 |
 In this 1965 photo, Robbie Robertson, left, and Levon Helm, right, flank Bob Dylan. |
The Band was as true as its name. Authentic. Genuine. Honest. Real.
Whether you were a fan or not, there never was any doubt the legendary rock group possessed those qualities.
So it would seem logical that Robbie Robertson, one of The Band's founding members, might be horrified by the impact TV talent shows like Canadian Idol are having today.
In truth, the 62-year-old Robertson is not alarmed, because he has seen it all before. Still, that doesn't stop him from shaking his head at times.
"There are no Otis Reddings on these shows," Robertson said. "There aren't any Mariah Careys. There are no Whitney Houstons.
"Nobody is that good, because people who are really, really gifted already are on a path that leads to that fountainhead.
|
"I'm sure years ago there were some talented people on Star Search as well. But that's not how it works. It is interesting to me that they're looking at music strictly from a vocalist standpoint. But this is just another gimmick within a gimmick."
The Band flourished from the late 1960s through to the mid-1970s while leading essentially a gimmick-free existence. That's why it was so important for Robertson that the new and comprehensive five-CD/one-DVD release titled The Band: A Musical History be done properly.
"I have a great sense of satisfaction that I could hand this to anybody," said Robertson, who is one of three surviving members of the original Band along with Levon Helm and Garth Hudson. Richard Manuel committed suicide in 1986 and Rick Danko died of a stroke in 1999.
A Musical History includes all the Band's most famous songs, plus 37 unreleased tracks. Likewise, the DVD focuses on performances that rarely, if ever, have been seen before. A particular highlight is a soulful performance by Danko singing Long Black Veil in Calgary in 1970.
"You have to go into the basements and into the attics, but Garth was the real keeper of the tapes, the archivist of The Band," said Robertson, who was in Toronto this week to promote the new box set. "A lot of this comes from Garth's collection, which means we have first-generation, the best quality it possibly could be.
"For an example of rare stuff, there was this concert we did with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and Joni Mitchell, at Wembley Stadium (in London in 1974). Nobody even knows it exists."
Well, they will now, with two songs from that concert featured on the new DVD. Was it tough to edit things down?
"The idea of adding more to this becomes overwhelming," Robertson said. "Too much of a good thing makes it not a good thing anymore."
Speaking of good things becoming not good things anymore, there have been persistent rumours through the years that the relationship between Robertson and Helm has become icy. But Robertson said a lot of questions about the group have been answered in the 112-page book that accompanies A Musical History.
"It was written by a Canadian, Rob Bowman, and he did a great job," Robertson said. "It is the most informed and accurate thing ever written on The Band.
"There have been so many things that have been written that are just not accurate, and for people who really care about that stuff, that becomes the truth for them."
Robertson currently resides in Los Angeles, while Helm and Hudson both live in Woodstock, N.Y. While the trio collaborated on A Musical History, future collaborations are a long shot at best.
Realistically, is there any chance of ever seeing Robertson, Helm and Hudson on stage together again?
"There are no plans for that," Robertson said. "Never say never, I suppose. But I don't think it's in the cards at this point."
For the time being, A Musical History will have to keep Band fanatics sated.
Arcade Fire hot, rest of music scene not
Canadian group Arcade Fire gives Robbie Robertson hope for the future of music.
"I really like Arcade Fire," said Robertson, one of the founding members of The Band. "That's a special group. And I'm not just saying that because they're Canadian.
"They have a sound, they have an attitude, they have a look, they have the performance thing. They've got the music industry's attention. Other artists really admire their work."
Arcade Fire hails from Montreal and is a unique group both musically and visually. The group's popularity has been growing since the release of its first full-length CD, Funeral, a year ago.
"So there is great stuff out there," said the Toronto-born, 62-year-old Robertson. "It just might not be on the surface. It might not be the most obvious. But except for a few situations, it never has been that obvious anyway. It's always more interesting to dig a little bit and discover things.
"I've been through so many periods where people have said, 'God, the music today is just crap, isn't it?' But there is such a feeling of disposability in the air these days. Stuff is done, it's not supposed to last and you're not supposed to care. It's trendy, it has no depth, it's not meant to do anything but give you a cheap thrill in the moment.
"I think in some ways that's okay. But I wouldn't necessarily want it to be my life's work -- you know, to think, 'Well, I delivered some shallow stuff, I can tell you that.' "
'Pressure' producing his Native musical
Robbie Robertson is working on a Broadway musical about Native North Americans that he hopes will honour his heritage in a respectful and entertaining way.
Born to a Jewish father and a Mohawk mother, Robertson divided his childhood years between Toronto and the Six Nations Reserve.
"It's not an old-fashioned, traditional type of musical, where people are just breaking into song," Robertson said. "Those are terrific in their own way, but there's a different sensibility today.
"We call it Ceremony, but that's just a working title."
Robertson admitted there is some pressure attached.
"It's a bit of a small world in the whole network of Indian country in North America, and they're expecting me to do something special," said Robertson, 62. "I'm determined not to let them down. That's healthy pressure."
And there's lots more going on in Robertson's professional life. He's scheduled to do the music for a new Martin Scorsese movie, The Departed. He has put together the long-awaited original soundtrack for the classic 1980 Scorsese film, Raging Bull, which will be released soon. And his first two solo albums are going to be re-released as a package, with bonus tracks.
"My past has come back to haunt me," Robertson said.