Neil Young 2006 Year in Review

"Heart of Gold" Premieres


"Heart of Gold" Receives Widespread Accolades


Neil On the Cover of the Rolling Stone


Did We Call Peak Neil About 2 Months Early???


Jonathan Demme, Pegi Young, Neil Young at 48th Annual Grammy Awards


SXSW Keynote by Neil Young


Neil Young on The Daily Show


Album "Life in War" Causes War-like Reactions


Crosby Stills Nash & Young Freedom of Speech Tour


Neil on The Colbert Report


Farm Aid 2006


Bridge School Benefit Concerts


The Performance Series Archives Volume 2: Live at the Fillmore East, March 6 & 7, 1970


The Release "Time Fades Away" Petition Gathers Over 10,000 Signatures


Thrasher's Wheat Celebrates 10th Anniversary!

And so you thought that 2005 was a good year for Neil?!

So it has been quite a year for both Neil and Thrasher's Wheat. All of the Neil buzz in 2006 caused Thrasher's Wheat to explore how readers can support the site's traffic growth. Results thus far are promising. Thanks to all who have contributed! It is appreciated.

One of the things we're most proud of is the coverage the site received during the Living with War meltdown that notes our non-partisan and apolitical stance, as Daily Kos notes:

"The definitive Neil Young site Thrasher's Wheat has done the hard work of assembling reaction from musical and political bloggers. Some of the reactions gathered on the normally apolitical Thrasher's Wheat show Bush's zombies in early meltdown."

Lastly, thanks to all the supportive comments that we received during the dark and angry days after "Living With War" was released. Knowing that so many of you cared about what we were trying to do here at Thrasher's Wheat meant an awful lot.

Here's to hoping that you had a good year and an even better year in 2007.

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Broken Arrow Magazine - Issue #104

Neil Young at The Bridge School Concert
Photo by Johnny Marr

Another quarter on the calendar rolls around and Broken Arrow Magazine, published by the Neil Young Appreciation Society, arrives just in time for the holidays.

Issue #104 (November) of Broken Arrow Magazine - as usual - has some fine articles, commentary and nice photos.

The cover by Johnny Marr is from the Sunday, October 22, Bridge School Benefit Concert.

Also in Issue #104:

- Farm Aid 2006 Reviews
- Bridge School Benefit Concert review by Guy Haslam
- A collection of Tour Programs by Dieter Ostrowski, NYAS #1068
- A report on meeting artist James Mazzeo by Joost "I Am A Child" Groen, NYAS #3467

And as usual, a news section edited by Barry Martin, with lots of innarestin' items.

Check out the Neil Young Appreciation Society page for more info on how to join.

Don't be denied!

Thanks Scott and everyone who is supporting the NYAS & BA!

Thrasher - NYAS#2476


More on back issues of Broken Arrow magazine.

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Fillmore East CD Contest Winners

Danny Whitten and Kurt Cobain

In the recent Thrasher's Wheat contest to win a Fillmore East CD we asked the question: Who reminded Neil of Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten? And why?

We received well over 200 entries and spent some time sorting them out. Most entries correctly answered that Kurt Cobain reminded Neil of Danny Whitten. And many entries also had a number of possible answers as to why for the tiebreaker. Similarities between Danny and Kurt included:

- looked similar with dirty blonde hair
- singer-songwriter-guitarist
- died tragically before age of 30
- used heroin

But the entry from James H. of Cambridge, MA summed it up best by making the connections between Tonight's The Night and Sleeps With Angels. Here is James' entry:

Neil Young was reminded of Danny Whitten by Kurt Cobain. Both were young when they died, confused about their place in the world and in the music business, and bombarded by dangerous addictions to heroin and other drugs. The comparison arose in the wake of Cobain's suicide note, wherein he quotes from the Young song "My, My, Hey, Hey (Out Of The Blue)"...this wracked terrible feelings on Neil, that in some way a misinterpretation of his lyrics had fueled Cobain's internal urge to end his life. These feelings surfaced on the "Sleeps With Angels" album, an album that has been compared to "Tonight's the Night," Young's tribute to Danny Whitten and roadie Bruce Berry, both of whom had recently succumbed to premature deaths. Neil was especially bothered by Whitten's overdose, as he had just kicked Whitten out of the band for awhile until he could get his act together. Neil gave him 50 bucks and sent him home, and a little while later, he was dead. Neil's feelings that he somehow played a role in Whitten's death are so much like the awful feelings he experienced with the revelations from Kurt Cobain's suicide note. It is this sense of anger and grief that pervades the two albums, "Tonight's The Night" and "Sleeps With Angels."

Wendy S. of Lachine, Quebec, Canada was the runner-up winner. Congratulations to both. Your CDs are on their way.

And thanks to all who submitted entries! Thrasher enjoyed reviewing your submissions.

More on the story of Danny Whitten, Kurt Cobain and Neil Young.

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