Neil Young

[Bong-Man]

Listened to Neil's first album last night. First time I've given that a spin in quite some time. How refreshing ! Forgot what a great tune "The Old Laughing Lady" is. You could release that album today and no one would skip a beat. Timeless !

[Jahfin]

Why would he put God Save The Queen on there?

Check post #207 on page 11 of this thread.

[Reggie29]

I'd already seen that post, and it didn't adequately answer my question. It's nearly 250 years since you kicked us out, and if you ignore Lizzy, there was only a queen for 64 years between whenever we colonised America and 1952. And Vicky came after we were booted out. Would your ancestors still have been singing God Save The King back in 1777? I doubt it.

But one thing's for sure - they wouldn't have been singing God Save The Queen. Not then.

Perhaps it was because he is Canadian and that was the national anthem (except in Quebec when it was most likely La Marseillaise), when he was a child.

In any event, up until the revolution in 1776 it was GSTK and that is not relevant today because there is no king until either Charles or William ascends the throne. I think it is a nod to Elizabeth's long reign and despite the antics of a few of the younger royals she is arguably the most popular monarch, ever.

The fact he is being criticized because he chose to use the title as GSTQ instead of GSTK is a tad pedantic, but I see your point and it is valid considering he added some lyrics from My Country 'Tis of Thee which were written in defiance of the British Crown after the revolution.

The point of the album is, he is paying tribute to the songs he and most of us grew up with or were familiar with in a time when things were arguably better or worse depending on our individual situations, in true Crazy Horse style and it works.

Yes there are many more songs he could've done like Battle Hymn of the Republic, Dixie Land and even Jimmy Crack Corn to name a few.

Maybe he is saving them for Americana II?

Americana is not just confined to the USA, it could include both North and South America and all countries therein but in this instance it is.

It'll be interesting to hear his next CH album with new songs due out in the Northern Autumn (yes I know they call it The Fall).

[tom kid]

^ Good post, Reggie. Either way, I'm looking forward to hearing it.

Btw, does Australia still sing God Save The Queen?

Nope, the national anthem in Aussie is 'Advance Australia Fair' I believe. Its a damn sight better than our anthem in NZ which begins with the word 'God'. it was originally a hymn.

[Reggie29]

^ Good post, Reggie. Either way, I'm looking forward to hearing it.

Btw, does Australia still sing God Save The Queen?

Thanx.

Yes but only when the royals visit. As tomkid pointed out Advance Australia Fair is our national anthem although when we changed it there were calls for Waltzing Matilda!?

[Anjin-san]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/56622

[Jahfin]

Q&A: Jonathan Demme on the Making of 'Neil Young Journeys' (Rolling Stone)

[Reggie29]

http://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/2012/07/csny-1974-tour-box-set-release-now-set.html?m=1

The Wembley concert was attended by all members of Led Zeppelin.

[Strider]

Have you seen the ticket prices for the tour? Crazy.

I saw the new Jonathan Demme/Neil Young collaboration "Journeys" last night. Excellent as always when these two get together. A bit of a shock to see how much Neil Young has aged in just the short time from the previous Demme concert doc "Trunk Show". "Heart of Gold" from 2006 was their first and now "Journeys" completes the Demme/Young trilogy.

You already should know the premise, but briefly: Neil Young(led by his brother) drives from his hometown Omemee("there is a town in north Ontario") to Toronto to perform a solo concert at Massey Hall during his "Le Noise" tour of 2010, with Jonathan Demme along for the ride to film it all.

Unlike the previous two films, this concert is just Neil alone with his guitar(acoustic and electric), harmonica, organ and piano. The setlist is almost half "Le Noise" songs. There are also some old nuggets like "After the Gold Rush" and "Ohio". The sound is amazing...when Neil strikes the top E string on his guitar, you can feel the vibrations transmute to your body. A very emotional performance, with Neil close to tears a couple of times.

A MUST-SEE...unless you don't like Neil Young. In which case, what are you doing here on a Neil Young thread?

A thought that ran through my head as I watched the film was how different in their approach Neil Young and Jimmy Page are...not just in regards to their guitar-playing styles but also in manner and personality. I mean, could you see Jimmy allowing Demme such close and personal access to his thoughts and personal history? Could you see Jimmy sitting in a small hall and just playing a guitar with no backing band?

Edited July 3, 2012 by Strider

[Jahfin]

A thought that ran through my head as I watched the film was how different in their approach Neil Young and Jimmy Page are...not just in regards to their guitar-playing styles but also in manner and personality. I mean, could you see Jimmy allowing Demme such close and personal access to his thoughts and personal history? Could you see Jimmy sitting in a small hall and just playing a guitar with no backing band?

Not that he couldn't pull it off but since Page isn't a vocalist I don't think it's really a fair comparison.

[Strider]

Not that he couldn't pull it off but since Page isn't a vocalist I don't think it's really a fair comparison.

He doesn't have to sing...just play guitar instrumentals or something. Just play or his gifts are just going to atrophy.

[Jahfin]

I'm not trying to be argumentative but for all anyone knows he plays everyday and just has no real desire to perform in front of a live audience. Only Page knows for sure.

Back to Neil, I've never seen him solo but it takes a special gift to be able to pull that off. Very few seem to be able to do that. Todd Snider would be another one. Armed with just a guitar, a harmonica and his wit he can hold audiences in rapt attention for two hours.

[Strider]

Back to Neil, I've never seen him solo but it takes a special gift to be able to pull that off. Very few seem to be able to do that. Todd Snider would be another one. Armed with just a guitar, a harmonica and his wit he can hold audiences in rapt attention for two hours.

Jon Brion, Richard Thompson, Joni Mitchell, Aimee Mann, Jim Boggia, Michael Penn, Robyn Hitchcock, Elliott Smith, and Bert Jansch are some others I have seen pull it off.

[Jahfin]

Jon Brion, Richard Thompson, Joni Mitchell, Aimee Mann, Jim Boggia, Michael Penn, Robyn Hitchcock, Elliott Smith, and Bert Jansch are some others I have seen pull it off.

Like I said, there's not many. It's a rare gift for a solo performer to being able to do that. I'd say Dylan is another but he usually performs with a band these days.

[missytootsweet]

I am very excited for the release of the CSNY '74 Reunion Tour box set coming out in 2013. What's the big deal you say? Well, there is a fantastic song imo written and sung by Neil Young on this tour (thank-you You Tube). I've been unable to find it on any of Neil's or CSNY's recorded output.

The song, is Pushed it Over the End. It technically belongs on the CSNY thread here, but the song is such pure Neil to my ears, I felt it more appropriate on this thread. There used to be an excellent live video of the whole song in 360 sound, but that was pulled. However, this one in 240 audio will give you an idea of what to expect on next year's release.

For Neil fans, please check out at 4:35 where live footage begins (albeit a bit blurry), and especially 6:28 where Neil just rocks the vocals. Nice ending too with Crosby giving his all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCHRDz8ysvk

Partial lyrics/by Neil Young

"I came back for more

And found you waiting at the door

And far inside your walls

I called

Did you, did you, did you

Pushed it over the end?

How much time did you spend?

Pushed it over the end.

How much love did you spend?

Pushed it over the end

**************************************

I will always be a Jimmy girl, but Neil Young is one d*mn cool cat! ....Missy

[Jahfin]

From the All Things Music Plus Page on Facebook:

ON THIS DATE (38 YEARS AGO)

July 16, 1974 - Neil Young On the Beach is released.

# ALL THINGS MUSIC PLUS+ 4.5/5

# Allmusic 5/5 stars

# Rolling Stone (see original review below)

On the Beach is the fifth studio album by Neil Young, released on this date in July 1974. Pitchfork Media listed it #65 on their list of the 'Top 100 Albums of the 1970's.

Recorded after (but released before) Tonight's the Night, On the Beach shares some of that album’s bleakness and crude production—which came as a shock to fans and critics alike, as this was the long-awaited studio follow-up to the commercially and critically successful Harvest—but also included hints pointing towards a more subtle outlook, particularly on the opener, "Walk On".

Much like Tonight's the Night, On the Beach was not a commercial success at the time of its release but over time attained a high regard from fans and critics alike. The album was recorded in a haphazard manner, with Young utilizing a variety of session musicians, and often changing their instruments while offering only bare-bones arrangements for them to follow (in a similar style to Tonight's the Night). He also would opt for rough, monitor mixes of songs rather than a more polished sound, alienating his sound engineers in the process.

The album opens with the saunter of the aptly titled "Walk On," followed by the utterly gorgeous, Wurlitzer-tinged "See the Sky about to Rain." The set also features a trio of scathing songs--"Revolution Blues," "Vampire Blues," and "Ambulance Blues"--that address issues important to Young, both social and personal. It is good to hear Young back with such bite and vitriol, especially after the broken desperation of Tonight's the Night. But while On the Beach is edgy and deeply felt, it also manages to sound liberating and relaxed, with glimmers of hope and humor peeking through the spare, evocative arrangements. Inexplicably unreleased on CD until 2003, On the Beach is both unflinching and resilient, and easily stands as one of Young's finest albums.

ORIGINAL ROLLING STONE REVIEW

Since his days with the Buffalo Springfield, the shifts in Neil Young's preoccupations have presented a barometer of a generation's attitudes toward itself, reflecting the dissolution of political idealism and, beyond that, the end of the romance of youth itself. Even in such early ballads as "Sugar Mountain" and "I Am a Child," Young gently warned against living with the illusion of perpetual youth, while his childlike vocals tantalized us with the possibility. The pain of facing adult reality at an age and in an era that encouraged prolonged adolescent fantasy compromised the underlying theme of Young's first three solo albums, a trilogy that culminated in After the Gold Rush, perhaps the quintessential tourn-of-the-decade album by a folk-rock soloist.

Whereas Bob Dylan's music formed the aesthetic spearhead of generational rage and moral fever in the mid-Sixties, Young's subsequently expressed, with equal credibility, the accompanying guilt, self-doubt and paranoia, especially in its obsession with time and age. Ironically, Young achieved superstar status with his most compromised album, Harvest, a sweetened rehash of ideas from After the Gold Rush. But Young resisted the temptation to venture further toward the MOR style that had cinched his audience; and his live album, Time Fades Away, released two years after Harvest, came as a rude about-face.

On The Beach is Neil Young's best album since After the Gold Rush. Though a studio album, its sound is raw and spare, as bracing as Dylan's Planet Waves. Mostly self-produced, On The Beach boasts fine instrumental support, notably by guitarist Ben Keith (who shares vocals with Young on two cuts), and Band members Rick Danko (bass) and Levon Helm (drums) on the album's most exciting track, "Revolution Blues."

The hard-edged sound of On The Beach is a contributing factor to its greatness, since the album poses aesthetic and political questions too serious to be treated prettily. Through various opposed personae, Young evokes primary social and psychic polarities that exemplify the deterioration of American culture. Though not named, the figures of Charles Manson and Patricia Hearst appear as emblems of apocalyptic social dislocation in the album's two masterpieces, "Revolution Blues" and "Ambulance Blues." In each song, by empathizing with the emotions of both predators and victims, Young has dared what no other major white rock artist (expect John Lennon) has -- to embrace, expose and perhaps help purge the collective paranoia and guilt of an insane society, acting it out without apology or explanation.

"Walk On," a succinct rejection of Sixties fantasies, revolves around a bitter observation about growing up: "Sooner or later it all gets real/Walk on." "See the Sky About To Rain" and "For The Turnstiles," tremulous, fatalistic ballads, encompass images of violence, corruption and disintegration, their meanings contained in their cryptic titles, each a slogan, a mantra, a scrawl of graffiti. The driving, terrifying vision of "Revolution Blues" is counterpointed by the equally horrifying "Vampire Blues."

Two ballads, "Motion Pictures" and "Ambulance Blues," feature Young singing almost an octave lower than normal and sounding for the first time in his career morally arrogant. "On The Beach," the seven-minute title cut, is the album's most quesitonable inclusion, a lethargic, whining meditation on the reasons not to remain psychically isolated in Los Angeles. It shows Young immersed in self-pity -- one of the taboos of rock that Young has long sought to redeem. Though Young's weariness of civilization also supplies the theme of "Motion Pictures," it is melodically fluent and the album's only direct message of love.

The nine-minute "Ambulance Blues," which closes the album, is the tour de force of Young's recording career. Doubling on acoustic guitar and harmonica and backed by Doug Kershaw's eloquent fiddling, Young summarizes his entire musical/political past, beginning with the idealism of "the old folkie days," then impressionistically evoking specific social traumas, among them Watergate and the Hearst saga. He addresses us with a populist truism which he repeats in a voice that quietly spits in our faces: "You're all just pissin' in the wind." The last verse cites Nixon as both sympton and cause of a predicament that is frightening beyond conclusion:

I never knew a man could tell so many lies

He had a different story for every set of eyes

How can he remember who he's talkin' to

'Cause I know it ain't me and I hope it isn't you.

In its appeal to a post-revolutionary, post-psychedelic generation of young Americans, "Ambulance Blues" stands as an epic lamentation, as irrefutable a piece of song-poetry as Paul Simon's "American Tune" and Jackson Browne's "For Everyman." I could not imagine anyone but Young singing it.

On The Beach is one of the most desparing albums of the decade, a bitter testament from one who has come thorugh the fire and gone back into it.

~ Stephen Holden (September 26, 1974)

TRACKS

All songs written by Neil Young.

Side One

1. "Walk On" – 2:42

2. "See the Sky About to Rain" – 5:02

3. "Revolution Blues" – 4:03

4. "For the Turnstiles" – 3:15

5. "Vampire Blues" – 4:14

Side Two

1. "On the Beach" – 6:59

2. "Motion Pictures" – 4:23

3. "Ambulance Blues" – 8:56

[missytootsweet]

Thanks so much for posting the above info Jahfin. I was getting ready to make a post about On the Beach being released this week, but you beat me to it! With a lot more info too.

This was my second Neil Young record, after hearing Neil on Zuma in 1976. Up until then only knew the few AM hits, Heart of Gold, and Old Man, etc. But Zuma and the song Cortez changed all that. I got this after hearing it one time at a friends and thought it was great. Never thought of it as a downer album at all, more an interesting take on life with Neil's lyrical story-telling and his one of a kind voice.

Anyway, great post above and here's the video of the song that I like the best and guessing many others do as well. Missy

"And there ain't nothing like the friend, who can tell you you're just pissin' in the wind..." Classic.

[Jahfin]

No problem. All Things Music Plus runs a great page on FB. Only thing is, it seems to be the same group of albums over and over again with no expansion of their database. They also have a blog that you can check out here but it's not updated as frequently as their FB page. It began as a feature of Tower Records but changed over to All Things Music Plus within the past couple of years because of Tower going out of business (though it appears Tower continues to have an online presence).

On the On the Beach tip, I stumbled upon a copy of this on vinyl years ago and snatched it up immediately. Thankfully, it was also eventually released on CD. Now, if Neil would just ok the release of the remainder of his catalog on compact disc. Back in 1998 Neil invited R.E.M. to play his Bridge School Benefit out in California where they (minus Stipe) sat in on "Ambulance Blues". During R.E.M.'s set Neil joined them on guitar for "Country Feedback". Both of these tunes were included on R.E.M.'s annual holiday fanclub package that was released the following year. The Minus Five, a R.E.M. sideproject that includes guitarists Peter Buck and Scott MacCaughey, has also recorded a cut from On the Beach, "Revolution Blues", which appears on the all covers record, Butcher Covered.

[Jahfin]

I alway seem to stumble upon this stuff when I'm not really looking for it. This is that version of "Ambulance Blues" I was referring to before where Neil is backed by R.E.M. on "Ambulance Blues" from Neil's Bridge School Benefit in '98.

[Strider]

On the Beach is my favourite Neil Young record.

[missytootsweet]

I alway seem to stumble upon this stuff when I'm not really looking for it. This is that version of "Ambulance Blues" I was referring to before where Neil is backed by R.E.M. on "Ambulance Blues" from Neil's Bridge School Benefit in '98.

I like this version a lot, still prefer the original but that may be due to the sentimentality I have towards the record and memories etc. What seems different to me on this one, is the mixing. Not sure that is the right word but the re-mastered CD has Neil's voice with the music and his voice is almost bit "muddled" at times, imo. Here, the clarity is amazing and you hear his vocals note by note, same with REM. Hard to explain, perhaps the producer had a lot to do with the improved clarity/high quality sound too.

On the Beach is my favourite Neil Young record.

My second favorite if we are talking albums, not standalone songs. Right behind Zuma.

Zuma being first due to the first inclusion of Cortez. I found a brand new clip on Y/T from the year 1985 of this song. This was the year I saw him in St. Pete. But in the USA he was alone and mostly acoustic show and looks like the Aussies got the whole 9 yards with the International Harvesters and Crazy Horse for the Melbourne show. Anyway, for Neil fans take a listen and enjoy! Missy

[Jahfin]

One of several new Neil and Crazy Horse songs (see below), this one's called "Twisted Road". This was recorded during the second night of their current tour at Red Rocks in Colorado.

Here's the setlist from the tour opener the previous night in Albuquerque. In typical Neil fashion he and Crazy Horse only did one song from their newest album, Americana but he did debut several brand new songs (including "Twisted Road").

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

The Pavilion

Albuquerque N.M.

8/3/12

1. Love And Only Love

2. Powderfinger

3. Ontario*

4. Walk Like A Giant*

5. The Needle And The Damage Done

6. Twisted Road*

7. For The Love Of Man*

8. Every Morning Comes The Sun*

9. Cinnamon Girl

10. Fuckin' Up

11. Party Girl*

12. Mr. Soul

13. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)

Encore:

14. Jesus' Chariot

15. Roll Another Number

* - song debut

[missytootsweet]

One of several new Neil and Crazy Horse songs (see below), this one's called "Twisted Road". This was recorded during the second night of their current tour at Red Rocks in Colorado.

Here's the setlist from the tour opener the previous night in Albuquerque. In typical Neil fashion he and Crazy Horse only did one song from their newest album, Americana but he did debut several brand new songs (including "Twisted Road").

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

The Pavilion

Albuquerque N.M.

8/3/12

1. Love And Only Love

2. Powderfinger

3. Ontario*

4. Walk Like A Giant*

5. The Needle And The Damage Done

6. Twisted Road*

7. For The Love Of Man*

8. Every Morning Comes The Sun*

9. Cinnamon Girl

10. Fuckin' Up

11. Party Girl*

12. Mr. Soul

13. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)

Encore:

14. Jesus' Chariot

15. Roll Another Number

* - song debut

Oh my!! Neil you never cease to amaze (and confuse) me. I thought I read or just assumed from my bios on Neil that this was going to be a big Americana push concert. Not that I don't like the album, think it had a few good songs, but wasn't willing to fly out of state to see only Americana.

But this setlist.....Love and Only Love, Cinnamon Girl, Powderfinger, TNATDD, plus some new songs too? Wow! I haven't checked yet but here's hoping if there are remaining seats in the closet venue to me, they aren't priced over the moon like the Eagles tickets were. I'll report back after I find out. Thanks for posting this setlist, what a great show this would be to see.

[Jahfin]

If I remember correctly, Neil and Crazy Horse already have the follow up to Americana in the can. I'm just taking a stab in the dark here but I would imagine they may be tired of that record and have already moved onto the next thing and are just more excited about playing the newer material.

[missytootsweet]

If I remember correctly, Neil and Crazy Horse already have the follow up to Americana in the can. I'm just taking a stab in the dark here but I would imagine they may be tired of that record and have already moved onto the next thing and are just more excited about playing the newer material.

Better yet, Jahfin, better yet. And guess what? I checked 2 venues near me (apparently he isn't going to do the South except Alabama and I have no interest to travel there) Pittsburgh and Fairfax and the ticket prices are between 60-100 dollars (fees included). That is 20 percent of what the Eagles wanted. I think that is a very fair price. The 97.00 seats I looked at in Pittsburgh, were back from the standing only floor area but center and first or second row.

Been so long since I've been to larger venues, these maps are killing me to figure out. They have the maps with the numbered areas and Risers and Suites and Boxes and Pull out Seating. What the? I don't want to have to decide between all these different set-ups. I just want to get myself front and center with a chair thank-you (I'm not 20 anymore) as close to the band as possible with no obstructions. Why do they have to make it complicated at Ticketmaster? Well, looks like I may be taking a little trip North. Anyone here know the Fairfax area? I'm wondering off the top of my head if the Blue Ridge Mountains run nearby. Thanks for any comments and info. Missy