Back in 2016, I wrote a column in which I declared that The Last Waltz is the best Thanksgiving movie. "It affirms the faith in the power of ritual to heal — at least temporarily — whatever is awkward or unresolved or plain broken about your familial bonds," I wrote. "Sometimes, that belief is just enough to make things okay for a little while." Last year, I invited friend of the pod Hanif Abdurraqib to revisit the film with me, and marvel at the majesty of Van Morrison's purple suit and Robbie Robertson's ill-considered gold-plated guitar.
This Thanksgiving, I decided to keep the tradition going, firing up The Last Waltz once more with another friend of the pod, Steve Gorman. As the drummer of the Black Crowes, he watched the movie repeatedly on tour buses throughout the '90s, and over time came to recognize the weariness on the faces of The Band after years and years of touring. We talked about the unspoken resentments that linger in the film's interview sequences, as well as the subtle power of The Band's performances, which have not been diluted by the passage of time or the many, many rewatches.
Season 2 Special Episode: RIP Tom Petty
Season 2 Episode 26: Dan Bejar of Destroyer Loves '80s Dylan and The Doors
Season 2 Episode 25: Are The Killers Good Or Terrible?
Season 2 Episode 25: Mike Gordon of Phish Is A Nice Guy
Season 2 Episode 24: The National Is Back With "Sleep Well Beast"
Season 2 Episode 23: The Rise and Fall and Rise Of LCD Soundsystem
Season 2 Episode 22: How The War On Drugs Became The War On Drugs
Season 2 Episode 21: A Short History of Queens Of The Stone Age
Season 2 Episode 20: 1987 Is One Of Rock's Best Years
Season 2 Episode 19: Top 10 Best Live Albums Ever
Season 2 Episode 18: The New Arcade Fire LP is one of 2017's Biggest Disappointments
Season 2 Episode 17: How Does Mitski Write Such Great Songs?
Season 2 Episode 16: Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra Was A Teenaged Rock Star
Season 2 Episode 15: Have I Finally Come Around On Nü-Metal?
Season 2, Episode 14: Radiohead's "OK Computer" Is The Best LP Of The Last 20 Years ... Or Not
Season 2 Episode 13: The Return Of '00s Indie Rock in 2017
Season 2 Episode 12:Har Mar Superstar Was Julian Casablancas' Bodyguard
Season 2 Episode 11: The Best Albums Of 2017 So Far
Season 2 Episode 10: The Grateful Dead Are Alive!
Season 2 Episode 9: The National's "Boxer" Just Turned 10
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