Love this guy, his music, his guitar playing, and his storytelling abilities. Fly high in the winds of your Native ancestors, brother! RIP, J.R. Robertson.
Finally a dang interview that is so clear and concise, whoever interviewed Robbie here did a magnificent job with the recording. Its really depressing sometimes when the interview is conducted and the listener can barley hear what is being said. THis is a good as it gets. Fantastic job.
Ha ha, I just dropped a similar comment on another vid from this series. Former audio engineer here. Such perfect sound. Of course, it was done by real engineers!
The Basement Tapes, definitely one of my favorite top 10 albums. Have been listening to it 40+ years and still do. One of the best albums Dylan and the Band ever made.
Robbies oratory skills are simply amazing. As he tells a story, any story it is beautifully told and always respectful. The Last Waltz is without question my favorite music DVD of all time and each member of the Band did a wonderful job during the interviews, but Robbie was the master of Ceremony on stage or during the interviews.
This is such a great video ! Just imagine the 1960,s , these pioneers lay down tracks in their own make do studio.(people thought they were crazy) but ,the idea was so great! I love the story,the history,the music,Bob Dylan & The Band!
as robbie explained about bob dylan...at big pink....bob would sit at a typewriter....and knock out one song after another...15 minutes per song....for hours on end..he blew our minds......
We owe much to Robbie and the Band. I saw them in London Ontario on a hay wagon in the 50's. I believe they were Levon and the Hawks. Amazing musicians.
K August Give credit to Ronnie Hawkins, who hired these guys as teenagers and taught them not just how to play brilliantly, but also the discipline required to work as a group.
@@ferrallderrall6588 Hawkins was a great one for recognizing and developing talent. He hired a teenage Levon in 1958, it was his first engagement as a drummer. He discovered many other fine musicians in Canada. The Band was The Hawks until they split away and went on their own. But they were Hawkins band first. Same with Crowbar. Also Full Tilt Boogie Band, Janis Joplin's favorite of all the bands she worked with. And many other musicians.
I realize I’m following this conversation a year later, but having just read Robbie Robertson’s “Testimony” I’m all jacked up on getting more information, watching a lot of videos, reading comments, making some. I've ordered Levon's book, but haven't read it yet. IRR seems to truly have loved, cared about, all of the musicians in The Band, and considered Levn his best friend. According to his book: He would write the songs with the individuals in mind, knowing what would be perfect for Leon to sing, for Richard to sing. He realized singing wasn’t his own strength. He wanted the others to do more song writing, but they weren’t interested. And the last few years, Levon, Rick and Richard all doing junk, an expensive habit. All but Levon went to RR one at a time and said they wanted to sell off their publishing rights. He tried to talk them out of it, but they wanted the money, their retirement funds. It's been fascinating reading all of the comments here by so many people who've seriously studied the history, found sources for facts. Like many others, Levon has my heart, but he wasn't perfect, and yes, he blew it , got bitter.
They all allowed Cathy Smith to wreck their lives like she did to Belushi, but only Robertson and Garth Hudson had enough discipline to avoid their fate.
Crazy to think about it, but at the same time in the summer of '67 while all this was going on, I was 5 years old and staying with my grandparents in Saugerties. Big Pink was 3.88 miles from my bedroom per Google Earth. My great grandfather's house in West Saugerties, where we went swimming in Plattekill Creek, was 2.5 miles away from BP. For all I know, I could have brushed by them in the local store at the time and not known it.
The negative slurs against Robbie found below remind me of when the bullies used to gang up on the smart kid at school. Gee, if you think Robbie is a bad guy, where's your compass for crooks in corporations/government? Robbie is one of the more intelligent and eloquent interviewees in rock, a fine songwriter and guitarist, and at one time or another has known the biggest names in music and film.If you've ever been in a band you know that when they break up the members always talk smack about each other, and unless you were in the group you don't know what really went down.
yeah, he was the normal one in The Band, he left cause he couldnt deal with a drunk Rick, a suicidal durg addicted Richard, spaced out Garth and ramblin hilbilly Levon...
I try to be optimistic, a lot of people think they are defending the world against injustice by 'siding' with Levon against the injustices of the world. If this is your idea of injustice though, haven't seen much of hte real world.
i dont mean to be so offtopic but does any of you know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb forgot my account password. I appreciate any help you can offer me
1969 - I remember how sacred to open up the album, all of us sitting around in Boston, placing the needle on the album, Laying back, and almost dying from the beauty and perfection in every single chord, lyric, in every single cut. It was earth-shattering! A highlight of my life - that and CSNY first album. All around the time of WOODSTOCK. That was our religion. JUST AMAZING!
I know how I feel watching this,I could listen to him all night! I don't look at anything but his contribution to the music! I am a fan ,a student ,a supporter, and a protector of any and all musicians that created and or duplicated the sound and feeling of freedom that I experienced (and experience today)through the music! I can tell you one thing, I am so blessed to have lived and experienced the evolution of music from The 50's,60's,70's,etc!
+james collins i remember when that album came out, in 1969, plain white cardboard cover, double album, first recordings of dylan since john wesley harding. in 1968, i was in Europe, in liverpool, and ran into a guy there on a bus bench, we were chatting and i mentioned i loved dylan music more than anything, and he said there was a new dylan song out called This Wheel's on Fire, and we went to find a place with a juke box so i could hear it. It was by Julie Driscoll, i don't think it got play in the US. i loved the song, so good to hear something coming from dylan again. long dry spell. Julie Driscoll did a great kind of psychedelic cover that worked, great band, Brian Auger and the Trinity. Brian Augur played some role in helping Jimi Hendrix get his start in England.
Listen to 'So many Roads' John Hammond blues album. Robbie is incredible. Recorded off the floor in 7 hrs. Michael Bloomfield played piano because he listened to Robbie and was so blown away that he didn't want to play guitar on the session!
Band I played with in the 70's, we rehearsed in a boiler room in the basement of a medical building. It was sweaty, had a concrete floor. We put down a rug for my kit, set up a couple of mics and recorded away. I still have a few tapes and it sounded pretty good!
we had a band in UK 70's did the same in a stable with low wood beams, once decided to do our live gig practice to prepare for emergency darkness on stage so i put a blindfold on, we started playing, i sprung around as on stage, jumped up and cracked my head on a beam, end of rehearsal
Rick Hadden Robbie humble? You're kidding, right? He claimed copyright on nearly all the Band's songs then basically broke up the group. He was a millionaire from royalties and wouldn't share it with the others, most of whom went broke. His first solo album was great, though, so I guess he did provide some creativity to the Band. Nevertheless I'll always enjoy the guitar lesson Eric Clapton gave him in The Last Waltz.
I was at Garth's old place, and in a small cabin on the property on a shelf I saw a Revox tape recorder with it's cover on, he opened it and there was The Tape Recorder a tube model as Garth told me The Revox that The Basement Tapes were recorded on. I wish Robbie had mentioned that it was Garth who actually recorded them.
I really wish people would stop dogging on Robbie... What's done is done, bands split up often, some people in bands get tired of touring constantly, he made peace with Levon before he passed.
Ehhh, he didn’t exactly “make peace”. He visited Levon at his deathbed but Levon was already unconscious, so there couldn’t have been any reconciliation. Levon went to his grave despising Robbie in every way and rightfully so! If you’re interested, check out his autobiography “This Wheels on fire” and “Levon “ by Sandra B Tooze. Really good info and accounts on what actually happened with them
@@Canoeland whatever, be part of the negative.............must be a forward outlook type of individual and, probably helpful to most when available.......eeh......
@@Canoeland Ehhh, Levon's book wasn't even written by him .. it was written by a provacative ghost writer who wanted to stir things up. Levon was initially apologetic about the book at first ... but self fulfilling prophecy set in and he ended believing in his own bs until his dying days. Even his friends tried to talk him out of it. I'm amazed at all of the gullible people who say "read Levon's book for the truth" .. when all the evidence leads to something else.
Gwen Treleven wrote two years ago, comments near end, that she doesn't know about all the arguing, she just likes the music (i'm paraphrasing). Good reminder. Because that's what the musicians were about, that's what brought us to this site.
The rug was a good idea, but your friend didn't know that cement and cinder block are not bad acoustic surfaces. They have lots of little holes in the surface traps sound and stops reflection, or reverberation and echo.
What is with all the Robertson hate in these comments? Got to be from something other than this video, 'cause he's nothing but gracious and cool as hell here. I'm guessing it's people who believe he somehow ripped off Levon Helm. Robbie wrote the songs; get over it.
The Band got back together in the late 80's and early 90's. Prodeuced a record or two and toured. All except Robertson that is, and Richard who had passed.
It's not that simple of a situation to say RR wrote those songs - period, end of story. If RR doesn't have Levon, Garth, Rick and Richard to flesh out these songs and actually make them into tunes then these songs would sound like RR solo material - i.e. rubbish. This was not a one-man show. The others contributions were extremely significant. RR may have deserved the largest cut but the others each deserved a piece as well.
Ivan Lendl Dude, no offense, but that's called being a rock musician. You think the bass player is entitled to a co-writing credit because he takes the notes of the chords and chooses a bass line from them? The drummer because he puts a beat to it? That's THEIR JOB. Arrangement is not "co-writing," unless of course it's established by the group members that it will be considered so, like The Doors did and Led Zeppelin did. Why didn't Helm complain back then? He and Robbie and the other guys were all on the same level; it certainly wasn't like Robbie was this superstar and they were nobodies who figured they better just do what he says if they want to play with him. He was the idea man, the songwriter, and he was compensated as such, and rightfully so. It's particularly funny that it was Helm, the drummer, who made the loudest gripes, decades down the line. Laying down a simple rock beat--great though Helm's drums were--behind chords, melody, lyrics that Robbie wrote, I'm sorry, but that's not co-writing a song. When singer/songwriters like Dylan or John Lennon on his solo stuff--when they would come to the studio with their songs, they'd play the chords for the guys, their "team", and the bass guy would come up with a bass part, the organ guy with an organ part, etc. Nobody would've ever dreamed suggest, "Hey, um, didn't I sort of co-write this, cuz you know, I added that bass line?" That's what arranging is. And the guys in The Band just happened to be really, really good at it. Anyway, peace: Happy New Year's, bro.
+Raymond Arcangel So get any professional bass player and any pro drummer and any pro keyboard player and vocalist and these songs are the same as we know them today? Of course not. Not even close in fact. The tracks on those Band albums are so rich that it really is a "band" effort.. Plug other people in and you have something very different. R.E.M was similar and that's why they decided early on to give all 4 members a songwriting credit on every song. Because each guy was that vital to the process. RR was definitely smarter about making sure he got paid. Levon was a talented but naive country boy. Regardless, I'll take Levon's last couple of solo albums over RR's entire solo discography. Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt are fantastic pieces of work and closely resemble The Band's sound. I listen to those 2 albums frequently.
Thank you Bob for checking out my deal. Sometimes when people’s sense of reality are so different it is not good. And definitions of lying are so different. I happen to think omission is akin to lying often. Feels like quicksand a bit. But thanks for taking the time. (And that calypso song is beautiful).
The sound, which is great, was obviously the result of 5 amazing musicians but the richness of Robbie's lyrics is the driving force behind the band. And his true genius was his ability to cater towards Levon's southern roots. Something Levon couldn't do for himself. And as far as being pompous well I guess that makes him the first one in rock n roll
Rick B The record, Music from Big Pink, was not recorded at Big Pink like Dylan’s basement tape collection. The 1975 record stuck on outtakes from Band albums like Katie’s Been Gone and caused the confusion.
Pop music in the sixties can be seen as the story of artists getting out from under the musical/industrial complex. Zappa built his own studio. Brian Wilson and the Beatles gained control by selling unprecedented numbers of records. Garcia and Bear made the stage into a viable performance space and also a recording studio.
I bought the vinyl album back in the ‘70s. I honestly didn’t like it very much even though I was a Dylan and The Band fan. I’ll have to go back and revisit it.
That's interesting, I bought it back then too and it instantly became my favorite recording by either of them. Only thing I still listen to by them really. I'd be curious to hear what you think after revisiting.
For some,the one American in The Band must be the creative force.Levon wrote nothing.Richard did,sometimes with Robbie,sometimes with Dylan(Whispering Pines,Tears of Rage),and got credit for it every time.What distorts things is that Levon happened to sing the songs played on the radio.Richard actually sang more of the songs,and the best ones.Levon himself said so.Robbie's greatest sin is not being American.
oleole52 While Manuels voice was undoubtedly the best, I disagree that he sang the best songs. The night they drove old dixie down and unfaithful servant are fantastic. Danko doesn't get enough credit for his voice sometimes.
Totally agree on Unfaithful Servant and It Makes No Difference.They're beauties sung by Rick.There's just something about Richard's voice,especially on Whispering Pines.Robbie once said in an interview," you know,sometimes we weren't sure if Richard was reaching for a note,or if something had hurt him really bad."
oleole52 - nothing? Read the credits dumbass. Levon has a few, and besides, Levon's complaint was that the songs were skeletons, The Band finished them.
They're called demos,arsehole.All songwriters make them.Lennon/McCartney,Jagger /Richards,and others have their demo versions of songs on here made before their bands ever heard them.They were skeletons,too.And their bandmates never got writing credits for the finished product.Why is it suddenly an issue with The Band?No one had possibly a greater case for writing credit than George Martin,who produced,shaped,arranged,and wrote the orchestral scores for the Beatle songs.But he never asked for a writing credit.Why?Because he never wrote the damn songs.
I remember the Stonrs saying that sometimes you can over produce a song. And you need to be wary of that. This is one of those instances where raw is better. No polished in the studio where the soul is murdered and sterilized out of it!
No one says Bob Dylan is a dick for not giving songwriting credits on "Like a Rolling Stone" to Al Kooper, who played the famous organ line, or the drummer, with the famous snare hit. According to the Levon argument, those guys should have received song credits.
Excuse my ignorance, but why do I sense some dissaproval of Robbie's interview? I've always been a fan of both Dylan and the Band and I don't think he sounds stuckup or anything. Maybe I'm missin sumthin...
"I feel very fortunate. I'm just thankful that we don't have to punch that time-clock." (Rick Danko) "And the guys in the union there saying 'hey it's about dinner break' and everything." (Robbie Robertson)
Robertson obviously wrote the songs, not Levon. Maybe the problem is with the system of royalty payouts, which rewards the composer but not the musicians who helped arrange and bring the songs to life, I mean, Ginger Baker hated Jack Bruce for the same reason. It usually comes down to $$$, especially as these guys age and blow through their bankroll. The royalties continue after the band breaks up...
Jeffrey Clapp You're 100% right Jeff. I interviewed those guys, loved The Band, but if Levon was a real, proper writer, he would've pulled a George Harrison after The Band broke up. He would've shut the argument down with a brilliant double album of Levon songs. The Band all made millions. It's not Robbie's fault they spent the dough. Heard Broken Arrow? Between Trains? Robbie wrote what he was credited with. Richard, that was a sad case. He wrote most of Whispering Pines. If he wasn't so messed up, of the songs that would've emerged.
Jeffrey Clapp I definitely agree with you. Why the fuck would anybody not demand a songwriting credit from DAY ONE if they co-wrote the songs? This has happened with other people. For instance, a guitarist from the first Morrissey solo album later said he co-wrote all the stuff. Meanwhile, he never demanded a credit until years later. I can't buy that. I would kick and scream from the beginning until I got a credit if I really co-wrote it. I can't imagine Levon just putting up with it. I think it's like you said: years later, he's broke, and he starts thinking, you know what, I co-wrote that stuff...Okay, dude. Some people think a drummer deserves a credit just for putting down a beat, but that's bullshit if you ask me. Same goes for the bassist. The SONG is the chords and melody and lyrics. The rest is MUSICIANS DOING THEIR JOB. Can you imagine if every bass player who chose his own notes on a studio recording started demanding a co-credit? I can maybe see some metal dudes, where the bass and drums, the changing rhythms, are such an integral part of the song, I can maybe see them considering themselves co-writers. But you can play "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" on an acoustic guitar and it'll still be the song. If Robertson wrote the words and melody and chords, he wrote the friggin' song.
It was pretty much the last gasp of the Old Dylan...his creativity nose dived beginning with John Wesley Harding...but with the Basement Tapes he went out in style....
@TerrySleeper Is there anything in particular that Robbie says here that you think needs to be taken with a pinch of salt? Is there anything said here that you can point out as inaccurate? I doubt it. Just more blind anti-Robbie tropes, residuals from an old battle that we know very little about (despite having read a tell-all book). Robbie is talking here about some things that happened in 1967, not about the 1975 "The Basement Tapes" LP. Thanks for attempting to enlighten us though.
Thank god they did, some of Dylan's best work I think, which also led to The sound and songs that The Band put out, they owe Dylan alot plus led to John Wesley Harding, now there's the perfect album, my opinion anyway and yes u r right, Robbie Robertson was made out to be the villain because he made more money than the rest of them, I love Levon, Richard, Rick and of course Garth but Robertson did make an effort to write the songs, I know with out Levons southern home town experience U would not have got many of there great songs, I say blame Albert Grossman, sorry just woke up and lost track of what I was trying to say, Anyway thank you Big Pink basement
@@cian4624 I meant which member of The Band released them. Long time Dylan fan here who had all the Basement Tapes long before Columbia released them. Thanks anyway my friend.
I've done a LOT of recording, and no room is impossible to use for recording provided you know how to adapt...best thing is to harness the idiosyncrasies that may exist.
Well afterall, Robertson did write The Weight. Songwriters have always received the royalties for their songs as opposed to the groups they played with. Jagger/Richards, Lennon/McCartney to name two.
Robbie wrote the bulk of the material, and he held the band together when they were off on their respective addictions, so yes, he had a lot of responsibility, much like the father of the family. If it wasn't for him, the band would not have been around past 1972....
Levon called The Last Waltz the last lie. Only Robbie and the producer ever received royalties for a movie that's been rereleased several times. It's a damn shame.
i don't know the details and whether robbie is guilty as charged or not - he very may well be as is often the case in the entertainment industry - but his coming from canada certainly has nothing to do with his ability to play and write within different genres. he's a musician. i've heard white men play reggae, black men perform classical piano pieces, country boys who rap, beatles who play sitar. his being canadian and playing american roots music is not evidence of his being a thief.
Firstly they were circulated as acetates by Dylan's publishers, which ended up being copied and sold as a bootleg commonly known as the "Great White Wonder" album because it came in a plain white sleeve.
Robbie didnt spread the wealth around man. Granted, he was probably the most sober, but The Band was a collabarative effort and RR didnt recognize that.
@Rick B ok thanks I'm late for these, grew up to the radio without really knowing who until 30 years later,but I'll probably backtrack now till I cant anymore, thanks for the reply
I believe at some point or other Dylan indicated he broke or fractured a vertebrate...I'm his neck? Back? Robbie was thete, so I guess his neck is the answer.
Most "leading members" of succesful bands are very egotistical. Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, and in this case Robbie Robertson... But I've never seen people hate a specific band member so much before! With rockstars, I tend to accept that they're inevitably gonna become more arrogant as they become more succesful, so I think the ones who are modest appear more impressive. I can't shake off the feeling that if Robbie Robertson had sung as well as playing and writing, people would like him more.
Love this guy, his music, his guitar playing, and his storytelling abilities. Fly high in the winds of your Native ancestors, brother! RIP, J.R. Robertson.
I could listen to Robertson talk about almost anything all night long. What a legend, as with the rest of The Band.
Finally a dang interview that is so clear and concise, whoever interviewed Robbie here did a magnificent job with the recording. Its really depressing sometimes when the interview is conducted and the listener can barley hear what is being said. THis is a good as it gets. Fantastic job.
Ha ha, I just dropped a similar comment on another vid from this series. Former audio engineer here. Such perfect sound. Of course, it was done by real engineers!
The Basement Tapes, definitely one of my favorite top 10 albums. Have been listening to it 40+ years and still do. One of the best albums Dylan and the Band ever made.
I agree with you Charles got it on cd and vinyl quality songwriting 🏴😄👍
@@jasondylansargent2195A now totally obsolete album with the complete box set accessible to all.
Robbies oratory skills are simply amazing. As he tells a story, any story it is beautifully told and always respectful. The Last Waltz is without question my favorite music DVD of all time and each member of the Band did a wonderful job during the interviews, but Robbie was the master of Ceremony on stage or during the interviews.
Very interesting short interview where the guy conducting it had the good sense to let Robbie Robertson flow. Thanks for sharing, TheBluesMobileVideo.
Thanks for the greatness Robbie, Garth, Rick, Levon, Richard ... and Bob. Together through life.
Steve
Toronto, Ontario
This is such a great video ! Just imagine the 1960,s , these pioneers lay down tracks in their own make do studio.(people thought they were crazy) but ,the idea was so great! I love the story,the history,the music,Bob Dylan & The Band!
Plus, ya know, it was Bob Dylan. The best.
as robbie explained about bob dylan...at big pink....bob would sit at a typewriter....and knock out one song after another...15 minutes per song....for hours on end..he blew our minds......
RIP Robbie 💔 your spirit will never die ❤🎶🎸🥀🕊️🕯️🙏
Great story By Robbie loved it thanks
We owe much to Robbie and the Band. I saw them in London Ontario on a hay wagon in the 50's. I believe they were Levon and the Hawks. Amazing musicians.
I am so amazed that the Hawks used to play and live in my old hometown (Hamilton, Ontario). Mr. Robertson, I salute ya!
K August Give credit to Ronnie Hawkins, who hired these guys as teenagers and taught them not just how to play brilliantly, but also the discipline required to work as a group.
All the boys or levon?
@@ferrallderrall6588 Hawkins was a great one for recognizing and developing talent. He hired a teenage Levon in 1958, it was his first engagement as a drummer. He discovered many other fine musicians in Canada. The Band was The Hawks until they split away and went on their own. But they were Hawkins band first. Same with Crowbar. Also Full Tilt Boogie Band, Janis Joplin's favorite of all the bands she worked with. And many other musicians.
@@mrdanforth3744 thanks for the reply, I'm still getting it figured bro
I realize I’m following this conversation a year later, but having just read Robbie Robertson’s “Testimony” I’m all jacked up on getting more information, watching a lot of videos, reading comments, making some. I've ordered Levon's book, but haven't read it yet.
IRR seems to truly have loved, cared about, all of the musicians in The Band, and considered Levn his best friend. According to his book:
He would write the songs with the individuals in mind, knowing what would be perfect for Leon to sing, for Richard to sing. He realized singing wasn’t his own strength. He wanted the others to do more song writing, but they weren’t interested.
And the last few years, Levon, Rick and Richard all doing junk, an expensive habit.
All but Levon went to RR one at a time and said they wanted to sell off their publishing rights. He tried to talk them out of it, but they wanted the money, their retirement funds.
It's been fascinating reading all of the comments here by so many people who've seriously studied the history, found sources for facts.
Like many others, Levon has my heart, but he wasn't perfect, and yes, he blew it , got bitter.
They all allowed Cathy Smith to wreck their lives like she did to Belushi, but only Robertson and Garth Hudson had enough discipline to avoid their fate.
Crazy to think about it, but at the same time in the summer of '67 while all this was going on, I was 5 years old and staying with my grandparents in Saugerties. Big Pink was 3.88 miles from my bedroom per Google Earth. My great grandfather's house in West Saugerties, where we went swimming in Plattekill Creek, was 2.5 miles away from BP. For all I know, I could have brushed by them in the local store at the time and not known it.
The negative slurs against Robbie found below remind me of when the bullies used to gang up on the smart kid at school. Gee, if you think Robbie is a bad guy, where's your compass for crooks in corporations/government? Robbie is one of the more intelligent and eloquent interviewees in rock, a fine songwriter and guitarist, and at one time or another has known the biggest names in music and film.If you've ever been in a band you know that when they break up the members always talk smack about each other, and unless you were in the group you don't know what really went down.
yeah, he was the normal one in The Band, he left cause he couldnt deal with a drunk Rick, a suicidal durg addicted Richard, spaced out Garth and ramblin hilbilly Levon...
Aah all the human traits and yet somehow the band to beat lol
I try to be optimistic, a lot of people think they are defending the world against injustice by 'siding' with Levon against the injustices of the world. If this is your idea of injustice though, haven't seen much of hte real world.
fanmaxis3004 really? Because Robbie admits he did his fair share of drugs
i dont mean to be so offtopic but does any of you know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb forgot my account password. I appreciate any help you can offer me
robbie is my favorite guitar player
The work of Big Pink was a miracle.
it's almost too beautiful to listen to.
1969 - I remember how sacred to open up the album, all of us sitting around in Boston, placing the needle on the album, Laying back, and almost dying from the beauty and perfection in every single chord, lyric, in every single cut. It was earth-shattering! A highlight of my life - that and CSNY first album. All around the time of WOODSTOCK. That was our religion. JUST AMAZING!
This guy has the gift of gab (and music).
+Brian Dorn well, he's got the gab...not sure it's a gift.
Brian Dorn gift of bs...and music
I know how I feel watching this,I could listen to him all night! I don't look at anything but his contribution to the music! I am a fan ,a student ,a supporter, and a protector of any and all musicians that created and or duplicated the sound and feeling of freedom that I experienced (and experience today)through the music!
I can tell you one thing, I am so blessed to have lived and experienced the evolution of music from The 50's,60's,70's,etc!
Me too❤
I had the album bob dylan and the band the basement tapes on vinyl
I was already a bob Dylan fan. But that album was unbelievable
+james collins
i remember when that album came out, in 1969, plain white cardboard cover, double album, first recordings of dylan since john wesley harding. in 1968, i was in Europe, in liverpool, and ran into a guy there on a bus bench, we were chatting and i mentioned i loved dylan music more than anything, and he said there was a new dylan song out called This Wheel's on Fire, and we went to find a place with a juke box so i could hear it. It was by Julie Driscoll, i don't think it got play in the US. i loved the song, so good to hear something coming from dylan again. long dry spell. Julie Driscoll did a great kind of psychedelic cover that worked, great band, Brian Auger and the Trinity. Brian Augur played some role in helping Jimi Hendrix get his start in England.
Sometimes you just gotta put down a rug and play!
Basement Tapes is classic stuff
one of my favs from Dylan and the Band
Thank you Robbie for The Band!
Thank Bob Dylan for 99%
+michael clarke why a hater? is there something wrong in YOUR life????
I don't hate. My life? On the scheme of things,pretty good. My opinion on Band and RR,off shots on Dylan's Armada. Oh I do have a toot ache.
that rug really tied the room together tho
Listen to 'So many Roads' John Hammond blues album. Robbie is incredible. Recorded off the floor in 7 hrs. Michael Bloomfield played piano because he listened to Robbie and was so blown away that he didn't want to play guitar on the session!
Great story and teller.
What a legend!
Robbie...The Band...Dylan...damn!!! 👍
Boy...they made great music. Wish they were all here...and giging.
All things must pass.
Band I played with in the 70's, we rehearsed in a boiler room in the basement of a medical building. It was sweaty, had a concrete floor. We put down a rug for my kit, set up a couple of mics and recorded away. I still have a few tapes and it sounded pretty good!
we had a band in UK 70's did the same in a stable with low wood beams, once decided to do our live gig practice to prepare for emergency darkness on stage so i put a blindfold on, we started playing, i sprung around as on stage, jumped up and cracked my head on a beam, end of rehearsal
This guy. is one cool cat. the pride of Canada rests on his shoulders. Honest humble and so talented
+Rick Hadden Don't forget Garth.
you're kidding, of course. The man is self- centered, a thief and liar.
You're believing the biased words of a bitter man. Apparently, no one has backed him up on his claims. But I'd agree Robbie is far from humble...LOL
Rick B
Yes, that is what I was referring to.
Rick Hadden Robbie humble? You're kidding, right? He claimed copyright on nearly all the Band's songs then basically broke up the group. He was a millionaire from royalties and wouldn't share it with the others, most of whom went broke. His first solo album was great, though, so I guess he did provide some creativity to the Band. Nevertheless I'll always enjoy the guitar lesson Eric Clapton gave him in The Last Waltz.
I was at Garth's old place, and in a small cabin on the property on a shelf I saw a Revox tape recorder with it's cover on, he opened it and there was The Tape Recorder a tube model as Garth told me The Revox that The Basement Tapes were recorded on. I wish Robbie had mentioned that it was Garth who actually recorded them.
TJ Colatrella right never mentions Garth who recorded it so well, given the primitive equipment back then
I really wish people would stop dogging on Robbie... What's done is done, bands split up often, some people in bands get tired of touring constantly, he made peace with Levon before he passed.
Ehhh, he didn’t exactly “make peace”. He visited Levon at his deathbed but Levon was already unconscious, so there couldn’t have been any reconciliation. Levon went to his grave despising Robbie in every way and rightfully so! If you’re interested, check out his autobiography “This Wheels on fire” and “Levon “ by Sandra B Tooze. Really good info and accounts on what actually happened with them
@@Canoeland whatever, be part of the negative.............must be a forward outlook type of individual and, probably helpful to most when available.......eeh......
@@Canoeland Ehhh, Levon's book wasn't even written by him .. it was written by a provacative ghost writer who wanted to stir things up. Levon was initially apologetic about the book at first ... but self fulfilling prophecy set in and he ended believing in his own bs until his dying days. Even his friends tried to talk him out of it. I'm amazed at all of the gullible people who say "read Levon's book for the truth" .. when all the evidence leads to something else.
i loved robbie's first solo album which was quite worthwhile...don't know too much since
i do, and his first solo album was excellent
What an articulate gentleman ... a one of a kind who " mixed " well with everyone . RIP ...
Still have the album. Great music!!
If he didn’t play another note,the lead break on ‘King Harvest ‘alone would immortalized him.
Gwen Treleven wrote two years ago, comments near end, that she doesn't know about all the arguing, she just likes the music (i'm paraphrasing). Good reminder. Because that's what the musicians were about, that's what brought us to this site.
What a cool interview. Glad this is down for posterity.
Sounds like an OK guy to me and the story rings true against other accounts. Hey, he was there.
The rug was a good idea, but your friend didn't know that cement and cinder block are not bad acoustic surfaces. They have lots of little holes in the surface traps sound and stops reflection, or reverberation and echo.
Man's a genius
What is with all the Robertson hate in these comments? Got to be from something other than this video, 'cause he's nothing but gracious and cool as hell here. I'm guessing it's people who believe he somehow ripped off Levon Helm. Robbie wrote the songs; get over it.
The Band got back together in the late 80's and early 90's. Prodeuced a record or two and toured. All except Robertson that is, and Richard who had passed.
+Raymond Arcangel RR could have at least helped Helm avoid bankruptcy.....that would have gone a long way to relieving some hate Levon had for him
It's not that simple of a situation to say RR wrote those songs - period, end of story. If RR doesn't have Levon, Garth, Rick and Richard to flesh out these songs and actually make them into tunes then these songs would sound like RR solo material - i.e. rubbish. This was not a one-man show. The others contributions were extremely significant. RR may have deserved the largest cut but the others each deserved a piece as well.
Ivan Lendl
Dude, no offense, but that's called being a rock musician. You think the bass player is entitled to a co-writing credit because he takes the notes of the chords and chooses a bass line from them? The drummer because he puts a beat to it? That's THEIR JOB. Arrangement is not "co-writing," unless of course it's established by the group members that it will be considered so, like The Doors did and Led Zeppelin did.
Why didn't Helm complain back then? He and Robbie and the other guys were all on the same level; it certainly wasn't like Robbie was this superstar and they were nobodies who figured they better just do what he says if they want to play with him.
He was the idea man, the songwriter, and he was compensated as such, and rightfully so. It's particularly funny that it was Helm, the drummer, who made the loudest gripes, decades down the line. Laying down a simple rock beat--great though Helm's drums were--behind chords, melody, lyrics that Robbie wrote, I'm sorry, but that's not co-writing a song.
When singer/songwriters like Dylan or John Lennon on his solo stuff--when they would come to the studio with their songs, they'd play the chords for the guys, their "team", and the bass guy would come up with a bass part, the organ guy with an organ part, etc. Nobody would've ever dreamed suggest, "Hey, um, didn't I sort of co-write this, cuz you know, I added that bass line?" That's what arranging is. And the guys in The Band just happened to be really, really good at it. Anyway, peace: Happy New Year's, bro.
+Raymond Arcangel So get any professional bass player and any pro drummer and any pro keyboard player and vocalist and these songs are the same as we know them today? Of course not. Not even close in fact. The tracks on those Band albums are so rich that it really is a "band" effort.. Plug other people in and you have something very different. R.E.M was similar and that's why they decided early on to give all 4 members a songwriting credit on every song. Because each guy was that vital to the process. RR was definitely smarter about making sure he got paid. Levon was a talented but naive country boy. Regardless, I'll take Levon's last couple of solo albums over RR's entire solo discography. Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt are fantastic pieces of work and closely resemble The Band's sound. I listen to those 2 albums frequently.
Thank you Bob for checking out my deal. Sometimes when people’s sense of reality are so different it is not good. And definitions of lying are so different. I happen to think omission is akin to lying often. Feels like quicksand a bit. But thanks for taking the time. (And that calypso song is beautiful).
There ya go folks most great things come out of accidents if yu got a idea don't let anyone step on it for it just might be GREAT
3:46. “ .. and so Bob Dylan comes out… “
I’ll say
Imagine stopping by this old pink house and seeing The Band & Bob Dylan jamming away
thanks robbie nice touche
For whatever I find his voice really relaxing. It's like American but kinda Canadian
The sound, which is great, was obviously the result of 5 amazing musicians but the richness of Robbie's lyrics is the driving force behind the band. And his true genius was his ability to cater towards Levon's southern roots. Something Levon couldn't do for himself. And as far as being pompous well I guess that makes him the first one in rock n roll
sderek wrong thread. This is about the basement tapes which were Dylan songs
Rick B The record, Music from Big Pink, was not recorded at Big Pink like Dylan’s basement tape collection. The 1975 record stuck on outtakes from Band albums like Katie’s Been Gone and caused the confusion.
Pop music in the sixties can be seen as the story of artists getting out from under the musical/industrial complex. Zappa built his own studio. Brian Wilson and the Beatles gained control by selling unprecedented numbers of records. Garcia and Bear made the stage into a viable performance space and also a recording studio.
Love R.R.
A RUG!!??? I've watch this a dozen times and that line still cracks me up.
"Bob is taking care of us, all of the time."
I bought the vinyl album back in the ‘70s. I honestly didn’t like it very much even though I was a Dylan and The Band fan. I’ll have to go back and revisit it.
That's interesting, I bought it back then too and it instantly became my favorite recording by either of them. Only thing I still listen to by them really. I'd be curious to hear what you think after revisiting.
"Wow. What a story, Mark."
Best album ever.
❤miss him
For some,the one American in The Band must be the creative force.Levon wrote nothing.Richard did,sometimes with Robbie,sometimes with Dylan(Whispering Pines,Tears of Rage),and got credit for it every time.What distorts things is that Levon happened to sing the songs played on the radio.Richard actually sang more of the songs,and the best ones.Levon himself said so.Robbie's greatest sin is not being American.
oleole52 While Manuels voice was undoubtedly the best, I disagree that he sang the best songs. The night they drove old dixie down and unfaithful servant are fantastic. Danko doesn't get enough credit for his voice sometimes.
+Sam Calin It Makes No Difference....another Danko classic
Totally agree on Unfaithful Servant and It Makes No Difference.They're beauties sung by Rick.There's just something about Richard's voice,especially on Whispering Pines.Robbie once said in an interview," you know,sometimes we weren't sure if Richard was reaching for a note,or if something had hurt him really bad."
oleole52 - nothing? Read the credits dumbass. Levon has a few, and besides, Levon's complaint was that the songs were skeletons, The Band finished them.
They're called demos,arsehole.All songwriters make them.Lennon/McCartney,Jagger /Richards,and others have their demo versions of songs on here made before their bands ever heard them.They were skeletons,too.And their bandmates never got writing credits for the finished product.Why is it suddenly an issue with The Band?No one had possibly a greater case for writing credit than George Martin,who produced,shaped,arranged,and wrote the orchestral scores for the Beatle songs.But he never asked for a writing credit.Why?Because he never wrote the damn songs.
I remember the Stonrs saying that sometimes you can over produce a song. And you need to be wary of that.
This is one of those instances where raw is better.
No polished in the studio where the soul is murdered and sterilized out of it!
No one says Bob Dylan is a dick for not giving songwriting credits on "Like a Rolling Stone" to Al Kooper, who played the famous organ line, or the drummer, with the famous snare hit. According to the Levon argument, those guys should have received song credits.
sparkomatic My sentiments exactly....well put. (
Totally agree. Well said.
LEGEND. 👊🔥🤘
Excuse my ignorance, but why do I sense some dissaproval of Robbie's interview? I've always been a fan of both Dylan and the Band and I don't think he sounds stuckup or anything. Maybe I'm missin sumthin...
"I feel very fortunate. I'm just thankful that we don't have to punch that time-clock." (Rick Danko) "And the guys in the union there saying 'hey it's about dinner break' and everything." (Robbie Robertson)
+Iazzaboyce I'm looking for the video clip of him saying that. Any idea where I can find it ?
+Kevin Grady The Rick Danko quote is from a 1998 interview with CBS Radio, I don't know if any video exists.
I did see a clip of him actually saying that very thing. I should have downloaded it.
@patrickbrennan42
I couldn't agree more. He is telling the story through HIS eyes. Bands break up. Deal with it. The music will always be there
Robertson obviously wrote the songs, not Levon. Maybe the problem is with the system of royalty payouts, which rewards the composer but not the musicians who helped arrange and bring the songs to life, I mean, Ginger Baker hated Jack Bruce for the same reason. It usually comes down to $$$, especially as these guys age and blow through their bankroll. The royalties continue after the band breaks up...
Jeffrey Clapp You're 100% right Jeff. I interviewed those guys, loved The Band, but if Levon was a real, proper writer, he would've pulled a George Harrison after The Band broke up. He would've shut the argument down with a brilliant double album of Levon songs. The Band all made millions. It's not Robbie's fault they spent the dough. Heard Broken Arrow? Between Trains? Robbie wrote what he was credited with. Richard, that was a sad case. He wrote most of Whispering Pines. If he wasn't so messed up, of the songs that would've emerged.
Jeffrey Clapp I definitely agree with you. Why the fuck would anybody not demand a songwriting credit from DAY ONE if they co-wrote the songs? This has happened with other people. For instance, a guitarist from the first Morrissey solo album later said he co-wrote all the stuff. Meanwhile, he never demanded a credit until years later. I can't buy that. I would kick and scream from the beginning until I got a credit if I really co-wrote it. I can't imagine Levon just putting up with it. I think it's like you said: years later, he's broke, and he starts thinking, you know what, I co-wrote that stuff...Okay, dude. Some people think a drummer deserves a credit just for putting down a beat, but that's bullshit if you ask me. Same goes for the bassist. The SONG is the chords and melody and lyrics. The rest is MUSICIANS DOING THEIR JOB. Can you imagine if every bass player who chose his own notes on a studio recording started demanding a co-credit? I can maybe see some metal dudes, where the bass and drums, the changing rhythms, are such an integral part of the song, I can maybe see them considering themselves co-writers. But you can play "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" on an acoustic guitar and it'll still be the song. If Robertson wrote the words and melody and chords, he wrote the friggin' song.
Peter Gerstenzang Exactly
Those Arkansas boys go by their word. They disdain contracts & the like.
I think Levin had been around the business long enough to know about contracts.
Fantastic story.
Richard and Robbie wrote just as much and not to mention the hell of amount that Levon added to Robbie's songs
It was pretty much the last gasp of the Old Dylan...his creativity nose dived beginning with John Wesley Harding...but with the Basement Tapes he went out in style....
i wish i could meet robbie robertson
@TerrySleeper Is there anything in particular that Robbie says here that you think needs to be taken with a pinch of salt? Is there anything said here that you can point out as inaccurate? I doubt it. Just more blind anti-Robbie tropes, residuals from an old battle that we know very little about (despite having read a tell-all book). Robbie is talking here about some things that happened in 1967, not about the 1975 "The Basement Tapes" LP. Thanks for attempting to enlighten us though.
Thank god they did, some of Dylan's best work I think, which also led to The sound and songs that The Band put out, they owe Dylan alot plus led to John Wesley Harding, now there's the perfect album, my opinion anyway and yes u r right, Robbie Robertson was made out to be the villain because he made more money than the rest of them, I love Levon, Richard, Rick and of course Garth but Robertson did make an effort to write the songs, I know with out Levons southern home town experience U would not have got many of there great songs, I say blame Albert Grossman, sorry just woke up and lost track of what I was trying to say, Anyway thank you Big Pink basement
❤❤
Robbie, God bless your soul, but Dylan is the king! God bless your soul
ROBBIE!!!!
Robbie did better financially because he was not drunk or stoned all the time.
lyf45mo it’s actually because he owned all the songs
He wrote most of the songs!!
2:55
A RUG? WHERE A RUG DOESN'T BELONG? -Frasier Crane
I've always wondered who leaked out the boot legs for the first time.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_White_Wonder
@@cian4624 I meant which member of The Band released them. Long time Dylan fan here who had all the Basement Tapes long before Columbia released them. Thanks anyway my friend.
All I can mention is to me when Robbie speaks he sounds similar to Al Franken, anyone else hear it ?
I can hear it
@Werner Voss What a coincidence! YOU make me sick!
theyre both jewish...
I've done a LOT of recording, and no room is impossible to use for recording provided you know how to adapt...best thing is to harness the idiosyncrasies that may exist.
Well afterall, Robertson did write The Weight. Songwriters have always received the royalties for their songs as opposed to the groups they played with. Jagger/Richards, Lennon/McCartney to name two.
Cool story
Robbie wrote the bulk of the material, and he held the band together when they were off on their respective addictions, so yes, he had a lot of responsibility, much like the father of the family. If it wasn't for him, the band would not have been around past 1972....
Interesting insite...to the history of Rock n Bob.
"It became a whole other phenomenon " -RR . Yep that stuff happens when your in Gods backyard .
Levon called The Last Waltz the last lie. Only Robbie and the producer ever received royalties for a movie that's been rereleased several times. It's a damn shame.
EPIC
i don't know the details and whether robbie is guilty as charged or not - he very may well be as is often the case in the entertainment industry - but his coming from canada certainly has nothing to do with his ability to play and write within different genres. he's a musician. i've heard white men play reggae, black men perform classical piano pieces, country boys who rap, beatles who play sitar. his being canadian and playing american roots music is not evidence of his being a thief.
How did the Basement Tapes-become known and available?
Firstly they were circulated as acetates by Dylan's publishers, which ended up being copied and sold as a bootleg commonly known as the "Great White Wonder" album because it came in a plain white sleeve.
But he didn't do the arrangements of the music. That was a collaborative process. All members were involved.
Robbie didnt spread the wealth around man. Granted, he was probably the most sober, but The Band was a collabarative effort and RR didnt recognize that.
@Abrown465 Agree, can't wait for Robbie's memoirs. Until then, read Across the Great Divide which isn't so one-sided.
he wrote the songs jesus give him a break
Aah how many covers to actual the band?I really dont know myself
@Rick B ok thanks I'm late for these, grew up to the radio without really knowing who until 30 years later,but I'll probably backtrack now till I cant anymore, thanks for the reply
@Rick B I have much to learn,its worthy
KEITH Fitz he didn’t write any of the basement tape songs
Robbie says Dylan, "broke his neck in the motorcycle accident"? Interesting.
I believe at some point or other Dylan indicated he broke or fractured a vertebrate...I'm his neck? Back? Robbie was thete, so I guess his neck is the answer.
Most "leading members" of succesful bands are very egotistical. Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, and in this case Robbie Robertson... But I've never seen people hate a specific band member so much before!
With rockstars, I tend to accept that they're inevitably gonna become more arrogant as they become more succesful, so I think the ones who are modest appear more impressive. I can't shake off the feeling that if Robbie Robertson had sung as well as playing and writing, people would like him more.
Robbie is gone now. 😢
Come on, he says "we" every fourth word.
So f-ing true.
4:20 hebroke his ?
It IS O K~E