Product: Classic Albums: The Band - The Band (1997)
Rating: 5.0
Nice addition to a Great Series
I'm a big fan of the "Classic Albums" series, which takes the viewer inside the process that resulted in some of our best rock albums. I'd seen "Who's Next," "Songs in the Key of Life," and "Graceland" before watching "The Band," and had thoroughly enjoyed all of them. So my hopes were pretty high for this one and I wasn't disappointed.It helps, of course, that the album itself was so good -- easily my favorite release by the group -- but the DVD helps to break down how they created tunes like "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" "Up on Cripple Creek," "Jemima Surrender" and so on through interviews with the band members and others involved, often as they sit at the recording console playing back particular pieces of music.Much of the commentary comes from Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm -- thankfully before their famous falling out, but we also get some words from the late, lamented Rick Danko, looking a little the worse for wear.Just an example of an insightful moment: Robertson is talking about the creative keyboard work of Garth Hudson, using "Up on Cripple Creek" to illustrate. When he comes to the chorus ("up on Cripple Creek she sends me, when I spring a leak she mends me"), Robertson plays back Hudson's part, which sounds like a merry-go-round calliope, by itself. But when Robertson blends in the rest of the tracks, Hudson's part becomes the perfectly meshed contribution it is. Robertson chuckles in admiration as he listens to Hudson's playing. It's a great moment.If you are interested in getting a good look at how great music is made, "Classic Albums" is a series to look into, and if you haven't bought one of the DVDs yet, "The Band" is a good place to start, particularly if you are a fan of the group.