Read e-book Music from Big Pink: Roman (German Edition)

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Between and , then-teenaged multi-instrumentalists Levon Helm drums, vocals, mandolin , Robbie Robertson guitar, piano, vocals , Rick Danko bass, vocals, fiddle , Richard Manuel keyboards, vocals, drums , and Garth Hudson keyboards, horns first performed and recorded together as members of Ronnie Hawkins' backing band, the Hawks. In , Robertson met with Bob Dylan in New York, just as Dylan was seeking an electric guitarist for his touring band. All the former Hawks backed Dylan on the road from October through as he incensed audiences in the U.

Disheartened by the vocally disdainful 'folkie purist' audience response to their first plugged-in performances with Dylan, Helm left the group in November Helm re-joined them in October and The Band was born, as the group wrote new music and prepared to record their first full-length album. Robbie Robertson recalls, "The harmonies started to blossom. The thing just kept growing. David Fricke sets the scene in his essay for the new box set's book: This was a music that - hopefully - lived in a time and space that you couldn't quite put your finger on.

This was our music, honed in isolation from the radio and contemporary trends. Released during a long, turbulent season of war and socio-political unrest, and sandwiched between other culture-shifting '68 albums by The Beatles Sgt. Writing for Rolling Stone , journalist Alfred G. Aronowitz proclaimed that ' Big Pink ' was "the kind of album that will have to open its own door to a new category. Gleason wrote, "The voices are unique and make a sound not available anywhere else in popular music that I know of. The songs are going to be American classics and it will not matter if there is no second album nor if The Band ever appears in person again.

There are people who will work their lives away in vain and not touch it. While Music from Big Pink achieved moderate success upon release, peaking at No. The Band don't refer to their sources any more than we refer to George Washington when we vote, but the connection is there. Making Americana music before the term even existed, Rick, Levon, Garth, Richard, and Robbie collectively constituted the only ensemble to ever rightfully earn the sobriquet The Band.

Music from Big Pink 50 th Anniversary Edition. CD; Digital stereo mix included in the box set and available individually 1. Tears Of Rage 2.

Music from Big Pink by John Niven

To Kingdom Come 3. In A Station 4.

Hollywood Forever;
Numbers Game.
Navigation menu.
Nella tenda dello sceicco (Italian Edition).
Anelos De um Neófito (Portuguese Edition);
The Murder by the Wall.

We Can Talk 7. But despite this casual treatment of the should-be protagonists, you come away not only with a decent idea of the album's creative process but also of each individual band member. You get to know Manuel, Danko and Levon as if they were brothers. And through the narrator you understand how Garth and Robbie didn't quite fit in with the rest of them. Even the Dylan stuff feels totally natural, almost voyeuristic. Big Pink doesn't crack my Top 5 though The Band's self-titled follow-up does!

The Television book is a more traditional biography but gets bogged down in tiresome minutiae. I much prefer this innovative, counterintuitive, and incredibly organic telling that Niven gives us. I strongly recommend it for fans of The Band, Dylan, Woodstock, or literary fiction. Not Bad Reviews blakerosser Mar 15, Josh rated it it was amazing. Aug 20, Jennifer rated it really liked it.

The author attempts to present a look at life in and around Woodstock in , the time period that Bob Dylan's backing musicians were putting together one of the greatest albums in rock history, with those real people just part of the experience of fictional narrator Greg Keltner, another Canadian transplant who is a fairly successful drug dealer who has moved from NYC to Woodstock.

The author has clearly read much of the material that is out there in regards to The Band, Bob Dylan, Albert Grossman, et. He develops some of the "characters" enough to rise above these superficial images, though, and the fictional characters are believable enough that I can imagine them being pretty representative of the population that was moving into that area during this time period and who would become even more prevalent after the Woodstock Festival.

I had a particular interest in the topic, not just as someone interested in this music, but as someone born during It's a year of great turmoil in American culture, and this novella looks at a different aspect of American culture which had long-lasting impacts, albeit one which was of course affected by the political events of that year.

John Niven's attempt to paint a picture of this time and place does not shy away from the consequences of the drug culture of the time, and this is particularly relevant as it demonstrates the beginnings of the self-destructive behaviors which would eventually break up The Band a decade later. Although I enjoyed this read, it wasn't perfect - Greg is so often in the right place at the right time, but that's necessary for some of the factual details about the musicians and the creation of the album to come through; some of the episodes in his personal life could could have been condensed in favor of more about the band members.

And something that I don't blame the author, who is Scottish, for not knowing, but an editor should have caught this: Apr 15, Richard Block rated it really liked it. Praise Your Idols John Niven was obsessed by the Band - one of my favourite bands too - and this tribute novella hits the spot. Greg is a small time drug dealer from Toronto who skips his studies, heads to Woodstock and hangs out at the fringes with the Hawks, soon to be the Band. The excess so wonderfully played in Kill Your Friends has its debut here, with Greg dealing, drinking, snorting, tripping and coming to terms with unrequited love and the realisation that his friends inhabit a higher pl Praise Your Idols John Niven was obsessed by the Band - one of my favourite bands too - and this tribute novella hits the spot.

The excess so wonderfully played in Kill Your Friends has its debut here, with Greg dealing, drinking, snorting, tripping and coming to terms with unrequited love and the realisation that his friends inhabit a higher plane in music. Studded with wicked wit and credible observation about the truly famous - who are taciturn, sarcastic and condescending - especially Dylan and Robbie Robertson - this is really a study itself destruction of Richard Manuel and the character Greg. It is more serious than it appears at first, and a tad maudlin, but it is still very cleverly imagined and executed.

John Niven was a rocker, that seems certain, and is so convinced of the greatness of Manuel more than Robertson. He thinks Music from Big Pink is their masterpiece - but I think it is The Band - a flawless, top 10 of all time album. Short,enjoyable and full of warmth, like one of his heroin's rushes Apr 05, Steve rated it liked it.

This one is different for the series, from what I understand. Instead of a an analysis or history of the album, it's a novelization or it's short, so maybe it's a novella-ization of the events surrounding the album's genesis in Woodstock. It's told from the point of view of a guy who acts as drug dealer to the band not The Band at this time , and includes portraits of many of those around the band, including Bob Dylan and a host of others, both fictional and ficitonalized.

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Equally important was the use of electronic keyboards, then in their infancy, which vastly expanded the range of available textures. I shook my head. Mainly, I'll be honest, the real reason I love this book is because, out of everything I've read on The Band and Dylan, this one really gives Richard Manuel his due. For more information about how to change these settings go to:. It's a year of great turmoil in American culture, and this novella looks at a different aspect of American culture which had long-lasting impacts, albeit one which was of course affected by the political events of that year. A mere 30 minutes long, this was none the less the album where heavy metal was first forged. Very interesting this novella is.

The story is pretty good, though it doesn't add an awful lot to what those of us who followed this group know about them. The author is pretty successful at capturing the characters of the various musicians, and of the times, in Woodstock and New York. It's a quick and engaging read. I seem to be reading books about rock and the sixties these days, and the next one is a longer, more substantial book Sep 30, Marlena rated it really liked it Shelves: This novella is written from a perspective of a drug dealer, depicting the careless life of musicians in the late 60's.

John Niven goes on describing the Woodstock era that had an impact on that time and the short life of the group The Band who were under the wing of Bob Dylan in the period when they recorded their most famous album 'Music from the big pink'. I really enjoyed the relationships between the people in the story and the way the main character paints his adventures with The Band and This novella is written from a perspective of a drug dealer, depicting the careless life of musicians in the late 60's.

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I really enjoyed the relationships between the people in the story and the way the main character paints his adventures with The Band and his emotional life associated with this. Also, I loved the way Bob Dylan is described, carrying himself in some parts of the book in a mysterious fashion. This serves as an inspiration for my writing and I really hope that, in the future, Niven can gives us more fiction on the rock'n'roll. Nov 22, Alan Wood rated it liked it.

I only read it because I love John Niven's writing. At first I presumed there must be two authors of the same name because this was totally different from his other books. I have to say I missed his whit and found the characters quite bland and there was no plot to speak of. However, it was only afterwards I learned about the context of this series and it kind've made sense. If you're a bit of a 60's music nerd, then I guess it'd be quite enjoyable.

Read it if you're a fan of the series and want to get a feel of the whole 60's 'vibe' Apr 16, Joel rated it really liked it. I've loved all of John Niven's books. Not classics just good and often funny reads. This one is more of an imagined biopic of the life and times of a likeable dealer hanging out in Woodstock around the time of Bob Dylan and ultimately finding himself among the guys that recorded the book titled album as 'The Band'.

A good insight into what that scene might have been like and a good reminder that the world of sex and drugs and rock and roll is actually as sad and depressing as it might be perceive I've loved all of John Niven's books. A good insight into what that scene might have been like and a good reminder that the world of sex and drugs and rock and roll is actually as sad and depressing as it might be perceived to be exciting. Feb 01, Vanessa rated it it was amazing Shelves: John Nivens Stil ist einzigartig und nicht zu vergleichen, auch wenn sich "Music from Big Pink" von seinen anderen Werken unterscheidet.

Sep 17, Andrew Boes rated it it was ok. Account from a fictional drug dealer for The Band. Set in upstate New York around the time the first album was recorded. A fun, yet severely depressing story arc of the narrator's friendship with Richard Manuel. The name of the book should maybe be called. My favorite member of The Band. Still, there are good moments - mainly a well described encounter with Robert Ryan at a loft party in Manhattan. Mar 11, Joe Ahearn rated it liked it Shelves: Very cool that this imprint is publishing novellas. And this one is pretty good, if you are interested in what is now rock music pre-history: The Band and Bob Dylan and the years they hung out in Woodstock.

If you're not interested in that stuff, you may not like this book, even though it is well written in a coventional way. Jul 17, Nathan rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: This is by far one of the best books in the series. Stylistically, the weaving of fiction between characters and real events was fascinating, creating the illusion of being on the premises, which is precisely what one hopes to do I suspect.

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Music from Big Pink has ratings and 31 reviews. Matthew said: I found John Niven's Debütroman erkennt man die Liebe zur Musik an. Was die Handlung. On August 31, Capitol/UMe will release Music from Big Pink in newly remixed and expanded 50 th Anniversary Edition packages, including a.

I'd recommend this book to most people interested in the series. Jan 03, Jay rated it really liked it. On rec and loan from Murphy. Very interesting this novella is. Where did Yoda come from?

Music from Big Pink

I'm a little less than way through it. This is a very interesting book, and a must for any fan of The Band or of Dylan. A quick one or 2 day read, too. Jul 20, Eric rated it did not like it Recommends it for: Feb 11, Joshua Friedman rated it liked it. OK, the books in this series are supposed to be an analysis of a particular landmark album. So why is this one a fictionalized novel? Somewhat entertaining and evocative of a time and place Woodstock, NY in the late 60's , but I don't know what if anything about it is real.

Jul 26, Robert rated it it was ok. Dull semi fictional retelling of how the band recorded Music from Big Pink. Stick with the album. Sep 05, Agatha Donkar rated it liked it Shelves: This was super enjoyable, but it's basically published Mary Sue real person fanfiction about the Band. That's not a criticism, I'm just saying. Jun 04, senator jensen rated it it was ok. A funny trip down fictional lane, sort of fan fiction about the Band. Nov 08, Tim rated it it was ok Recommends it for: Eh, I don't know that I would recommend this.

This volume of the series is a novella, which is different than the others.

It doesn't talk about the music from the album much at all. Ground breaking This isn't another rock biography , this is a true insight into a place a time a lifestyle. Tristo rated it liked it Jan 19, There are no discussion topics on this book yet. For the next ten years, he worked for a variety of record companies, including London Records and Independiente.