Springsteen and Clapton on their favorite, heh, band.


I went and saw Once Were Brothers; Robbie Robertson And The Band in a theater early last year, and now tonight on a DVD at home. It is alternately both thrilling and irritating, but that’s not the point of this thread. If you don’t already know how very, very special The Band were, and the deep impact they made on Rock ’n’ Roll, here is what Bruce and Eric had to say about them in the film:

- Springsteen: "I think I was in a little coffee shop in Redbank, New Jersey. I kid came in with Music From Big Pink, put it on the sound system. And suddenly this music comes on, and everything changes."

- Clapton: "When I heard Big Pink, it was like someone had nailed me through my chest onto the wall. I was immediately converted. I thought ’This is what I want to do’. It changed my life."

Mine too.
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Showing 4 responses by onhwy61

MFBP is obviously a great and influential recording, but in my mind it will always be a Bob Dylan/The Band album, whereas, the self titled The Band album is truly The Band.  Taste is personal, but I much prefer the brown album.  "King Harvest", "Whispering Pines", "Jawbone"  and "Unfaithful Servant" are peak level The Band.  They were real good on MFBP, but they got great with the second album.
The Brown Album was the record where Robbie Robertson took control of the group.  You can hear it.


Stephen Stills was an army brat who grew up in a number of places, but primarily the Florida panhandle.  Confederate trappings were common place in that part of the country.  Further regarding Stills, MFBP was released in July, 1968 which is the same month the final Buffalo Springfield album came out.  Buffalo Springfield was an interesting mixture of rock, country and folk.  And let's not forget The Byrds.  "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" and "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" both were released in 1968.  I bring these up because you're making it sound as if The Band came out of nowhere with a unique sound.  They were one of several groups experimenting with rock and country sounds.  I mean Bob Dylan went to Nashville in 1966 to record "Blonde On Blonde".  I would also like to direct your attention to another 1968 release, this one from the Electric Flag,  "Along Time Comin'".  Combing rock, r&b, blues and soul in many ways it parallels MFBP as a roots oriented album.  1968 was an amazing year for music.
The before and after album impact is an interesting idea, but I would then argue that MFBP wasn't even the most impactful album released in 1968.  Aretha Franklin's "Lady Soul" takes that prize.  People have been trying to sing like Aretha for the past 50 years.  Jerry Wexler produced, Tom Dowd engineered with the late great Roger Hood and the Swampers anchoring the band.  Eric Clapton even plays on one song.


The Mothers Of Invention's "We're Only In It For the Money" and "Cruising With Rueben & the Jets" also came out in 1968.


My vote for the album that changed rock is 1967's "Velvet Underground & Nico".  A critical and commercial disaster, but to quote Brian Eno -- The Velvet Underground didn’t sell many records, but everyone who bought one went out and started a band.

BDP24, nothing but respect for your love of the Band.  I'm just quibbling about things that need to be quibbled.