A Trains, Guitars & Neil Blog: The Back Part Of The Basement

Neil & Lou

Here's an interesting blog by a Neil Young fan called The Back Part Of The Basement. The blog is written by Lou who also likes model trains and Martin guitars. Here's the story of meeting up with Neil at Lionel train show.

So that's pretty cool -- trains, guitars & Neil. Sounds like a trifecta. And he likes hockey too!

Always nice to see another blog out here on the scene. Folks sometimes ask how easy this is. I always say it's surprisingly easy. It's free. And fun.

Anyways, ask Lou over on The Back Part Of The Basement.

More on trains and guitars.

p.s. - enjoying a good cigar and bourbon, too!

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Hallucinatory Neil Young Reviews

Over on Haahnster's Hallucinations some -- well -- hallucinatory Neil Young reviews.

Just the titles themselves are worth a read:

• No, not that John Travolta/Christian Slater Movie BROKEN ARROW (1996)


• Why I'm Glad I Never Sold My Record Collection TIME FADES AWAY (1973)


• The Godfather, Part IV...Neil's RAGGED GLORY


• Neil knocks down the Berlin Wall FREEDOM (1989)


• The 1st Neil Young Album I Remember Being New AMERICAN STARS 'N BARS (1977)


• "How far you goin' back?" "WAY back" "And we go a little somethin' like this" "Hit it!" NEIL YOUNG (1969)


• It was twenty years ago, today... HARVEST MOON (1992)


• "What else can I say? Everyone is gay." SLEEPS WITH ANGELS (1994)


• Neil as a Reagan Democrat?!? HAWKS & DOVES (1980)


• Home, Home on the Range WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM (1980)


• Conflicting thoughts on HARVEST


• A Very Pleasant Surprise, Indeed EVERYBODY'S ROCKIN' (1983)


• Is this album really 10+ years old??? MIRROR BALL (1995)


• The greatest live album EVER LIVE RUST (1979)

More Neil Young Album Reviews.

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Swedish TV Interview with Neil Young

A really great interview with Neil was broadcast on television in Sweden last month. Here's the link for a video stream of the interview. (Note: A comment below indicates that the interview was originally on Norwegian television last year. Thanks!)



In the interview, Neil is asked to comment on his impressive discography. He calls the Ditch period album Tonight's The Night a "personal favorite -- but not a big seller".



At one point, Neil tosses his entire catalog into the air to demonstrate how ephemeral his whole career has been.



In a separate video clip, Neil discusses the Archives project and how selections were made based on ratings by valued listeners.

(Also, note the bag on the table. This looks like the same bag Neil performed with on Saturday Night Live in 2000.)

More interviews with Neil Young.

Thanks to Lou, Mike, BNB, HwyCDRrev & all else who sent the links!

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Randomly Blogged - Big Head Todd Covers "Long May You Run",

Big Head Todd and the Monsters Cover "Long May You Run" MP3

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Peak Neil?

Neil's Career: A Few Ups & Downs
Details Magazine - Nov. 1990

Excuse me, but can someone please say that Neil Young's career has reached another peak?

OK, so this is pretty arcane stuff. I mean seriously? Plotting a musical career like the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Really.

Details Magazine made an attempt back in November 1990 citing the well known peaks and valleys of Neil's career from 1969 - 1990.

So -- just for our amusement -- suppose we attempted to continue the graphic through Prairie Wind? Is it a After The Goldrush? A Tonight's The Night? A Rust Never Sleeps? Even a Ragged Glory?

Of course not.

But judging from the harmonic convergence around Neil Young's career in 2005 and the the seismic events forecast for 2006 like the "Heart of Gold" film and The Archives, it seems that we are reaching "Peak Neil".

Here are a few indicators signaling "Peak Neil":


Official Neil Young Archives Web Page Established


Musical Guest for week on the Conan O'Brien TV Show


2 Grammy Nominations for Neil Young


Neil Young on Saturday Night Live


"Bring me a cheeseburger and a new Rolling Stone"

So what's next? A guest appearance on Jay Leno? A concert appearance with Dylan?


Neil Young & Jonathan Demme
"Heart of Gold" film Premeires @ Sundance 2006

Well, at least we don't have to worry about Neil showing up at the White House like some other rock stars.

Hey, I think we'll all be happy if we hear The Archives in 2006.

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UPDATE Feb. 6, 2006: Sometimes when writing these brief news items, Thrasher doesn't put as much clarification and background as we would like. Greg's comment below needs to be highlighted:

"Neil can only be defined in terms of peaks and lows by people who can only think in linear terms. Can't you just appreciate what's happening in the present? Why do you feel compelled to glory in the "peaks"?"

Couldn't agree with you more here, Greg. Absolutely. Thinking in terms of peaks & valleys seems to be the nature of today's discourse. But anything involving the creative arts should not be held hostage to the whims of the market. Clearly, Neil has never been too concerned with these ups and downs. And this is what we admire and has allowed Neil's creativity to ebb and flow over a much longer period than if he had simply flamed up & burned out.

See Rust Never Sleeps analysis and The Greendale Challenge for more on artistic freedom and creativity vs. audience pandering.

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Unscripted Interview: Demme & Young

A fun little interview between Neil Young and director Jonathan Demme is up on Unscripted @ Sundance '06.



The interview takes place at the Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of "Heart of Gold". "Neil Young, reveals two things: how he channels Hank Williams in 'Heart of Gold,' and his secret, unrequited love of Good & Plenty candy."



Demme asks Neil about "Bernard Shakey" -- his "nom du cinema".



Neil comments on how playing Hank Williams guitar and Demme remarks about Neil seemed to adapt the persona.



As the interview concludes, Neil remarks off-camera on why the program is called "Unscripted" when they're both reading the questions?



More interviews with Neil Young, Neil Young films and his collaborations with film director Jonathan Demme.

Thanks HwyCDRrev for the link!

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UPDATE 2/14/06: Listen to Philadelphia Inquirer music critic Dan Deluca interview Jonathan Demme on:
- what it was like to shoot the film, and how it turned out
- How the Demme-Young collaboration came about
- On letting the camera linger
- The Jonathan Demme philosophy of what makes a great performance film
- Some of his favorite music movies

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