Comment of the Moment: 7th Anniversary of Release "Time Fades Away" Petition

RARE Yugoslavian 45RPM Single Picture Sleeve
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The Comment of the Moment is from 7th Anniversary of Release "Time Fades Away" Petition by Greg "A Friend Of Yours":

I love this album, so it's hard to pick a favorite, but I'd have to go with something from my “quiet triumvirate” (a term I just made up)- The Bridge, Love In Mind or Journey Trough The Past. The album is so hard driving, that by the time these three came along they always gave me a much needed chance to breathe a little. And they're so beautiful and poignant (“I will stay with you, if you’ll stay with me, said the fiddler to the drum”). But, if pressed I'd have to say The Bridge.

On the contrary, and it's really uncomfortable for me to talk like this, but I'd have to put Yonder Stands The Sinner at or very near the bottom of all of Neil's songs for me. Yeah, it has its moments, but ah, no, it just doesn't work for me. But it's a small price to pay for an incredible album.

BTW, it’s been mentioned here before, but I think it needs to be reiterated- can anyone think of another album or project that took such a risk in terms of its release following on the heels of a number one album? The uniqueness of a live album of previously unreleased material has already been mentioned too, and live albums are always a little rough, but unvarnished in all the ways TFA is?

I mean, I'm sure Neil didn't set out with this decision in mind, but when push came to shove he took a huge risk in his determination to be honest about what had just happened. I can't think of a similar comparison. And if Neil's penchant for willfulness was ever in doubt up until this point, TFA marks the first unambiguous sign of what was to come, not to mention how clear a statement it made in staking out the claim that the art and the artist are more important than the audience, or at the very least are the more crucial determining point in the whole process.

It's easy to say now how great an album this is, but when it first came out, trust me, the term great was not being thrown around by anyone. Really interesting stuff, surrounding a really interesting album- and on top of the whole mystery of Neil's stance toward it.

A Friend Of Yours

Thanks -- as always -- Greg "A Friend Of Yours"!

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