From Big Pink")
2. The Weight (from "Music From Big Pink")
3. This Wheel's On Fire (from "Music From Big Pink")
4. Chest Fever (from "Music From Big Pink")
5. In A Station (from "Music From Big Pink")
6. Across The Great Divide (from "The Band")
7. Up On Cripple Creek (from "The Band")
8. Whispering Pines (from "The Band")
9. King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (from "The Band")
10. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (from "The Last Waltz")
11. Don't Do It (from "The Last Waltz")
12. Such A Night (with Dr. John) (from "The Last Waltz")
13. Helpless (with Neil Young) (from "The Last Waltz")
14. 4% Pantomime (with Van Morrison) (from "Cahoots")
15. Life is a Carnival (from "Cahoots")
16. Acadian Driftwood (from "Northern Lights - Southern Cross")
17. Ophelia (from "Northern Lights - Southern Cross")
18. The Shape I'm In (from "Stage Fright")
19. I Shall Be Released (from "Music From Big Pink")

THE BAND