Dylan Documentary Leaves Helm Out
by September 26, 2005 12:00 am 291 views
Martin Scorsese has pretty much left Springdale native Levon Helm out of “No Direction Home,” a documentary about Bob Dylan’s early career.
Although Helm played drums for Dylan and The Band, he decided against going on Dylan’s infamous 1966 tour of England, where hostile crowds booed because of the electric guitars and drums.
On that tour, Helm was replaced by Mickey Jones, who is interviewed at length in Scorsese’s film.
“That’s just insulting,” said Randy Stratton of Fayetteville, Helm’s regional promoter and owner of Stratton Entertainment Group. “People who don’t know any better will think Mickey Jones was the drummer, not Levon.”
Although never identified, Helm was visible in a couple of photographs used in the film.
Stratton said Scorsese appears to have a grudge against Helm, who has complained that Robbie Robertson, The Band’s lead guitarist, appropriated songwriting royalties that should have gone to all members of The Band. Helm now lives in Woodstock, N.Y.
In 1978, Scorsese produced “The Last Waltz,” a film about The Band.
“No Direction Home” will air Sept. 26 and 27 on PBS. The DVD went on sale Sept. 19.