I have no idea as to the origin of this photo, but it’s one of the funniest Photoshop jobs in both music and political history…makes for good filler.
“We got to this place, a joint, in Fort Worth, Texas. It was burned out, bombed out. The roof wasn’t even on the place any more. And that’s when they decided to call it the Skyline Lounge. And we got there and set up and…a big place, huge. Bar, way at the back and a big dance floor. So we set up the first night.”
“We go down to the place to play. We go in and, in this huge place, there’s about three people in the audience: a one-armed go-go dancer and a couple of drunk waiters. A couple here, a couple there. Somebody fires a tear gas… And a fight starts. There isn’t enough people in the place to get angry. And we found out a few years later that it was Jack Ruby‘s club.” –Robbie Robertson, 1976
1:30 PM Update: As it turns out, the origin of this altered image is based more on the participants’ facial expressions and body contortions and less on the fact that Jack Ruby owned a club The Band once played. I like that part better, which makes much more sense. Thanks to my friend and mentor HP Anything for the info…
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We all love Robbie, but he didn’t create the world in six days and sleep on the seventh. To that end, he had nothing to do with this photo. Then again neither did Levon, and we all know that Levon told the stories that Robbie put to music. Here’s the story, straight from the photoshopped horse’s mouth . . .
There you go, HP, that’s why we pay you the big bucks…thanks for the original. I still like it better from The Band.
Every boy needs a mentor, lad. I like to think of it as my chance to take an underprivileged journo camping, hiking, woodworking, rocket-building, icon bashing, etc. You know, like a literary Big Brother’s club.
I knew this was old but 10 years, wow.
I always get a kick out of this photoshopped pic.. even on the 10,000 view . I remember seeing this in the mid-90’s.
the story behind the photoshopping is here at http://www.rageboy.com/band.html – including an email from the ‘shopper. the site is mine.
I know the origin