Here We Go Again: Neil Young vs. Bob Dylan

We do sometimes find faux rivalries to be a bit wearisome at times.

Like that whole Ronnie vs. Neil thing is so yesterday.

But it seems like some folks just can't resist a good debate like the never ending Bob vs. Neil thing which we waded into a few years ago with pretty hilarious results.

And -- of course -- we all know that music isn't about which band is better like some sort of sports competition where there are winners and losers.

With that said, we bring you another chapter in the never ending Bob Dylan vs. Neil Young saga. No, we don't dream this stuff up or go looking for it. Folks do find these kinds of discussions fascinating and when it is done well, it can be insightful. So here goes.

From You Set the Scene: East Coast vs. West Coast: Neil Young vs. Bob Dylan:

Songwriting: These are two of the most prolific, respected songwriters of all time. By my count, Neil's got ten albums and 85 songs that are pretty fantastic. No slouch either, Dylan's got at least a dozen critically acclaimed records and probably 60 songs that (I think) are pretty fantastic. Dylan also got all those one liners that are ingrained in our culture. Edge: Too close to call

Voice/Musicianship: Both artists have unmistakably unique voices that are a bit of an acquired taste. Dylan can be a chameleon with his. Put some of his country records on the turntable and the average music fan probably wouldn't recognize it as Dylan. Neil's able to use his limited range in a slightly prettier way. While Neil never claims to be a good guitar player, most fans would strongly disagree. Dylan doesn't quite have the same cachet. Edge: Neil Young

Cool Factor: Dylan's cool is more rooted in a beatnik-y, mid to late 1960s thing while Neil's is more rooted in that early to mid-1970s Topanga Canyon vibe. Neither artist has shied away from politics - Dylan with the civil rights movement and Neil Young's "Ohio" was a huge anti-war anthem. They both had periods of uncool too - Dylan's born-again phase and Neil's Republican phase. Neil Young wrote "This Note's For You" and Dylan appeared with Will.i.am in a Pepsi ad (I'll excuse him for Victoria's Secret, but Escalade?). In the end, it's really hard to find anybody who has been as cool for as long as Neil Young. Edge: Neil Young


Influence/Legacy: Both artists will leave behind incredible legacies. They've influenced both directly and indirectly anybody who has picked up a guitar (including each other). Not to discount Neil, but Dylan started earlier and was able to leave a more distinct legacy. There's really no modern substitute for Dylan. Edge: Bob Dylan

The final verdict can be found on You Set the Scene.

If that's not enough, see Bob Dylan and Neil Young's musical influence and inspirations.

Want more Bob & Neil stories?

Try Top 10 Reasons Why Neil Young is Better Than Bob Dylan or Top 10 Reasons Not to Goof With Bob Dylan Fans.

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Twitter of the Moment: There are some days...

Twitter / clint fisher: There are some days that I ...

Over there in the lower right sidebar we've been running a Twitter feed for awhile now.

We got a real kick out of the tweets that came in during the Paul McCartney and Neil Young encore of 'A Day in the Life' last month in Hyde Park, London.

And we see all sorts of amusing stuff coming through. Some folks are pretty clever with their 240 characters and we like to try and catch those.

So here's something new we'll try: The Neil Young Twitter of the Moment.

If you ever tweet something you find particularly clever, try and re-tweet us @ http://twitter.com/thrasherswheat. Or if you see one and aren't Twitter enabled, drop us an old fashioned email here .

Keep on tweetin' in the free world!

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Neil Young's "Blackness"

Rick James of The Mynah Birds, aka The "Super Freak"

Well, in one of those cosmic convergences that we so seem to love, comes yet another.

Earlier in the week you may recall that we blogged on the question of Neil Young's "Canadianness". Has Neil become a southern man, as in had he gone "American" and lost his touch with his Canadian roots? It's an interesting question that a few folks made some semi-provocative arguments for and against.

Well, here's another interesting perspective regarding Neil's "Blackness" from San Francisco Bay Guardian by Kandia Crazy Horse:

Somehow, pre-Web and locked away in the wilds with limited resources, I discovered my favorite bit of rock trivia: Neil Young was in a band with Rick James signed to Motown for a seven-year deal, the Mynah Birds. Young's engagements with psych, punk, and grunge are well-documented — even if most shirk the challenge of unpacking his electro output — but the lurking presence of the funk in his aesthetic is often ignored.

Now, I ain't saying ole Neil could come down to my former hood and swing with a Chocolate City go-go outfit (maybe he could trouble the funk?), but on "Go Ahead and Cry," the ringing of his unleashed 1970s guitar sound is already evident. The sublime meeting of Young's thang with "The Sound of Young America" makes one lament how differently (black) rock history might have looked had the Mynah Birds triumphed at Hitsville.

My view is that Young couldn't have written some of his best songs, like "Cinnamon Girl" and "Mr. Soul," plus freakery I dig such as "Sea of Madness," without that brief spell at Motown. (It's interesting to imagine former auto-line worker Berry Gordy and car enthusiast Young rapping by chance). In a weird way, the shades of Young that appeared on the pop stage and relentlessly morphed between "Clancy" and "When You Dance I Can Really Love" seem to coexist with turn-of-the-'70s Motown mavericks who also flirted with polemics, space rock, and soul yodeling: Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Eddie Kendricks.

More on Kandia Crazy Horse's blog.

Also, see more on Rick James and Neil Young.

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Words: Between The Line of Ages

Words: Between The Line of Ages
Art by THE PLIGHT OF THE CARTOON UTOPIAN

We have a bit of a propensity here to deal with a lot of words.

So Neil Young's song "Words" holds a special place for us as a blogger. But not just us though.

Artist Ron Regé, Jr. at his blog THE PLIGHT OF THE CARTOON UTOPIAN has a recent commission Words: Between The Line of Ages which is pretty cool. If you follow the link you can see a blowup and lots more words.

And our friend Greg M (A Friend Of Yours) has these words on "Words":

Well, you went and did it, forced me to own up to the fact that of all Neil’s LPs and CDs the one I don't own is Red Rocks. If I'm not mistaken, I had it for about two weeks before it got stuck in a CD player and I never replaced it. Also if I'm not mistaken, I saw the Neil With Friends tour stop outside Detroit. I remember being blown away by the set list which included at least two or three songs I had never heard before in 30+ concerts ( “I Believe In You”, for one), and several songs that were real set list rarities, as well, although I do not recall if he played Words that night.

Thanks for the tip, I will definitely go out and get the CD as funds permit, and as Borders 50% off offers come available. The JTTP version is not stellar by any stretch, just a fondly recalled funky album side cut from a funky album. The Harvest version is pretty low key due to Neil’s back problems at the time, I think, but still so well executed. Now I am anxious to hear the Red Rocks version. If the guitar breaks are anything like “On The Beach” as Junkman Shining Shoes seems to intimate, then I'm really intrigued, because I agree that that is some of his best recorded guitar work- crisp, melodic and bluesy, and unadorned by any wall of sound treatment- a lot like his guitar playing from a Shocking Pinks concert I saw.

By the way, while we’re on the subject of best versions, in my list of gem moments from JTTP, I neglected to single out what for me is Neil’s best Mr. Soul version. One time I played back all the versions I had with a friend- the Buffalo Springfield album release, Trans, and JTTP, and we both thought the JTTP version was the most vibrant and “in the pocket” version. The live concert sound of the guitar lead is incredible. The version from Canterbury House does nothing to change this for me. I believe Thrasher has posted this version in one of the Buffalo Springfield focus pieces (Stills opening up with “For What It’s Worth”, I think, with a seated Neil getting up and breaking into Mr. Soul, although the JTTP cut has a much better sound quality than the video clip) . Check it out sometime, you might agree.

Thanks again- Greg M

Thanks Greg & CARTOON UTOPIAN!



"Words" by Neil Young @ Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada concert on April 7, 2009.

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Neil Young's "Canadianness"

Neil Young - Circa 1975
Photo by Henry Diltz

In a somewhat tongue in cheek analysis -- we think -- a case is made as to why Neil Young is not a Canadian.

While obviously Neil was born in Canada and will always be defined by his Canadian roots, The Walrus Blogs claims that ain't necessarily so, calling Neil a "Southern Man" aka "American":

The romance that Neil holds for American listeners is obvious; he’s always straddled the line between loner and consummate hipster. His charm seems accidental, as nothing about him seems to make sense: his lyrics consist of one-liners pieced together with nonsense, and they rarely seem as punchy on second thought as they do when he delivers them; his guitar technique is like that of a kid trying to emulate his heroes before he’s finished learning how to play. At his most interesting, Neil is a relative moderate embroiled in a world of excess, chronicling his friends’ downward spirals with insight but far from square himself. In short, he’s always been cool, but he’s never been a fuck-up or a ham.

Some people call this mystique; I call it Canadianness.

But we have to face the truth: the northerner in Neil went south with him.

More on The Walrus Blogs.

Also, see why a southern man does need Neil Young around anyhow.

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Bridge School 2009 Concert Dates Announced

UPDATE 10/24/09: 2009 Bridge School Benefit Concert Reviews



The 23rd annual Bridge School Benefit Concert will be held on October 24th and October 25th, 2009 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.

This marks the third announcement in recent days of Neil Young benefit concerts. Other recent benefit concert announcements include:

- Farm Aid 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri on October 4.

- McLachlan Foundation Concert in Vancouver, Canada on Sept. 12.

More on last year's 2008 Bridge School 22nd Annual Benefit Concert and all previous years of Bridge School Benefit Concert Reviews.


2008 Bridge School Benefit Concert
Photo by Craig Abaya

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A Small Miracle in Hyde Park, London

Things have been so hectic around here lately that we're just now getting around to sharing with you another amazing Europe concert tour story. By now, you probably recall some of the other truly emotionally heart warming stories that we've had over the past few months from Liza in Germany and Gavin in Dublin, Ireland.

Liza and Gavin's stories brought out the best in what we think epitomizes Neil Young fans: the ability to relate and share.

So here's one more for you.

After the Hyde Park concert in London that featured the surprise appearance of Paul McCartney, comments were pouring in here. And then this comment by Kevin S.:

Im...Im just lost for words...what a gig!! Paul McCartney and Neil Young!!!

Its finally happened. I've reached the point where I'll never need to go to another gig ever again. Nothing will top this.Seeing McCartney bowing down to Young?!! Says it all really...

Down By the River was the other highlight of tonight and nearly had me in tears...it was perfect; a warm summers night, the smell of strong marijuana drifting through the air and being in the presence of the great man..jamming away.....

Despite getting my wallet stolen by some arse...(bye bye money, credit cards, an old johnny and train tickets)...then getting on the wrong train home and having to explain to the guy that not only should i not be on here, but I dont have any money to pay for a ticket...yes despite all this...it will probably remain the greatest gig I'll ever see. Thanks Neil!!

One would think that would be the end of the story. 50,000 people at a Neil Young concert and one fan loses his wallet and posts on some blog about his tale of both exhilaration and woe.

We mean what are the odds?

So the next day we get an email from Adrian regarding a wallet he found in Hyde Park the night before:

Its as above - awash with rail tickets the “whole lot“ as described….its an old condom as in unused…not literally !!!!

No business card so no tel number but i reckon it's Kevin's sometimes of leeds university and of nationwide bank and "campaign for real ale"

Can you validate Kevin's ID or at least get a private message to him to contact me as below

Your best advice is appreciated and you can use this information as you see fit and give Kevin my details as below

Im at Brice springsteen tonight @ Hyde and have crackberry with me

If not Kevin, then we tried, and thank you for your time and understanding and all on TW…..

Best,
Adrian

So now we have the finder's contact info but no contact info for the loser of the wallet Kevin. What to do now?

So we paste a one line announcement at the top of the Hyde Park review page for Kevin to get in touch with us regarding his lost wallet. Again, what are the odds that someone might return to our blog and see that?

We kinda just shrugged and moved on. We mean how many little miracles can come through this blog in 6 months? Three is more than enough for a lifetime.

Well sure enough Kevin sees the note and gets in contact with us after which we provide him with Adrian's contact info so that they can coordinate the re-unification.

After, the wallet was returned, Kevin wrote us back with the backstory:

Having spent most of the afternoon in the historic Victoria Pub in Bayswater knocking back pints of Fullers beers (Real Ale fans: Neil was seen drinking Fullers London Pride later on stage!) me and my mate staggered round the corner to Hyde Park just in time to catch the end of Ben Harper. Fleet Foxes were fantastic and we all know how great Neil was....so anyway, after a mind blowing show I thought I'd get myself a t shirt. I noticed a merch stand right next to our exit for Marble arch so I took my money out and joined the queue. Once i got my shirt i headed over to a food stall to meet my mate. It was then I realized my wallet was gone. Oh shit...

After frantically looking for it in almost total darkness, I came to the conclusion someone must have taken it out my pocket. Fast forward to sunday afternoon...I go on to Thrashers Wheat to read some reviews and come across a post instructing me to get in touch regarding my wallet. What are the odds...out of the tens of thousands of people that attended the show, a fellow Thrasher's Wheat member would find my wallet. Remarkable!!

So again a big thank you to Thrasher,Adrian and Fiona who have reunited me with my wallet.

Kevin aka LawlessGreed

Thrashers Wheat...re-uniting drunks with their wallets since 2009.

Adrian and Kevin we're proud to be associated with such fine Neil Young fans!

Keep on rockin' and we'll keep re-uniting drunks with their wallets!!!

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Another Example of Why Rust Can Never Sleep

Well, here's something you don't see everyday -- young musicians aspiring to be Neil Young & Crazy Horse. As you'll see, everybody can be Neil & Crazy Horse if they put their heart into it.

The story is that the video was shot in 1981 in Calizzano (Savona) - Liguria - Italy.

Where are these kids today???

Thanks fraccc51 and William B.!

More crazy tribute videos by Neil Young fans:

- My, my, hey, hey, I touched Neil Young's Car today!
- Neil Young You're My Hero
- Neil Young Stole My Dog
- There is a Town in North Ontario: "Road To Omemee" Video
- Neil Young Sang and We Heard The Truth

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So, WWNYD?

Neil Young's influence on Knoxville, Tennessee musician James Jackson Toth is -- quite literally -- tattooed on him. From The Daily Times:

"It's a reminder James Jackson Toth wears around his wrist, only it's a tattoo instead of a bracelet, and instead of the obligatory 'WWJD' slogan, it says something else: 'What would Neil Young do?'

Call it blasphemous (it's not) or call it weird (an adjective Toth has been saddled with ever since he started making music); it doesn't matter. What does matter is that it's a beacon Toth homes in on when considering his next musical step, an indication that whatever he does may not please everyone -- even his most ardent fans -- but as long as he's following his own muse, everything's going to turn out OK.

'I'll buy whatever record Neil Young makes, even though I haven't liked a lot of his latest ones, because I think he's a great artist, and I owe him that,' Toth -- who performs under the stage name Wand -- told The Daily Times this week. 'I want to hear what he's up to and where his head was at when he made it. And if I don't like it ... well, part of being a fan is being burned sometimes.'"

Thanks neilyoung.org!

More on the perennial question of What Would Neil Young Do?.

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