Life throws up some weird coincidences sometimes. Yesterday, a colleague at work was playing an album by The Band and we were enthusing about how great they were. I expressed the opinion that I’ve always enjoyed the eccentricity of bands with drummers who can sing lead vocals from behind the drum kit. Later in the day I heard the news that Levon Helm, drummer with The Band, had died.
Plenty has been written about them over the years and they clearly influenced loads of musicians. Their importance extends way beyond their role as Bob Dylan’s backing band but that’s significant too. Dylan always seemed to compensate for his own lack of instrumental virtuosity by surrounding himself with excellent musicians. Arguably, of all the Rock acts from the late 60s and early 70s they wove together the various traditions of American vernacular music most convincingly. The best footage of them is in Martin Scorses’s ‘ The Last Waltz’ film of their farewell gig in 1976 when the list of contributing special guests is a roll call of that era’s most credible talent.
Levon Helm’s vocals and percussion were vital to The Band’s sound and he could be a pretty funky drummer when he needed to be. Here’s to the guy…
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