Martin Scorsese, The Band, and The Last Waltz: A Thanksgiving Story

DISGRACELAND

Jake Brennan

Society & Culture, Music, True Crime

4.6 • 13.1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Martin Scorsese’s death wish. Bob Dylan’s theft. Robbie Robertson’s cocaine purchase. Four thousand pounds of turkey. Two thousand pounds of candied yams. Eight hundred pounds of pies and ninety gallons of gravy. What’s it all mean? It means that Disgraceland has a Thanksgiving episode about the making of The Last Waltz that you’ll be grateful you listened to. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including suicide. If you're thinking about suicide, help is available. Call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. As we prepare for Turkey Day and reflect on The Band's farewell Thanksgiving concert, we want to know: What is the greatest concert film of all time? What are some of your favorites, and what makes them great? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, ⁠disgracelandpod@gmail.com⁠, or on socials @disgracelandpod. This episode was originally published on November 26, 2024. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - ⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠ Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠X⁠ (formerly Twitter) ⁠Facebook Fan Group⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ Check out Kikoff: ⁠https://getkikoff.com/DISGRACELAND To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Double Elvis.
0:06.7	This episode contains content that may be disturbing to some listeners.
0:11.0	Please check the show notes for more information.
0:14.5	Disgraceland is a production story, but it's also a story about rock and roll, about living fast and trying to die young, about cocaine and suicide, about leaving
0:42.2	blood on the cutting room floor. It's about purpose and gratitude, and serving Thanksgiving
0:49.2	dinner to 5,000 rock and roll fans, and about one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time,
0:55.7	the band, captured on film by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Martin Scorsese.
1:02.7	This is also a story about The Last Waltz, a movie that obviously features great music.
1:10.1	Unlike that music I played for you at the top of the show,
1:13.1	that wasn't great music. That was a preset loop from my Melotron called Matilda's Hustle,
1:19.8	MK1. I played you that loop because I can't afford the rights to Tonight's the Night,
1:26.6	gonna be all right by Rod Stewart.
1:30.2	And why would I play you that specific slice of Rod the Bod cheese, could I afford it?
1:37.0	Because that was the number one song in America on Thanksgiving Day, 1976,
1:43.1	and that was the day that the band staged their farewell concert at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco,
1:49.0	a show that was captured by director Martin Scorsese and turned into one of the greatest concert films of all time.
1:56.0	All of it, coming at a great price to those involved.
2:00.0	On this episode, Cocaine, Chaos. coming at a great price to those involved.
2:02.6	On this episode,
2:04.6	cocaine, chaos,
2:05.9	living fast,
2:06.9	dying young,
	...

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