''This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band'' is the 1993 autobiography of actor and musician
Levon Helm, focusing on his career as a member of the rock group
the Band. The book, written with music journalist
Stephen Davis, traces Helm's life from his childhood in the deep south through his years as a drummer and singer for the Band, to his struggle to establish a professional identity in the wake of the group's official end in 1976.
The book is notable for providing readers with an inside look at the evolution of a
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...
group, as well as for placing the blame for the Band's break-up on the shoulders of guitarist
Robbie Robertson. Among the accusations Helm makes against Robertson is conspiring with record companies to steal song-writing credits from other members of the Band, arranging the group's break-up as a part of a private agenda, and conspiring with ''
The Last Waltz
''The Last Waltz'' was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. ''The Last Waltz'' was advertised as The Band's "farewell concert a ...
'' director
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
(a personal friend of Robertson) to make Robertson appear to be the leader and most important member of the group.
Helm's bitterness toward Robertson is balanced by his effusive praise of other musicians, especially other members of the Band, even pausing to admire Robertson's stage presence and talent as a guitarist.
References
1993 non-fiction books
Books about rock music
Books by Levon Helm
Music autobiographies
The Band
William Morrow and Company books
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