One fine afternoon in early October I visited Big Pink, the house where The Band lived and practiced throughout much of their early period. I was traveling through Saugerties that weekend and it was on my list of places to see. Many notable musicians hung out and jammed here in the late sixties, including Bob Dylan and George Harrison. The Basement Tapes were recorded at this house on The Band's own recording equipment (I can't find information on specifics but it was most likely a portable tape deck by Ampex or the like using a 2 or 3 microphone set up). Rent for the house was $125/month. 
The house still looks almost exactly the same as it did back then. The trees are bigger and the current tenants appear to have finished the attic for living quarters. It's on a small dirt road called Parnassus Lane off of Stoll Road that winds away from Route 212. It's a beautiful location with a field of soft-white, cottoney flowers across from it. Must've been a great get away from the chaotic 'summer of love' of 1967.
Notable nearby landmarks include Opus 40, a unique sculpted earth composition by Harvey Fite. Opus 40 is the subject of one of the songs by Mercury Rev on their Deserter's Songs album.
Check out The Band's music on myspace.
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