[WesleyC.]

I recently finished both Robbie Robertson's biography Testimony and Springsteen's biography Born to Run. Both were great reads and although I would consider myself much more of Springsteen fan than a fan of The Band, it is Robertson's book that I enjoyed more. I would recommend this to any music fan, whether you are familiar with The Band's music or not. Robbie has a phenomenal memory for conversations and events that happened over 50 years ago and is a raconteur of the highest order. There are stories of stolen diamonds, mobsters, guns, girls and drugs. Encounters with many historical figures, such as Jack Ruby, Salvador Dali, David Geffen, Bo Diddly, Jimi Hendrix, Martin Scorsese, and Muddy Waters form part of his story, although none nearly as important as being Dylan's best musical friend in the 1960's. He was there when Dylan recorded "Like a Rolling Stone" and was part of Dylan's band during one of the most seminal moments in rock history when Dylan decided to go electric. He details the abuse he and Dylan took on that first tour and has some great anecdotes about Dylan and the Beatles and the time spent recording the Basement Tapes with Dylan. He wraps up his his story in 1976 with the filming of the Last Waltz documentary.

Overall an entertaining read, and if you need a Hip connection, Gord wrote a poem about the The Band called "The Band, Upstate" in Coke Machine Glow and of course the Hip have covered the Band's "It Makes No Difference" and "The Weight" in which Paul takes lead vocal on the third verse and kicks some serious ass.

[youtube]86h72euAEug[/youtube]

Anyone else read a good rock biography lately?

Thanks for that. I have been eyeballing the Robbie Robertson bio. I love The Band and Dylan and Robbies solo stuff, I saw Levon Helm live a few months before he died. Would have been awesome to have been able to see the band live in their day. Saw Bob Dylan in Kitchener probably 8 years ago now.