Today's The Day: The Neil Young Archives Finally Arrives!
UPDATE: From Archives Guy:
Welcome to June 2, 2009
On behalf of the NY Archives team and Shakey Pictures I am pleased and proud to announce the official release of the Neil Young Archives Vol 1 box set.
May I start your day with the 1st Edition of the Archives Post-Informer...Early Edition...ink is still wet.
What you will see here was personally written by Neil today on his manual typewriter as a message to share with you, the listeners and fans.
We have many more pleasant surprises coming up in the days and months ahead, so stay tuned.
Thank you for your patience and support.
-Archives Guy
***NEW SITE** The NYA Post Informer
And I've been waiting for you.
For such a long time now.
Normally, we say tonight's the night. But, today's the day.
Somehow, in the miracle of all miracles, the Holy Grail arrives!
Hell freezes over. Peace in the Mid-east. World hunger is solved. Poverty erased.
We look back to the day in 1977 when we picked up the 3 LP Decade and spent what seemed to be an entire afternoon playing the 6 sides and reading through all the notes. Little did we realize at the time that Decade was only the tip of the iceberg.
OK, so it's Volume #1 of the Neil Young Archives. And it's been a Titanic adventure in more ways than one.
The following video by tomlong95 captures some of the the drama and excitement that comes with the unveiling of the long awaited, much anticipated day that we thought we would never see: the opening of Arc of the Covenant.
tomlong95 writes:
BUY THE ARCHIVES ON BLU-RAY !!! NOW !!!
Seriously, this is the BEST THING ever released. It's better than you could ever imagine, packed full with stuff that will keep you entertained for months.
Is it worth the price? Once you hold it in your hands it makes YOU feel unworthy being allowed to possess such an inestimable treasure.
It's a man's life and this man is God, because since today NEIL YOUNG IS GOD. Write it on the walls tonight!
...Well, sorry for being so ecstatic and excuse the guerilla style camera but I have been so hyped and finally all my expectations have been exceeded.
BTW: The audio was swapped because WMG seeks to ban all NY songs from Youtube, sorry.
Once again: Buy this, it's the pinnacle of Rock'n'Roll history !
Many of us Neil Young fans feel as if we are King Arthur's surrounded by Knights of the Round Table. Has there ever been such a tale in the legends of the music gods?
No longer can Neil fans wail The Archives Be Damned. At long last, let The Archives Be Praised!
For the full history rundown of the quest, see Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About The Neil Young Archives But Were Afraid To Ask.
And what do you think about NYA?? Open thread below.
by thrasher@PermaLink: 6/02/2009 12:04:00 AM
173 comments
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
Thanks for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!
This blog 
(... he didn't kill himself either...)
#AaronDidntKillHimself
Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
173 Comments:
Loving it so far - I got my BR copy a day early from a major online retailer and so far I spent a few quality hours exploring everything the first 2 discs have to offer. Awesome sound quality and jam-packed with stuff to do! (Thanks to Archives Guy for the info on how to get the best sound out of my PS3!)
-Jason-
This is painful. I just hope my copy arrives. The site I ordered through (DVD Planet http://www.dvdplanet.com/) has disappeared! How many people who ordered through them have received their order? Should have went with Amazon...
I really and truly have to agree with tom (or whatever) this box set is Un-Fucking-BELIEVABLE!!! I MEAN REALLY! TRUELY! Now, I know I'm a fanatic, but even if I weren’t...I'd still think this box set is TRULY..IT! WELL WORTH THE WAIT AND IF I'D KNOWN I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WAIT LONGER.... KNOWING, REALLY, WHAT WAS COMING. All the chatter, questions, demos and even preview discs STILL come NOWHERE NEAR close to the real thing..holding it, viewing it, and (most of ALL Listening!) IT sounds GREAT! NEIL YOUNG AND TEAM HAVE TRUELY OUT DONE THEMSELVES AGAIN! Now we see what music can be if all artists put as much care, honesty and Integrity into their products! Kudos NEIL AND TEAM.... REALLY... WOW! FUCKN' A!
One thing to watch out for...the book, once opened and returned to its slot is next to impossible to get back out!... like playing Operation. I stuck a piece of cardboard at the bottom so the book sticks out a little...after spending a half hour trying to get it out. But trust me I aint complaining!
ROCK ON NEIL!
oh, Fuck the Audience? huh Neil? Well just so you and Joel know...its the old folks that bitch about the new stuff at shows..not the young fans! The young folks have an open mind. That settles that!
"D" day at last!...Christ it looks great..just on this video!!
Don't you dare buy it Johnny!.. Stick to ya 12 Day trip through Europe!...But don't waste any of ya bucks coughin' up this one!!
Luv Dip
NEWSFLASH!!....NEIL HAS DECIDED TO ONLY RELEASE A LIMITED EDITION OF THE ARCHIVES BOX SET...In a Statement just released, Neil explained the reasons behind this move!
N.Y. "Well,I thought only about 4% of my fans were only innarested.
Look, its purely "optional"..but I'll keep a close look on Thrasher's Wheat and gauge my "Optimal" fan's responses"
... and maybe....if time permits..I might relese a few more...just for those "Johnny come latelys"..he he he
Thrasher, thank you for putting my video on your site!
I hope it shows people that they really get their money's worth with the Archives. There's so much great stuff in there, it should satisfy everyone.
One more thing I have to say:
The book is equally as great as the Blu-Ray discs. Maybe even better. You get all the personal letters, photos and a complete appendix with detailed annotations.
That's what I call dedication and that's why I love the Archives.
So disappointing to see everyone enjoying the archives...they're nowhere to be found in France.
Neil please load some in your touring bus for your coming gig in Paris ! :)
Hi
Pour les Frenchies,
j'ai acheté le coffret DVD à la fnac des hall vendredi dernier: il y avait 2 box DVD et 1 box en Blue Ray.
It'as an amazing box set !!!!
I have to wait till next week, so I'm kinda dying for the experience of unwrapping the parcel. My last exam is this Wednesday too, so I've got all the time in the world to focus on the Archives with a few friends. Thank you so much for all your help Thrasher and Archives Guy.
Comparing this or any other release of music, anyone's music, which is comparatively unimportant to such important things as Peace in the Mid-east, world hunger and poverty again shows your shallowness. Thanks again for confirming it.
Anonymous,
we do care about world hunger, etc.! it's ironic. Why so serious?
Eat a peach!
This comment has been removed by the author.
Great!..iam happy for everyone with a copy..i wait for mine :(
How is the interactive stuff? ...such as video clips, interviews, docus, concert clips etc??
Rock on!
When the dream came
I held my breath with
my eyes closed.........
Thanks VERY much for the vid TomLong.Still waiting for my package though :(.
The Mugwump
http://www.neilyoungarchives.com/post/post-informer.html
Decade like notes for BOX.
6:34 -
Regarding our shallowness, as noted the dripping irony was intentional.
We think that regular readers of our blog caught that we feel that global issues such as Mid-east peace, hunger, poverty are of course the most important issues.
See Neil Young News: LINC VOLT and The Archives: What Matters?
dr dip asked about an appropriate setup to enjoy the archives on:
I guarantee success with:
Receiver: Choose one of
Denon AVR-2809CI
Denon AVR-3808CI
Denon AVR-4310CI
Sony PS3, HDMI connection to receiver
Sony 52" 1080p LCD HDTV from the V,W,Z or XBR Sony product line,
connected to receiver with HDMI
Loudspeakers:
Klipsch Cornwall II (used, ~$750)
Klipsch Cornwall III (new, $4k)
Sub is not absolutely required with these loudspeakers, one can certainly live with their full range.
Get your HDMI cables at monoprice.com
6 ft (ID 3992) $3.56 each
8 ft (ID 4958) $4.02 each
12ft (ID 4959) $4.99 each
(These cables are quality built too) Never buy cables or parts from rat shack or worst buy.
Since the archives are heavily slanted to a 2 channel setup, I'm recommending putting the money into 2 good speakers, instead of watering it down for a full surround kit.
This recommended setup is close to what I'll be using, and it is an unbelievable HD audio and video experience with other high def music. (I have other Klipsch speakers for the 5.1 modes.)
I find it interesting when I read a few comments on thrashers wheat about how people are upset that they "have" to go out and upgrade their stereos and speakers for the archives. It is my opinion that "you" should already have a kickass stereo setup. "You" should have been there already due to your love of music... I did upgrade last summer from a basic sony blu-ray player to the PS3 based on Neil saying at the java conference it was the way to go for the archives, otherwise I was already setup for rocking all of Neil's previous releases.
"Since the archives are heavily slanted to a 2 channel setup,"
I'm Good, I guess my NAD amp/pre-amp, PS3 and Bose 901's will do JUST FINE.
Now, if I could just turn it up past 4 without breaking the windows........
I am loving the Archives as well - the first thing I grabbed was Riverboat - I don't have that bootleg, so it was nice to listen to something so fresh and so vital - what a treat to hear him in that coffee house setting - however, it was obvious that there is video of this concert (at least part of it) Highlights for me are Last Trip to Tulsa and Expecting to Fly - it would have been nice to have a song or two in full video rather than watching the tape player spin (maybe these will come as "extras" via BD-live?). Also, it is obvious from the song selection in the wonderful leather bound scrapbook that there are MANY songs (versions) not included in NYAV1. Okay, here's my ONLY other gripe - rather than throw in Canterbury house as an "extra" why not give us Live at the BBC? Any rustie with the means to buy the Archives will already have CH - BBC is only available on bootleg.. is it a licensing thing?? I guess I can say "thanks!" for keeping my bootleg collection vital. Anyway, I'm looking forward to many more days of viewing pleasure and can't wait to watch a pristine version of JTTP.
- Jim
a long and extremely positive review of the Blu-ray version is posted at www.blu-raydefinition.com/reviews/neil-young-archives-vol-1-blu-ray-review.html
I have been looking forward to this day for 20 some years. I ordered the vol 1 CD box set through the fan club but as of 6/1/09 they still hadn't shipped it yet. I drove 63 miles into Rochester N.Y. and bought the CD box set for 74.99 because I just couldn't wait any longer. I have only listened to the first 2 discs and loved every minute. They sound pretty good through my 2 channel system. Marantz 2325 receiver, Marantz CD67SE deck, 1976 Klipsch CornerHorns, 1976 Klipsch Cornwalls. While at the "House of Guitars" I looked at the DVD box set and couldn't believe how big the package is. I hope to get a Blu Ray player for my birthday (June 30th) at which time I will get the Blu Ray box set. Hope my friend Kimball got to see Neil In Omaha or Kansas. I had an experiance of a life time at the 4/13/09 Kingston ON. show.
Archives Guy, Neil, Archives Team;
Thank you. So much to say, but there are years to say it, so for now, just thanks. A spectacular achievement. Please don't get discouraged by any negative comments. The vast majority of eager fans are too busy listening, reading, watching, appreciating to have time for negativity. I may, at some point down the line, have a quibble or two, but it will be like a drop of oil on an ocean of water. For now and the foreseeable future, Neil's the ocean and the archives are the giant undertow and I'm going to be submerged for a long, long time.
tuned4life
63 miles? you must be the Emperor from Wyoming (County)
SONY
Hey Sigma6,
Take heart. I received mine a day before the release date from DVDPlanet. It was an amazing surprise, especially since I wasn't able to pull up the website and track my order. Now the site states that it is "under construction". You should have yours soon. Enjoy!
- Mike
Thanks Kimball,
All that stuff sounds great!?
Looks like I'm gunna have to get rid of my old "His Master's Voice" HMV Grammaphone!...Ya know I was hopin' I could of got the updates for that old faithful but I'm finding the parts seem to be out of date!
Seriously Kimball, thanks heaps, I'll go to my local Hi Fi store and dazzle'm with science and model numbers.. They'll have no idea I'm a doctor!!!
P.S. Someone DOES read my comments!
Downloads question. Maybe Archives Guy can answer this one. I realize that some of the updates Neil has in store are BD only, but are any going to be available for the DVD people? It seems to hint at that on the new site. Thanks
Arthur
OMG!!!! I can't believe I have this in my house. This is the greatest box set of all time.
THANK YOU, NEIL YOUNG!!!! No other musical artist has ever put in so much work for their fans. Worth every single penny and more.
Thank you to Thrasher and Archives Guy for all of your help, too. Looking forward to many more years discovering the archives together!
Glue Guy???
There was a commenter here over the weekend with a pretty vile and disturbing post about some glue on his NYA discs.
His handle was Percy.
I've tried to get in reach out to him to remedy this issue, but haven't heard back.
If you are Percy or know him, please have him contact me thru Thrasher and we will make this right.
-Archives Guy
Today June 2nd) is our official release day for the Archives, so we will be very busy handling media and such.
I'll check when I can.
Has everyone seen this morning's 1st edition of the Post Informer?
http://www.neilyoungarchives.com/post/post-informer.html
Can't find the MP3s - I hit the link that was on the card included in the BR edition... Nothing there but the promo for the box set. Anybody successfully locate the MP3 download link? Dying to sit down with the Blu-Rays, but right now, I would like to leave the house with MP3s on my pod.
NEW NEIL YOUNG RELEASES TODAY
Check out the iTunes store today for some pleasant surprises in the Neil Young aisle.
Album remasters AND the Archives??
-Archives Guy
AG -
Re: Post informer - that was the cherry on top - I wasn't going to post a thank you for awhile for fear of using all the available bandwidth (I can get a little verbose) but that was just wonderful. I really hope it becomes a permanent fixture in ArchivesWorld - and now the remastered albums - so what do you call the cherry on top of the cherry?
Thanks again.
I can't figure out how to download the mp3s either. Any ideas on how to access them?
Any news on what the bonus tracks/easter eggs are?
AG -
Album remasters? Great, but will they come out on vinyl with original / additional artwork?
I mean, the vinyl issues could use some extra artwork, etc. , you know as a little incentive to go for vinyl.
After all, that's still Neil's favorite format, isn't it?
tomlong-
Yes, of course these will be coming out shortly on vinyl. Please see previous Archives threads for information.
While we wait for an answer about the MP3s... Someone ought to look at the navigation on neilyoungarchives,com. Backing up from any page takes you back to the opening animation with "Old Man" underneath. That's fine when you first hit the site, but annoying after that. All good things in all good time, I know...
I live in England and have to wait a week, why the delay...this sucks.
What idiot market ploy is it?
Release it a week after the US.
BS.
Anyone has received their box from NYA warnerbros website. Are there anyways to track the package!
Thanks...I just can't wait!
I have The Archives (still shaking.)
I love the Post Informer (epic!)
I am downloading remastered albums (what!?)
I am speechless (rarity.)
Congratulations to NY & AG & Team on their (our) big day.
much love,karen
W0W! Post Informer is great Neil will let us know what's coming in the downloads for Blue Ray...waiting for Fed Ex to deliver the box soon!
Bob
Hi
for people in the U.K. wanting the set early there are stores with it in stock now . It's impossible to compete on price with Amazon etc. as they can afford to take a loss .But if you want to try to get the Archives this week pester smaller local stores e.g. Badlands mail order in Cheltenham who have all formats in stock although as I said more expensive. Try calling them on 01242227724/25 to check prices. They should get them to you for the weekend.
well, warner bros. screwed me as far as getting the almighty ARCHIVE to me on its release date (glad i paid extra for rush shipping... 'cough up the bucks!', but i'm glad everyone else is enjoying it!
seriously, i can't wait.
hey AG, i know this has likely be asked before, but is there any chance of an abbreviated ARCHIVE edition on vinyl? i'm sure the BD will sound great, but perhaps not as good as my 200gr japanese 'sugar mountain' LP!
Volume 1 arrived at 10:30 this morning--an early birthday present from my mom (at my request, of course!). I probably won't even buy the PS3 until the price drops later this year, but I am more than satisfied with the book and packaging alone--both so thoughtfully conceived. This is easily one of the greatest music releases of my lifetime and I just wonder how long before the public realizes what a staggering accomplishment it truly is. Congrats Neil, and high fives for all my brethren hanging out with me on cloud nine!
The link for the MP3s is still directing to the shop page. I bought the Blu-Ray version, but can't watch it yet and want to download the MP3s for iTunes.
Any news yet?!?!
NEIL YOUNG IS A FREAKING GENIUS!
AND A.G. AND THE ENTIRE ARCHIVE TEAM ARE FREAKING BRILLIANT!
(sorry, had to get that off my chest)
Karen -
what do the remastered albums sound like? Can you hear a difference?
Does the Postman always ring TWICE.
still waiting up in T.O...ZEJT
Got the CD version from Best Buy at lunch. Three of the eight discs had a glue residue from the packaging on them.
Hey to Archives Guy or anyone else in the know...
What is the release date for the remastered versions of the 1st four albums on CD? I see the MP3s are up, but am more interested in the CD and/or vinyl. Thanks
-JAG
Q.
What's worse than someone who isn't remotely funny?
A.
Someone who isn't remotely funny but thinks they're HILARIOUS.
Does anyone else wish dr dip would shut up?
Anonymous said: "I see the MP3s are up"
Where? Some of us have been waiting to do the download for a few hours now...
Thanks for any instructions.
Hi Archives Guy,
Thanks for the very kind answer on my vinyl/blu-ray question last week. Just returned to my homebase last Friday. Went to the record store on Saturday. They had this amazing big box in their shopwindow. I have been standing there and looking at the box for almost an hour. Should I wait or should I buy. Should I wait or should I buy it double. No matter what I choose it would be trouble. I did check the status of my order at WB. It said: “in process...” Arch... In the end I bought the cd version (because I simply couldn’t wait any longer) and still don’t have the Blu-Ray... Finally a few minutes ago the status of my Blu-Ray said “shipped”. Why do people who ordered in March have to wait so long? Well, tomorrow is another day.
About the new releases on iTunes. You are talkin gabout the first four albums? I am realy happy with this because I think it’s important that a younger generation of NY fans has to get the best quallity when they discover his brilliant songs. And for me... I don’t know. I work on Apple for almost 20 years but never bought something on iTunes. You know why? Yes, It sounds like shit. Anyway, I am curious about the quallity of your new MP3 files.
And… thanks Kimball and Tuned4life for introducing here on TW the only loudspeakers for listening to NY music that really matter.
I am still waiting for you.
For such a long time now.
Because Sound Matters
Rael
They are on itunes...I am referring to the remastered versions of the 1st four albums, so sorry for confusion if you were thinking i meant the archives. I'm still waiting for mine to arrive in the mail!
-JAG
I was afraid of that. Thanks for the clarification, Anon.
Maybe Archive Guy will update us soon.
I am now playing the BR version and thrilled with the sound. Navigation and loading is a bit of a joke on my Pioneer player, but once you start the music playing, no complaints.
Need those MP3s!
RE: the dr.
"He only gives us the good things, so we'd understand
what life without 'him' would be"
y word on the mp3s? I can't seem to find the link to download them.
AG
A previous post mention that the Archives box set is a limited edition. Is this true? If so, how limited? I was hoping to save up for the blu-ray set and player, which will take a while. Having to get it earlier would be extremely hard to justify to my wife. Thanks.
Larry the Hobo
P.S. Thanks again, Archives Guy for all of your help. I'd buy you a beverage if I could, but I don't know who to send it to. Cheers.
David-
Send an e-mail to Thrasher with your contact info.
I'll be intouch and make this right for you.
-archives guy
Hard to believe I'm sitting here on release day without NYAV1, but I've been holding off while I work out the hardware issues. Especially now that there's apparently no short-term price drop coming on the PS3, and no guarantee that the $250 PSP Go will be full-featured enough to be a viable option (plus it's not out until 10/1), I'll probably wait until next month for the BDP-S560 standalone ($350) - it's WiFi and can play some of the lossless audio codecs that the PS3 can't, specifically Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio, which isn't a big deal now but may be in the future when I upgrade my sound system. Unlike the PS3, it doesn't have internal storage, but there's a USB port and I have a spare external HD kicking around anyway (plus no need to buy a separate remote and AV cable, like the PS3). But I'll still probably take the plunge and get the Blu-Ray disc set pretty soon - watching that unpacking video made me drool!
Babs
Archives Released In
0 days 0 hours 0 minutes and 0 seconds
Unbelievable
That was David Skoglund who should contact me thru Thrasher.
thanks.
Archive guy - how about those MP3s?
AG - I wasn't the one who posted over the weekend with the glue problem. That was another person with glue issues.
Babbo
Provantage has the best price I've seen for the BDP-560. FYI. This is my path too....I wait...I wait....I can't vouch for them in any other way as I've never used them. It's some kind of a "special order item" given that it's obviously not in stock.
http://www.provantage.com/sony-bdps560~7SNYE0A4.htm
LRR
So, wait a minute...
"Remastered" albums ... on iTunes?!?
I seem to remember something about an Apple "sounding like shit" not so long ago.
What other formats will these be released in, and when? Not interested in vinyl, but I'd love a CD/DVD package, or maybe even a BD version with cool extras.
--PunkDavid
David S
Yes I know that.
-Archives Guy
Yeah, I wish he'd piss off too!
Thanks Anonymous, I'll take your advice..
I recognise your blog name.. at least your consistent!!!
First things first: THANK YOU, NEIL. That aside...
I have yet to receive my copy of NYA1 (DVD edition), but my Amazon order has shipped and is supposed to be here by the end of the week. From what I have read heard, it'll be a fantastic experience. I can't wait!
Of everything I have read about NYA1 so far, the most interesting thing is that there are reviews of the DVD and blu-ray in which it is stated that much of the video content is as integral a part of the Archives experience as the audio. I hear talk of lots of unannounced bonus features on the discs and such. Not wanting to miss the advertised video content-- in particular, the very rare Journey Through the Past, which I hope to have viewed for was the main reason I paid an extra hundred dollars.
And the reason I didn't go for blu-ray-- in spite of its advertised perks--is that I'm not equipped for it technically and to make myself so would cost not only more money than it is advisable for me to spend when I'm already spending $199 on the set itself, but also the difficulties of trying to figure out a way to hook the thing up so it works in chorus with the rest of my entertainment set-up, which, believe it or not, even in terms of shelf space, would be more taxing than you might think. I also don't want to spend that kind of money if I'm only ever going to use it on one thing--at most a few, when the rest of the NYA comes out--and--this is the other BIG one--I don't want my full enjoyment of the NYA to be limited to the facility of one machine: I have several DVD players throughout my house and can also play DVDs on my computer, so this is a more flexible option in any event.
And that is why I stand firmly and happily in the middle: I get all the music, as well as the video element and other goodies, for lack of a better term, that don't come with the CD...
And boy am I excited for the set to arrive! I'm sure all be back talk more about this then, but for the moment it's nice to see Thrasher's Wheat refreshed from the bogged down debates about Fork in the Road.
D. I. Kertis
I got an email from Warner Bros today to say it could take 4-5 WEEKS to deliver my Blu-Ray NYA (to Ireland) which I ordered on the NY website on 24 March.
4-5 weeks? I am completely p1ssed off with this news. What was the point of pre-ordering it on the NY website if they can't be bothered to send it to me asap? I could've bought it on amazon.co.uk and it would have been here by the end of this week.
Exactly what did I pay $24 in postage for? Is this just some cynical way to extort a few $ from me so that they can pop the box in economy post where it will likely be bashed about?
I am very unhappy.
Sean O'Leary,
Dublin, Ireland.
hi i picked up the cds today and they sound amazing i am also getting the dvd set is there a huge difference beteween blu ray and dvd sound thanks
Can't believe that the MP3s are still not available as promised.
Look, this is part of what we paid for. If it isn't going to be delivered, let's talk refund. If there is a delay, at least explain it. Seems to me that giving us an iTunes coupon code would solve the problem.
I apologize if this debate/discussion has been outlined elsewhere, but can I get some feedback on whether the DVD set is worth it, if I do not have the means to get a Blu-Ray player at this point. Clearly, I'm hearing the Blu-Ray version is superior. But, to wait to buy the Blu-Ray version will be to wait until I get a player, which is not happening any time in the near future. With a reasonably decent set-up, is DVD version still worth it/enjoyable?
got the dvd set today, on disc 01 so far and it is simply amazing, all the bonus features will keep you busy for weeks. the sound is superb, was kind of worried that the dvd would get short-changed because of all the blu-ray hype, but i'm so glad i didn't go out and spend hundreds and hundreds of bucks on a blu-ray set-up, the dvd's are just fine for anybody with eyes, ears and a passion for neil. hope everyone's enjoying it as much as me!
Just got my Archives! As I sit here with my arms around the box I feel like I am in Heaven! I walked out of the store with the greatest piece of merchandise ever available to purchase!
Neil Lover Forever in Caton, NY
Rael-
Be patient
I was happy to see that Archives is up for download via my Rhapsody To Go account when I got home from work, albeit with a small # of tracks only available for purchase.
This will certainly keep me busy until my Blu-ray version gets here from Amazon.com!
The dvd will be amazing, the sound quality is also amazing. Have you listened to the sugar mountain dvd?
You just can't download new tunes, thats all.
If you're referring to me, I own all my Neil stuff. Yes, I have Sugar Mntn, Massey Hall and Fillmore on DVD.
Received my DVD copy in the mail today and I can only begin to say how beautifully glorious this thing is. Thanks Neil. Thanks AG for helping us all to begin to understand...I thought I had a good idea of what I was getting, but as I begin exploring I realize how much more awaits me. This is so unbelievably awesome, I will be spending so much time with it over the course of the next however long.
I must say I am a super-fan, collector, audiophile, and overall not-easy to impress. I am so incredibly happy with this incredibly thought out piece of brilliance.
Thank you
thank you
thank you.
I don't ever think I've heard audio this good. These songs sound so precious and new.
AG, any response to my post?
I have the Archives. They were just delivered by UPS to my office in Los Angeles. I am holding it. I see it. I smell it. I can't belive that, after all these years of one rumor on top of another rumor, on again, off again release dates, it is actually and truly here! Amazon came though like a champ. Exceeded every expectation on delivery. 25-30 years of hopeful expectation is here. My co-workers all think I have lost my mind! They just don't get it I have found the Holy Grail! The Grail exists!
"Be patient"...
Fine, at least that gives me some indication that the problem is on someone's desk. I'll do my best, and I suppose it's better to have shipped the physical object on time rather than wait for MP3, but it is something buyers expect right out of the box.
Thanks.
To Sean, and anyone else who ordered through Warner --
I ordered through WB, and I had a whole message typed out complaining about WB's service as well, but I figured it was a useless exercise to type out my frustrations, so I'll get to the point: don't order from WB ever again.
There's nothing Archives Guy can do from the marketing/shipping standpoint, so obviously he won't have answers, or apologies.
If you are really desperate for the Archives (as I was), consider ordering it from Amazon after all (or another store that can get you the Archives quickly) and refuse the WB shipment when it comes. They'll send it back to the warehouse and credit you accordingly. I plan to do this when my WB shipment eventually comes (if it does -- I'm still "in process".) Or, if you don't feel like refusing the shipment, accept it, and simply return the unopened copy Warner sends you to Amazon, or whatever store you choose to supply you with your immediate Archives fix.
It's kind of a scam -- but whatever gets the Archives on time, right? I suppose it is kinda funny that we've waited all these years, and now that it is out, I can't wait another few days.
However, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy these Blu-Rays. No more waiting for Mr. Postman.
Called the mp3 download problem into Warner. The links are missing from the web site. Someone probably forgot to update the web page. Check back on the web page or wait for an email.
Hey AG~
Remember that edit I thought I heard on "Sell Out?" Where it seemed like the lines "can I bring my cat" and "was I off too far" sounded like they were merged together, so it sounds like Neil's saying "can I bring my cat far" (or "ar," as the f is slightly cut off)? Well, I hear it on the Archives, too, and on top of that, the exact solo plays at the end of both lines. Was the song like this when you guys uncovered it for the Archives?
To the anonymous poster who asked is this set worth it without a Blu Ray and is on the fence about the purchasing the DVD set.
I would advise just buy the Blu Ray set now and set it aside eventually you will upgrade to Blu.
Then when you do power-up with Blu you will have a helluva lotta new material.
It's a no-brainer.
Good lord...how can there be a complaint when you actually have it?
I went thru Customer Service??? Hell with WBR, nothing to do with AG or the Team, to Cancel my order as it would take so long to come.
Then after being spun like a top I made yet another phone call and yet another e-mail...In Progress...nothing we can do.
Then this morning they send a reply saying "Shipped" June 1. lol
So to complain the MP3's aren't up and running??
You have the Package in your hands...Enjoy it, as the rest of us are still waiting for anything we can get our ears on.
I was excited to read a post on The RL about someone having "In Progress" yesterday and somehow, as if magic...on his doorstep today.
But not holding my breath.
Thanks again to Neil, AG and the Crew.
LIVE RUST
Just checked my order lodged via neil' site. Warners online now show is it as "shipped", was "in process" yesterday .
Now I just have to wait the two weeks for it to get to Australia :(
Cheers,
Mick
I'm Enjoying my Blu-Ray/CD Archives packages from Amazon.com. Both editions are fancy great. (New English Here) Neil and co have hit the ball outta the park on box set standards.
AG;
Just a note; The track listing to the Riverboat show is not correct and is missing the titles of the stage banters. Not a big deal, it does not spoil the great performance. It sounds great. Great audio restoration. AG may be John Hausmann....
Neil and co; thanks for such a great product that makes me feel proud to be a fan of such great music quality.
Canada Goose; good name for a band!
Good News Mick!!
I have mine but as of yet have not unwrapped it.
My local Best Buy only had two in stock this morning so they may be limiting the copies that were sent out at least for Blu Ray.
Last time I checked there were 4 Best Buy's in the Los Angeles area that were sold out already.
Got my Blu Ray Box set today from Amazon. Looks great. I'm having troubles downloading the MP3's though. I was able to download many of the tracks through Rhapsody though. Would like to get my own copies though.
Lars
Went out and bought the Blu-Ray set and a Samsung BD-P3600 Blu-Ray player today. I am having a problem getting bass from my sub-woofer. I went into setp on my player and chose small for all the speakers and yes for the subwoofer. I have connected the Blu-Ray to the stereo using component cables. There is a speaker test in Archives which sends a signal to each speaker one at a time, the bass signal is WAY weaker than all the others. Yes I have the volume on the subwoofer turned up high. If I play a regular CD through my stereo the subwoofer works fine. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Hello. My BR set arrived from Warner today. :) Thanks to everybody involved. I've been ripping through it since I got home and can't wait 'til I can take more time to properly explore it. The whole thing really is a beautiful set, and the BRs will probably win some awards from trade groups for the sheer innovation and design genius.
I'll try to write more later regarding some tech specs. There are a lot of things people might like to know and I'll cover them once I have more time.
(Oh, and I've already found a couple of video easter eggs. Happy hunting, kids.)
Anonymous with low bass volume:
Many digital audio products have trouble reproducing bass at appropriate levels (not sure specifically about Blue Ray, but was certainly true with DVD Audio and SACD)..
Anyway, when I play the Blue Ray Archives with Optical out (96), I have slighly less bass than optimal.. When I play analog out (RCA jacks producing 192/24), I get rich base and rich, warm sounds... try analog signal
Jammincrowe
AG -
I went into the Itunes store and found the Archives. The listing for Sea of Madness states it was from "Live Woodstock".
Was *this* version actually recorded by CSNY at Woodstock? I seem to recall when Sea of Madness was included on the Woodstock soundtrack, it was taken from a different concert...
any thoughts on this?
This song has always been somewhat buried in the Neil Young canyon of songs...
I am the one with the bass problem, thanks for your reply. I get virtually no bass when using the component 5.1 setup. I get great bass with optical and analog. Go figure. But I though the point was to use HDMI (which my receiver does not have) or the component inputs. I do know that with my old DVD player the bass was much lower with the component hookup than with the others but it was still at an acceptable level, with this Blu Ray Archves there is seemingly no bass coming through the subwoofer. As of today I have no other Blu Ray discs to test it with since I bought the Blu Ray player today just because Neil and Archoves Guy said so!
AG-
Gotta love the fact that the Aurora and Mustang tracks are mis-labled on the 7" (which BTW, sounds phenomenal out the speakers). What was already an awesome bonus item just became irresistibly collectible. Anyone else's like this or did I get a golden ticket?
And thanks for the surprise in the stash box, the only thing that would have been better would have been a coupon for the vinyl.
This box is so worth every dollar. Anybody on the fence or complaining, you're pissin' in the wind.
The 'album' is from what I hear dead - Neil, way to show them once again how to do it right.
I really cannot believe how shitty you people are! What a bunch of crybaby bitches! I mean really! For all of you people who constantly BITCH BITCH BITCH...what an impression you must be making on Archives Guy, the Archives team and most of all NEIL himself!"Waaah this is a rip off! WAAAAAH! I still cant down load my Shitty MP3s! I WANT A REFUND!!" ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!
Good god! Give us a break.... If you were on here complaining about the archives then it’s obvious you don't OWN THEM! Cause if you did...you still be too amazed to come on here and bitch! This box set is out of this world...words don’t do it justice! THANK YOU NEIL YOUNG!!! THANK YOU ARCHIVES GUY AND TEAM!!! I CANT SAY IT ENOUGH, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SOOO ACOMIDATING! ITS UNREAL! WHO ELSE COMMUNICATE TO FANS LIKE THIS! MY ARCHIVES EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL THANKS TO ARCHIVES GUY AND THRASHER! NEIL AND TEAM, YOU’VE done EVERYTHING in your power to deliver the fans a great package at a reasonable cost. All the work and care you guys put into this really shows! Screw all you people bitching here before!
It’s a GOOD DAY TO BE A NEIL YOUNG FAN!!! DONT EVER STOP NEIL! Bring on VOL. 2!!!!
Shit, I better stop blogging now as my power just went out! Damn, now my Batteries DEAD! TWIST AND SHOUT!
ROCK ON NEIL!!!!!!
Shityhorse "One thing to watch out for...the book, once opened and returned to its slot is next to impossible to get back out!... like playing Operation. I stuck a piece of cardboard at the bottom so the book sticks out a little...after spending a half hour trying to get it out. But trust me I aint complaining!"
You never complain.
Great example dude...warning people is a complaint? Plus that last line where I say...I'm not complaining..? Yeah I'm really bitching there buddy.
got the blue ray today,already got a new download notice when i went to the time line....great work neil...
Orders through Warner Bros. seem to be all over the place when it comes to delivery date. Some people have said they even received their Archives Monday, June 1, others say they got them today. I just called Warner Bros. to find out the status of my order, and was told that my DVD set is shipping today, and that it should arrive in 5 days.
Anyone else who pre-ordered via NeilYoung.com and hasn't gotten their set yet may be looking at a similar wait. I guess delivery on release day doesn't always mean delivery on release day. Must be some sort of sedan delivery.
I'm not complaining though, I just get to relive the anticipation and excitement of the last week all over again! (And I do have my NYPS 0, 2 + 3 to enjoy in the meantime.)
(tone deaf) Steve
In case this hasn't been brought up, the Wikipedia entry on Archives 1 has the hidden tracks mentioned... I won't reveal here though...
My Amazon order has shipped! I'm so excited. The only thing that totally bums me out is that there is no "Out on the Weekend." That's seriously one of my Top 5 Neil songs. There must be a download in the works. This omission is like if he leaves out Cortez from volume 2. Maybe not THAT bad... but still. I'd much rather have seen Harvest get the ax. But that's just me. Small complaints overall, considering that my UPS tracking says the box weights 8 pounds. 8 POUNDS! Oh I'm beyond excited.
I went to Barnes and Nobles, NYC, and they didn't have it - at least at the store i went to (upper east side). They told me the "larger" stores are stocking it.
It's selling for $350, plus tax, here in NYC.
No thanks, i'll pass...for now. I'm waiting for a price drop.
Cough Up the Bucks!
Johnny Rocket!
PS - $mooches to you, Dr. Drip!
Live in LA, ordered early from WB, they say its shipped. No set.
I'd a waited. He's gonna live to be a hundred.
I ordered from Warner Bros, Got it monday.
Check out the video of Neil in the record store...taking his bootleg CSNY record...what a great little film...lol
I'm very pleased that Neil has released the Archives, a treasure trove of material.
My complaints - While i like all the visual imagery, press clippings etc, i'm really disappointed in the lack of true unreleased material. If you really look at it, and study the track lists, you'll realize that Neil's vaults of unreleased material haven't been emptied (or maybe there wasn't much for Vol 1).
Also, where is the unreleased material from the original Crazy Horse? Is there none to share?
Maybe Neil will released the "good stuff" as part of BluRay, in an attempt to get people to pony up funds for that platform.
If he does, i won't mind paying the money.
I know, i know - you 96-percenters will get all up in arms over this post.
Deal with it.
Accept criticism once in a while!
Forecast Update - Upstate NY
Just checked the weather forecast for HELL, 31 F and holding, forever.
Any more talk about talk about global warming?
Temp - Steady.
Humidity - 96% & rising->
UV Index - Blu Rays increasing
Back to you at the front desk
Hey, I am excited to have the set at last - every bit as much as everyone else. I remember discussing the chances of 'Decade 2' with a friend back in 1988, and then reading about Neil's plans for a new retrospective in 1989. The Blu-Ray sound is amazing. It's the best thing I have ever heard in my house. Seriously. True HiFi in an age of compression.
But criticisms are valid, too. There should have been more unreleased stuff - no doubt. The packaging should not be so tricky. I spent 20 minutes trying to carefully get stuff out of the box. C'mon, that's ridiculous. No MP3s means you lack the convenience of your iPod on day one. We paid for it, we should have it right now. And I, for one, kind of wish this thing weren't so technologically demanding (gotta have just the right player, etc.) though I am equally fascinated by all that.
But comments like this don't mean that I don't love it. I just want my whole $300 worth, and for subsequent volumes to be more complete and easy to use.
Tip: Put the free copy of "Sugar Mountain" in a plastic CD wrapper before you put it back in the drawer - that way, it won't pop up and jam the drawer shut, as mine did in shipment.
Whats the story on the mp3 download. Anybody out there know.
So disappointing for the price, the operation of the proper links should have been handled more professionally. This isn't even a link for customer service at the designated site. Some of us would like to travel and listen to the tunes. Great box set, unfortunately after all this time, poor execution. Don't bother trying to talk to WB, waist of time. It would be nice if neil was monitoring the problems with his productv and personally get WB to get their act together.
First of all - what an amazing set the blu-ray is. Even the packaging is sturdy and heavy. For some reason I thought It would open up sideways, I thought I saw some promo pic of it opened up like a set of doors. The discs are packed in tight though, hard to dig out. Ditto for the double pack of discs, I'm afraid I'll tear it in half along its 'hinge' every time I pull it out...
But thank you, Neil, and the production team. Amazing work, and the sound on the blu-ray is absolutely wonderful. Now I really regret having to have left my tube amp back in Europe - Massey Hall even in DVD-A was a revelation on it. Haven't felt like such a kid at Xmas for ages...
One note about the digital download. I know Neil is a stickler for sound quality, so how about making the downloads available in FLAC or Apple Lossless formats, when you have the chance? I don't mean to sound ungrateful for the MP3 downloads - I'm not - I'm amazed at how much Neil and the team listened to early customer and fan feedback - certainly more than we deserved, with all the hidden goodies! Lossless formats would enable us to recode them with the size and quality each user prefers, or play back in lossless CD quality.
"if neil was monitoring the problems"
Hhmm, isn't he out making new music right now for Volume XXXV?
I have to vent--please forgive me. First time in 20 years that I don't have Neil Young's newest release on the release date. No one here seems to want to admit that this is one huge disappointment. At the very least it should have included every released track from every album so far, but re-releasing Massey Hall and Filmore East after everyone here probably already bought them . . . and then saying on the packaging that they're unreleased tracks. Come on . . . The USA Today article today says that his albums are included in their entirety. Why? Neil, most of your fans want your music, not some overpriced slide show.
This comment has been removed by the author.
In regards to unreleased material: if you look at the Archives tape database, there isn't a whole lot of other material that hasn't been left unreleased. Sure, there's the Crazy Horse studio version of Wonderin', and I Ain't Got the Blues, and Quadrophonic versions of Dance Dance Dance and Alabama, but do we really need those last two? Other than that, a lot of the other unreleased songs, both legendary (67 L.A., I Need Her Love to Get By) and new ones weren't even recorded. Vol. II, IMO, will be the volume that has a ton of it.
Anyway, Archives Guy, I must say that this is the most impressive release that I have ever seen, and is the crown jewel of my record collection. It's so loaded with goodies, video, audio, memorabilia, etc. that I feel like I personally raided Neil's vault myself. It is a living, breathing autobiography of one of greatest singer songwriter's ever. Sure there are a few flaws: the "Buffalo Springfield" LP credits skip a track, here's a glitch in one of the "Down to the Wire" documents in which the program freezes once I scroll down to the bottom of it, and there are a few edits (I can understand the Hello Lonely Woman one, especially with a 7 minute harp solo, and it sounds perfectly fine; but I'm not as forgiving with the Sell Out one). However, these are superfluous in the long haul, because the care and effort that was put into this set is just absolutely mesmorizing. In the words of Wayne and Garth: We're not worthy!!
"Neil, most of your fans want your music, not some overpriced slide show."
I would hope that most of Neil's fans do not listen to music in a vacuum. A songwriter's life (this slideshow you refer to) shapes the music, gives it context, meaning and so on. The Archives is an autobiography. If Neil were a robot pumping out songs I'd expect nothing but music, but he's a person who has been shaped by various events and has reacted to them in the form of these documents, postcards, lyrics and yes music. If you feel cheated because all you care about is the music, then fine, but please don't tell the rest of us that we are living in denial or some bullshit like that.
The 7 minute harp solo on Hello Lonely Woman was apparently amazing according to Shakey. And as for Sell Out, the version that's been out for a while out is fine and I don't think there was any need to tinker with it.
Well let's be honest; do you want to hear a 7 minute harmonica solo? I mean really? They did a great job at capturing the intensity of his solo in a much shorter timeframe.
Neil and team - great job, I love it. More on that later.
I do have a tip for blu-ray owners and probably the same for dvd:
I had to do uncomfortable things to get the album sleeves out of the folding holder case the first couple times. I then got the idea to alternate the cases such that the spines were some to the front and some to the back and that made the overall width of the set at the widest point small enought that they slide in and out of the holder easily.
Hope this helps everyone easily access the disks.
I too was surprised to find that only the top opens on the big box, I was expecting the sides to open like doors, I thought I saw a picture like that too.
The first thing I thought when I saw the way it opened is "there's alot of dead space inside there between the compartments". The biggest surprise yet is that there's probably 3 pounds of grass in each blu-ray set's case!
Also, I found on the topanga 3 disk (at least on that one, i haven't checked the others), that when you goto file cabinet mode, then choose the first song (top of cabinet) and open the folder, then go into the photos tab, then pressing enter on the photo to view it full size, you get a normal guide menu for back/caption etc. Well I pressed down on my PS3 movie remote and another menu showed up to turn the music on and off. I selected off and the tunes don't play anymore when you enter the folders, as expected. This music on/off sub menu was not in the photo tab of the next song, so it could be a little confusing how to turn the music back on if one forgot where to get to the menu. Anyway this is a tiny consideration, mostly a not to people that they can turn off the tunes while navigating files.
Also a note for AG's typo list, the BD sleeve for the journey through the past movie lists
24/192 PCM for the stero track and 24/96 DTS 5.1 for the 5.1.
The disk is actually
24/96 PCM stereo and
24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1.
I actually really enjoyed JTTP tonight. Much better than I expected. Veered off a bit at the end I could've done without the injection scene, but its overall a deep/enjoyable experience. I felt like the grad getting dropped off in the desert when I finished school too! Crap beat out of you and toting your paper...
The mic'ing on the live heart of gold cut on north country is absoluting dumbfounding. Really spatial, clear and lifelike. I wish all these recordings were that perfectly captured with respect to spaciality. Truly a diamond in a box full of gems.
This is a great day. Thanks again for giving us something so wonderful!
Tuned4life from above is the kind gent who sold me my set of Klipsch Cornwall IIs. (I drove from Iowa to New York and back to Iowa in one sitting, with my wife, to get them! Blessed all around I tell ya!)
I visited the NYA Post informer and think it's pretty cool that Neil's writing about the tracks for us (if it actually him) and that the Post will be available to download on the blu-ray player as updates.
Don't even think about it Johnny!!
OR IS IT........ANONYMOUS!!!
Buck up the coughs
Dippy's Pocket
I remember downloading years ago a live version of Here We Are In The Years (from some archive called The Bernstein tapes) where Neil dedicated the song to the then new president.
I really hope this version will come as a future download !
Drip Shit - I love my country, i'm free to do what i want. And if that includes calling a spade a spade in regards to "Neil is God" then so be it.
I know it breaks your little heart every time someone criticizes Your Hero. Well, guess what - Neil is human, he makes mistakes, too.
I'm very interested to see the sales numbers for the BluRay version. Outside of the hardcore fandom, me thinks very few units will sell. The overall expense - BluRay discs, video/audio equipment - is extremely prohibitive. Only completists and 96-percenters will be able to justify the cost.
Wait for the numbers - numbers don't lie.
In my opinion, the videos and photos are nice to haves - not need to haves. The indispensible piece of the Archives, for me, is the actual music. And i reviewed the tunes again on ITunes just moments ago - there is very little unreleased stuff that actually stands out. I hope Neil releases more unreleased stuff as part of BR Live - otherwise this set will become less and less intriguing.
I can only sit in front of my TV and watch a spinning disc for so long. Yawn.
I've been waiting for the Archives for years and years, more than 20 years. I remember first reading about Decade II in the mid-80's, in a Musician Mag article by Bill Flanagan (i think). I have been captivated by this set for more than half my life. And i am shocked that on the day of its release i didn't buy it. I never would have thought that possible.
But the overall cost, and the lack of interesting *unreleased* music, helped me make my decision. I will pick this set up when it goes on Discount Row.
Dr Drip - is it OK to have an alternate opinion on Rock God Neil?
Cough Up The Buck$!
Johnny Rocket!
4-percenter!
I've got the DVD box !
How will i do to download the new stuff ?
ps: Thank you to Neil and his team for this great and amazing box set !!!!!
I'm gonna see him play tomorow in Paris
CrazyHorse - bad news! You DONT get the updated downloads with the DVD set, only with BluRay. You're SOL (Shit out of Luck!).
Meanwhile, i will say this - if Vol 1 was released, and this is the first time we paid for Filmore and Massey, you would not hear one iota of a peep out of me. I would think this set was 5-stars, as those releases would truly beef up the unreleased songs on the set.
But we bought those albums 2 and 3 years ago. So they're not unreleased.
Cough Up the Bucks!
Johnny Rocket!
Here's the problem with pre-orders, the price of the blu-ray set dropped $41.50 overnight, to $238.49 on amazon.com.
Luckily I haven't received it yet, so I can refuse delivery and they will credit me back the entire price I paid ($279) and re-order at the new price.
Q- Will Neil's 1968-1972 LPs be released on Blu-ray following NYA1's release?
A- Yes
Neil wrote a song about this set...it's called Down, Down, Down!
as in the price keeps going Down Down Down!
$238 and DROPPING!
Still no Archives I pre-ordered March 23 from Neil's site and WARNER brothers SHIPPED MY ORDER YESTERDAY.
So today I sit here on my holidays with NOTHING.
A.G WHAT KIND OFF CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THIS.
Please relay this information to Neil, I could off ordered through HMV WHO HAD LOTS OF COPIES.
This is totally unacceptable.
PURE BULLSHIT.
In the future let's take care of the fans first.
Sorry I did not post my name for the above comment...Zejt Pure Bullshit
I am awaiting word on the MP3 downloads. I placed a call to WBR around 2:30PM (EDT) yesterday and sent a few emails. I have been promised a response and still I wait... patiently. ;) Rest assured that the problem has been logged and that they are feverishly working on it.
I'd love to hear something while I gather sufficient funds for a PS3... my ears are drooling from all these comments! The actual Archives packaging is beautiful and I can keep busy while the download issue is resolved. I feel that this issue should have been addressed prior to release, but WTF, I'm just thrilled to have The Archives in my hot little hands, at long last, and very, very glad that the release was not pushed back to address the MP3 issue. But that's just me, your mileage may vary.
peace and archives!
This is a "Dear John" letter
Dear Mr Rocket,
As you are aware, I am not very well liked on this site and I accept that (everyone's got their own definition of a dickhead),
Heh that's life!
Ya know what Johnathon,funnily enough, I do agree with some of your points...I too have previously owned "Sugarmountain"
and "live at Massey Hall","Decade"
"Neil Youngs greatest hits", "live at the filmore" a couple of green vinyl bootlegs I got in the early seventies....
Yeah, I too have already got my fair share of Archival material( I just might even have some rare footage you might have never seen of Neil!)
As for "Neil is God"...Well, I do love his music(but not all) and his individuality,spontaneity his compassion and commitment to causes that obviously interest him (farm aid, bridge school lincvolt e.t.c.)his stubborness to conform... but above all his humility. He's just a man like you and me. He shits ,wees and farts like everybody else does for christ's sake. I don't put him on any Pedestal of Worship but I deeply admire the man. Yep I'm definitely guilty of that!
Look, alls I'm sayin'is, have your opinion on any thread or topic you like..We are luckily bloggin in a free world (except for Thrash's Editing). Just don't be a party pooper for the so called 96%er's or the new "DECIPLES".
This is a great experience to be introduced to the world of Neil..warts and all, Hey it might be expensive in your eyes, but every review I've read since the release seems to justify with the "pleasant surprises" the Archives divulges.
Not every Neil fan would have seen or had access to this detailed insight into early Neil.
Look. I put off buyin' a video recorder coz I knew in a couple years the prices would drop...but,I missed videoing the kids growin up for those few years and to savour those frozen moments that I would have captured if I had bought one straight away.I regret it now.
If people want to savour those frozen moments of Neil now, let them be..just don't cruel it by whingin' about the price.. Ya just went to Europe for christ sake..is everyone sayin.."Heh why go now Johnny, it's gunna be half price next month".
Yep, you are entitled to your opinion and free to do what you want and its guys like you that make this site interesting!
Just don't get all bitter and twisted and serious on me on how ya love your country...I love your country! Call a spade a shovel thats fine. I'm sure there are MANY "optimal" fans that share your sentiment and "BE IT" but they're not on this site "coughin' it up"every 5 seconds.
Ya know, I love hearin' 35 renditions of sugarmountain ,cinnamon girl or the loner..
yep and I'll buy The Archives when I get the appropriate "equipment" to give it justice in all its glory..but until then I'll enjoy sitting back and reading the satisfaction and buzz everyones getting out of their purchase.
Oh and Johnny, one day in the future, maybe when Archive 2 comes out,some people just might get the meaning of tongue in cheek Dip "humour"?
I've never thought that I was hilarious or funny..fuck half the time I can't even remember writing somethin..its usually 2 in the morning! its all spontaneous dribble but its a good way for me to unwind after a big day on the scalpel.
As I've said before I'm not out to offend, abuse criticise or condemn...just have a bit of harmless fun on the keyboard.If I do piss everybody off I apoolgise. but this is my personality and I can't change it nor would I expect you to change yours.
Enjoy the free world while we've got it
Luv Drip Shit
go Dr. Dip !
Returned home from work last night to find my BR set of the Archives on my front stoop. I was so giddy as I opened the packaging...I felt like a 5 year old at Christmas. The collection of discs was somewhat overwhelming, and I had a difficult time deciding where to begin The first disc would have made sense, but I settled on The Riverboat disc and was absolutely blown away. The sound quality is amazing. For the sake of my marriage, that will surely be tested as I delve deeper into this collection, I went to bed after the disc concluded. It was difficult to leave for work today knowing I had left so much material unexplored. I cannot wait for this day to end.
Enjoy-
Poster W/O a Handle
I ordered the DVD version Thrusday night, the 28th, at close to midnight. I paid the extra $10 for rush processing.
Friday I e-mailed their customer support asking if it would ship that day. Monday I received a response saying the release was June 2nd and that I would get my shipment in a few days.
Yesterday, Tuesday June 2nd, it arrived! It was shipped Next Day Air. Then I received an e-mail last night telling me it had shipped!
But like others no MP3s. Yet. You know they exist as you can buy them from Amazon.com, and iTunes has their AAC equivalents. So who messed and up and how long will it take them to get it up and running?
The Archives are gorgeous and I'm glad I dropped $226 getting it, but you can tell that Warner Bros has no concept of technology and are in the dark ages. You can't even get an order update without e-mailing them!
MP3s are now online at http://neilyoungdownload.warnerreprise.com
Thanks to those who fixed this problem.
Although, in the MP3 Zip file, they spelled Neil's name incorrectly...
Sheesh.
Neil, the mad genius. On the cutting edge of technology but only in the areas that matter to him.
As frustrating as Warner Bros is to deal with, I'm just glad this thing shipped and there are MP3s to download. Remember Neil talking about archives in the late seventies?
He said we wouldn't see them before he died but I don't think he could resist getting them out.
Hmmm... At a glance, the MP3 file do not seem complete. The Archives BR Disc 6 has 2 versions of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (the Gold Rush version and the live CSNY version) - but there is only one MP3 file.
I just finished the download and the folder has 91 files.
Gee Whiz... The sticker on the box that I paid $300 for says "access MP3 files of all 128 tracks".
What the hell? How hard is this to do right?
Hmmm... At a glance, the MP3 file do not seem complete. The Archives BR Disc 6 has 2 versions of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (the Gold Rush version and the live CSNY version) - but there is only one MP3 file.
I just finished the download and the folder has 91 files.
Gee Whiz... The sticker on the box that I paid $300 for says "access MP3 files of all 128 tracks".
What the hell? How hard is this to do right?
Do they put them in separate folders (disc 0, disc 1, etc.) or are they overwriting files with the same names?
I can't wait to get home to download these files!
Oh, and here's a bonus... The MP3 file names are a mess.
I'll enjoy correcting that, thanks so much.
Gary:
No separate folders, no metadata (not even the artist's name), no nothing...
And 37 songs are missing.
So... You guys want to take another shot at this? HUH?
Yes, please, this is simply unforgivable. If I bought them from Amazon would they be in this kind of shape?
After I download I'm going to contact customer support and complain about this. Maybe if we all do this they can remedy it soon.
Howdy all,
Once again.WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!THANK YOU NEIL AND YOUR DYNAMIC TEAM!!!I've been waiting near 20 years for this.What I've heard and seen of The Riverboat show is excellent.Could this Sugar Mountain be better than Canterbury House version in my opinion?Maybe.Maaaayyybe.As I'm a working shnook 'fraid I gotta wait until weekend to truly enjoy the Archives.Never seen that pic of Danny W wearing shades and playing the White Falcon.Cool pic.Thanks again to Neil and his band of Merry Pranksters.;)
Your Friend,
The Mugwump
It looks like Amazon gives you 125 tracks, which maybe equates to what's on the CDs?
I haven't checked iTunes.
Surely the 91 they are giving us as downloads is wrong. Right?
Now, I notice the download link is gone again. Hopefully. someone is the process of fixing this... again.
Of the 91 MP3 files that WERE available, 5 of them are Neil's "raps" from the live albums. These are not listed as tracks in online promotion on the decal attached to the physical box. So I don't think these should count as 'tracks', really. So that makes 86 songs of the promised 128 that were briefly available online today.
Again... Not what we were promised.
Looking forward to getting the real thing...
Now it says the evening of June 4th! Well, let's at least hope they get it right when that day and time gets here.
And the MP3 download site is offline....
I have a question and if this has been asked and answered before, I apologize (like that forgives it, right?): I bought the DVD set and in the little cigar style compartment/box is the CD/DVD version of Sugar Mountain-Live At Canterbury House 1968.
Was this supposed to be included? I can't find a reference to it anywhere?
I guess the Canterbury show was a surprise bonus. That's nice, I guess, but of course, most people who buy the Archives will already have it. Still, it's just like finding a few dollars in the drawer, I suppose. We can all dump our previous copies on a used CD store.
Has anyone had any luck finding the hidden bonus songs or any other hidden goodies? I want MORE videos!!!
Micah, I found Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It in the DVD version by clicking on a pin in the timeline.
It's like a maze though, and I find myself constantly lost. I was never a fan of bonus content on DVDs but at least here I not only get to hear great music of course but also get to find some cool little tidbits, biographical stuff, and some pictures I've never seen before.
Lets say what needs to be said. I been a fan of NY for 40 years, but whats really going on with the box set. As a fan I already have massey hall, fillmore east. Don't really want to get stoned to be able to make in through Journey through the past. Another chunks of songs already on issued albums, another chunk of songs already out there if you spend a little time on the blogs getting it. So when it is all said and done, you spending your money for maybe 20 songs worthwile. Sure the book and extra video tidbits is nice, but if you got the dvd because you didn't want to have to spend another 100 and then more for the player, you get another slap in the face becuase you can't get the updates. Now the mp3 downloads will still be another day until the evening of the 5th before ready, sure I hold my breath on that timeline. Cheap packaging falling apart, dvd covers with split spines. Obviously, controlled by the coorperations for cheap construction, maximum profit. Its about the music? Give me a break! We all know that NY is concentrating on his energy experiments and his car. Great, but far from the music world and where he made is bones. If he now going into high gear for his activism that do it the way other research people do it, through grants, donations and the scientific community. Don't hustle the music fans under the BS that "its the music that matters. Also, blue ray, dvd, flac, mp3, shn, who cares, I from the rock and roll era when we new the music was messy and thats the way Rock should be. I don't really care if I'm listening to NY at such quality that I feel its like mozart in a vacumn chamber in space. Get real! Have you all forgot what the music is really all about. Love NY but won't support the future ventures unless they can get back to really what matters about the music and wake up and realize how corporate warner brothers have become. I wonder hom many other real fans this set has alienated from the scene, which is ironic becuase NY was one of the founders of what is was once all about.
As far as all the whining about the mp3, play the video disks and recording your own mp3 at the quality you want, probably higher quality that want your going to get with your frebbie. By the way, when you sell something and collect money for it and the whole product is not there at that time its called fraud. How would like to go buy a car today, get ready to leave the lot and be told that maybe the engine and tires will be readdy in a couple of days. Keep checking our website for updates on when your engine will be in. No wonder we are at where we are in such a mess.
I think this MP3 business stinks.
I've been in software development for 20 years and I know there are people that know how to do this stuff, but having said that, shit does happen and even veterans at hosting run into problems.
But when we can finally get the files, I just hope they are right. If they aren't then Neil and crew are in over their heads and they might as well just give us a code so we can get them from Amazon or iTunes or something.
As far as the Archive themselves, I never asked for DVDs or Blu Ray and I can download the whole mess from Amazon in MP3 format for $70, which is reasonable. So I won't complain, as I CHOSE to pay $226 for the DVD version and to have it rushed to me.
Like most of you I've been listening to Neil for most of my life, in my case since the early seventies, and I love everything he does, regardless of whether it's brilliant or just great crap. I don't care if he solves world peace, builds a nuclear bomb, or blows his nose, I'm in it for the music.
It's plain to see that Warner Bros is a piece of crap but that's where this stuff is coming from and I'll just hang in there and take what I can get out of the whole thing.
Peace -- And here's knowing that the 5th may come and go and I still might not have the MP3s.
Weep....
Can someone who has received the BlueRay version of Archives Vol 1 confirm that it is region free. I live in Australia and intend ordering the set from amazon.co.uk
Thanks in advance
It's been stated several times that the BluRay discs are region free.
Christ I am soo confused from the everyones reaction that have bought the box set!
It certainly is sounding like a box of chocolates!
I suppose until you have personally experienced each fan's frustrations, reactions and expectations first hand which incidently are as diverse and varied as the man himself its hard to summarise the total success?failure of Neils Arc hival adventure..
Its starting to sound like the analogy of buying the first series of a brand new model car...there's always those little glitches that end up being fixed on a "recall"..then the next release series of the same model has gotten rid of those "bugs".
I'm sure Neil and co venturing into this "new" world of Mp3 downloads and Blu-ray Tech are goin to take in all these issues and Archives 2 in 2020 will be absolutely perfect.. but sadly you equipment to run it by then will be well and truly antequated. Technolgy is changing so rapidly that the newest and best model is virtually superseded the next day.
As I said in my "dear John" letter on another thread, do you buy now and savour the moment or wait for the"ultimate"debugged model..it seemes to be coming a bit of dilemma.
Is johnny's chronic cough heading for Swine Flu?
We are certainly getting different and varying vibes on the whole archive experience..and thats Neil in a nutshell heh!
I played the NYA Disc 8 Blu-Ray last night for some friends: An audio engineer (who had heard the preview disc) and a professional composer. They were blown out of their seats. My hi-fi rig is nothing to snort at (Pioneer BR player with Wolfsons, passive switcher, Creek volume control, Sunfire sub, 4 NAD power amps, and B&W speakers), but it isn't extremely high-end either. We all agreed that I was, maybe for the first time, getting every nickel's worth of my $10K investment. And neither of these guys is a real big NY fan. But they could not get over the warmth, detail, and dynamic range of the Blu-Ray transfer. We spent a lot of time talking about who else could make great use of this technology, and we concluded that it would be fantastic to hear a brand new orchestral recording, done at 192K, of course, and that Capitol should put a halt on their Beatles CD reissue plans right now, so that they could offer the same quality sound.
There are a lot of things to gripe about with this release. There aren't enough unreleased tracks, and most Neil fans already have the Winterland and Massey Hall and bonus Canterbury House discs. The packaging is fussy and overdone. The book is just nicely bound scraps and not true annotation. Blu-Ray players are wildly inconsistent in how they handle the navigation and loading. And most egregiously, the MP3 downloads are STILL not ready. Plus the wallet-flattening price.
But the sound of the Blu-Ray set is unimpeachable. If you have the dough, and if you want to raise your level of musical enjoyment beyond anything that analog or digital platforms have offered before, then jump on board.
The MP3 download is active again. The files appear to be complete and better organized this time.
Cross your fingers...
Took two attempts to get the whole thing to download. There are 125 tracks, not 128... Haven't deciphered which three are missing, but that's the same amount as the iTunes version.
Here's the kicker, though: The new files are at 256K. The aborted first attempt at download last week rendered files at 320K.
So the new ones do not have as high a resolution as the previous ones. That's a drag, but I don't think any particular resolution was ever promised.
Still... Not what it could have been. But we should be used to that by now.
Zappa was right about Warners, wasn't he?
Finally got my copy of The Archives yesterday. I've not even got a proper Blu-ray player yet ! Archives first then get the player (ha ha - get priorities right.) Anyway can play some in Blu-Ray drive of my computer but that only seems to go up to 24/96 output not a 192 output, so maybe that's why others not playing. I was not 100% sure they'd play anyway in there, but what does play, sounds brilliant ! Even before discovered could get my pc and receiver both to handle a 24 bit/ 96Hz stream the 48 Hz PCM was sounding pretty damn good.My old receiver as done well but now time to buy a Blu-Ray player, and new receiver ... :D
p.s. Thank You Neil for this treasure. (Even if party of mine is locked away in the treasure chest till I sort out my hardware.)
Hi,
Could anyone help me in trying to find the bonus songs from the blu-ray version?
I am using a PS3, and have yet to find any of the bonus songs listed on the discs, although I have found plenty of videos.
Thanks
To anon 12:15;
You'll have to look for the "white feathers" at the right- or left-hand side on the "main page" of some of the songs (on http://beatblog2.blogspot.com/ they are indicated by >>>, e.g. on Disc4, track 8 sea of madness has a white feather which leads to I’ve Loved Her So Long), select it and press the X-button to go to the hidden track
I have noticed that there have been a few coments about problems with the glue on the otherwise wonderful Archives box. I myself have the cd version and i can't keep the cds in the cases because of the glue problem - it leaves a deposit on a number of the cds which makes them stick when they play - it's very difficult to remove the glue from the disc - do you have any advice and are you able to replace permanently glue damaged discs?
I have purchased the NYA Volume 1. I am really disappointed that the CDs have glue stains and unreasonable scratches. This is a colossal set and I am really excited about all the great music. Does anybody know a way to remedy this defect with the CDs?
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