Long ago in 1965, I saw Bob Dylan and The Band perform at Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo. It was my first rock concert and I loved it. I was a Dylan fan, but later I bought Music From Big Pink and became a fan of The Band, too.
Once Were Brothers is a documentary about The Band. Based on Robbie Robertson’s Testimony this film tells the story of how The Band got together, toured with Bob Dylan, recorded their first album, became successful…and completely fell apart.
In addition to telling the story of the rise and fall of The Band, Once We Were Brothers features a lot of music. If you’re a fan of the band, you’ll enjoy the insights provided in this documentary. If you enjoy The Band’s music, there’s plenty of it here, too. Are you a fan of The Band? GRADE: A-
Bob Dylan, Paul Butterfield, Eric Clapton; Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, Pinetop Perkins
4:49
9.
“Jam #1*” (Danko, Helm, Hudson and Robertson from the Band)
Neil Young, Ronnie Wood, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Ringo Starr
5:32
10.
“Jam #2*” (Helm and Hudson from the Band)
Neil Young, Ronnie Wood, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Ringo Starr, Stephen Stills, Carl Radle
“The Last Waltz Refrain*” (early instrumental version)
0:50
14.
“The Last Waltz Theme*” (sketch track)
24 thoughts on “ONCE WERE BROTHERS: Robbie Robertson and The Band”
Steve Oerkfitz
I’m a big fan of The Band. Saw Bob Dylan in Detroit in 65 with The Band ( then still known as the Hawks ) backing him up, Minus drummer Levon Helm. Never caught The Band live though. I do want to get this. It has been criticized as being a little bit too much from Robertson’s perspective. But he and Garth Hudson are the only surviving members so I guess that’s to be expected.
Steve, you’re right about ONCE WERE BROTHERS being the story of The Band seen through Robbie Robertson’s eyes. The feud between Levon Helm and Robertson destroyed any chance of a reunion of The Band.
Yes, a huge fan. I was just listening to them a couple of days ago, by coincidence. We got to see Levon Helm in concert probably half a dozen times before he died. I know he and Robertson had their differences, but he had a profound influence on the turn Robertson’s music took, and the latter wrote a lot of great songs for Helm’s voice and style.
Jeff, from what I gather from ONCE WERE BROTHERS, the “differences” between Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson resulted from Helm’s drug addiction which produced some personality changes.
Patti, so far there hasn’t been a soundtrack released for ONCE WERE BROTHERS so I used the Track List from THE LAST WALTZ. A lot of that music showed up in the documentary.
Not a huge fan although I like some of their songs, especially The Weight and Cripple Creek, songs from that era. I really liked the music Robertson wrote for the tv documentary “The Native Americans,” particularly Ghost Dance. As for Levon Helm, he’ll always be Loretta Lynn’s daddy in “Coal Miner’s Daughter” to me.
After Levon Helm died, there was a tribute concert in New Jersey, I believe. We missed it, but there is a terrific two-CD collection called LOVE FOR LEVON. Here is the setlist:
Disc one:
The Shape I’m In – Warren Haynes
Long Black Veil – Gregg Allman & Haynes
Trouble in Mind – Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff
This Wheel’s on Fire – Shawn Pelton
Little Birds – Teresa Williams
Listening to Levon – Marc Cohen
Move Along Train – Mavis Staples
Life is a Carnival – Allen Toussaint
When I Paint My Masterpiece – John Prine & Garth Hudson & Joan Osborne
Anna Lee – Bruce Hornsby & Teresa Williams
Ain’t Got No Home – Jakob Dylan
Whispering Pines – Lucinda Williams (we also have her doing this on a Boz Scaggs CD)
Ray Mamma Rag – John Hiatt
Don’t Do It – David Bromberg & Joan Osborne
I Shall Be Released – Grace Potter and Don Was
Disc 2:
Tears of Rage – Ray LaMontagne & John Mayer
Rockin’ Chair – Dierks Bentley
Chest Fever – Dierks Bentley & Garth Hudson
A Train Robbery – Eric Church
Get Up Jake – Eric Church
Tennessee Jed – John Mayer & Steve Jordan
Up on Cripple Creek – Joe Walsh
Ophelia – My Morning Jacket
It Makes No Difference – My Morning Jacket
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – Roger Waters, My Morning Jacket
Wide River to Cross – Roger Waters & G. E> Smith
The Weight – all (featuring Mavis Staples, of course)
I don’t know if Roger Waters could ever sing, but he is pretty terrible here.
I love some of their songs but don’t think I ever actually owned one of their albums. Had it not been for their association with Dylan I probably wouldn’t have been aware of them until at least the 70s.
I saw Dylan in concert in 1965–this would have been after the release of “Highway 61 Revisited”-so I may well have seen The Band without being aware of it.
Michael, you and I both saw Bob Dylan (and The Hawks, aka The Band) during that 1965 tour. At the Kleinhans Music Hall concert, Dylan had hired the local chapter of Hell’s Angels to provide “Security.” After the Intermission, Dylan came out with The Hawks and plugged in their electric guitars. A group of fans in the audience started booing and banging on a cow bell. Hell’s Angels swept down and kicked their asses! For a 16-year-old kid like me at his first rock concert, this was fabulous!
Other than “The Weight”, and a couple others, I never paid much attention to The Band. I saw a piece on this on PBS but it sounded mostly like it was Robertson bitching.
Rick, Robbie Robertson would probably call ONCE WERE BROTHERS an “explanation” of what happened to The Band. Of course, we get the story from Robertson’s perspective.
I’ve enjoyed their music. I really enjoyed the last waltz. I had no idea about the strife within the band until reading about Once Were Brothers a month or so ago.
One thing I remember is that in the past listening to the car radio, I didn’t always know the titles of songs or who sang them. Now it’s a lot easier with my radio telling me who is singing what. (at home I usually had an LP on) There are a lot of songs that I have my own titles for
For me too the Band was one of the greatest – especially when playing with Dylan. The Last Waltz I also enjoyed and The Weight is one of my favourite songs!
Rather OT:
On a German/American forum right now there are many threads (people have lots of time because of the lockdown), one on songs relating to places in the USA.
You supply a piece of text and people have to guess from which song and which city it is – so I quoted the Weight …
I remember the 60s very well – I was a student and totally into Rock, Folk and Blues.
Wolf, the 1960s was a key time in my life musically. I had a transistor radio and listened to it constantly. I started buying record albums and going to concerts. Many of those experiences are still vivid to me!
Joe is the one who introduced me to The Band.
I already loved The Weight but never seemed to be able to track down who did it.
After looking at the playlists you and Jeff posted, I think I’ll go home to enjoy a couple of The Band’s CDs. I’m old.
I’m a big fan of The Band. Saw Bob Dylan in Detroit in 65 with The Band ( then still known as the Hawks ) backing him up, Minus drummer Levon Helm. Never caught The Band live though. I do want to get this. It has been criticized as being a little bit too much from Robertson’s perspective. But he and Garth Hudson are the only surviving members so I guess that’s to be expected.
Steve, you’re right about ONCE WERE BROTHERS being the story of The Band seen through Robbie Robertson’s eyes. The feud between Levon Helm and Robertson destroyed any chance of a reunion of The Band.
Some of their songs have crossed my path over the years but I can’t say I’ve followed them or bought any albums! What I’ve heard I liked!
Bob, all of The Band members were terrific musicians!
Yes, a huge fan. I was just listening to them a couple of days ago, by coincidence. We got to see Levon Helm in concert probably half a dozen times before he died. I know he and Robertson had their differences, but he had a profound influence on the turn Robertson’s music took, and the latter wrote a lot of great songs for Helm’s voice and style.
Jeff, from what I gather from ONCE WERE BROTHERS, the “differences” between Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson resulted from Helm’s drug addiction which produced some personality changes.
A fan of all music from that era. Although I sure don’t know all of these tracks.
Patti, so far there hasn’t been a soundtrack released for ONCE WERE BROTHERS so I used the Track List from THE LAST WALTZ. A lot of that music showed up in the documentary.
Not a huge fan although I like some of their songs, especially The Weight and Cripple Creek, songs from that era. I really liked the music Robertson wrote for the tv documentary “The Native Americans,” particularly Ghost Dance. As for Levon Helm, he’ll always be Loretta Lynn’s daddy in “Coal Miner’s Daughter” to me.
Deb, ONCE WERE BROTHERS shows how a successful music group can crash and burn. Sad and shocking.
After Levon Helm died, there was a tribute concert in New Jersey, I believe. We missed it, but there is a terrific two-CD collection called LOVE FOR LEVON. Here is the setlist:
Disc one:
The Shape I’m In – Warren Haynes
Long Black Veil – Gregg Allman & Haynes
Trouble in Mind – Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff
This Wheel’s on Fire – Shawn Pelton
Little Birds – Teresa Williams
Listening to Levon – Marc Cohen
Move Along Train – Mavis Staples
Life is a Carnival – Allen Toussaint
When I Paint My Masterpiece – John Prine & Garth Hudson & Joan Osborne
Anna Lee – Bruce Hornsby & Teresa Williams
Ain’t Got No Home – Jakob Dylan
Whispering Pines – Lucinda Williams (we also have her doing this on a Boz Scaggs CD)
Ray Mamma Rag – John Hiatt
Don’t Do It – David Bromberg & Joan Osborne
I Shall Be Released – Grace Potter and Don Was
Disc 2:
Tears of Rage – Ray LaMontagne & John Mayer
Rockin’ Chair – Dierks Bentley
Chest Fever – Dierks Bentley & Garth Hudson
A Train Robbery – Eric Church
Get Up Jake – Eric Church
Tennessee Jed – John Mayer & Steve Jordan
Up on Cripple Creek – Joe Walsh
Ophelia – My Morning Jacket
It Makes No Difference – My Morning Jacket
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – Roger Waters, My Morning Jacket
Wide River to Cross – Roger Waters & G. E> Smith
The Weight – all (featuring Mavis Staples, of course)
I don’t know if Roger Waters could ever sing, but he is pretty terrible here.
Jeff, I might have a copy of LOVE FOR LEVON around here somewhere. I haven’t listened to it, but now I want to hear it!
I love some of their songs but don’t think I ever actually owned one of their albums. Had it not been for their association with Dylan I probably wouldn’t have been aware of them until at least the 70s.
Michael, you would be amused by how The Band kept playing for Bob Dylan during that tour as they were booed every night!
I saw Dylan in concert in 1965–this would have been after the release of “Highway 61 Revisited”-so I may well have seen The Band without being aware of it.
Michael, you and I both saw Bob Dylan (and The Hawks, aka The Band) during that 1965 tour. At the Kleinhans Music Hall concert, Dylan had hired the local chapter of Hell’s Angels to provide “Security.” After the Intermission, Dylan came out with The Hawks and plugged in their electric guitars. A group of fans in the audience started booing and banging on a cow bell. Hell’s Angels swept down and kicked their asses! For a 16-year-old kid like me at his first rock concert, this was fabulous!
Other than “The Weight”, and a couple others, I never paid much attention to The Band. I saw a piece on this on PBS but it sounded mostly like it was Robertson bitching.
Rick, Robbie Robertson would probably call ONCE WERE BROTHERS an “explanation” of what happened to The Band. Of course, we get the story from Robertson’s perspective.
I’ve enjoyed their music. I really enjoyed the last waltz. I had no idea about the strife within the band until reading about Once Were Brothers a month or so ago.
One thing I remember is that in the past listening to the car radio, I didn’t always know the titles of songs or who sang them. Now it’s a lot easier with my radio telling me who is singing what. (at home I usually had an LP on) There are a lot of songs that I have my own titles for
Maggie, a lot of the strife in The Band was due to drugs and alcohol.
For me too the Band was one of the greatest – especially when playing with Dylan. The Last Waltz I also enjoyed and The Weight is one of my favourite songs!
Rather OT:
On a German/American forum right now there are many threads (people have lots of time because of the lockdown), one on songs relating to places in the USA.
You supply a piece of text and people have to guess from which song and which city it is – so I quoted the Weight …
I remember the 60s very well – I was a student and totally into Rock, Folk and Blues.
Wolf, the 1960s was a key time in my life musically. I had a transistor radio and listened to it constantly. I started buying record albums and going to concerts. Many of those experiences are still vivid to me!
Joe is the one who introduced me to The Band.
I already loved The Weight but never seemed to be able to track down who did it.
After looking at the playlists you and Jeff posted, I think I’ll go home to enjoy a couple of The Band’s CDs. I’m old.
Beth, you’re maturing like a fine wine! I’m tempted to watch THE LAST WALTZ on Blu-ray again.