Comment of the Moment: Neil Young and Producer Daniel Lanois Interview

The recent CBC Interview with Neil Young and Producer Daniel Lanois provided an insightful look into the making of the album Le Noise.

The Comment of the Moment is from Complete CBC Neil Young and Daniel Lanois Interview by Greg M.:

Lots of interesting things in the interview, but a few things stuck out for me. One was another take on recording live, staying as close to the source and vibe as possible. That it doesn't get better the more you do it, maybe technically, but not the spirit of it. Also, his example of Schubert remembering the music that came to him, and that there is a window of time that has to be respected after the song shows up.

Another thing I found very revealing was that he said Hitchhiker was the only autobiographical song, and at that, at least in part a metaphor for change. The other songs then have to be viewed in the same vein as much of his work- impressionistic, adopted persona's, a survey of the subject matter that stakes out the various aspects of it, rather than a concrete black and white he said, she said approach, and time and space travel. I think this is a distinction that gets lost a lot of times, people being critical of a seeming stance, as opposed to an adopted stance which serves to draw out peoples feelings and opinions. In Peaceful Valley Boulevard, we experience with equal anguish the cry of a white mother, who along with her family is about to perish at the hands of native Americans, as we do the specter of white men encroaching on unspoiled land, shooting buffalo from trains, and everything that implies.

I was also fascinated by his description of the context of war in the songs, that it is war in general that is being discussed. Who knows why and when it all started, it's FUBAR (f'd up beyond all recognition), Hatfield's and McCoy's time- it's just something that people do. Cavemen were fighting cavemen, Indians were fighting Indians, white people were fighting Indians, innocents and scoundrels have been lost on all sides. Many times it just came down to whose side you were on.

I've been reading some great comments about the songs and lyrics maybe being too simple, but also comments about the genius of simplicity. It's an angry world (It's An Angry World)- really how so? Tell me how that might be so, what would lead to that conclusion? An angry fisherman calling attention to the fact that there are a lot of people who have noticed a lot of things, or whatever, fill in the blank. It's a statement, an observation, a wake up call, it's grist for the mill, it's world weary, it's asking the question when will it all end, and who or Who is going to get us out of this mess, it's calling attention to a sign that says 'People can make a difference'- it's, it's... an interesting interview, and another great Neil Young record.

Greg
A Friend Of Yours

Thanks Greg!

More commentary on Complete CBC Neil Young and Daniel Lanois Interview.

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Neil Young For Mayor: Nuit Blanche Toronto

An amazing the exhibit which showcases Neil Young's Le Noise film opened at the Nuit Blanche festival in Toronto. The exhibit, consists of 24 speakers and 12 film screens.

Producer Daniel Lanois calls the simulated the concert experience “an enchanted forest of sound.” (via Neil Young exhibit up- and down again- at Toronto City Hall « Consequence of Sound)

While this video doesn't begin to capture the experience it is still a TOTALLY COOL video. Check it out.

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Farm Aid 2010 - Photos, Reviews, YouTube Videos

Photos by Jens Theo

The Farm Aid 2010 - Milwaukee, WI, 10/2/10 page has been updated with Photos, Reviews, YouTube Videos, etc.

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It's A Very, Very Angry World, Indeed - UPDATED

Historical Marker for
Kent State, Ohio Massacre - May 4, 1970

On Neil Young's latest album "Le Noise", the song "Angry World" attempts to capture some of the rage that is coursing through the veins of the body politic today.

Some see life as a broken promise.
Some see life as an endless fight.
They think we live in the Age of Darkness.
They think we live in the Age of Light.
It’s an angry world and everything is going to be all right.
Yeah it’s an angry world.

In one of the more remarkable editorials we've seen in awhile, in today's Washington Post, columnist Richard Cohen writes about conservatives and hate.

While nothing too new there, Cohen uses Neil Young's song "Ohio" to illustrate his points. The editorial needs to be read in full to appreciate Cohen's thesis and how the 1970's rage of "Ohio" mirrors today's unhinged Tea Party hate.

Cohen writes:

[The lyrics of "Young's "Ohio"] was the language of that time.

And now it is the language of our time. It is the language of Glenn Beck, who fetishizes about liberals and calls Barack Obama a racist. It is the language of rage that fuels too much of the Tea Party and is the sum total of gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino's campaign message in New York. It is all this talk about "taking back America" (from whom?) and this inchoate fury at immigrants and, of course, this raw anger at Muslims, stoked by politicians such as Newt Gingrich and Rick Lazio, the latter having lost the GOP primary to Paladino for, among other things, not being sufficiently angry. "I'm going to take them out," Paladino vowed at a Tea Party rally in Ithaca, N.Y.

I hear "Ohio" more clearly now than I ever did.

It is a distant sound from our not-so-distant past, but a clear warning about our future. Four dead in Ohio. Not just a song. A lesson.

And -- predictably so -- when you read the 100's of comments in reaction it only goes to support Cohen's argument. In comment after comment, anger and venom spew forth from the frightened ultra-radical conservative movement. It's truly a scary spectacle as they drive themselves over the cliff.

So go read Cohen's editorial in the Washington Post.



More on Video of Neil Young's "Angry World" from Le Noise and lyrics.

Also, see Lyrics Analysis of Neil Young's "Ohio".

"How can YOU run when you know?"

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UPDATE: Huge blogosphere reaction to editorial. See:

- The Worst Column of the Year: Congratulations Richard Cohen! - Hit & Run : Reason Magazine
- DownWithTyranny!: Richard Cohen gets it seriously right about right-wing hate speech
- Richard Cohen: Conservative Words Will Kill People | The FOX Nation (see comments)
- Mad Lib of the Day: Richard "Scarecrow" Cohen - Tea Party Speech Causes Things Like Kent State, Dead Presidents : Useful Info Nation Blog
- Tea Party rhetoric to blame for 1970 Kent State shooting, says Richard Cohen - Spokane conservative | Examiner.com
- Richard Cohen blames Tea Party for Kent State shootings - Sean Hannity Discussion
- Richard Cohen: ‘I Have to Repress a Tear’ : The Other McCain
- WaPo’s Richard Cohen gets nostalgic … [Darleen Click]
- Richard Cohen Morphs in Charles Johnson - jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com
- five feet of fury. (unions are for losers.)
- Ed Driscoll » This Autumn I Hear the Drumming, More Brain-Dead in Old WaPo
- WWW.STARGTH.INFO (A): Richard Cohen attack on tea party
- Aging Columnist on a Bike Sees Dead People at Tea Parties | The Lonely Conservative
- The Mahablog » Richard Cohen’s Flashbacks
- Left Coast Rebel: Richard Cohen, Another Who Just Doesn't Get It
- Mad Lib OTD: Richard "Scarecrow" Cohen - Tea Party Speech Causes Death & Destruction
- Richard Cohen: The ignorant are defining Obama (Wizbang)

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"Never, Ever Listen To Your Fan Base" says Neil Young

"You never, ever listen to your fan base.

The last thing you should do is follow your fan base. That's all they are - a fan base. There's no ownership. I don't have to deal with them...

They get angry about the very things that they seem to value, that make them fans in the first place."
~~ Neil Young

So there you have it.

A rather insightful confirmation of what many of us have suspected for some time now.

In an interview in the U.K.'s Sunday Times by Rob Liddle, Neil Young explains his contrariness, among other things.

How else can we explain the Exhibit A at the root of this quote??

Thank god we had hoped all along that Buffalo Springfield would never, ever re-unite. Or Crazy Horse re-unite, for that matter.

And hopefully, Archives Volume #2 is never, ever released, as well.


NYA Delayed Again and Again and Again...

Well, at least Neil doesn't hate his audience...

(Thanks Paul!)

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More Reactions to Neil Young's "Le Noise" Album

Le Noise by Neil Young
(Listen to sample tracks)

Unsurprisingly, reactions to Neil Young's latest album "Le Noise" have been mixed but overall very positive from both fans and critics.

As we observed in our meta-review, it is fascinating how the same critics who are waxing rhapsodic now over "Le Noise" were unable to muster much enthusiasm for Young's earlier 21st century output. And naturally fans are quite passionate in their opinions of the Daniel Lanois produced release and its "sonics".

So here's some thoughts from those bloggers and our dear readers. From Noise Narcs:

"Noise Narc has added Neil Young’s Le Noise to our (Not So) Short List of Best Albums of 2010.

I was more than a little incredulous. Don’t get me wrong, I love Mr. Young. His December ’08 concert at Philly’s Wachovia was a revelation, putting openers Wilco firmly in their place. And several of his recent albums have been pretty good. But not best of the year good. By a long shot. And teaming up with famed producer Daniel Lanois sounds like a stunt Paul McCartney would pull (and has).

But [the] nomination was sound. This is a killer album.

Young’s guitar work and age-ripened voice pairs excellently with Lanois’ Waves of Noise. And unlike, say, some of Lou Reed’s left field albums, it doesn’t sound so much like a Neil Young experiment as a way for him to refract the essence of his music off another style, much like Dylan’s Nashville Skyline. Though this “Peaceful Valley Boulevard” is not the most representative track, its kinship with “Cortez the Killer” makes a tempting set piece.

From sugarmtn:

I just can't jump on the bandwagon that Le Noise is a 5 star record.

I think the record has several very good songs - Peaceful Valley, Love and War, Hitchhiker and a sleeper for me, Someone's Gonna Rescue You. But for this listener the other songs are medium low quality at best. I find Angry World and Sign of Love nearly unlistenable for different reasons. Sign of Love has a guitar searching for something interesting to play and on Angry World the lyrics and phrasing are just too awkward for me to work past. Across the record many of the lyrics, even on the best songs, border on banal.

Outside of the overuse of echo on some of the vocals (Hitchhiker suffers the most), the Lanois treatments are constructive and interesting. I like the clever use of directing different amplifiers to different channels making Neil appear to be several guitarists at one time.

I give Neil top points for creating a new record with a unique new sound, but I think this record with it's mixture of strong and weak songs is of similar quality to the bulk of his recorded work from the past 10 years.

And from the always thoughtful and provocative Matthew L. who responds to sugarmtn's comment:

sugarmtn - I agree, Someone's gonna rescue you - it's a sleeper for me as well. Really creeps up on you. I'm liking it a lot.

I also get your POV (though I disagree, at least in my excited state I'm hearing the best thing he's done all decade).

But you do make some valid points. Some people aren't into the 'banal' lyrical style Neil's adopted (well, he's been developing it for 30+ years really).

I'm of the other mind, obviously. Particularly with regard to Angry World, which I'm beginning to see as the nexus of the album.

First, I love this tact of using the banal to describe the sublime and mysterious. Because it is a great complex emotionality that he's describing in Angry World, in such a precise, yet cryptically banal fashion, very simply stating the complex, creating a massive subtext by raising these juxtaposed questions through simple assertions.

He examines 4 different, almost random selections of generalized world-views that people have.

He assembles a cast of characters - the lonely and hurt, the angry and stubborn, the optimistic and the cynical, likely in the context of a single person as much as it is four.

He then examines their collective vision of reality, that they're simultaneously optimistic and pessimistic. They live in the age of darkness and of light - it's an age of extreme energies pulling against each other. There's really nothing contradictory about the two statements:

They think they live in the age of darkness

They think they live in the age of light

They very clearly show how we work against ourselves, and how it is our own thinking it is what it is that causes it. We push into love and pull back into fear. We push forward progressive agendas and new ideas, and make war and pull back against progress. It's a conflicted state that the whole world is embroiled in, currently more extreme than it has been in a long time. Things are changing for the better and the worse at the same time, and it's all in our heads as much as it is happening.

Then come the hells inferno / freedom land lines, which I agree are a little unwieldly sounding.

But let's examine it. It's an appearance of religion on one hand, a recurring theme that pops up in numerous places on the album; but on the other hand a metaphor for the way people view each other (contextually, when viewed against the rest of the lyrics to the song). We see people as failures and wish bad things on them. We are also afraid that we might be wrong, and everything might fail. We all think we're right and that everyone else is going to Hell. See, I get a lot out of these two lines, even if they are a bit awkward in their phrasing.

But anyway, on to the contextual statements that at once acknowledge current events and the continuing state of things in consistent conflict - again, at once meant literally and metaphorically, it's an angry world for both the business man and the fisher man.

They are butting heads in reality, but metaphorically they are all of us fighting with each other on large and small levels. It's every conflict we perceive - it's the corporations vs. the people, it's people vs. people, government vs. people, government vs. corporations, all of us against nature, everything against everything in a giant swirling fit of anger.

Because it's an angry world.

IN FACT, the simple nature of the lyrics contrasted against the complex underlying meaning of the song itself reflect the WHOLE THEME OF THE ALBUM AS A WHOLE, which is a study in contrast and conflicts. All this juxtaposed conflict and contradiction, all humming along harmoniously and chaotically at once. Violent and caressing.

And each song interconnects thematically too.

Angry World representing the angry apex of the album, while Hitchhiker is his own personal struggle with fear in every revolution of his life, running away through drugs, sometimes finding bad things, sometimes finding good things, but in the end an unlikely survivor, all in the unstated context of the first 10 years of his musical career.

Then Peaceful Valley takes the concept of Pocahontas and blows it up into a sprawling painting, again contrasting the two time-frames, one of the beginning of America and the violence that it spawned through, and now, and how they reflect each other.

This time he even reverses the scenario of the original. In Pocahontas it's the American Indians getting slaughtered, while in PVB it's the English settlers getting slaughtered. Which creates a contradiction (or harmony even) that stretches all the way back to Rust Never Sleeps for the love of God.

And all this is what creates the rumblin' Neil hears in the ground. The rumblin' of some inexplicable change comin'. It can't be seen yet, but it can be felt, and it's big.

Thanks Sugar Mountain & Matt, as always!


Neil Young and Producer Daniel Lanois with Le Noise crew


More on Neil Young's New Album 'Le Noise'. Also, see:

- Thrasher's Wheat Meta-Review: Neil Young's "Le Noise"
- Critics Go GaGa Over New Neil Young Album Le Noise
- Comment of the Moment: Le Noise
- "Walk With Me": New Video by Neil Young
- Neil Young's Le Noise "Weaving sonic tapestries"
- CBC Interview With Neil Young and Daniel Lanois
- Vinyl Review of Le Noise: TONEAudio MAGAZINE
- NEW LE NOISE VIDEO: Neil Young's "Love And War" on YouTube
-Le Noise: "It's a keeper" Tweets Critic Greg Kot
-Neil Young and Daniel Lanois click on 'Le Noise' - latimes.com
-NEW LE NOISE VIDEO: "Hitchhiker"
-Comment of the Moment: Le Noise's "Sonics"
-Neil Young Interview on Le Noise: "It sounded like God"
- Producer Daniel Lanois Discusses Making of "Walk With Me" + UNCUT Review (UPDATED)
- Video of Neil Young's "Angry World" from Le Noise
- Neil Young's Le Noise: "Just a man on a stool"
- "Imagination never sleeps": Neil Young's Le Noise
- NPR Previews Neil Young's Le Noise's "Walk With Me"
- Dead Man Soundtrack: Preview of Le Noise?
- Anticipating Neil Young's album Le Noise
-Stream Neil Young's Entire Album Le Noise on NPR

Also, see all of Neil Young's Solo Electric Concert Tour Dates and Reviews.

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Farm Aid 2010 - Milwaukee, WI, 10/2/10

Photos by Jens Theo

From 25th Farm Aid intertwined music, food and family - USATODAY.com By Piet Levy:

Learning from Neil Young: Nearly all of the acts paid lip service to supporting family farms, but Young spent nearly half his time on stage talking up the cause. Ultimately, it was the lecturing that earned him a standing ovation. 'Maybe you don't realize what's really going on with factory farms in this country, how they are displacing family farms at an alarming rate,' Young said. 'Factory farms are the reason why we have food alerts. They are the reason why we have dying people and disease. Try to buy something from a family farm, something that's sustainably grown. You deserve the best. Your children deserve the best.'

Photo by Tammi Ruth Anderson Kral :: Paste


Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images North America) - Zimbio















Photo Gallery by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Thanks Jens Severin & Purple Words on a Grey Background!

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Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America will be held today in Milwaukee, WI.

Farm Aid 25 will be broadcast live in HD on YouTube and DIRECTV starting at 6pm Eastern on Saturday, October 2.

In the meantime, Farm Aid board members Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson talk about Farm Aid and its 25 years of inspired music, taking action and total commitment to making a difference.


Announced Lineup:

Willie Nelson
Neil Young
John Mellencamp
Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds
Kenny Chesney
Norah Jones
Jason Mraz
Jeff Tweedy
Jamey Johnson
Band of Horses
The BoDeans
Amos Lee
Robert Francis
Lukas Nelson and The Promise of the Real
The Blackwood Quartet
Randy Rogers Band

Got a report? Drop a comment below.

Also, see set lists on Sugar Mountain.

Got tweet? Got Neil? Tweet us at ThrashersWheat (thrasherswheat) on Twitter. Hash tag #neilyoung.

Also, use #farmaid hashtag for concert tweets for feed capture.

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Details on Farm Aid official site and Farm Aid Blog.

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Also, see Linc-Volt at Farm Aid:
- Live from the Lincvolt garage on USTREAM: lincvolt.

Also, see Farm Aid Memories: 25 Years of Harvesting by Kevin "Union Man" Woodward.

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More on last year's Farm Aid 2009 Concert.

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Farm Aid Memories: 25 Years of Harvesting

Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America will be held today in Milwaukee, Wi.

In the spirit of the event, we bring you Farm Aid Memories from one of our dear friends, Kevin "Union Man" Woodard. we've known "Union Man" for a long time now and go back in the years of seeing Neil Young concerts. Kevin aka "Union Man" has been to more Farm Aid concerts than just about any Neil fan that we know. This year will mark his ~18th Farm Aid concert -- a remarkable achievement.

Here are some of Kevin "Union Man"'s Farm Aid memories based on attending the concerts over the past 25 years including the first concert in 1985 in Illinois.

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I first started watching Farm Aid in 1985. I am a huge Neil Young fan. That is what first got my interest. It soon became a yearly ritual with my wife and I. We would donate fifty dollars and get a t shirt. I got the odd years she got the even years. We became very interested in the cause.

I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In 1999 Farm Aid came to Virginia. I had to go! My brother, David went with me. My brother Chuck and his wife Terri also went. I attended this Farm Aid and caught "The Fever" ! I told myself that I would not ever miss one.


Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Neil Young

The next year it was back in Virginia, no problem! I had a great seat. I think it was fourth row on the aisle. I was approached by security early on and was told that they would give me a concert t-shirt to move to seats further in. I said I didn't want to and they said they weren't asking! My wife and I took the shirts and moved. A little while later Tipper Gore and her entourage came in and took our seats! That was pretty cool!

In 2001 came my first challenge. I had only flown once in my life. I was flying to Indianapolis alone! Then came 9-11. Made me a little more nervous about flying but I had to get to Farm Aid. I was fortunate to have met a friend through the Neil Young Internet community who lived near Indianapolis. He actually picked me up at the airport, took me to his home, kicked his kid out of his room and treated me like royalty all weekend. Thanks John!


Neil Young on "Southern Man" - 2005
Photo from FarmAid.org

Then came Pittsburgh. We drove to this one. My wife and several friends attended.

Some old friends of mine, Cope and Diane, attended and have gone to every one since with me! I think this might be the year that my friend Kathy Popple brought Chief Dennis to dinner and I got to meet him. One thing I remember about this show is purchasing my STOP FACTORY FARMS shirt directly from Roger Allison and the folks at Patchwork Family Farms before they were sold by Farm Aid. One of the highlights for me every year is stopping by to chat with Roger and eat some of his great food. This is usually the first thing I do when I arrive.


Neil & Willie - 2005, photo from FarmAid.org

In July of 2003 I broke my leg. Did this stop me? No way! My wife and I flew to Columbus, cast and crutches and all. Cope and Diane drove. A volunteer met me at the venue gate with a wheelchair and took me down to my seat.

The longest trip came next, Seattle! We decided to turn this into a vacation and stayed a few days longer than usual. My wife, Suella and Cope and Diane went along this time. Seattle was awesome! We had a little incident with parking downtown. A tow truck and a long walk in the rain was involved!


Neil Young - 2005
photo by John Gress

The 2005 show was particularly special for us because our oldest daughter, Rachel, then 15 years old went to Chicago with Suella and I for her first Farm Aid. She has not missed one since. Rachel is a vegetarian but she goes to see Roger with me and he gives her a roll! Cope and Diane were with us and Chuck and Terri were back on board also! They have not missed one since!

We drove to the Camden show. Cope and Diane and Rachel and I. Chuck and Terri went also. Rachel and I rode to NYC with Chuck and Terri. Cope and Diane drove separate. My brother David made this one with his wife and nine year old daughter. I got my picture taken with Al Sharpton in front of my hotel and Rachel got to get her picture taken with one of the guys from Guster, one of her favorite bands!


Neil Young at Farm Aid Press Conference
Neil Young - 2006
Photo by Kim Buchheit

Then came Mansfield. By far the best trip! After a great deal of consideration we decided to drive. Diane borrowed a conversion van and drove the whole way! Over 400 miles! Cope sat up front and David, Rachel, Rebecca (my other daughter) and I sat in back. We laughed and carried on the whole way. Stopped in New Haven for pizza and ended up turning a long drive into a very long drive!

The girls got their picture taken with Carson Daly and with Steve Earle. Then they convinced Steve Earle to get a pic with me and one with David. Fun memories. Neil performed " A Day In The Life " at this one. A performance that I will never forget.


Illustration by Fred Harper

Last year, Cope, Diane, Chuck, Terri, Rachel and I flew to St Louis. We attended
the Homegrown urban county fair and I got to meet Cornelia. What a pleasure!


Phish & Neil Young - "Down by the River"

Every year I look forward to seeing other regulars. There are several of us who met through the Neil Young Internet community that usually get together the night before and at the show. I have met several others such as Roger Allison and some farmers from Virginia, Debbie and Jackie Seale.

Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc. via Farm Aid press page

Farm Aid 2003

The whole atmosphere at the concert appeals to me. I love being there. I have hardly mentioned the music. As you know it is always fantastic. I love hearing the guys talk about the issues etc. I would love to get a chance to attend the press conference one year.

Looks like my regular gang, Chuck, Terri, Cope, Diane and Rachel will be going to Wisconsin with me this year. In my wife's defense, we have been putting both girls through college and she elects to stay home to save the expense. I on the other hand don't have that choice. I HAVE to go! :-)


Neil Young at Press Conference
Photos by Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc. 2008

I am 53 years old and work for a large grocery chain. One of the Farm Aid enemies sort of. As produce manager I do however continuously expand the offering of orgainic produce as well as purchase everything I can from local family farms. Try to make a difference in my own little way...

I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had writing it! I could go on and on...

See you in Milwaukee and thanks for all you do,
Kevin "Union Man" Woodward

Thanks Kev "Union Man". You're the best.

No farmers, no food.

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