The Band is a Canadian-American folk rock band that has a worldwide history.
Despite the fact that the band failed to gain a multibillion-dollar audience, the musicians enjoyed considerable respect among music critics, stage colleagues and journalists.
According to a survey by the popular Rolling Stone magazine, the band was included in the 50 greatest bands of the rock and roll era. In the late 1980s, the musicians entered the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and in 1994, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2008, the musicians put their first Grammy statuette on their shelf of awards.
The history of the creation of The Band
The Band consisted of: Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Rick Danko and Levon Helm. The team was founded in 1967. Music critics refer to The Band's style as roots rock, folk rock, country rock.
Late 1950s to mid 1960s. members of the team accompanied the popular rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins.
A little later, several collections of the singer were released with the participation of musicians. We are talking about albums: Levon and the Hawks and The Canadian Squires.
In 1965, the soloists of the group received an invitation from Bob Dylan to accompany him on a major world tour. Soon the musicians began to be recognized. Their prestige has risen significantly.
After Dylan announced that he was leaving the tour, the soloists recorded a musical session with him, which existed for a long time as a bootleg (the first in history).
And in 1965 the album The Band was released. The collection was called The Basement Tapes.
Debut album Music from Big Pink
The rock band presented their debut album Music from Big Pink in 1968. This compilation was the musical sequel to The Basement Tapes. The cover was designed by Bob Dylan himself.
The album received rave reviews from music critics, but it influenced other artists, laying the foundation for a new direction in music - country rock.
Guitarist Eric Clapton, who was lucky enough to listen to the tracks of the collection, said goodbye to the team Cream. He admitted that he dreams of becoming part of The Band, but, alas, the team did not want to expand.
The reviewer, who fell into the hands of the band's debut album, spoke very flatteringly about the compositions. He called the record "a collection of stories about American inhabitants - just as powerfully and exquisitely captured on this musical canvas ...".
Two soloists worked on writing the compositions - Robbie Robertson and Manuel. The songs were mostly sung by Manuel, Danko, and Southerner Helm. The pearl of this collection was the musical composition The Weight. Religious motives were heard in the song.
A year has passed, and The Band's discography was replenished with the second studio album. We are talking about the disc, which received the modest name of The Band.
Rolling Stone magazine employees expressed their opinion that the band is one of the few rockers who release tracks.
They sounded as if there was no "British Invasion" and psychedelia in the United States of America, but at the same time, the musicians' songs remain modern.
In this collection, Robbie Robertson was the author of most of the musical compositions. He touched on topics in American history.
We recommend listening to The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. The track is based on an episode of the Civil War between North and South.
Group tour
In the 1970s, the band went on tour. This time is marked by the release of several more albums. The first tension began to occur within the team.
Robertson began to rigidly dictate to other participants his musical tastes and preferences.
Robertson fought for leadership in The Band. As a result, in 1976 the group broke up. Martin Scorsez managed to film the last concert of the guys on a video camera.
Soon this video was edited and released as a documentary. The film was called "The Last Waltz".
In addition to The Band, the film also includes: Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Dr. John, Eric Clapton.
After 7 years, it became known that The Band decided to resume activities again, but without Robertson. In this composition, the musicians toured, managed to record several albums and video clips.
At the moment, the band's discography looks like this:
- Music from Big Pink.
- The band.
- Stage Fright.
- Cahoots.
- Moondog Matinee.
- Northern Lights - Southern Cross.
- islands.
- Jericho
- High on the Hog.
- jubilation.
