Pegi Young and The Survivors: Northhampton, MA, April 10, 2012

Pegi Young
The Iron Horse, Northhampton, MA - April 10, 2012
Photos by Steve Babineau | Facebook
(Click photo to enlarge)

Pegi Young and The Survivors are out on the road.

Here's a nice photo gallery from The Iron Horse in Northhampton Mass. by Steve Babineau.



Pegi Young and The Survivors on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon singing "Medline".


Pegi Young and The Survivors
The Iron Horse, Northhampton, MA - April 10, 2012
Photos by Steve Babineau | Facebook
(Click photo to enlarge)

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The Coal Porters play Neil Young's Like A Hurricane - YouTube

Speaking of Americana, here's a different take on the classic Neil Young & Crazy Horse song.

The Coal Porters on Sept. 9, 2010 at the Americana Festival in Nashville playing Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane".

The Coal Porters are a London based Blue Grass band.

(Thanks John "Big Chief"!)

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The Greatness of Bruce Springsteen (and Neil Young)

Bruce Springsteen

"You know, the difference between the greatness of Bruce Springsteen and that of Neil Young?
Bruce makes you think you, too, can be as great as he is; Neil makes you think he is really no better than you are to begin with. Remember that."
Dr. Eric Alterman - Altercation

Much as been written about the importance and impact of Bruce Springsteen's music.

So why would we even bother to highlight yet another homage to Bruce in the never ending flood of coverage? On a Neil Young blog nonetheless?

Mainly, because it's the kind of article we would like to have written about Neil Young.

An article which would explore the loss of Ben Keith and its impact on Neil -- just as the loss of Clarence Clemons impacts Bruce. An analysis of the parallels between Bruce's tribute to Woody Guthrie on Nebraska and Pete Seeger on The Seeger Sessions relative to the upcoming Americana.

Of how Bruce's "Born in the USA" was co-opted by the Reagan administration to project an image of America that was diametrically opposed to the true meanings of the lyrics -- similar to the misinterpretation of Young's "Rockin' in the Free World".

The article by long time Springsteen scholar and fan Eric Alterman is adapted from the book The Cause: The Fight for American Liberalism From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama and is online at Bruce Springsteen's Political Voice | The Nation.

Definitely worth a read if you like Bruce. Or Neil. But especially if you like the greatness both artists.


Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young


More on Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young: The Difference in Greatness

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Americana Covers Contest

An Americana covers contest has been announced.

Neil Young is inviting musicians to submit their cover of one of the listed 'Americana' classics for the chance to win. The winner will have their submission featured on Neil Young’s social media channels and will receive $1000.

For details, see Cover an American Classic for Neil Young.

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‘Are You Passionate?’ Turns 10 Years Old

Are You Passionate? by Neil Young
(Click photo to enlarge)

It's been ten years since the release of Neil Young’s Are You Passionate? album.

In the critics' game of "Hits & Misses", Are You Passionate? often falls into the category of "Misses". But is it finally time for a re-evaluation, like much of Young's back catalog that is classified as "Misses"?

Over at Ultimate Classic Rock Matthew Wilkening thinks so with the article "Neil Young’s ‘Are You Passionate?’ Turns 10 Years Old".

As the camouflage, rose and romantic portrait on the cover art indicates, the lyrics on many of this album’s 11 songs deal with familiar themes of love and war.

Young had toured with the famous instrumental R&B group [Booker T & the M.G.’s] as his backing band way back in the early ’90s, but it was nearly a decade before they released a record together.

Just in case you’re not clear who he’s working with, Young works musical quotes from the band’s 1969 hit ‘Time is Tight‘ into two tracks on the record — ‘Be With You’ and album opener ‘You’re My Girl.’

The Memphis Soul legends’ tight grooves and inherent professionalism provide an interesting contrast to Young’s untamed guitar on many of the songs, even if his vocals seem oddly polished on a couple of tracks.

More of Ultimate Classic Rock | "Neil Young’s ‘Are You Passionate?’ Turns 10 Years Old" by Matthew Wilkening.

As for trivia, the album's title is a homage to The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967 album "Are You Experienced?". Also, the back cover lists song titles, all of which appear on CD except for "Gateway of Love". Go figure.

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Billy Talbot Interview - 1996

Billy Talbot - Rome, Italy, November 20, 2005

Here's an interview with Crazy Horse bassist Billy Talbot from 1996. (ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR , October 24, 1996, BY NICK KREWEN)

You can't accuse BILLY TALBOT of having a short memory span.

In a career that has lasted 27 years and boasted somewhere in the vicinity of 1500 concerts, the good-natured bassist who anchors CRAZY HORSE, the band that helps NEIL YOUNG achieve his ragged glory, not only remembers the group's 1991 appearance at Copps Coliseum, but Hamilton itself.

"I remember meeting some great people, going to eat at a great African restaurant, and meeting a security person who has turned out to be a great friend over the years," says Talbot Tuesday from his Vancouver hotel room.

"We were really smoking that night. But we're smoking way more now on this tour," he adds, referring to band's current ten-date cross-Canada tour to promote Neil Young's latest album, Broken Arrow.

What's even more impressive is Talbot's recollection of the first time he accompanied Neil Young to Hamilton: as bassist with THE SANTA MONICA FLYERS back in 1973 when they played McMaster University on October 28 to kick off the Tonight's The Night tour. It was one of the first tours since the November 18, 1972 drug overdose of DANNY WHITTEN, ex-Crazy Horse guitarist and one of the band's co-founding members.

Talbot admits that a year later everyone was still reeling from the tragedy.

"We knew it was coming, but it was a shock," says Talbot of Whitten, who left Crazy Horse in 1971 due to his problems. "But that album wasn't solely about Danny. It included some of the other good friends we lost -- BRUCE BERRY, who was one of our roadies. JIMI HENDRIX. JANIS JOPLIN.

"Danny was the topper. That was the one that hit too close to home."

Talbot says he remembers flying to Ontario and playing three gigs on the university circuit before the band embarked on a week-long European tour.

"It was like an Irish wake," he recalls. "There was a lot of celebrating, a lot of drinking, and being rowdy instead of playing out the darkness."

As for The Santa Monica Flyers, which featured longtime Young associate BEN KEITH on pedal steel, future E. STREET BAND guitarist NILS LOFGREN, Talbot and drummer RALPH MOLINA?

"That was just another pseudonym for Crazy Horse," chuckles Talbot, who celebrated his 53rd birthday yesterday.

Although Crazy Horse -- Talbot, Molina and guitarist FRANK (PANCHO) SAMPEDRO, who joined in time for 1975's Zuma -- is best known as Young's favorite rock and roll accompanists, sharing credits on such classic albums as Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and Rust Never Sleeps, the band's origins come from an unlikely source: the acapella vocal music known as doo-wop.

Born in New York City, Talbot first became involved in music singing doo-wop on Big Apple street corners at the age of 14. At 17, he migrated to Los Angeles where he met Whitten and Molina, forming a vocal group called DANNY & THE MEMORIES.

"That's why there are a lot of harmonies in Crazy Horse," says Talbot. "From performing doo-wop when we were youngsters."

After a short stint as THE CYRCLE in the studio with producer SLY STONE, Whitten, Talbot and Molina took up instruments and joined forces with LEON and GEORGE WHITSELL and BOBBY NORCROFF, becoming THE ROCKETS. At that point Neil Young came into their lives.

"I first met Neil around 1967, when he first got in town," says Talbot, who resides in San Francisco.

"We knew each other slightly before the BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD days. He heard The Rockets' album and we used to jam on`Mr. Soul' before he recorded it with Buffalo Springfield. But I remember him pulling up in his hearse."

When it came time for Young to enter the studio to record Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, The Rockets had dwindled to three and Crazy Horse was born.

Talbot says that although Young writes the songs, Crazy Horse is more of a partnership than people realize.

"It's like art," he explains. "He's the leader. We're the colors. We all contribute to the overall picture."

More on Crazy Horse.

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Art and Neil Young

Art and Neil Young Photo by Henry Diltz  A fun -- yet sad -- little story about Neil Young and his dog Art from Rhino Records - Fun Stuff - Henry Diltz Gallery (defunct):

Henry Diltz: Here is Neil Young with his dog Art. This was in Malibu in front of a beach house that Neil had there for a while. This was one of his favorite dogs and Neil had just put the sunglasses on him (in the sunglasses you can see Gary Burden and I standing there taking the picture). Unfortunately, shortly after this the dog was shot by a neighboring rancher for chasing his cattle, which is sort of the unwritten law -- that if a dog chases your livestock, you have the right to shoot it. So although Neil was very upset, he understood.

Speaking of dogs, who can ever forget "Old King"?

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