How Good Was Levon Helm as a Drummer?

Larry Campbell

 

Similar, IIRC - it's been a long time since I've played a clarinet, and as you imply above, the most fundamental difference is that clarinets overblow on the 12th (octave plus a fifth, hence 'register key') and saxes overblow on the octave (hence 'octave key') - this because clarinets have a cylindrical bore and saxes a conical one. If you look at fingering charts, they are pretty similar 'up top'. But the embrasures are subtly different.

 

I'm a drummer, and it's easy to put him down, not flashy, no dual bass drums, but if you listen closely, he was one of the ultimate drummers for a funky band. He sounded like he was playing drums skins made of soft rubber, tuned to sound sloppy, I loved that sound. When he made a cymbal accent, he made it, period, and was back to his job. What a guy!

 

Levon Helm was the ideal drummer for the Band. They couldn't have had anyone better.

 

If you listen to 'The Weight" (where he sings the lead, too) , you'll get just how good he was. A lot of 'Southern U.S. boys' played like that, it was just natural (the hot climate?). Plus, he had the sexiest set of drums I've ever seen!

 

He's probably my favorite drummer!

 

None of those guys could have played in the Band, either, except maybe Mitchell. Levon Helm syncopated harder than any rock & roll drummer I've ever heard.

 

One of my all time favorites. Played tastefully, with groove, with swing, and with a ton of heart. I'd rather listen to Levon lay down a sweet swampy groove than some technical hotshot any day of the week.
Most importantly, as someone mentioned earlier, he always served the song.

 

THAT, says it all, good comment!

 

I'm curious as to which keyboard players you'd rate above Garth Hudson. I consider him among the very best, both on piano and organ.

 

Lots of prog keyboard players for sure, but none of them knew how to serve the song/arrangement the way that Garth did. His creativity (trying to do something both appropriate AND different for every song) was unparalleled. Plus Garth could play wind instruments as well.

In the Band as an instrumentalist Garth was the best/most accomplished of the five, and Manuel was the least accomplished - but then he made up for it since he also had THAT voice, so...

 

So, this thread has come full-circle, almost. Let's not forget Robbie Robertson, who anchored the whole, amazing show!

 

You really think so? Why?

 

Levon's great!
Heard from Marcus Van Story (Sun Rhythm Section, Arkansas) that it's pronounced le VONN but The Band couldn't pronounce that so he became LEE von

Singing and drumming at the same time is not uncommon in Cajun music. I really like to watch the ones who play standing up! Some good examples of singing drummers were Thomas Langley, Man Abshire, Vernon Bergeron, Robert Bertrand, Shorty Sonnier. T-Neg Gaspard played standing up!

 

He was "rhythm piano" player and he always handled the easier/less complex piano/keyboard parts. While it was usually Manuel on piano and Garth on the organ, you could bet that if the piano part was complex, Garth was playing it while Manuel played the organ.

Plus - like I said he was a great singer - arguably the best singer in the band - Helm and Danko certainly both held that opinion.

Not to mention *someone* has to be last when doing a ranking - it doesn't mean he's bad - nowhere near.

 

I wouldn’t rate Richard that low. He played a great rhythm style of piano, plus he was quite solid on the drums, too.

 

Not only did Levon have rhythm, but he had soul.

 

Levon was a musician that happened to play the drums. I knew someone who grew up with Levon in Arkansas, and he said that for recreation Levon’s family would sit around the house and sing songs together - that was their entertainment. Thus Levon’s complete background as multi instrumentalist...

He could hang with Gadd, Gordon or any of those A-list session players - he could lay down a hit-record groove, just like them. He was a national treasure IMO...

 

I always forget it's Rick and Levon on "Revolution Blues". Levon plays on "The Old Homestead" from Hawks And Doves as well (and presumably unreleased Homegrown material too!).

Richard admitted he played "rhythm piano". IMO he didn't need to be flashy on the 88's- why, when you've got somebody like Garth Hudson in The Band? As for Richard's drumming, I reckon what he lacked in true technique he made up for in enthusiasm (Levon claimed Richard was prone to breaking hi hats, he'd got so carried away) Doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned, with a voice like Richard Manuel's he could play piano or drums however he liked

 

The Band might have been the best collection of multi instrumentalists ever. Everyone could basically play everything.

 

I don't think it's easy to put him down at all.

I used to play drums myself & I think Helm was an exceptional drummer, I've never heard anyone say a bad word about his playing before reading this thread, in fact I know a few people who would have him in their top 3 drummers of all time.

 

I love Levon Helm;s drumming. He maintained a solid tempo, his grooves were in the pocket, and most importantly, his drum parts complimented the music brilliantly.

 

Totally agree with you

 

But man, he wasn't that bad.. Listen to Live at the Academy of Music 1971, his piano playing sounds interesting to my ears. Richard's not just "another piano player".

I've always thought that Rick Danko was the least accomplished. Great singing voice, but his bass playing was nothing special

 

Wow, so much love for Levon. Nice to know that you appreciate Levon's musicianship, just like me.