The Band Robbie Robertson

The official release of The Basement Tapes – which were first heard on a 1968 bootleg called The Great White Wonder – plays with history somewhat, as Robbie Robertson overemphasizes the Band's status in the sessions, making them out to be equally active to Dylan, adding in demos not cut at the sessions and overdubbing their recordings to flesh them out…

This performance was broadcast live on local radio station, allowing everyone in the vicinity to hear this dynamic gig. It may have been one of The Band's last live performances, but the passion in their music showed no sign of wavering. Line-Up: Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson, Allen Toussaint, Howard Johnson, Snooky Young, Joe Farrell.

Issued in August 1970, the ten-track album includes the songs ‘The Shape I’m In’ and ‘Stage Fright’ and was engineered by Todd Rundgren and Glyn Johns. This 50th anniversary reissue presents a new running order (apparently, the originally planned order) and offers a new Bob Clearmountain stereo remix of the album. Alternate mixes of ‘Strawberry Wine’ and ‘Sleeping’ are issued for the first time and also included are seven unearthed ‘field recordings’. These Calgary Hotel Recordings from 1970 offer a fun and loose, impromptu late night hotel jam session between Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel of several Stage Fright songs recorded while the album was in the mixing stage.

Released in the fall of 1989, To Kingdom Come is a double-disc set that purports to be "The Definitive Collection" and, in a sense, it does provide a good overview of the band's career. Over the course of 31 songs, the collection works its way through the hits and album tracks, adding such rarities as "Get Up Jake," "Back to Memphis," and "Lovin' You Is Sweeter Than Ever," even if it never touches on The Basement Tapes. All the predictable items are here and the album tracks are well-chosen, and it is a good representation of the band, worth the time of listeners who want a smartly assembled anthology. The 2000 Greatest Hits gets the edge for casual fans, since it has 20 tracks on one disc, yet this remains worthwhile for listeners who want a fairly comprehensive, thorough anthology.

Canadian only 13-track collection spans the years 1987 through 1997. Highlights includes a duet with U2 on 'Sweet Fire of Love', 'Showdown at the Big Sky' which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Mainstream rock chart' and 'Broken Arrow' which was a hit single for Rod Stewart in 1991…