Happy Birthday Robbie Robertson 07/05/1944

[TimmyB]

Today the great Robbie Robertson was born in 1944, making him sixty years old!

The Band are one of my all time favorite groups and I have been lucky enough to see Robbie Robertson perform on two occasions, since he stopped touring with the band in 1976.

I saw him in September of 1995 at Muncipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Where he performed "The Weight" during the Concert For The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Concert. A couple of years later I was at his performce at the Canadian Aboriginal Awards at the Hummingbird Centre in Toronto. That night he played "The Code OF Handsome Lake" off his "Contact From The Underworld Of Redboy" album.

Robbie is one of the most underrated guitarists and songwriters ever and should be given more recognition for his accomplishments.

[Fuckholes]

Cheers Robbie!

Have great BDay ol' dog.

[Northern Wish]

I love the Band more than anyone....

But that man ruined it all.

I have read too many bios about those guys to ever have one ioda of respect for him.

Total star fu©ker.

Thanks Robbie, you killed Rick and Richard.

S

[Ms Zimmy]

I love the Band more than anyone....

But that man ruined it all.

I have read too many bios about those guys to ever have one ioda of respect for him.

Total star fu©ker.

Thanks Robbie, you killed Rick and Richard.

S

I need to know more...why do you say this?

[Northern Wish]

I don't have much time, so here goes:

OK so maybe he didn't kill Richard. Mr Manuel did himself in, after the booze and blow took away his will to live....

But here are some top reasons:

1) Songwriting Credits and Royalties:

Robbie basically had more business sense than anyone else in the band, and discovered early on that he could take all of the credit for tunes that he came up with, along with the help of the others (most notably Garth and Rick who weren't interested in the glory). By the time the live shows stopped, the money slowed to a trickle for the rest of the guys. They were forced into a life of a touring nostalgia act in many forms. Levon hasn't spoken to Robbie since the Last Waltz was released due to all of this.

2) The Last Waltz- its been argued for years that Robbie and Martin cooked this one up to start Robbies solo career. Turned out he just got coked up with Scorsese for a couple of years and turned off his talent. Then he started scoring films etc. The inclusion of Neil Diamond illustrates the point that Robbie was interested in the commercial success of the film, over the artistic intention of the event.

3) The "Father"- Robbie was much less of a partier during the musical years and more of a father figure looking out for the boys. Levon loved the women, Richard the drink, and Rick just loved it all- but Robbie stayed clear most of the time. He got himself all cooked up on the profits many years later, and the rest of the guys (except Garth) struggled with demons and debt.

I've got to run, but I could write you a paper on this stuff.

[Ms Zimmy]

Hmm, I think I need to read what you read!

So? What did you read?

[MarcO]

I will say that, regardless of Band band politics, and putting aside for one second his amazing body of work, the dude was (is) a phenomenal guitar player! Just listen to some of those boots of him and (most of) the Band backing up Dylan in 1966 to get a taste. Absolutely awesome!

Although, if I ever hear "Somewhere Down The Crazy River" again, I'll go postal. Ugh.

[Ms Zimmy]

I love the band....all of them!

[TimmyB]

I totally disagree with you Northern Wish, Robbie Robertson can not be held accountable for the deaths of his former band mates.

I've read Levon Helm's book and it looks like to me that he is just a bitter man because Robertson wanted to end the band and Levon didn't. Helm also was bitter about who got credit for the songs, which to an extent might be justified, but why didn't anybody else, especially Garth Hudson for "Chest Fever" complain about it?

Richard Manual suffered from drug and alcohol abuse long before Robbie disbanded the Band. As did Rick Danko.

Robbie Robertson delievered the eulogy at Rick Danko's funeral. Rolling Stone magazine was interviewing Levon Helm at the time and took the inteviewer to the funeral. Which I think is absolutely ridiculous that Helm took the journalist to the funeral. While Robertson was giving the eulogy Helm had to leave! Leave, one of his best friend and band mates funeral because of his bitterness over Robertson. You would think that you should be able to put aside your differences for one day, especially the day of one of your best friends funeral. But I guess he was too busy giving Rolling Stone an interview.

As for Garth Hudson he as actually declared bankruptcy five times the most recent being only a little over a year ago. I do not think Robertson should be responsible for a former band mate and that band mates money mismanagement decades after the group split.

Finally I don't begrudge anybody for deciding not to tour anymore. If Robbie Robertson didn't want to perform live anymore or be in the Band, that is his right. Just as Trey Anastasio doesn't want to be in Phish anymore. Obviously there are differences between the two as I'm sure Trey will still be touring in different groups and alone, where Robbie decided to never tour again. But this is a free society in which we live and we should be happy for what artists have given us and not want to suck the life right out of them.

[Esau]

The Band kicks ass.

Period.

Each one of them.

Perhaps you should be blaming Dylan Sean,since previous to going on tour with him in 1966 not one of those "issues" you mentioned occured or were a problem for the Band before that.And the fact the Robbie listened to Bob and his thoughts about the Band,especially when it came to encouragement towards solo projects (not breaking up),not just pertaining to Robbie.

I'd say maybe do some more research into Richard's personal life problems before you go off saying it was "just coke & booze" that took away his will to live,especially since the coke & booze were small reasons he was able to keep himself alive (not that thats a good thing mind you) for a few more years before he ultimatley deicded to take his own life due to serious problem of depression that was well apparent and recognized long before the drug & booze downfall.

Finally I don't begrudge anybody for deciding not to tour anymore. If Robbie Robertson didn't want to perform live anymore or be in the Band, that is his right. Just as Trey Anastasio doesn't want to be in Phish anymore. Obviously there are differences between the two as I'm sure Trey will still be touring in different groups and alone, where Robbie decided to never tour again. But this is a free society in which we live and we should be happy for what artists have given us and not want to suck the life right out of them.

Agreed.

Although,once in awhile I've caught a free unannouced show by Robbie out on the rez,usually a small set of 3-5 songs max,and occuring at the beginning of second set of a 1st nations band where he sorta just "shows" up on stage.

Last time I saw him was during the weekend of the big pow-wow at a huge bash with alnight stage.

(most notably Garth and Rick who weren't interested in the glory).

I'm only going to laugh my fuckin ass off at that comment,I know I don't need to explain why.Too funny.

[meggo]

i think robbie robertson is one sexy old dude. happy bday! :: :: ::

just beginning my education of The Band's music, but i know i'm in love. not many groups out there that i think would be deserving of a title so bold as "The Band", but IMHO, they pull it off.