The Band - Stage Fright 50th Anniversary- Remixed, Remastered And Expanded*

Thanks for the review. Definitely sounds like one I need to hear before purchasing though. Also, a Van Morrison duet does nothing for me.

 

Offtopic, but pick up Northern Lights Southern Cross as well.

 

Seconded.

I think this one is their third best album behind the first two.

 

i would definitely recommend Northern Lights before Cahoots. Northern Lights is a new sound for The Band, and it works. Ophelia and It Makes No Difference and Acadian Driftwood are up there with anything they did.

 

This was his original intended running order and it flows much better. The new mix and order make it even better. It’s outstanding. Todd Runt and Glyn John’s did horrible mixes in comparison IMO. Apparently, Levon complained about the running order so he gave in and started with Levon’s co-write

 

The Band’s music was so culture shifting that the Beatles, Eric Clapton and many other rethought how they made music, incorporating roots music and recording outside of traditional, sterile studios. Fleetwood Mac’s influence was different and not for the better of pop music. Dry different impacts

 

I rate Northern Lights highly. Richard sang beautifully on Hobo Jungle. Rick gave the vocal performance of his life on It Makes No Difference, etc. I could go on and on. I recommend the album. It’s worth it.

 

Not a better mix, just different and interesting alternative

 

The Band's profound influence cannot be denied, but I disagree with your dismissal of Fleetwood Mac's influence and impact. I fail to see how an album of the magnitude of Rumours which was impeccably recorded and engineered; loaded with melodic, creative, and at times lush pop arrangements; executed with tremendous musicianship; and containing fantastic and diverse vocal work was "not for the better of pop music."

 

Just got the new Stage Fright/Albert Hall set - and immediately came away with the same impression I got when I heard the official Dylan/Band Isle of Wight set on Another Self Portrait - Richard Manuel's piano playing is what made The Band sound so individual and soulful. The standard of playing by all of them is top-notch, of course, but the piano on these two live sets, mixed exactly right, is just majestic and so distinctive, but never overpowering. And the man could sing too! I only hope he knew how great he was.

 

Apologies if it's already been mentioned, but Tim Burgess ran one of the Twitter Listening Parties last night for Stage Fright with comments from Robbie Robertson. It can be replayed in real time at timstwitterlisteningparty replay .

 

i’m the opposite. I didn’t care for the dry mixes of the past much at all. Loved those songs, but never loved the sound. The new mix and track order make this album part of the brilliant trilogy instead of “the first 2 are brilliant and then...” narrative that’s been pushed. I’m really surprised at the improvements. At least you have the old dry mixes to enjoy. I’m really happy with this one. Most improved sound of the first 3 reissues. I hope they do a nice big box on the Moondog Matinee album too.

 

I like it too but it took longer to get into because it’s more slick and produced sounding 70s style compared to the first 4.

 

Anyone knows if the Watkins Glen gig was indeed recorded and could possibly be released in an upcoming boxset?

 

Apparently it was recorded, but the performance was not up to snuff due to the boys having too much fun! There is a release Live at Watkins Glen - The Band | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic but I recall reading that most of the contents were not actually recorded at Watkins Glen but taken from other shows due to the aforementioned issues

 

A deluxe 50th Moondog Matinee is on my wish list. I love that album.

 

Part of the Watkins Glen show was released on Cd in 1995. It contained 1)Back to Memphis 2)Endless Highway 3)I shall be released 4) Loving you is sweeter than ever 5)Too wet to work- this is the rainstorm that interrupts their set, there is a lot of shuffling around the stage and stage chatter and they announce they are going to knock it off for about 20 min. 6)Don’t you tell Henry 7)The Rumor 8)Time to Kill 9)Jam 10)Up on Cripple Creek.
It’s a good performance and the sound is professionally done. I don’t know if anymore of the set exists on tape at this point. I’m pretty sure in 1995 this is all they had at the time. A Band expert can chime in and certainly let us know if this is all that exists. It’s definitely worth seeking out if you can find it!

 

Only Too Wet to Work and Jam were actually recorded at Watkins Glen, though. Memphis and Endless Highway were studio outtakes with dubbed cheering (available without the cheering on the Moondog Matinee expanded release) . Rest of stuff was from Woodstock (Don't You Tell Henry) and the Rock of Ages concerts. Hard to believe they actually put it out.

 

I did a little more poking around. Apparently not too much of the CD Live at Watkins Glen comes from the Watkins Glen show. From wikipedia Live at Watkins Glen - Wikipedia "Garth Hudson's organ solo, "Too Wet to Work", and the plainly titled "Jam" come from the actual Watkins Glen concert, as does the introduction of the group by Bill Graham. The former track appears on the out-of-print 1994 box set Across The Great Divide, but the latter track is only present on the Watkins Glen disc. The remainder of the tracks are two studio outtakes with overdubbed crowd noise, “Back to Memphis” and “Endless Highway”, plus four tracks from the Academy of Music shows in December 1971 and "Don't Ya Tell Henry" from the Woodstock festival in 1969. The two studio outtakes are available on the 2001 re-release of Moondog Matinee, without the crowd overdubs. The Academy of Music tracks are available on the 2001 two-CD re-release of Rock of Ages as "previously unavailable" tracks."

 

AMEN. I've spun the 2-cd set about 5X this week, (which I almost never do with newly purchased music), and enjoy it thoroughly. So that I can enjoy the music as much as possible, I'm usually unconcerned with the drama surrounding who said/did this n that behind the scenes...

I also don't agonize about what should or shouldn't be included....I enjoy the set as curated & released.

I'm just thankful that, for $18, I have an enjoyable re-work of an important album to me, created by world-class people.....

BTW, I am spinnin' Rock Of Ages (the 2001 remastered/expanded edition) as I post. I Shall Be Released is playing now.....

 

Oh wow! I never knew that! All these years I lived this lie! You see I knew there would be Band experts on here to set it straight!

 

I've always wondered who was responsible for putting the faux Watkins Glen album together. There's some info on the old Band website but it's far from conclusive, as I recall.

 

And it's funny that it came out over 20 years after the event too!

 

Found this interview with Robbie Robertson on how he got to working with Todd Rundgren. Good stuff, it was for a book on Rundgren.

Wizard Wednesdays: Robbie Robertson and the “Polaroid Sound” of Todd Rundgren

 

robertson or someone with the bands management had it pulled when they realized it was no watkins glen