“Nobody’s done what Bob Dylan’s done for us over the years. He helped Rick and Richard write those songs and was part of our workshop. Bob Dylan knew that The Band was not in great shape, and he wanted to help us out of the sense of goodness he felt for us.”
Pressure was mounting on The Band who hadn't put out a critically acclaimed album in some years, nor were they getting on personally like the once had. With the group calling California home, and setting up in Malibu they established a new clubhouse, Shangri-La, hoping to recreate some of the magic they once had in upstate New York. 
Tour problems were also mounting, the drugs and alcohol were becoming an issue again and The Band’s headlining gigs were not as successful as they had hoped. While The Band wasn’t having much personal success, on their own they were keeping busy. Rick and Levon worked with Neil Young on his album “On The Beach”, Robbie had a third child and Garth met his future wife.