The Ramones classic lineup: Johnny, Tommy, Joey, Dee Dee
The Ramones hold the dubious honor of being, without close competition, THE LOUDEST live band I've ever heard. Now, I've been to plenty of shows over the years that were unnecessarily loud; where the stage volume was excessive, or Mr. Soundman was just not doing his job. There was a horribly loud Kansas gig I went to in '77 that was particularly painful and had no reason to be so, and a deafening Gino Vannelli show that was a textbook example of what I call 'everything louder than everything else'. Those live audio nightmares come in a distant second to the sonic maelstrom that was The Ramones.
Now, going in to a Ramones concert, I knew what to expect so I wore earplugs, but they did me hardly any good at all. It was too loud for an arena, but this show was in a club! The volume was frighteningly physical; it just shook your guts all the way through, and most of it was coming from their onstage amps! The PA just added tone and depth. Those guys must have been deaf as a 2x4. It was also the first show where I witnessed someone attempt a stage dive. Apparently, it also was the first time for that Florida crowd, who parted like the Red Sea just as this hapless punk flung himself into the air after clambering up onto one of the PA columns. It was as if the crowd, as one, watched him climb, saw him leap, and collectively said "Aw, hell no". Dude hit the floor with a solid bellyflop/faceplant combo, to a round of roaring cheers. Fairly sure that Joey Ramone had a mid-verse chuckle himself, as it happened right in front of him. And no, it wasn't me.
I find it very interesting that a band whose guitarist once said that they started writing their own songs because they weren't good enough on their instruments to be a cover band, recorded at least one cover on nearly every album they made, including a full album of cover tunes.
This album, "Acid Eaters", represents some interesting choices. Johnny Ramone was often quoted as saying that the band's primary musical influence was the Bubblegum singles of the late 60's, which often appeared on the Buddah record label. But this collection highlights the influence of garage rock bands like The Seeds, The Troggs, and The Amboy Dukes, along with psychedelic groups like Love and Jefferson Airplane. Of course, there's also better known acts such as Jan & Dean, The Who, The Animals and The Rolling Stones, all of whom are covered on this album.
C.J. Ramone
I'm fairly certain that the origin of this project can be traced to the inclusion of a song by The Doors, "Take It As It Comes", on The Ramones' 1992 album "Mondo Bizarro". The Ramones were nearing the end of their run and "Acid Eaters" would be the bands' penultimate release of new studio recordings. I have to say that, although "Acid Eaters" has its place in the Ramones' legacy, it is not one of their best efforts overall. The band sounds tired, although recent addition C.J. Ramone, who replaced a drug-addled Dee Dee, provided enough push to get them to the finish line. But C.J. also handles more than half of the lead vocals here, adding a "where's Joey?" feel to the proceedings. Most reviewers at the time said that the album should have been an EP, with 4 or 5 songs on it, and I agree. Either that, or a full collection of all of their covers going back to the start, with a few new additions, which would have been a much better offering.
Here's two selections that represent the album well. First, a cover of "When I Was Young" by Eric Burdon & The Animals. It's a fairly straight rendition, but this recording features one of Joey's very best vocal tracks, ever. It's an emotional reading, as Joey was just beginning to deal with the onset of lymphoma, which would eventually take his life. The other track is the album closer, a cover of Jan & Dean's "Surf City". Crank 'em up!
The entire catalog of The Ramones is available at (where else?) Amazon. There are vinyl editions to be had of their most important recordings, the first 5 albums, should you be so inclined. At the very least, you should have a good best-of, greatest hits, anthology or something like that. The music of The Ramones is all of the pent up energy of youth in a bottle. Uncork some today and play it at a cat-frightening volume! Gabba Gabba HEY!
Any rock band that sticks around long enough will eventually do an album of cover songs. Many of these collections turn out as lesser efforts in their catalogs because the album is a 'contractual obligation' or simply a stopgap release to buy time while new original material is being written. Either way, the heart of the artist is often not fully invested.
Meet The Smithereens: Jim Babjak, Severo Jornacion, Dennis Diken, Pat DiNizio
But not this time. Today, we're talking about The Smithereens, the New Jersey rock band who have been keeping their music going strong since the early 80's. If any band was going to tackle a cover album project with all their heart and soul because it's a labor of love, it's The Smithereens.
These guys play rock 'n roll because they love it, because it moves them, and because it's their lifeblood. And, they're not a bunch of pompous 'rock stars'. This band is as down to earth as you could hope for. These are musicians who haven't forgotten the exhilaration of being a kid and hearing "Call Me Lightning", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Til The End Of The Day" or "I Want To Hold Your Hand" for the very first time. They are also no strangers to doing covers of songs they love, often releasing them as B-sides to their own singles and on soundtrack albums.
Since 2007, The Smithereens have released no less than 3 albums of cover songs, and these recordings are far from ordinary. Two are collections of Beatles songs; one is a front-to-back recreation of "Meet The Beatles". The other, a collage of Beatles B-sides, which are just as important as their album sides. The third set is a rip-roaring rendition of the landmark album, "Tommy" by The Who.
All of these tribute recordings are brave undertakings, to be sure. God knows there's plenty of Beatles cover tunes around, and it's regrettable that so many of them are, shall we say, less than good. Plus, there's bound to be a few detractors; those who are shocked or even offended that any band would have the temerity to attempt treading such sacred ground. But I say that those folks just don't get it. This band not only did their damndest to recreate The Beatles' arrangements, they did it while keeping with one of the cardinal rules of doing a good cover version, and that is, that they sound just like themselves. These are great sounding takes of Beatles songs, to be sure, but there's no mistaking that it's anyone but The Smithereens playing them. Also, and I direct this at those detractors, they're not trying to BE The Beatles, or The Who, or think they're better in any way. They're playing this music because they too, are fans, and because it informed and influenced them as musicians. It makes sense that they should play these songs.
Here's a track from each of the 2 Beatles albums, "Meet The Smithereens" and "B-Sides The Beatles". Enjoy!
I recently had a lengthy phone conversation with guitarist/vocalist Jim Babjak of The Smithereens regarding these 3 albums. Jim told me at one point that it was like talking music with a fellow fan over a couple of beers. As a longtime fan of the band, I really appreciated that, and in retrospect, I wish that some of my past conversations with other musicians of repute could have gone half this well!
Jim revealed that it was singer/guitarist/songwriter Pat DiNizio's idea to take on the "Tommy" album, but confirmed that the spark for it came from covering the song "Christmas" for "The Smithereens Christmas Album". The idea for doing that song came from drummer Dennis Diken, and the band went for it, although the song isn't really about Christmas so much as it is about Tommy. Jim also said that at their concerts, the band would sometimes play the song "Sparks" as a lead-in to their own song, "House We Used To Live In". Plus, they've been fans of The Who since they were kids. Even the earliest incarnations of The Smithereens played songs by The Who, and they continue doing so today. So all of that led to doing "Tommy".
The Grip Weeds at the House of Vibes.
One other thing that Jim shared with me that I was very surprised by was that, at the time, no record company was interested in having an album of new original songs from The Smithereens. They had to do "Tommy" first, in order to be able to record and release their "2011" album. That makes me both a little sad and rather annoyed, considering the longevity of the band and that they are still being creative and writing. Guess it comes down to whatever some suit thinks is marketable. On that note, Jim also related a story about the recording of the Smithereens albums "11" and "Blow Up" for Capitol Records, which I won't repeat verbatim here, but suffice it to say that his advice to other musicians was 'don't listen to the suits'!
Both of the Beatles albums and the "Tommy" album were recorded by Kurt Reil of The Grip Weeds at the House Of Vibes in New Jersey. Jim said the basic tracks for the entire "Tommy" album were all cut in one day(!) and that overall, the recording process for the album went pretty smoothly. Jim did say that The Beatles songs required some "cramming" to get the sound right. I'd say it was well worth the effort! To get an authentic guitar sound for "Tommy", Kristen Pinell of The Grip Weeds lent Jim her '70's gold top Les Paul, loaded with P-90 single coil pickups. As a vintage Hiwatt amp was not available, Jim ran the Les Paul through a Marshall. Together, they got that classic Pete Townshend guitar sound, as you will hear shortly.
Tommy: the 1969 original
Many feel the original 1969 recording by The Who has a rather uncharacteristic sound to it. I agree; it's in check, almost polite. But in a live environment, their natural habitat, The Who were anything but polite. They were explosive, incredibly loud, and often chaotic. Even a passing listen to their astounding "Live At Leeds" album or a screening of "Isle of Wight: 1970" will confirm this. With that in mind, The Smithereens did their best to imagine "Tommy" as if The Who of "Who's Next" or "Live At Leeds" would have done it. The result is, at times, staggering. The entire band did such a great job on this album, but I've gotta give the MVP to Dennis Diken for absolutely nailing Keith Moon's sound, speed and signature fills.
Here's 3 tracks from the "Tommy album". It should be enough for you to get the feel of what an awesome job The Smithereens did in tackling a classic rock album of this magnitude. Play this LOUD!
There's one other thing. You may have noticed that the cover artwork for two of these albums looks somewhat familiar. You're right! The "Tommy" cover art was done by William Stout, whose work you will recognize with just a quick review of his website. The art for "B-Sides the Beatles" was done by Jack Davis, one of the greats of comic illustration, most famous for his work with MAD magazine. Getting Davis to do the artwork was something of a coup for The Smithereens, as Davis rarely does album art anymore.
You can find nearly every recording ever made by The Smithereens at Amazon, or you can visit the store at the band's official website. Music by The Who and The Beatles can easily be found, either at Amazon, most big box stores, or preferably, your local independent music retailer.
I'd like to extend a hearty Thank You to Jim Babjak of The Smithereens for being so generous with his time to talk with me, an independent blog writer, for this feature article. This is a band that truly appreciates their fans. Buy their music. Go to their concerts. You'll have a great time, I promise.
One of my all-time favorite rock bands is The Kinks. That's mostly due to the clever songwriting of singer/guitarist Ray Davies, whose work evolved from unearthing several of the bedrock riffs of rock 'n roll, (You Really Got Me, All Day & All Of The Night, Till The End Of The Day, etc.), into some seriously artful and sometimes vaudevillian storytelling. Like most good songwriters, Davies developed a knack for populating his songs with colorful characters, be they a 'dedicated follower of fashion', a self described 'art lover' or an accommodating transvestite named Lola.
In this case, our tale concerns a young fellow named David Watts. Every one of us has gone to school with a David Watts; the boy that the other boys wanted to be, and the boy that the girls wanted to be seen with, or more simply, to be with. To be sure, there's another side to all that envy, which is less than pleasant, but that's all part of it.
I could not find a video of The Kinks performing the song that I liked enough to post, so in the interest of bringing things more up to date, here's Ray Davies, backed by The 88's, performing "David Watts" on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Enjoy!
The Kinks, for all purposes, are no more, due to instability between Ray and his brother, Dave Davies, along with the recent passing of The Kinks' original bassist Pete Quaife, and Ray's frequently quoted desire to continue to write and perform new material and "not be a nostalgia act". I really wish that a solid band could form behind Ray, much as Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys has had assistance from younger blood in bringing his unique musical vision to life. I hate to think what fine music we might be missing out on.
The Jam
Nonetheless, the music that Ray Davies wrote for The Kinks lives on. A strident cover version of "David Watts" was a very successful single for The Jam in 1978. Although The Jam were often wonderful, and I very much like them and their cover of the song, it's just not different or unique enough to make to much of a fuss over. Call me particular, but to cover a song as identifiable as "David Watts", which is centered on a riff that I feel is as unique as The Beatles' "Taxman", something a bit different is required to really stand out. And I think I've found it.
Meet Mikaela Davis. Mikaela is a young harpist from Rochester, New York. She has an eponymous album out that you can listen to and buy on Bandcamp.
The harp, being one of the more challenging stringed instruments, like the pedal steel, requires a specialist. Unless you're extraordinarily versatile, like Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead was, the steel and the harp are instruments that one masters over many years. For a relative youngster like Mikaela to play as well as she does, while singing lead, demonstrates a remarkable talent.
Mikaela is accompanied here by Cian McCarthy on sitar and back-up vocals, and Alex Cote on drums. This... is different.
So, how much of The Kinks' catalog is still available? According to Amazon, as much as you're willing to pony up for. Much of their earliest work is finally getting proper treatment for current and future generations to enjoy. If you have none of their music, I will heartily recommend this comprehensive import boxed set, although it is a tad spendy. Barring that, treat yourself to a solid "Best of" that's more affordable.
And please do support indie musicians like Mikaela Davis. They are the future.
Right off, I've gotta say I haven't ever been that much of a Bob Seger fan. Maybe it's because anytime I hear a cover band strike up the intro chords to Seger's ubiquitous "Old Time Rock 'n Roll", I want to abandon my drink and head for the nearest exit. I completely concur with the sentiment of the lyric, but man, that song has been flogged to death! Due to nearly 40 years of overexposure to Seger's music, I see no need to own a hard copy of anything by Bob Seger. Yet, I have to acknowledge Seger for 2 things.
In December of 1976, I went to a Kiss concert at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Bob Seger was the opening act. By all appearances, Seger & Co. had been thrown to the wolves. Nearly 20,000 Kiss fans in assorted states of inebriation, primed and ready for the clown princes of rock, were in no mood for a scruffy, soulful band from Detroit; something that a Philly crowd would, under different circumstances, really get behind. I will always remember the sight of Seger, about 4 inches tall from where I was standing, rockin' his Motor City heart out in front of a turned off but unhidden, gigantic KISS logo! But aside from that show, Seger and crew apparently acquitted themselves very well indeed. Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley recalls that during Seger's stint opening for Kiss, he set the bar pretty high for Kiss to follow every night. "Bob got his first gold album on tour with us. And there were nights, where I can remember being in the dressing room and listening to the crowd reaction, and looking at the band and saying (laughs) 'We better go out there and kick some ass'. Bob was no nonsense, great rock and roll; his band always delivered the goods, and the crowd went crazy. That always made us work harder."
The other thing is that the first time I heard another one of Seger's signature songs, "Turn The Page", was after I'd had a long night at a bar, playing a gig with my 1st band, The New Heroes. I suppose Seger had played the song at that concert I went to, but I wasn't paying him that much attention, like everyone else. But on this particular night, as I lay awake in my bed, with the echo from the amplifiers ringing in my head, I really connected with the song's lyric. It's as if Seger was saying directly to me "If you keep this band shit up, that's cool, but this is what it's really like out here". It's probably a small factor in why I never made a career of it.
From Bob Seger's "Live Bullet" album, here's "Turn The Page", in case the radio hasn't played it in the last hour or so.
For what it's worth, Bob Seger is also one of those musicians who was lucky enough to get onto a major label (Capitol) on a development basis, meaning the label would work with the artist to build their reputation, over the course of possibly several albums, to develop them into the major act they had the potential to be. That business model just doesn't happen any more. Now, if you don't have a hit right out of the box, you're done.
Metallica had a similar development period over their first 3 or 4 albums, during which, like Seger, they toured their butts off. To this day, they are rarely not on the road somewhere. I don't know of anyone who would refer to Metallica as a cover band, but like many rock bands, that's how they got their start. During their first few years, they almost played 50% cover songs at their shows. Even now, you can expect they will do at least two or three covers at any given concert. Some of these songs have been 'Metallicized' enough that they are more identifiable with Metallica than the original artist; no small achievement for any musician.
Metallica covered Seger's "Turn The Page" for their 1998 'odds & sods' album of covers and b-sides, "Garage Inc.". Their version of "Turn The Page" was released as a single, which reached and held #1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for 11 consecutive weeks; the longest time Metallica has ever spent at the top of any Billboard chart.
Drummer Lars Ulrich had heard the original song while driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and later commented that he thought "it had James Hetfield all over it". Guitarist/singer Hetfield himself said "I heard a song about the road life with a kind of somber, gruff, honest lyric in there. The lyrics are us. We've been road dogs since day one."
Metallica's rendition is taken at much the same tempo as Seger's, but with a much heavier feel. The saxophone part is replaced by a high slide guitar line from Kirk Hammett. This recording meets all the prime criteria for a Kool Kover, as it totally respects the original song, but sounds like no one else but Metallica. Crank it!
I may not have any Bob Seger cd's myself, but that doesn't mean that you can't load up on 'em at Amazon, where you can also find all the Metallica your inner metalhead can handle.
Amidst the usual flotilla of ads from companies that I swear I unsubscribed from, along with other assorted spam that turns up daily in my Email inbox, I saw an ad from the digital music website, Noisetrade, touting a new EP from Jars Of Clay. Alright, says I, let's have a look.
This is another excellent example of how independent musicians are getting innovative in order to get their music out to the public. In this case, Jars Of Clay are offering a digital EP containing 5 songs, performed live in the studio, all of them acoustic-based, or if you will, in an 'unplugged' format. The EP download is free, although a tip of 6 bucks is suggested, which is totally fair. There's even a 15 minute HD performance video of the sessions on YouTube, if you want a full preview of the songs.
However, the real treat happened when the band took a break from recording indoors and adjourned to an outdoor garden area. There, they set up a couple of overhead mics and played a live and completely unplugged version of "Road To Nowhere", a song by Talking Heads! Here's the HD video of the proceedings. This is really great! Enjoy.
Not bad, I'd say. Just for comparisons' sake, here's Talking Heads with the original version from their 1985 album, "Little Creatures".
The digital EP from Jars Of Clay is available for download at their Noisetrade website. They also have a new album, "Inland", which is due August 27th in multiple formats. There's more info at Jarsofclay.com. You can find the entire Talking Heads catalog at Amazon, and also of course, your favorite local indie music purveyor.
Viktor Krauss, the brother of singer Alison Krauss, has long been one of the most solid supporting artists on the Americana music scene, playing standup bass for Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins, Lyle Lovett, and Emmylou Harris, among others. But he's also a talented composer and bandleader in his own right. Many of his compositions are evocative instrumentals, inspired by the movie soundtracks Krauss remembers listening to as a child.
I first heard Krauss play bass when I attended a concert by Lyle Lovett's acoustic band back in 1996. Aside from some stellar live audio, which is one thing you can depend on at Lovett's concerts, no matter the venue, I wasn't prepared for the virtuosity of the entire band. Being a bassist myself, I was taken with Krauss's skill on the upright bass; a difficult instrument to master, even by experienced practitioners. A good bassist, like Krauss proved he is, can demonstrate a good ear for the song; listening to the rest of band as much or more than he is playing, ever searching for just the right space to fit into.
Released in 2007, his second solo CD, simply called "Viktor Krauss II", also features some vocals, including a turn by Lyle Lovett and a magical version of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" sung by Shawn Colvin, which we are featuring today. "Shine On.." fits well into the rest of the album, as Krauss's music has a rather Floydian orchestral flavor, as we hinted earlier. Put on the headphones and enjoy this very cool interpretation of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond".
Pink Floyd '67: Waters, Mason, Barrett, Wright
"Shine On..." was written by Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and David Gilmour, in tribute to their former Pink Floyd bandmate, Syd Barrett, who was the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years; providing major musical and stylistic direction in their early work. Barrett is also credited with naming the band.
By early 1968, his behavior had become rather erratic; to the point that the band decided to add a second guitarist for live performances. They hoped to employ Syd's songwriting abilities for studio work, similar to Brian Wilson's role in The Beach Boys, while David Gilmour would bolster the band in live shows. The experiment didn't work and after a handful of shows as a 5 piece, the band elected to continue on without him. Barrett left the group in April 1968 amid speculations of mental illness, exacerbated by copious use of psychedelic drugs, and was briefly hospitalized.
The song/suite, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", is the centerpiece of the 1975 Pink Floyd album, "Wish You Were Here", an album that began life with the unenviable task of being the follow-up release to the epic and timeless "The Dark Side Of The Moon". The song was intended to be a side-long composition like "Atom Heart Mother" or "Echoes", but was eventually split into two parts and used to bookend the album; augmented by other new material that was more relevant to the situation in which the band found themselves. Roger Waters commented, as the sessions were underway, that "at times, the group was there only physically. Our bodies were there, but our minds and feelings were somewhere else."
Syd Barrett at Abbey Road, 1975
In an odd twist, Syd Barrett himself, (heavyset, with a completely shaved head and eyebrows) wandered into the EMI studio at Abbey Road while the band was recording "Wish You Were Here". Because of his drastically changed appearance, the band did not recognize him for some 45 minutes. When they eventually did recognize Barrett, Roger Waters was reportedly so distressed that he was reduced to tears. Apparently, when the song "Wish You Were Here" was played, "He (Barrett) stood up and said, 'Right, when do I put my guitar on?'" Richard Wright recalled. "And of course, he didn't have a guitar with him and we said, 'Sorry, Syd, the guitar's all done.'" When asked what he thought of the music, Barrett said it sounded a "bit old". Wright later said of Barrett's visit, "For some incredible reason, he picked the very day that we were doing a song which was about him. And we hadn't seen him, I don't think, since two years before. That's what's so incredibly weird about this guy. And a bit disturbing as well, I mean, particularly when you see a guy, that you don't... you couldn't recognize him. And then, for him to pick the very day we want to start putting vocals on a song which is about him. Very strange."
On the 2 disc edition of "Wish You Were Here", there is a 21 minute live recording, done at Wembley in '74, that gives possibly the best picture of the song as an album side-length suite. For the sake of comparison to Krauss's cover, and in the interest of time, here's an edited version of "Shine On..." that was presented on the 2011 'best of' sampler, "A Foot In The Door". Keep those headphones on!
As a bonus, here's 5 minute video on the making of the "Wish You Were Here" album. You're welcome.
By now, the entire Pink Floyd catalog has been nicely remastered and key albums are available in several different editions, depending on your level of devotion to each particular work. For albums like "Dark Side..", "Wish You Were Here" or "The Wall", you'll find there is the standard single disc, a double disc "Experience Edition" that typically features live recordings and outtakes, or if you're feeling indulgent, the "Immersion Edition", which contains all of the above plus a deluxe vinyl pressing and/or a DVD and other assorted gimcrackery for the obsessed Floyd fan.
Both solo albums from Viktor Krauss are available at Amazon. They're out of print, but available used for a most agreeable price. Well worth the modest investment, I'd say. If Lyle Lovett does a show in your town, chances are that Viktor will be playing bass with him. By all means, attend.
A lot of folks have an interesting reaction whenever the subject of The Grateful Dead is brought up. If they're not completely apathetic, then they either smile knowingly or shrink in horror. I feel bad for the folks in the latter group. They have no idea what they're missing out on.
Now, I understand that the Dead's music can be something of an acquired taste. It largely depends on what other music you like and any opinion you may have on the culture of the times during which the band was active. My wonderful wife, for example, likes their songs alright, but loses interest when things get a bit too jammy. I get that and it's ok. Whatever works for you.
However, I have long maintained that The Grateful Dead were easily one of the most American of American bands ever. They were set up like a rock ensemble but performed with a jazz mentality; developing peerless improvisational skills over the years. Their personal musical backgrounds were deeply rooted in blues, folk, country and bluegrass. Their song lyrics were steeped in American history, particularly the old west. The group even began life as a jug band! Their songs incorporated elements of all these uniquely American genres; sometimes simultaneously. Musically, it gets no more American than that.
From the recently issued "Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings", here's The Grateful Dead with a frisky take of "Tennessee Jed", recorded when the song was still new to them. The song has a groove that smacks of that lazy shuffle that Little Feat perfected. I have to wonder if The Dead were listening to some Feat when this was written. Check it out and you decide.
The Band
Speaking of great bands, is there any reasonable argument that The Band wasn't one of the greatest musical groups ever? I doubt it, especially considering that although The Band had its origins in Canada, their music would sound most representative of styles that were indigenous to America. Yet to this day, I still meet people who have managed to avoid seeing their filmed live concert farewell, "The Last Waltz", for all these years. If you, dear reader, should happen to be one of these fine folks, I urge you to make haste and do so, especially now that you can enjoy it all spiffed up on a hi-def Blu-Ray disc. It's easily one of the very best films ever made about music. Did I mention that Martin Scorsese directed it?
Levon Helm, performing at "The Last Waltz"
After the first edition of The Band folded, drummer/vocalist Levon Helm began the 80's by recording and releasing 4 solo albums. In 1983, The Band reunited without Robbie Robertson, hiring Jim Weider for guitar duties. In 1986, while on tour, pianist Richard Manuel committed suicide. Helm, bassist Rick Danko and organist Garth Hudson continued as The Band, releasing the albums "Jericho" in 1993 and "High on the Hog" in 1996. The final album from The Band was the 30th anniversary album, "Jubilation", released in 1998.
In the late 90's, Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer after suffering hoarseness. Advised to undergo a laryngectomy, Helm instead underwent an arduous regimen of radiation treatments. Although the tumor was then successfully removed, Helm's vocal cords were damaged, and his clear, powerful voice was replaced by a quiet rasp.
Levon, doing what he loved best, in 2009
Helm's performance career in the 2000's revolved mainly around the "Midnight Rambles" at his home and studio, "The Barn" in Woodstock, New York. These concerts, featuring Helm and a variety of musical guests, allowed Helm to raise money for his medical bills and to resume performing. The Midnight Ramble was an outgrowth of an idea Helm explained to Martin Scorsese in "The Last Waltz". Earlier in the 20th century, Helm recounted, traveling medicine shows and music shows such as F.S. Walcott's Rabbit Foot Minstrels, featuring African-American blues singers and dancers, would put on titillating performances in rural areas. "After the finale, they'd have the midnight ramble," Helm told Scorsese. With young children off the premises, the show resumed. "The songs would get a little bit juicier. The jokes would get a little funnier and the prettiest dancer would really get down and shake it a few times. A lot of the rock and roll duck walks and moves came from that."
Initially, Helm only played drums and relied on guest vocalists at the Rambles, but Helm's singing voice grew stronger. On January 10, 2004, he sang for the first time at a Ramble session. During production of his 2007 album "Dirt Farmer", Helm estimated that his singing voice was 80% recovered.
Levon Helm’s next album, "Electric Dirt", took the inaugural award for Best Americana Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards presentation. This was Levon’s second consecutive Grammy award. In 2008, he won Best Contemporary Folk Album for "Dirt Farmer", his first solo recording in twenty five years. Helm was also recognized with a lifetime achievement award as an original member of The Band, that same year.
In 2011, his live album "Ramble at the Ryman" was nominated for the Grammy in the same category and won. On April 17, 2012, his wife and daughter announced on Helm's website that he was in the final stages of his battle with cancer and thanked fans while requesting prayers. Two days later, Helm died at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
From "Electric Dirt", here's Levon Helm rockin' out on "Tennessee Jed" like he wrote it himself. To my ears, this sounds just like something The Band would have done. Enjoy!
The entire catalog of The Band has been nicely remastered and is available for you at Amazon. Music from Levon Helm is also at Amazon, including recordings of his famous Midnight Rambles.
If it should be that you currently have no Grateful Dead music in your collection, then you should know that their music is both a deep well and again, an acquired taste. It's probably best to start with the excellent, acoustic-based album, "American Beauty", for their studio work. But The Dead's forte was playing live, and with incredible foresight, they recorded darn near every live show they ever did. The Dead's archivists are still going through tapes of very well-played concerts that haven't been heard since the day of the show. So, while I will recommend both "Europe '72", and the album known as "Skull & Roses", I will also direct you to the official Grateful Dead website for much more music and info. I also see that iTunes has remastered the entire Dead catalog; no small undertaking, for sure.
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