The Band’s Robbie Robertson Talks With Hiss Golden Messenger’s MC Taylor For ‘Talkhouse Podcast’

The Band guitarist Robbie Robertson appears on the latest installment of the Talkhouse Podcast. Robertson spoke with MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger about his illustrious career, his recently released memoir Testimony, the new documentary Once Were Brothers and more.

MC shares his appreciation of Robbie and The Band’s music and explains to Robbie that he was anxious and starstruck talking to him. Robertson speaks about Once Were Brothers and discusses how he feels when icons like Bruce Springsteen and Eric Clapton talk about their love for The Band. He goes on to recall the early days of his group and touring with both Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. Robbie also explains how The Band’s Music From Big Pink album came together, among other topics.

Taylor asked Robertson about the animosity Levon Helm had for him and here’s how Robbie responded:

Levon, he had some problems, and I felt terrible about it and I felt bad about what happened to Levon. He had several kinds of problems and it escalated. It came out … and even when he was doing his tantrums, or whatever he was doing, I never said a thing. I know him, he was my brother, I know him and in every fucking rock and roll band there’s this shit that goes on. We didn’t invent nothing new in that. And, all kinds of things — drugs and alcohol, things happening in from what you thought should happen in your life that doesn’t happen and that disappointment. In that whatever depression, whatever those things are, it just happens. I felt terrible for Levon and I cared for him tremendously. So, I was never really involved in that, this was just a trip that he was on and there was times over the years too, in his illness and everything, that I did stuff that helped him out. And I’m okay with all of it. I’ve never had any issues with anger towards him or any of the guys.

Listen to the entire conversation below: