Comment of the Moment: You Know How Time Fades Away, Right?

Original "Time Fades Away" Handwritten Lyrics
Neil Young - Time Fades Away Vinyl Insert Sheet

Some interesting comments on an earlier post on the 7th Anniversary of Release "Time Fades Away" Petition .

From Lost Dog:

My trip with Neil Young has been going on for just over 20 years now: effectively since I became aware of his existence, thanks to a friend whose music tastes back then were far better than mine.

Today, I'm only an almost-completist: there are a few albums I don't own if they double up what's already out there (Lucky Thirteen, pass), and of the bootlegs from Dimeadozen etc. I favour the ones with good sound, generally eschew audience video recordings, and leave more recordings than I download. Completism for someone who has had almost every concert since 1970 bootlegged (if not true, it sure feels like it) would be a tough row to hoe, although clearly there are people out there who do it, just as there are Deadheads who want all of it, all of it.

Anyway, for me, that's a step too far, because I don't want it just sitting on a hard drive, I want to burn each concert off to CD - which usually means two CDs per show - and then it starts to be work, gotta label those things and then store them in order...no, it's too much and so I try to go for some of the highlights. But still, I've probably got over a hundred concert recordings there.

Anyway, there are gaps in my collection of the official output, but one thing I felt is part of the journey with NY, if you're serious, is you've got to spread yourself across formats a bit. You're going to need some vinyl (not forgetting singles), some CDs, and if you want a lot of the video material (I do), one video format won't cut it. What've we got: some things that were only on VHS, I think, quite a few that are still only on VHS and laser but never made it to DVD, some things that haven't been released at all yet (Trunk Show!) and some things that are on DVD only (Deja Vu.)

We could all get some petitions going to bring the entire catalogue up to date, but don't hold your breath for success...

I ended up wanting to own NY albums in the best available format, so that meant grabbing the DVD-Audio releases, the 200g vinyl, and where none of those were available, then settle for the CD. Plus any beat up old vinyl I could find, just because it's cool to have some beat up old vinyl. I confess to owning some of those albums in just about every conceivable format except 8-track (yes, including open reel).

I got into laserdisc a few years ago specifically to get hold of the excellent Weld, and managed to pick up the also excellent Complex Sessions shortly after that, and most of the other things that were put out on Laserdisc. I guess I'd prefer 'em on Bluray, but as they never even made it to DVD, if it comes it probably won't be any time soon. What kind of cat can have a blitzkrieg of a concert movie like Weld ON THE FUCKING SHELF? Someone with a seriously impressive back catalogue, that's who.

So Time Fades Away is just another of those things that fell through the cracks.

But it's available, on vinyl, and that's a great way to listen to it.

I mean it kids, Uncle Neil makes you a multi-format guy, and if you don't like that, you'll just have to get by on those CDs that are available. That's still a fair wedge of albums though. (And don't forget Eldorado.)

Lost Dog

Thanks Lost Dog! And all the Neil completists out there.

Cause you know how time fades away, right?

More on the never ending Release "Time Fades Away" Petition campaign.

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