This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band
by Levon Helm, Stephen Davis
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Book Summary Information
Author: Levon Helm, Stephen DavisEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2000-09-01
ISBN: 1556524056
Number of pages: 328
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9781556524059
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Book Reviews of This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band
Book Review: Like sitting with an old friend...
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a page turner and and a very emotional read. Its narration and dialogue are so engaging and easy to understand that it feels more like a friendly visit than literature. Levon's clarity and straight-forwardness are refreshing and his passion for life just leaps off of every page. True that it's not always pretty--he does express resentment towards Robbie Robinson, which I've noticed is a common complaint around here--but how can one fault the man for having a point of view? He has obvious regret about the direction that the band took in its later years and it seems that the blame he puts on Robertson is not entirely misplaced. I honestly think that some readers may be offended by his bitterness towards The Last Waltz, since it is so close to so many hearts. You have to take this part of the story with the important fact that Levon did not want to break up the Band. His feelings about the Last Waltz appear to be more a reflection of Robbie's so-called betrayal than the quality of the music/film itself.
Regardless, Levon is honest about his feelings on every subject and his memory is seemingly faultless, going all the way back to his childhood days in rural Arkansas. He gives moving personal accounts of his experiences growing up in the birthplace of rock music. He tracks his early career with Ronnie Hawkins and eloquently pays tribute to each incredible musician that he met throughout his career--Bob Dylan, Sonny Boy Williamson, Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters, etc.
His stories about The Band give deep insight into the talents and personalities of his best friends and band members. His obvious love for these men makes you want to care about them just as much as he does--especially Richard Manuel. Richard is a heavy, haunting presence throughout the book, but Levon treats him as delicately as he can, constantly referring to him as a "sweet" and "shy" genius. He also gives considerable credit to Garth Hudson, who he calls the "soul" of the group. He is not shy about divulging on the band's sex and drug escapades, but is careful to only include information that contributes to the reader's understanding of the MUSIC. I also enjoyed the fact that so many key players in the Band's success were interviewed, along with Rick Danko, who had a lot of interesting things to say.
All in All, I absolutely loved this book. It taught me so much about the roots of rock music and really took me back to the Band's albums, which I am grateful for. I felt very close to Levon while reading this book and I genuinely felt his pride, excitement and pain regarding the many ups and downs in his life. Despite some ill feelings, he is a very positive person and had me laughing out loud with his dry, Southern sense of humor. I was actually sad for this book to end, but I know that I will revisit it sometime in the future since I am now a Levon fan for life!
Summary of This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band
The Band, who backed Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965 and then turned out a half-dozen albums of beautifully crafted, image-rich songs, is now regarded as one of the most influential rock groups of the '60s. But while their music evoked a Southern mythology, only their Arkansawyer drummer, Levon Helm, was the genuine article. From the cotton fields to Woodstock, from seeing Sonny Boy Williamson and Elvis Presley to playing for President Clinton, This Wheel's on Fire replays the tumultuous history of our times in Levon's own unforgettable folksy drawl. This edition is expanded with a new afterword by the authors.Rock Books
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