The Band
January 5th, 2007 at 12:41 pm (Uncategorized)
My friend Joell is a very special guy. He can sing, he can dance like a male stripper, and he can do math. Only special people have lots of nicknames, and Joell’s got a shitload: Joey, Joey Junk, Fat Joey Crack, Rufio, Poto, Tina, James Brown, Hoopert, Brokeback and Greekysmirk just to name a few.
Joell is a musicmanicforsure. His tastes are wide, varried, diverse, and further synonyms for wide. He loves his music like I loves my Club Soda with Lime, and you know I loves me some Club Soda with Lime.
Joell doesn’t do sleeves, or cops, but he does do Songstory submissions. However this might be the only time–something tells me he doesn’t have the patience for these kinds of things.
4% Pantomime - The Band By: Joell Spiros Ikonomou
This is my first posting and probably my last. I really don’t have the patience for these kinds of things. I figured since this would probably be my only chance to spread some of my musical tastes I might as well share a couple of my favourites.
About five years ago I was having a typical vancity moment, chillin inside on another wet day toking on some chron at my crummy apartment, when my roommate brycester suggested we check out this concert video his moms had picked up for him. I figured what the hell. The Last Waltz, which was the last concert The Band ever played together. Of course they had a whole slew of friends playing with them including Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Muddy Waters, and many more well established rock stars. I instantly became a fan of The Band. Actually I remember the exact momment when I thought to myself this band is tight. Ophelia. The horns just about gave me an orgasm. Anyway, at one point this awkward bald man wearing a tight velvet suit came out and gave a performance that left a huge imprint on my CD wallet. Not to mention my desire to learn karate. Of course i knew a few of his classics, but it took both Brycester and I a few minutes to realize who this man was. Actually I don’t think we realized it until he leaves the stage and Robbie Robertson turns to the audience and simply says “Van the Man”. I’d have to say that since that performance my favourtie artist has been Van Morrison. No doubt about it, and thats for sure. And although it didnt happen quite as instantaniously, as much as i dont want to admit it, The Band replaced Boyz II Men as my favourite band.
Richard Manuel and Van the Man became instant friends when the latter joined the Woodstock party following the release of Moondance. The two apparently enjoyed the bottle and interestingly enough this is a song about two musicians who are stranded in L.A. with nothing but a bottle of Johnny Walker Red. The song is by no means a classic, but the two feed off each other really well and the vocals are great. I hope you all enjoy.
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Chang said,
January 6, 2007 at 6:45 pm
i like boys 2 men because they never say fuck or n word in any of their lyrics.
when i saw your van morrison cd’s at your house i thought you were really really really gay.
now i know you’re just an adoring fan. kudos on the infatuation.
tony said,
January 7, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Po Po Po Po! Good to see you getting your opinions out there more Joey. Actually, now that I’ve given it a seconds thought, if your opinions have a new medium through which they can be expressed then we’re all in trouble…or at the very least we’ll all be yelled at more often thanks to the magical power of the internet.
But all that aside, I think this is a fantastic choice only Joell could provide us with. If you ask me (and most of you ask me many many things many times)far too many people don’t know what a gem of a singer and musician Richard Manuel was. I think Dylan had said something about Manuel being his favourite singer. He had this way of singing that made you think he could go at any time. He sounded fragile and sweet, and as a result you believed everything he sung. He and Van were a powerful match, and you can tell why in this song. It almost sounds like Van is letting Richard do his thing, then boom, Morrison comes in with his unmistakable voice and it almost sounds like he’s holding back a little. And you just don’t hear enough songs like this anymore; not really about anything, but a very realistic song–something you can imagine the performers sitting around and writing and then just recording right away.
Tony
tony said,
January 7, 2007 at 3:18 pm
thats the exact feeling i got when i first heard this song. i could just picture them recording this song and the appreciation they had of each other and the music. also tone, i think you said it well when describing manuel. you just felt that dude. *see georgia on my mind - richard manuel (youtube). unbelievable. he may not have had that ray charles southern soul, but he had just as much character in his voice. also for those who weren’t aware of it. richard manuel was born just outside london ont. in fact, the only member of the band who wasnt born in southern ontario was the drummer levon helm. represent.
tony said,
January 7, 2007 at 3:27 pm
The above message was posted by Joell, here at my house. I am not that wierd or funny.
This was Tony.
Nelly Rodriquez said,
January 7, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Tony just took on two different personalities and had a conversation with himself. Thats an interesting development.
All I have to say about The Band is that they were over-rated. Not very influential. And Robbie Robertson sucked at guitar.
tony said,
January 7, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Who is this? whooo?
We just wanted to add that Richard Manuel committed suicide while on tour in the mid 80s. He hung himself in his hotel room.
mister joey junk said,
January 8, 2007 at 4:54 pm
overrated. are you kidding me? underrated if anything. i guess you either feel them or you don’t. as for robbie, he wrote some unbelievable music. and the whole thing with the band was that it was the sum of the parts, not the indivdual talents that made them great. you could argue that robbie wasn’t a great guitar player but to say he sucked is ridiculous.
Bryce said,
January 8, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Yeah, whoever said he sucked at guitar has clearly no conception of the abilities needed to even strum a chord, or do the picking for the seemingly simple song, “time of your life,” a la Green Day (it’s hard, I’ve tried). Perhaps it was some idiot just trying to stir things up here on the songstory boards, but nonetheless, such a comment cannot be left alone. Robbie Robertson goes shot for shot with none other than Eric Clapton as they trade solos during the song “further down the road” (see: The Last Waltz). Clapton’s arguably one of the best guitar players of the twentieth century, and for him to even share the stage with the Band and play duelling guitars with Robbie is significant. Thus, Robbie can by no means be considered a slouch on the “axe.” (As if I’m actually trying to prove that Robbie Robertson didn’t “suck” at guitar, this is unprecedented). As for this song, Joell, I can see why you picked it. Great showcase of Manuel and Van’s talents. I love how Van literally addresses Manuel in the song: “Oooooooh Richard.” It’s gold. I actually just watched the Last Waltz a couple nights ago, man that one scene when they’re talking about life on the road and robbing grocery stores for bread, etc, Manuel and Danko are completely fucked. Completely. Ever notice how Garth Hudson says nothing? He’s some sort of eccentric genius. I get the feeling all those years on the road while Manuel, Danko, Robbie, and Levon were getting “adult doses” of life, living it up, Garth was sitting alone in his hotel room thinking about the organ.
tony said,
January 8, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Okay,
First of all, Robbie is amazing for the simple fact that I think he thinks he amazing. The thing I love most about him is the look on his face during his guitar solos in ‘Last Waltz’. He looks amazed with himself, staring down into his guitar like he can’t believe the sounds he’s pulling from it.
Second of all, that was Greisman trying to generate some discussion on his own board. Patheticly clever bastard.
Tony
Bryce said,
January 9, 2007 at 7:35 am
You’re amazing cause you think you’re amazing. No, but really I can see what you mean. I too enjoy his facial expressions and how into his solos he is. Sticking to the Last Waltz, what his guitar brings to the table is definitely significant. For instance, when Neil (Young, not Diamond) comes out and plays Helpless, a song that has been played thousands of times before and after this performance, and appeared on recordings from Neil himself and from C,S,N&Y, with the help of the Band they create arguably one of the best (and definitely my favourite) versions of the song. This is because of two new elements: Joni Mitchell sings background lyrics, and Robbie throws in wicked licks between chorus lines to spice it up, way to go Robbie!
Also, this is just a rumour, but someone told me that after Neil Diamond performed what I consider the only bad song included in the Last Waltz, “Dry your eyes,” he walked off stage and as he passed Bob Dylan, who was waiting to go on stage, he said: “beat that asshole.” Who knows if there is any truth to such a story, but it makes me laugh.
jj said,
January 9, 2007 at 1:02 pm
i am glad we have this forum so i don’t have to listen to joell waxing poetic about van morrison, tony talking to himself, and dave impersonating strangers in real life. speaking of which… wanna go for a drink tonight?
mister joey junk said,
January 9, 2007 at 3:29 pm
fuckin greasy. i had a feeling it was you. actually thats a lie. i had no idea who nelly was, but his comments struck a nerve. good work.
Bryce said,
January 9, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Yeah, good work. Fantastic, fan-tas-errah, I say what? Huh? Y’know, this for y’all to dance to…I like writing essays like Van and Richard like singing songs, here in the library I’ve been way too long, the smell of that girls lunch is way too strong, you can catch me on the internet hittin up the boards, give me all the accolades and awards, Im the Chief Rocka that can Doitall just like the Lords, except right now I’m extremely bored, on page 2 of a required ten, this assignment stole my sunshine like it was Len, choppin heads like Ishi Oren, faster than a Cheetah like my name was Ben, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Nelly Rodriquez said,
January 9, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Wow, does everyone on this board know each other? I’m in Albuquerque, NM, where are all of u located?
Bryce said,
January 9, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Hey Nelly, eat shit you no talent “EI, EI” bastard. You eliminated any possibility for credibiity when you dueted with Tim McGraw. Not that your chances for any respect were much higher previous to this. Isn’t there a member of your crew who wears Phantom of the Opera mask? That guy sucks, perhaps more than you. You and that loser should go listen to “My Writes”….”what you know about us droppin ya? And leavin you with half a face like the Phantom of the Opera” Albuquerque, St.Lunatic, or wherever the hell you be, you’re goin down, you and anyone else who doubts me. BLAOW!
tony said,
January 9, 2007 at 10:06 pm
I hate you Nelly.
BLAOW!
adam said,
January 21, 2007 at 12:16 am
one time i was in roots, and i thought i saw robbie robertson, and i ran over to see him, and it turned out to be robin williams, and i was disappointed … i have bad eyesight