Customer Reviews

The Last Waltz

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"There's a flood out in California, and up North it's freezin' cold! And this a-livin' off the road is gettin' purty old!", drummer Levon Helm twangs as The Band gives a fiery performance of 'Up On Cripple Creek,' one of their many signature songs. And indeed, the actual meaning of "The Last Waltz" was that The Band (or more specifically, songwriter/guitarist Robbie Robertson) were saying goodbye to the touring life, and had the intent of being reborn as a studio unit (think Steely Dan). But that didn't exactly go as planned, and the odds-and-ends album "Islands" was the only product of this idea (but even that album was released mostly as a contract-filler for Capitol Records). And though Band members were still talking about a new album as late as 1979, Robbie Robertson was obviously now focused on his work in terms of films, and the legendary five-man version of The Band was no more. And though some critics are cynical as to why a group would give up touring when touring is what a rock group does for a living, Robertson obviously had good reason to say goodbye to the road; it was obviously taking its toll on the personal lives of the Band members, most notably pianist and one of three lead vocalists Richard Manuel. Robertson said in 1987 "To see people teetering on the brink constantly...Richard scared us to death. We scared ourselves to death." (It's been argued that the touring hassles that the reunited Band went through in the 80s is what caused Manuel's suicide, but that's too personal to get into.)

It's ironic that Helm could deliver such a powerful vocal performance, belting out the lines that began this review, but the whole time, he was certainly not happy to be a part of this "celebration." And indeed, the rest of The Band may not have been either, despite bassist/vocalist Rick Danko's energy on stage and the musical prowess of Manuel and genius Garth Hudson. They were not ready to end The Band's life as a touring unit, or else they wouldn't have reunited without Robertson. When "The Last Waltz" was released as an album of film it was a definite success, and the movie has been called the greatest rock film ever made. But Helm was the most disappointed. He wrote has gone on record as saying "the camera focused almost exclusively on Robbie Robertson, long and loving close-ups...the film was edited so it looked like Robbie was conducting the band with expansive waves of his guitar neck...for me it was a real scandal." Helm also claims he was scammed financially, but it's easy to agree that the film does feature Robertson a bit prominently, which is why this beautifully packaged box set re-release is an essential item, showcasing each brilliant member, even if sometimes they're buried under the guest stars.

This 4-CD set features a heap of tracks that were left off of the original release making it the almost-complete concert. Band essentials like 'Rag Mama Rag,' 'The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show,' and 'This Wheel's On Fire' are fortunately included, as well as additional performances from the long line of guest stars that appeared at the concert (the songs from Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Bob Dylan are the best of the guest-stars). Concert rehearsals (including another essential 'King Harvest') and studio sketches are enjoyable listening as well. The album (and film) "The Last Waltz" is a timeless, definitive piece of rock history, and an important if not controversial piece of The Band's history.
In conclusion, it's important to note the song 'The Last Waltz Suite' (from the wonderful six-part "Last Waltz Suite"). Ironically co-sung by Robertson, this song is eerily but charmingly prophetic; as the song goes, "It's the last waltz, the last waltz with you, but that don't mean the dance is over...The last waltz was through, but that don't mean that the party is over."
How true this was. It wasn't meant to be finished, the studio was meant to be The Band's new home. And though that notion never unfolded, the dance was certainly not over Helm, Danko, Hudson, and Manuel, as they would re-unite as The Band in 1983, touring until Manuel's death in 1986, and releasing three studio albums to surprisingly good reviews in the 90s, until Danko's passing in 1999.

For starters, I'll say that the Band is my favorite group of players/singers of any type of music; if I had to give up all my music except for one artist, the choice of whom to keep would be easy. This is an indispensable set, an unshakeable foundation for the serious lover of music that is emotionally honest and played with incomparable originality, versatility, and soul. There's a quote in the booklet: "The Band didn't sound like a group of teenage millionaires." That sums it up. The subject matter of their songs and their manner of putting it across took you inside a whole way of life, populated by people who paid their dues, took their chances, earned their wisdom and shared it with others. Having said all those nice things, I want to throw in some details on why I can't give it five stars, at least this version of it. I'd prefer the songs presented in their original sequence, which you can hear on the bootleg of the show. There was drama in that structure, and you get something dramatic here too, but it's not the same--originally, the Band played their own set, then most of the guests followed, all but for Bob Dylan. After an intermission with poetry reading by some members of the Beat Generation and a Hell's Angel, The Band came back for a few numbers, playing "The Weight" before Dylan's set. Also, while it is true that MOST of the material from the original show is here, there still are a few things left out, such as Richard Manuel singing "Georgia on my Mind" and ragged versions of "Evangeline" and "The Last Waltz." Finally, even though I'm as impressed by the improved sound as anyone, it wouldn't have hurt to leave some of the rough edges intact. The horn sections on "Shape I'm In" and "Don't Do It" were overdubbed after the fact: those are just two of the more obvious examples of post-production sweetening. The true live version of "Don't Do It" is looser and longer, and, to my ears, much more moving. By all means, purchase this set--but be aware that it is a version of the Last Waltz, not a complete or completely faithful document of it.

The dream of millions of The Band fans has at last come true. The Last Waltz box set gives the deserved honour to Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson. Honour for the best rock and roll concert of all time.

The addition of the missing songs, new mixing of the music and the improved layout are things that make this package something very special.

The box set includes no less than 15 songs, which were dropped out from the original publications. Plus, there are a few concert rehearsal versions. It was high time to hear the performances of such songs as `WS Walcott Medicine Show' and `Don't Do It' - the very last song The Band ever played together on stage. As far as guest performances are concerned, `Caldonia' (with Muddy Waters) and `Hazel' (with Bob Dylan) are nothing to be left as takeouts. For the sake of curiosity it's worth mentioning that Robbie's 12-bar Clapton-imitation guitar solo (which is there in The Last Waltz film as Eric fiddles with his guitar strap) on `Further on Up the Road' can be enjoyed now on CD as well.

Thanks to the new mixing, the overall sound of The Last Waltz is different. For example, `The Shape I'm In' is stronger than ever as a perfect The Band song: Richard growling the lyrics, Robbie filling in with delicate guitar licks, Rick bouncing about irresistibly with the bass and Levon hitting the drums like throwing big rocks on a tin roof. All this sweetened by Garth's capturing organ. The Last Waltz sounds brighter and fresher - basically it sounds much more authentic. Close your eyes and you are at Winterland...

The layout is improved by a thick booklet. It includes a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about The Band and The Last Waltz as well as a tidy collection of photos. Fine supporting material.

The Last Waltz box set is pleasingly short of letdowns. Joni Mitchell's `Coyote' is great, but her two previously unreleased songs, especially `Furry Sings the Blues', bring an unwanted plunge of quality to the set. Neil Diamond's less-than-magical `Dry Your Eyes' was familiar already from The Last Waltz LP.

Although The Last Waltz box set is a little pricy, it's worth every penny. Money becomes a secondary issue as one listens to Rick, Levon, Richard, Robbie and Garth play gloriously with and without the friends. The Last Waltz really happens. To quote Dr John a little: `Thanks to The Band and all the fellas.'

26 years after the concert, The Band has managed
to come back hard with this 4 CD box set. Songs
that were edited on the 1978 release; The Last
Waltz, are now intact. The sound has been greatly
improved as well under Robbie Robertson's direction.
The Band may have had only a handful of great
songs over their career, but they played them like
a glass of fine wine. And with the inclusion of 24
additional tracks, this set is a must for people
who enjoy good music played by a band who knew how.

The Last Waltz is a controversial beast. As a rock documentary, it's an absolute classic, bringing to life the interviews of a diverse lineup of rock stars and depicting a marvelous one-night-stand concert in a very exciting way. As an event for The Band, it was a bit of an act--Robertson was the only one who wanted to quit, and the performance was especially forced for drummer Levon Helm, who didn't like the entire concept and found the film to be especially biased to Robertson's ego. For better or worse, though, here it is on CD in as complete a form as has ever been released (a few tracks are still missing and horns are overdubbed on a few as well, and the tracks aren't in their original order). The group is certainly not as on top of their game as they once were, since the road and drugs have taken their toll, but they give it their all and the star-studded guest appearances make for a once-in-a-lifetime event. This boxed set is the only way to experience this concert--it has the music that wasn't in the movie, it has the studio theatrical music, and it has the rehearsals that were (in some cases) better than the actual performances.

When the concert is good, it's great. Van Morrison's "Caravan" is a transcendent rock and roll moment, and The Band really cuts it up on some of their own material, like Rick Danko's classic "Stage Fright" vocal and The Band's final, barnstorming encore, "Don't Do It." A lot of great songs are on here that didn't make it to the movie either, like the group affair "Acadian Driftwood" with Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young's "Helpless," which sounds great with The Band's vocalists as backup singers. The rehearsals are great too, with "King Harvest" as a highlight (I still don't know why they're withholding the actual live version of this classic).

When The Last Waltz is mediocre, though, it's pretty mediocre. For instance, "Out of the Blue." With three amazing vocalists, Robbie Robertson's egotistical advancement of his own middling voice is pretty disappointing. A few of the takes are pretty middle of the road too, like the live "The Weight," and the rushed "W.S. Walcott's Medicine Show." Neil Diamond, though he performs his song with his usual grace (I admit it, I'm a fan) doesn't really belong with The Band on such an important night. Sorry Robbie.

Overall, The Last Waltz is a solid experience on CD, but it's definitely overshadowed by the truly essential film version of the concert which has great visuals and interview footage (not to mention a lot of close-ups of Robbie, thanks to Marty's infatuation with the guitarist). As a CD it doesn't capture the visual scope of the night and can't compare to the performing quality of Rock of Ages, the group's first and superior live album. If you're going to buy The Last Waltz on CD, though, this one has the most music and captures ALL of the best moments, where the other versions are even more heavily-edited and miss out on some of the greatness.

I had heard the entire Last Waltz concert as an unmixed bootleg recording before, so I was excited when I heard it would be released by Rhino as a commercially-mixed 4-CD set. It's all here, the entire show from Thanksgiving 1976, complete with jam sessions, restored and uncut tunes, and even rehearsal recordings. The entire show has been re-mixed and includes 16 previously unreleased live tracks, five songs from the rehearsal, plus some studio ideas and experiments which ultimately became the "Last Waltz Suite."

Highlights include the version of "The Weight" with The Staples Singers that was filmed and recorded for the movie (a much more soulful version than the one included on the original album), a live version of the great song "Acadian Driftwood," and rehearsal recordings of Van Morrison doing his two numbers, "Tura-Lura-Lural" and "Caravan."

Hell, the entire box set is worth getting just for Van doing "Caravan." I am a Van connoisseur (I've got hundreds of live Van recordings) and this was by far his most soulful performance EVER. The horn section complements the song wonderfully.

Packaging is tasteful and comes with a booklet including a short essay by Robbie Robertson, fantastic photographs, and a longer essay by David Fricke about the band, the concert, and the movie.

Look, if you like the movie and want to buy the original, 2-CD soundtrack, go right ahead; it's terrific. But you might want to save yourself some money and buy this box set instead, because once you hear the 2-disc soundtrack, you're gonna get thirsty for more.

If I were to rate the packaging, I would have to agree with the reviewer who complained about the way it was made, I've had the discs fall out several times myself.
But it's a beautifully packaged and recorded document(in its appearance and sound) that I listen to constantly.

One problem I have when I look at the roster of talent, is I'm reminded or our own mortality; so many of these people are now dead, and the era that followed can never replace what was here. That could be good, though, they all sound so alive here, enhanced by one of the best bands ever to grace a stage.

As an aside, I wonder why people call a death "passing away," or just "passing." They didn't "pass," they died; there's no shame in saying it. Richard Manuel, Rick Danko, Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters, Carl Radle, and Pop Staples are all dead; go ahead, say it. I don't think they'll mind. Nobody flinches at the word "suicide" when talking about Richard Manuel, but let Rick Danko peacefully drift off in his sleep, and he "passes away." These things have always puzzled me.

Back to the music; it's all good, so much talent crossed that stage that night, the audience had a real treat. The Band's songs cover such a wide spectrum of topics, and I understand the guys resenting Robertson's appropriation of the writing credits, but these are men who have definitely walked the walk, and because of that, they are certainly able to talk the talk. You can hear the heartbreak in Rick Danko's delivery of "It Makes No Difference," and the effects of the hard life in Richard Manuel's voice in "The Shape I'm In," and even more so in "Acadian Driftwood." His voice here is hoarse and ragged and PERFECT. Levon Helm summed up Manuel's demons quite well in in The Band's "Authorized Biography," and in his book, "This Wheel's On Fire." He said "That's between him and his Higher Power, and I've always tried to keep from having too much of an opinion about it." He is still shaken over it this many years later, you can see it in the video, because here, he just clams up, takes a big drag on his cigarette, and looks off somewhere into the distance. I can see in him a sense of betrayal by one of his closest friends, and the knowledge that it will always hurt.

This is relevant to "The Last Waltz," because there was a sense of brotherhood with these guys, from the beginning, all the way through, until huge success started to splinter that element. They were so good, and to watch this, knowing that these five will never grace a stage or studio in this form again, has the feeling of ending, of winding down, and being forced to say goodbye when you don't want to say goodbye.

Even though the sequencing is out of order, and there were a few omissions from the show, it's still a magnificent document of one of the greatest live performances of the era, one of the best.

I actually thought I purchased the DVD "The Last Waltz", but of course when it arrived, it was the CD. I'm enjoying the music in my car and I'll look for the DVD (if available) the next time I order.

Love the music.

This CD is so great because of all the additional tracks that were previously unreleased. There are also lots of photos and stories behind the concert/film that are very interesting. I Highly recommend.

"It's the Last Waltz, but that doesn't mean the party's over." This may have been the final concert for the original configuration of The Band, but thanks to this wonderful, expanded release, and the forthcoming dvd of the movie, you can enjoy the party over and over and over.

And what a party it was! The Band played a set of their own music, and then followed that by hosting a who's who of rock legends: Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Dr. John, Neil Diamond, Bobby Charles and the man who brought them together in the first place--Ronnie Hawkins. And Ringo Starr, Ron Wood, Stephen Stills sit in on a couple of jams after the concert proper was over. The Band are also joined by Emmylou Harris and The Staples for special studio efforts to contribute to this celebration, to this last waltz.

This four disc compilation gives you everything that was on the original 3 lp. or 2 disc sets, and throws in an additional 24 (count `em, 24!) tracks. There are more performances from the concert itself, including the previously mentioned jams, plus some concert rehearsals, and some studio ideas or demos. This certainly helped me to have a fuller, grander sense of this historical event. This new box set also includes new notes and background about both the concert and the movie (directed by Martin Scorsese), and lots of never seen before photos, too.

Highlights for me: another great version of Stagefright; Muddy Waters singing Mannish Boy (simmering blues); Van Morrison's Caravan really kicks (and so did Van--see the movie!); Bob Dylan leading The Band through a couple of numbers they did during the 65/66 tours--Baby Let Me Follow You Down and I Don't Believe You; Emmylou and Levon trading verses on Evangeline; and The Staples lending their oh-so-soulful voices to The Weight (Beautiful, says Mavis Staples at the very end of the number, and she's so right).

To me, The Band are simply the best. They never sought fame and fortune. It was all about the music. Hit singles? Forget it. Fancy light shows at their concerts? No way! They gave us their heart and souls through the music and left a rich, rich legacy for all of us to enjoy. Their impact could never be measured by chart success, but it was astounding on a whole other level. These guys took Dylan's music to new realms during those wild electric sets in 65/66. After hearing The Band's debut "Music From Big Pink" Eric Clapton shut down the ego machine called Cream. The Band were once on the cover of Time magazine. They played at Woodstock and Watkins Glen. Their first two records are 2 of the most incredible listening experiences in all of rock music. Their live set "Rock of Ages" is one of the best concert discs ever.

This box set may not be the place to start for some, but if you enjoyed the Last Waltz the first time, or you have a sincere interest in any of the guest artists who helped The Band bid farewell, you should certainly check out this expanded re-release.