It was in the paper that yesterday (July 5th) was Robbie Robertson's (63rd??? Already???) birthday. Since it's not often the birthday columns are perused by yours truly, there must be some serious and serendipitous synchronicity at work here. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/dizzy.gif" width=15 height=15>

Hope it'll be the best year yet for you (and of course, for those you love), RJR. Here's a toast for you: May you live as long as you want to, and may you want to as long as you live.

And now to go post on Band bandwith ...

Whew...I was worried that this thread was about the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Nothing will ever change the fact that I'll always be a huge fan of the Band---especially the 1st 2 albums---but it's hard to listen to their stuff & feel the same way about Robbie as I did before I read Levon Helm's book.

Sadly, Robbie is a scam artist who screwed everybody he ever dealt with in the music business, including his fellow Band members.

The Last Waltz is in the same category as sausage & law---if you like it, don't try to find out how it was made!

Oh, well, happy belated birthday anyway, Mr. Robertson.

PS---Muffy, did you know Robbie was taught by our man, Roy Buchanan, who was brought in to the early Hawks line-up by Ronnie Hawkins just for that purpose?

Happy BD & have fun!

PJoe: No surprise to learn that RR learned from The Wizard himself... Didn't know it before, but am less than astonished to find out.

As for the Levon/Robbie thing ... as far as I'm concerned, it's their relationship, and therefore, not really my business. It's simply not my place to take sides, or judge, or put myself in the middle of it. I do doubt that Levon would be so angry if he didn't care so much about Robbie; and don't see Robbie engaging in a tit-for-tat mudslinging contest -- which speaks volumes in his favor.

Now -- and since we all have opinions -- given my own experience with The Band, my guess is that (a) neither Robbie nor Levon know the whole truth about the situation, and that (b) a lot more blame should go to some of the sleazoids and sociopaths that have insinuated themselves into their lives, than should go to either of them personally.

I could be wrong, but that's something they have to work out between themselves, IMHO.

Point well taken, Muffy. I'm open to the possibility that a book could have incorrect information, but personally I find Levon's take to be persuasive & believable & thus I have taken his side; others may not. Your attitude that the whole thing is none of your business is probably a healthier one than mine, but I'm opinionated & probably won't change in my old age (46).

Levon's problems with Robbie are mostly explained in one chapter, that about The Last Waltz. Elsewhere in the book he recognizes & praises Robbie's talents & his contributions to the Band's success.

And it's also possible that Robbie has refrained from mud-slinging coz he doesn't have a leg to stand on. Possibly there are others to blame, as you suggest, but the book paints a picture of Robbie as a guy who was hands-on when it came to his business affairs, moreso than your average musician, for whatever it's worth.

Old age? Compared to me you're a mere child, a babe in arms. Why, from my vantage point (soon to be -- gasp! -- 50), you haven't even begun your formative years ... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/wink.gif" width=15 height=15>

Sigh. Didn't mean to sound as if standing on a soap box. I wasn't, but sounding as if doing so is a fault that apparently still requires work on my part. However, I do have to comment on your assertion that Robbie may not have a leg to stand on: In view of my own aforementioned vast life experience, I can say with certainty that those who really don't have a leg to stand on, are those who protest the loudest. I also know that there are two sides to every story, and that the only people who can know what their relationship really is, are the two people involved in it. I'm going to maintain my own position (i.e., it ain't none of my damn business) on this one, since neither have ever asked me to intervene.

It's not that I don't believe that Levon is telling his truth, or at least, the truth as he knows it. Let's just say I'll stand by my original statement: I doubt either one of them knows the whole truth about the situation. For now at least, I'm going to leave it at that, although God knows, I could say a whole lot more on the subject ...

No problem here with anything you said, Muffy. Nothing was taken the wrong way. I knew that if I called Robbie a scumbag it wouldn't go unanswered. That's what a message board is for.

Oh, hey: Everyone's entitled to their opinions, Joe, and it wasn't yours about Robbie's character that I took issue with. Granted, I might have preferred seeing it someplace other than in a thread wishing him a happy birthday... (As you're probably already aware, he's been known to drop by this board, among others -- albeit incognito-ish.)

In fact, for those wishing to do so, there's all the side-taking anyone could desire, and aspersions cast aplenty (on both Levon's and Robbie's characters) over at The Band message boards ...

Hmmmmn ... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/idea.gif" width=15 height=32>
I should probably just let it go, now.

Does that sound like a good idea to you, Joe? It sure sounds good to me ... In fact, it was probably best to let go of it a couple of posts ago, but far be it from me to display as much sense as your basic, garden variety brick ...

Hey, rock stars are people too ... (Rumor has it they even put their pants on one leg at a time -- although -- well, one never actually knows with rock stars.) <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/wink.gif" width=15 height=15>

Don't feel bad. It caught me off guard, too.

I think you're not supposed to feed them or try to pet them, but other than that, they're generally pretty friendly. At least, the ones who've have gotten over themselves are. With some you have to beware of being trampled by their high horses, but those tend to avoid rubbing elbows with the lowly riff-raff anyway. (You know how that goes: Delusional is as delusional does, and all of that. As it were.)

P.S. If you're not careful, you might even run into certain well known folksinger types around here, too. (Or so rumor has it, of course.)

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by muffy on Jul 11, 2004 ---</FONT></center>