The Band need no introduction. They have a secure niche in the history of rock and roll. But the niche was secured in the sixties, and not all readers may be familiar with this group. Their history? Four Canadian musicians joined up with a fellow from Arkansas and created a sound that mixed electric rock with rockabilly, blues, country, gospel, Cajun in a distinctive gumbo that would eventually earn them a place in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
They actually LIVED in Woodstock, New York in a house called Big Pink. As backing band for Bob Dylan, The Band worked with Dylan on The Basement Tapes. Original band members were Levon Helm (of Arkansas), Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson and Richard Manuel. The Band was a tight group with songs coming from Robbie Robertson, the de facto group leader. But, The Band was never comfortable with touring beginning with Robertson who suffered from extreme stage fright, which was immortalized in the well-known Band song "Stage Fright". Other big hits were "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek" - and the list goes on and on. Stage fright was a condition and not just a song, and The Band seemed to pull back from the audience and have little or no contact with them onstage.
The group's drug and alcohol abuse were part of the times and part of the reaction to touring. Somehow they soldiered on together till the friction within the group reached a breaking point. In 1976 The Band called it quits with Martin Scorcese recording the last concert on the film The Last Waltz and Robbie Robertson quickly departed for a solo career. By the eighties, all but Robertson were back together on the road and in the clubs. Following a bout of depression linked with drugs and alcohol, Richard Manuel hanged himself in one of the endless road motels. The Band again fell apart. A few years ago the remaining three members got back together and released Jericho, the first album from The Band in 18 years. High On The Hog is the second from this incarnation of the group. The current lineup for The Band on these two albums is the original three: Helm, Danko, Hudson and joined by guitarist Jim Weider, drummer Randy Ciavalante and pianist Richard Bell.
High On The Hog seems a strange title choice - but the good news is that starting with the first track, you know it's The Band! They sound the same vocally - outstanding - and the music is a bit different, but still top-notch. Ten tracks show the variety expected from The Band. Vintage Band is right there on track 1 with "Stand Up", the first single off the album. There are some good blues numbers such as "Back to Memphis" and several ballads, "Where I Should Always Be", "Forever Young" and "She Knows", slow things down just a little between the livelier country rockers.
Although the album sounds very good, it has this strangely familiar feeling to it; all but one track are cover songs. It's doubtful that an album of covers will ever receive the critical praise that a more creative effort will. The album's diversity comes in part from the variety of artists covered. Bob Dylan songs are cheek by jowl with Jack Dupree's blues and Foster/McElroy's En Vogue hit, "Free Your Mind". Not much new on this album at all except the Band gives each song their unique sound. Robbie Robertson, chief songwriter, is gone, and the impact of his loss is seen in this avalanche of covers.
But if you love The Band or the sixties music, you should pick up High On The Hog. Even if they don't have the songwriting anymore, the guys still know how to play and how to sing. To hear more about this legendary group, tune in to Arts and Entertainment channel's "Biography" series May 18, 9pm (EST), or check out the band on their latest tour.
