Robbie saw his brothers falling into addiction and he couldn’t ride that train. As Levon said when Robertson approached him about their deterioration into drugs and alcohol, he said, “I’m not in it for my health.” I think Levon felt abandoned by Robbie bc he wouldn’t go down into a dark hole with them. Robbie and Garth were the smart ones, and they grew up at some point.
Personally I got tired of Levon Helms constant attacks on Robbie Robertson and Martin Scorsese, he's really lucky neither of these men didn't sue him. Levon never offered any proof that he wrote anything. Robbie was writing with Ronnie Hawkins when he was 15 and all the way through the Band. He never broke the band up he just wanted everybody to stop drinking and doing drugs he was willing to put out another album but not go on the road, not his fault things turned out the way they did. Bottom line: what did Helm or the others write after Robbie left the group if they were such great songwriters and there's no reason why Martin Scorsese would want to rip him off over the Last Waltz, sad to say but those guys spent their money on dope, booze and women and were jealous of Robbie Robertson....when youre in your thirties or forties and your surrounded by heroin addicts and alcoholics and you choose to go your own way after being together for 20 years that was Robbies choice.
Robbie didn't quit the band. He didn't want the band to stop after the Last Waltz. He just wanted to stop touring. He really really didn't want to go on the road anymore. He even said to the other guys in 1983 when they reformed: "you guys can use the name The Band no problem. Absolutely. Of course. And if you want to go into the studio and make a beautiful record, I'd be happy to be a part of it, but I'm not going on the road."
Levon has charm. Levon has talent. Levon’s appeal sucks you in like a beautiful woman. But he was a junkie. He wrecked car after car. He blew his money. He made zero business moves. He gave up his royalties for heroine money. Robbie was married with kids. He was writing the Night they Drove Dixie quietly on a piano so as not to wake his family while Levon was shooting heroine and partying. Robbie told a bunch of junkies he was done, and went on with his life. Here’s something NEVER mentioned in this discussion. After Robbie left, those guys were still in their prime. They were all friends with the entire music industry. They knew the Beatles. They knew every musician. Every producer. They had every opportunity to say screw Robbie, let’s prove we are our own songwriters. Let’s prove we can lead ourselves. And they came up with nothing. Clearly they were all talented musicians who were fortunate enough to have a great songwriter in their lives. There are millions of singers and musicians who can perform what has been written. The magic is in the creation. Robbie had the magic. And the work ethic. And the maturity to quit drugs and road women and settle down and become a family man and a businessman. I love Levon like we all do but I don’t feel sorry for junkies. His anger should be at the man in the mirror for being on top of the world and screwing it up with horrible decisions.
Robbie and Garth seemed to avoid the drugs and alcohol that the others really abused. I always believed that Levon felt that he and the others should have gotten publishing rights to the songs. Levon and the rest of the band helped craft the song but did not write them. I know someone else who helped a famous artist do the same thing and he never got any credit. Once he left, the artist was not quite the same. Robbie did say that he visited Levon in the hospital. He stated that he held this hand. So sad.
It's "Fanny" also According to Robbie he went to the hospital to see Levon but Levon was already heavily sedated, so he held his hand. They never resolved anything before he passed.
I think you nailed it in your analysis. As David Crosby told Graham Nash when asked if they should have Neil Young join the CSN: "the songs, man, how could we not take him in". Ronnie Hawkins (who would be in a position to know) said Robbie wrote all those songs and had been writing them for years.
There is a benefit to bands sharing songwriting royalties. It can prevent some of the money based feuds that happen when one or two members make exponentially more money than the rest of the group. Sometimes players contribute licks or rhythmic ideas that elevate the track but don't technically constitute "songwriting." It would certainly be easy to hold a grudge in those situations if you are struggling while the writer is flush with cash. I loved the Last Waltz although I haven't seen it in at least 20 years. I read somewhere that part of the conflict was about how the film was cut with other members feeling Robbie was featured more prominently than the others. Did Levon mention that in his book? Thanks for the video. Keep rockin man.
except I don't think I've ever heard Robbie Robertson EVER badmouth levon or any other member, so its a bit of a one sided feud. Sort of like Pink Floyd. Feuds can go one way.
Robertson worked on Martin Scorsese's movies Casino, The Departed, and Gangs of New York, and he provided music supervision for Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Silence.[citation needed] In Rome, he headlined the 1995 annual Labour Day concert festival with supporting acts Andrea Bocelli, Elvis Costello, and Radiohead.[citation needed]
Takes two to fight. I’ve never heard or read of Robbie saying one bad thing about Levon, except he was not well. When you’ve got three guys nodding off on heroin, it’s pretty hard to carry a band of 5.
I am a big Ronnie Hawkins fan and also a big fan of the Band. According to Barney Hoskins' book "across the Great Divide, the friction between The rest of the band and Robbie was fueled when Rick received a royalty check from his writing credit for "Wheels on Fire" for
It's not surprising that in Mr. Robertson's book and countless interviews, he comes out the hero and innocent of any wrongdoing. The same could be said about what Mr' Helm said and wrote before he died, although he did cop to having made mistakes to a greater degree.
What I don't understand is why people expect their favorite band(s) to stay together forever. Some do, the Stones being the first that come to mind, but musicians change and want to do different things. The Band had played together since the early 60's and The Last Waltz was in 1976, so they had a great run and it was time to move on. Does anyone think they could have had the same success playing "roots" music in the 80's? The same with the Beatles--being 70 years old I grew up with and loved them but shed no tears regarding their breakup--they were dialing it in on Abbey Road with drek like "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and "Octopus's Garden". Both George's (All Things Must Pass) and John 's (Plastic Ono Band) post-Beatle albums were superior to "Let It Be" and "Abbey Road". Let's just be happy that the greatness of The Band and The Beatles existed for as long as it did but let it go and don't obsess over its demise.
I enjoyed this. You have some good insights, especially about the writers' royalties. The Mantle/Martin comparison is illustrative. Unfortunately, the summer did end. As it does for most, but, thankfully, not all, of us.
