Graham Nash on Neil Young + Groupies, Feuds, Divorce and Ego | The Guardian

 Graham Nash 

Photo by Gareth Cattermole

A rather provocative and semi-controversial interview with  Graham Nash on groupies, feuds, divorce and ego from The Guardian | ‘There was an enormous amount of drugs being taken’ by Simon Hattenstone. (thanks Thos!)

But the real story isn't the published headline but what was the original draft headline which you can find by hovering over the URL.

We will not attempt to unpack Nash's semi-controversial comments here.  But  we'll just highlight this section on Neil Young for now:

Often Stills and Young competed over guitar solos, I say. 

Nash corrects me. “Actually, it wasn’t quite that way. I’ve stood in the middle of Stephen and Neil countless times, with these two stags talking to each other through guitar riffs.” If Stills and Young were stags, what were he and Crosby? “We were the grass that kept the two stags alive.”

He then pays Young the ultimate backhanded compliment.

“I’ve got utmost respect for him. You can put a European tour together with a crew of 25 people and then a week before he says: ‘Nah, I don’t feel like it’, so all those people are now out of a job. Things like that with Neil I don’t agree with, but I understand his strength and I applaud him for it.” (To be fair to Young, he cancelled tours in 1997 after he sliced the top off his finger while making a sandwich, and in 2013 after Crazy Horse guitarist Frank Sampedro broke his hand.) 

Does Young know he’s selfish? “Neil knows what is best for Neil.” As for Stills, he has nothing but warmth for him now. “I love Stephen. Stephen Stills has got a big heart in that chest of his.” He says he prefers CSN to CSNY and regards Stills as the greatest of the four writers.

Full interview at The Guardian | ‘There was an enormous amount of drugs being taken’ by Simon Hattenstone.

More on Graham Nash, Neil Young and CSNY.

Graham Nash & Neil Young
2013 Bridge School Benefit Concert

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Historical Background: Neil Young's Song "Long May You Run"

Bert in Blind River, Canada

We've all heard the song "Long May You Run" by Neil Young countless times by now, as well as,  the back story behind the song.

Briefly, "Mort" -- the 1948 Buick Hearse in which  Neil transported the bands equipment --  broke down near Blind River, Ontario.

 

"Mort" - 1948 Buick Roadmaster hearse
Ken Koblun, Neil Young, Bob Clark.
Fort William, Ontario, April 1965
Photo courtesy of Ken Koblun
via Author Sharry Wilson's Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years

 

 

From YouTube by Eric:

I was having breakfast in Blind River Ontario and decided to do a quick bit of research into Neil Young's reference to the town. 

 

Apparently, Neil's hearse ("Mort") broke down outside of town with transmission troubles. He and his band spent 4 or 5 days there and drove out of town, in Mort, once the repairs were finished. Germaine, Bert's wife, confirms that it was 1962, not 1963 - she was pregnant with her son at the time and is, therefore, certain of the date. 

 

Per book Shakey, it was actually Iron Bridge (Neil apparently got it wrong) and they definitely weren't heading to Wawa but were going the other way down to Toronto. Neil drove "Mort" from Toronto to Los Angeles, where he met Stephen Stills and formed Buffalo Springfield. Neil was in Canada driving to Sudbury when 'Mort' broke down in Blind River, June 1965. (Which is contradictory to the lyrics; "well it was back in Blind River, in 1962, when I last saw you alive")."

Dear Mummy, ... "Mort is dead" ... love, Neil
via Neil Young Archives

(See Postcards from The Edge of The Neil Young Archives)

More on Neil Young's early years explored by Canadian author Sharry Wilson and Neil Young`s Canadian Years by John Einarson.

 Also, see Visiting Neil Young's Hometown Omemee, Canada: A Fan's Journey.

Visiting Omemee, Canada
Neil Young's Hometown

(See Visiting Neil Young's Hometown Omemee, Canada: A Fan's Journey) 

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Rustie Pro Tip on Neil Young Archives + Comment of the Moment: Official Bootleg Series

Track List | NYACitizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young

One of the most highly anticipated aspects of the recently released Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series  are the full recordings including the between song raps.

In particular, the well known legendary "Honeyslide recipe" rap -- which has been posted on TW since the late '90's, fwiw -- and the "Southern Man" rap (see The Story of Neil Young's "Southern Man".)

But where are the raps?  They are not on the vinyl or CD releases themselves but only available on NYA. And again, where and how to play and listen?

Thanks to a comment by ever vigilant Lone Red Rider, comes a  Rustie Pro Tip on navigating Neil Young Archives.

Citizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young

 

From comment on First Impressions: Citizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young | Old Grey Cat by Lone Red Rider:

In order to access the raps, one needs to stream the ent ire concert from NYA -- as opposed to PLAY ALBUM.  Go to bottom of track list card where the concert is linked as a full stream and viole! Raps in all of their ragged glory in full from complete concert.

I am surprised that Old Grey Cat didn't mention the missing raps on the CD and vinyl. In order for the enterprise to fit onto a single vinyl disk, the Honeyslide recipe and story about Southern Man were cut from the bootleg. This, to me, is a crime. Bootlegging a bootleg with the original tape has a lot of promise, and surely the whole show could have fit onto a CD. But it seems that Neil's official output is being artificially throttled by global vinyl capacity and maybe economics. In fact, all three of the boots which were released this past week should have been double vinyl. Why do we listen to boots? To hear whole shows.

Having said all of this, NYA DOES have the full show up on NYA. To listen to it, all you have to do is pull up the album on either the website or app version and across down the track listing to the bottom where outtakes sometimes reside. There, you will find a lengthy track of the whole show, great sounding, with all of the raps in there. That is the best way to listen to Citizen Kane Jr. Blues, now.

Peace.

Thanks for the  Rustie Pro Tip on navigating Neil Young Archives LRR!

Also, here is the Comment of the Moment on Neil Young Bootleg Series Review: Royce Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (1971), & Citizen Kane Jr. Blues | Davy's Cinema Flicks & Music Picks  by Tomatron:

The physical product is nice and all, but these full show tracks on NYA’s new Official Bootleg releases are where it’s at. 

Better than CD quality, artwork in hi-res too. The different raps between songs help distinguish the very similar shows at Royce Hall and DCP. Each have a few minutes excised on the other formats. The full digital file is the only way I’ll listen to Citizen Kane Jr. Blues from now on! The cut story of the Black cop “crunching” the wasted Southern Man fan is priceless and strange in a perfectly “ditch” way. Unofficial Canon, indeed.

Now which of these will I pick up on vinyl, knowing I’ll be purchasing a somewhat edited version? “I’m glad that y’all came down” is the clear winner. Royce Hall is a fine record, but compared to that final show of the tour, it sounds like a warm-up. The performance is a little rushed, and the sound recording/ mastering is a bit thinner. Royce comes off as more of a document than an album for me, some of the songs already having been mined for Harvest and Time Fades Away and then later for Archives Vol 1 (Neil’s first recorded and released use of the harmonica). Royce Hall does have the best Ohio of the tour, though. The tune hit home for a politically activated college crowd and for Neil in that moment on stage.

But a couple nights later he was back in L.A., this time to a more diverse and mature downtown audience. The recording still has its distinguishing quirks, like the mysterious silly loud clapper off to the side of the stage, but it’s overall a smoother and more confident performance, a good vibes victory lap. Here the songs practically sing themselves. He even gets the audience to sing along (not clap) to Sugar Mountain, finally!

Royce may have the first harmonica Heart Of Gold, but Dorothy has the better one. It’s hard to believe he only played the harmonica on one song back then! Its inclusion, along with a flawlessly engineered recording, help set it above the more tune-packed Carnegie Hall OBS release, which listed harmonica but does not actually feature the instrument.

Royce Hall apparently was a limited release bootleg, so is more known for hosting those definitive album versions.. But it sounds like EVERYONE had “I’m glad…” and wore the old bootleg out on their turntables. So I’m excited about the album art replicating this piece of illicit history, and by owning the new LP, I can feel like I was there to sneak a listen too.

Thanks so much for thoughts here Tomatron.  Really great that CKJB is finally really out there for everyone.

More on RELEASED - Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series: 1st 3 of 6 | NYA.

 RELEASED - Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series: 1st 3 of 6 | NYA

Neil Young Bootleg Series Review:

 Royce Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (1971), & Citizen Kane Jr. Blues

by Davy's Cinema Flicks & Music Picks

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Neil Young Bootleg Series Review: Royce Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (1971), & Citizen Kane Jr. Blues | Davy's Cinema Flicks & Music Picks

Neil Young Bootleg Series Review:

 Royce Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (1971), & Citizen Kane Jr. Blues

by Davy's Cinema Flicks & Music Picks   

Here is an in-depth video review of Neil Young's recent releases on Official Bootleg Series by Davy's Cinema Flicks & Music Picks.

 

 

   

 

For those who want just a summary, the first few minutes  should suffice.  That is, unless you need the full rundown review, Davy can help you out here.

Also, see 

 RELEASED - Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series: 1st 3 of 6 | NYA

 

Check out,  First Impressions: Citizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young | Old Grey Cat.  (And be sure to check out comments on locating the legendary "Honeyslide recipe" rap on NYA, which is -- oddly -- not included on the Official release itself?!)

Also, see the 1st release in OBS was Carnegie Hall 1970 and  REVIEW: The Neil Young Official Bootleg Series -- Carnegie Hall 1970 by Harvey Kubernik.

For regular visitors here @ TW, you may recall earlier this year us having Davy from Scotland on  Thrasher's Wheat Radio 2.0 episode discussing the connections between albums Deja Vu and Living With War amidst the backdrop of ongoing global unrest. ( Check it out. )

Special Guest Davy from Scotland

Thrasher's Wheat Radio 2.0 Podcast - Episode #14 | Still Living With War + Deja Vu Again | Hosted by WBKM.org

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First Impressions: Citizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young | Old Grey Cat

Citizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young

 

As Neil Young has been announcing now for several years now (see Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series: Next 3 Vinyl Boots | NYA ), bootlegs are now incrementally being officially released.

Yesterday,  the 2nd batch (3 of 6) from Official Bootleg Series is being released at long last. (UPDATE: the 1st release in OBS was Carnegie Hall 1970.  See REVIEW: The Neil Young Official Bootleg Series -- Carnegie Hall 1970 by Harvey Kubernik. Thanks Eddie! )

 Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series: Next 3 Vinyl Boots | NYA 

 

Included in this batch is the well known bootleg Citizen Kane Jr. Blues.  Here are First Impressions: Citizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young | Old Grey Cat:

It’s a spellbinding set punctuated by clinking glasses, a creaking door, ill-timed coughs, occasional background chatter, plus a drunken someone shouting for a country song—in the last instance, Neil responds with a “novelty tune,” “Roll Another Number.” 

It’s the stuff of an audience recording, in other words, and—as a result—includes omnipresent tape hiss. Casual fans should get a kick out of it, while us lifers should enjoy it all the more—in large part because it’s long been a part of our unofficial collections.

Listening to Neil’s “official bootleg” version of Citizen Kane Jr. Blues, which features slightly tweaked sound, I’m amazed that I didn’t include it in my Best of the Unofficial Canon roundup in 1999. The ambience of the Bottom Line bleeds into the proceedings in a way that makes the recording a true slice of audio verité. We’ve all been at shows where folks shout out and chatter incessantly, after all, and sat in rooms where the noise from the bar interrupted some songs, with little to none of the unwanted sounds interfering with our enjoyment. Which is to say, if you close your eyes, you’ll swear you’re in the room. 

There’s not much more one can ask from a concert recording than that.

Full review @ re First Impressions: Citizen Kane Jr. Blues by Neil Young | Old Grey Cat.

Officially released this week and now available on Neil Young's Archive website are:

• Royce Hall (1971-01-30) 
• I'm Happy ... (Dorothy Chandler Pav. 1971-02-01) 
• Citizen Kane ... (Bottom Line 1974-05-16)

More on RELEASED TODAY - Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series: 1st 3 of 6 | NYA

 

Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series

image via Rusted Moon 

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