Neil Young News: "With trunks of memories still to come": Neil Young at Olympics Closing Ceremonies

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

"With trunks of memories still to come": Neil Young at Olympics Closing Ceremonies

Neil Young Extinguishes Olympic Flame

60,000 inside Vancouver stadium. Millions on the TeeVee box.

One acoustic guitar. One harmonica. One man.

Just singing a song.

It really is hard to know what to write after witnessing Neil Young's performance of "Long May You Run" at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Closing Ceremony.

Watching the flames being extinguished above Neil's head as snow gently drifted down from above, while he strolled about -- all alone -- with his harmonica rack and ~~Hank Williams'~~ Martin guitar.

For once -- it seems -- words fail us. The pictures above say more than all the words we've ever blogged here.

By now, everyone hopefully has witnessed this for themselves and drawn their own conclusions. One comment, in particular, struck us by Zak that captured the significance of the selection of LMYR.

And now Zak has posted a nice blog with more of his thoughts on Neil Young at the Winter Olympics Closing Ceremonies.

Definitely check it out.

Nice Zak. Thanks. May you run and run for a very, very long time, as well.

Labels: neil young, olympics

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39 Comments:

At 3/03/2010 10:58:00 AM, Anonymous said...: That was not Hank Williams' Martin guitar. It was a Martin D-18.
At 3/03/2010 11:36:00 AM, Zak Claxton said...: You know what? Anonymous is right. Now, that's not to say it's not an old and nicely-worn D-18... it's just not Hank's D-28. You can tell since it was the tortoise-shell binding (not white) and the simpler rosette pattern around the soundhole.

Ironically, if you look at my blog post, what am I holding in the pic on top? Yup: *my* vintage-series D-18, the guitar I play every single day. You'd think I'd know better. LOL! I think we're all conditioned to assume when we see Neil playing a Martin that's all worn in, it's Hank's. However, that D-18 could easily be from the 1940s, and it sounded great, so all is well.

And thank you for mentioning my post, Thrasher! It's great to be part of this community you've built.
At 3/03/2010 01:12:00 PM, Anonymous said...: it's a shame Neil's special moment had to be ruined by the bands that followed him. Nickelback? Avril Lavigne? Simple Plan? Hedley? ugh. horrible. just horrible. they should have ended with Neil.
-izzy
At 3/03/2010 02:00:00 PM, Thrasher said...: Thanks Zak for correction! Updated. i just can't imagine how i made that mistake?!
At 3/03/2010 02:37:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I'm a big Neil Young fan and an admirer of the work and obvious dedication that goes into maintaining Thrasher's Wheat. However, there does appear to be a tendency towards uncritical hero worship on this website. Praise is a lot less meaningful when it's offered reflexively.

In that spirit, I offer a somewhat different view of Neil's recent work from the website of singer/songwriter Robbie Fulks:

"Did you see him on the Tonight Show last Friday? My 12-year-old, the handsome and brilliant Preston, watched alongside me in stunned disbelief. Preston goes for a fair range of styles and decades -- Jason Mraz, Blue Oyster Cult, Kanye West, Dead Kennedys, Eric Johnson -- but none of it bears a remote resemblance to an elderly dude in a Hawaiian shirt blinking and twitching and strumming a guitar. "Oh my God," he said, "even you're better than this, Dad!"

I don't know an awful lot about the fellow (though I know a lot of his songs well enough to play and sing them -- he's one of those high-prestige Baby Boomer artistes whose products I find I don't need to buy for pretty much the same reason I don't buy recordings of snow shovel noises to put on speakers on my front lawn)..."

This is obviously an uninformed viewpoint, but it does serve to remind us that not everybody thinks Neil is a God. Neil would probably prefer it that way.
At 3/03/2010 02:42:00 PM, Anonymous said...: AG has been a valuable resource to now, even if he is condescending. I wish he hadn't wilfully misled about Neil's appearance. Last week he commented on Rust reminding people of how they had been fooled just a year ago after false reports that Neil would appear in Toronto. There was no need for that. He wouldn't have ruined the surprise by remaining silent. I'll always doubt him now. Which makes me think about how tone is set at the top. Thrasher, I'm betting you're too much of a suck-up to let this post.
At 3/03/2010 03:45:00 PM, Luc said...: "I won't retire, but I might retread"...
Was I the only one to notice ???
At the Musicares show, and now, again, it struck me how Neil seemed to have gained some weight.
Doesn't seem like hes working out anymore ?
Any conclusions on that item ????
No more tours ? Only occasional performances in the USA and Canada ???
Or am I wrong ???
At 3/03/2010 03:48:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Ya, my twelve year old is a ctitic to. but then again he is also an Idiot like the rest of his twelve year old friends.

Neil sounds fine, I have co-workers that are not Neil fans at all and all of them thought the performance was great.
At 3/03/2010 04:03:00 PM, Thrasher said...: To Anonymous @ 3/03/2010 02:37:00 PM:

"Praise is a lot less meaningful when it's offered reflexively. "

Agree.

But. Let me get this straight.

Because I've heard Robbie Fulks a number of times and spoken with him as well. Funny guy.

So Robbie posts his 12 year old's opinion of Neil's performance on Conan.

And the 12 year old's opinion somehow offsets those images you see above?

What's your point? Seems a false equivalency to me.

You say you're "a big Neil Young fan". OK. why? or what is it about being a Neil fan that provoked you to write this?

I would venture to guess that your post was merely intended to get a reaction. If not, why don't we really have a honest debate here?

What exactly is your beef? Is it really Neil? Or TW?

Seriously. What did you expect here? More hard hitting analytical criticism that brtally pulls no punches?

Oh, he should've played X instead of LMYR? He didn't hit some note just right? The mix was off? His black hat was too big? The guitar strap clashed with his outfit? He should have played w/ CH? He's a sellout b/c he played the big, bad corporate Olympics in his home country before an adoring crowd?

Although, this doesn't seem like a real good time with Neil at another career peak to knock him and his fans down a few pegs. Especially when we have all these extra visitors dropping by and seeing what we think. Wouldn't want them to think we're just wacky fans or something.

Or maybe you have some other agenda you're trying to advance with your ax to grind?

Doesn't mean that much to me to mean that much to you.

walk on
At 3/03/2010 04:34:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Been watching Neil a long, long time.

I'm wondering what gives with his weight, too. I think in a recent Bridges School interview he mentioned that he tries to swim and he walks. Both great exercises. For a guy, 64, that should keep him reasonably trim as long as he watches his portion sizes (I only say this 'cause I'm not too far behind him in age and I have to do the same). We all gain some poundage as we get older but I'm a little concerned that there might not be other health problems. Maybe its the result of a drug or something he needs to take as a follow-up to his brain anurism. I'm just speculating, you know. But I am a little worried because I care so much about him.

His trimmness has kept him young, in part. Man, it's hard to see Stills and Crosby getting so big (although Crosby has always been a bit plump). They lose cred. Clapton and the Stones hang in there, in part, because they manage to keep young (and they really have to work at it). But Neil really is starting to look old - and kind of all-of-a-sudden. He seemed much younger and vigourous during the Chrome Dreams II tour, and certainly before that. It's like he went from age 62 to age 78 in the span of about 6 months.

Not trying to start something - just a little concerned.

Old Black
At 3/03/2010 05:29:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Brain surgery recovery often requires steroid therapy. Steroid therapy can lead to weight gain.

See through the heart and it does not show. It's all a rented tent anyway. The spirit it carries covers the world.

- Not Rotten Johnny
At 3/03/2010 05:34:00 PM, GrungeMan said...: What's there to criticize?

Neil is 64 years old, not sure what people want him to look and sound like?

Neil has never sugar-coated his music whether it's a live performance or in the studio.

Ok I forgot about his first album "overdub city" as he once called it.

Like it or not what you get is an honest to goodness this is me performance.

If you want sugar coated vocals that adlolescents listen to, well sorry your not going to get it from Neil.

Myself coming from a family of 5-generations, I think he looks great.

I notice peoples constant need to critize here, why???

Neil is not living up to your expectations, why should he???

Last I heard the world doesn't revolve any one person and their expectations.

Lower ones expectations maybe???

Maybe once people accept that's the way things are they will be less critical and see that criticism is just a waste of positive energy.

I think Neil is growing old gracefully!

Keep on Rockin Neil!

Sorry for my rant, ok go ahead shoot me!

GrungeMan
At 3/03/2010 05:52:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I'm lost. I just don't get it. Anon. 2:37's comment is just the latest example. Correct me if I'm wrong: Thrashers Wheat is a Neil Young appreciation site, right? And all things being even, and most of us knowing our share about Neil the man, and Neil the artist, we're already aware of the warts, as if anyone doesn't have them. We're knee jerk hero worshipers, and the pseudo critics are even handed talking heads? Neil isn't, boo hoo, in Massey Hall shape anymore, he's made the unforgivable Faux Pas of getting old? "Snow shovel noises"- are you freaking kidding me?

As I say I'm lost. I'm lost because somehow I keep forgetting that every comment I or anyone else makes needs to be prefaced by the inclusion of the statement that Neil is not God, that Neil probably kicked his dog one morning three years ago, that he's a lesser person because of his epilepsy, or some other damn thing. I'm lost because I keep seeing a steady stream of comments from people who can't possibly know what they are talking about, who somehow think that anything goes so long as they identify themselves as Neil Young fans. As if that isn't incredible enough, anon. 2:37 says "I don't know an awful lot about the fellow". Here are a few suggestions: find out something more about him, and let's see what you have to say then. Refrain from unnecessarily reminding us that Neil is not God. Make constructive and coherent criticisms, or offer an opinion that something is simply not to your taste, but at least acknowledge the artistry involved. Ask yourself how it is that you allow the opinion of a twelve year old to prevent you from experiencing the heartfelt performance of LMYR on Conan, or how it is that you failed to appreciate the poignancy of the closing ceremony performance, and all the possible meanings that the song and the moment evoked in that context (I'm assuming you failed to see it or grasp it if you did, since you failed to even address the topic of the thread).

I'm sorry to unload, I'm sure the critics I'm referring to are nice enough people, and don't kick their dogs- even if Neil does, but damn, have a sense of place and proportion. Have the wherewithal to join in the spirit of TW, which is not to "reflexively" praise, but to appreciate someone who means so much to us for so many reasons, reasons that many critics can't possibly be aware of having said the things they've said. Join in the discussion and make comments relative to the topic at hand, rather than using the conversation as a way to throw darts. Your comments can convey the fact that you disagree or dislike, or whatever, fine, as long as you stick with the spirit of things, and don't assume too much about people in the process. Yeah, I'm assuming things too, and we could go into all that within the confines of a different thread, here or elsewhere. Hopefully you take my point, and will forgive me for shooting from the hip. Sometimes I kick my dog, too, and I don’t even have one.

Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
At 3/03/2010 06:06:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Oh yeah, I forgot to finish what I came here to do to begin with, before I got suckered by one more incomprehensible negative comment. Here is what I posted on Facebook as an accompaniment to the downloaded video of LMYR, which went as follows:

(A blog comment on Neil’s choice of “Long May You Run” as a way to address the Olympic athletes at the closing ceremonies)

“What's something every athlete has in common? They run. From snowboarders to ice skaters to bobsled team leaders, they run, and the longer they run, the longer they live their dreams… keep in mind the young people who are wrapping up the dreams that they've been preparing for as long as they can remember. Keep in mind that due to the very nature of athleticism, the skill will diminish long before they're ready. The knees will inevitably be injured, the muscle tone will diminish. And the desire to win, so strong in youth, will eventually give way to more mundane hopes and wishes.

What can you hope for such a person? What can you offer that applies to each of them on an equal level? … He was singing to every one of those athletes who made it to the culmination of the dream, and yet have so long to continue on. All they want to do is to be able to keep running…He sang to those who most deserved to hear him, and imbued all of them with something they can take home that in some ways is more vital than the shiny medals around their necks.” (Zak Claxton)

“Long May You Run” is nominally a song about a car, but it can also be seen as a metaphor for individual and collective aspiration, cyclical loss and retrenchment, and the hope that whatever we set in motion and somehow lose control of, yet passes on and is continued in some other form, or in some other spirit. The cycles of life, ebbing and flowing, sustaining, transforming, continuing. Water and steam, birth and death, aging youth, these games ending until the next ones begin. Life marching on, the passing of the torch.

I don’t know, today I’m feeling a little philosophical, and inspired to focus on the constancy, and redemptive meaning of our lives. It’s only one aspect of life, but serves to call to my mind that “nature abhors a vacuum”, and “On the empty page before you, you can fill in what you care. Try to make it new before you go.” (NY)

Long may we all run.

Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
At 3/03/2010 07:22:00 PM, DEBORAH said...: "See through the heart and it does not show. It's all a rented tent anyway. The spirit it carries covers the world."

PERFECT-->Not So Rotten Johnny
At 3/03/2010 08:13:00 PM, doc said...: Whoa, I'm really scared to get old now!

I'd hate any body to pick on my bald spot and fat tummy! lol

Ol'doc

Always enjoy your slant on things Greg M..can't wait for the abridged edition! lol
At 3/03/2010 09:46:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Let me just say this.....

I have been fortunate enough to meet Neil twice in the last eighteen months...

Just a fan with a few connections....

He is genuine, friendly and gave my brother and I "the time of day".
(including a nice photo)

For you long time fans that envision what Neil Young is.....HE IS.
DC
At 3/03/2010 10:08:00 PM, Anonymous said...: And I should say "the time of day" was much to Elliot Roberts chigrin!
DC
At 3/03/2010 10:12:00 PM, Anonymous said...: My bad....chagrin!
DC
At 3/04/2010 03:44:00 AM, Bluejay Young said...: I noticed Neil looked pale and bloated immediately after his aneurysm surgery. At the time I thought he looked like he was taking blood pressure medication. And I forgot about steroids.

There is a short youtube video of Neil and Peg being interviewed before or after the Grammy awards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwknN-RgD4k
and I think part of the reason he looks strange is that he has shaved off the sideburns.

But I think, like Non Rotten Johnny said, he's still Neil, no matter what he looks like.
At 3/04/2010 05:42:00 AM, doc said...: F^*%$%#$%K!!

HAS ANYBODY AT HOME GOT MIRRORS!!..

HEEELLLOOO?...its called growing old..Sadly it happens to everyone... even if ya last name's Young!

Yeah ,I knew there was something wrong when I looked at Neil's left eyebrow and it was a wee bit bushy..a sure sign of that common disease called 'aging'....GEEEEEZ!
At 3/04/2010 05:47:00 AM, VHSjunkie said...: I don't care about Neil's looks or appearance. The song and performance were stunning. Neil is still the coolest guy over 60.
At 3/04/2010 09:22:00 AM, Anonymous said...: close your eyes
you can close your eyes
it's all right
cause I don't know
no love songs
and I can't sing
the blues anymore
but I can sing this song
and you can sing this song
when I'm gone

carpe diem man, carpe diem

- Not Johnny
At 3/04/2010 10:02:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Grow old with me.
The best is yet to be.

Have you seen these Larry Gragg pics on:
http://www.trunkshowmovie.com/

That's what you call an old man with his old black.
I've never seen somebody putting more energy in one song. Goosebumps when I think about him performing that song.

Show me the way, Neil!
And I will follow you today, Neil!

Because Sound Matters
At 3/04/2010 11:11:00 AM, Anonymous said...: yes doc dip(shit), we realize that people get old. but neil has REALLY aged the last 4 or 5 years. i think it's because he stopped working out around the greendale period. neil built his body up quite a bit in the early 80s. when you stop working out muscle turns to fat. he's got a gut now which he never had before (although he has been heavy in the past...96 and 97 he had a little cushion around the middle). but he's earned it in my opinion...he can look any way he wants.

i don't think that the turkey neck would go away even if he lost some weight (and his hair certainly won't come back).

let's face it...neil is an old man now and he's not gonna rock as hard as he used to. i feel fortunate that i got to see him at the peak of his powers, and i'm looking forward to seeing him "fade away" gracefully! it may be better to burn out, but if you're in it for the long haul you really don't have a choice.
At 3/04/2010 11:26:00 AM, SONY said...: can we get back to blind river on this thread?
At 3/04/2010 01:09:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Hmmmm.... I guess I didn't notice that he shaved off his sideburns. But, you're right, that does make him suddenly look "older". But I really don't wanna see Neil get fat - that's just not good for anyone's health. What I think about how he looks shouldn't matter a lick. But I don't wanna turn on the radio one of these days and hear some really tragic news. I am jelously selfish in that regard
At 3/04/2010 01:28:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Hairlines don't mean shit anymore!
Nowadays it's thin to win!
Like an Olympic skiers wax...
or a vinyl groove!
As for age and weight gain?
Just more to love according to my wife!
Anyway, cameras add 10-15 pounds on the image.
And since when has Neil Young been
concerned about image?
At 3/04/2010 02:38:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Reply to Greg M (A Friend of Mine?) from Anon 2:37:

It's interesting that you took time to write a long post without really reading the one that you were ostensibly responding to.

Those weren't my opinions. I was quoting from the website of another singer-songwriter who was being critical of Neil. I was just using that example to make a point. I wasn't adopting those views as my own and no offense was intended.

My point, admittedly a modest one, was that praise becomes meaningless when it's offered every time and without exception. (I get the feeling that Neil could release a clone of "Everybody's Rockin'" tomorrow afternoon and it would get great reviews on this site.) It would be interesting to see one of the NY boosters on this board say, just once, something like this: "Wow, I was really underwhelmed by that performance. I hope he steps it up next time." How else do we separate the wheat from the chaff?

Peace.
At 3/04/2010 03:13:00 PM, Thrasher said...: To Anon @ 3/04/2010 02:38:00 PM:

Thanks for coming back. Hope you don't mind if I cut in on Greg here.

maybe you do want to have an honest debate?

Maybe you're a rustie? Maybe you have a handle? Why don't you use it so we can have a conversation here?

Couple of points. So how would you write your Olympics review? Feel free to post here.

2nd. Separating wheat from chaff. That's the TW mission. That's why you see lots of positive reviews. Negative ones are cool too. Obviously, we're biased as a Neil fan, but often the negative points are not legitimate nor germane in our eyes, i.e. chaff.

If you're looking for Neil chaff, go elsewhere.

be the wheat.
At 3/04/2010 04:17:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Anon 2:37 I did wonder why you thought a review from a twelve year old would be of interest to anyone here.
At 3/04/2010 04:22:00 PM, doc said...: Anonymous 11:11 am,

Forgive me if I misunderstand,but aren't we agreeing here?

Aging I'm afraid, is one of those inevitable things in life.

Temporary measures to 'band aid' this "terrible affliction" such as botox, plastic surgery, facelifts, augmentation,implants are just that.... temporary.

Yeah sure, the Neil of old is a totally different person physically to Neil now...but its the person within that is important.

It's funny, but as I've grown old with Neil,I've never really noticed those physical changes in him.

The voice has changed sure, but it's at another level..a level that I'm enjoying immmensely.

Ok,ok I WAS aware that his membership at "Fitness First" had waived in the last few years! lol

luv doc shit
At 3/04/2010 04:29:00 PM, doc said...: Put it this way..I don't think he's gunna starting wearing a white sequined "jump suit" and move to Graceland!

doc
At 3/04/2010 04:59:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Let's hope he also doesn't grow out a beard and wear a red suit - My kids would crap their pants if they saw that brow poking out through the fireplace.
At 3/04/2010 05:00:00 PM, zejt said...: "When faceless and anonymous
Come to beat down your door
And say you're all washed up and done
You can just say they have nothing in store

To touch this soul
Because they just don't know
They just don't know
The way"

zejt up in T.O.
At 3/04/2010 10:04:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Anon 2:37, thanks for your reply, it gives me a chance to clear a few things up, even though I can’t really say everything I have to say in one post. As it is, I worry that Doc will spill his gut at one more of my “wordy” posts. First of all, in the spirit of intellectual honesty, I admit to making some mistakes and wrong assumptions regarding your post, starting with the fact that I thought the quote from Fulks ended at “… ‘even you’re better than this, Dad!’” I also admit to seeing red, and instead of counting to 10, launching into my comment without cooling down a little, and rereading your post a couple of times. Also, I didn’t make it clear enough that I was responding not just to you, but to “a steady stream of comments from people who can't possibly know what they are talking about, who somehow think that anything goes so long as they identify themselves as Neil Young fans.” However, I did reread your post after the fact, realized my mistake, and was about to write a post to that effect, but chose not to because, as you say yourself: “I was just using that example to make a point.” You say that these are not your views, that you were just trying to make a point, and that you meant no offense, and I will take you at your word. But hopefully you can understand my conclusion that you wouldn’t use sentiments you disagreed with to make your own argument.

But getting beyond all this for the moment, your post still begs quite a few questions. Let me try to pose a few, all the while admitting that I can only attempt to scratch the surface a little. How long have you been visiting TW? A regular visitor would know that there are always regular posts taking Neil to task, so much so that your comment served as a last straw, causing me to vent my spleen. Next, even were it true that TW was only a shill site for “reflexive” praise, how would that detract from, IMO, justifiably positive comments vis a vis Neil’s Olympic performance, unless you thought that the performance was somehow less than stirring? Is this what you think? If so, that’s fine. I just think that if you felt that way you should have said so, and stated your reasons why. No one expects everyone to like everything Neil does when it comes to TW, and again you should know this if you are a regular. If you are not a regular, and have missed a lot of the caustic content, e.g. FITR, Blue Ray downloads, Prairie Wind, etc. ad nauseum, that’s fine, too, but then your comment about reflexive praise loses all its force. This extends to your comment: “It would be interesting to see one of the NY boosters on this board say, just once, something like this: "Wow, I was really underwhelmed by that performance. I hope he steps it up next time." How else do we separate the wheat from the chaff?” There are any number of posters to this site who are underwhelmed by Neil.
At 3/04/2010 10:09:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I think your comment about “Everybody’s Rockin’” is a fundamentally flawed and disrespectful sentiment, and goes to my comment that in general much of what passes for criticism of Neil originates from people who “can’t possibly know what they are talking about”. I’m not saying you’re disrespectful, but that the sentiment is. I will however, call into question your knowledge of Neil, “someone who means so much to us for so many reasons, reasons that many critics can't possibly be aware of having said the things they've said.” First of all, I like ER in and of itself. It’s the album that gave us, if nothing else, a fun take, and “Wonderin’” and “Payola Blues”. It’s also an album that represents Neil’s state of mind at the time, relative to his then ongoing battle with Geffen Records. Neil famously stated something to the effect of “They kept saying they wanted Rock and Roll, so I gave it to them.” This is quintessential Neil Young, and a fan should know that. He was taking a stand for himself, and unapologetically committing to posterity what was real for him in the moment he recorded the record. He has always defended his so called less than stellar recordings, likening them to the period pieces in the career of a painter, pieces that reflected his state of mind at the time. Implicit in this artistic stance is the refusal to carelessly produce music for the simple expediency of appealing to the lowest common denominators, and the almighty buck. If you knew this (and maybe you do), I think you would or should think differently.

I’ll never forget being on a train somewhere in Europe in’83, and meeting a girl from South Africa who was playing “Trans”, or a party in London the following year hearing “Everybody’s Rockin’” in it’s entirety. These people didn’t know they weren’t supposed to like it. The artistic attempt stood on its own. I wasn’t prepared for “Time Fades Away” when it came out. I was expecting Harvest II. But I loved it anyway, even though the critics hated it. What do people think about TFA now? Again, a record that put it out there for everyone to see, just where Neil was in the aftermath of Danny Whitten’s death, faced with the anonymity of monster venues. The critics didn’t know this at the time, all they knew was that it wasn’t Harvest. I admit to being as uncritical a Neil Young fan as there is, and have been taken to task for this on this very site that you claim walks in lock step. The only time it has ever bothered me is when the comments came from people I knew damn well didn’t know what they were talking about. Anon 2:37, I don’t know where you stand with all these things, because I don’t know you, and the forum is limited. I also am not articulating myself very well, but I hope you can see where I am coming from. I also hope you will continue to disabuse me of whatever flawed notions I have, and that anyone will feel free to do the same. And by all means, criticize Neil, if you think it’s merited, but know your audience. There are people like myself here who know way more than me, who will call out anyone who doesn’t take all the relevant facts into account when they make their comments. That’s all.

Peace to you, too. Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
At 3/04/2010 10:44:00 PM, doc said...: Ya know Thrash, just thought of something that would be quite entertaining.

Why don't you run a topic thread showing ALL the deleted comments for the year..you know 'warts and all' comments, retorts and responses from the different topics thrown up...

I think it would be a pretty funny read..

There is nothing wrong with a bit of lightheartedness to break up some PRETTY serious bloggin' some times!..just a thought.

p.s. delete now! lol

doc
At 3/05/2010 08:13:00 AM, Anonymous said...: You know, the real 'problem' (if you can call it that - to me it's more of a blessing rather than a problem) is that there's a lot of people who think Neil's a rockstar, some famous artist in the music scene. And therefore they judge his output and the things he does / doesn't just like they judge any other star or artist, like (no offence in any way) Aerosmith or Michael Bublé or whoever.

But he's not. It's just the fact that Neil has kept his personal integrity (his being) in EVERYTHING he records or does / doesn't that sets him apart and puts his music in a complete different place. It's just TRUE. Nothing more. You can take it or leave it, but it will stay the same: TRUE, in every meaning of the word.

There's not many who have achieved this in a business that forces everyone that's in it to be what others want you to be and to do what others want you to do.There's a lot of 'em who died trying to cope with that…

Everybody's Rockin is one of many albums that was not recorded for the sake of selling as many copies as possible. Come to think of it, I think none of his albums were. Not even Harvest itself. Neil didn't know it was gonna be his hitalbum, and if he did, he certainly did'nt aim for it. He steered out of the MOR when he found out.

And yes, that's irritating sometimes: to see someones work judged by all the wrong measures.

But hey, you can't blame people for not seeing what seems to be so obvious to us. They just don't get it. Sorry for them.

And I'm not pointing at anyone who posted on this page, this is just a general observation. It took me quite a lot of years to learn this from Neil. I wasn't happy from the year he put out RE-ACT_OR up until the Blue Note's.
They're all out there, his records. And they all have some place where they fit in. It's a fascinating musical biography.

Peter Dees (Holland)