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i-love-the-band · 2 months ago

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Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson at Shangri-La Recording Studios in Malibu, 1975

(Photo by Penny Wolin)

#the band #robbie robertson #garth hudson #1970s #70s music #malibu #penny wolin

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i-love-the-band · 2 months ago

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Remembering Garth Hudson

With Garth's passing, it is difficult to put into words what this moment feels like as a fan of The Band. It’s so sad to think they are all gone now. I suppose it is true that The Band has officially left the building; however, I know their music will live on. That's evident from all the nice tributes I've read the past few days. I highly recommend reading the obituary in Rolling Stone by Will Hermes (who has shared more thoughts on his Substack) as well as a thoughtful piece by Franz Nicolay of The Hold Steady for the Ringer.

It's fitting that the oldest member of The Band, the bearded "weirdo" who already looked like an old man even back in the 1960s, was the last to depart the world. The literal and spiritual teacher of the group passively observed his students, who were always in awe of him. He stayed above the fray when there was dissent among them. He didn't engage in their bullshit and nonsense. He didn't have to. Then he watched them leave the classroom one by one, and then quietly turned off the lights. Now he's reunited with them, along with his beloved wife Maud, who died almost exactly three years ago.

I always think of Garth as an enigma, probably because he didn't seek the spotlight and participated in so few interviews during his life. He just wasn't that kind of guy. But that didn't make him anti-social. He loved to talk about things that actually interested him. I remember a story Rick told of a fan who was nervous to meet Garth. "What do I say?" Rick said "Ask him about his cat." The fan did, and Garth proceeded to talk for, like, 10-15 minutes.

Each member was so essential to their sound, but that was especially true of Honey Boy or "HB" as the other guys sometimes called him, the only classically trained musician in the group. Levon said that nickname came from the fact "that after the other instruments were put away, Garth was still in the studio sweetening the tracks, stacking up those chords, putting on brass, woodwinds, whatever was needed to make that music sing. Garth made us sound like we did." I'd like to think all that talent lived inside Garth's giant head. And thank goodness, that musical genius was shared with us. Plenty of music groups have multi-instrumentalists but none have excelled in that role quite like Garth. It seemed like he played everything, including the piano, Lowrey organ, clavinet, accordion, synthesizers, and various saxophones. He was the true MVP of The Band.

Like Garth, Booker T. Jones pretty much played everything too - oboe, sax, trombone, double bass, and of course the organ. Although he'd been around all his life, he was shocked when he visited The Band at Shangri-la in Malibu. "I didn't recognize a thing. [Garth] had rebuilt everything. He wasn't there [during my visit] but his energy, so strong, poked out at me."

Garth's sax solo at the end of "It Makes No Difference" during The Last Waltz remains one of my favorite moments of that film. Rick sings his heart out, pouring everything into his performance and giving it his all, and just when it seems the song can't go any further, Garth steps in to take it home. My mom has endured multiple viewings of the documentary on Thanksgiving, often barely paying attention, yet that part always makes her pick her head up. I think that says it all.

We can argue where Americana and roots rock started, who invented it, etc. but I think we can all agree these music genres owe a lot to The Band’s first albums, especially the self-titled one. The producer of that album, John Simon, in a statement on Tuesday wrote that he grieves for that era itself. And that is true, the first incarnation of The Band broke up nearly fifty years ago. While so much time has passed, I also feel like their music has truly stood the test of time. It is timeless.

Let’s not forget his contributions to the work of other musical artists, aside from Bob Dylan of course. I mean, Garth is all over those 1966 live recordings. And I think the world will always be eternally grateful that Garth was the keeper of the Basement Tapes. He worked on albums by The Call, Neko Case, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, the Sadies, Wilco, Mercury Rev, and many others. I like the fact that he was open to working with newer artists. I am a big fan of his work on Neko's albums, Fox Confessor Brings The Flood and Middle Cyclone. He added his magic touch to one of the six vintage stand-up pianos she found on Craigslist, which was in disrepair and slightly out of tune, on her cover of Harry Nilsson's "Don't Forget Me." I also remember when he worked on her song "Maybe Sparrow" and asked, "Is the sparrow of the African or American variety?" because he wanted to know the correct bird call to play on the organ. That sounds exactly like our Garth!

When Garth went back to visit the Big Pink house in 2014, one of the people there remembered this moment - “As the sun started to set and we began packing up the camera gear, I watched him walk to the end of the drive by himself and take one last look at Big Pink. He leaned down, picked up a rock, and put it into his pocket as a keepsake.” Thanks to Garth and the boys for the music, which will always be in my life in some capacity. I hope they’re all playing together again wherever that might be.

#the band #garth hudson #rick danko #levon helm #richard manuel #robbie robertson #music #rest in peace

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i-love-the-band · 10 months ago

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