Like we know, this will all probably change soon but there's other signs of complacency. His solo and unplugged appearances have been getting rave notices too, especially as those are now pretty fashionable. Give him credit though... that's been part of his music for years and who the hell would be strange/crazy/artistic enough to do some of their oldies on a pipe organ at a taped concert? All of which leads you to wonder is it actually possible that Neil is finally beginning to mellow out in his old age (As if you or I could write beautiful songs like he still does)? It's no crime certainly and he wouldn't be the first performer to do it. And hey, he's still graceful about it, which is a hell of a lot more than you can say about a lot of people who followed in his footsteps. Then again, this could another of his little games. Think of it... for over twenty years, this guy's done so many weird moves and confusing turns that we'd expect anything from him next..... and the only further out he could get would be whole albums or CDs.. or maybe even old songs done as rap music, new age or free jazz (I hope he doesn't get any bright ideas). What if he pulled off the biggest shock of all? That is, after leaving us hanging after putting out each album, waiting for his next turn of tune, that he actually decided not play games with his music anymore. We'll be sitting around each album, thinking "that was a good one but wait til he goes nuts and comes out with his next one." But it never happens... he becomes old faithful and we're truly bewildered. Of course, there is one more explanation and probably the most reasonable one. It could be that after all of this time, all that he's done, all that he's considered, he could just be sick and tired of making peoples heads spin and just want to put across his music as he wants to... without any backtracking or side steps. No one could blame him... and I'm sure we'll all be peachy with that. Let the young and snotty moronic bands play games and fuck the fans over, he may think. I can put out great music just as myself so why the hell not, he'll say. But maybe not. Let me say this much for him. Anyone from the sixties who's held out this long has to go a long way to stay credible.... Luckily, Neil is gifted enough with songwriting and kick ass voice to hang in there. The thing is, if he had never taken any detours, you know that we'd all be sick of him coming out with the same thing for twenty years now no matter what the quality of it all is. Even a good thing can get tired out after a while. No doubt that he's had this in mind for a while and sworn to stay fresh by taking chances, wrong turns and gambles, some of which have paid off. If , if you think about it, it's just things like that which make rock so exciting. Why the hell would we deny him that? Greendale... is... I don't know... it's a folk-novel... which is really what he's the best at doing... actually, he's best at doing anything. But Greendale is just beyond groovyness... and I don't know what his next move is... Strange guy that Neil Young.... but he's always been somewhat of an idol figure for myself. Neil is a fucking genius... and I'm proud to be an obsessive fan. Do you even know how many times a week I play heart of gold? lmao. ~ George
Neil is the bomb! One of my favorites. I have most of his stuff (through the 80's anyway) on vinyl. Your right, he's unpredictable...that's part of the magic.
Neil Young... what a peculiar man! Often times I wonder why I'm so headoverhealsbuyingallthatisofhimandmemorizingeverythingIhearhimsay in love with him. I mean, no, he's not the best singer (technically, but he still gives me goose bumps), his guitar playing is rather sloppy, some of his lyrics are quite silly, even his harmonica playing isn't great, per se, but nevertheless, it seems to be the whole package that draws rusties like you and me to him. If you listen to a greatest hits cd like decade, you cannot help but be blown away by the undeniable diversity of his music. From I Am A Child, to Cinnamon Girl, to Harvest, to Tonights the Night, to A Man Needs A Maid. He's got such a mad bloody brilliant head on his shoulders and will no doubtedly go down in history as a music legend. LONG LIVE RUST! Ashley
But that's the strangest thing about him. His voice may not be the best, his guitar playing may not be the best, and his harmonica playing may not be the best... nor his organ playing... but... the overall ora behind the man is just shocking. It's unbelievable... and his biography with all the interviews that Jimmy McDonough did really lets you see into the insight of Neil Young. He's just a normal guy in my opinion... but.... what is it with him. He's like Jimmy Buffett, Phish, or The Grateful Dead... you get those cult-following fans even though they might not be the best musicians in the world and might not be guitar gods.
I mean, for god sakes the man lives on a ranch!!! I guess we all love how down to earth he is. That could very well be what gives him so much charisma.
Not only that, but he lives in a ranch in Northern California. He's obsessed with Lionel Trains and has even built a barn set up with lionel trains and effects that he engineered and created with Lionel himself. Plus his barns are also speakers... he rowed out in a row boat with Graham Nash if I believe, after he made harvest. He rigged a barn as a speaker and I think his house or something like that and they were out in the middle of the lake and the people on shore asked "How is it" and he yelled "Needs more barn"... Oohohoohohoh... he also collects antique cars and has the tops of buick roadmasters mounted to his bus, pocahontas... not only that, but he has a foot pump organ built into the back of the bus. "Needs more cowbell"
Needs More Cowbell as in the episode of SNL with Blue Oyster Cult? I loved that one. And about the trains, didn't he build them for his two autistic sons or something?
Yeah... his sons are autistic and he used them as a form of communication that would let them express how they feel and it would help them... I remember reading about his parenting and how he had to stay up all the time and take off from touring to make sure his son Ben ("Spud") if I recall, got a good start in life... so him and his wife Pegi took care of him while Neil did the first songs which would become the album Trans. And yes, Needs more cowbell as in SNL... hahaha... I loved when Will Ferrell did that skit. I used to have a signature that played that clip of him doing that skit.
I really hadn't heard anything buy Neil at all until a Dead concert. Whipped out Cortez the Killer, which not only made me a believer in Warren Haynes, but damn got my interested in Neil. I still really need to check out some. Into a lot of different stuff and I really don't know how I've never come across any CSNY. I can see where you're going with the Phish and Dead thing. Phish...especially Trey...are really into actual compositions and stuff like that. Really complex music. But the whole jamband scene has that following quality. Like the Big Wu. They don't particularily have the greatest talent or huge exposure but they have a nationwide fanatical fan base. I can't think of anywhere I've seen that time of thing outside of jambands.
Young's gift is the ability to take a fairly simple tune and give it his own stamp of genius....and he's been doing it for years. HARVEST MOON was one hell of an album....
I saw Neil live in 1983 and he did two sets solo in a giant mock up of a living room, then brought out "The Shocking Pinks" for the last set. It was a memorable show.
