The Shape I'm In - The Band 9/2/83

Live In Japan

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The
• Band
• Japan
• Manuel

[oleole52]

I am unaware that Robbie has claimed all of the credit.I've never seen an interview with him where he does anything close to that,or express disdain toward anyone.There's resentment because he decided to pack it in when maybe others in the band weren't ready.There's even more resentment because their efforts to continue without him went nowhere,while he was writing film scores for Scorcese.Then it became an ugly divorce.I think Helm views Robbie leaving as a betrayal,and that's the problem.

[Wharfomatic]

@oleole52 As you stated "you're unaware". While he might not come out and say publicly he wrote all of the music. It is indeed a matter of record that at the urging of Albert Grossman Robbie legally claimed sole writing credit and has continued to live handsomely off those writing royalties. .

[palmerstonian]

I LOVE The Band, but these daft comments about Robertson make me laugh. He may be a jerk, I don't know, but if his contribution has been over-valued how come the band turned out no decent songs after he left? Let's get real here, gang!

[Wharfomatic]

Propably for the very same reason Robbie never put out anything even remotely sounding like the The Band after 1976. This was a group of men who's total sum was greater than it's parts and it's ludicrious for any single part to claim all of the credit with outward distain towards the others

[oleole52]

@grimmpoxer Film scores don't tear up any charts.They're orchestral,a different animal from movie soundtracks.As far as acclaim,his 1st solo album cracked the top 40 ,was nominated for a Grammy,and featured U2 as well as,surprise surprise,Levon and Rick Danko.He was nominated again in 1989,1992,and 1999 for his solo work.Nominated again for his film work with Scorcese for Gangs Of New York.Sounds like acclaim to me.

[Wharfomatic]

@grimmpoxer Back to back to back Grammys is slightly better than "modestly well" by anyones measure

[grimmpoxer]

@oleole52 "acclaimed film scores and albums," is a bit of a stretch. None of them were particularly tearing up the charts after the Last Waltz. Levon is doing modestly well for himself these days. 

[warren3427]

@oleole52 Levon Helm was a drunk albiet extremely talented--bands break up--wasnt Yokos fault about the Beatles either, much as people hate on her

[pendragon1153]

Manuel done hung himself, LOL!

[01Shorthanded]

@Wharfomatic , exactly right. Once the royality cheques started showing up with only Robbie's name on them questions were raised, The Band is not jus one guy it's THE BAND, Robbie screwed out his friends in band plain & simple...why I never bought a CD by him & never will.

[ribluesy]

Robbie screwed the other members of The Band. The first few records were entirely a collaborative affaIr. So he has been able to sit pretty raking in money. At least Levon never quit, and deservedly so, won a grammy for his Dirt Farmer CD.

[vgr112261]

Truthfully, nobody at the time understood the value of music publishing. Even Lennon/McCartney got screwed by Northern Records. Robertson was advised by Grossman to claim songwriting credits when the songs were a joint effort, at least initially. Helm was rightly upset. As he put it in his autobiography, listen to the song "Chest Fever." The entire song was credited to J. Robbie Robertson when Garth Hudson composed the organ intro.

[oleole52]

@Wharfomatic Wait a minute.This Wheel's on Fire is credited to Dylan and Danko.Whispering Pines has Richard Manuel as a writer.There are others.He never claimed sole writing credit,as you say.That's fiction.Look at the evidence.Since The Band broke up in 1976,Robbie has written acclaimed film scores and albums,by himself.What have the others written?Are we to assume their writing ability disappeared when The Band broke up.Except for Richard,they had years to write something.It's a bum rap.

[inatizzy2]

@Wharfomatic Where as no one else has.