A news blog for Neil Young fans from Thrasher's Wheat with concert and album updates, reviews, analysis, and other Rock & Roll ramblings. Separating the wheat from the chaff since 1996.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Neil Young's "Twisted Road" Concert Tour Dates
UPDATE 4/5/10: Tue May 18 Palace Theatre Albany, NY Wed May 19 Shea's Performing Arts Center Buffalo, NY Fri May 21 Hanover Theatre Worcester, MA Sun May 23 Oakdale Theatre Wallingford, CT Mon May 24 Constitution Hall Washington, DC Wed May 26 Palace Theatre Louisville, KY Thu May 27 Knoxville Civic Auditorium Knoxville, TN Sat May 29 Fox Theatre Atlanta, GA Sun May 30 Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium Spartanburg, SC Tue June 1 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Wed June 2 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Fri June 4 Jones Hall Houston, TX Sat June 5 Bass Performance Hall Austin, TX Mon June 7 Meyerson Symphony Center Dallas, TX
Neil Young's "Twisted Road" concert tour dates. Opening act: Bert Jansch
Tickets on sale tomorrow, Saturday, March 27.
- May 19 - Shea's Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, New York - May 23- Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Connecticut - May 26 - Louisville Palace Theatre, Louisville, KY (2,600 seats) - May 29 - Atlanta's Fox Theatre (4,600 seats) - May 30 - Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg, SC (3,200 seats) - June 1 - Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium (2,300 seats) - June 2 – Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
Ronnie and Neil: Laying to Rest the "Feud Myth" Once and for All
Ronnie Van Zant with Neil Young "Tonight's The Night" T-shirt Oakland Coliseum, July 2, 1977 - Photo by Michael Zagaris Neil Young with Lynyrd Skynyrd/Jack Daniels Whiskey T-Shirt Verona, Italy 7.9.1982 - Photo by Paolo Brillo on Flickr
"Well, I hope Neil Young will remember a southern man don't need him around anyhow"
Growing up in the American South in the 1970's as a Neil Young fan wasn't exactly easy. It seems as if all of our life that whenever the subject of musical tastes came up and we revealed our appreciation of Young's music, almost invariably it was met with those lines above from Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" .
You see, Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" is more than just an anthem for many -- it serves as a statement for a way of life that is intensely protected such that when threatened -- it can produce some very uncomfortable results.
Background of "Sweet Home Alabama"
Thanks to Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd was inspired to write the song "Sweet Home Alabama".
Without Young's songs that were so critical of the South's segregationist and racist attitudes for inspiration, it is doubtful that the band would have produced a song with such a long lasting duration that continues to sell well 30 years after its release.
But the ultimate irony of "Sweet Home Alabama" is that for so many, the song's implied put down of Neil Young was NOT meant as criticism but as support of Young's anti-racism. Thus, for those who think it's so clever to put down Neil Young using the phrase"Hope Neil Young will remember, a southern man don't need him around anyhow" little do they realize that they have the meaning backwards. Every day, someone blogs or tweets the "Neil Young putdown" without comprehending that they've actually praised him. Similarly, with the State of Alabama using the phrase "Sweet Home Alabama" as an official slogan on license plates, one truly has to wonder what they were thinking the song was about.
Somewhere, Ronnie is still having a good laugh at Alabama officials and Neil Young bashers. Such is the duality of the southern thing.
MCA Records 45RPM Single
Is "Sweet Home Alabama" Really Sweet?
The history of Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1974 song "Sweet Home Alabama" has a long and tortured history. The enormously popular song has an extraordinarily complex backstory involving a wide swath of groups which have laid claim to the song's message and symbols. As this article demonstrates, the complicated saga of "Sweet Home Alabama" is anything but sweet.
Rarely has such a widely popular hit song been so vastly misunderstood by so many for so long.
Well, I heard Mister Young sing about her Well, I heard ole Neil put her down. Well, I hope Neil Young will remember a southern man don't need him around anyhow.
Known as a response record, such songs "refer directly to a previous hit and usually do it in a catty, mischievous way". The lines in "Sweet Home Alabama" are a direct response to Young's anti-racist, anti-cross burning "Southern Man" and "Alabama" songs. Lynyrd Skynyrd's comeback was intended to mean, at first glance, "Thank you for your opinion Neil, now leave us alone."
It is this perceived "attitude" which has led to Lynyrd Skynyrd earning a reputation as a "racist" band. Inasmuch as the fact that the band often performed with a Confederate flag as a backdrop, the label and perception has been hard to shake.
After singing this line, Skynyrd sing "Boo, boo, boo!" as if to disapprove of Wallace and his policies of racism. As for the "Boo, boo, boo!" chorus, some have dismissed it as Skynyrd 's wink at racism. Joshua Marshall writes in Talking Points Memo: "It always seemed to me more likely that that shadow lyric is a mocking allusion to anti-Wallace protestors." Nonetheless, many still regard the song to be a paean to the South's disregard for the civil rights movement.
Alabama Governor George Wallace
The last line in the song is an ad-lib by Van Zant that is rarely understood. He says, "Montgomery got the answer". Some of the original band members revealed this in a radio interview a few years back and possibly references the infamous march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, led by civil rights leader Martin Luther King. George Wallace was the governor of Alabama when this was released and -- apparently -- loved the song, especially the line, "In Birmingham they love the governor."
At best, this is ambiguous. At it's worst, this can be seen as an endorsement of the racist policies of the Alabama state capitol. Wallace, in the end, made the band honorary Lieutenant Colonels in the state militia. So is the song "Sweet Home Alabama" racist?
Immediately after the band sings the verse "Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her," one can hear in the background what sounds like the phrase "Southern Man." Many believe it was Young's original recording being played. However, others claim it to be the album's producer, Al Kooper, impersonating Young.
Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd: Friends or Foes?
"Now your crosses are burning fast"
The response song "Sweet Home Alabama" was inspired by the two Neil Young songs "Southern Man" and "Alabama". Specifically, lyrics to "Southern Man":
Better keep your head Don't forget what your good book said Southern change gonna come at last Now your crosses are burning fast Southern man
I saw cotton and I saw black Tall white mansions and little shacks. Southern man when will you pay them back?
I heard screamin' and bullwhips cracking How long? How long?
And "Alabama"'s lyrics:
Oh Alabama Banjos playing through the broken glass Windows down in Alabama.
See the old folks tied in white ropes Hear the banjo. Don't it take you down home?
In Young's anthology album "Decade" liner notes, he wrote about "Southern Man" in his usual opaque and obliquely ironic fashion:
"This song could have been written on a civil rights march after stopping off to watch "Gone With The Wind" at a local theater. But I wasn't there so I don't know for sure."
Others have made different interpretations of the contretemps. In Glide Magazine by Ross Warner, this opinion is ventured on Skynyrd's song:
Although the song is perceived as an anthem of southern pride, “Sweet Home Alabama,” was actually intended not only as the band’s fond recollection of their first time in a recording studio but as a reminder to the rest of America that not all southerners were rednecks. When Skynyrd criticized Neil Young’s “Southern Man,” it was for the sweeping generalization of all southerners as rednecks. Don’t condemn southerners now for what their ancestors did. “We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two,” Van Zant said. “We’re southern rebels, but more than that, we know the difference between right and wrong.” In fact, the band was quite outspoken about their disdain for Wallace’s policies.
Southern Rock Opera Drive-by Truckers
The "feud myth" was further fueled with the Drive-By Truckers 2002 album "Southern Rock Opera" (one of the only truly genuine masterpiece albums released in the early 21st century) song "Ronnie and Neil":
And out in California, a rock star from Canada writes a couple of great songs about the bad shit that went down "Southern Man" and "Alabama" certainly told some truth But there were a lot of good folks down here and Neil Young wasn't around
Now Ronnie and Neil became good friends their feud was just in song Skynyrd was a bunch of Neil Young fans and Neil he loved that song
So He wrote "Powderfinger" for Skynyrd to record But Ronnie ended up singing "Sweet Home Alabama" to the lord
"I wrote this song to tell of the misunderstood friendship between Ronnie VanZant and Neil Young, who were widely believed to be bitter adversaries, but were in truth very good friends and mutual admirers..."
Street Survivors (original album cover) Ronnie Van Zant wearing a Neil Young "Tonight's the Night" album cover t-shirt
As Fred Mills puts it in his book review of Lynyrd Skynyrd: Remembering The Free Birds Of Southern Rock by Gene Odom, "[Ronnie Van Zant] would just as soon go onstage wearing one of several Neil Young T-shirts that he owned in order to fuck with any yahoos in the crowd who missed the humor and irony of the “Sweet Home Alabama” lyrics."
As for Neil Young's reaction to all of this? One widely circulated theory during the 1970's was found in Neil's stunning response to Lynyrd Skynyrd with On The Beach's "Walk On."
I hear some people been talkin' me down, Bring up my name, pass it 'round. They don't mention happy times They do their thing, I'll do mine.
Little did we realize at the time the symbolism in "Walk On", but years later as On The Beach surfaces and makes its place with other classics, did some of Neil's meanings sink in. (The lyrics in "Walk On" have also been interpreted to refer to bandmates Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Others argue that the song is in response to press reviews of Young's Time Fades Away tour.)
It seems that whatever grudges Lynyrd Skynyrd had for Neil's music may have been resolved - if there ever was any feud to begin with. From an interview with Ronnie Van Zant:
"We wrote Alabama as a joke. We didn't even think about it - the words just came out that way. We just laughed like hell, and said 'Ain't that funny'... We love Neil Young, we love his music..."
As for the rumor that Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded the Neil Young song "Powderfinger" (see for lyrics analysis), here's an interview in MOJO Magazine , where Young said:
Young:Lynyrd Skynyrd almost ended up recording Powderfinger before my version came out. We sent them an early demo of it because they wanted to do one of my songs.
Interviewer Q. Surprising, that. After all, Lynyrd Skynyrd put you down by name on Sweet Home Alabama, their first hit single....
Young: Oh, they didn't really put me down! But then again, maybe they did! (laughs) But not in a way that matters. Shit, I think Sweet Home Alabama is a great song. I've actually performed it live a couple of times myself. "
Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie VanZant Wearing Neil Young T-shirt
In addition to the song "Powderfinger", Young allegedly also gave the band the song “Sedan Delivery” and "Captain Kennedy" to record. From The Uncool, Cameron Crowe blogs:
Neil Young gave a tape to Joel Bernstein to give to me which I gave to Ronnie [Van Zant], that had three songs on it - "Captain Kennedy," "Sedan Delivery," and "Powderfinger" - before they'd come out. And he wanted to give them to Lynyrd Skynyrd if they wanted to do one of his songs. They didn't fit on Street Survivors. Neil loved that band and said they reminded him of the Buffalo Springfield and they made him yearn for the days of the Buffalo Springfield. He loved Lynyrd Skynyrd and he loved being mentioned in the song.
Being a huge Neil Young fan, I sort of appointed myself as cheerleader for that love affair to happen and blossom. I think it was happening - Ronnie was wearing that [Neil Young] shirt on the album cover and on the road. I was really happy to be able to play a part in getting some new Neil songs into Ronnie's hands. I don't remember what he had to say about it, but he was a huge Neil Young fan.
It should also be noted that shortly after the band was involved in a fatal plane accident, Neil Young performed a rare live version of "Alabama" at Bicentennial Park, Miami, Florida on 11-12-1977 for Children's Hospital Charity with The Gone With The Wind Orchestra and he changed the lyric chorus from "Alabama" to "Sweet Home Alabama".
Recalling the concert tribute in an interview with the Boston Globe, Young said: "I just sang 'I hope you all will remember. I thought it was a cool thing."
In a interview on the Rockline radio program (November 23, 1981), when asked about "Sweet Home Alabama" and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young said: "Great band, great. I understand Ronnie once said that I'll be mellow about it [SHA], not care one way or other. He was right."
"Ronnie and Neil" by Drive-by Truckers - Asheville,NC, September 2007
Back to the Drive-by Truckers (a great band that's a cross between William Faulkner and Neil Young) song "Ronnie and Neil" and the implication that Neil Young was a pallbearer at Van Zant's funeral:
"And Neil helped carry Ronnie in his casket to the ground And to my way of thinking, us southern men need both of them around"
This is another Neil Young/Lynyrd Skynyrd "urban legend" which is debunked in an interesting essay in Tone and Groove. As for the rumor that Ronnie Van Zant was buried wearing a Neil Young t-shirt, again this seems to be another example of a myth to propogate the tragic legend.
Neil Young with Lynyrd Skynyrd/Jack Daniels Whiskey T-Shirt Verona, Italy 7.9.1982 - Photo by Paolo Brillo on Flickr
From the book Freebirds: The Lynyrd Skynyrd Story by Marley Brant:
"The presentation of the song "Sweet Home Alabama" in concert was accompanied by the unfurling of Skynyrd's traditional backdrop, a huge Confederate battle flag. The reaction of the audience was always the same: vigorous, fervent, and instantaneous. Neil Young's song "Southern Man" had offended many Southerners by seeming to accuse all people born in the south of being intolerant racists. Young's observations were obviously generalized and not accurate and Southerners were ecstatic when Skynyrd defended their honor by releasing "Sweet Home Alabama" with its direct references to Young's faux pas. The idea that the Southern man, or woman, didn't need Neil Young around to point out the problems of their society was overwhelmingly supported by Skynyrd fans.
"We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two," Ronnie told Rolling Stone magazine regarding the creation of the answer song. The band felt that Young's lyrical content was representative of the shortsighted "Yankee" belief that all Southern men should be held accountable for the verbalizations and actions of a racist minority.
While the rebuttal was heartfelt, Skynyrd held Neil Young in high regard for his musical achievements and they weren't intending to start a feud of any kind. "Neil is amazing, wonderful... a superstar," said Van Zant. "I showed the verse to Ed King and asked him what Neil might think. Ed said he'd dig it; he'd be laughing at it." Ed King says that the tune was not so much a direct attack on Young but just a good regional song.
The song was well received but immediately put a stigma on the band as rednecks. Producer Al Kooper added. "Hey, you have to be more careful when you write a song now. But I'll tell you something -- Neil Young loved it. That's true, he told me so to my face."
"The singer's mock attack on Neil Young and his apparent defense of Wallace branded Skynyrd with controversy which would continue for years. Young got the joke, however, responding by telegram and by letter to say he was proud to be the subject of Skynyrd's Southern anthem.'
Perhaps Van Zant sums it up best. 'We're not into politics, we don't have no education and Wallace don't know anything about rock n roll.'
The "faux feud" contretemps seem to provide endless fascination for Ronnie and Neil fans.
So what do you think? And why?
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Neil Young's Nemesis or Ally?
More on Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. NOTE: Sometimes we're asked about what the deal is with our fascination with Ronnie and Neil. The fact of the matter is that much of this is driven by the constant correspondence we receive on the subject. Hardly a day goes by without the subject rearing its pretty (or ugly) head. What follows are some of the recent letters received on the subject. Feel free to jump in!
"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.
Neil Young performed "Long May You Run" for the Vancouver Olympics Closing Ceremony: Winter Games 2010. As snow gently drifted down from above, Neil strolled about with his harmonica rack and Hank Williams' Martin D-28 guitar.
Following Young's performance, the cauldrons were extinguished and the torch arms retracted, bringing a symbolic coda to the Olympics finale.
It was a live performance -- in contrast to the earlier and latter lip-synching.
Many, many 1000's of instant mini-reviews that were micro-blogged on Twitter indicated that Young's performance was the highlight of the closing ceremonies. Many felt that what followed Young's performance was a travesty and an embarrassment to music fans and to Canada's rich heritage. (for more Tweets, see neil young @ olympics tweets.)
In fact -- at one point -- Neil even became a Twitter Trending Topic, which is very unusual given the platform's highly chaotic tower of Babel tendencies. And without even a hashtag/# code -- no less.
Accompanied by his own acoustic guitar, Neil Young made the evening complete by singing 'Long May You Run' as the Olympic flame was extinguished. It would have been a great place to end things, but unfortunately, Michael Buble then did an ersatz Broadway-like musical number I couldn't identify backed by oversized Mounties, hockey players and what looked like models wearing giant maple leafs. It was everything the ceremony had not been up to that point -- Canada imagined by Baz Luhrmann.
Oh, Canada: Just one minute of Leonard Cohen would have made it all right.
Halfway through the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, I became profoundly and intensely embarrassed for our country. Everything was fine until Neil Young finished his performance. The Olympic torch was extinguished and our country, on the world’s stage, up-chucked every imaginable Canadian stereotype onto the floor of BC Place.
Just to recap, we narrowly beat the U.S. in men’s hockey. We won more gold medals at a winter games than any other country in history. We showed the world that our athletes are not only fierce competitors, but are intelligent, funny and well-spoken. In attendance, for many events, were PM Harper and his always pristine salt-and-pepper bowl cut. Even he won something: a case of beer through a bet with President Obama. Over weeks of hard competition, we had earned the respect of spectators from hundreds of countries. But then, in just a few short hours, as the games came to a close, we were made to look foolish, the accomplishment of our athletes was diminished and our national identity was set back by a century.
Oh. My. God. That was the reaction my wife and I shared as we witnessed with horror and embarrassment the disaster that was the Olympics' closing ceremony. Don't get me wrong. Neil Young's stirring rendition of Long May You Run was pure understated class. But that only made the freak show that followed all the more offensive.
And then a brutal takedown of the whole corrupt corporate sponsored Olympics extravaganza contrasted with the integrity of Neil Young by the cantankerous but always provocative Bob Lefsetz Letter:
"And then we’ve got one lone man.
Who’s still making music long after David Geffen accused him of recording tripe. A man who has always followed his instincts. Hell, after recording 'Long May You Run' Neil Young bolted from his scheduled tour with Stephen Stills…it just didn’t feel right.
That’s what an artist does, go with his feelings.
Last night Neil Young sang live. He reached my heart like none of the smiling athletes parading by were able to. A day later, he’s just about the only thing I remember.
Because real artists are unforgettable. Whether they’ve got one hit or dozens. They reach down deep and excavate feelings we know but cannot express. ...
Neil Young did it his way. And what’s remarkable is when an artist gets it right, their way is our way.
Neil Young Extinguishes Olympic Flame "We've been through some things together With trunks of memories still to come"
60,000 inside Vancouver stadium. Millions on the TeeVee box.
One harmonica. One guitar.
One man.
Full video of Neil Young at Olympics Closing Ceremonies performing "Long May You Run" on NBC.com.
UPDATE: Sorry, but it seems this link only works within the USA. sigh. So much for the Olympics spirit, global cooperation, harmony and the triumph of corporate greed.
Folks have been posting working links for other countries in comments section below. Thank you for sharing with your global brothers & sisters.
We would think that for most Neil Young fans, this weekend represented somewhat of a breakout.
Without getting too bogged down with "what does it all mean?", it just seems self evident and we wonder why we even bother to point out the obvious. But -- clearly -- after browsing reviews and comments, it still seems as if Neil's career remains an enigma for so many.
One would think that simply scrolling through the list of bands performing to honor Neil Young as the 2010 MusiCares Person Of The Year, would be sufficient. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy said:
"He's right up there in terms of a constant in my musical life as an influence and as a mentor. He's kind of just a force of nature. And I take him for granted sometimes like I take the sun for granted ... I'm really happy the sun comes up every day and I'm happy Neil Young keeps making records."
Year after year after year, we've have blogged on the injustice of the Grammy Awards handed out by industry elites, so none of any of this should come as a surprise to anyone.
All I can say that if the Grammy's, after 50 years of Neil rockin the rock n' roll industry, can only manage to give him a grammy for the artwork on his box set, it shows that the whole thing is a ridiculous farce ...
I actually agree that giving him a grammy now for the art on the box set is insulting to him as an artist and at the same time it demeans the whole Grammys institution ... I mean, how can people like Taylor Swift (no disrespect meant to her or her work) or Beyonce walk away with an armload of awards, and this kind of thing has been happening for literally years and decades, and a true authentic artist like Neil has created tens of albums and hundreds of songs of all flavors, and genre's, Jeez he's probably created a few genere's in the process and they can't come up with one measly award for his MUSIC??
Sorry, its a joke, its ridiculous, you'll rarely see me ranting like this, but its preposterous, and it proves the whole Grammys thing is bankrupt, its bogus, its fake, its pretentious, its political ... otherwise its totally unexplainable ...
Neil is a class act to show up and receive the art award ... he's a gracious person who doesn't need their false, pretentious accolades, but the whole thing when you think of it is so ridiculous ya can't do much more than call it out ...
ten years from now these grammy winners and their carefully manicured songs will be long forgotten and Neil and his substantive music will live on, aging gracefully as always...
Neil, Long May You Run!! You truly set the real standard.
Oh come on, people, they deserve the award for such great art direction. The artistry is awesome. I agree that Neil deserves a Grammy for his music, and doesn't get half the overall recognition he deserves, but that shouldn't take anything away from the artists who did such a fine job creating the packaging for the Archives.
It's beautiful.
What y'all need to understand is that mainstream people in our society and the music industry aren't looking for creativity or the quality of personal expression, or your ability to channel the universe in music.
They are much more shallow than that. The people want what's sold to them, they want to be part of the popular crowd, they aren't interested in identifying personally with a song in a profound, emotional way.
They far outnumber the people who enjoy music because it moves them or titillates their minds, because of how it effects them personally, both emotionally and intellectually.
The music industry, by-and-large, plays to this tendency. It releases shallow garbage, people buy it and pretend they like it in order to satisfy their need to be accepted. This is mainstream American pop culture we're talking about here, not the land of smart, thoughtful, multidimensional individuals.
So obviously the chances of Neil Young winning a Grammy are much, much slimmer than Taylor Swift, even though he writes better music. Neil writes better music than almost anyone. It's not about good music - it's about popularity. It's about who sold the most albums because they were aggressively marketed by the industry to the shallow mainstream cult of popularity.
I'd be happy if Neil Young did get the recognition he deserved, but Neil isn't after recognition (thank GOD, because his music wouldn't be half as good as it is), and he doesn't need it, so who really cares?
In some sense it might even be a travesty to award him a Grammy, considering that winning one basically indicates that you're simplistic and derivative enough to easily market to sheep.
And the always thought provoking ranting of Bob Lefsetz:
I saw the Buffalo Springfield. In those days, there were no sponsors. The Fortune 500 ran. Music was dangerous. Neil Young knows the truth, that these companies themselves are dangerous. And that an artist has to march forward and explore unencumbered. Hell, he held up a sign during the show telling the performers to "Just do what you want to do. Don’t listen to anyone else." That’s the key. To go on your own journey. Not the one people want you to. Hell, did you read all the negative reviews of "Catcher In The Rye" in the Salinger obits? Even the "New York Times" panned it. Unfortunately, the blowback contributed to Salinger’s pullback from society. We lost out, because the powers-that-be needed to tear him down, make him their size.
Thank god Neil Young never succumbed to this. He’s the poster boy for doing it your own way. And that’s why CSN’s business blows up when he performs with them, and he can go out solo to great business and the rest of the players cannot. Because we believe… That Neil Young is giving his all.
Friday night Wilco gave their all. And that’s why their fans believe in them just like oldsters believe in Mr. Young. Punch the clock and people know. Sing from the heart, take your music seriously and the audience knows. Jeff Tweedy wasn’t distracted by looking at the teleprompter, the words were embedded deep inside, just like they are in us.
Grammy weekend. Whatever your thoughts are about the "music industry", it was a time to celebrate. A well deserved celebration for Neil and his friends, at that.
Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and Neil Young
Neil said... "Just do what you want to do Don't listen to anyone else" (Jack Black w/ sign)
"The Needle and The Damage Done" Dave Matthews
"As a philanthropist and humanitarian, you're one my heroes. I'll never forget your kindness." Elton John
"The Losing End" Elvis Costello
"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" Lady Antebellum Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood
"Heart of Gold" James Taylor
"Revolution Blues" Everest
"Rocking in the Free World" John Fogerty and Booker T. Jones
Leon Russell
"Human Highway" (for L.A.) "We made some of the best music of our lives with you." - Crosby Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and David Crosby
"Harvest Moon" Josh Groban
"A Man Needs A Maid" Red Hot Chili Peppers
Musicians Dave Matthews, guest, Jason Mraz, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Shawn Colvin and James Taylor onstage at the 2010 MusiCares Person Of The Year Tribute To Neil Young at the Los Angeles Convention Center on January 29, 2010 in Los Angeles, California
"The flustered honoree took the podium and thanked the night's many musicians.
'I forgot how many songs I've written,' Young said. 'It's been a great night. Wore me out.'
He expressed discomfort in gazing back, that it's difficult to recognize the prolific young artist who wrote Broken Arrow. And he wonders what's left in his quiver.
'I listen to some of those songs — who was that guy?' he said. 'Look at Tony Bennett. He rocks. I look at that man and say, 'I can do this.' I'm going to keep on going, and I hope you do, too.'"
After Crosby, Stills & Nash paid their respects and harmonized on "Human Highway," Young took a moment to acknowledge his friend and filmmaking collaborator Larry "L.A." Johnson, who died suddenly last week."It's a shame he couldn't be here," Young said. "But I'm gonna keep on going, and I hope you do too."
Josh Groban said: "I've seen a lot of people win Grammy's that have gone on to really disappoint after that and then I have seen a lot of people that have not won any Grammy's, and I guess Neil's a perfect example, who continue to have honesty and integrity and strive to connect with the world in a totally unique way, and I am excited that they are finally honoring him tonight then."
Sheryl Crow said: "He seemed to marry folk music and country music and for me, where I was from in Missouri, it really sort of set me on course as far as a songwriter goes, and he also managed to interject really socially, politically, moving lyrics into rock songs and he still is for me the template that I hold up and hope to eventually accomplish the things that he's done."
From Spin Magazine Online by Kevin Bronson: SETLIST: John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett, "Down by the River" Ozomatli, "Mr. Soul" Jackson Browne, "Don't Let It Bring You Down" Stephen Stills and Sheryl Crow, "Long May You Run" Lady Antebellum, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" Norah Jones, "Tell Me Why" Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin, "Comes a Time" Wilco, "Broken Arrow" Josh Groban, "Harvest Moon" Everest, "Revolution Blues" Dierks Bentley and Booker T. Jones, "Cinnamon Girl" Ben Harper, "Ohio" Keith Urban, John Fogerty and Booker T. Jones, "Rockin' in the Free World" Elvis Costello, "The Losing End" Jason Mraz, Shawn Colvin and the Grooveline Horns, "Lotta Love" Dave Matthews, "The Needle and the Damage Done" Red Hot Chili Peppers, "A Man Needs a Maid" James Taylor, "Heart of Gold" Elton John, Leon Russell, Neko Case, Sheryl Crow and T Bone Burnett, "Helpless" Crosby, Stills & Nash, "Human Highway"
John Mellencamp & T-Bone Burnett | Down by the River
Young's FarmAid colleague opens the show with a slow-burning version of a classic from Everyone Knows This is Nowhere. His band consists of superstar producer T-Bone Burnett on guitar, Kenny Aronoff on drums and musical director Don Was on bass. (The latter two serve as a house rhythm section for most of the evening.)
Ozomatli | Mr. Soul
These Angeleno rockers add some heavy Latin grooves to this Buffalo Springfield oldie -- without sacrificing the fuzzy, Satisfaction-style riff-rock at its heart.
Jackson Browne | Don't Let it Bring You Down
Backed by Aronoff and Was, the troubadour turns in a rich acoustic-guitar version of this powerful cut from After the Gold Rush.
Stephen Stills & Sheryl Crow | Long May You Run
Crow dons a squeezebox and trades verses with Stills on a mellow version of this number cut by the Stills-Young Band in '76. Black needles Young for using such a boring band name, and makes up for it by christening the Stills-Crow ensemble Rocketnuggetthunderclaw.
Lady Antebellum | Only Love Can Break Your Heart
These quickly rising country-pop stars told me they were more excited about playing this event than they were about their Grammy nominations. They play this country waltz fairly straight, but their three-part harmonies add some layers to the melody.
Norah Jones | Tell Me Why
Another cut from Gold Rush, this time picked by Jones and a bandmate playing acoustic guitars. It's wonderfully simple. And simply wonderful.
Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin & Lucinda Williams | Comes a Time
The trio of roots queens join forces -- along with some steel guitar and accordion -- in this folksy chestnut. I wonder why Lucinda is wearing glasses. Then I notice the giant teleprompter screen behind me.
Wilco | Broken Arrow
If you can think of anyone more capable of handling all the intricate twists and turns of this shape-shifting epic from Buffalo Springfield Again, you let me know. Then again, don't bother. You're wrong.
Josh Groban | Harvest Moon
The popera sensation takes a seat at the piano for this gentle ballad, which he gussies up a little too much with all his technique and talent. Neil needs to be a bit ragged, you know?
Everest | Revolution Blues
Who? Well, put it this way: These L.A. roots-rockers are signed to Young's Vapor Records. Hey, throw Neil a bone: It's his big night. Besides, they crank out a smoking version of Revolution Blues. It's the heaviest performance so far.
Dierks Bentley & Booker T. Jones | Cinnamon Girl
Backed by frequent Young sideman Booker T. and his instantly identifiable organ, Bentley and his gruff pipes transform this immortal tune into twangy country-rock -- and lose a bit of the song's edge in the process.
Ben Harper | Ohio
The musical centrepiece of the show. Armed with his slide guitar and accompanied only by three female backup singers, Harper recasts Young's Vietnam-era protest song into stirring gospel-blues. Quite simply one of the finest, most moving versions of this song I've ever heard. It deservedly brings some attendees to their feet.
Keith Urban, John Fogerty & Booker T. Jones | Rockin' in the Free World
Another winner. Urban and Fogerty crank up the amps and blow the roof off the dump, trading solos and belting out the vocals on Young's slamming rocker. Urban is playing harder -- and grinning wider -- than I've ever seen before. And Fogerty still hasn't lost a step. Afterward, Black quite rightly tells the swells, "I know it's expensive -- but I think you're getting your money's worth. This is insane! Can you appreciate how insane this is?"
Elvis Costello | The Losing End
The roll continues: An acoustic-guitar toting Costello takes this lesser-known number from Everybody Knows This is Nowhere and turns it into a country weeper that could have come straight from ole Hank's pen.
Jason Mraz & Shawn Colvin | Lotta love
A horn section and some organ add some soulful backing to Mraz and Colvin's duet. Still, it's not one of the evening's more memorable moments. Then again, they did have to follow Elvis.
Dave Matthews | Needle and the Damage Done
On the plus side: The singer-guitarist totally nails Neil's anti-drug ballad, right down to the mournful falsetto vocal. On the downside: He delivers a rambling introduction that makes him look like a goof.
Red Hot Chili Peppers | A Man Needs a Maid
Not surprisingly, the Peppers -- making their first public appearance with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer -- lace Young's Harvest track with their heavy, slogging funk. But that's not nearly as alarming as Anthony Kiedis's Mexican porn-star moustache.
James Taylor | Heart of Gold
Hey, I respect JT as much as the next guy -- but does the world really need an easy-listening version of Heart of Gold? The good news: Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello and Jason Mraz help out on backing vocals.
Elton John, Leon Russell, Neko Case, Sheryl Crow & T-Bone Burnett | Helpless
The stage is getting a little crowded at this point -- but really, the song belongs to Elton, who converts it into a work of classic country-pop vaguely reminiscent of his own Burn Down the Mission. Neko, Sheryl and Leon each get a turn at the mic.
Crosby, Stills and Nash | Human Highway
"We made some of the best music of our lives with you," says David Crosby before the legendary trio close the show by putting their gorgeous harmonies to work on this underappreciated '70s track. Neil's reaction? "Now I gotta go write some more songs." No argument here.
Booker T. Jones: “He’s a huge influence on me,” Jones said. “His music is heartfelt. He’s always exploring and pushing the envelope.”
James Taylor: “His songwriting is the stuff,” Taylor said. “You hear his music and you know that’s the stuff.”
Jackson Browne: “I’ll be singing ‘Don’t let it bring you down’ which is a powerful song,” said Browne before attending the gala dinner. “Neil Young’s singular use of language is what amazes me,” he said. “It really raises the bar. Nobody but Neil would say, 'When you dance, I can really love.' He's got this powerful way of carving language in very simple blocks of meaning that go right to the core of you."
While Wilco’s gloriously brash rendition of “Broken Arrow” prompted Elton John to give a standing ovation, which he proudly pointed out to the band backstage following the performance. Earlier in the night, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy told RS, ”We rehearsed this song for two days. The guys in our crew said it was the first time they’d ever seen us rehearse in three years.” He added that they’d chosen “Broken Arrow” because it’s “really episodic and strange and when you hear it, it’s pretty obvious that Wilco has taken a lot from this one song.”
Jack Black, who had to keep things moving even if the show went nearly an hour past its allotted time. How did he rate his own performance? “I was pretty nervous and started off shaky, but I eased into it,” Black told RS. “It was just a remarkable night of musicianship. You don’t see a bill like that very often. Everyone was so incredible, and it’s a testament to Neil’s influence and awesomeness that so many people wanted to be part of this show.”
"To that end, Crosby, Stills and Nash’s serenade of “Human Highway” couldn’t have been a more fitting closer. “We’ve done that song with Neil probably 200 to 300 times so it has special significance that he’ll know and we know,” said Crosby, who called his friend of five decades “the real deal.” “There’s been too much focus in recent years on surface rather than substance,” he said. “But Neil can really write a song that you’ll remember 20 years from now. I’ve played some of the best music of my whole life on stage with that man, there were many moments that were pure magic, and I love him.”"
“The first time I saw him sitting in a circle with his guitars and his harmonium behind him was a solidifying moment for me,” said Crow. “There’s something so soulful about that man. It’s when I knew, ‘That’s what I want to do some day — sit with my guitars and play songs.’”
"Added Jeff Tweedy, whose Chicago band Wilco will perform at the MusiCares event: 'He's right up there in terms of a constant in my musical life as an influence and as a mentor. He's kind of just a force of nature. And I take him for granted sometimes like I take the sun for granted ... I'm really happy the sun comes up every day and I'm happy Neil Young keeps making records.'"
Updated | 6:52 p.m. Well, that only took, what, 50 years? After a career spanning nearly a half-century as a solo artist and a member of groups like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Neil Young won his first Grammy Award in a pre-telecast ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. The award, for best art direction on a boxed or special limited edition package, was shared among Mr. Young and his art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo for the boxed set “Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972).” Upon his win, Mr. Young (who did not receive his first Grammy nomination until 1989, for the video for “This Note’s For You”) told the crowd: “Thanks a lot, everybody.” Mr. Young was also nominated for a Grammy in the best solo rock vocal category, but lost to Bruce Springsteen.
Congratulations, Neil, Gary, Jenice, the NYA crew and all @ Shakey Pix (r.i.p. l.a.)!!!
Neil Young's "Twisted Road" Concert Tour Dates
Good luck everybody with tix!
If you want to discuss ticket prices, go here. Comments regarding prices in this thread will be deleted.
Don't be denied!
Ryman.com lists only June 1st.
JE
Hello,will this tour be in just the southern USA or will it be all over the US? I'm wishing for dates in New York State or even Toronto.Archives Guy,can you let us know where this tour is happening? Will it be a tour throughout 2010? Have a good weekend Neil fans.Good luck with tickets. Keep On Rocking! Soldier Steve
AC has a deal with these specific shows. Neil will have other shows from this same tour with other promoters.-a man on the inside.......
hmmm... any idea when they will announced?
According to mY sources....... this monday
>THIS my friends is the calm before the storm<
buzz a while
-nrj
Wonder if the third part of the Demme trilogy will be taped at one of these shows (country Neil, rocking Neil and now solo Neil?)
<<>>This post has been removed by the author.
Are there any rumours of dates in England? Jim
...or hopefully Germany too?
And PLEASE! come to SPAIN again, there's a whole "Playa" waiting for you! (enlaplayadeneil) We LOVE you!
Oh Neil please come to England!
I got a pretty good seat to see Neil in Louisville Ky. ORCH PIT 1 Row C seat #5. WOW! 2 rows between me and Neil. It will be well worth the drive 568 mile drive from western N.Y..
did anyone else have aweful luck with the atlanta tickets? closest I could get was brutal. hope everyone else had better luck. BTW i love how all these scalpers have amazing seats for crazy prices on ebay within minutes. such bull
I got tickets to see Neil for the first time!!!!!!!!!!!
Im 23, and been a huge fan since I was 17. I missed the crazy horse tour in 2003 because I was moving and it literally went around me, and none of the shows over the last few years came anywhere close (I live in tampa). I saw the CSNY tour in 06 in Ft. Lauderdale, but we all know that isnt the same!
I am in section SRA row O in the back, but I couldn't be happier. Im so glad that I am going to get to see him play a colo acoustic show! I hope I get to hear ambulance blues...
I tried Atlanta once,about 20 minutes after they went on sale and got Row D near center.
I had pretty good luck in getting a pair in row EE dead center at the Fox. The Ryman was not available almost immediately, KY & SC seemed easy enough. Now I just need to figure out how to get to ATL. Delta from JFK is $288 roundtriop today!stien
Got tickets for Ryman - Sec 7, Row U on the floor!
Just got tickets for me and my parents section 2 row q on the floor at the ryman! Saw friends and relatives, Greendale with the horse. Chrome Dreams 2. Jazzfest with his electric band.. Now solo acoustic! Ive seen every flavor of neil still around except CSNY.. Neil without CSNY is better any day though :) Hope to see some of you rusties there! Should be amazing.
In 1999, on Neil's last solo tour, I waited for what must of been months for Neil to announce a Toronto date. And I watched the whole tour pass me by,
Well I won't make the same mistake this time. I'm going to Nashville baby! Row H on the floor, sec 7.
Still hoping for a TO date. Syscrusher
Not great seats got.A lateral M for Atlanta, lateral P and H for Ryman.
Andrea."So Tired"
My attitude about concerts- especially Neil Young shows is that I'm happy to just be there- as long as the sound is good and people aren't too rude and I've got a little weed for my head. Just to hear the live music- that's what I'm there for. Of course its always better to be close but what the hell, sometimes its impossible so just enjoy. Neil is sitting and playing when solo acoustic. I have a feeling that with these shows-whether first row or last row (and I've been in both) its gonna be great. Neil ALWAYS is.
6th row at Spartanburg!! Can't wait! Best opener ever too--Thanks, Neil!
before i order tickets, i need to hit the lottery!
holy cripes!
say it aint so trash
we're goin to the ryman folks, my wife, me and my brother. You know, I really hope that Neil has been struck by the muse and has written a whole host of new songs, that's what it feels like to me when he throws a few shows out there right away, he wants to get the material in front of the audience. Whatever he brings I can accept it and will do my best to enjoy it and enjoy it from his angle. now, everyone, please keep your behavior at its best, and most polite during the songs so the tapers can capture something most special! Some of my most treasured boots are from the 99 solo tour, exquisite acoutics and clear recordings, quiet crowds = neil bliss for years to come.
and a note to tuned 4 life, CONGRATS, you deserve the best seats in the house! What is this about your 35th show within arm's reach of Neil? We're going to Ryman 6/2 show. and the cornwalls are sounding so sweet! here's the best to you Doug...
This is all very silly. Neil announces a solo tour, I read all the wheat there is on this site, I fall into a dream last night and presto, Neil Young is playing a solo gig which at first I think I'm watching on Saturday Night Live, and subsequently I'm in the theatre in the second row and Neils singing, playing and shaking my hand. Quite weird, but it's the 3rd or 4th episode of dreams like that in the last 5 years. I believe I'll have my head examined
As Crosby sings, "In my dreams I can see a love that could be"
Now back to our normal programming
I got my ryman tics yesterday!!
Just a question, in case Neil comes to Europe, anybody knows where is the best/honest internet place to get the tickets from? Thanks!
By the way, the tour poster photo looks like a still from the H of G DVD, with Neil singing The Old Laughing Lady. At the Ryman of course.
Jill
A note to Kimball, Glad to here you're going to Nashville. What a historic place. Maybe there will be a camera crew there from channel 2 or 6 or 9.
I'm kinda going nuts...need some updates! Where else is the tour going? Any rumors? Anything? Hopefully some CT, NY, MA dates???
Play the Oakdale Neil- Wallingford CT!
Well I was asking the same question Shitty, before Thrash deleted me as usual!!!...Geez
Maybe if I was an arsehole he wouldn't delete me so..go figure!
doc
does anyone know was there any pre-order for any of these shows or just ticketmaster from the get go?
From the New Yorker:
N.Y.: Yeah, but generally we hate the fucking audience. They disturb the whole thing. (On the laptop screen, Young waves his arms back and forth in the air, in the manner of an enthusiastic concertgoer.) They’ve got people who do that. They have people who wave their hands back and forth in the background. That’s what they do. It doesn’t matter what the music is. It’s a way to make a living, I guess. (Demme looks up at the clock and exchanges a glance with an assistant.) I remember we did a tour, and they had these cranes out in the audience, flying around, casting cones of light down on the audience, so that everyone in the audience had these halos on their heads. I walked out onstage and said to myself, “This is fucked up. I might not even play. This is so wrong.” All night long I was thinking, Why do I have to see people? I’ve never seen them before. I hate looking at them.
In the context of making a concert film, I can see the audience being an irritation. But these statements are broader than that. Neil, if you're out there, seeing these kinds of quotes from you doesn't make me want to buy your next record, or come to your next show. They make me want to kick your teeth down your fucking throat! I have spent approx. $1050 on you in the past three years, if that gives you an idea of how much I enjoy your music. I also enjoyed hearing what you had to say. But this is fucking ridiculous. I'm not missing the point here, I understand that you create the music, from your experience and it's about you alone. But if you hate the audience so much, than stop fucking performing. Fuck off, and spare us your little rants cursing the people who built your fucking train barn! Everyone's always saying, Neil Young's so respectable. Other artists, the media. He's a living legend. Well let me tell ya these quotes make you look great. A real fucking hero.
RM
I'm pretty sure the New Yorker dialogue is a fake...
Em Ds Stop hating. Start participating.
I'm 100% sure the comments from the NewYorker are real and Neil's right! He's not there for me or for you, he's there to make his music. Anything that disturbs that should not be there. I've seen the Smell The Horse tour in Rotterdam where Neil played a smoking version of Cortez, he almost reinvented the song there on stage. That song alone lasted more than 20 minutes, the whole show was between 2-3 hours and most of the time Neil was with his back to the audience in a small circle in front of the bass drum with Frank and Billy. I don't come to concerts to be recognized by him, or spoken to, or to be greeted like so many artists do with something like 'hello Holland' or whatever. That sort of thing makes me puke. If you don't know one town in my country from another, how dare you say 'hello Holland' or whatever country. Shut the f#ck up and play. So that's what Neil does. I'm happy with that. I can completely understand this and I swear it is THIS attitude that makes Neil stand out compared to other artists. He really does NOT make music for us, he does it for himself and the music. That's just the way it is and it's the only right way.
Peter Dees
I have it from the promoter- Neil is playing in Wallingford! WOO-HOO THank you NEIL!!
I got tickets for both shows at the Ryman. First night up in the balcony and the second on the floor 8 rows back. Last time I saw Young it was in New York at the garden, which was an excellent show. By the way, that quote from the New Yorker was not fake. Here's the rest of it.
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2010/04/05/100405ta_talk_paumgarten
I know Sam, i posted the whole thing to the Rust list. It *does* sound like it was made up. It does not even says shen it took place... Sounds like bs to me
I'm sure this quote is real. When Neil says he hates the audience, he's not talking about you personally or that he despises the people who buy his records. He's talking about the fact that when he's into making his music he doesn't want to be distracted by spotlights highlighting the audience or people waving their arms trying to get him to make eye contact or the drunken asshole in the front row calling out for Rocking in the Free World between and during every song. I totally get him. Is this something new? The moment he starts pandering and playing *to* the audience instead of himself is the moment you get the fake choreographed canned performance you get from some many other performance artists. The reason I go into every single Neil Young gig within my reach is that I never know if he's going to walk off the stage, break into an awesome rendition of a familiar song that I've never heard played this way before, or sing 10 songs in a row about his new pet car project. And I cherish every *ing moment of it.
RM, It sounds like you should be spending your hard earned cash on anger management classes as opposed to Neil tickets ... just remember there were hundreds of other people who would have been glad to have spent the money to have your seat, you didn't do Neil any favors by buying a ticket ... its called supply and demand and right now there's more demand (for Neil) than supply ... in terms of the comment, if its true, I agree he's referring to the pseudo fan that shows up, not the hard core fans that have the sense to not yell out requests, ect... during the '07 theatre show I showed up with my wife to sit in our first row loge section right as the concert was about to start and had a guy that looked (and acted) like a gang member and his girlfriend sitting in my seats and the guy threatened me and wouldn't get out ... it took until 2/3rd into the acoustic set before his ass was kicked out of my seats by security ... I think Neil's referring to punks like that who have no business showing up ... so don't be so sensitive I doubt Neil hates you personally ...
Neil can hate who he wants- I don’t blame him. He still makes GREAT MUSIC. I've been to some shows where the audience was just brutal! And Neil wants to make music..to play. I don’t blame him for being resentful. A Neil show is not a Dead or a Phish show- it’s not a party. It’s an emotional thing- Neil takes you an emotional rollercoaster that’s quite exhilarating. Neil wants you to listen- enjoy the music and applaud when the song is over- not yell and scream and call out songs the whole time, especially at a solo acoustic thing. Neil is never one to tip-toe around a subject and this is just him being himself. Right on Neil!
Who cares if neil hates you, I'm starting to wonder about you myself. Just kidding, lets talk about the tour here, please post if you have any info Dug
A Solo tour, great! a nice European leg would be good and it would be economical, just one man and a guitar, well ok 10 guitars...
Homesick, didn't see where you posted the whole thing, but it does sound like something Young would say! By the way, he never said he hated the audience. I would feel a little uneasy if he was up there singing hating us all. He said he hated looking at the crowd, and the hand waving and whistle blowing too I'd imagine. During the 07' tour in Boston, at the Orpheum, the crowd was mostly cool and didn't yell out too much while he was playing. That's just a silly thing to do really and it seems to happen quite a bit with these small shows. Anyway, I'm jazzed about the two nights at the Ryman.
Sam, I posted the link to the Rust list earlier today.
So Concert Promoter extraordinaire Jimmy Koplik was on my local classic Rock station this morning answering questions from listeners asking about upcoming shows and bands- touring info. So I said "what the hell?", and tried calling in. I told the call screener that I wanted to ask about Neil Young- so while on hold the DJ asked the question for me and Jimmy (the promoter) answered "Actually, Neil is going out on a solo acoustic tour this spring and we're bringing him to the Oakdale in Wallingford, in May- tickets go on sale this weekend" So I was ecstatic- but my question was answered so I hung up. So with the minute or so delay I listened to this question and response again only after Jimmy answered the DJ tried to go to me and all you heard was me yelling "AAALLLLL RRIIIGGGGHHHHHTT! and hang up. The DJ says "the last thing I heard was alright! Then I think he fell on the floor" Haha. Hopefully he wasnt going to offer me free tickets but oh well. This is a great time to be a Neil fan! A solo acoustic tour is greatest! I LOVE Crazy Horse but Neil acoustic is something entirely different. Is it just me that gets thrilled every-time Neil comes around? The anticipation, the getting tickets, the waiting? The greatest part is that Neil never disappoints- I've been let down by other live acts (believe me!) but Neil always gives 110%. Never-ever is it like seeing a retro, old-fogey act. I hope they officially announce all the shows soon. Really, try not to let bitterness, resentment, etc. get in your way. If you don't go you'll regret it and you'll miss out on a fantastic concert. If you can afford it, go!
Rock on NEIL!
Ed: A Neil Young Solo Tour
Karnack: (ffffftt) What is to expect sold out theatres with the setlist comprising many standard and classic tunes with several unrecorded songs being played to audiences as a rehersal before entering the studio for final release recording of a new album as a reprise of the Harvest Moon tour as predicated by the out of order release of Dreaming Man as part of the performance series of Archival Releases.
Ed:And you know this how?
Karnack: A beautiful bluebird told me
It's confirmed, Neil will be performing at Shea's Performing Theater in Buffalo N.Y. on 5/19/2010. I've been checking the website every day and it was posted late last night. I called at 9AM this morning and tickets go on sale at the box office at 10.AM on 4/10/2010. This is great news because my wife might be able to go with me. We had front row seats there for the Chrome Dreams Tour on 11/30/07. If I can get 3rd row or better Buffalo seats I will list my Louisville 3rd row PIT seat on eBay. I will sell it for just what it cost me. Watch for it. My eBay user ID is Tuned4life.
Quite sad to read Neil's comment about hating his audience. He didn't just call out on hecklers etc, he was making a generalization. Listening to Massey Hall or other gigs I hear an artist who enjoys sharing his music with his audience... Neil's stories, his jokes, don't tell me that's an artist who hates his audience telling these. He sounds really bitter right now, and if you don't like your audience you shouldn't do a tour playing huge venues and festivals really.
His music is still awesome, but up til now I always thought of Neil as a nice guy. Lately he seems more of an ass, and I don't really see how some of you can still defend his person?
Sam: "Homesick, didn't see where you posted the whole thing, but it does sound like something Young would say! By the way, he never said he hated the audience. " N.Y.: Yeah, but generally we hate the fucking audience. They disturb the whole thing.
How much clearer can he be really?
I saw the Shocking Pinks tour. Neil can hate the audience. And I love that.
-Jim
Just found out today that Neil is playing Sheas in Buffalo on May 12. Tix on sale in a couple weeks so it looks like he's hitting the North also. Probably stopping by Toronto also since he doesn't pass up the old homestead. Cannnot wait!! Oh yeah prices are 149 - 90 -and 70 or close to that.
date for oakdale may 23rd?
tuned4life:
Buffalo show at Shea's theatre annouced for 5/19/10
see ya there
SONY
Yes, Oakdale on May 23rd
Message for Neil Young from MissVanGogh; Dear Mr. Young, This is being sent to show the interest of having you play in the Kansas City area for a benefit to working with people with TBI/Epilepsy. A focus group was started over four years ago in Lawrence, Kansas after seizures started and cars were wrecked. As an art teacher, there were restrictions placed in school districts and things to accept about judgement made by the educated. Even people with disabilities get fired and not even accepted to do volunteer work at the hospital as an art therapist. My TBI/Epilepsy Focus Group meets monthly at the library and I do not have anything to work with in the budget. If you would consider bringing your talent and music to the mid-west, it would be a step towards education in society about the tbi/epileptic culture. There is such a great range of talent, intelligence, and beauty with everyone who has to accept this on a daily basis. The focus group is epsugroup@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you in the future!
Well I first saw Neil Young in 1974 in London at the Hammersmith Odeon. Now 36 year later I have tickets for his show at the Ryman in Nashville a dream come true. I ve got nothing to lose, I cant get back again....a line from Love In Mind. Please go and visit my websit www.midnight2dawn.com where i have found moments that have realyy moved me and there are alot of Neil Young. Nick Burrin. uk
Here's a snippet, for all the fanboys in the front row, from the current New Yorker: "(In the film, a camera mounted on the drums captures Young as he plays the last, distorted notes of a long jam in “No Hidden Path.” Behind him, in the front row, members of the audience look as though they had been robbed of their belongings in the main plaza of a foreign city. Demme has said in the past that he believes no concert film should ever include shots of the audience.)
J.D.: As long as there is a musician in the foreground, it’s O.K. to show the audience.
N.Y.: Yeah, but generally we hate the fucking audience. They disturb the whole thing. (On the laptop screen, Young waves his arms back and forth in the air, in the manner of an enthusiastic concertgoer.) They’ve got people who do that. They have people who wave their hands back and forth in the background. That’s what they do. It doesn’t matter what the music is. It’s a way to make a living, I guess. (Demme looks up at the clock and exchanges a glance with an assistant.) I remember we did a tour, and they had these cranes out in the audience, flying around, casting cones of light down on the audience, so that everyone in the audience had these halos on their heads. I walked out onstage and said to myself, “This is fucked up. I might not even play. This is so wrong.” All night long I was thinking, Why do I have to see people? I’ve never seen them before. I hate looking at them."
Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2010/04/05/100405ta_talk_paumgarten#ixzz0k4dFPqPc
Friends, Saw this on the Oakdale Theatre site:
ANNOUNCEMENT: Neil Young at Toyota Presents Oakdale on 5/23 in a solo acoustic show! Tickets on sale Monday, 4/8 at Livenation.com!
While dreaming about going to the Ryman shows, discovered that $100 tickets are still available for both shows, amazing...
Dan
After the Chrome Dreams show at Oakdale, swore I would not go back there. The crowd yakked and blathered and acted like jerks thru out the whole show. Even during the electric set, it was depressing... Neil commented about it, and sort of dissed the venue too. So, how about United Palace again?
N.Y.: Yeah, but generally we hate the fucking audience. They disturb the whole thing.
When reading the interview I took this quote to mean 'we' being Demme and Young, hate the audience (shots) in concert films. I was thinking about it last night while watching the Elvis Costello show with Bono and The Edge. The shots of the audience were distracting and odd as if they had been edited out of sequence. Even worse were the squirm inducing shots of people laughing, clapping, nodding much too enthusiastically as if they has been coached. So I agree with Neil and Jonathan I hate seeing the audience too. All that waving around.
The problem is that Monday- 4/8 is not Monday- the 8th is Thursday- so which is it?
New Dates Just Announced:
Neil Young's Twisted Road tour dates are as follows: Tue May 18 Palace Theatre Albany, NY Wed May 19 Shea's Performing Arts Center Buffalo, NY Fri May 21 Hanover Theatre Worcester, MA Sun May 23 Oakdale Theatre Wallingford, CT Mon May 24 Constitution Hall Washington, DC Wed May 26 Palace Theatre Louisville, KY Thu May 27 Knoxville Civic Auditorium Knoxville, TN Sat May 29 Fox Theatre Atlanta, GA Sun May 30 Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium Spartanburg, SC Tue June 1 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Wed June 2 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Fri June 4 Jones Hall Houston, TX Sat June 5 Bass Performance Hall Austin, TX Mon June 7 Meyerson Symphony Center Dallas, TX
Still no Florida dates, so glad for Atlanta and Spartanburg!
Peace and love, Ron Love And Only Love
Does anybody know when the tix for Constitution Hall go on sale?
Keep Rockin'! -Jim
Got 2 tix for Knoxville. 8th row center. Should be a great night. 2500 seat venue with Neil. Haven't been this excited about a concert since Johnny Clegg in WPB or Lorenna McKennitt at the Tennessee Theater!
Has anyone heard about possible dates in PA (Philly, Hershey)?
Ronnie and Neil: Laying to Rest the "Feud Myth" Once and for All
I think that Neil Young pre-judged a whole group of people and Skynard called him out. I think Neil saw the error of his ways and he and Ronnie became friends. I grew up in South Mississippi in the early Seventies and loved Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynrd. I saw Neil Young play Powderfinger at the 1982 World's Fair in an open air ampitheater set on the banks of the Mississippi River. After turning around to face the river Neil started jamming to the Riverboat 'Delta Queen' with it's passengers pouring over the balcony and decks to get a look and listen. It was a magical moment. After he finished, the crowd showed their approval and then Neil said 'I thought you didn't like me down here?' The crowd went nuts! I guess the moral to my story is that prejudice is never good even if you're not from the South. Long live Dixie!
Neil Young is actually a big fan of "Sweet Home Alabama". He actually said that in an interview, although unfortunately I can't cite a source.
The song isn't a redneck anthem. The guys aren't even from Alabama, they're from Jacksonville, Florida, or maybe Georgia, or something.
The song is about white hypocrisy.
The jab at Neil Young, who is Canadian, was intended to highlight the sort of posturing that people like me (I live near Boston), have to the South. We assume that we are innocent of the rampant racism in our country. This in spite of the fact that Boston is one of the most segregated and racist cities in the country.
The song picked on Young's "Southern Man", because Canada never had slavery or a civil war, or anything (although Canada has other issues), and they were wondering why he was lecturing to them.
That's why Neil Young realized the brilliance of the song, and it's much deeper social message.
Boy, I feel like a pretentious boob, but that's the fact.
Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynrd have never been afraid to stick their necks out. They both rule.
Growing up in west virginia, I do understand certain things about the sountern white mentality. I used to be for the confederate flag, because although to some it represented slavery, I think its meaning today represents the southern white culture in general, not necessarily that part dealing with slavery and racism. Just like african americans like the malcom X, the white southerners feel like their voices are being muzzled, and they use the flag as a representation of southern america. There are certain groups of white people in this country who are in really dire situations, and having some pride in themselves can motivate them to do better. That doesnt mean taking it too far, but as a person of color, I can conceed that the southern flag is not always a symbol of racism. I guess people can say that about the swastika, but then native americans can have objections to the american flag as well, so its complicated.
I can't begin to understand the complexities of racism in America's south...christ, here in Ozz we've got our own brand of racism that still holds strong today..only problem is our settled country by white man is not much over 200 yrs old!(the aborigines of our country go back thousands of years!)
As for the Ronnie/Neil "feud"..I always felt it was a misinterpreted 'storm in a tea cup' and like all other rumour and innuendo, Neil and Ronnie just let it ride and sat back and chuckled about it.
Knowing Neil, do you really think he could give 2 hoots about it? He'd love all this analytical,cryptic, hidden meaning analogy, bullshit... just like all the other critical analysis of his songs..powderfinger being the most written and contentious.
Yeah, I know all about hypocrisy and being misinterpreted. lol
luv doc
I've heard both "Southern Man" and "Sweet Home Alabama." I'm also from Alabama and in my line of work I've traveled all over this state. Family's been here for generations. I can agree that all of us white southerners aren't racists redneck people, but sadly the majority of us are. We just don't say nothing or probably don't get around the state much to see what going on. People can sing "Sweet Home Alabama" til they turn red in the face, but I'd like to see Ronnie Van Zant and a black person go through towns like Athens, Hartselle, Higdon, Prattville, Valley Head, Wilmer, Millbrook, Canton, Montrose, Trussville, Garden City, Northport, Fultondale, Tuscumbia, Leeds, Montavello, Huntsville, and then come back alive to tell everybody about this "Sweet Home Alabama" I'm livin in. I will guarantee you that there are white supremists groups in these towns. Today they still hold their ralleys and there are alot of people there. I like both lynyrd skynyrd and neil young, but i don't have to lie about what's going on in my state let alon the south.
I love your version of revisionist history, which is the only way that liberals can claim the fight for civil rights as their own. As George Wallace was a democrat, so was Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)who completed a 14 hr address opposing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with other Democrats in their attempt to filibuster the legislation. Guess who else opposed the Civil Rights Act? Albert Gore,Sr.(D-TN) none other than former VP Al Gore the junior's daddy.
Democrats f#$king filibustered the Civil Rights Act!
So Republicans and conservatives aren't for civil rights eh? Who put an end to slavery then? Was it a democrat? No it was republican President Abraham Lincoln who also had one of the first Republicans as his advisor, none other than Frederick Douglass who was one of the foremost leaders of the abolitionist movement. He eagerly attended the founding meeting of the republican party in 1854 and campaigned for its nominees. IF that wasn't proof enough I mean you have Martin Luther King, Jr. himself who was a registered Republican, who we honor today with Martin Luther King day, man we better thank the democrat that passed that into law! Oh wait it was Ronald Reagan that passed MLK day into law, I guess you liberals and democrats fail there too. Why don't you educate yourself, instead of spouting your revisionist history, about who really has done more for the civil rights cause.
Thrasher, I know exactly what you're talking about. I live in Jacksonville and the ignorance of the people here as to the real story of friendship and respect Ronnie and Neil and their bands had for one another is amazing. The truth about them has been out for decades and yet the misperception persists. I've told people the reality of the story so many times to the point of just realizing, that for some (many), the facts just don't matter. They just want to hang on to their petty criticisms and resentment of Neil Young because they're too fucking stupid, narrow minded, and hard hearted to recognise and appreciate the greatness of his talent and accomplishments. I just pray to God that he works things out that I can go see Neil this December in either Philly or New York City.
Ronnie was simply trying to remind people that there were still a lot of good people in Alabama. Neil was simply trying to remind people that there was still some bad shit going on in the South. I think the two respected each other's music and Neil was honored to be in Skynyrd's song. They were both smart enough not to take anything personally.
I remember that back in the late 70's or early 80's in Harrisonburg High School there was a convocation of the whole student body. A couple of students unfurled a Confederate flag and shouted out Lynyrd Skynyrd's name. Some conflict between students of different races broke out in the high school that day. I came to school that day and and signed my daughter out of classes for her safety.
Hawkins, well stated.
Irrespective of the debate over the song, the irony (if there ever was any) of "Sweet Home" was utterly lost on 99% of LS fans/Southerners. It is a response song and that's that.
No one has mentioned that the remaining Skynyrd members are hard core right-wing redneck assholes, not gentle hippies. I don't believe they have been anything but that in their lifetimes.
And "Voice of Reason," that's some nice FAILED cherry picking of factoids you did there.
Everyone with a brain knows the old Bourbon Southern Democrats have been GOP voters and officeholders since LBJ manned up and got the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts passed in the mid 1960s.
The poorest of the poor states are the deepest Red of the Red states.
And as far as the Stars & Bars, it is a symbol of treason in defense of slavery. Anyone who claims it's about heritage is sadly deluded or a fucking liar.
"Sweet Home Alabama" is no more racist than Southern culture itself, which is, in my opinion, inherently racist. But, objectively, Sweet Home Alabama is little more than a song of harmless nationalistic pride. However, the true issue is the reaction of the Southern culture in the context of the song, hence the inherent racism injected into the song's interpretation. I don't enjoy it, since I think it's white trash crap, but, in reference to the Skynyrd/Young "dispute", I don't like Young either. :)
Without trying to sound like some sort of pretentious bore, can't one interpret "Sweet Home Alabama" from another angle such that Ronnie Van Zant was very deftly bashing the rednecks without them knowing it?
"does your conscience bother you, tell the truth?" as in, Wake up - it ought to!
"In alabama they love the governor.." yeah right, like who could love ol' George Wallace
and the famous line about Neil, "I heard ol' Neil put her down; well I hope Neil Young will remember, a southern Man don't need him around anyhow" Yes, and Neil doesn't need southern rednecks either...
anyway, it's a stretch, but since they were friends I kind of think the whole thing was an inside joke between them.
Come to think of it, this isn't pretentious, but rather obvious and probably observed many times before... -jim
Since I'm from Alabama, I "may" have some insight concerning why Neil wrote the song for Ronnie, and "some" of the meaning(s) that I can glean.
My husband and I travel the world to see Neil, since he doesn't like to visit "Dixie" -- whatever! :-)
My husband was somewhere in New England years ago to see Phish, and he yelled for them to sing, "Freebird". Most called him a redneck in the audience; however, it was a blistering cover according to Robert.
Later,
"ChromeHeartShiningInTheSun"
A Southern Man is a man not tragically unlike anyone else.
However, it is vital that no one forget the troubles of their local places, the issues that we forget as they do not particular apply to our own lives, but those nearest us. "Southern Man" was a song that needed to be written, and definietley not an attack on a man because he is southern. "Sweet Home Alabama" is an otherwise quite enjoyable tune, but was written with an unnecessary, innapropriate bias and attitude of ignorance. It could have been a much better song, in my opinion, if it has neglected the ideals of beligerence and inconsideration that plague southern culture stereotypes, and been more concerned with the real good times that we all have in some of the most hospitalable southern locals of the U.S., despite their political sufferings.
A well thought out and written post, Mr Thrasher.
Not to put a damp towel on it or anything, but this feud only exists in the minds of fans, reviewers and those who enjoy speculating about it.
I believe the interview that one of you refers to was an old Rockline radio interview.
You scholars of Neil may have bootleg recording from the late 70's when Neil breaks into "Sweet Home Alabama" during a performance of "Alabama".
Sugarmt would know how to find this.
-Archives Guy
I call b.s. on LS's 'Sweet Home Alabama' being 'ironic'.
That is 30 years of wishful thinking.
These guys are/were 'proud' self defined rednecks. Pick up trucks, Confederate flags, the works. And the works include embracing the humiliation of AA.
Point to one song that suggests an empathy to the Black experience. Just one. It isn't there.
DBT, on the other hand, are brilliant. Neil's SM & Alabama are genius. 'How long, how long...?'
Time to move on...
I would say there was more of a mutual admiration between Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young then there was a close buddy buddy type of thing. Both Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young have a country sound to them, and wrote great sounding songs. I just think that Neil Young takes himself more seriously than Lynyrd Skynyrd does, and this would make it hard for some people to get the irony of their admiration for each other. I grew up in the south at the same time the guys from Lynyrd Skynyrd did, so it was easy for me to relate to the common sense lyrics the band would sing. I remember seeing them in concert in 1975. It is hard for people from the north to understand what a person from the south sees when he looks at the Confederate flag. A man from the south does not see racism, but he sees his family, friends, the pond he used to go fishing in as a boy, the corner he hung out on with his Bro's when he was teenager, his first pick-up truck, or his first girl friend. Believe me, hating black people is not the first thing that comes to a southern mans mind when he sees the Confederate flag.
For history as argument, since we lost the band in a plane accident, we have just lost a source which is possibly bias towards the accusations of racism in their song. Lyrics are lyrics. I don't think they really meant anything in them, but so many people want to get on the band, analyzing every little word just so they can extract evidence that Lynard Skynard implied "racist" intent. By all means, this is definitely a Southern song and the way it was written seems to put some people in a certain disposition where they think most Southerners are inherent racists. Some are proud to wave the Confederate flag, but to what purpose? Do they "like" that their grand daddies were rRebels? I mean its fine i guess if they don't mean anything bad to it. Thinking of this whole song flaring up racial conflict, I read this piece of literature for English last year explaining this whole concept of an exchange of racism. We (well I'm not white) brought down the Africans to our servitude which leaves an entire dark legacy branded upon this country. Becuase of that prejudice did some African americans during and after the civil rights movement made "power moves" by taking advantage of their history and the white man's previous prejudice. This occurs even in contemporary society. "We were slaves, brought down by the whites. Feel sympathy" and so in some of us in our "reformed" minds give in to this "oh well we're sorry we feel guilty" crap. Its all a vicious cycle which makes it seem like its all the white man's fault. (Yeah Tueting, something to add to the 'Evil White Man' theory) Anyways, going off subject to branch off from the original 'History is Argument", that should supplement my comment (hopefully). I think there is some kind of "counter" prejudice (fight fire with fire) involved in this dispute of Lynard Skynard. People still want to try to find evidence against Lynard Skynard's claims thinking that the band implied racism. It could be. The whole "power move" thing may have pushed the band into a state of "guilt", but what is a missing but crucial piece of evidence is what was going on in the writers head at the time of creating the song. There was less Civil Rights activity and America was in a different mindframe of nationalism. The fog of history remains, and there is only so much evidence, most inherently biased. Or is all of history really biased to some degree or another?
I love the band lynrd skynryd,,they just knew how to write awesome lyrics and how to make u feel those lyrics..im from the south,,and one thing i need to say..northern people do not have the same sense of pride like a southern ..that includes the love and pride southern folks have for our confedrate flag..it is a shame that was taking down in some states because of the black card being played..i think it is a crime to take something as simple as a flag (which by the way was part of american history just like the us flag)it was a symbol of us winning freedom of our own ..and now of course we cant have it out in public because god forbid a african american gets offended..well im telling you alot of white people are getting offended by what is being done to us..but it is okay we are supose to take it..as long as the old melting pot is running over with illegal imagrants..protesting while they hold the flag of their choice..Mexico..and yet we are suppose to feed and clothed these people...and which we do graciously because we are southern folk..but come on people wake the fuck up america needs to be america..let them wave their flag on their own soil ..and lets us wave ours..i personally fly the texas rebel and american flag..helloo...we do have rights...though anymore it feels like the white race doesnt..and no i do not believe in the kkk.but anyways..lyrnyd skynyrd was one of the best..and i think the song made alot of southerns proud again and no one should take away from the fact that they had enough courage to put into a song something they founnd unjust and made people see more clearly ...but thanks to our forefathers we all have a right to freedom of speech...and thank god these boys were able to sing what they feltand what they new!!..ps..wish other people would realize this song is not about their home state.just what it is a response song to neil young..lol thanks for letting me unload all of this..on hoever is going to read this..btw..one more thing.i think next time all the hispanics start rioting and waving their mexican flag some southerns should get off their asses and wave right back the a true american flag the confedrate...which by the way in florida schools they are not allowed to wear or show anything with the confederate flag but hispanics can wear their flags and cubans can display theirs and haitians can theirs.thanks for ur time
lynn
awesome shot of Ronnie. Long live skynyrd!
Wow. This one brought out all the intellectuals...even DOC!
1) The song(Sweet Home Alabama)can be debated for all time. That makes it a great song. 2) Lynyrd Skynyrd and Crazy Horse (Neil does prefer to be considered with his band) are perfect compliments to each other and encountered, and wrote about, many of the same items of those times, politics, needles, etc. 3) I'm glad Ronnie and Neil connected and I'm sure they are too. They are (Ronnie in spirit) both quality, awesome individuals. 4) I love Ronnie like the little bro I've never had and in a crazy way am glad that he chose my 13th birthday to exit this world. I do miss his words terribly and wish him well on his new journey. Hoka Hey Ronnie.
Lee
My family has been in Texas since the early 1800's, yes, before Texas was annexed. I am a huge fan of both Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd. I am also a huge fan of the song "Southern Man". Yes, it is stereotypical, but stereotypes come from truth. I hate to admit it, but many southerners, including myself, are racist. However, we have learned to not show it in public. Also, the Confederacy has nothing to do with slavery. If you think it does, you must have failed your U.S. History class. It was about state's rights. Lincoln didn't even think about abolishing slavery until the end of the Civil War(check out the dates of the Emancipation Proclamation). So any yankees that think a rebel flag means racism, wake up. I doesn't. I love both these artists, and I truly believe that they were friends. If there was any feud, it was a friendly one.
Hey, can we agree on one thing? Skynard wasn't racist. Never. As for the lyrics "In Birmingham they love the governor." Note "THEY", it's not "WE".
Y'all should hear Ballad of Curtis Loew, you'll realize that Skynard wasn't a bunch of racists but a kick-ass band.
It's just a song for gawd's sake!!
give me a break
well you can't really argue that southern rock is racist. you can argue that lynyrd skynyrd is racist. but southern rock as a whole can not be considered racist. think about it. who was the second biggest southern rock band behind lynyrd skynyrd? the allman brothers. the allman brothers had 2 black members. little feet did also. billy gibbons of zz top said he never liked any white music at all until he heard the beatles. and about neil young. the dissing of southern man probably wasn't attacking anti-racism, but just a response to the lyrics of southern man, which, while the attack on racism was good, were extremely offensive to southerners, not just racists. it attacked the south pretty directly, and many southerners probably viewed it as an outsider (a canadian) talking about something they thought he didnt know about. and as for dissing neil young, skynyrd were still huge neil young fans, and neil young liked lynyrd skynyrd. i've heard neil young and ronnie van zant had talked about touring together before the crash, and legend has it that ronnie was buried in his neil young tshirt. and by the way yall, it's L-Y-N-Y-R-D S-K-Y-N-Y-R-D
J.T. Jester
All I know for sure is that I would pay a TON of money for Van Zant's t-shirt.
Skynyrd is as American as you can get. Their music will be listened to 100 yrs from now. I'm 51 and have 4 boys that range from 13 to 31 and I can tell you I had nothing to do with it but they discovered LS and can't get enough of them. They are right "southern man don't need him around".
I guess my main comment about Sweet Home Alabama is the line, "A Southern Man don't need him around, anyhow". I think this pretty accurately represents the attitude a lot of Southerners have towards outsiders - the reason the Confederate Battle Flag is so important to many isn't the race angle. I think it's the reminder of a time when Southerners were stomped upon. And the Reconstruction was little more than that. Whether Southern policies are right or wrong, anytime you try to force us to do something, we go stubborn. With the shift Southward of aging, retired "Yankees", some of us feel as if the South is being invaded, and the old attitude of "leave us be" is still felt. As many bumper stickers in my neck of the woods say, "We don't care how you did things up North" and "If the North is so great, why don't you go back". This is the attitude that was echoed in "Sweet Home Alabama".
I have no doubt that had Skynyrd survived that Neil would have collaborated with the group, much as Young did with Pearl Jam. Van Zant was no more a racist than Neil was a scold. Just look at "Mister Saturday Night Special" to know within that Southern rocker lived a thoughful, questioning man with a wicked sense of humor.
As for Neil, remember that Hey, Hey, My, My was written shortly after the plane crash and consider the line, "Hey hey my my, rock and roll will never die, There's more to the picture than meets the eye."
Any guesses who that was written for?
Ronnie and Neil were not friends but merely aquainted through their music. I don't believe that there is any knowledge of them ever speaking to one another let alone ever having met in person.It has been well documented,however, that there was a mutual admiration of each others music. Probably more so of Ronnie towards Neil. Just the fact that he gave Neil the 'nod' in S.H.A. was his ironic way to express it although it used to make me cringe whenever I listened to the live version and heard the audiences reaction and approval. I think the Skynard fans took it far more serious than Ronnie had anticipated but by then he kinda ran with it. Neil has said that for a few years he couldn't perform in some southern states because of death threats. Such is the duallity of the southern thang! It has been documented, however, that shortly after Ronnies death his grave was desecrated by some individuals who attempted to dig ol Ronnie up to see whether or not he was buried in his 'Tonights The Night' T-Shirt. As a result, his widow had him moved to another undisclosed location.
I have no idea why anyone would think that Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" would be racist. If anyone would do their research before making a comment they would know that Ronnie and Neil were very good friends. Skynyrd was trying to be funny when the song "Sweet Home Alabama" was written. They were not trying to poke fun at Neil, at Alabama, or at any race. It is just a fun song. If you will watch "Freebird-The Movie" you will see a picture of Ronnie and Neil together and they also played at some festival or concert where Neil Young was there. This song has been taken and totally switched around from its actual meaning. If anyone done their research before making comments of Ronnie and Skynyrd you would know that none of the members are racist...they love ALL people and they wrote songs for the people! Their song "Give Me Back My Bullets" can easliy be mistaken however if you do your research you would know that they were talking about the "Bullets" that appeared next to songs on the song charts (Top 100 songs, Top 40 songs, etc.) Also, their song "Saturday Night Special" could be mistaken for a song that is supporting people killing people with guns but again if you do your research you would know that he is talking about Gun Control..."Hand guns are made for killin' Ain't no good for nothin' else And if you like your whiskey You might even shoot yourself So why don't we dump 'em people to the bottome of the sea Before some fool comes around here Wanna shoot either you or me...." So you see it is easy to mistake someones music for something that they totally do not mean. Skynyrd is know for the start of the Revolution of "Southern Rock" along with The Allman Brothers. Without Skynyrd or the Allman Brothers country music would not be where it is today. If you ask any Country Musician or any Rock n Roll Musician I bet you they will either list Skynyrd or the Allman Brothers as a group that they listened to when they were young and that they inspired them to become a musician. I dare any of you to go to a Skynyrd concert. When you get there take a good look around....and I bet you will see generations of people gathered around to support a group that has been around for Thirty Years, who have overcome the most tragic situtations that would tear an average mucisian apart. You will see a group that could still out preform any group, band, or artist....and I am talking about men who are not young chicks anymore. These men will go down as one of the greatest band EVER. Ronnie Van Zant died toooo soon, but the greatest people ALWAYS die young. People thought that the plane crash in Oct of 77 would be the end....and it was....it was the end of one chapter in their lives....and ten years later....it was the beginning of a new chapter when Johnnie came it and took his older brothers spot. After 30 Years Skynyrd is still preforming for "The People" which was Ronnie's dream. So, I urge you to do your research before you put Skynyrd down.
ly-NY-rd sky-NY-rd
Because Sound Matters
This is a fascinating subject because it lends itself to so much interpretation. It’s a huge conversation which even a book size treatment could hardly cover, let alone a blog. It’s a question of historical perspective, which unfortunately very nearly always is subject to misinterpretation. As Brian says: “The fog of history remains, and there is only so much evidence, most inherently biased. Or is all of history really biased to some degree or another?” For better or worse, it comes down to how different people interact with facts based on their circumstances, and might be as simple as whose on whose side. For me the facts are relatively straight forward: Neil tapped into the race consciousness and gave expression to the moral nightmare of slavery (I saw cotton, and I saw black), and by implication the continuance of what made it possible which lived on beyond abolition (How long, how long). While this historical impression is accurate in and of itself, it does not tell the whole story. Not all southerners can be lumped together, even in the face of deeply rooted prejudice, and Ronnie and the boys rightly pointed it out. But ultimately, as Christian stated:
“Ronnie was simply trying to remind people that there were still a lot of good people in Alabama. Neil was simply trying to remind people that there was still some bad shit going on in the South. I think the two respected each other's music and Neil was honored to be in Skynyrd's song. They were both smart enough not to take anything personally.
The only thing left to consider is how people have responded to the song, and what meaning they give to it based on perspective. Just read what people have written. It comes down to point of view. Like any song, it means different things to different people. But what a great chance a conversation like this gives us to learn from it all, if and when anyone wants to look beyond their preconceived notions. I’m guessing it wasn’t Neil or Ronnie’s intention, but if in the end people would learn from it all, I bet they would be good with it.
Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
Oh please, someone make them stop! Walk On & My My, Hey Hey lyrics referring to Lynyrd Skynyrd? Are you guys serious? In regard to Walk On, maybe you should have a look back at where Neil was at in 1973, and how his live performances had been received, and the kind of press he was getting. And MMHH? You don't think maybe he was reminding us that the recent punk rock movement wasn't going to kill rock & roll, and in fact was just another form of it - "more to the picture than meets the eye" indeed...
Let Them Guitars Blast For Ronnie and Neil!
Bottom line is that all Rusties should listen to the Driveby Truckers because they are great and write songs like "Ronnie and Neil" which make us think about this kind of sh*t, love Neil, sound like the Horse and are one of the best bands around these days.
mikey
I want to start by saying that I have no smear agenda against the fine folks down in Alabama. There is historical precedent for retelling only the parts of any story that serve the storyteller's ends. Popular songs are the new oral tradition. Seems to me that this song, sans 'that verse', has become a favorite of the favorite sons of Alabama, be they black or white or any other skin-tone, to tout all that is good, in their eyes, about their home state. But who's the propaganda puppeteer? My money's on George Wallace's ghost...Like Tom Sawyer said, "Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?” Perhaps, some day in the not so distant future, 'Sweet Home Alabama' will replace 'Alabama' (not Neil's song, but the official state song since 1931 with words by Julia S. Tutwiler) as the designated 'state song' of Alabama, the controversial verse wiped from any and all official state mentionings. I can only guess that, whenever the rare public moment occurs that he performs this song, as Neil sings 'that verse' he has a gleam in his eyes and a grin on his face; simultaneously icon and iconoclast.
Wow, this certainly is a great thread.
Greg M. - I agree, you could write a book, A Political History of the Northern and Southern U.S. using Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd as the catalyst.
--
Really, so many issues come out when you start looking into this stuff. Like an onion, you just keep stripping layers away, and attitudes that seem like one thing morph into something else the further you get. People are much more complex than they're given credit for being.
It's interesting to examine the thought processes of both white Southerners and 'liberal' Northerners, and how they both misunderstand each other, and are often lumped into single, simplistic categories by people who oppose them.
On the flip-side, you can also accuse someone of generalizing who is just using a literary generalization to analogize a certain group of people.
For instance, with regard to Southern Man -
People accuse Neil of "generalizing", but I think that calling it generalizing is just a way to discredit Neil.
You could say he's referring to all Southern Men, but that isn't really true in a literary sense -
'Southern Man' in the context of this song means anyone who is a backward, redneck racist.
So, while on the surface you can accuse Neil of referring to "all southerners", I never interpreted it that way.
I've always thought the "generalization" was really only aimed at backward people, and not necessarily even those in the South.
Neil was using the Southern Man as an analogy for all racists everywhere.
That's my take anyway.
Great discussion going here.
This is an interesting blog topic.
This is one of the best, if not THE best, Southern Rock songs of all time. Certainly, at face value, the song can be taken as racist, but dig a little deaper, and you'll see that Lynyrd Skynyrd was NOT a racist band. As other bloggers point out, the song "The Ballad of Curtis Lowe" is a tribute to a black blues musician. In my view, the message of "SHA" is thus...."Yes, America, the South has a history of racism, but we still love our home and we don't appreciate you guys up North preaching to us. All people down here are not racist, just as all Northerners are not racism-free. You fix your problems, and we'll fix ours, so mind your own business, (Mr. Young).
BTW, I'll further add that classifying "SHA" as a conservative or liberal song misses the point. I imagine if you asked Ronnie Van Zant if he was a conservative or a liberal, he would quickly retort. "Man, what are you talking about? I'm a Southerner and an American, and a singer. Keep those labels for yourself.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd band was and always will be one of the best bands the Lord ever created. Those people who are mispelling the name or saying 'he' was a racist need to become a bit more educated about the band. As anonymous states Ronnie Van Zant and the other members of Skynyrd were proud to be Americans, from the south and just wanted to play some of the best music ever composed.
That song brings up so much controversy because it is a rebel song. it rebels what everyone is saposed to think. It fits with the rebel flag. lynyrd skynyrd is a rebel band. i personally beleive that they were having fun when they wrote the song, and i will continue listening to it till the day i die
"Sweet Home Alabama" was Van Zant's response to much going on culturally and politically at the time. The Neil Young reference was in response to Young's "Southern Man" which many felt unfairly painted southerners with a broad brush. Thus the lines "I heard Neil Young sing about her, I heard 'ol Neil put her down, I hope Neil Young will remember, A southern man don't need him around anyhow." The south and Alabama in particular has long been a whipping boy of the cultural elite. This has resulted in a "leave us the hell alone" mentality reflected in this song. I believe racism had absolutely no bearing in this song's concept but rather the lines about Watergate and the governer were simply statements that "in Birmingham they love the governor" as opposed to the mess the federal government had become at the time. The rest of the song is simply a celebration of the state and family and the feeling that there were and are "good people in Alabama" as Van Zant is heard to say in the song's live version. Of course, the unforgettable guitar riffs didn't hurt the song and came to symbolize the southern rock genre of the time.
I was a teenager when that song came out. And for some people to go on about this and that about this song is insane. I lived in both the north and south before I graduated high school. I was somewhat of an outsider in either place. I had enough northern accent to be called a "Yankee" in the south. I had enough southern accent to be called a hick up north. To understand the love of the stars and bars, one has to be from the south. And to understand SHA, one needs to be from the south. It also helps if you were there during the late 60's and 70's. The song is just an expression of "be it not perfect, it is still my home". I'm sure if you asked the band members, they would tell you that having long hair during those days seperated you from the "rednecks" or "goat ropers". So, the song may now be considered "redneck", but it didn't start that way. Where do you think the term "redneck" comes from anyway?
bunch of liberal idiots-over educated idiots-unlike the under educated moron that is neil young and his no talent shit voice, and lack of rythm. you people make me laugh. keep up the liberal comedy!!!
lol @ Anon 3/10 12:00:00 ... stupid people are often the most filled with hate, now aren't they? Oooooh, watch out for the evil, scary Educated and Compassionate folk! Aaaaah, git yer guns 'n' run fer the hills! The smart folks're comin'!
listen to skynyrds live album. during sweet home alabama ronnie says i want to thank mr young truly i do! this so called fued is someones fantasy!
Southern People has this "pride" shit masked as aggression and angst that they wish us "outsiders" would just fuck off and just blow away.
Remember you all gots the best "educational" system in the country...let alone the world!!!!
I mean its ranked the worst with only one count em one college (UT Knoxville) ranking in the top 50 in the whole dame NESW sectors!!!!
And dig...where did Mr. Young at all "reference" any ONE particular NAME including THOU-ART-BLESSED RONNIE V anywhere at'll in "Southern Man!!!???"
Nope...the Van Z quirks of quark strangeness and charm is de ones who abet take thyselves overtly serious!!! OOOPPPSSS-he's mental
A lot of ya'll's still live as if LESTER MADDOX ROSS BARNETT BULL O'CONNOR AND THE SHITFACED DITIZEN'S COUNCIL NEVER UP AND DIED!!!
...WHAT'S THAT ON YOU SHOULDER...ITS YOUR HEAD...IS THAT THE ROOT OF ALL YOUR PROBLEMS...WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU...ITS NONE OF YOUR DEVIL DAMNING BUSINESS.....
Whoever wrote this dissertation started out with a pre-supposition that is completely wrong. The line "in Birmingham they love the Governor" was written tounge in cheek. Governor Wallace hadn't carried many areas in the Birmingham area in several election cycles up to his last service. Additionally, by that time he was getting the vast majority of the black vote in Alabama. In response to the lackluster political support, he was in a long fued with Birmingham that culminated in his blocking the completion of interstate 65 (stopping both North and South of Birmingham for years) Birmingham didn't like the Governor and they moaned about it all the time. The words "boo, hoo, hoo" or "boo, boo, boo." (depending on the recording you hear) refer to the crybabies in Birmingham.
Lynrd Skynrd knew that Birmingham hated the Governor. It was humor. Someone needs to quit taking themselves so seriously.
b.t.
Hi You all Neil Fan, and when I lived in fla 15 years ago I think is when the plane went down and Everybody was into the Song Freebird, I dont think only the Southerner helped but Northner as you guys call us Yankee. But we dont make a big Hoopla's about it. Neil was just trying to make positve point about Racism, and who like racist, bigot!!
I rather stand by Neil Young who sing about the reality of life. He always gave positive influence. When he sees something Neil see's something he is not happy about,, Well, he can take a piece of paper and sing about what is going on about the Bigotry & hatred!! I mean there are bad in all of us. shall we hunt down Germans after what they did in Nazi War Camp. Also there are alot of white trash that are not angelic, me being Japanese, I was Living in Tampa and I was spit upon because of the vietnam war. Sorry I was not in the war, they still cannot admitt that they lost. Just close the door on Racist pigs and do Neil Young do....SING ABOUT!! I DO, IN THE SHOWER. I LOVE U NEIL, YOU HAVE A HEART OF GOLD.
Tia
to me ronnie vanzant is the only man in the world that can sing all the other only think they can the fact is you people will never hear any other person alive even come close to ronnie that the way its going to be like it or not i love ronnie's voice so let him rest .
from a fan in kentucky
Skynyrd's 1st album has a song called "Things Goin' On" that makes it hard for me to believe Ronnie Van Zant was "racist".
Have you ever lived down in the ghetto Have you ever felt that cool wind blow If you don't know what I mean won't you stand up and scream cuz there's thing goin on you don't know Too many lives they spend across the ocean Too much money they spend up on the moon Well until they make it right I hope they never sleep at night They better make some changes and do it soon There going to ruin the air that we breath (Lord have mercy) There going to ruin us all bye an bye I tell you all, you beware I don't think they really care Think they just sit up there and just get high Well, have you ever lived down in that ghetto Have you ever felt that cool wind blow If you don't know what I mean Won't you stand up and scream Cuz there's things goin on that you don't know (tell it, tell it)
The crucial verse in “Sweet Home Alabama” is the third one, where Skynyrd sing, “In Birmingham they love the governor,” a reference to George Wallace, and then chant out, “Boo! Boo! Boo!” before asking if the conscience of Alabama is untroubled by Wallace’s racism. That’s as direct a confrontation of southern white racism as you could expect for a song glorifying the south, and it’s a credit to Skynyrd for taking the subject on. But the reason why they went after Neil Young is simple: “Southern Man” treats all southerners as Wallace.
As a result, it risked marginalizing anti-racist white southerners who needed all the authenticity-cred they could get it into Wallace supporters’ heads that they shouldn’t back the demagogue. Lyrnrd Skynyrd, in other words, represented an Alabama Awakening. But Neil, in his zeal, treated reconcilable elements as irreconcilable.
Skynyrd took him on as a step of taking back the south for their mutual and admirable goal.
yes, LS were from the South and they loved where they were from, but it wasn't really as serious as many people conceived them to be. much of this image has been blown out of proportion since, and sadly, the surviving band today, which is only really Rossington, have bought into this stereotype as ignorant rednecks.
zm
"T.O.N.G.U.E I.N. C.H.E.E.K"
How come Neil and Ronnie learnt this expression and know one else did.!
Ok, ya can't change history and you guys had/have your racist problems like everybody else did/has around the world and ya know human nature, being what it is, peoples attitudes and beliefs are well engrained in those beliefs and stances they take.
Look this is a very sensitive issue to a lot of Americans... and rightly so.
It's alright to sit back as an outsider and form opinions on the historical significance of events that unfolded.
What, dya think Neil was the first one to write a song with "political racist connotations"?
I just wish Ronnie were alive today to see his "Legacy"
My opinion? Well... obviously its worth diddly shit!
Sometimes I think musicians write some lyrics in songs just because they 'rhyme' with the previous line... a simplistic view I know, but I'm sure Neil is guilty of this as much as any musician in the history of lyrical music.
A pity Neil hadn't penned that penultimate song years ago...
"JUST SINGIN' A SONG WON"T CHANGE THE WORLD"...maybe not, but it sure can put it off its axis!
doc
I cry every time I sing Sweet Home Alabama. It's the greatest song ever written (well, second greatest behind Powderfinger). You don't have to be a bigot to love the South, her history and culture. Amen.
Some of us judge a song not for it's lyrics, but for it's melody. instrumentation and vocals. I always wondered about the line about Neil Young- I thought maybe Skynyrd hated his music.A former Texan now living in Oregon, I get questions about southern discrimination that force me to mention that blacks weren't even allowed to live in Oregon for many years and the KKK marched in southern Oregon about 60 years ago. As for Young, I liked 'Heart of Gold'- but none of his songs since. Hey, hey, my, my, Neil Young needs to die.
Don't forget that after the Kent State shootings, Neil Young wrote "OHIO". To me, that says he saw that the north also had its problems and they weren't limited to the "Southern Man". It also shows that Nixon's problems weren't only limited to the Watergate. There was that thing called the Vietnam War, which many believe Nixon prolonged for political gain.
Roy @ candoo
I've lived in the south all my life and no music group has affected life as much as Skynyrd. For years you couldn't go in a bar without people screaming for the bar band to do one of their songs. Ronnie wasn't racist but he was southern to the bone and now he's gone and we still remember and we love him.
Some people obviously have WAYYY too much time on their hands to whine about a classic rock song like Sweet Home Alambama. Are we supposed to forget the past just so that people won't be offended by anything. Racism and intolerance is a part of the past, one that we MUST not forget lest we repeat it. That being said, no one alive today has ever owned a slave or been a slave, and a great majority of those complaining have never had to deal with any real intolerance. So get over it already! I want my freedon of speech back without all the politically correct nazis telling me what I can listen to, say and think!
i don't want to talk to much of this, but quickly in support of the basis of their political opinion: i feel pretty strongly that the american south has served as a convenient scapegoat for all of american racism, and that focus is taken away from the very serious economic/race clashes that happen in america's urban centers. the buses in boston, the riots in watts, detroit, philadelphia. americans in general are uncomfortable with accepting how tense race relations really are, that it became quite easy to point at a place that was institutionally less progressive (as the south unarguably was) and make the non-sequitur connection that it was the source of all racial tension. that being said, while i think neil young's lyric in 'alabama' sounds particularly ignorant, i don't think he was using it as a scapegoat but rather trying to focus on specific events occuring at the time, ultimately to motivate and mobilize an audience."
neil young is just another overly sensitive idiot hippy that im gonna guess was never discriminated against,and wasnt alive in the 1800's,so he shoulda kept his mouth shut.How could a state with such a high black population be considered racsist.Any black person alive in these modern times(get over the past) hasnt been discriminated against,and needs to shut the hell up.Race relations wont get any better until BOTH sides gets over it hell yeah
jared
The simple truth is that it's rather difficult to be specific with song lyrics, and all the more so if you're trying to be sarcastic, ironic, or some other form of humor. Also, listeners tend to bring their own views to songs--if they like the song, they'll try to justify the lyrics to be in line with their views. Thus, I think it tends to be to the songwriter's advantage to allow some ambiguity or vagueness creep in.
You-All Need to QUIT! The only person that can tell you what these lyrics mean is Neil Young! I'm sure that in his time he will do this! Let the man create and ......let us all simply enjoy his creations! I have been a "listener" since the Buffalo Springfield days..........he simply does what he does....don't try to analyze it....just enjoy the ride! Trying to figure out or interprete his lyrics is like trying to figure out why Cadillac uses leather or Ferrari paints their cars red! Later...and sorry to be a pain
Ken
Silly Rabbits,
Lynard Skynrd was simply saying "clean-up your own back yard, and get that wig hat off your own ugly head". Then you can tell the wonderful Southland what to do. Lead by example, stronger than words. The South is such a simple and at the same time complex place. That's why so many talented and introspective folks are from here.
I was listening to After the Gold Rush on the way in this morning, wondered what other folks thought of Neil's writings. The entire album is about leaving. Nothing left to stay for...the Gold Rush is over.
I'm not an Alabaman or a Canadian, but knowing that Van Zandt was fiercely proud of his southern roots would guess he was just telling Neil to "shut the hell up."
TO me, the reference about Watergate was neither an endorsement or a condemnation of the event, but rather telling people to focus on their own lives -as opposed to following the leads of political pundits on both sides of the aisle -advice that is STILL applicable in today's overly politicized culture.
I really enjoy the song "Sweet Home Alabama". At least I used to. I am from Alabama. I'm not choosing sides here though. I think they both made good points. LS was singing about the good things about the south and Neil Young liked to sing about the bad things. So what? Everything has a good side and a bad side. The city has it's good side and it's bad side. Maybe LS should have written a song about the bad side of living in the city to shut Neil up. I really don't care for the song anymore because since I've moved to DC the clubs here ruined it for me. The DJ's here will usually play it towards the end of the night and everyone goes crazy! Especially the girls. The'll get up on the bar and dance half naked say "This is my song! It's my favorite. It's about me! I'm totally country..blah...blah...blah" And I know that 90% of those girls have never even been past the beaches on South Carolina when their parents take them on expensive vacations. They just like complete idiots. So when clubs play that song, it's my cue to go to the next bar to avoid the bimbo stripper show. It's okay to like the song but don't act like you have a connection with the song unless you've actually been to Alabama. As for the bimbos out there, you should at least now the state capital or be able to point it out on a map before you throw your panties at the DJ for playing it.....
You really can't understand why this band is such a big deal unless you were a teenager then... I'm Florida born and nothing was bigger to us than Skynyrd. We were the "new south"; unbigoted, long-haired,high, and ready to rock. The songs were real life stuff. When Ronnie mentioned Wallace, everybody joined in the "boo,boo,boo" because the man stood for segregation. Of course Wallace embraced the song since it was boasting about the state... he's a politician after all. Watergate didn't "bother me" either because that administration didn't represent us and it was something you actually EXPECTED from the crooks in Washington. I don't understand where folks get a 'redneck' message from SHA. Back in the day it was our anthem and it was just a collective "hey! we're here, we're alright, it's okay to be southern!" You want redneck lyrics then listen to "Mississippi Kid". When that plane went down, a lot of the kids in my highschool wore black armbands made from ripped up t-shirts for a couple days... they'd just played Lakeland, FL two days before and lots of us had seen the beginning of the new tour and the Street Survivors record was #1. They were the last bastion of honest, accessable music (to us) in the overblown 'classic rock' and disco era. It was just unbelieveable that they were gone. It was heartbreaking! Elvis died a few months before and his passing was a blip compared to the loss of the Skynyrd band to my generation. I love Neil Young- the whole feud thing is ridiculous. Can't hardly stand to hear the damn song now! It's the most overplayed tune with the possible exception of "Proud Mary". Give this whole thing a break... listen to their other songs that have content that actually matters! Start with "Cry For The Badman". Chris Sander's blog says it best for me...
Ed from Florida
I always had the feeling that Skynyrd's line "We all did what we could do. Now Watergate does not bother me. Does your conscience bother you?" was meant as an "up yours" (sorry, but it fits) to those who blindly followed Nixon and the Far Right, whereas Ronnie (and those like him) saw what was coming, tried to warn people and was rebuffed by Nixon's re-election. He's absolving himself of Watergate-like tactics and asking Nixon backers if they felt responsible.
As for the Rebel flag, it's sometimes difficult to understand what it means to Southern culture on many levels. It's a symbol of defiance, yes, and a symbol of place. No different from the green, black and red flags adopted by members of the African American community to show their pride. This is not a blanket statement. I'm white and Southern, I and abhor public display of the flag as I long ago became tired of being Southern and therefore the brunt of jokes as being toothless, bath less and brainless.
Tom Petty, a Floridian, used the battle flag as his stage prop for many years; Petty's songs leaned heavily to overcoming social and political wrongs. It's always struck me as strange that Southern Man is the song that set off this discussion. Alabama is a much more potent song, IMO, containing strong, straightforward imagery that has little room for misinterpretation.
Benjamin J.
I think the answer, at least regarding this web author is that he's an arrogant condecending blowhard who thinks he's doing the world some big favor by peddling his theories on Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd or his OWN stereotypes and prejudices when it comes to politics.
I love Alabama, and "Sweet Home Alabama," as a reference to my home. However, I don't long for the days of George Wallace, don't have a problem with Neil Young's politics, and I don't think this is that big a deal.
Yes, there are some rednecks who think "SHA" is endorsing their views, but I don't care what they think.
I'm a liberal, Jewish Alabamian, and I can appreciate the good aspects of Alabama and hope to see the bad ones die out.
lynyrd skynyrd and neil young can be considered one in the same as they were both performers with a deep heart and soul. their honesty integrity and passion came across in their work as well as their social conscience and love for the world in which they lived. Their lives and body of work are more than enough to show the type of people they were and the respect they have not only for each other but all types of people who work hard and stay true.
The Driveby Truckers are one the best damn bands to come out of the south since Skynyrd.
And Ronnie & Neil rox.
love that youtube vid
THANKYOU!!!
Sorry am i missing something here, the overwhelming evidence is that Ronnie van Zant and Neil Young never had anything but complete respect for each other, so why is there anyone slagging off one or the other for political reasons that really don't even exist. Southern Man and Sweeet Home Alabama are both brilliant songs, written by brilliant musicians. Can't we just leave it at that?!
R.I.P. Ronnie Long Live Neil!
Great article. You don't have to believe it all, but it sheds light on a few things that people miss. Thanks TW for putting it on the ol' website.
This is the most pointless blog I have ever read, it is so obvious to anyone with half a brain that Skynyrd and Neil had nothing but mutual admiration towards eachother. Oh, and by the way Ronnie WAS buried in a Neil Young t-shirt with his fishing pole and favorite hat by his side.
THE MUSIC DIED OCTOBER 20th 1977!
To the person writing the article on Neil and Skynyrd:
Thank you. Your view coincides with broad perspective and detailed examination of evidence. If only the world had more writers like you, we wouldn't need songs like "Southern Man."
We all know Neil's socio-political position by listening to his numerous lyrics. But a little about Ronnie for those who may not know: take a close listen to his lyrics as well. He's not just another Southern boy, y'all. He is first and foremost a social activist--something Hatchet and Marshall Tucker and Blackfoot and even the Outlaws with their often sweet lyrics never accomplished. Skynyrd was a true Civil Rights band, and when we lost them, we lost a great, great treasure.
I came across your article titled, "Is Sweet Home Alabama" Really Sweet?” and found it interesting but heavy on bias. I think you’ve fallen victim to a strong temptation that we all have to re-shape history to bolster our argument. Your implication that Republicans are inherently bigoted is incorrect. I could go tit for tat (and win) on the race issue between the two parties. Democrats still have a serving senator who was a Grand Wizard in the KKK for God sakes. Sen. Byrd only about 8 years ago (my mouth is still hanging open from when I saw it) gave an interview explaining the textures and complexities of who is and who is not a Niger. The fact is that there have been bigots on both sides of the isle but remember, for every G. Wallace that you dig up; I can name 3 or 4 Bull Connors. The democrat party routinely apposed the civil rights act of 1964 and were often leading the dogs and fire hose public policy.
I also feel that it is my GOP duty to explain to you why Skynyrd is a favorite band of the right. It’s not because of the gun racks, the perceived racism or putting Neil in place (albeit politely) even though it’s a plus, it’s none of those things. It’s that they weren’t afraid of singing of the things that made this country great: God, family, friends and freedom. These are the things that the music left sees no problem ripping apart at the drop of a hat for fun and profit. Good article though....
Give me three steps (martysweeten@gmail.com)
In Birmingham they Love the Governor.
Boo! Boo! Boo!
-----Is the meaning clearer now ? :-)
Like Ronnie said the song was written as a "joke" the words just came out. So WHY don't they just have enough sense to just let it go. It's just a shame that Ronnie isn't still here to continue writing some of the best songs ever!!!!!!
Ed from Florida, Great post! As someone who loves Neil but never got into LS, I got a lot out of your explanation.
This essay and the one it references are, I believe, off base on some points:
The Thrasher site essay says:
Furthermore, Leonard Skynyrd sang "Now Watergate does not bother me". Sadly, it would seem not only were Lynard Skynard untroubled by racism but were not terribly concerned by corruption at the highest levels of the U.S. government"
I take it that Skynard lyrics are saying to Northern Critics of the South, en masse... "I'll feel guilty when you start feeling guilty about Watergate". Leonard Skynard members *were* vocal about Civil Rights, and supported Jimmy Carter! One can still have pride in their Southern culture... and it comes down to this "We all did what we could do... Watergate does not bother me. Does Your Conscience Bother YOU?"
I heard a YouTube version of the song performed by Skynard that replaced "Montgomery's got the answer" to "Carter's got the answer" - lest there be doubt.
I do think that w/ regards to the South there is alot of ambiguity and contradiction. Having said the above, I do not think this was a song endorsing racism, but the opposite, and reacting to alot of stereotyping that goes on of the South. Personally, I think the Red/Blue divisions indicate politics/culture/race have some challenges.
...more to the picture that meets the eye.....
After sifting through, I am now in full overdose.
Well Thrash, I concede....you win
beaten by "blog owner approval"
AS Jack says in the Movie.."a few good Men"....You can't HANDLE the truth! Seeya in another band width!! lol
doc
leegee said... Interesting article but not sure about the conclusions re. SWA.
First off - as they say at the start, TURN IT UP and play it loud! This us rock'n'roll, not Kant.
As someone above said, "In Birmingham THEY love the Govoner" - not WE. Note also the Montgommery lyric.
"Boo boo boo!" or "Blue blue blue!"
How about this live version on The Old Grey Whilstle Test? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwWUOmk7wO0 Not terribly important, but still.
And put it in context: "Now we all did what we could do / Now Watergate does not bother me / Does your conscience bother you? / Tell the truth"
Ambigious - yeah. Clever - damn right. A classic? We're still talking about it 40-odd years on, so I reckon so.
Hell, what a rock record!
Wow, this thread is rockin'. This is almost as fascinating as the Living With War thread from '06.
I never realized that the faux Skynyrd/Young "feud" actually carries with it so many very emotional opinions.
Really good to hear from all the Skynyrd fans on the subject as well. Obviously there are a lot of different ideas with regard to the whole culture of the Southern U.S.
Well, I leave it to the Skynyrd fans to tell me the true meaning of SWA...
but as for Neil, I still don't think he was generalizing - he was using Alabama as a literary device to describe and condemn all racism everywhere.
Whether you think there was no racism in Alabama or not - there is still that stigma that is was racist - which offers itself as an appropriate ... metaphor of sorts ... to use as a literary reference.
Great posts by everyone... (well, mostly :^) )
That's funny, I love Skynyrd, and the Ballad of Curtis Lowe, but I've always considered Curtis Lowe to have some racism in it.
Let's put it this way, if I were black I wouldn't find the song flattering.
I've got nothing to comment on Ronnie and Neil's relationship, although, I'll add that Southern Rock Opera is one of the finest albums of the last decade and a must listen to fans of either of these musicians.
fowler
BEHIND THE LARGE 'MEDIA/TV'CREATED AGENDA AND SPIN, THERE'S THE ALABAMA THAT THESE PLAYERS WERE AWARE OF;....THE DESIRES OF THE 'BLACK PROTESTERS AS WELL AS WHITE NORTHERNERS/'60'S COLLEGE CROWD' TO ...APPLY THE CONSTITUTION IN WAYS THAT HAD NOT 'REALLY' OCCURED PREVIOSLY; CREATED MUCH, CONFLICT, HATRED & SAFETY ISSUES;COMBAT;CONFLICTS..ETC.....THE GOVENOR; ALWAYS HAD TO TRY TO MAINTAIN:SAFTEY & CROWD CONTROL; AS THESE DEMONSTRATIONS WHICH WERE GETTING NATIONAL COVERAGE.."OFTEN SENSATIONAIZING VIOLENCE"..TO MOVE THERE.AGENDA;........ALABAMA'S STILL A SWEET HOME AND A PROUD STATE WITH A CHERISHED HISTORY. . SWEET HOME ALABAMA***** -ARLAUSKAS
Thrasher seems to have a chip on his shoulder, probably because he lives somewhere other than Montgomery. (If you live in Alabama, you know what I mean, unless you're a Montgomerian living in denial.) His point is clear, but his comments are filled with logical inconsistencies. For example, we know Neil was a champion for the poor, but supposedly he didn't do concerts in Alabama for economic reasons. Hmm.
We can understand the meaning of Southern Man by looking at Neil's origins. He is Canadian. Although he lives in the US, he refuses to give up his Canadian citizenship.
The South in Southern Man is the entire United States, and Lynyrd Skynyrd spoke for all of us.
It's just like how you can only truly understand The Guess Who's American Woman after reviewing the pro-gay messages inside the gayt-fold of the original The Best of the Guess Who vinyl album. Interestingly, The Best of The Guess Who is not listed in the band's discography on Wikipedia.
I am a musician, and a Skynyrd fanatic.
Over the years I have worked with or around most of the guys in the band, (after the crash). Allen Collins was a personal friend of mine, and taught me a heap of what I know on guitar. I really miss him. When I read some of the comments here I had to giggle.
Opinions are like eyes, everyone has them. The facts are as follows: Ed King composed ALL the music for this song, ( the band members even complained that the lead guitar part was in the wrong key). Why is beyond me. It seems to fit. Major and relative minors and all that, I guess.
Ronnie wrote the lyrics as a satire while on the road from Muscle Shoals to his home in Jacksonville Fl. The reference to Neil Yong's "Southern Man" was a stick in the ribs, but it was done in fun. Allen said they laughed about it for years afterward.
Although they never met, there was a mutual respect between these artists. I cannot comment on any of Young's songs or his reasons for them, but I do know that Ronnie liked his songs and respected his talents as a writter/performer. His reference to the Governor was "Boo, Boo, Boo". How can anyone relate that to promoting Wallace's actions or beliefs? Ronnie hated the stigma the Alabama Governor had created and intended for this song to relate that to the listener. Along with all the other excesses of the Americian Government.
"Watergate does not bother me,"(because he didn't cause it or create it), "does YOUR conscience bother YOU?" He wants you to think about your personal feelings about your own actions, not those of someone you have no control over.
The "Swampers" was, and still is a fantastic group of studio musicians deriving from the R&B days at "Fame" in the 60's. I know most of them. Great bunch of guys.
The last recorded words of the song are hard to make out but Ronnie actually says, "Aw, Montgomery's got the answer". Even I didn't know that until I heard Leon tell it to a reporter in a radio interview sometime in 1998.
The myth of the T'shirt is just that. A myth. Although I was not at the funeral I understand that he was burried in a suit, no tie. With his hat in his hands. And yes, I do know where he is currently burried. So it's not a secret. I went there with Judy, (his wife), Allen and Gary a few times back in the day. Just as an aside, not everyone in Alabama are rednecks but those of us that are, are very proud of it and do not really care what anyone else thinks about it.
But just so you know, redneck doesn't mean stupid, ignorant or racist. It means that we have a heritige of hard work, family and GOD. Lynyrd Skynyrd was and is for the working man, the little guy. The backbone of this country.
Please stop trying to make something out of nothing. I hope this clears up the confusion. Thanks for taking the time to read it.
Sincerely, Mike, from Gulf Shores, Al.
They may be a bunch of right-wing rednecks, but they sure do know how to rock out. Long live the Lynyrd Skynyrd band.
Drew in Topeka
OK,first of all most songs are NOT written in the first person. So don't ascribe the ideas in a song with the artist. Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskokee" is a prime example. Haggard was doing a character study of the parochial point of view. The ideas in the song are not his personal beliefs,But rather "someone like my father who was an Okie from Muskokee",he has repeated this in many interviews. "Sweet Home Alabama" is obviously in the same vein.Van Zandt and Young knew each other and were friendly,there was never any beef between them.
I am simply happy to hear either it was all a joke, or that they are now friends-my respect for LS has gone up considerably ive never much liked 'boogie rock', and in fact dont much listen to Young except for EKTIN (now remastered after centuries)and a few other songs-but i knew where he was coming from and respected him
And then Warren Zevon wrote;
Play It All Night Long
Grandpa pissed his pants again He don't give a damn Brother Billy has both guns drawn He ain't been right since Vietnam
"Sweet home Alabama" Play that dead band's song Turn those speakers up full blast Play it all night long
Daddy's doing Sister Sally Grandma's dying of cancer now The cattle all have brucellosis We'll get through somehow
"Sweet home Alabama" Play that dead band's song Turn those speakers up full blast Play it all night long
I'm going down to the Dew Drop Inn See if I can drink enough There ain't much to country living Sweat, piss, jizz and blood
"Sweet home Alabama" Play that dead band's song Turn those speakers up full blast Play it all night long
Was Zevon taking the piss out of Lynyrd Skynyrd or the redneck southern culture who adopted SHA as an anthem of pride and play it, all night long.
Sunny Inside
Of course I've heard LS's famous songs over the years but this threat inspired me to go to youtube and watch some videos ... because I never had the opportunity to really listen to these guys, wow!!! These guys were smokin! I can see why Neil admired them and why it might have reminded him of Springfield with the multiple, rockin' guitarists. Some of the posts from the LS fans here are really cool, it feels like the LS community showed here and expressed themselves and as an outsider to them and their scene I feel, after reading their posts, that they're on to something just like us Neil junkies are on to something and I respect their community and empathize with the pain and suffering and tragedy they've endured over the years ... and its really cool that the band has kept going ... it also reminds me how lucky we are to have Neil still in one piece and better than ever ... we've had our share of tragedy ... Danny ... Bruce... ect... but there's is at another level ... so sad, these guys LS, has something amazing going, it doesn't take that much investigation to see they really had it and it was taken away early .. they've persevered and the remaining members kept going ... there should be nothing but mutual appreciation and admiration between these two communities ... It seems Neil respected these guys and vice versa .. its a cool thing ... so few have survived unscathed from the 60s and 70s ... lwe should not forget how lucky we are to have Neil at the top of his game.
Dan
Young, as a Canadian, is also the nemesis of Lynyrd Skynyrd. 'Southern Man' and 'Alabama' are scathing critiques of racism, whereas 'Sweet Home Alabama' is just kind of dumb. I hope Neil Young will remember that he’s the best Canuck around.
The only way to see "Sweet Home Alabama" as a racist song is to interpret it as an outsider who doesn't understand the complexities of the South, IMO. If your only understanding of the South comes from watching Hollywood movies and old TV coverage of the Civil Rights movement, I very much doubt that you understand the South (or this song).
I can't claim to know what was in the minds of the band members who wrote the song, but I do have a pretty good understanding of the southern mind. I grew up in the South during the '60s and '70s. There is an odd sense of "place" here that you don't tend to find in other parts of the United States. (You see the odd dualities that we don't have time to talk about here in much of southern literature.) The South feels like a nation unto itself, but many of us seem to have an odd sort of love/hate relationship with the region. I'm proud to be FROM the South, but I don't always like BEING here. I identify with the place and the people, but I don't identify with various racists who have been a part of the landscape here. (And when I say that, I'm talking about troublemakers of both races who have used hate to gain or retain power.)
When I hear "Sweet Home Alabama," I hear someone who is challenging an unfair blanket indictment of their home. (Yes, Lynyrd Skynyrd is from Florida, but they came to Alabama to record their early work.) I don't hear the song as racist in the least. In fact, why wouldn't Neil Young's attacks on southerners be the bigoted songs? He is the one indicting an entire region for the sins of a vocal minority. I see Lynyrd Skynyrd's song as simply saying, "Sorry, buddy. That's not me, so don't lecture me and paint with that broad brush."
The people of the South is unfairly stereotyped to such a large degree that it creates serious resentment. I've had people treat me in a normal, professional way start treating me like an idiot when they find out I live in Birmingham. They are so bigoted (maybe not consciously) that they assume every stereotype they've seen in movies must be true of me. I must live in a trailer and beat my toothless wife while I gather books to burn. The truth is that people are much more alike in different regions than people realize. There are bigots everywhere. The racial problems of the '60s became apparent more quickly here because we had a much higher black population and there was a lot of stored-up resentment left over from the days when blacks had been slaves just a few generations before.
It's interesting that people still associate Birmingham and Alabama with violent racial protests, but places such as Boston don't get painted with the same brush. Remember when forced busing came to Boston in the early '70s? There were violent riots and buses were burned as white parents (and maybe blacks, too) protested against outsiders forcing change on them. Those people were every bit as racist as the southerners of the early '60s, but nobody stereotypes Boston as a racist city. Could it be that journalists KNOW people from Boston, so they KNOW that most people in Boston aren't really hate-mongering racists? Could it be that most journlists don't know people in the South, so it's easier to believe their preconceived notions?
Continued from before....
One part of "Sweet Home Alabama" is just wrong. Birmingham was not a strong area for George Wallace. His strength was in rural areas, not the cities. Also, most people don't realize that Wallace started his career as a moderate on the subject of race, but he lost and early race (in the '50s) to a candidate who was willing to stake out a radical conservative position on the issue. Wallace famously declared privately that he was never going to be "out niggered" again, at which point he became the firebrand playing to rural crowds to grain power.
One final clue as to how contradictory the South can be is seen in Wallace's last run for governor. In 1982, he had been out of office four years, but was trying for a comeback. For the first time ever, a strong GOP challenger mounted a serious campaign. Wallace won, but he only won because he was able to get black votes. Wallace was a politician, not an ideologue. When blacks were voting in large numbers, he made peace the black leaders and bought them off in the same political ways that he had bought off other interest groups in the past. Take away Wallace's black votes and he couldn't have won.
"Sweet Home Alabama" isn't a racist song. It's a song that says, "I'm a southerner, but I'm not that 'southern man' who Young sings about." You can indict specific people for specific racist things, but most of us are just decent people who aren't responsible for what some other people did. And a few of us are even libertarians. :-)
David McElroy
'I hope Neil Young will remember that he’s the best Canuck around,' writes Elliot Goodine." That ain't sayin' much about Canada. Frankly, NYoung is a pompus, liberal arsehat, that was somehow blessed with a modicum of musical ability.
Neil Young has apparently been an inspiration for a number of talented musicians. If "Southern Man" spawned "Sweet Home Alabama" that's good because it inspired a song quite a bit better than the original. Southern Man in NY's song and "Neil Young" in LS's song can stand for something more broadly interpreted. Until I read this blog I didn't realize SHA was such an anthem in the south. The neat thing about it is that the appreciation for each other's music meant any feud beyond the initial jab was a non-starter. In the end, no jealousy, no grudges, no judgement - just magnanimity and appreciation for each other's art.
willard999 You sound as if you might be a Glen Beck fan. Poor Glen has just realized that one of his favorite songs is political and critical of the good ol' USA.
BECK: You get filled with patriotic pride, and then you find out that Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A.' is anti-American. 'Born down in a dead man's town/ the first kick I took is when I hit the ground/ you end up like a dog that's been beat too much/ so you spend half your life just covering up...' [He reads the entire lyrics in an incredulous tone of voice; manages to mispronounce 'Khe Sanh'] Hmm. Yeah! [crosstalk] ... It's time for us to wake up out of our dream state. Out of the propaganda... This is the thing that people who come from the Soviet bloc or Cuba, they're all saying, 'How do you guys not hear this? How are you not seeing this?' Well, because we don't ever expect it.
Sunny Inside
Another intellectual "I'm right and you're stupid" type that has it all figured out.
"Sweet Home" essentially tells Neil Young to kiss its ass -- I agree with that sentiment.
Agreed, the lyric tells the truth. The real ones play in bars for small crowds, the posers play arenas (for the most part).
Love that piece btw.
With all due respect to Neil Young, Canada and even Lynyrd Skynyrd - PLEASE RETIRE THAT FRIGGIN' SONG!
As a proud Alabama-Southern Man, that tune has been played to death! We don't need it around here anymore!
RB
It's not that Neil Young is such a pompous, self-absorbed, liberal turd, it is that his music is so mediocre. And the Canadians really need to get over their inferiority complex, it is getting really old.
Who is the idiot who wrote this article? This man or woman remarked that the conservative movement was teh party of segregation. Here's five words for ya "Pick up a history book!" Abraham Lincoln was a republican conservative. It was the conservative house and senate that passed the civil rights act, conservatives have been bettling liberals on race for years. Conservatives believed that anyone can make it if they try. Liberals believe that anyone who isn't white some how needs help in this country. I would suggest to the writer of this article to present the facts honestly instead of labelling all conservatives racist when in fact it's the other way around in my opinion. May the writer should learn a little about this country before he or she starts talking about the politics. God Damn Hippies!
I don't think I ever met more than 5 people all the time I lived in south who weren't HUGE Neil Young fans, as well as Skynyrd fans. Most of us didn't think they were mutually exclusive. We laughed at the Sweet Home Alabama and put After the Gold Rush on right after (or vice versa). Southerners are used to scorn:that's why the Neil Young "slights" didn't bother us, and the whole southern rock movement made us proud. Just as the confederate flag (which is not called the Stars and Bars, that was an earlier confederate flag)does.
Think about it. Nothing has done more to rehabilitate Alabama, and perhaps the South in general, than Lynrd Skynrd’s anthemic tune, don’t you think? If you’re from Alabama I’m sure you don’t need this song to realize the wonderful experiences of your life. Listen, I’m no Southerner, but neither am I a self-righteous liberal like Neil Young who pontificates about the “southern man.” I’m glad Skynrd tarnished his name in the second verse. Who remembers his worthless song anyway?
With the Sweet Home Alabama song, Lynyrd Skynyrd recruited all the whites who were raised racist by their parents. Then Lynyrd Skynyrd introduced them all to Curtis Lowe The Black Man. Which was something that the government wanted. The government wanted to breed all the master race whites(=albinos and an endangered species) with all the blacks. Especially since the earth's ozone layer has gotten thinner. So now we have tons of light, medium and dark chocolate albinos.
This is clearly the most stupid analysis of anything that I have ever read. GFY.
@ Anon @ 4/10/2010 03:18:00 PM:
Wow. Really love that fact free rebuttal. You really made an excellent case for the clueless.
You've done more prove my point than you'll ever know.
Thanks!
"With trunks of memories still to come": Neil Young at Olympics Closing Ceremonies
That was not Hank Williams' Martin guitar. It was a Martin D-18.
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.
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
Thanks Zak for correction! Updated. i just can't imagine how i made that mistake?!
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.
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.
"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 ???
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.
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
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
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
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
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)
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)
"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
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
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
And I should say "the time of day" was much to Elliot Roberts chigrin! DC
My bad....chagrin! DC
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.
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!
I don't care about Neil's looks or appearance. The song and performance were stunning. Neil is still the coolest guy over 60.
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
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
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.
can we get back to blind river on this thread?
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
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?
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.
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.
Anon 2:37 I did wonder why you thought a review from a twelve year old would be of interest to anyone here.
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
Put it this way..I don't think he's gunna starting wearing a white sequined "jump suit" and move to Graceland!
doc
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.
"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.
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.
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)
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
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)
Full Video of Neil Young at Olympics Closing Ceremonies
Fuckin' Shakey. He did it again.
Just when people mistakenly assume the eco-friendly car is out of gas, he revs it up and with a whisper, roars over the entire Olympic closing ceremonies. After the hours of phoniness, the children lip-syncing to auto-tuned tracks (all of whom will be forgotten in a matter of months, or perhaps a few years if they're really lucky), Neil fires up the ultimate number for the road. I feel bad about not expecting him to fly. I should have known better.
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. While "Long May you Run" may seem on the surface to be a simple homage to a long-dead hearse, in our hearts we know what it really means.
Forget all the extraneous stuff. Forget the merchandising, the corporate sponsors. Instead, 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? Only Neil Young has the answer: "Long May You Run". Neil wasn't singing to the prime minister, nor the head of the IOC. He wasn't singing to you or me, watching on TV at home. 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. Watch their reaction as Old Neil strums his even older Martin guitar. Watch as the message sinks in and hits home. And then acknowledge Neil Young, not only as the greatest singer or songwriter of our time, but as the ultimate communicator spanning multiple generations, one who chooses a message that's perfect for the occasion. We all should have known he'd come through, and that his very choice to appear at such an event was done for a reason that was much bigger than being on the world's biggest stage. 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 that the shiny medals round their necks.
Long may he run.
Thank you, Zak.
Long may you run as well.
Unfortunately the stream is not available for international viewers :-( I guess the Olympics *aren't* for everybody..
Thank you, Zak. Beautifully said.
"We've been through some things together With trunks of memories still to come We found things to do in stormy weather Long may you run.
Long may you run. Long may you run. Although these changes have come With your chrome heart shining in the sun Long may you run.
Well, it was back in Blind River in 1962 When I last saw you alive But we missed that shift on the long decline Long may you run.
Long may you run. Long may you run. Although these changes have come With your chrome heart shining in the sun Long may you run.
Maybe The Beach Boys have got you now With those waves singing "Caroline No" Rollin' down that empty ocean road Gettin' to the surf on time.
Long may you run. Long may you run. Although these changes have come With your chrome heart shining in the sun Long may you run."
Thanks, Neil. We'll be singing this song long after you've run.
Well, Roel, in your country you can view "Long May You Run" over here: http://nos.nl/os2010/video/140700- sluitingsceremonie-winterspelen-33.html
T: What a fantastic image of Neil with no flames... Look at it and wait for the silver spaceships...
I really like your comment, Zak, because it's so true. Thank you.
Love, Liza
This is SO frustrating. I can't find a video anywhere that'll play in Canada; ironic considering a) the Olympics were held here, and b) Neil is Canadian. If anyone comes across a link that works for Canada, PLEASE let me know. Thanks, eh!
Wendy in Montreal
What Zak said.
Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
That was not "Hank Williams' Martin D-28 guitar".
It was a Martin D-18.
Hi Wendy, this is a German link and I don't know if it will work, but you might want to try:
It's the whole closing ceremony, Neil is at 88 min. and 35 sec.
Love, Liza
Beautifully said Zak!...
Now I know why Thrash deletes me so ! lol
Wait till Neil closes the summer olympics!...just after the Marathon...
He'll be in it!..long may he run!
doc
Zak, as poingant as the song selected.
Check out this Olympic bump:
Long May You Run album ~ Stephen Stills, Neil Young
Sales up 1,266% on Amazon
Sales Rank in Music: 371 (was 5,068)
Neil, sponsorised by nobody...but Bell, 3M, Acklands Grainger, Avaya, Cold FX, Samsung ! It's time for the HORSE now.This post has been removed by the author.
Well said Zak. I live in UK. I recorded alomst the whole ceremony on dvd recorder. If whole thing had not been so long would have done this via pc's TV card, and could then have easily edited out the other, eh, stuff... OK fast forwarded to Neil. BBC commentary at start- damn, and then again when cauldrons about to go out. We can see they are going out, well if not transfixed by Neil, hence poor TV got words of exasperation shouted at it. Still was great though ☺
I was all ready to write some meaningful comment on Neil's performance, and then read what Zak wrote. I can't add anything he didn't already say. Thanks zak.
What got me most was I was out of the tv room at the time and suddenly I hear my 17-year old son yelling, "Look! It's Neil and he's got 'Hank'!" That got me - I didn't even know my son has been paying attention all these years.
Link to the Norwegian Broadcast http://www.nrkol.no/video/assetid=c233cc37-fa19-4e11-adf5-f08bd41d3634.html 1:31:45
French people can see Neil performance here : http://jo-vancouver-2010.francetv.fr/?page=smoothHD go to 3h55
Hey Anonymous, something like that happened to me too yesterday. My 18 year old son suddenly yelled very excited: There is Neil Young in the audience of the hockey game.... but I missed it just like you, because I too was in the next room, at my PC with some friends of the German Neil Young Mailinglist...
Love, Liza
I am trying to find a link that can be viewed in Canada and having no luck. Funny that the Olympics were held in Canada and Neil is Canadian, yet we are the only ones without access to view his performance. Grrrr.......
Hi Liza,
Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, it won't play outside of Germany, or that's what I think it says. Sigh...
Even though I still haven't been able to see video yet, I am still bursting with pride for Our Neil. I just wish I could say something even half as beautiful as Zak, whose comment brought tears to my eyes.
Wendy in Montreal
OH CANADA!...Thank you, Thank you, Thank you........ps...thanks.
I too liked Zak's explanation (minus the profanity) but was also wondering if Neil's song choice could have been a larger, worldwide tribute to L.A. Johnson. If you thought the Conan version was a tribute seems like this one was even more so, as Long May You Run on Conan seemed fitting to Conan himself and his predicament while this one perhaps could be explained as Zak did, or maybe it was for Canada's national hockey team (as someone suggested Neil was in the audience for the game) or maybe Neil was honoring LA another time. Whatever the motivation(s) it was incredibly appropriate for Canada to honor Neil in such a way, another brick in a the road of his long career.
I thought Neil was beautiful, in every way. In case you missed it, or would like to see it again, here's a link on my blog that should play for everyone. lovekaren
Hey all,
Don't forget Neil's Dad Scott was a big time sports reporter here in Canada and covered many of our big defining hockey moments. I think Neil probably thought about 'Daddy' a little bit yesterday as he soaked up the Olympic Spirit.
Oh Canada...After the Gold Rush!
Al
Shakey 1 Archive Guy 0.
Landing on Water
UK and international Wheaties try BBC i-player via the BBC (bbc.co.uk) website homepage. Neil is on at around 1 hr 42 mins. With apologies for commentator buffoon talking over beginning and end.
Peace
Thank you so much for the link, this one worked! (in Spain at least)with your permission (I hope)I passed it over to my friends of "La Playa de Neil", a spanish Neil Fan blog. Thanks! PS. And yes ZAK, Neil did it again!Great comment! Isa
The thanks for the LINK where for Karen!
"THERE HE STOOT THE LONER WITH HIS GUITAR PERFORMING FOR THE HOLE WORLD",it's always a revilation watching Neil perform and he knows how to touch you're feelings every time again.and it was one of those goospiple moments again too.God isn't he beautiful "Long may you run"Neil for many more years to come,keep on doing what you've always been doing "Keep it Rocking" Monda!
..and he's got Hank!
that's perfect. I love what Neil does to people.
(I watched it with my 14 year old daughter who asked me if I was going to cry)
Re Anonymous @03:47:00AM Shakey 1 Archives Guy 0
I watched the speculation build over the weekend on whether or not Neil Young would perform at the closing ceremonies on Sunday here and on the rust list.
What some of you might not be aware of is that the Olympics (VANOC) demands secrecy from the participating performers. Wayne Gretzky was told that if it had leaked that he was to light the torch he would have been fired and they would have used a back-up.
I thought it was highly inappropriate for a list member to post SOMEONES’S facebook page, certainly without permission, as the poster is not a friend of that SOMEONE. Yes I know who you are.
So cut the Archive Guy some slack, he was only doing his job. I think that some of the members of the rust list should ask themselves if they are really fans or just obsessive stalkers.
It would have been sad for the rest of us if Neil’s performance had been cancelled because of a pissing contest over on the rust list.
Any links for Africa out there?
Man, that shot of Neil playing under torch as the flame goes out.
neil looks really good, like he's lost a bit of weight. hope he's gearing up for something innaresting.
Hi,guys
I've just seen it at last,it's awesome rustie indeed !LONG MAY NEIL RUN ! In case any of you hasn't senn it yet, here's the vidI've just found on you tube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcxCPq1dYlQ
Peace always !This post has been removed by the author.
Hi,everyone
I've found another one on 'you tube'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqZAkHajPZU
Cheers and
Long May NEIL Run!
DeborahYIP
Excellent post, Zak!
Neil is like no other and we should always remember that--even when he takes that head-scratching fork in the road!
Long may he run!
There’s smoke on the water, it’s been there since June, Tree trunks uprooted, there’s blood on the moon Feel the pulse and vibration and the rumbling force Somebody is out there beating a dead horse. She never said nothing, there was nothing she wrote, She gone with the man In the long black coat.
from 'Man in the Long Black Coat' - Bob Dylan
Nice one SONY - man in the long black coat indeed! (I must play that this evening...)
Thanks Karen for your link and others for the youtube links.
And Zak - love your comments. You said it all beautifully.
Watching Neil standing in that vast open space , guitar in hand, singing with such feeling and integrity - I found myself almost in tears.
Well done Canada. Well done Neil. Scott Young would have been so very proud.
Perfect.
Jill
Sony, interesting quote from Dylan.
Was he writing this about Pegi and Neil? soughta fits in don't ya think?
doc
So, seconds after Neil's performance, I'm sitting there just mesmerized by what was another monumental historic performance when out of the blue,my Neil induced trance was interrupted by the ring of my cell phone which was a text message from my ex-wife who said "Neil's the MAN ... Thank you for introducing me to him 30 years ago"! "Just singing a song wont change the world"? How many other artists can evoke so many emotions on so many levels?
Hey hey from Omemee! Well, he did it again...another performance for the history books and deeper into our hearts. Yes, simply gotta love that Mr. Young fella. Choice of songs...perfect, and in part...(I'm confident), another tribute to Larry. My best, T.R.
i don't get what the "secret" was. NBC was broadcasting promos - the one i heard was the day before - so i can't see how there was such a secret...... they were advertising it to get more people to watch............
Thanks to Karen and others for the Link ! Been looking for two days for Aussie link ... thankyou .
Neil sounded great the reason he sang 1963 is because Neil doesn't Lip Synch .
Neil Young continues to amaze me !
Doc - Man in The Long Black Coat was writen by Dylan 21 years ago, so any inferrence is merely an '89 Coincendental
I just can't stop watching this.Neil you're timeless. Waking up with Long May You Run in my head ☺
Sony, you of all people should know when I'm pullin the chain! lol
always enjoy your posts..
your soul mate ,doc
I cannot begin to describe my emotions when I saw Neil underneath that cauldron.
I was running errands this afternoon and it hit me -- Neil Young has just played before the biggest audience of his entire career.
We were watching a replay of the closing ceremony but didn't know when Neil would be on. It was getting late and sent the kids (11, 9 and 9) to bed, upset as they would get to see Neil Young. As soon as they had gone to bed he came on so we got them up again and we all sat there watching a great performance. It's great that an old song can still appeal to kids.
David- New Zealand
Reflections on Grammy Weekend
Joel Bernstein devotes 20 years of his life on the Archives, and not even a mention by NY upon receiving the Grammy? Disappointing.
Good point. Is that you, Joel?
It's really all about the packaging when it comes to the Grammys afterall, isn't it?
I thought the better comparison (about the Grammy) was it was like "Einstein winning an award for best mustache."
Thanks for the recognition, Thrash. Even if I do get a bit over the top.
I think Mother Nature says it quite succinctly: The Grammys are all about packaging.
So at least Neil won for actual packaging, rather than packaging disguised as music.
Neil's music ain't packaging.
It's soulful, heart-felt art for the sake of some existential profoundness that keeps welling out of him.
Your average person in society doesn't really understand that. Unless I'm not giving people enough credit, and am being over-pessimistic, which I suppose is possible.
I mean, just the fact that people don't want to hear something they haven't heard before at concerts, and that people walk out in anger because NEW music is being played.
It's a sad state of affairs, but Neil really rises above it, and always has.
Griping about the Grammys is all well and fine - and I agree that by and large they reward what's popular instead of what's artistically deserving, or creative or "dangerous" - but if people are going to make blanket condemnations about the Grammys being a joke, what does that say about Dylan's "Time Out of Mind" winning Album of the Year? Or the awards someone like Lucinda Williams has won. Steve Earle won a Grammy this year.
Let's not be so small that we call out the referees when our team loses, and applaud them when our team wins.
We want the mainstream world to recognize our hero, but if they did that consistently, you can bet many would then be saying he's too mainstream.
There's ebb and flow. Sometimes the ocean washes up crap; sometimes it washes up treasure. Roll with it.
Oh, I like that one, ebb and flow, Jimbo...
What is clear is that many musicians are awarded grammys for not making waves politically. Lucinda, Dylan, and Emmylou's stuff is pretty subdued compared to what Neil's been singing for the last few decades.
He was blacklisted by a lot of excutives there because of personal politics or should I say because of his anti-political views.
They were punishing him for his associations with certain people and because he told them where they could stick their advice...
He never got a Grammy for his early work because he was being blackballed. He was the musician who wasn't suppose to succeed.
If the Grammys are a load of guff, why do we care whether our guy wins one or not?
Neil doesn't have any trouble selling records or getting people along to his gigs. He gets invited to perform on The Tonight Show and the star-studded Haiti relief thing, he headlines one of the biggest music festivals on the planet (Glastonbury) at the age of 63, and some of the biggest names in rock/pop/country music have just had a love-in for him in LA as part of Grammy weekend.
I think that's probably enough recognition for Neil - why isn't it for everyone else?
Maybe it matters because we expect people to be fair. Maybe our ideals are higher. Certainly what we expect and what happens are two different things but we just hope that when they do pick the "best" it's for all the right reasons.
Huge Neil fan here, but there's more than enough so-called travesty's to go around: The Who Led Zepplin Queen Grateful Dead The Doors Bob Marley Beach Boys Janis Joplin Diana Ross Jackson 5 Lynyrd Skynyrd
But they also get it right a lot of times too and one has to put the times and events in context at the moment, not in hindsight.
Most would say that Santana's brilliant album in 1999 deserved the grammy awards it received. (Me for one).
Heck as a comparative example of these awards shows look at what the Academy did with a song for a movie a few years back called Philadelphia story.
Think what you will, be subjective as you choose, but even this HUGE NEIL YOUNG FAN had to begrudgingly give Bruce the nod over Neil on his song, although I find both of them brilliant in their own way.
It's so hard to make love pay When you're on the losing end
I don't think Neil cares all that much about Awards or rewards...or sales or accolades...That's one of the things I admire about him...but I do kinda feel bad that JB was not mentioned...
asg
I have to say that this blog is really making me think. Thrasher, you and several posts have made some incredible points. Dan’s comments sum up pretty well what I would have said myself on the subject, and he is undeniably on the mark, but Matt really takes it to another level. There’s a lot of ways of saying it I guess. When I used to do a lot of karaoke there were always contests, and winning was very rarely about who sang the best, it was about who was the most popular. I also remember reading about jury pools, and a statement made that being picked for a jury is not something to be proud of. There are baseball players who are not in the Hall Of Fame because they treated the sports writers like shit. The bible says, “Don’t cast your pearls before swine”. I don’t know, would we really want Neil to thrive in the environment of the Grammies? Was that ever going to be possible? What would it mean if Neil had been winning Grammies all along? Also, Jimbo’s comment is very telling: “We want the mainstream world to recognize our hero, but if they did that consistently, you can bet many would then be saying he's too mainstream.” In the end, there’s probably no way to win, especially when we’re talking about subjective standards, and I suppose, we should consider that unlike a lot of great artists, Neil didn’t have to be dead to receive a modicum of acceptance.
But it does beg the question, doesn’t it? If even a broken clock is right twice a day, and there are always artists who deservedly win Grammies, how is it possible Neil has never won a Grammy for his music? Politics? Not lining up on the right side of Hollywood culture? Have certain powerbrokers never been able to separate out Neil the person from Neil the persona adopted to make a point, e.g. Neil as Reaganite? (Was it Broken Arrow, or Mirrorball?- I think Broken Arrow) As much as I think Broken Arrow is a great record, I remember being surprised that it was nominated for a Grammy, that is until I remembered that the previous year Neil’s song Philadelphia, clearly of a caliber to win any kind of award you could think of, lost out to Streets Of Philadelphia. Did Neil get it right this time? Did a bone get tossed to acknowledge a politically correct stance (IMO it was the right stance PC or no), or was it some kind of make up call? In this context, I’m intrigued by comments about Neil being blackballed, (“They were punishing him for his associations with certain people and because he told them where they could stick their advice...” What does this mean exactly?). I’ve always had my conjectures about why Neil has not been more embraced by the music industry, but Thrasher, this sounds like some really good grist for the mill. Could you consider a future blog around the subject of exactly why Neil has been snubbed by the music business to the extent that he has? It might be a can of worms better left unopened, and it may also open up a whole new avenue for conspiracy theory, and how could anything really be verified beyond conjecture, but… could keep us going for several days, Thrash.
O.K., o.k., I’m losing my head. I think probably the best advice to follow is a combination of points made by Thrasher, Dan, Jimbo, and some others that it is what it is, accept what has transcended the whole mess for what it is and, ultimately, revel in what may be the most succinct statement Neil ever uttered: “What I do and what makes money are two different things”- and by extension then, who Neil is and what is popular are two different things. Let’s just move on with our lives with the knowledge that the world is full of injustice, life isn’t fair, but that everything will come out in the wash.
Still, knowing that it is ultimately unimportant and someday I’ll probably get over it, but getting back to your original point about people like me who still have a hard time reconciling the whole credit thing, damn it all Thrasher, why am I still pissed that Neil doesn’t get more credit?!
Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
Greg,
Good comment. Glad we're making you think.
I agree, this is a fascinating topic which has no beginning or end.
I think many Neil fans have long since reconciled his standing in music history.
What matters is that we get it and we go to see his shows. We hear the magic that doesn't make it to our shiny little discs. We're richer for it and all else the poorer.
We've been down this road many times. Although, this weekend perfectly crystallizes the situation. As we blogged, the Grammy omission has been pointed out by many year after year.
What will be strange though is that now folks will say hey Neil has a grammy so that's one more to scratch from the list. I think we're now down to 2 outrages: . Led Zeppelin and The Who haven't been honored.
Lastly -- and I've observed as well as others -- I think the Musicares award is WAY bigger than the Grammy.
That lineup that paid tribute really says it all.
Award Shows are more about how the PR/Management Departments are doing, not so much about the Music. Witness how so very often the Winners fall by the way side rather quickly after winning. If it were about Quality there would be no discussion at all...it's about "did you see what she wore?...or didn't for that matter", "Can you believe how bad she sang?". Awards are for the Fluff...an Artist continues with or without them. Keep showin' em Neil !!
LIVE RUST
Neil may not have won a Grammy but who cares? Look at the diversity of the artists that came to pay their respects to the music he's made and the way he's carried himself in this world by giving back at the Musiccares event. Every great artist I care about respects him, thats all I care about. Thats vaildation to me and if a few fans of those artists check him out after seeing their icons at his event I'm sure they'll stick around and give Neil a fair shot vs the trend following Grammy buying public..
All of these artists: The Who, Led Zepplin, Queen, Grateful Dead, The Doors, Bob Marley, Beach Boys, Janis Joplin, Diana Ross, Jackson 5 and Lynyrd Skynyrd are not making new music right now. Neil is, lets rejoice in that and see that his popularity like his musical output burns slower but last longer than most artists these days and of the past.
Grammy Awards HA! All you need to know is Neil has never won a (music) Grammy despite the incredible quality, variety, and quantity of his music, while those Neil-impersonators America got one in their first year (Best New Neil Impersonator, I believe). So take it all with a grain of salt--you KNOW Neil does. Can't you just imagine what he was thinking, with his little smirk/chuckle: "what a bunch of frickin' idots".
Speaking of which, has Jimmy the Biographer weighed in on all this Neilvana? I'm sure he's disgusted.
Anomymous (beacause Google actually does evil).
joel bernstein doesn't care about a grammy mention. he's a fanboy who is in love with neil young, and he's got the perfect job.
The perfect irony.....Neil wins one for the packaging. The complete antithesis of his being. Critical acclaim from the blowhards of corporate music americana. Awesome.
I'm over the Grammy's already. What I want to know is where is "Toast"? February would be a good time to release it before the Trunk Show DVD and the new album get in the way and ensure it gets released a day or so before Christmas with close to zero sales - witness the superb "Dreamin' Man". Its all in the timing
Landing on Water
I think NY would just be thinking 'It's plowing time again'. Seems to be a regular end of the decade thing for the general public to be interested in NY. I'm just looking forward to the ride between now and 2019.
That's Thrasher for opening a dialog about the Grammy Awards and such.
Everyone on the NYA team is overjoyed and proud of the Grammy handed out on Sunday. It's great to see Gary and Jenice recognized and acknowledged by the NARAS.
Overall what comes to mind in this discussion thread are some wise words from David St. Hubbins of the legendary group Spinal Tap. When asked, "what's wrong with the Music Industry?" He replied, "Two things: the Music and the Industry."
-Archives Guy
Well put AG. Of course any Neil fan is pleased about the recognition, finally. But the long awaited corination of one man's efforts and oustanding contribution to the landscape of Rock and Roll can not pass without a little screatching feedback...aimed at the 'institution'.
All I know is Neil chopped his side burns off - What musical adventure are we in for now. Trans 2 - Beautiful!!!
Neil said in his speech that he had started a new record. This is reward enough for me. Go Neil Go.
Right, Thrasher. The real thing was all the bands honoring Neil.This winter I was blown away from Wilco at Il Conservatorio di Milano.They play on another planet.It's the better tribute to Neil. On Joel Bernstein...We all know that The Archives are a work group.Neil put the songs, the will and also the money.Elliot Roberts is a great manager, probably one of greatest.Every dedicated fan knows the passion and the precision of Joel Bernstein.Mulligan, Nowland, Hausmann, Sitam are excellent technicians. And we don't forget the producer. Andrea."So Tired"
From Bob Lefsetz mailbag
Subject: Re: Broken Arrow
Hi Bob,
I was the 2nd engineer on Stills-Young Long May You Run. I sometimes got to set up rough mixes and record harmony vocals with all four of the guys around one mic in omni. The project started out as Neil and Stephen, morphed into all four of the guys, then 30 days later Stephen and Neil decided to go back to the original plan and do a "duet." I was ordered to erase any vocals that had David and Graham on them.
Don Gehman and I spent hundreds, maybe thousands of hours in Criteria's studio B on that record. And if memory serves correctly, we used 118 reels of 2" tape and many more reels of _" as we always had to have tape rolling in case somebody had an inspiration we wanted to capture.
A couple years later I worked with Neil as the first engineer on Comes a Time and songs that ended up on several of his records that followed. It was typically just Neil, myself, and my trusty assistant Paul working somewhat normal hours six days a week. I got to know Neil well during those months together.
He's special. He's unlike anybody else I've ever known -- part clown (in a subtle, sardonic, Jack Nicholson-esque way), part genius, and very much his own person. He used to joke that he and Bob Dylan share a love of "audio veritae," and would rarely let me use a limiter or any EQ on the basic tracks. A real challenge for a young engineer, but it elevated my game and really made me rely on good mic placement.
Neil just plain didn't care if his songs were money-makers. He did however care that the stories he told made people feel something. He would always choose performances that captured the feeling rather than nailing notes or perfect timing on the head.
He would often look through the glass, raise an eyebrow and ask, "How'd that one feel?" Working with him and learning the value of the performance and feel have always served me well. Today's songwriters, artists and producers would be wise to follow Neil's example.
Warm regards, Michael Laskow
My 2 cents on the Grammys. Elvis Costello losing best new artist to Taste of Honey.
Taste of hot chicks, more like. Come'on : it's about resonating with the zeitgiest of the time. Artists tend to lead, entertainers reflect, and sometimes, they are one and the same.
The state of the art technology, along with the content, and package hit the nail squarely on the head.
If Neil didn't care about the packaging for the material for the Archives, he wouldn't have been as hands-on as so many reports have suggested.
It's silly to think that Neil, or anyone for that matter, is immune to affirmation. The affirmation resonates more when it's someone you respect (say Dylan covers Old Man, McCartney sharing a stage).
The Archives team gave blood, sweat and tears over this project and suggest, after all this time that the Grammy holds no meaning is rather a cruel irony.
I say, Congratulations Team, enjoy! You deserve it.
Andrea1bianco, you make a good point, Elliot Roberts is an unsung hero who has supported Neil’s artistic vision and stick handled his way around the music business these last forty years.
Thanks AG, Chicago, Andrea, Greg and everyone else!
Great comments.
twist & shout
Michael,Wow! what an interesting and fruitful time in your life it must have been! What seems to be the one insight that comes out of people that have "been close" to Neil in their lives for what ever reason, is just how much Neil is true to himself. Whatever project he takes on, whether it be for musical or humanitarian causes, he does so with a passion and integrity that is second to none.No one can deny his diligence and focus on whatever project/muse he's in to..and you either board the Neil train or sit at the station and wait. I'm sure you would have many other reflections of the Neil, we fans might not know about..his little quirks that could inspire or irritate..I don't think they're would be ever a dull moment with Neil..maybe frustrating or baffling sometimes..but never dull1 it was interesting reading your comment..thanks for that little insight.
doc
Michael, Thanks for sharing that little bit of history. It certainly says a lot more about Neil's character and dedication as an artist, musician, and storyteller than all the biographies and garbage people have shared about their experiences with Neil.
Too often people forget that a lot of what they hear is very manufactured and contrived which is very clear in a lot of recordings.
What draws most people to Neil I think has always been this purity he had about recording. The way he sounds in concert is exactly the way he sounded on the albums...
Oh Hiya Doc! Whazzup?
(((Hugs)))
Neil & Crazy Horse is next. Time for some good old fashioned Rock & Roll enough of this bull. Cant wait.
Archives Guy,
Gotta love the irony, too, about what our prophetic songbird sang in "Sex Kills."
I pulled up behind a Cadillac; We were waiting for the light; And I took a look at his license plate- It said, "Just Ice."
Is justice just ice? Governed by greed and lust? Just the strong doing what they can And the weak suffering what they must?
And the gas leaks And the oil spills And sex sells everything And sex kills ... Sex kills ...
Doctors' pills give you brand new ills And the bills bury you like an avalanche And lawyers haven't been this popular Since Robespierre slaughtered half of France! And Indian chiefs with their old beliefs know The balance is undone-crazy ions- You can feel it out in traffic; Everyone hates everyone! And the gas leaks And the oil spills And sex sells everything And sex kills ... Sex kills ...
All these jackoffs at the office The rapist in the pool Oh and the tragedies in the nurseries- Little kids packin' guns to school The ulcerated ozone These tumors of the skin- This hostile sun beating down on This massive mess we're in! And the gas leaks And the oil spills And sex sells everything And sex kills ... Sex kills ... Sex kills ... Sex kills ... Sex kills ...
Oh here's the link to the video where Neil & Pegi are talking about being honored for not ever being a grammy winner ....
http://www.thenewsroom.com/details/3999210
Hopefully my rant against the Grammys was not construed as a slight against the talented folks who made the magnificant artwork and structure of the Archives packaging ... indeed that aspect of the Archives was at the highest level no doubt those efforts deserved a Grammy. The rant was focused on the rest of Neil's accomplishments and how they've been overlooked over such a long period of time. That said, despite the fact that I'm not familiar with all the Grammy categories, we could easily rant about how the Archives and all its musical, technical, and production excellence was somehow overlooked ... its a symptom of the same sickness for sure ... the Archives in so many ways is a visionary masterpiece that is likely to set the standard for exhibiting canons of future recording artists and its a shame, as the talented group who have slaved for years to help make this masterpiece also deserve to get recognized. Its one thing to snub Neil year after year, he probably could care less (althought that doesn't make it alright), but the folks around him have families, mouths to feed, and careers to advance in, and hopefully this is the begininnig of these exceptionaly talented people receiving their just recognition. That said, I hope they all know the fans appreciate them dearly.
Dan
http://www.chartattack.com/news/79126/seven-neil-young-albums-that-should-have-won-grammys
great perspective Mr. Archives Guy - congratulations all around and it IS a helluva package -
Michael - AWESOME post - as a former fellow traveller, I LOVED the bit about limiters and EQ and stepping up the miking game cause you have to have it right from the start - I'll be thinking of y'all next time I spin that disc
old sound man
Dan, I am so right behind you in line. I don't understand what the fascination has been with Lady Gaga or Madonna. These women market themselves like the second coming and what are they really? Ethel Merman in Marilyn Monroe's body at your neighborhood burlesque show in it's heyday.
Instead of the Grammy's there should be special Tony for musical performance in music video or something because there's no business like show business! (And you gotta have a gimmick if you want to get ahead...)
Oh yes, Soundguy, what a helluva package especially when you open the file drawer to find vintage Neil in a barn playing "Alabama." (Not that he should have gotten an Grammy for Harvest, After the Gold Rush, Tonight's the Night, or Ambulanc Blues ....)
I find it interesting how passionate we NY fans are. It seems to me that Neil has always been clear about his perspective on awards for music. He has stated many times that he feels that there is no Best in music. He also has said that he feels he's not grammy materiel. It seems to me that Neil not winning for his music is more important to the fans than it is to him. I believe what makes us all fans of Neil's music is his passion for the artistic muse, and it's this passion that draws us closer to him as an artist. Awards don't define an artists worth anyway; only time will tell what music will endure. I believe future generations will be listening to Neil Young and be in awe of the quality of his creative output.
All this focus on the Grammys and NOBODY gives a thumbs up to "Potato Hole" winning best pop-instrumental album?
We're not begrudging Booker or Bela. We get it. We get why Neil was shunned from the Grammy Awards all these years. And we also get that the Grammy Award recognition is not important to Neil.
But, it just looks pretty weird to a lot of us who watched this guy develop his craft and that after 40 plus years he gets what?
Was it because he stood up Johnny Carson? Was it because he stood up his bandmates? Was it because he stood up a few record companies?
This guy pissed a lot of people off early on and they made him pay by not giving him the awards he so justly deserved.
Okay, old wounds heel and we move on. But there are a lot of us who remember ...
Recently I posted a comment over my frustration of the fact that those artists who were so obviously influenced by Neil failed to acknowledge him in interviews. Well, the events that transpired this weekend seems to have vindicated our hero to a degree that, in many ways, he was able to be the topic of many grammy related discussions through out the media with his integrity intact, to say the least. To be the recipiant of the 'Musicares Award' had far more meaning than any music related award at this stage of his career.The roster of artists who came to express their admiration for him was more heartfelt and sincere than anything that set foot on the stage on Sunday night. To those who felt that Joel Bernstein was snubbed for not being acknowledged for the Archives project, the award itself was for 'packaging design & artwork'. It was Jenice and Garys moment to shine as Neil's presence honored their contribution to the success of the project. What class! I'm certain that he appreciates Joel's contributions as well as the dozens, if not hundreds of others who contributed to the success of the 'Archives'.As I searched the web for grammy related items this week,I was amazed to find all of the support for Neil from fans and non-fans alike in regards to the fact that inspite of all of his musical accomplishments in nearly half of a century,he remains 'grammy-less'! Well, I don't know about you folks, but somehow if thats o.k. with Neil, it's o.k. with me ... I'm not quite ready yet to share him with the likes of Lady GaGa or, bless her heart, Tayler Swift!
Neil Young is the man! That's all that matters. Who gives a shit if he won or didn't win a Grammy. Any recognition Neil and his team, musicians, etc, get is always going to be well deserved but we all know (not just believe)that this doesn't matter to Neil nor has he ever set out on a new album thinking "gee, these songs will win me a Grammy for sure, this time" Come on, whats important to us as fans and whats important to Neil is that the songs keep coming- plain and simple. If the songs don't come then the music's over and frankly, I couldn't even bear the thought of it. Neil gets a night of recognition, that's nice. What this blog should have been is that Neil said he's working on a NEW ALBUM! and has FOUR OR FIVE SONGS WRITTEN! That's important, that's Neil news. Who is Neil playing with? What are these songs about? What will it sound like? Winning awards is not what got Neil to this point and it wont get him to the next. Neil keeps moving, creating and keeping it real- and as he said in his speech; he "hopes to be doing this for a long time to come"- that's the essence of Neil right there! That's why we love him, not awards or gold records or pats on the back from scumbags in suits- its cause Neil keeps going and doing it his way- "anything to keep the songs coming, to follow the muse" And we're fans cause we get to follow him, cause we know he's serious, he's for real and he's still here- doing it his way and as great has he always was.
Rock on Neil!
@ Jack M : "Neil & Crazy Horse is next. Time for some good old fashioned Rock & Roll enough of this bull. Cant wait."
Completely right man. Enough of this recognition. The old damn Horse is the real thing.
Yep guys. I just hope the Horse' flame still burns in Neil's heart. It will burn forever in mine, but who knows for neil ? I just hope to see Ralph, Billy and Pancho again. These guys are the men !
i was watching the trocadero '97 video last night and it struck me...there will be no more neil young and crazy horse. let's face it...neil is an old man now and he does not have the energy to play with the horse anymore. when neil plays with, say, the electric band, he plays with ringers. guys that can handle any song he throws at them. with the horse it's different. neil has to expend a lot of energy just to bring those guys up to his level. and he just does not possess the energy to do that anymore. i think that he knows this. to play with the horse you have to go balls out, and he just does not have that level of energy anymore.
of course i'd love to be proven wrong.
I agree w/ Thrash. The musicares award is much more important than a Grammy.
Hey, why don't we have our own version of a Grammy? We can call it a Neily? Or a Rusty?
It'll be for creativity, emotiveness and staying true to oneself and ones art.
I don't see what the infatuation is with this band although I do understand fan loyalty which sometimes impedes one's judgement.
At best, Frank and Billy are just mediocre musicians. I mean Billy has tried to keep it together making music but what has Frank done recently?
I mean, Frank is a little needy on the guitar, don't you think? And Billy contributed very little to the "sound" of the Horse. I mean there WERE always other musicians in the room and on the stage afterall.
Okay, but you love them. I understand. You get a little nostalgic. But I think Neil made his point when he stepped out on the stage to do "No Hidden Path" and "Spirit Road" recently that he doesn't need to feed into your nostalgia.
It takes instinct and good judgement to back Neil up. As a band, you of evolve together, and I think too much time has lapsed between now and then for Billy or Frank to add to what Neil has already done.
If Neil brings them back, it will be because he has a big heart not because they can add anything to what he created ...
Mother Nature, I think you don't understand the Horse sound. This is a spirit. The Electric Band is unable to bring this kind of thing. It's in the air, I mean the Horse is a living soul, and it's not about technic. The Horse is the definitive band.
Anyway : here's a special link of Neil doin Fallon doin Neil doin Will Smith http://www.swift.fm/edwardaten/song/19577/
@ Mother nature on the run : " Billy contributed very little to the "sound" of the Horse" Oucchhh ! FAIL ! Ah ah ah, you should listen to the bass line of Cowgirl in The Sand, dude... But you're funny.
Congratulations to Jenice and Gary.You both deserve it.Love your work.Hey AG.I know it's off topic but...Speaking of the mighty Tap.Did you happen to get their new cd?It ROCKS!I was actually pleasantly surprised by the remakes of some of their classic songs on there.Thye name of the album is Back From The Dead by the way.Good stuff.Now back to Neil.Is there ANY chance you'd be willing to even hint at what we the fans with the "Greedy Hands" might expect for 2010?Thanks.
Rancho Relaxo
wtf? The Horse... mediocre? how could... why...
(insert 5 minutes of astounded mumbling)
See here now Mr. Nature... The Horse is a spiritual phenomenon that has nothing to do with technical ability.
The have this connection between them. Imagine spokes on a wheel with Neil as the little round part in the middle that the spokes come out of. As it rotates, the most incredible, furious, wondrous, enlightening sound ever emitted out of anything flows out in these enormous waves.
It's right up there with the sound of the Universe rotating.
Mediocre. Fshaw! ;^)
"Cowgirl in the Sand?" Are you talking about the studio recording or live performances over the years? From what I remember, it was Danny who carried the unusual rhythm pattern in the initial recording which set the benchmark all these years. It wasn't Billy Talbot on bass. Anyone can do what Billy did on the recording but only a few people have been able to compliment what Danny did in that song...
Now back to our regularly scheduled program...
Mother Nature, you're funny. Got your Reactor vinyl ? So listen to Shots and you'll know what I call the Billy sound. Listen to The Fillmore East, or New Orleans and She's hot on "Crazy Horse" (1978). Just listen, funny dude. Ah ah I'm laughing. The Horse is "mediocre". I'm sure you're a Joe Satriani or even Yngwie Malmsteen fan.
The reason why Neil can't play with the "HORSE" (i.e., Billy, Ralph, Frank) is because he will go into cardiac arrest from the HOURS and HOURS and HOURS of practice before they got it right.
Now if we had a Crazy Horse & friends reunion with Nils and previous musicians all taking the stage along with all his previous back up vocalists, now that would be grammy award winning material but then Neil would have to pay all those people and then there's this thing called the musician's union and managers and ....
Why do you think Billy and Frank, Neil's former bandmates, were overlooked?
I think Crazy Horse was a classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. There was a connection between the players that provided the space for Neil to "get gone". That was the magic of Crazy Horse. Why the prolonged absence, and why the doubt as to whether Neil will ever play with them again in any sustained way? It's all pure speculation, but when did that ever stop me or anyone else from jumping in with both feet? I mean, there are only a few possibilities: a) they just don't have the chops anymore, b) there’s friction between some or all of them, c) some or all of CH can’t or don’t want to do it anymore, d) Neil doesn’t have the motivation for whatever reason, e) Neil for whatever reason wants to move on and play with other musicians, and f) CH is like fine china, Neil only breaks them out for special occasions. Just let me know if I’ve left out anything. My suspicion is that CH simply doesn’t have the chops anymore. Think about this, too, just because CH did it before, doesn’t mean they still can. I mean, we could dress up Michael Jordan, Isaiah Thomas, Wilt Chamberlain, Karl Malone and Larry Bird again, but is it going to be anything more than a nostalgia act? But me not being a musician, and knowing nothing of what I’m talking about, I don’t really know, do I? I leave all this, as always, to the discernment of Neil, who does things in his own way, in his own time, for his own reasons. Much as some of my most cherished memories and concert moments involved CH, I can’t really second guess it too much. We all know about Neil’s history of cutting things loose, and then many times coming back to them, most notably Crazy Horse itself. It’s part of what has allowed Neil to move on from one thing to another. Where would CH be if Neil had done only CSNY, or remained a solo act? Where would Neil be if he had confined himself to only CH?
For the time being, I’m content with Neil continuing to produce original material, and hoping that I’m wrong about CH, and that we get to see them again sometime in the future. I will say this, a part of me was definitely disappointed by the absence of CH at Musicares, but another part of me came right back with “I have no idea why they weren’t there, and it’s none of my business anyway”. I leave it up to Neil, and whatever the facts of the situation are, which I remain clueless about.
Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
yeah, who really knows huh? one thing i'll say about neil young is that he is a strange, strange dude. so the guys in the horse are his "friends", i would assume? at least, how he defines "friends". but i bet he hasn't played with them since their last show in 2004. now, if i had "friends" like the horse i'd be playing/jamming with them all the time. it blows my mind that neil, who is supposed to be possessed of this great muse, can't just get together and jam with his "friends", just for "fun". i think there was a quote in shakey aboot neil not knowing how to have "fun". seems about right to me.
i've been searching for a band for 20 years...if i find them i'm not letting go.
Greg, I think (hope) taht it's f) CH is like fine china, Neil only breaks them out for special occasions. tim
Hey, at least Neil somehow stays above it all in his own way.
Speaking of above it all, the banner ad with Clapton hawking the "Fender Fone" above this page reminds us all its all about the, uh, cash.
Sorry to bite the (slow)hand that brings us this stuff.
You're always so sensible about stuff, Greg. You guys are really nice to put up with my opinions and observations. I was just joking about the reunion really.
I mean Neil's been doing a great job with the balancing act of restoring the old songs while creating new ones so far, right?
All we can really hope for Neil is that he keeps both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, and he keeps the car moving forward with or without Grammy recognition to fuel his engine.
The old Neil would have used his Grammy award as a hood ornament anyway for one of the Willies.
- Mother Nature on the Run-
As the great Chief Dan George was told...
"You must endeavor to persevere."
After AGs' last comment, I'm wearing a condom 24/7!
How can you even speak about Crazy Horse after Neil's religious experience-like tours the past few years? Billy and Frank could never ever keep up with that energy we saw coming out of Neil or the musicians who toured with him?
What can they bring to the songs or the spirit or electricity that Neil hasn't alredy delivered these past 3 years?
Mash potatoes?
How does one exactly listen to Rocking in the Free World again when you got John Fogerty, Keith Urban, U2, Pearl Jam, Eddie Van Halen chomping at the bit on that one?
I just don't get the infatuation. I get the loyalty but not the infatuation.
How exactly does one re-create the masterpiece that the Horse was?
Hey Anon who wrote: " I will say this, a part of me was definitely disappointed by the absence of CH at Musicares, but another part of me came right back with “I have no idea why they weren’t there, and it’s none of my business anyway”.
The guys from Crazy Horse WERE at MusicCares, right at the same table with Neil's other band mates. All one happy family.
Mother Nature, go listen to Eddie Van Halen and leave the Horse alone. It's a force that's bigger than you, that's not for little girls in summer clothes. Tim
A force bigger than me? Summer clothes?
Like I said, Tim. I understand your loyalty and patronizing but I don't understand the infatuation that perpetuates this myth about the Horse's special power, energy, or spirit. A Neil & Horse tribute tour of re-act-or favorites after people heard what he was cranking out these past few years is delusional. Frank is not that great of a guitarist and neither is Billy let alone carry Neil through the sets he's been playing the past few years.
Mother Heart, it's not about individual technic with the Horse. The whole Horse is greater than the sum of the parts. And I think that without these guys (yes, technically mediocre and so ?) Neil won't find his soulfull electricity. Take for example Fork in the road : there's no life in it, same thing with Living with war. Tim
Maybe what your talking about is the redundance of Neil's chord progression and overall musical themes. Yes, it gets a little tiresome and that's why he needs to keep moving forward. Not backward.
Honestly, I don't think Billy ever had the creative juices to lead Neil beyond the fence if you get my drift. And while Frank offered insight for Neil and such, he was somewhat limited at what he could produce on his own.
These guys just keep playing the same stuff over and over and over. That's all I'm saying.
By the way, Thrasher, thanks for letting us use your thread here about the Horse and their relevancy to Neil's future. I realize I'm in the minority here so I appreciate the level of civility Tim and everyone else has maintained during this discussion.
Mum, I'm starting to get the impression that you think Neil won't be "saddling up" again !
I'm loving this little banter..soughta reminds me of the "Neil versus Bob" debate...
Please don't start on that one! ...otherwise "Mother Nature" ..you WOULD be on the run! lol
luv doc
Hey Doc. If he's saddle'n up the wagon there, he better have something more than "mash potatoes."
"re-act-or up" might be the quintessential Crazy Horse but hardly a main course for a reunion tour.
I agree with Mother nature for Reactor. That's why we need a new Crazy Horse album and tour right now with Billy, Ralph and Frank. Enough of this recognition, "Neil is one of the greatest songwriters" bla bla bla. Of course he is. Keep on fuckin up. Tim (old fashioned raw R&R fan).
Crazy Horse? New material?
Right.
That almost (I said almost) qualifies as an oxymoron.
For last 20 years all they've done are rinky dinky loops and rhyming like:
"Singing like this, that go like this, up and down, and sound like shi&t.
In C or F or F and C, throw in a few suspension keys"
You can say what you want Mother Nature, with Toast, everybody will understand the difference between a nice electric Neil w/ Rick Rosas and Chad Cromwell and the massive power of the Horse. Goin Home. Tim
The Horse is a rusty tractor. It's vintage and it's uh awesome.
Hey guys, and what about the Echoes ? ... I'd like to hear the holy crazy horse too !
Um. Like a rusty tractor?
One that still works, I hope because most the rusty tractors are out to pasture or sitting in my neighbor's backyard.
Are you sure you're not just looking for something to ... uh ... look at?
The Echoes? That's a bar band. Plain and simple. We only wish that Neil would go this route but those days are long, long gone.
That Just inspired me to get out and play "Ragged Glory"..just another one in the path of rediscovering Neil...Raw and uncut with the "horse".
Geez, I can really start to relate to this album.... especially.. "Why do I keep F#*KING UP?" Ya know Mum, you might be right..it just might be too hard to reshoe! lol..but I'd sure love to ride him one more time!!
doc
At 2/05/2010 11:34:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...
Hey Anon who wrote: " 'I will say this, a part of me was definitely disappointed by the absence of CH at Musicares, but another part of me came right back with “I have no idea why they weren’t there, and it’s none of my business anyway'".
"The guys from Crazy Horse WERE at MusicCares, right at the same table with Neil's other band mates. All one happy family."
Really, CH was there? That's awesome, I love being wrong about stuff like this. Makes me feel much better about things, especially what may be increased odds of the horse riding again.
Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
The rusty tractor still works, year after year, under the rain, the snow, the wind and even the sarcasm. Hold on Crazy Horse (not Magnolia uh !). That what comes after the blues, guys. Tim
Hey,whatever analogy ya wanna use... 'Saddle the horse','ride the rusty tractor'...as long as the bridle fits or there's fields to plough, why not bring'm out?
What's Neil got to lose?..his credibility? I don't think so...
"Back in the days that used to be!"
Yeah bring'm back... in ALL their Ragged glory!!!!
Let's make a "Toast" to the horse!!
doc
You're right Doc !
Making a "toast" is just asking for trouble. These guys start raising cain again, we're gonna read in the morning paper that one of em's found dead hanging by their "you know what" in closet in a hotel called the Shanghai Express.
Poncho, get out of here, I recognized your badass sarcasm !
Having seen Neil Young with different bands, only one band can gel and create such emotional power and energy and that's Crazy Horse. When they hit that groove they transcend all references to the technical. Watching them you're at one with a universal sonic nirvana that's all embracing.
They're Neil's finest rock band in my humble opinion and it seems like too many people see them as an easy target.
Ever since Jimmy McDonough took a pop at them in the Neil Young biography, it seems fair game to knock them.
Give them a bit of slack, could you imagine Zuma with some slick session drummer like Jeff Pecora? Brilliant drummer, but for Neil young, the band has to 'Get It' ie connect / relate/ know where he's coming from / create that groove.
Knock the horse (it seems to be the season) but give them their dues, they 'get it' and they do it for Neil and I suspect a whole lot of fans. They gel like no other, they're the catalyst, Neil''s the spark, together they create the explosive mix.
Long may they gallop!
The longer Neil goes on without the Horse,the more of a nostalgia act they become .. and Neil doesn't do nostalgia. Just ask the Springfield. In the past, Neil would eventually come back to the Horse whenever he felt it was right and they would patiently wait in the pasture until called upon. Is it possible that maybe this time they spoke their of their displeasure of abandonment only to alienate stubborn 'ol Neil and any chance of playing with him again? Neil has proven with his current band that he can do all of the CrazyHorse classics as well as many songs that he could have never performed live in the past with the Horse. As much as I have always loved the horse, even I recognise that they are limited as musicians when you consider Neils vast catalog of songs that he is now able to perform for us with his current band and the lineup he used on the 'Family and Friends' tour. If he did ever tour with the horse again, it would be an act of charity..out of the kindness of his big heart like when he gets together with C.S.N. I gotta hunch the Horse is out to pasture for good this time.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse July 9, 2010 , Rockwave Festival
Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year - UPDATED
great event, wish Neil could've played at least a song or two, "I am a Child" maybe.
wish LA Johnson could've been in the audience, too.
Johnny Rocket!
just a night on the town for Neil and crew.
Wow. So how do we get a set list (and ultimately a recording) for the show?
Congratulations Neil; you are part of so many peoples lives, and you have helped so many more. You deserve this award, and this recognition. I hope you and your team had a great night. It's a real shame LA couldn't be there with you all.
I have a feeling it could be a long stretch before we hear any news from Mr. Young but I really really hope I'm wrong.
The last 4-5 years have been crammed full of Neil, and keeping up with whatever his latest project/tour happens to be. And they have been incredible.
I really hope that Neil keeps writing, recording, touring, playing live, whatever. Because that's why we love the guy, there is no other quite like him.
I look forward to seeing you out there again someday, Neil. Congratulations again. And thanks for everything.
"Young did get up from his table at the end to thank everyone, and to reveal that he was four or five songs into a new album. “I won’t stop and I hope to be able to continue for a really long time,” he said."
Where was the Horse ? I mean, it is the most important band in Neil's career. Without the Horse, there's probably no "NY, person of the Year". Ben
was this broadcast anywhere? are we gonna get to see any of these performances?
Karen reported on rust that Billy and Ralph were in attendance. Keith
And Poncho ?
Boy, I hope some day there's a way to see and hear more of what took place last night. Some of it is just too cool- Neil citing Tony Bennett as an inspiration? Tony Bennett, one of my other personal favorites? Wow. I'll have to bookmark this page and look at it another time when my internet connection is faster, don't have the time or patience to wait for photos to come up. I am both heartened and not surprised that Neil is 5 or 6 songs into a new album, and definitely not surprised about his statements concerning continuing to go on. It's a big part of who he is, and as long as we have him with us, he will keep producing, producing musical pictures of the most relevant to him things going on in his life at the moment. As Bill Shapiro said years ago, he is a modern day troubadour, he needs an audience to complete the alchemy that takes place between mind and music. What comes out in the end can be sublime or goofy and whacky side by side, or infuriating and impenetrable to some, but always meaningful, personal, unique, and heartfelt. And we get to be the audience? How cool is that? And how cool is it that it all comes out of the man that Neil Young is? By all means, give me any number of more FITR’s!- and PW’s and LWW’s and Greendale’s and RNS’s and EKTIN’s…
A lot of people continue to rightly bring up L.A. Johnson, and it makes me think of what it must be like for Neil to keep moving, and not curl up in a fetal position. How many life shattering moments has this guy been through, and yet he perseveres. It’s a big subject, but I guess for me the conversation could always begin and end with Neil’s admonition to: “Just do what you want to do. Don’t listen to anyone else.” It’s gotta be the thing that gets him through, and something I’m applying to my own life after all these years. Would that I have half the success Neil has had (warts and all- just to head off all the obligatory comments about how “our hero” does not rise to perfection, as if anyone does).
I guess a night like this also assuages the craven side of me that has always been irked by the lack of recognition for Neil by the music business as a whole. Sorry to repeat myself from past posts, but as respected and known across all lines as Neil is, he is virtually unknown by a larger audience beyond the same beat it into the ground songs that get played on the radio every now and then. It shouldn’t really matter, and I know full well how laughable Neil would find this, but I’m still human in silly ways, I guess. When even the cryptic minded David Letterman can ask out loud why more people don’t know about Neil, then… I’m just saying.
Anyhow, congratulations Neil. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but clichés are clichés for a reason- “Keep on rockin’ in the free world!”
Just another Neil sycophant- Greg M (A Friend Of Yours)
Thanks for the link, Thrasher
Anon wrote "And Poncho ?"
She didn't see him. He may have been there. Maybe not. Billy and Ralph were hanging together, apparently.
More pictures at LAtimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-grammy-musicares-neil-young-pictures,0,7764758.photogallery
Dave matthews playing needle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IKxZmZ_RwQ
well done, Thrash, nice summary.
i rank this moment right up there, at the very top of Neil's career, a very, very special award that Neil fully deserved.
Just to nit-pick for a moment, i would have found a way to get Richie Furay on the stage, and also Crazy Horse.
Almost criminal that Crazy Horse wasn't up there, but, i guess if Neil wasn't planning to perform, what kind of role could they have?
anyhow, can't wait to see this one down the road...
Really many big artists for the well deserved event.Anyway, no Bruce or Bob.Maybe there's a bit of competition...
Andrea."So Tired"
Auch in Old Germany freuen sich alle Neil´Fans mit ihm für diese grosse Auszeichnung. Es lebe Neil Young !!
Neil 'CONGRATULATIONS' from Toronto. Thank you for being such a big part of my life since 1967. Thank You for what you do for our World and Children. Thank You Thrasher's Wheat and Karen for your fine reports. Neil and Pegi looked so happy in all the pictures, for that matter everybody looked like they were having such a good time. It must have been such an amazing night to be there. The only thing that would have made it a perfect night would have been if the late Larry L.A Johnson could have been there!Glenn LincVolt
Thank you, Thrasher, for all the information of this big moment! Hope to see some more. Congratulations to Neil!
Love, Liza
It takes me forever to read all this, Thrasher you continue to do us all such a service.......a huge time investment for you on a daily basis....I hope you are finally getting a financial boost, cause you deserve it!
Awesome. Can't wait to hear that Wilco version of Broken Arrow - sounds like they nailed it!
Thanks Thrasher - love the site!
- Love in Mind
Maybe it was posted before... There are some very interesting video excerpts from the event at this url:
Can't wait to see the whole Show !
Seems like a memorable night... The best spin I can come up with is that The Horse is so connected to Neil, so he didn't play, they didn't play ... surprised no Eddie Vetter either
That's Kate Markowitz between Dave Matthews and Jason Mraz, currently labeled as "guest". She is a long-time singer in James Taylor's band.
I hope we all realize how fortunate we are to be living during Neils' lifetime. Because a hundred years from now, fans are only gonna get the recordings.
"Live Neil Young music is Better" bumper stickers should be issued!!!
not sure if this has been reported or not....but apparently Neil won his first ever Grammy award tonight!!!!
"Rock legend Neil Young and "Family Ties" actor Michael J. Fox are among the early Canadian winners at this year's Grammy Awards.
Young claimed a trophy for best boxed or special limited edition package for the first elaborately designed volume of his "Archives" collection. It was the Toronto-born singer's first-ever Grammy."
FINALY
and well-earned at that.
the Beatles box set was also up for the trophy,but it was nothing compared to the groundbreaking colossal machine that is the Archives!
-Marc C
also from the link above:
"The prizes were given out during the non-televised portion of the Grammy Awards, where the bulk of the hardware is handed out before the evening gala.
[...]
Young is also up for best solo rock vocal performance for the song "Fork in the Road." "
would be nice to actually SEE neil grab an award...but i doubt he'll win best solo rock performance hahaha
good to dream though!
-Marc C
Neil finally won a Grammy for The Archives!!! He lost best solo rock vocal performance however to Springsteen's "Workin' On A Dream."
Wish LA Johnson was here to see the Grammy win.
RIP Larry.
Congrats, Archives Guy, Neil and the rest of the team.
Johnny Rocket!
Never worried much about Grammys as my favourite musos such as Alex Chilton, the Rubinoos, and Neil were never in with a chance against the manufactured product by the likes of Beyonce and Taylor Swift and all the pretty boy country guys.
So now they give Neil 2 one for his charity work and one for the colour and shape of the cardboard on the Archives Box. I would have preferred it if they gave him one for the quality of his MUSIC.
Beyonce can win 20 Grammy's but she'll never mean that much to me. I'd prefer to listen to Neil any day because his music is real.
Neil was wrong when he said that there was no best in music. Neil's music is the greatest and for it not be acknowledged as such by the Grammy's shows the lack of credibility of these awards.
How about the Grammy's with Neil and the Horse (or the Electric Band) blowing Beyonce and all that artifice offstage. Could you imagine Kanine West interpreting Neil?
Great to see the NYA getting some recognition but it is time that the Grammy's give Neil an award for his brilliant music.
Landing on Water from a great height
What a great synopsis here. Can't wait to hear Wilco & Jackson Browne do Neil's songs. When this CD comes out, this is gonna blow all other sales outta the water. And whether you like her style of music or not, Beyonce is a very gifted singer & will go on earning more and more accolades in her lifetime. No one can fault her or the Grammy's if she attracts a much broader audience than Neil ever did.
What a great synopsis here. Can't wait to hear Wilco & Jackson Browne do Neil's songs. When this CD comes out, this is gonna blow all other sales outta the water. And whether you like her style of music or not, Beyonce is a very gifted singer & will go on earning more and more accolades in her lifetime. No one can fault her or the Grammy's if she attracts a much broader audience than Neil ever did.
Is Beyonce that good? Why did not say Rolling Stone or any of the mainstream mags give her album 5 stars? I recall Robert Christgau did not like it either.
Compared to Aretha, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Howard Tate, Swamp Dogg, Al Green, Anne Pebbles, even Kayne West she rates last. Her music is not timeless. Extremely beautifullwith limited ability in my view. The Annette Funicello of the 21st Century? Wish her 15 minutes of Fame was up.
Landing on Water
I like Beyonce. Don't rate what she's doing now, but in the years between the 2nd Destinys Child LP and her first solo album she made some first rate pop music. Yeah, she's no Aretha but Annette Funicello is way too harsh. I'd say Tina Turner or Diana Ross would be fairer comparisons.
And I think all this awards stuff for Neil is a waste of space. Who in their right mind cares? In the year he released possibly his two finest albums, 'Zuma' and 'Tonight's The Night', they gave the best record Grammy to Olivia Newton John, and the best album to Stevie Wonder. Okay, maybe Stevie deserved it, but Olivia? Jeez. These people don't know shit, and if Neil's giving them time it makes me respect his current persona that little bit less.
"and one for the colour and shape of the cardboard on the Archives Box"
Trust me, that grammy award is NOT based on the color and shape of the F@#$@#g cardboard box! Think CONTENT, as in that statment and thought from you have no content. You must either be joking, or truly misdirected.
That Grammy Neil Young won is for the MUSIC! All 128 cuts or so, and the content, the layout, the innovation, the muse, the F@#%g breakthrough of technology, the archival info! This is no lifetime acheivment award, dude. This is an acheivement of a lifetime award!
Don't discount the merit of his work or this award based on your interpretation of the significance or the lack thereof of past grammy awards and that Neil didn't get one. You think he cares?
Jeesh, you'd think it was undeserved. I suggest you think again.
- Not Rotten Johnny
Neil seems to forget the horse, and I think that's not fair. Ben
I don't agree Rocketman. The award was token, condescending, and patronizing, too. They waited how long to recognize him for his artistry? Why? Because they like his attitude better than when he was young and more controverial? Because he's not a liability to the music industry anymore? Because all the people who held grudges are dead or too old to remember how ridiculous and childish their grudges were in the first place?
The music cares award was a nice tribute but the musicians were carefully hand picked and certainly not reflective of the kind of career Neil had these past 40 plus years. When most of those people got heir (lucky)break they played by the rules. Most of them received their accolades & industry recognition before they were 30. Okay, Lucinda had to wait until she was 50, but do you get my point?
They like him now, but for all the wrong reasons. They recognize his contribution, but for all the wrong reasons.
Career achievement award in the guise of a box set. Nothing less.
Congrats to Neil and the Archives team!
Now, let speculate the new music!
Discuss Grammies on Neil Young Wins First-Ever Grammy Award for Archives Box thread.
Great to see Everest tackle Revolution Blues... nice song to play to a Hollywood crowd. Very Neil like...
It would have been nice to have Crazy Horse play a song (on their own), after all, they've been with Neil for god knows how long... but what a star-studded turn out ! Hope to see it on DVD soon. -Jim "Keep 'em hoppin' and keep on rockin'"
Yesterday morning, I watched Journey Through the Past from the Archives. Now adays, you forget how young and full of himself (in a good way, I guess) Neil was when he was the same age as most of the Grammy winners. What a different time - what a different vibe. Happily rolling a number for the camera. Red, bleary eyes and slow jamming in the barn.
Until about 3-4 years ago, Neil still seemed to be related to that person. Time is beginning to catch up with him. He's getting the lifetime acheivement awards now. He's putting out the anthologies and the histories before the others can get in and define him.
I'm getting older, too. I love the fact that Neil still is in the moment. But I see that changing now. Physically, you can see him changing. Four years ago, he still had that lean hawkiness to him. That hunger. He doesn't look hungry anymore. I feel some sadness for him, and for me (probably self pity).
Old Black
Sorry wheats, I'm going with the artistic recognition of this award, and that's music related too. Any other position is demeaning to Neil and his crew.
If Neil thought this was bullsh$t, he would've nixed the whole damn weekend, tribute included of 'handpicked'artists selected to stroke hig giant ego, yeah right.
In the end, I'm not sure the F#$%g trophy means too much to him anyhow. But I'm not gonna say they just 'gave' in a and 'gave it' to him.
- Not Rotten Johnny
Thrasher, Sorry to post this on two threads, but felt this subject is being discussed here:
All I can say that if the Grammy's, after 50 years of Neil rockin the rock n' roll industry, can only manage to give him a grammy for the artwork on his box set, it shows that the whole thing is a ridiculous farce ... I actually agree that giving him a grammy now for the art on the box set is insulting to him as an artist and at the same time it demeans the whole Grammys institution ... I mean, how can people like Taylor Swift (no disrespect meant to her or her work) or Beyonce walk away with an armload of awards, and this kind of thing has been happening for literally years and decades, and a true authentic artist like Neil has created tens of albums and hundreds of songs of all flavors, and genre's, Jeez he's probably created a few genere's in the process and they can't come up with one measly award for his MUSIC?? Sorry, its a joke, its ridiculous, you'll rarely see me ranting like this, but its preposterous, and it proves the whole Grammys thing is bankrupt, its bogus, its fake, its pretentious, its political ... otherwise its totally unexplainable ... Neil is a class act to show up and receive the art award ... he's a gracious person who doesn't need their false, pretentious accolades, but the whole thing when you think of it is so ridiculous ya can't do much more than call it out ... ten years from now these grammy winners and their carefully manicured songs will be long forgotten and Neil and his substantive music will live on, aging gracefully as always... Neil, Long May You Run!! You truly set the real standard.
Dan
Sorry but the Music Cares Award is over the rainbow for Neil.
This guy has been putting in brilliant stage performances the past 2 years working like a dog and this is all they can do for him. He's made a movie, done movie soundtracks, written musicals, and he gets a grammy for the design of the box set.
If you smell horsesh&*t at the end the rainbow, it's not because he left the horse in the barn or out to pasture too long.
They have no use for him in the blood sucking industry. Never did. What they have use for is b*ttkissers like Cheryl Crow who absolutely loves "with all her heart" every single music executive that ever lived plus every other guy she used to carve out her niche with the rest of the blood suckers.
So if you can't beat them, you join 'em, right?
This Grammy was for the design of the box and was given to the people who designed it. Sure, Neils' name is all over it, but the award went to Janice and Gary. Neil was there to pat THEM on the back!
Almost certain that this will air on pbs during on of their pledge drives.
From the blog entry above:
"A lame -- and uncredited -- review: Honoree Neil Young fails to perform at music biz charity event | Analysis & Opinion | Reuters. (Incidentally, this the most Tweeted story of the event. As always -- lets find the negative on Neil and pound it home. Reuters. What a bunch of losers.)"
Hmmm. Makes me kind of glad I'm not a tweeter (no offense to you twittering folks out there as I am sure there are many fine tweeters.) Personally, I'm very gratified that such a diverse set of artists gathered to pay respects to someone who has inspired so many and given so much through his art as well as with his heart to so many. Neil Young is, sure, a great artist. I certainly know that having listened to his albums and attended his concerts for so long. But his personal commitments to ideals and for just plain caring for his fellow human beings are very inspiring and admirable. I do so much respect him for what he has given and I am so glad MusiCares honored him and that so many artists donated their performances in his honor.
Mike
Mike, I think you're right about the level of sincerity there that night.
It's funny though, in order to protect the artistic integrity of his work for all these years, he did his best to distance himself from the absurdities, phoniness and celebrity that comes naturally with the fame of becoming a legend. And now to find him bathing in the spotlight surrounded by people who see him as their inspiration.
One thing for sure we know about Neil more than any other artist there, he can walk away from it any time, and do just fine without it.
WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW!
I just hope this glorious event was recorded!
I didn't watch the Grammies -- Screw them!!! Screw everything they stand for, which is mediocrity and stupidity in music.
I spent my evening listening to Fork in the Road and Chrome Dream 2
I was very happy, indeed!
Neil LONG MAY YOU RUN!
I hope this is broadcast on TV at some point or even a DVD that could be bought. Seems like an interesting show.
Would like to have seen Lucinda Williams do a Neil song without sharig the stage. I think she could do justice to alot of NEils songs.
Also, hope Dylan was at least invited.Would have loved to see Bob do " Hey Hey My My " !
The auction was awesome!!! they raised like $150,000.00 on three items. Elton John bought a private booth for the Taylor Swift concert. The auctioneer even sold the Neil Young sign, with Jack Black, for $40,000. Does anyone know who he is or how to get a hold of him? We are having an auction in December and are looking for someone of his caliber...Help, Thanks
Its amazing to see how Neil Young has struck up musical collaborations throughout his career. From Buffalo Springfield to Crazy Horse to Crosby, Stills, & Nash -- these have been his most renowned influences and inspirations. myspace.com/elikamahony
Neil Young Wins First-Ever Grammy Award for Archives Box
by the way, what was their first collaboration? "After the Godrush"?
All I can say that if the Grammy's, after 50 years of Neil rockin the rock n' roll industry, can only manage to give him a grammy for the artwork on his box set, it shows that the whole thing is a ridiculous farce ... I actually agree that giving him a grammy now for the art on the box set is insulting to him as an artist and at the same time it demeans the whole Grammys institution ... I mean, how can people like Taylor Swift (no disrespect meant to her or her work) or Beyonce walk away with an armload of awards, and this kind of thing has been happening for literally years and decades, and a true authentic artist like Neil has created tens of albums and hundreds of songs of all flavors, and genre's, Jeez he's probably created a few genere's in the process and they can't come up with one measly award for his MUSIC?? Sorry, its a joke, its ridiculous, you'll rarely see me ranting like this, but its preposterous, and it proves the whole Grammys thing is bankrupt, its bogus, its fake, its pretentious, its political ... otherwise its totally unexplainable ... Neil is a class act to show up and receive the art award ... he's a gracious person who doesn't need their false, pretentious accolades, but the whole thing when you think of it is so ridiculous ya can't do much more than call it out ... ten years from now these grammy winners and their carefully manicured songs will be long forgotten and Neil and his substantive music will live on, aging gracefully as always... Neil, Long May You Run!! You truly set the real standard.
Dan
Agreed totally. Btw, at the Musicares evening he didn't wear these shades…
Peter D. (Holland)
Agreed, the Grammies are a money machine, it's got less to do with music than with the promotion of product. Still, makes me smile that old Neil is up there, looking all gruffy and misplaced, on the same stage as Fabulous Beyoncé. Let's fantasize a bit, folks: maybe they could do a duet, on Field Of Opportunity or something. Can you picture that? Mick Jagger, eat your heart out! By the way, the Grammy for the bos is - of course - totally deserved.
I don't understand all this "bitchin". This price rewards 20 years of work of Neil and all his team on this important, special project. I hope that the new record and the next volumes can follow fast. For now, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Andrea." So Tired"
P.S. We're all waiting for the new downloads yet..
Luckily for Neil, Taylor Swift hasn't released enough material for a boxed set...
Neil/team won the award and whether he deserved prior awards, this one is here, and it’s for the unprecedented presentation of his work as put out. I just think it can be them FINALLY recognizing the genius of a man and his muse. Why does it have to be debated as to the intent. The Beatles didn’t win it, and the Stones and Bob weren’t in the running. To diminish it I think diminishes the 20 year effort to put it together and to get it right. It’s a prize. The box set is THE prize.
Neil rocks. NYA are breakthrough. End of story.
(Good boy, Whiskey!)
better late than never I usually say...NYA v1 is the standard that future box sets will be measured against...
Package World: Designed by R. Twerk & Co., various versions of the boxed set, priced at $100 to $300, were designed to meet two of Young’s requirements: It is durable and eco-friendly. The outer box and CD carriers inside the container are SBS board and corrugated partitions from Jenco Productions. They’re printed in six colors and four process colors, plus a spot back and spot varnish to accentuate the fine graphic details. Those include a “wrap” of newspapers of the era and artwork that embodies Young’s early years as a musician.
The graphics are printed on Monadnock Duraprint, an environmentally friendly paper from Monadnock Paper Mills.
Elsewhere inside the box are the discs, a “stash” box, and another engaging keepsake, a replica of Young’s leather personal journal. The journal and the CD wallets are made of Mohawk Via Vellum from Mohawk Fine Papers. The journal cover is a faux embossed leather. The look and feel of leather are achieved by screen printing on a synthetic material, with embossing accomplished using what Burden describes as a “radio frequency” embossing method. “
The papers were picked from the standpoint that they had the right weight, color, and especially feel,” says Gary Burden, the boxed set’s lead art director and designer. Burden and Young have been collaborating on album cover art for more than 40 years.
“From the perspective of environmental consciousness, this paper also had the qualities of not only being Forest Stewardship Council-certified as being made from pulp yielded in an environmentally responsible manner, it also was made using all wind power and its manufacturing was done without a carbon footprint” and using Post Community Waste content.
In addition, the papers’ porous surface provides a tactile feel to heighten product-quality perception.
“The objective was to present a large archival collection of music, photography, and memorabilia in a new and unique way,” Burden says. “The package is a very complete collection of an artist’s life and works.”
nice info to know. i did not know that. just another reason to tune in and turn on.
A friend of mine noted that Neil winning for packaging is like Scorsese winning an Oscar for costume design. An apt analogy...
I'm sorry but its true- Neil winning the award for the packaging? I agree it was well deserved but what about what is INSIDE? The Grammies are a buncha horse manure! Look, the boss is great, I'm a fan especially of his material up through Nebraska but the fact that Bruce is swimming in these awards and Neil has one just shows ya how out of wack awards ceremonies are! Am I alone in believing that back in what? 1993- When both Bruce and Neil were up for an Academy Award for Philadelphia- Neil shoulda won? Bruce's tune was horrible and Neil's was fantastic! Really! Proof? Christ, even I almost balled at the end of that movie when Neil's song started playing! Bruce's was a half-assed attempt at a movie song. Neil's was passionate, Heartfelt, and well written. Screw the grammy's Bruce is great but....
Neil is better!
Taylor Swift isn't worthy enough to sniff Neil's tant. The music industry is ruled by teeny-boppers cause their parents are the only one's that still buy the CDs.
Neil said it right in Shakey- music excuetives patting themselves on the back.
Rock on Neil!
Hey, what's the beef? That Grammy will look just fine next to the Gold Record Award for Time Fades Away...
Neil without sunglasses on!
I love this site!
I love Neils' sight....?
Oh come on, people, they deserve the award for such great art direction. The artistry is awesome. I agree that Neil deserves a Grammy for his music, and doesn't get half the overall recognition he deserves, but that shouldn't take anything away from the artists who did such a fine job creating the packaging for the Archives.
It's beautiful.
What y'all need to understand is that mainstream people in our society and the music industry aren't looking for creativity or the quality of personal expression, or your ability to channel the universe in music.
They are much more shallow than that. The people want what's sold to them, they want to be part of the popular crowd, they aren't interested in identifying personally with a song in a profound, emotional way.
They far outnumber the people who enjoy music because it moves them or titillates their minds, because of how it effects them personally, both emotionally and intellectually.
The music industry, by-and-large, plays to this tendency. It releases shallow garbage, people buy it and pretend they like it in order to satisfy their need to be accepted. This is mainstream American pop culture we're talking about here, not the land of smart, thoughtful, multidimensional individuals.
So obviously the chances of Neil Young winning a Grammy are much, much slimmer than Taylor Swift, even though he writes better music. Neil writes better music than almost anyone. It's not about good music - it's about popularity. It's about who sold the most albums because they were aggressively marketed by the industry to the shallow mainstream cult of popularity.
I'd be happy if Neil Young did get the recognition he deserved, but Neil isn't after recognition (thank GOD, because his music wouldn't be half as good as it is), and he doesn't need it, so who really cares?
In some sense it might even be a travesty to award him a Grammy, considering that winning one basically indicates that you're simplistic and derivative enough to easily market to sheep.
Wonderful post, Matthew!I love the music of the great songwriter Eric Andersen, although he has never sold much. And so for many other artists.Anyway, all these rewards are good for Neil Young, who isn't certainly a mainstream musician.
Andrea."So Tired"
When, if ever, will muiscares concert be on TV? any way we can track that?
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