2011: Neil Young Year in Review - What A Treasure
Rock Song: "Angry World"
"This is my first Grammy for music, and it's appreciated greatly. I'm not Mavis [Staples], but I'm close."
Acceptance Speech of Neil Young's 1st Grammy Win
Tribute to Neil Young at Carnegie Hall, New York City, 2/10/11
Performers include: Joe Purdy, Joan Osborne, Bettye LaVette, J Mascis, Ben Ottewell, The Wood Brothers, Shawn Colvin, DeVotchKa, Mason Jennings, Nada Surf, Bebel Gilberto, Cowboy Junkies, Keller Williams, Glen Hansard, Juliana Hatfield & Evan Dando, Aaron Neville, Jakob Dylan, Pete Yorn, The Roots and Patti Smith with Jesse Smith
Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, Artist of the Year and Adult Alternative Album of the Year Award
Neil Young Honored at Canada's 2011 JUNO Awards
Freedom (1989) by Neil Young
Freedom in a New Year
(originally published prior to Egypt, Madison & Occupy)
Paris 2008
Photo by Cornell van der Windt
Broken Arrow Magazine: August 2010
Tom Waits Induction to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Neil Young26th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at The Waldorf-Astoria on March 14, 2011 in New York City
Boston, MA - April 20, 2011
Photo by Steve Babineau/Sports Action Photography
"He Has Presence": Neil Young Concert Reviews of the Moment -- Boston MA, April 19 & 20, 2011
Played by Neil Young on "Cortez The Killer"
Hippodrome, Baltimore, MD, April 28, 2011
Photo by Thrashette
Some Thoughts on Rollin' Down Neil Young's Twisted Road
Plan9 Music, Richmond, Virginia
Photo by Emaleigh Franzak
Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Neil YoungBuffalo Springfield Kick Off Their Reunion Tour: Oakland, CA, June 1 & 2, 2011 Concert Reviews
Photo by Rolling Stone Music | Jay Blakesberg
Treasure tribute from Little Raggie
Neil Young & International Harvesters's 'A Treasure' is an Absolute Treasure
Secret video from Shakey Pictures of the aftermath of what happened when Neil's people found out about the leak...
Farm Aid 2011 in Kansas City, Kansas
(Photos © Paul Natkin/Wire Image)
Director Jonathan Demme
Film Premiere at the Toronto Film Festival
Bridge School Benefit Concert 2011 - Reports
@ Bridge School Benefit Concert 2011
Photo Gallery by By Jay Blakesberg Photography
Art Design by Shepard Fairey
Photo by Tim Mosenfelder | Rolling Stone
Backstage @ 2011 Bridge School Benefit
Photo by Jay Blakesberg | Rolling Stone
Neil Young Celebrates Birthday at Sustainability Forum in Brazil
November 18, 2011
#OccupyWallStreet 2011 and Kent State Ohio 1970: Is This Really Deja Vu?
Logo design by
Geoff Moore - Silver Moon Graphics
support of 'Tomodachi' project to help recovery efforts in disaster-stricken Tohoku region
Neil & Pegi Young
Our Thoughts on Photo of the Moment: Pegi and Neil @ Bridge 2011
Photo by Jill "Sweet Sweet Smile" Gottlieb-Seagraves
In comparison to the triumphant -- yet terribly sad year of 2010 -- 2011 was a considerably better year for Neil Young and his associates.
The man's resilience in the face of adversity and loss is both amazing and inspiring. 2010 saw the loss of Larry "L.A." Johnson, Ben "Long Grain" Keith, the LincVolt car, and even Neil's longtime companion -- his dog Carl.
But ol' Neil bounced back in 2011, which was a year of spectacular achievements and recognition for Neil, including:
- his 1st Grammy Win (for music!)
- Humanitarian honors Canada's 2011 JUNO Awards
- inducting Tom Waits into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Buffalo Springfield Headlining Bonnaroo Festival 2011
- 25th Anniversary of the Bridge School Benefit Concert , among many notable events.
Earlier -- when reviewing the Buffalo Springfield reunion -- we pondered the age old question of whether Neil is burning out or fading away? We argued that he is neither. Neil Young is the quintessential survivor.
So here's to 2011 and all the good folks at Shakey Pictures.
As for us? We just celebrated 15 Years of your support to Thrasher's Wheat! So we'll see you in 2012.
peace & love,
thrasher & thrashette
ps - For all of you who made contributions of support recently, thank you notes have been going out and we hope to get them all completed by the end of the year. Apologies on delay and we truly appreciate your support.
by thrasher@PermaLink: 12/18/2011 12:51:00 PM
45 comments
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Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
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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...)
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Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
45 Comments:
Nice post, Thrasher, but you forgot one of the major Neil highlights of the year....
the Journeys film... the Toronto concerts which were filmed, and then the movie was made and released all within the same year, premiering at TIFF in September.
Thrasher,
Great summary and thanks for an amazing year on TW as well! My only complaint about 2011 -- and it comes from a love of Neil -- is that his live performance volume felt like it was well below the last few years where we got really spoiled ... that said, I know he knows what he's doing and will come back stronger and better than ever with a band or some other genre we'd never think of ... but missing his musical presence out there.
Dan
@cosplusisin - thanks and you're right. Missed Journeys film in roundup. Just added. Definitely an acheivement.
Not sure how we missed that. Just check and we did over 350 posts this year so it takes a bit to rummage thru the year.
We're sure we missed some others too?!
@Dan - thanks also. yes, this seemed to be a slower year in some respects. Al though a solo tour and the BS mini-tour were quite consequential. And lots of output on other fronts as well.
rust still never sleeps...
that pic of the dead student getting sprayed is the most disgusting thing you have ever done,shame on you jerk
The Hitler parody made me sick to my stomach. What sick jerk would do such a thing?
Hitler parody qualifies as trash, not a treasure. Disgusting. Repulsive. I bet I can give a pretty accurate psychological profile of the sickos who actually think it's funny but I wouldn't waste my time.
Hey Anon 12:08, ever hear of satire, or the use of images to point out the outrageous and unacceptable? Have you not seen all the other similar images all over the web and Facebook, etc., designed to make the UC cop look even more the idiot? Have you not been around this site long enough to know Thrashers reverence for the memory of Kent State? Lighten up.
Great retrospective, Thrasher. It has been a full year for Neil, and more evidence that he's not going to fade away any time soon. It's who he is.
Happy Holidays- A Friend Of Yours
you cant compare the two events..thats a dead girl on the ground..you people are sick to post that and defend it
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous @ 12/19/2011 12:08:00 AM - Did you follow the link source? Did you read the background?
If so, you would know that photoshop was done by the Kent State Truth Tribunal. Furthermore, the KSTT is founded by Allison Krause's sister. Allison was one the 4 dead in Ohio.
KSTT created the image to do exactly what it has done.
If Allison's sister can stand behind the image and the parallels, than so can we. And so should you.
There is no shame. Don't attack without the facts.
The truth will set us free.
@Mother Nature on the Run - Ah yes, the Hitler parody. We have to admit that were taken aback when this first circulated, as well.
But being at the center of the storm over the whole kerfuffle, we did try and find the humor. We have heard thru channels that NY is OK with it.
We had no idea about this, but apparently there are hundreds of variations of this concept all over YT.
We think that if one knows the full, complete background of the post, than it is fairly benign. If you're not to speed on Tech Notes leakgate, follow link.
peace
The point of the photo was to show that OWS does not compare to Kent State? Yes, obviously Jeffrey would be alive if they only used pepper spray. Yes, I get what's most obvious.
For a country that brags about defending freedoms here and abroad, it must look hypocritical to at least a few people around the world anytime the US subdues or overtakes their own citizens simply expressing their views or opposition. The use of force whether through pepper spray or guns is simply a primitive tactic used to oppress into submission.
It's how we let an entire cultural group become victims of genocide. We laugh at the expense of people responsible for concentration camps and government refugee-reservations.
Rust never sleeps...
It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll T.
I ordered a sandwich the other day, two waitresses argued over whether I had the right to abuse myself like that. I said it's my body and I'll eat what I like, thank you. It's your blog T, blog away as you will.
It's been a great year for Neil, a great year for you. Even a great year for me. Unfortunately, sometime not a great year for segments of mankind and our society.
I probably couldn't smile as wide as I do without having had to shed some tears of sorrow. Though we have setbacks each day we should stay the course and strive for better.
Let those among you without blemish cast the first stone.
Blog on T, blog on.....it's only castles burning.
If Allison's sister can stand behind the image and the parallels, than so can we. And so should you.
No i should not.I dont care who stands behind it or who did it or why.It's gross.There are no parallels between the two events,god you are an idiot.Why is it so hard for you to understand that? oh yes your a lib hack i forgot
Anonymous @ 12/19/2011 11:34:00 PM - "oh yes your a lib hack i forgot"
eloquent logic & quite convincing in your counter argument.
Similar to your replies on the original posting where you failed to address original position.
It's all just so simple when everything is red & blue, right?
peace
My guess is that if it was Allison's photo being defaced in this way, her family would probably disapprove.
Jeffrey Miller's lifeless body on the ground or any photo of a victim of violence doesn't need photoshopping to prove a point today about excessive forced used on OWS protesters.
The photo speaks for itself. The lessons learned about the Kent State Massacre is that the ends never justify the means. Violence is never the answer. You cannot subdue or silence what is truth. What one group tries to silence, another group tries to preserve.
It's a horrible, horrible part of history when we kill people simply exercising their right to protest against their government.
I hope that one day we will be reconciled with our violent history of abuse and murder.
When will we ever learn?
The Hitler parody is hilarious. "Oh, Betty-Lou...." HA! Excellent shit.
Amazing how I can find that funny and also still abhor the Holocaust, huh? We have some tightly wound Rusties, for sure.
Great wrap-up, Thrasher. Merry Christmas.
What a very interesting and exciting year it`s been again for Neil when you look back at all the stuff he`s done and been involved with, and thanks so much as always to Thrasher and Thrashette. No-one does it better!
In the time I`ve been visiting this site I`ve never thought anything you have posted has been inappropriate or offfensive, and that still applies. I know that whatever you do or say here you do it in the name of love and peace.
And by the way, I must say I agree with `MDB - Just A Loser` about the Hitler parody - well said!
Keep on bloggin` Thrasher, you`re doing a great job and I`m looking forward to another fantastic year ahead here at TW.
Happy Holidays!
The furrer parody is a winner, from way out there, I have laugh tears running down my face. I didn't even watch it til now. I thought I'd seen it all.
Life is parody folks, that's what makes us feel. and laugh.
Here's to this year and next for us all.
I think the Hitler parody is insensitive and should be out of bounds. The fact that someone on YouTube produced lots of them is even more offensive. That's not meant to be a criticism of Neil or Thrasher, more a personal opinion that I feel needs to be expressed ... turning anything about Hitler into a joke lightens his barbaric crimes ... 6 MIllion+ people brutally murdered ... if you're infuriated that a group of protesters got pepper stayed in the face (and who wasn't), then the ethnic cleansing of millions of people -- women and children -- who were horrifically murdered should be FAR more offensive ... that alone means the personalities and the setting should be off limits completely ... the difference perhaps is that its hard for us to relate the victims of Hitler's crimes since the sheer barbarism is so far beyond our comprehension ... where as we can relate to the victims of the pepper spray incident ... its not a perfect parallel but would we find it amusing if the web was lit up with parody's of that officer who pepper sprayed protestors shown in a funny light? perhaps, but I think that humor humanizes the officer in a way that's undeserving ... in fact, I believe that's often part of the motivation for these spoofs ... it puts the vicious attacker in a funny light and you can never see them as the same kind of monster as you did before ... anyhow, the sheer fact that dredging up such evil characters as Hitler brings so much pain to victims is reason enough to say its inappropriate. Sorry to be contrarian ... just exersizing my free speech.
Dan - thanks for thoughts as always.
Agree that this is all about sensitivity.
Actually, we we indicated above, we sat on this Hitler parody for 6 months before posting. Not that we were pondering it for that long but we just didn't feel like throwing it up without context.
But here we are have done exactly that. Just posted the video without any context assuming that many would get it.
Maybe this only worked for a brief period when the fur was flying fast & furious and falls flat now.
That said, the larger point is this. These are small, evil men and to reduce their characters to what they are is - in a way - to diminish their stature.
Remember Mel Brooks Springtime for Hitler? Quite a scandal but the point was deligimatize the aura of power & dominance.
In past decades to evoke Hitler, Nazi's & concentration camps was to invoke the darkest of evil. Today, it's 9/11, Osama Bin Laden & terrorism.
So as distasteful a Hitler parody might be (or OBL parody), the flip side is anything that can be done to relegate this evil to the dustbin of history & show future generations the insanity of following dictators & zealots maybe we'll be for the better.
but maybe we're just wrong...
peace
Agree that this is all about sensitivity.
then take down that picture turd
Anon above is very aggressive but I think he's right. Just ask yourself how you would feel if that was your child dead on the ground.
Thasher -
Please don't ever apologize again for doing what you want with your site. It's obvious to ANYONE who comes here regularly that you take great care in putting out information that entertains, informs and intrigues us, and once in a while we might not get it or agree with. Too fuckin bad. For the amount of effort and input you do for our benefit I wouldn't placate the one(s) who don't and who won't get it and understand your motivations, which are not mean spirited or vile in any form.
Never bow to the laws of the thought police. I still think the Hitler parody is one of the funniest things I have ever seen relating to Neil. Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke. Get over it. And A Happy Christmas as well.
Thrasher,
Thanks for sharing your rational and thought process ... I totally hear you and appreciate how thoughtful you are in doing what you do ... as always, thank you for providing the best place to celebrate all things Neil and also to share thoughtful dialog about current (and past) events.
Peace and Love,
Dan
I love and respect this site but sometimes you have to admit when you get things wrong. At best, the photoshoped image trivialises the Ohio killings. At worst, it pokes fun out of the dead students. Fact. Don't be stubborn. Open up your tired eyes. Take it down. Just to remind you, the lyrics are "4 DEAD IN OLD OHIO" (not 4 sprayed with pepper spray in Old Ohio).
@Anonymous 12/21/2011 10:32:00 PM: Should 'Hogan's Heroes' have been banned from TV because it poked fun at Nazis? If you can't appreciate satire for what it is, don't blame Thrasher.
A
Personally I think satire, irony and humour can have an important role to play in the way that society deals with its demons. Over here in the UK and in the US too, we have a long tradition of satirizing tyrants, bullies, and unpopular authority figures. I believe it can be very beneficial in that it provides a `safety valve` to help people deal with what can often be a scary and unpredictable word. It also helps give people a sense of togetherness, a feeling of shared values, `us against them`, so to speak.
As for the video, the idea that Neil is so bad-tempered and difficult to work for that even Hitler, the arch bogey-man, is scared witless by him, is just plain funny, in my opinion. It certainly doesn`t glorify the Nazis! The `April Fool`s Day` leak and the remark “the next man to f*ck up gets to remaster `Everbody`s Rockin`” had me in stitches!
Thrasher, all you are doing is reporting as accurately as you can the events that have happened over the past year, as you always do. Stuff happens, the good, the bad and the ugly, and if you were to leave out the bad bits you can be sure there would be an outcry about that too. It`s your blog and we are just so damned lucky that after 15 years you still have the passion and dedication to carry on. Don`t be Denied!
The purpose of comedy satire is to improve on the human condition by pointing out the ridiculous or absurdity or contradiction in religion, politics, or cultural tradition. So the point of the video was to tell people that Neil is so damn insecure that he would even have someone like Hitler running scared? Hahaha.
The Hitler parody is a cheap, cheap shot done by someone ego-centered, self centered, and/or desperate for attention. And the idea that anyonr would laugh at this juxtaposition of Neil's tyrant reputation to a person like Hitler is very ironic, indeed.
It's an angry world, indeed.
Jill, I couldn't agree with you more. MNOTR, I agree that it's a little disconcerting if in fact someone is trying to make the case that Neil is a tyrant, such that comparisons to Hitler are somehow in play. Regardless, I don't think it's a travesty for a little fun to be poked at someone of Neils exacting nature, particularly in the context of a complicated push to get out an exaustive project like the Archives. I mean, I remember all the bitching on this blog by people picking Neils decisions apart over relaease dates, forms, blah, blah, blah. Life is way too short as it is, something that I'm sure is not lost on Neil.
A Friend Of Yours
Greg, I could do a parody of Neil's fans watching stuff they steal from him using historical enactments based on the personal accounts of curator Rose Vallard who watched Himmler, Goring, Goebbels squeeking like a pig on all fours in delight over the newly - illegally confiscated masterpieces from owners they murdered.
Hahaha.
Unfortunately, the woman who secretly inventoried the world's masterpieces stolen by Nazi Germany left only a journal.
It's in book, just take a look, the reading rainbow.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Thanks Greg.
Of course there`s a fine line between humour and sheer bad taste, but in my opinion the vid doesn`t cross that line. Of course we all know humour is subjective and if someone doesn`t get it then no-one will be able to explain it to them.
As I said the video doesn`t glorify Hitler, but I`m quite sure it`s also not an attack on Neil. It`s clearly made by Rusties for Rusties (who else would get the references?), and apparently Neil himself is ok with it. We all know he has a capricious nature and likes to do things his own way in his own time, that`s part of who he is and what drives him, and I love and respect him for that as I`m sure we all do.
I believe humour is a very healthy thing - it prevents us from taking ourselves too seriously and reminds us that we are all human.
I do believe we're talking apples and oranges here. No one is complaining that the video is glorifying Hitler. No one is saying that humor is unhealthy. But there is a line and clearly by the responses here, everyone has designated where that line is drawn for them. For some it's okay as long as long as Neil is okay with it. So if you can find humor at the expense of millions of people over time who perished from the face of this planet due to brutal violence, then you must either be very ignorant or very stupid.
Can I pray to my dashboard Jesus and make it better? Maybe he'll buy me a Mercedes Benz
...find some one who's turning
and you will come around.
@Mother Nature on the Run: In what way is the humour "at the expense of" the victims of the Holocaust? There was a Seinfeld episode in which Jerry and his girlfriend were necking during Schindler's List. Were you horrified by that as well? No one is making light of the suffering, the humour is not directed at those who perished.
In the lyrics to Let's Impeach The President, Neil sarcastically refers to Bush's crackdown on steroids in baseball. Was Neil making light of the hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis who were killed? I think the answer is obvious.
A
If you think it was Jerry Seinfeld's aim was to get a laugh from you because you thought it was funny this 38 year old character he created was making out with a girl during Schindler's list, then who is the bigger fool here? I'm probably the only person in America who thought Jerry & friends were complete jerks -- the kind of people you avoid in life.
And I'm surprised you're asking me about "let's impeach the president" because the song is about crimes Bush committed against humanity during his presidency.
Thrasher - the Mel Brooks's parody was about the partners looking for a musical that was in poor taste and would close opening night. That's why the characters selected the musical!
Would you think it was funny to have a video of Joseph Kony ranting about the same thing in the video?
A person has to be mentally disturbed or totally detached from reality to find humor in something as inane as that video.
Furthermore, the picture of Jeffrey Miller is disrespectful. What would you do if you found him dead on the ground? Deface his image with pepper spray?
@ MNOTR - I realise you are upset but I don`t appreciate your insults. I would never dream of implying that anyone here is very stupid, very ignorant, or mentally disturbed and I find it extremely rude of you. I think this sort of verbal aggression is totally unnecessary and it creates a bad atmosphere here. We all have a right to express our opinions, I have mine and I think you`ve made it clear where you stand.
This discussion could run and run with no satifactory outcome for anyone - so for the sake of harmony, and as it`s the Season of Goodwill, maybe we could agree to differ and move on??!!! Please??!!
Have a very Merry Christmas everyone! Peace and Love!
For the record, Kadafi, Sadam, OBL, Bush, Obama - pick one - would be just as funny in that parody being afraid to face Neil. It's all humor. Besides, you know how he is when he's angry, he's like Stalin!
In the very end of Dee Brown's "Buried My Heart at Wounded Knee" there is an account from a surviving Lakota(after watching his fellow family and friends being massacred at Pineridge) walked under a banner "Peace on Earth & Good Will To All Men" posted over a door at the military base.
Sorry, Jill, I call it the way I see it. Make me out like the crazy person if it makes you feel better for laughing at something I think is absolutely stupid.
Thrasher,
Thanks for all of the Neil stuff you post for us.
I might not agree with everything you might say/post but thats ok. You do a great job.
ps- The hitler spoof is definately funny.
Paul
I love this webpage, too. For different reasons so rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay, remember there is goodness in humanity when we are lead astray.
So let's bring tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy and hopefully it's not at the expense of people who are still suffering...
Keep on Bloggin til the power goes out, Thrasher! Thanks for a great 2011!
My younger sister just gave me a beautiful Christmas Present that I will cherish along with Shakey and all my Neil Albums....Its a book Titled "Neil Young: Long May you run:The illustrated History".
This book has some amazing close up live shots of Neil and bands plus a chronological illustrated history up to 2010,of all Neil's albums. It compliments Neil's Archives nicely. The Authors are Daniel Durchholz and Gary Graff.They have done a beautiful job.
doc
Thrasher:
Thanks for the summary!!!
I always like to stay out of the political debates, but I appreciate your providing a forum for people to comment.
Looking forward to 2012 and "Neil Young Journeys," etc.
May you and Thrashette have a wonderful New Year!!!!
Keep on Rockin',
Marian M.
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