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Last Waltz


uncle fester

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Hey All - just finished watching the movie 'The Last Waltz' over the last couple nights, and wanted to give it a shout out, figure there's at least a performer if not two that people know of.. :).

 

I had never seen it before, what an incredible group of talent to get together, while all were in their prime! The hi light to me was Bob Dylan, but there were so many. Neil Young, Joni Mitchell (although disappointed with her song choice) Neil Daimon ?!? Van Morrison, Clapton!.... Ringo didn't even get his own song. Anyone seen it, anyone think of a particularly good part.

 

And got to say Robbie Robertson (?) - pretty darn good guitarist!

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I recall the first thing I thought after watching the Last Waltz in the theater was it showed what can happen when Bill Graham hosts a no-expense-is-too-great tribute.

 

But that show is truly the stuff that rock & roll legends are made of.

 

By the way, Graham's people were also filming and parts of it do show up.

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I recall the first thing I thought after watching the Last Waltz in the theater was it showed what can happen when Bill Graham hosts a no-expense-is-too-great tribute.

 

But that show is truly the stuff that rock & roll legends are made of.

 

By the way, Graham's people were also filming and parts of it do show up.

 

 

Bill Graham virtually created the role of the modern "rock promoter and impresario." He pretty much epitomized the SF rock and blues scene in the 1960's and 70's.

 

He was astonishingly important to that era, and is still a near-mythical character. The fact that he died in the same way as Buddy Holly (and others) only reinforces the mythology.

 

You couldn't make up his life story: Holocaust survivor who made it to America and changed his name, awarded the bronze star and purple heart in the Korean War, friend of all things hippie, sort of Zelig-like in being at the right place at the right time in history.

 

What if...

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A friend of mine was an aspiring guitarist and worked as an usher at the Fillmore East. He kept urging me to come to New York and hang out at the Fillmore, so I finally came up for a visit right after graduating from college in June 1971, during the final week or so before the FIllmore closed. I met Bill Graham and was totally awe-struck. That was a crazy time in New York, going from one party or jam session to another. There were so many drugs that I honestly don't recall many of the details, although I remember the BB King concert which was amazing. My friend wanted me to stay for all the final concerts - especially Frank Zappa and the Mothers (was that the final concert?) But I was just exhausted from lack of sleep and all the drugs, so I headed back to my place in Virginia to recover after a week in the City. :)

 

I haven't seen The Last Waltz, but have been meaning to check it out. Have been watching some other related films recently, such as Woodstock, Monterey Pop, Don't Look Back, The Other Side of the Mirror, and No Direction Home.

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Ouh yeey I was there and aware back then - not in the Winterland Ballroom, but as a long-distance spectator with my freaky young friends.

WHAT AN EVENT

And how wise of Scorsese to capture The Band here at the end, not only of their carrier, but a whole era.

This was the point just before the changing of the guards as Dylan sang a couple of years later.

A new chapter was about to open and loads of new different minded acts were ready and waiting.

I still lOVE The Last Waltz and went to see the remastered version when it came out between 1 and 2 decades ago.

Sounded so good in the little movie-theater.

 

Rumors have it that a lot of editing was done to get music right first time around -

well, , , probably, although I never found an accurate source to X-ray this.

No acoustic Gibsons on stage as far as I recall (correct if wrong, please), , , but at least 2 D-28s.

And then a Stephen Stills showing up too late for anything else than an after jam.

 

The signature moment for me has always been the brass'n'drum-passage late in The They Drove Old Dixie Down.

Nothing big, then again enormous. Must have hit hard and deep first time I saw it.

 

One of my all time favorite rock'n'roll films.

 

1976 ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREUrbGGrgM

Joni picking wrongs songs - what !?!

 

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The signature moment for me has always been the brass'n'drum-passage late in The They Drove Old Dixie Down.

Nothing big, then again enormous. Must have hit hard and deep first time I saw it.

 

One of my all time favorite rock'n'roll films.

 

1976 ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREUrbGGrgM

Joni picking wrongs songs - what !?!

 

 

Just an astounding performance!

 

Levon Helm at his absolute best.

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Bill Graham virtually created the role of the modern "rock promoter and impresario." He pretty much epitomized the SF rock and blues scene in the 1960's and 70's.

 

 

Never forget though that Graham was a hard-edge, no nonsense businessman who forged an empire built on creativity. At one point Chet Helms had to work out an agreement with him to use "Summer of Love" which Graham had apparently copyrighted. I recall him being described as a mix between Mother Teresa and Al Capone. But I will always love the guy. He have us the gift of the opportunity to hear more good music than anybody else I can think of.

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Never forget though that Graham was a hard-edge, no nonsense businessman who forged an empire built on creativity. At one point Chet Helms had to work out an agreement with him to use "Summer of Love" which Graham had apparently copyrighted. I recall him being described as a mix between Mother Teresa and Al Capone. But I will always love the guy. He have us the gift of the opportunity to hear more good music than anybody else I can think of.

 

 

All of that. [thumbup]

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No acoustic Gibsons on stage as far as I recall (correct if wrong, please), , , but at least 2 D-28s.

Not that I recall, but there was there was "Old Time Religion" offstage- R Danko sawing away on the fiddle, lap style, Robbie on a scrolled upper bout Style 0 Gibson:

 

XxVXBFc.jpg?1

 

. . . Van Morrison demonstrating how to do arguably one of the best stage exits ever at the end of Caravan (take that, Drop the Mic people).

 

Other Last Waltz things:

 

It was a who's who, and the quantity of party favors were legendary, and fitting for the era. It's said the footage of Neil in Helpless had to be edited, due to a noticeable amount of Peruvian Marching Powder around his nose. Joni silhouetted on the same song was a nice touch by Scorsese.

 

Enjoyable bit of swamp rockin' blues with the boy's old bandmate Ronnie Hawkins doing Who Do You Love.

 

. . . but the conspiracy theorists like to wonder if Clapton's guitar strap malfunction was an accident, or planned? How did he get that far into the song, even putting left hand to chin before starting, right at the break in the song, and the tight closeup of Blackie the Strat at the right time?

 

 

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No acoustic Gibsons on stage as far as I recall (correct if wrong, please), , , but at least 2 D-28s.

You stand corrected E-minor7 - Young featured his D-45.

Besides there was a Gibson ES 150 on stage played by Bob Margolin - a blues-man backing both Muddy Waters and Paul Butterfield.

This is his very guitar.

1956 ~ U2Pv9bg.jpg

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