George Harrison Said The Band’s Robbie Robertson Was Wise and Generous
George Harrison admired very few people in the music industry, including The Band’s Robbie Robertson. The Beatle first became friends with Robertson and The Band after they became Bob Dylan’s backing band. He recognized kindred spirits.
George Harrison visited Robbie Robertson, The Band, and Bob Dylan in 1968
In November 1968, The Band invited George to stay with them and Bob Dylan in Woodstock, New York. George explained the experience during a 1987 interview with Musician Magazine’s Timothy White.
“To this day you can play ‘Stage Fright’ and ‘Big Pink,’ and although the technology’s changed, those records come off as beautifully conceived and uniquely sophisticated,” George said of The Band. “They had great tunes, played in a great spirit, and with humor and versatility.
“I knew those guys during that period and I think it was Robbie Robertson who invited me down. He said, ‘You can stay at Albert’s [Grossman, Dylan’s manager]. He’s got the big house.’ I hung out with them and Bob.”
George said it was an awkward time for Dylan and The Band, not just because Dylan was still in his self-imposed exile following his 1966 motorcycle accident. George claimed that Dylan and his manager Albert Grossman were fighting about the “crisis” of managing Dylan. The Beatle spent the days with Dylan and the nights with Grossman, hearing both sides of the “battle.”
At least George got a couple of songs out of the experience. During his time in Woodstock, George wrote “All Things Must Pass” and “I’d Have You Anytime” with Dylan.
George said Robertson was wise and generous
During George’s visit, The Band showed George what a band was supposed to be. The Beatles were not in a good place at the time. So, George must have been envious of the musicians. He explained to White that Robertson was wise and generous, and it made a difference.
“Artistically, I respect The Band enormously,” George said. “All the different guys in the group sang, and Robbie Robertson used to say he was lucky, because he could write songs for a voice like Levon’s. What a wise and generous attitude.
“The hard thing is to write a song for yourself, knowing you’ve got to sing it. Sometimes I have a hard time singing my own stuff.”
Robertson inspired George a lot.
George wanted ‘All Things Must Pass’ to sound like a Band song
Being around The Band and Dylan so much, the Beatle couldn’t help but be inspired.
George told White that one of The Band’s songs influenced “All Things Must Pass.” Although, the tune didn’t exactly come out the way George hoped.
“‘The Weight’ was the one I admired, it had a religious and a country feeling to it, and I wanted that,” George explained. “You absorb, then you interpret, and it comes out nothing like the thing you’re imagining, but it gives you a starting point.
“We used to take that approach with The Beatles, saying, ‘Who are we going to be today? Let’s pretend to be Fleetwood Mac!’ There’s a song on ‘Abbey Road,’ ‘The Sun King,’ that tried that. At the time, ‘Albatross’ was out, with all the reverb on guitar.
“So we said, ‘Let’s be Fleetwood Mac doing ‘Albatross,” just to get going. It never really sounded like Fleetwood Mac, just like ‘All Things’ never sounded like The Band, but they were the point of origin.”
No doubt, Robertson continued to inspire George.
