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by Dan Weltin Published: October 7, 2005
They were one of the most influential groups of the late 60's and early 70's. When Eric Clapton first heard their debut album, Music From Big Pink, he wanted to head to upstate New York and ask to join the band -- but he chickened out. Their music blended country, blues, Gospel, folk, R&B and good ol' rock n' roll. The songs such as "The Weight," "The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down," and "Up on Cripple Creek" remain staples of the classic rock cannon. But they didn't get this good overnight. The new collection The Band: A Musical History documents their rise from honky tonk bar band to superstars in a five CD/1 DVD box set featuring 113 tracks, 35 of which are previously unreleased. Disc 1 starts with the group's beginning -- as the Hawks, the backup band for Ronnie Hawkins. These songs are typical bar band blues, such as "Who Do You Love." More interesting of these early songs are when the boys step out on their own and become Levon and the Hawks. These numbers are mostly unreleased and are still sloppy, but also fun and filled with heart. Here is a band who think they are as good as the group they will one day become. During this time, their loose R&B fused rockabilly sound caught the attention of Bob Dylan who was looking for a band to be able to take his new electric music on the road. This would prove the break that turned this bar band of Canadians and one Southerner into legends. The boys obviously have a musical rapport with Dylan, as evidenced by the single "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" cut only after playing a few shows with the legendary songwriter. From here the group hit the road with Dylan on his infamous 1966 tour in front of crowds of booing fans. The set includes two blistering performances. After the tour Dylan had his motorcycle "accident" leaving him holed up in Woodstock, N.Y. Dylan called on the boys to come up and jam. The group tackled old folk songs, country numbers, new Dylan originals and when Dylan took a break, they boys started hammering out their own songs like "Orange Juice Blues," "Ruben Remus" and "Katie's Been Gone." These songs are no longer the sloppy rock n' roll, but passionate roots music blending a genre of sounds. Amidst the psychedelic 60's soundscape, their music was a refreshing change. The aforementioned songs weren't released until the 70's on Dylan's Basement Tapes album, but during this period the guys also wrote and recorded the bulk of their first album Music From Big Pink (named after the house where they lived and played music with Dylan). They also changed their name from the Hawks to The Band. The box set features all of their songs from this debut album, either in original or alternate form -- an obvious testimonial to its overall worth. Other albums receive a fair representation in the set as well, but as good as these studio albums are, they don't compare to the group's live performances. On stage the boys show their true talents, offering up raucous versions (many times with a kicking horn section) that are filled with passion and excitement not captured in the studio. Check out "Loving You (Is Sweeter Than Ever)" or "W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" for great examples of the live experience. Many of the unreleased numbers are song sketches, but these don't sound like typical demos. Main ideas and musical themes are already worked out. The song sketch "Twilight" sung by Manuel is beautiful on its own with only piano and passionate vocal. What is obviously missing from the set is any representation from the albums made during the 1990s, but one only has to look at the producing and compiler credit to know why. The group broke up in 1977, but reunited without Robinson in the 80s. Robinson was the main instigator of the initial breakup and never reconnected musically with his band mates. For a set claiming to be the complete history, there is a fairly large piece missing. The accompanying DVD features nine performances, including their three-song stint on Saturday Night Live. Aside from the post Robertson work, the set does provide an equal representation of all other periods right up to their farewell concert, The Last Waltz. However, for an equal amount of history, possibly lower cost and arguably better performances, it might be a better investment to purchase the DVD and four-disc set of the aforementioned last concert. For nearly 30 years The Last Waltz has stood as the group's defining musical statement. A supersized greatest hits package will not easily displace it. |
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