# I pit Robbie Roberston of The Band **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000 "2020-03-22T01:47:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/1 "2020-03-22T01:47:46Z")
There was a thread about the new documentary “Once Were Brothers- Robbie Robertson and the Band”, but I can’t find it. What the fuck? Robbie Roberson AND the band. The Band was the band, they weren’t your fucking band. I’m listening to The Band now, inspiration for this post. Up on Cripple Creek, The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down, The Weight, It Makes No Difference, The Weight, many more, I hear Rick and Levon and Richard singing.I don’t hear Robbie. And I don’t hear any prominent guitar playing, mediocre as his playing always was. Not great, not bad. OK, he wrote the songs, or at least most of them Good on you, Robbie, and I do respect you for that. But you have spent decades trying to pretend that all those guys were just you’re backing band. And you broke up The Band, you wanted to end it, Garth and Rick and Levon and Richard wanted to continue on. You are the very definiton of a self-important rock star. I love you, but fuck you. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/2 "2020-03-22T06:04:32Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > …all those guys were just you’re backing band. So, a band backing up part of another of the Band’s band? wait… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/3 "2020-03-22T08:11:33Z")
I haven’t seen the documentary in question but is it possible you’re misinterpreting the title? The title could mean it’s about the relationship between Robertson and the other members of the band. Just like you might speak of the relationship between John Lennon and the Beatles or between Roger Waters and Pink Floyd. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/4 "2020-03-22T08:14:05Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > You are the very definiton of a self-important rock star. Mike Love says “hold my beer”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/5 "2020-03-22T13:00:32Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Mike Love says “hold my beer”. 🙂 Funny you should say that. [This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DoFMALzWZI&list=LL-Go3zYcUQVvPRMHN0MtlTg&index=7&t=0s) showed up on one of my favourite YouTube channels yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/6 "2020-03-22T13:23:22Z")
**Little Nemo @3:**. “John Lennon and the Beatles.” I like the sound of that. I also like the idea of Sir Paul shitting his breeches with rage. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/7 "2020-03-22T13:42:52Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Mike Love says “hold my beer”. 🙂 Robbie is more like Brian Wilson than Mike Love. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/8 "2020-03-22T16:54:23Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > You are the very definiton of a self-important rock star. You’re gonna get a sternly worded letter from Bono’s lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/9 "2020-03-22T18:36:47Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Funny you should say that. [This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DoFMALzWZI&list=LL-Go3zYcUQVvPRMHN0MtlTg&index=7&t=0s) showed up on one of my favourite YouTube channels yesterday. Oh. Sorry - I always thought Kokomo was by ELO. :o ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/10 "2020-03-22T19:04:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I haven’t seen the documentary in question but is it possible you’re misinterpreting the title? The title could mean it’s about the relationship between Robertson and the other members of the band. ^^That. The source for this documentary is [Robertson’s memoir](https://smile.amazon.com/Testimony-Robbie-Robertson/dp/0307889793/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2WWVJGNNR7GY6&dchild=1&keywords=robbie+robertson+testimony&qid=1584903817&s=books&sprefix=robbie+robert%2Caps%2C144&sr=1-2). ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/11 "2020-03-22T20:57:33Z")
_ **I pit Robbie Robertson of The Band** _ You don’t capitalize “the”. The title of the documentary got it right. It’s the Band, the Beatles, the Who, the Miles Davis Quintet, the The, and the Group That Hasn’t Been Named Yet. (This is bound to spark an argument between Correct People and illiterates, and it will be more interesting than the one about Robbie Robertson, good or bad?) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/12 "2020-03-22T23:22:12Z")
> [@Hatchie](#): > > the The ::all sing-songy:: hmmmmmmmm, I dun-no-o-oooo… ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/13 "2020-03-23T00:07:58Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > […]And I don’t hear any prominent guitar playing, mediocre as his playing always was. Not great, not bad. > > OK, he wrote the songs, or at least most of them Good on you, Robbie, and I do respect you for that. But you have spent decades trying to pretend that all those guys were just you’re backing band. And you broke up The Band, you wanted to end it, Garth and Rick and Levon and Richard wanted to continue on. > […] As others have mentioned, you’re misinterpreting the title. And can I get a cite that Robertson has spent decades pretending that the other guys were just his backing band? I’d put Robertson’s guitar playing well above mediocre/average. When I watch Last Waltz the guitar is a consistent joy for me — along with a lot of other things. (Garth’s fills, Rick and Levon’s singing, Levon’s drumming.) Here’s a link to [It Makes No Difference](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rP7r12Rg490); I think Robbie shines, altho Rick is amazing and Garth’s sax is the perfect finish. I’ve read Levon’s book, and his tirades against Robertson are messy and often silly. And for all the Band’s musical greatness, it’s really the songs that give them their place in history. Robertson didn’t try to prevent the other guys from performing as the Band, AFAIK, or from releasing albums as the Band. There’s also the issue of heroin and alcohol addiction among Rick, Richard, and Levon that probably motivated Robertson to move on out. Check out Northern Lights’ lead cut, Forbidden Fruit, for general details. Really though, I feel the Band had a short heyday and after a few glowing albums the greatness was gone. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/14 "2020-03-23T01:16:52Z")
> [@Hatchie](#): > > (This is bound to spark an argument between Correct People and illiterates, and it will be more interesting than the one about Robbie Robertson, good or bad?) Yes, it, will, and you are in The Illiterates. Just because you lay down the gauntlet, as it were, doesn’t mean you are correct. The name of the band is The Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/15 "2020-03-23T01:57:31Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Yes, it, will, and you are in The Illiterates. > > Just because you lay down the gauntlet, as it were, doesn’t mean you are correct. > > The name of the band is The Beatles. The name of the band is the Beatles. But to confuse matters they did release an album called _The Beatles_. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/16 "2020-03-23T02:18:49Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Yes, it, will, and you are in The Illiterates. > > Just because you lay down the gauntlet, as it were, doesn’t mean you are correct. > > The name of the band is The Beatles. Imagine that record stores are still a thing, and you’re in one. Would the Beatles records be alphabetized under B or T? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/17 "2020-03-23T02:48:02Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Imagine that record stores are still a thing, and you’re in one. > > Would the Beatles records be alphabetized under B or T? The Wrath of Khan, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and The Caine Mutiny are filed under W, S and C, but the definite articles are all capitalized nevertheless. The Beatles, The Who and the Eagles are filed under B, W and E, but two take a capitalized definite article. Next question. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/18 "2020-03-23T03:48:29Z")
Excellent! I have successfully deflected the thread - Robbie thanks you all. “The” in titles is capitalized. In proper names, it isn’t. You can look that up, but please don’t cite Wikipedia or fan sites as authoritative. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/19 "2020-03-23T04:30:09Z")
The Wrath of Khan is filed under S. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000/20 "2020-03-23T17:24:20Z")
Isn’t anybody going to post a lame-ass “band name!” joke? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robbie-roberston-of-the-band/850000.md?page=2)