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Then you may have answered this question before: if you can only take one with you which would it be? And why?

 

I recently rewatched the VH1 "rockumentary" on the making of the 2nd, and it had some interesting backfill. It wasn't all Robertson, all the time either.

 

Oh, I always play them together - that is, I listen to the first one, and then the 2nd one.

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Guest Cousin Tupelo
Ooh, I need to see that. Was that part of the classic albums show? I just recently watched a few of those: Plastic Ono Band, Apostrophe/Over-Nite Sensation, Catch A Fire. The Plastic Ono Band one was really good.

 

The making of Steely Dan's Aja is interesting, just to have the two of them sitting there, finishing each other's sentences, the sessions guys and how they found themselves fitted into the process, finding a well placed squeak on the 64th track. etc.

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Guest Cousin Tupelo
Oh, I always play them together - that is, I listen to the first one, and then the 2nd one.

 

One thing that interested me in Helm's book is the credit he gives to Garth Hudson, for all of the additional finishing he gave to tracks after everyone else was finished with them (particularly during the first recording). Obviously there's some chops in the content of the lyrics, but the ensemble quality of those recordings wouldn't sound so deep and out of time without those many touches by Hudson.

 

His reward: Robertson and Scorsese painted him as a loon, a crackpot.

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The making of Steely Dan's Aja is interesting, just to have the two of them sitting there, finishing each other's sentences, the sessions guys and how they found themselves fitted into the process, finding a well placed squeak on the 64th track. etc.

 

Sweet. I have that on my computer. I'll have to watch that tonight since my Braves are playing an afternoon game today. I wonder if they interview Michael McDonald. He makes me laugh because all I can think of is Yacht Rock and 40 Year Old Virgin when I hear his name.

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Guest Cousin Tupelo
Sweet. I have that on my computer. I'll have to watch that tonight since my Braves are playing an afternoon game today. I wonder if they interview Michael McDonald. He makes me laugh because all I can think of is Yacht Rock and 40 Year Old Virgin when I hear his name.

 

"If I have to hear 'Yah Mo B There' one more time, I'm gonna 'Yah Mo' burn this place to the ground."

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I actually find RR's stories in Waltz very interesting, and his demeanor charismatic. Also, if he hadn't broken up The Band then, Danko and Manuel probably would've died much sooner than they did. IMHO, it was a tragically brave choice (even if RR loves RR quite a bit and that had something to do with it as well).

i actually dig the Neil Diamond song more than the Van Morrison stuff

 

come dry your eyes

Deliciously pretentious tune -- I can never tell if I love it cause its funny or b/c its kinda good.

Chest Fever (I hate when the Method cuts off in the movie just as it's about to rock).

:yes

i love the backstage story when Neil diamond went up to Dylan and said "top that!"... Dylan's response was "what? fall asleep on stage"

I pray to God that happened. Please elaborate or link if possible. Interesting, b/c ND just became oldest artist w/a #1 album, beating out.....Dylan. Top that!

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I pray to God that happened. Please elaborate or link if possible. Interesting, b/c ND just became oldest artist w/a #1 album, beating out.....Dylan. Top that!

 

 

I pray to God that happened. Please elaborate or link if possible.

 

i read it in a Dylan biography years ago. but its on wikipedia, so it must be true!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Waltz

 

 

Neil Diamond was next, introducing his "Dry Your Eyes" by saying, "I'm only gonna do one song, but I'm gonna do it good." Diamond had been invited to perform by Robertson, who wanted the songwriters of Tin Pan Alley to be represented. Robertson had also produced Diamond's album Beautiful Noise the same year and co-wrote "Dry Your Eyes," which during the concert he hailed as a "great song." Diamond's appearance was not popular with all of the other performers. Levon Helm was critical of the inclusion of Diamond, not discerning any musical connection to The Band, as was Ronnie Wood, who stated in an 1980s interview, "None of us could understand what he was doing there." Dylan also apparently held him in low esteem: Reportedly, when Diamond came off stage he remarked to Dylan, "You'll have to be pretty good to follow me", to which Dylan responded, "What do I have to do, go on stage and fall asleep?"

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That made me think of Bob's line to Peter Grant.

 

this one?

 

Grant: "hi, i'm peter grant - manager of led zeppelin"

 

Dylan: "do i tell you my problems?"

 

 

that must have been the only time peter grant came out second best!

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this one?

 

Grant: "hi, i'm peter grant - manager of led zeppelin"

 

Dylan: "do i tell you my problems?"

 

 

that must have been the only time peter grant came out second best!

 

 

That's it. I got on that LZ board the other day.

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this one?

 

Grant: "hi, i'm peter grant - manager of led zeppelin"

 

Dylan: "do i tell you my problems?"

 

 

that must have been the only time peter grant came out second best!

Ha! That's a good one.

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i read it in a Dylan biography years ago. but its on wikipedia, so it must be true!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Waltz

 

 

Neil Diamond was next, introducing his "Dry Your Eyes" by saying, "I'm only gonna do one song, but I'm gonna do it good." Diamond had been invited to perform by Robertson, who wanted the songwriters of Tin Pan Alley to be represented. Robertson had also produced Diamond's album Beautiful Noise the same year and co-wrote "Dry Your Eyes," which during the concert he hailed as a "great song." Diamond's appearance was not popular with all of the other performers. Levon Helm was critical of the inclusion of Diamond, not discerning any musical connection to The Band, as was Ronnie Wood, who stated in an 1980s interview, "None of us could understand what he was doing there." Dylan also apparently held him in low esteem: Reportedly, when Diamond came off stage he remarked to Dylan, "You'll have to be pretty good to follow me", to which Dylan responded, "What do I have to do, go on stage and fall asleep?"

Thanks for that. A part of me on the inside will never stop laughing.

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  • 6 months later...
this one?

 

Grant: "hi, i'm peter grant - manager of led zeppelin"

 

Dylan: "do i tell you my problems?"

 

 

that must have been the only time peter grant came out second best!

 

 

That's great! I had never heard that. :D

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Highlight, Staples singers doing the weight.

 

Lowlight, Van Morrison bulging out of his ugly polyester pant suit and singing a crappy version of a crappy song.

 

Robbie was the true talent in the band so I guess is allowed to be a dick.

 

By the way, Robbie's solo album from 1990 is awesome. "Fallen Angel" about Richard Manuel is a great song, up there with "Danko Manuel" by Drive by Truckers.

 

Not sure I believe the story about Diamond and Dylan but you never know.

 

I also heard Dylan went up to Barry Manilow and said some really nice things (Can't remember what) one time and to this day Barry doesn't know if he was being genuine or sarcastic.

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Lowlight, Van Morrison bulging out of his ugly polyester pant suit and singing a crappy version of a crappy song.

I concur about the sartorial splendor of Mr. Van the Man, but I will have to respectfully disagree about the rest of this statement.

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Robbie was the true talent in the band so I guess is allowed to be a dick.

 

:throwup

 

More like----Robbie was the true dick in the band.

 

Just look at his glowing solo career. What talent!!!????

It was a combined effort by The Band to be The Band!

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:throwup

 

More like----Robbie was the true dick in the band.

 

Just look at his glowing solo career. What talent!!!????

It was a combined effort by The Band to be The Band!

 

what talent? seriously? robbie robertson? am i missing a joke here?

 

rick danko is one of my favorite musicians of all-time and robbie may be a dick, but come on ...

 

one of the great songwriters of our generation

 

he doesn't need a solo career to confirm that, although the first solo record & storyville were both great

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Wow, guess I'm in the minority here but then again I always thought Van Morrison was over rated except for maybe astral weeks. To each his own. And there is no question The Band is a group of talented people. But to deny that Robbie Robertson was not the most important member from a songwriting perspective is just silly. And I agree, his first solo album is fantastic. Storyville is OK but not as good.

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