Has anyone heard something about the new upcoming Young album? Or actually heard some of the songs? I am wondering if it will be an acoustic or an electric lbum.
Silver & Gold was a great album in 2000 IMO. Some great acoustic cuts on it.

Hi Rutger, big Neil fan here. Yes, this album is acoustic with a Nashville feel to it from what I gather. I've heard 2 of the tunes and they are very good, along the lines of the Harvest albums. He just played two nights in Nashville that was filmed for a movie and he said he will tour next year. In Nashville he played over 3 hours each night, half the show the new album and the other half old classics. I'm personally glad the Greendale experiment is over. Neil is feeling very reflective with his Dad's recent death and his own near-death experience. Should be a super album.

Hi Jackass, good to see another Neil fan on the board. He's one of the very best IMO. So you think we can expect something in the tradition of Harvest (- Moon) and Silver and Gold? That would be fantastic! A new rock album from the Stones and a mellow nashville kind of album from Neil. We can't go wrong next month.
BTW I have the Greendale album myself (including the DVD), but I have yet to classify it. At some points I really do like it, but on the other hand it's all a little bit too obvious and drags on little bit to much. Mixed emotions I guess, maybe it'll grow on me anyway.

Neil's right there with the Stones for me...you know Neil's longstanding claim that Crazy Horse is the "third best garage band in the world?"

Neil's theory is that the Rolling Stones are number one, some guys we've never heard of--who never made it out of the garage--are number two and Crazy Horse is number three.

I'll accept that. The Horse is unbelievable--and who would ever challenge number one?

Having said that, "Prairie Wind" is indeed acoustic, but seems much more linked to "Comes A Time" than to "Harvest." Lush arrangements featuring strings and horns...pedal steel from Ben Keith and keyboards from Spooner Oldham. Emmylou Harris contributes vocals to at least one song.

Also, Jonathan Demme just filmed Neil and the giant cast of singers and players from the record in a two-night stand at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. They performed the "Prairie Wind" record in its entirety before doing a few "Harvest" and "Comes A Time" numbers. The film of the performances is due for theatrical release in early 2006--to coincide with a "Prairie Wind" tour.

PS: "Greendale" rewards repeated listenings--it's an amped-up hippie Jimmy Reed album. "Sun Green" is a monster boogie and "Bandit" is as beautiful an acoustic ballad as he has ever done. Honestly. Incredible emotion in a stunning song.

Thanks for all the information Rev. and Jackass. So it seems we're in for some great Neil Young stuff very soon. I'd really like to see him on tour again!
Funny story about Neil's theory by the way... I'm really curious about that second band now! haha
I think you're right about Neil's quality. He's up there with the Stones and Dylan in terms of songwriting and performance. The Silver & Gold DVD blew me away. Just one man on an acoustic guitar... it's breathtaking.

Neil Young is THE man...

My favorite all time Neil moment is in the Last Waltz. " I got it now Robbie" and then a beautiful version of Helpless with Joni Mitchell. I've practically worn out the dvd if that's possible. My wife get so pissed when I get pissed and throw on that DVD to pass out to. It's the simple things in life that make me happy.

Well, that's one of the beautiful things about Neil: there are actually three or four Neil Youngs and they express themselves in different ways at different times.

What a treat to go to a solo acoustic show and hear Crazy Horse material like "Down By The River" or "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere." Or to see the Horse doing "Helpless." Or CSNY doing "Rocking In The Free World." Now, it seems we'll get to see an entirely new band reinterpreting classics and doing a new thing. Every tour is a different creative enterprise.

I was at Fenway the other night and as much as I loved it, the setlist made me wish that the Stones used their shows to present themselves creatively and to cast new light on the catalogue--not just to play "The Stones" in concert. I mean, you can see creative choices at the margins, but in general, they kind of become a rough sketch of their own accomplishments. That phenomenal body of work gets reduced to a party-rock caricature...

Neil is awsome.....I got to see him on time in the early 80's and he was all by himself ...the place was in Dallas and only held about 3500 people...It was AWSOME!!!!!!!

Jackassssssssss you just made my day man!!! That's one of the most beautiful moments ever recorded in the history of music. First he says he's honoured to play with the band. Robbie looks at him like are you crazyyyy?? You're Neil Young! Such a humble man! Then that harmonica which is pure magic IMO (epecially in the middle of the song). Then at then end Robbie, Rick and Neil join each other on one mic. singing Helpless. I love the way Neil sings second vocals after numerous repeatings of the chorus. Timeless.

Huge Neil fan, here. The amount of quality albums out this season by some of the alltimers is astounding:

Dylan
Neil
Stones
Stills
Burdon
Macca


We are so fortunate!

I'm a Rusty as well. After the Stones, I have more Neil boots than any other. He's is indeed the man, man!

Neil is a genius right there with The Beatles,The Stones and Dylan.

Just wish I had more of his albums.My current favs are After the gold rush and On the beach.

Most Stones fans must be Neil Young fans, but Neil does things so much more than the Stones rigth now. He is also releasing a dvd ranging from songs from 1960 and onwards. He is digging into the vaults when he is alive which makes sense.

I guess Neil is one of the most productive artists ever.How many studio album has he released?Does anybody know?

Just look at the DVD Silver and Gold. Looking Forward is sheer genius and Neil gave it away to CS&N! The Great Divide must be one of the best songs ever written. I dare to say that Neil is one of the very few that wrote classics in every decade since the 60's.

In my opinion the only problem with Neil was that he realesed HORRIBLE albums between 1979 and 1989. After "Freedom"(1989), yes, Neil is back...

Helpless´s a smasher.
And what about the album Rust Never Sleeps?

Hey Bersa Gurra, don't hold your breath for that DVD. Neil has been known to change his mind at the last minute many a time. Rust Never Sleeps is one of my favorites Baboon Beo. My first Neil show was at the Cow Palace in 1978 when Neil was touring behind that album. I've seen him 16 times since!

Studio Albums (w/ my ratings. trust me...) :

1. Neil Young (1969) ***
2. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (w/Crazy Horse, 1969) *****
3. Deja Vu (w/Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1970) *****
4. After The Gold Rush (1970) *****
5. Harvest (1972) ****
6. Journey Through The Past (soundtrack w/one new song, 1972) *
7. Time Fades Away (1973) ****
8. On The Beach (1974) ****
9. Tonight's The Night (1975) *****
10. Zuma (w/Crazy Horse, 1975) *****
11. Long May You Run (w/The Stills-Young Band, 1976) *
12. American Stars'n'Bars (1977) ***
13. Decade (compilation w/many unreleased tracks, 1977) *****
14. Comes A Time (1978) ****
15. Rust Never Sleeps (w/Crazy Horse, 1979) *****
16. Hawks And Doves (1980) **
17. Re*Ac*Tor (w/Crazy Horse, 1981) *
18. Trans (1982) *
19. Everybody's Rockin' (1983) *
20. Old Ways (1985) *
21. Landing On Water (1986) *
22. Life (w/ Crazy Horse, 1987) **
23. This Note's For You (1988) **
24. American Dream (w/Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1988) *
25. Freedom (1989) ****
26. Ragged Glory (w/Crazy Horse, 1990) *****
27. Harvest Moon (1992) ****
28. Sleeps With Angels (w/Crazy Horse, 1994) *****
29. Mirror Ball (w/Pearl Jam, 1995) ***
30. Broken Arrow (w/Crazy Horse, 1996) *****
31. Looking Forward (w/ Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1999) ***
32. Silver & Gold (2000) ****
33. Are You Passionate? (w/Booker T. & The MG's, 2002) *
34. Greendale (w/Crazy Horse, 2003) ****

Offical Live Recordings:
1. Four Way Street (w/Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1971) *****
2. Live Rust (w/Crazy Horse, 1979) ****
3. Arc/Weld (w/Crazy Horse, 1991) *****
4. Unplugged (1993) *****
5. Year of The Horse (w/Crazy Horse, 1997) *****
6. Road Rock (2000) *

With Buffalo Springfield:
Buffalo Springfield (1966) ***
Buffalo Springfield Again (1967) *****
Last Time Around (1968) ***


As great as the late 60's and early 70's were, "Rust Never Sleeps" IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT RECORD FOR UNDERSTANDING NEIL YOUNG. It's acoustic and electric, solo and with the Horse, and it touches on his obsessions with creative vitality, the American past and its myths, outer space and cars.

I'm also a big believer in "Broken Arrow" (1996) and "Year of The Horse" (1997). Jim Jarmusch's film documantary "Year of the Horse" IS ONE OF THE BEST ROCK'N'ROLL MOVIES EVER.

"Unplugged" (1993) has some beautiful stuff on it. It's a better buy than the "Harvest Moon" album.

Finally, look out for the great use of "Lady Jane" on "Tonight's The Night..."





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-26 21:39 by Rev. Robert W..

Hey Rev, nice list, thanks. I'd agree pretty much with all your ratings.


<"Rust Never Sleeps" IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT RECORD FOR UNDERSTANDING NEIL YOUNG>

Love that album. Zuma is very similar, for the reasons you stated.

<Finally, look out for the great use of "Lady Jane" on "Tonight's The Night>


Not sure what you mean. Are you referring to the song Lady Jane, or a more organic LJ?

Karl

Rev Robert W.,

Your words regarding a Stones' show:

"That phenomenal body of work gets reduced to a party-rock caricature..."

Very well put.

And thanks so much for the Young discography.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-26 22:00 by Four Stone Walls.

KSIE, he was talking about the song "Borrowed Tune" in which Neil uses the meldoy of Lady Jane. It's on the album Tonight's The Night.

Thanks Rutger.

Four Stone Walls:

Thank you.

It's a little sad to think that most people will never know that the Stones are: "Factory Girl," "Let It Loose," "Fingerprint File," "Continental Drift," "How Can I Stop," et cetera and not merely "Brown Sugar," "HTW" and "Start Me Up."

In fairness, the kind of pop appeal that the Stones have had and the size of their shows imposes different dictates on them than those faced by an artist like Neil Young. Where he has, in effect, a very large cult audience, the Stones cope with a very broad level of interest. Catering to that interest (and not taking greater risks in repetoire) is what keeps them the biggest draw going.

But I'm not sure that there isn't something to be said for NOT giving the audience every last thing it wants. To some extent, I think the Stones divest themselves of power by unloading so many of their monster hits. With the love and respect and the aura they have built, I imagine that they could do a more adventurous and creative show and still please just about everybody. People respect great artists--Dylan, Young--who challenge them. It's hard to think of what the Stones do as pandering when the material is so amazing, but...

More importantly, my guess is that living within the stadium formula has affected the Stones' songwriting and recording since "Tatoo You." I tend to think that the rockers, in particular, seem more formulaic and more detatched in recent years. And doesn't that make sense, given that the Stones mainly experience their own music in action when the room has 20,000 or more people in it? If they have been in decline, might it be because they can only see themselves and their work in the light of the spectacular?

Also: Is "Four Stone Walls" a reference to "Four Strong Winds?"

stickydion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In my opinion the only problem with Neil was that
> he realesed HORRIBLE albums between 1979 and 1989.
> After "Freedom"(1989), yes, Neil is back...


true - in case you hadn't noticed - everyone was putting out horrible albums in those days.

Also, Stickydion:

The "Lame, Horrible Album" category is one where a Neil Young/Crosby, Stills & Nash comparison becomes helpful:

When CSN have done lame and horrible albums, it's becuase the records are pale, sterile, artless imitations of what they did in 1969.

When Neil releases lame and horrible albums--"Are You Passionate?" for instance--it's because he tries to do Motown-type lite soul with Booker T. backing him up. Now, that's nutty and completely off-the-wall and foolish...but it's interesting.

(PS: "When I Hold You In My Arms" from "AYP?" is a gorgeous late night soul waltz--a diamond in the deep rough.)

You speak such perfect truth and so eloquently and inoffensively.

Neil Young is a 'true' artist in that he still writes about real, persoanl life experiences AND his guitar playing still has an edge and he can still 'rock'.

Though Jagger is a great performer, his writing in the last twenty (even 30 )odd years has not been very sincere or heartfelt and lacks risk/adventure. Quite simply, where is the Integrity?

NY has it. He is dedicated to his creative art. The Stones appear dedicated to the business - and if they can rock a few people, all to the good. They are firmly constricted within the four secure but rigidly restrictive stone walls which they have so succesfully constructed around themselves.

By the way...the Dead were a cult band notorious for having a spontaneously fluid set-list. Yet, in the nineties, they were able to 'compete' with the Stones in terms of raking in the touring-dollars.

"Four Stone Walls" is a song title in its own right. I'll see if I can find the lyrics.

ps isn't one star a bit unkind to "Are You Passionate"? Some good ones on there too.

Here is a link to an article from the New York Times on the new Neil Young material and recent shows:

[www.nytimes.com]


I have a great Neil boot from a live aid show a few years back. Great versions of "Down by the River", "Hurricane", "Old Man", and others. Worth looking up.

Is The Prairie Wind DVD any good, hope the Stones Bang DVD is brilliant.