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Robbie Robertson’s Insomnia Revisits His Wild Late‑1970s Roommate Years With Martin Scorsese

The book distills a hedonistic slice of Hollywood life that forged their creative bond.

Overview

  • Published posthumously, Insomnia narrows in on roughly 18 months when Robertson lived with Scorsese while The Last Waltz was in postproduction.
  • It portrays nightly film-and-music marathons, heavy drug and alcohol use, and a household tuned to Scorsese’s work frenzy as he geared up for Raging Bull.
  • Robertson recounts A‑list encounters and excess, including interventions from friends like Francis Ford Coppola, celebrity-studded parties, and a self-mocking tally of affairs.
  • The memoir captures strains within The Band and a frightening period of health crises, culminating in a hospital scare that helped end the duo’s nonstop routine.
  • An afterword by Robertson’s ex‑wife, Dominique, frames the narrative as a vivid snapshot of time and place, and the book notes Robertson’s death in 2023.