Insomnia

by Robbie Robertson

Having taken what would turn out to be a permanent break from the Band, guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson's marriage disintegrated. Seeking solace and a safe haven, Robbie moved into Martin Scorsese's home on Mulholland Drive - Scorsese had recently directed the film of the Band's legendary final concert, The Last Waltz, and the two were fast and firm friends.The two years Robbie and Marty lived together entered Hollywood legend, though nobody knows the details of what actually occurred during that time, other than hearing rumours of cocaine, bacchanalian parties, and untold amounts of debauchery (with Robbie & Marty becoming Hollywood's odd couple, barely leaving the house or each other's company, and ordering in MGM reels they would watch in Marty's home cinema). When they finally emerged, it was having forged a new creative partnership - Scorsese going on to direct Raging Bull with Robbie writing the soundtrack.Insomnia provides an integral glimpse into both Robertson and Scorsese's lives during an untamed period in American culture. Building upon the vast and arching scale of Robbie's first autobiography, Testimony, Insomnia takes a sharply personal turn, exploring the fascinating friendship between an influential rocker and a visionary filmmaker, and the high octane exploits that resulted during the late 1970s when both decided to 'cut loose'.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Audiobook, Art

288 pages, Hardcover

Published November 11, 2025

About the author

Robbie Robertson was the guitarist and principal songwriter in The Band. He grew up in Toronto and on the Brantford Six Nations Reserve before heading to Arkansas to join Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks. He has produced many movie soundtracks for Martin Scorsese, including Raging Bull, and others, and continues to record as a solo artist. His most recent record, How to Become Clairvoyant, came out in 2011. His support of NA Native Music has been galvanizing. Robertson is coauthor of the children’s book Legends, Icons & Rebels, and author of the memoir Testimony, and the children's book, Hiawatha and the Peacemaker. He lives in Los Angeles and visits Canada often.

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember he said he had started working on this. I don’t remember if it was an interview or if it had been posted to social media.
Like Dominique’s afterword suggested, I’m sure he had more to say if he had the time to do so and I would have been here hanging on every word as I have done for the last 30+ years.
So grateful to have this and Testimony.

[Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sex and drugs and rock and roll gets a little repetitive, don't it.

A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, and I guess I ought not bag on the guy posthumously, but Jaime was no gentleman. On the other hand, I suppose if I had liaisons with Genevieve Bujold, Jennifer O'Neill, and Tuesday Weld I might just set it down on paper to reassure myself I was not merely dreaming.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe it's been almost a decade since my frustrating experience with Robbie Robertson's first memoir Testimony. (You can read my review of that book here if you're interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

A lot has changed since then. Not only has Robbie passed away, but I'm not as obsessed with The Band as I once was, so I had a much more enjoyable experience reading this posthumous memoir than the first one. Though quite lengthy at over 500 pages, I always felt that Testimony ended abruptly, as if there was more to the story. This second memoir serves as the final part of the narrative I had been looking for.

In early 1977, after both of their wives leave them, musician Robbie Robertson and filmmaker Martin Scorsese grow closer following the making of the concert documentary The Last Waltz. Determined to complete the film, even when Robertson’s bandmate Levon Helm feels otherwise, the two men move in together and become lifelong “brothers.” You can see how Robbie’s replacing one so-called “brotherhood” (The Band) with another (Scorsese). Their nearly two-year living arrangement, which Robertson describes as a cycle of quaaludes, cocaine, marijuana, and Valium, ends in September 1978 when Scorsese suffers a near-fatal drug overdose. Hospitalized for ten days, he experienced severe internal bleeding and was at risk of a brain hemorrhage. (I had to look this up, as Robertson doesn’t provide specifics but clearly acknowledges that their lifestyle would have killed both of them if they didn’t change.)

As a longtime fan of The Band, I've spent years reading about Rick Danko and Richard Manuel’s addictions (there are sad details about Richard’s struggles, including his depression and a specific incident where he shot himself with a pellet gun), this book makes it crystal clear that Robbie had his own addiction issues, and he was fortunate to come out alive. I hope this memoir changes the unfair perceptions that the other guys brought down The Band with their "lifestyles," when Robbie was no choir boy.

The book doesn’t provide much information about The Band itself, which is a shame because this is when it was all coming to an end for the group as we knew it. There is a brief mention of Rick Danko’s gig at the Roxy in March 1978, which was the last time the five original members played together. I would have liked more details about this last show, but perhaps Robbie doesn’t remember it due to drug use or for other reasons (probably his mythologizing of The Last Waltz doesn’t help either.)

Speaking of The Last Waltz, I enjoyed the fascinating details about how this documentary came to be. Regardless of your opinion, film buffs Robertson and Scorsese ensured this was more than just any old concert movie by including additional performances filmed at the MGM soundstage in Culver City, conducting sit-down interviews at Shangri-La in Malibu, and became a timeless classic thanks to Scorsese’s own meticulous attention to detail.

From his point of view, the other three members seemed to be on good terms with Robbie - there is even a detailed section about Richard and Garth collaborating with him on the Raging Bull soundtrack - but Levon remains more distant than ever. He clearly disliked The Last Waltz from the start and was angry about the entire project. I have to disagree with Levon on this one, as the documentary has been an excellent way for people to discover the group. It serves as a recorded document that has stood the test of time and has brought joy to so many, especially during the holidays. I’m glad it was made.

We will probably never know what caused the rift between Robbie and Levon, as Robbie does not go deep on or explain what might have happened there. This was also my issue with Testimony. There is a lot of reminiscing and looking back, but for whatever reason, Robbie chooses not to self-reflect. Maybe he just doesn’t want to go there. As someone who is now middle-aged, friendships just grow apart naturally. I have friends I’ve known forever. We pick up where we left off, but we just aren’t as close as we once were. Life happens. Maybe that's what happened with Robbie and Levon. Or it could be exactly what Rick Danko once alluded to in an interview, that Robbie became too Hollywood and “was all about hanging out with those Armani suits.”

I have always felt that Robbie exhibited a streak of manipulation and passive-aggressiveness in his relationships, whether he acknowledged it or not. I got this impression after reading Testimony in how he dealt with his bandmates and that feeling returned with Insomnia in terms of his relationships with women. Robbie becomes involved with actress Genevieve Bujold, who is the best friend of his estranged wife, Dominique. Interestingly, Dominique’s new boyfriend happens to be the architect and contractor of Bujold’s new home in the Malibu Colony where the Robertsons live. Robbie also sleeps with a number of other women, including actress Jennifer O’Neill, model Lori Traversi Gleason (who you might remember from that ‘Tupelo Honey’ scene...seriously look it up on YouTube), French actress Carole Bouquet, and actress Tuesday Weld. I’m not using this against him, but it was interesting to observe these encounters. Robbie’s always been a name dropper, so I wasn’t surprised by them or the multiple appearances of other celebrities like Robert DeNiro, Jack Nicholson, and Francis Ford Coppola.

The book might not be about The Band, which I would have enjoyed more, but I highly recommend reading it for the insights into the making of The Last Waltz and for better understanding Martin Scorsese as a person and filmmaker. It offers a snapshot of a moment in time, the late 1970s, and Robbie Robertson’s writing makes you feel like you’re right there with them. Thanks to Crown Publishing for sending me an advanced copy!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit redundant, but created a great mind world atmosphere of that period of 1977 - 1978 and into 1980. You'll learn a lo about Martin Scorsese's near death experience and rock and roll life with THE BAND's Robbie Robertson when they cohabitated between NEW YORK NEW YORK and the making of RAGING BULL. Melancholy afterward by Robertson's ex-wife. So much dangerous emotional and physical "fun".

[Sara Rolat · Rating 5 out of 5]

a shocker to absolutely no one: robbie is as amazing a writer as ever. the only downside to this book is that it didn’t detail the next 40 years of his life. no one deserves immortality more than robbie robertson did.

[STEVEN MILLER · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great portrayal on rock and roll in the 70s. Fun quick read

[Wayne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Robbie Robertson takes egotistical selfishness to a new level. It's amazing that he was so successful when he was surrounded by so many losers. Anyone whose name is mentioned in this book should p*** on his grave. I'm a huge fan of The Band and The Last Waltz but Robbie's portrayals of his cohorts are disgusting. His ability to find no fault in his own shortcomings is incredible . This book should be titled I'm Amazing, just ask me.

[TLRHB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I assumed Robbie Robertson's sequel to his memoir "Testimony" would cover his collaborative years with Martin Scorsese and then go on to look at his solo career, as well. Whether intentional or because he ran out of time before his death, "Insomnia" is a much more focused work, and practically a love letter to Scorsese and their time together from 1975-1980 as coke-fueled running buddies and roommates. Both are in a dark period in their lives -- Scorsese after the failure of "New York, New York" and a tempestuous fling with Liza Minnelli; Robertson after a split from his wife and from his colleagues in The Band after "The Last Waltz." The musician and the director move in together in Beverly Hills, black out the curtains and start doing prodigious amounts of blow. As in his first book, Robertson writes eloquently about his split life, yearning for his wife and family while chasing after every pretty face he sees. (And, boy, does Robbie have the touch: Genevieve Bujold, Jennifer O'Neill and, for one glorious night, Tuesday Weld. He does fail at wooing Sophia Loren, but, man, the cojones to try!) Robertson calls Scorsese "Maestro" and generously describes their deep friendship while confirming Scorsese's film obsession: The only time the director gets slightly ticked is when Robertson arrives late for nightly screenings at their home. He marches around like a martinet waiting for Robbie to eat so they can start the movie. WATCHING THE MOVIE is not a pastime, it's life itself to Scorsese, and Robertson quickly gets the rush. He and Scorsese hang with everybody from De Niro to Kurosawa. There is one priceless anecdote after another: When Francis Coppola visits and tells Robbie to watch the simmering pasta sauce for an hour but forgets as he goes out on a coke run, I bet I won't be the only one hearing "Jump Into The Fire" and scanning the skies for helicopters. Finally, the partying gets too serious and both Robertson and especially Scorsese come dangerously close to the ledge. The book ends with Robertson's musical work on "Raging Bull," a role he would play in Scorsese's films right up to his death. "Insomnia" is an unexpectedly dishy, but not salacious, peek at the waning years of the New Hollywood era, and Robertson is a genial tour guide to the movies and the madness. The only sadness comes from knowing we will never read a third memoir about his solo albums and his work with Scorsese after "Raging Bull."

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Robbie Robertson passed away, I rediscovered The Band and read everything about them I could get my hands on. A Toronto girl born in the 50s, I loved Testimony and dipped back into it often. After reading Levon’s book, I saw Robbie in a different light, and wished there was less of Robbie and more of the other guys in The Last Waltz. Still, I pre-ordered Insomnia and couldn’t wait to read it.

The first thing I read was Dominique’s afterword. I’d bet she’d have an interesting perspective on the early days up to The Last Waltz…

Back to Robbie. His songs tell some great stories, but maybe the editor forgot to edit parts of this book. In Chapter 4 he visits “Marty” in his suite at the Plaza Hotel, with a chandelier and the mess that Steve is cleaning up. If I’d had a hard copy and a pencil, I could have circled the words that weighed down the story.

At that point I decided to skim, though I usually take my time when words are well put together.

I’m glad I kept reading. After Marty’s hospital stay, when both Robbie and Marty had to rebuild their lives, it was uplifting to see how they moved forward. There were good insights into their creative process.

I also enjoyed Robbie’s first hand accounts of Robert De Niro and Stella Adler, though the stories of his conquests didn’t hold much interest for me.

Robbie’s thoughts on Bob Dylan getting “saved” were insightful and kind. And anything at all about Robbie’s mother was worth reading. She was such a force in his life.

Only recently did I learn how Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel were asked to help complete the soundtrack for Raging Bull. That’s what ultimately sold me on buying the book, and that part was truly a highlight for me.

I’m glad Robbie was able to share these experiences with us. After reading Insomnia, I’m going to enjoy his music just that little bit more.

[Mitch Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun snapshot of a moment in time for two excellent artists, whose friendship and creative partnership led to critical pieces of some of the most iconic a movies of all tine coming together.

I a the target demo for this book. I love movies, I think Scorsese is one of (if not the) greatest directors of all time, The Last Waltz is my favorite concert film ever (don’t yell at me, Stop Making Sense is a close second), I love rock n roll, and maybe most importantly, I love stories about all of the above.

This book is doing what it set out to do. It’s a hangout. A hazy romp through the long nights and short days that Marty and Robbie spent living together in the 70s. During which they mostly enabled each other’s addictive and creative impulses. The stories are wild, but I don’t think there is a ton here that is necessarily brand new.

That said, it’s nice to have it collected in one place and see it from Robertson’s point of view. There’s another version of this book that reads way more salaciously. So credit to Robertson for maintaining his aim of giving a warm peek into the friendship of two talented creative people at a tumultuous time in their lives. You can tell Robbie loves Marty and their partnership. I started this shortly after watching the Mr. Scorsese documentary on Apple and I think this helped inform a lot and give some helpful context.

I think if I had one big criticism it would be that I was ultimately prepared for (and hoping for) a deeper look into the Scorsese and Robertson’s creative process. After all, he was still scoring Marty’s movies and serving as the music supervisor until the day he died. There a lot of meat on the bone here. And sone major moments in their careers that were still to come. That said, I think that’s more my issue than the book itself though.

Fun stuff and even if I am an audience of one for it, I really enjoyed it!

[Neil Leib · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Band is my favorite band. It has been for over 20 years. I've read a lot of books about the Band including two others before this written by members of The Band. I'm not a Robbie hater. I love Robbie and all the guys. I was excited to read about his post-Last Waltz life with Marty that I had heard so much about. I did not like this book. I had issues with his last book, Testimony, but generally liked it and felt like I got a lot out of it. I can't say the same about Insomnia. The thing that bothers me the most about it is that the writing feels inauthentic. I don't expect Robbie to remember every word of conversations that happened over 40 years ago but all the dialog is so wooden and generally self-serving. Somehow Robbie is always the cleverest, smoothest, most likable guy in the world. Women (especially famous ones) throw themselves at him. Everyone makes poor decisions except for him. And his life with Scorsese isn't even that interesting. They do blow and watch movies in between stories of Robbie bedding another starlet. I also Robbie also had a better understanding of what each member of The Band was going through post-Last Waltz than what he writes in the few pages he dedicates to them. "I miss my brothers but here's how they're losers without me." There are some good moments in this book but overall I found it pretty disappointing. If anything, it's an interesting look into Robbie's psyche and how he views himself in the world.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the heart of Insomnia is the bromance Robbie Robertson had with Martin Scorsese, a meeting of minds (and bad habits) of a superb musician and an undeniably great director. One might reasonably expect that the intertwined lives of two highly creative people would make for compelling reading.

And yet … I found this memoir less interesting than I thought it would be. There were many cocaine-fueled nights bleeding into mornings. Scorsese loved watching movies. Robertson had lots of dalliances with beautiful women. There was seemingly endless travel on the international film circuit. Rinse and repeat.

There is very little introspection here. Robertson clearly harbored mixed feelings about the demise of the Band but he veers away from examining these emotions too deeply. Maybe he was uncomfortable with committing too much of his interior life to paper.

Large parts of the book detail the making of the film The Last Waltz. Now this is insightful reading as Robertson takes us into Scorsese’s creative process. These sections, along with accounts of the musician’s collaboration with the director on Raging Bull and Robert De Niro’s preparation for the role of Jake LaMotta, introduce us to some of the nuts and bolts of filmmaking. I wish there’d been more of this.

[Sar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this! There were some parts I liked much better than others, the first half especially, and some parts I found a little jumbled or random. I had a hard time with the pieces of the book that characterized him as The Band’s main guy, and the parts that seemed to be braggy. Overall, as someone who loves the band, the last waltz, Robbie Robertson, Martin Scorsese and Robert de niro, this was a hit for me!

[Heather Alderman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great look into the few years following the performance of The Last Waltz and the tumultuous time period in Robbie Robertson's life. Like with his book Testimony: A Memoir, this was well-written and so engaging that it was hard to put down.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moderately interesting but a lot of name-dropping and superficial description. Focuses mostly on the editing of The Last Waltz and planning of Raging Bull. I was left questioning just how deep the relationship really was or whether they were just enjoying the alcohol and drug fuelled existence together. Short on profound revelations.
Love the music though, especially the solo stuff, so at least it gave me a reason to pull a few CDs off the shelf and revisit…

[Robnrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part a fascinating insight into the longterm friendship of two incredible artists. Why only three stars? Here’s the thing - you ever notice how a guy who beds a lot of women always wants to tell you how he beds a lot of women? Is that not beyond boring? Always. Is it generally the least interesting thing about a person and often clouds the greater tale? Always.

[Bruce Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have ambivalent feelings about Robertson, but this book is a fun ride. Centering on two druggie years that he spent living with Martin Scorsese, the book has lots of behind-the-scenes tales about Robertson’s encounters with Hollywood celebrities.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun cocaine stories revolving around the music and movie worlds of the late 70s
So odd to hear Robertson not understand why The Band drifted apart after Last Waltz as if it wasn’t his idea for the band to take a break but what can ya do RIP to a legend

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess we give him credit for owning up to what a mess he made of himself during the time this book covers, but so much name dropping and kissing and telling, not a very creative part of his life, sad that the next volume he teased at the end will never happen now

[Ember Dean]

kind of funny i finished on martin scorsese’s birthday

[Georgette · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty interesting book.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw and vulnerable but beautiful. Another masterpiece from Robbie.

[Larry Smithers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even though I enjoyed the Band’s music and always felt a Canadian connection with Robbie I am so sorry he wrote this book

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a special book that i’m so grateful that we have, you’re so missed robbie

[Angie]

2.5 stars

[Tommy Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the fans of Scorsese and Robertson definitely. Lots of cool inside info, but they often come off as not very nice people at all :(

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5/5)

Worth listening to for the narrator's pitch perfect Scorsese impression alone.

[Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stuff about crushing movies day and night in vampire man cave with Marty ruled.. the cocaine sex diary stuff not so much..

[Charles Fortune · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read of an intersection of the worlds of music and movies.

[Kurt Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

as always, Robertson is a great storyteller! a cool snap-shot into the time