The Last Waltz, 40 years on

Subject: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: michaelr
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 02:25 AM

The legendary final concert of The Band took place on Thanksgiving night, 1976, at San Francisco's Winterland, and was filmed by Martin Scorsese, becoming one of rock's classic concert films. I watched the DVD again the other night.

Famous guests (Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton etc) aside, seeing The Band perform on their own was a powerful reminder of the deep roots that the group's music, and Robbie Robertson's songwriting, had in both traditional American music and Tin Pan Alley history.

The Band rank with the Grateful Dead as purveyors of quintessentially American music in that the songwriting of both Robertson and Hunter/Garcia are profoundly informed and influenced by Appalachian folk songs as well as the early-to-mid-20th century popular music coming through the radios in their parents' homes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREUrbGGrgM&list=PLbHJqozwsXXKJwgVyTidRa2yqB5CbbgVT&index=10

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: Will Fly
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 03:37 AM

It's an excellent film. I also have the DVD which I've watched many times over the years. There are interesting accounts of the occasion and all its complexities in Levon Helm's "This Wheel's On Fire" and in Barney Hoskins' "Across The Great Divide". Levon refused to take part in the whole project unless Muddy Waters was included in it - Waters was included at first and then taken out for various reasons - and one significant excision was footage of Bobby Charles.

Luckily, there's an audio box set with all the songs, various rehearsal takes - and Bobby Charles' stuff.

Levon's book gives a fairly bitter account of the Band's last days - including The Last Waltz project, with some biting comments on Robbie Robertson's "hogging" (as he saw it) of royalties, his cosying up to Scorsese, the complexities of getting Dylan to appear, etc. Nevertheless, it's a great film and one doesn't need to know about the politics of it all to appreciate the music.

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: G-Force
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 05:48 AM

Robertson's now got a book out - 'Testimony'. I've not read it yet, but Christmas is coming ...

Last Waltz is a great DVD, but also sad that some people were either sidelined (Richard Manuel) or omitted altogether. The 'extras' on the DVD explain how the Muddy Waters footage was only recorded by accident.

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: G-Force
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 05:49 AM

And amazing that such quintessential American music was done by a band who were four-fifths Canadian.

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: Johnny J
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 07:30 AM

Ah, The Band.

For a moment, I though it was going to be about Englebert Humperdink but that was more like 50 years ago.

;-))

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: leeneia
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 11:42 AM

I thought I would be able to learn a nice tune called "The Last Waltz".

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: gillymor
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 03:42 PM

When I first saw the movie I was kind of shocked that Neil Diamond was included. I later read in Levon's book that Robbie was in the process of producing an album for Diamond for which he was paid 250K. Levon apparently suggested they use Doc Pomus to represent Tin Pan Alley. I'm sure that would have worked out better than the sappy number Diamond did.

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: meself
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 04:37 PM

I always wondered what Neil Diamond was doing in that company. However, I've come to realize that the Big Stars sometimes have ways of looking at these things beyond the comprehension of mere mortals, and I just thought that this was one more example ....

Subject: RE: The Last Waltz, 40 years on
From: meself
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 11:09 PM

Ten Things You Should Know About the Last Waltz - CBC, article & video.