Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble set list from last night.
Levon Helm “Thrilled” Black Crowes Will Record New LP at His Ramble Studio
12/29/08, 10:45 am EST
Photo: Arnold/Wireimage (Robinson), McCarthy/Wireimage (Helm)
The Black Crowes will record new, original material for an upcoming album during four sold-out concerts at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York, in February and March. This run of performances at the recording studio built decades ago by the 2008 Grammy winner and former drummer for the Band are being billed as “Cabin Fever Winter 2009.” The shows on February 21, 22, 28 and March 1 sold out in less than two days.
“We’re thrilled,” Helm, who’s not scheduled to perform, tells Rolling Stone. “It kind of shows me that we’re doing things right.” Over the last few years Helm has staged “Midnight Ramble” house concerts at the studio — Saturday night performances Rolling Stone named Best Jam Session that feature special guests sitting in with the Levon Helm Band, including Elvis Costello, Phish bassist Mike Gordon and Crowes frontman Chris Robinson. Prior to singing on “Shake Your Money Maker” and “The Weight” last August, Robinson milled about in the crowd throughout the evening.
“When Chris sat in, it was just more of that good stuff,” Helm says. “His contribution just added to the whole mix. The whole night was a high point.” The Black Crowes have another tie to the area, too: they recorded this year’s Warpaint at nearby Allaire Studios. David Fricke profiled the band for a Rolling Stone story earlier this year in which Rich Robinson admitted his relationship with brother Chris is still difficult: “Outside of music, we probably would never speak to each other.”
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Filed under: Blog Love, News The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer’s new art blog,The Art Beat, just posted a great new audio interview with Levon Helm (of The Band fame) that was recorded in Helm’s kitchen after one of his Midnight Ramble concerts. Helm chats about music, the Rambles, and his planned follow up to the Grammy Award Winning record Dirt Farmer, which is tentatively called Electric Dirt. He says, “It’s the same kind of dirt farmer type songs, but with a little more electricity, a little more rock and roll. ” Listening to this interview just reminds me of the fact that I absolutely have to make it up to one of his Midnight Rambles sooner rather than late
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