Richard Manuel was dead by his own hand by the time this book was published, Rick Danko died at the relatively young age of 55 a while later, and Levon Helm is gone also after dealing with health issues. Time seems to have shown that despite criticism of Robbie Robertson, that continues to this day, he was most likely on the right track. Unfortunately things began unraveling leading to a slow decline and fall. It took a few years to all get together and become a group, but once there and firing on all cylinders produced music unlike anything heard before, some of which has stood the test of time and become classics.
Richa The rise and fall of one of the most unique and interesting bands in Rock. The rise and fall of one of the most unique and interesting bands in Rock. In the end though, I would say buy the first two albums and maybe "Rock of Ages" and thank God that such wonderful music was ever possible.more I recommend it only for people who are from a more recent vintage and may need to know the connections that some of us who are longer in the tooth remember. This book, on the other hand, is a bit labored, too long, and in the end rather sad since the author makes the point, again and again, that the 40+ years since the eponymous 2nd Band album have been anticlimactic and a rather sorry denouement in many ways, Levon's recent success with "Dirt Farmer" (which came out after this book was published) notwithstanding. I was in the front row and got to shake hands with Levon, Rick, and Richard, and Bonnie Raitt and Maria Muldaur came onstage at the end to sing "Willie and the Hand Jive". This book, on the other hand, is a bit labored, too long, and in the end rather sad since the author makes the poi One of the finest concerts I ever saw was during one of The Band's reunion tours in the early 80's with the Cate Brothers at The Stone in San Francisco, before Richard Manuel's suicide. (IMO 'quest' is the most over- and mis-used verb in the modern climbing vernacular, but it feels like an appropriate term here to describe all the groping up blank, slightly friable rock w/zero chalk found on P3) It would be cool to keep future comments here qualitative and not let them dilute the uncertainty and adventure inherent in going ground up on a route with only a hand-drawn topo.One of the finest concerts I ever saw was during one of The Band's reunion tours in the early 80's with the Cate Brothers at The Stone in San Francisco, before Richard Manuel's suicide. (and because Gabe's topo is beautiful and the world should see it!) Part of what makes this thing cool is having to actually quest up it to get through it. I'm fairly sure we did the second ascent today over 10 years after the FA, (at the very least, my bail gear on the second pitch from an attempt in ~2013 was still there) so I'm posting the topo here to try and encourage more than 1 repeat per decade. (FWIW most of the worst rock is while you're still climbing on Chimney de Chelly) It has some swaths of truly beautiful climbing on great rock, some sections of total garbage, and everything in between. If you've done Abraxas, Freedom, and others and are looking for more, this one is perfect for you. This is a great route for the seasoned Smith Rock mud adventurer.