Divide & Conquer

The Band's follow-up self-titled album "The Band" was a success and bigger than their first effort. You'd think they'd slow down and smell the roses, but they didn't. The Band never followed the same path as everyone else and continued to dive deep into recording. Oftentimes as individuals rather than a group, each member spent serious time in 1969 and 1970 working on their friend's projects, including work for John Martyn, Todd Rundgren, Jesse Winchester and John Simon.

However, with success came the demands of a fanbase and a label. The Band spent time on the road in 1969 for the first time in an extended capacity. The success opened the door to a new lifestyle, a place where everyone wanted to be their friend, and everyone had a party. With touring also came press in a meaningful way. The Band broke ground being the first American band in TIME magazine. The Band was also re-introduced to the press with a very spicy interview given by Ronnie Hawkins and much, much more.

The Band embraced this lifestyle, but it would just be a matter of time before it all began to break down. With a label expecting more albums, The Band would be back in the studio in 1970, creating their third album. Time will tell if it will all pay off for The Band.

"Levons Barn" song provided by Adam Traum (https://www.adamtraumguitar.com/)

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