TONIGHT: Interview with Uwe Grahl and Life on the Rail: A True Story of a Crazy Horse Fan

Uwe & Rusties on The Holy Rail
Berlin, Germany - June 2, 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)
Tonight on Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org, we bring you a little something different -- in quest for the holy rail at a Neil Young & Crazy Horse concert.

For those who have been following closely the Europe 2013 concert tour, you may have come across the adventures of one particular rustie fan known as Uwe from Germany. Even by the early dates, Uwe went from an "unknown legend" to walking like a giant Horse fan. (We covered this recently at Life on the Rail: A True Story of a Crazy Horse Fan.)

So tune in tonight, Saturday, August 31th at 9:00 PM EST, for an interview with Uwe -- Neil fan extraordinaire on WBKM.org.

Don't Be Denied!

ps - Thanks to all for supporting Thrasher's Wheat Radio!




Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST
Logo design by
Geoff Moore - Silver Moon Graphics
(How To Support Thrasher's Wheat Radio)

---

---

What does Daniel Lanois do when Neil Young and Crazy Horse are forced to cancel? - The Globe and Mail

Neil Young and Daniel Lanois
Photo by Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times
(Click photo to enlarge)
With the cancellation of Neil Young And Crazy Horse's Remaining N. American Concert Tour Dates, there has been quite a bit of gnashing of teeth over how this all should have been handled.

We thought that Billy Talbot's Straight From The Horse's Mouth comment answered the question quite succinctly. At least for us it did.

Not so much for others, it seems.

Producer-musician Daniel Lanois, a participant and co-producer of the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic has this to say in an interview What does Daniel Lanois do when Neil Young and Crazy Horse are forced to cancel? - The Globe and Mail by BRAD WHEELER:

Q: I’ll ask the obvious question about Neil Young and Crazy Horse cancelling their appearance at your festival. Why doesn’t Neil just come and play solo?

Daniel Lanois: That’s the natural response and instinct. Why not show up and do something else? People would have been just as happy to hear Neil sing non-Crazy Horse material. I didn’t speak to Neil about this, but I believe it was asked of him. The response from his manager was that his head was not there.

Q:You and Neil have a relationship. He didn’t give you the news personally?

Daniel Lanois: I heard from him about three weeks back. He was excited about coming in. But I guess the injury happened since. The communication since then has just been through an agent.

Q:So, what happens when you get bad news like this?

Daniel Lanois: Well, my thought was to see if we could get someone else to fill that position. Lucky for us, Gordon Lightfoot made himself available. And I can’t say enough about it. What a great guy to help us out so late in the game. I mean, we’re right down to the wire here. But, one great Canadian icon fills in for another. That’s how I’m looking at it.

There you have it -- "his head was not there."

What more of an explanation do folks need from Neil Young?

"One great Canadian icon fills in for another." And on goes the show.

More of interview What does Daniel Lanois do when Neil Young and Crazy Horse are forced to cancel? - The Globe and Mail.

---

---

A Son's Gift to His Dad: ▶ Neil Young LIVE @ Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam 2013 - Love and Only Love - YouTube

A nice happy birthday to a lucky Dad out there in Amsterdam.

We just got a note from Adam who shared the following with us regarding this video of "Love and Only Love" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam 2013:

Dear Wheat-lords,

On June 6th, my father and I saw Neil Young live (together for the 2nd time) in Amsterdam. Tomorrow he turns 49.

Neil Young's music has profoundly impacted my relationship with my father. Through Neil's music we have been able to work through many difficult periods in our lives together.

When Neil played in Amsterdam, I was lucky enough to be able to take my father to the show. I'm 26 and he is nearly 50. We loved every moment of it and cannot stop talking about it since (despite living in different countries).

His birthday is coming up soon and I wanted to do something meaningful for him.

Neil has been an integral part of our relationship and so, for his birthday, I assembled videos to make a DVD-like gift that would immortalize that evening to us, beyond the state of immortality it had already possessed.

Don’t spoil the surprise, there’s still one day to go before I show it to him -- Happy birthday to the most wonderful man anyone could ask for as a dad.

Humbly yours,
Adam

Adam, this is truly wonderful and thank you for sharing. You're a very wonderful son with a very wonderful father.

Love and Only Love, indeed.

---

---

Still Living With War... and Yet More War To Come

Living With War by Neil Young - 2006
Sadly, we're still living with war.

And judging by the beat of the war drums, it looks like we'll soon have another war front open up in Syria.

In a 2008 article on Who Got Iraq Right? by Greg Mitchell and Tom Engelhardt, they include Neil Young and his album Living With War as an alternative voice for:

"... exposing the criminal nature of, and the many costs of, the Iraq war that have emerged from an "alternative" universe that includes former war correspondents, reporters for small newspapers or news services, comedians, aging rock 'n rollers, and bloggers, among others. "

As Neil Young has stated: "History is a cruel judge of overconfidence."

More "Shock And Awe" coming our way.


Neil Young / Shock & Awe by ivaxavi

Try to remember peace (visualize)

"I join the multitudes
I raise my hand in peace
I never bow to the laws of the thought police
I take a holy vow
To never kill again
To never kill again

I'm living with war in my heart
I'm living with war in my heart and my mind
I'm living with war right now"

Despite what the critics have written -- if nothing else -- Living With War was the most courageous album of 2006.

ps - Dear World, Americans Don't Want War With Syria


No War
Greendale Film still

---

---

Neil Young’s Studio Prowess Is More Than Meets the Ear | Variety

The Green Board
Wally Heider’s mobile Universal Audio 610 console
(Click photo to enlarge)
We all know that Neil Young is a bit passionate about sound quality.

An audiophile pioneer -- if you will -- who takes no prisoners when it comes to getting the right sound laid down. And if you're into that sort of attitude, here's a fascinating article on Neil Young’s Studio Prowess Is More Than Meets the Ear | Variety by Andrew M. Barker:

“The media worship of Neil Young doesn’t really give enough kudos to the technical facilities and engineers that have aided him,” says longtime L.A rock journalist Harvey Kubernik, whose book “Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and Music of Laurel Canyon” explored the scene that informed Young’s early career. “Reprise Records let him make the kind of records he wanted to make. He had management that enforced that. And he got to use the best studios in town. It’s a huge component of his durability.”

Check out Variety article.

Also, see Interview with Elliot Mazer - Neil Young's Producer & Engineer and Producer John Hanlon On Recording Neil Young's two latest albums, Americana and Psychedelic Pill.

---

---

Neil Young Albums From Worst To Best | Stereogum

Neil Young Albums From Worst To Best
(Click photo to enlarge)
We usually don't pay too much heed to attempts to categorize Neil Young albums.

In some respects, it's an effort in futility. Most Neil Young albums are in fact somewhat uncategorizeable. Is it rock? Is it country? Country rock? Folk rock? Alt Country rock?

And rankings and lists seem virtually pointless. Every album has its strengths and weaknesses, every album has its time and place.

All of this said, over on Stereogum, a survey of "Neil Young Albums From Worst To Best" by James Jackson Toth which actually is a fairly thorough survey of 35 albums out of a catalog of over 40 or so (depending on how you count things like CSNY, Buffalo Springfield, etc.):

Aliens land.

They’ve traveled from some distant planet with a specific mission: to find out what this ‘rock and roll’ stuff is all about. Through some curious coincidence, they find you. “What is rock and roll?” they demand, rayguns drawn. You begin to sweat. Still, there is really only one question you need to ask yourself:

“Which Neil Young album do I play them first?”

This is no hyperbole; Neil Young is the personification of rock and roll in human form. From his humble beginnings as a surf rocker in the Squires to his tenure in Hall Of Fame acts Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, to his most recent blitzkrieg Psychedelic Pill, Neil has spent a career as the embodiment of artistry despite fierce resistance. This iron-willed devotion to the Muse has not come without a price, however: While Neil’s successes have mostly flown in the face of prevailing music biz wisdom, his uncompromising nature has earned him almost as many failures, failures that should have sunk him several times over. His unpredictability and star-chamber business practices have often made him a pariah; his impulsive spirit and mood swings would frequently estrange his fellow musicians and most ardent supporters. Even more than Dylan, Neil Young has made a career of being consistently inconsistent.

Certainly, there are any number of accurate and inaccurate assessments in the survey but check them out on Stereogum.

And just for the record, calling a Neil Young album "worst" is -- in our viewpoint -- a non sequitur. Again, each album and song does have its time and place.

ps - be sure to check the comments, as well. Some spirited debate. ;)

pss - For the record, here's what we consider to be The Essential Neil Young Albums.

---

---

PODCAST: 1st Anniversary of Thrasher's Wheat Radio

On The Beach with Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Author Dave Zimmer
(Want a shirt? How To Support Thrasher's Wheat Radio)
Last weekend we celebrated our 1st Anniversary of Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org.

For this special 1st Anniversary 2 hour broadcast, the entire Oslo, Norway 2013-08-07 is featured along with thoughts on the past year from hosts Tony, Eric & yours truly.

Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour - Show #49 [To download, right click on link, save target as, pick destination folder: the podcast will download. Select your preferred MP3 audio player and play file.]

We reel in the year and reminisce over all that is good and celebrate our "Year of the Horse". We'll have some reflections on Neil Young's music and it's meaning in our lives, along with thoughts and memories from the roadtrip to Europe.

We should also mention that we're not just celebrating Thrasher's Wheat Radio, but our 20th anniversary since joining the Rust online community. We've made lots and lots of friends over the years and its been a remarkable journey of technological evolution all held together by The Man, The Myth & The Legend himself -- Neil Young.

Also, tune in tonight, Saturday, August 24th at 9:00 PM EST, for Thrasher's Wheat Radio's 1st Anniversary program on WBKM.org.

Don't Be Denied!

ps - Thanks to all for supporting Thrasher's Wheat Radio!


Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST
Logo design by
Geoff Moore - Silver Moon Graphics
(How To Support Thrasher's Wheat Radio)

---

---

David Crosby's Recent Conversation w/ Neil Young | Rolling Stone

The fallout continues over the recent Crazy Horse tour cancellation.

Here's David Crosby on the situation in Rolling Stone by Andy Greene:

"I just talked to Neil yesterday," says Crosby.

"He feels real bad for Poncho . . . I have so much respect for Neil because he always follows his muse. It's often counter to what I want, because I want to work with him. But I also want him to follow his muse. I want him playing music that excites him right that minute. And if that includes me, that's wonderful. If it doesn't, that's wonderful too. He's still making great music and still tries to push the envelope. Sometimes he succeeds, sometimes he makes Trans."

Crosby also discusses in the Rolling Stone article his new solo album, his hopes for a CSNY Reunion Tour, and Neil Young's opinion of MP3s.

---

---

Comment of the Moment: It's an Angry World So Where Do We Go Now Neil Young?

Neil Young - 2013
Photo by Robert Serra
(Click photo to enlarge)
Much, much chatter and debate over the cancelation of the remaining Neil Young & Crazy Horse concert dates.

Our Comment of the Moment is from It's an Angry World So Where Do We Go Now Neil Young? by the appropriately handled Raincheck:

So if the tour continued, Neil would have taken flack for the types of shows Crazy Horse was putting on. And now he is taking flack for NOT putting on those shows.

I understand cancelling. Neil and CH were doing something very specific on this tour. When the Horse broke a leg, Neil had to take it out back and shoot it? End of story. No replacing Poncho. It would be like replacing Stills on a Springfield tour. This was Neil going to a very specific CH place in his mind.

Could he run out the tour with solo acoustic sets? Yes. Maybe he even should have. But he is Neil, for better and worse.

But it is equally unfair to be hard on those who didn't like these shows or who are upset at Neil not playing one way or another. To most fans, Neil Young is Neil Young regardless of the band. The Horse? Whatever. He is not the center of their lives.

Fans are like Neil. They are what they are and it ain't gonna change. Neil's gonna play what he wants, and they are gonna like it or not.

Neil's gonna cancel and they are gonna be pissed because they live across the ocean from him, and this was their one time in their lives to see him. Or whatever. Neil is a legend they want to experience, Poncho isn't, and so why should they miss Neil because of Poncho?

So it's a bunch of drama. Nobody's right when everybody's wrong. Neil wants what he wants. A fan wants what he wants and right now nobody is getting what they want.

OK. So what is next for Neil?

Thanks Raincheck. A timely handle we might add.

OK. So what is next for Neil?

Let's try Lincvolt? Or Pono? Or another book? Or another Crazy Horse album? Or the director's cut of the Human Highway film? Or Trunk show? Or Cellar Door release? Or CSNY 40th anniversary album? Or CSNY reunion tour? Or a Buffalo Springfield tour? Or Archives Vol #2? Or...

We still say it's a lucky day to be a Neil Young fan.

---

---

It's an Angry World So Where Do We Go Now Neil Young?

Neil Young: "Where Do We Go Now"
Charles Theater, Baltimore, MD
December 2012
Photo by Stacey B.
(Note: Photo not Photoshopped)
We posted this photo earlier this year and it seems appropriate in light of recent developments.

The photo is the marquee at the Charles Theater in Baltimore, MD in December 2012 when the Neil Young film Journeys was playing. Another film being featured is titled "Where Do We Go Now". (Thanks Stacey B.!)

As both Billy Talbot & Ralph Molina have written, Crazy Horse is a team, a unit, a band of brothers.

So, when asking "Where Do We Go Now?", consider that when Poncho injures his hand, it's almost like Neil has injured his own hand. He can't play a Crazy Horse show without the whole team.

Here's a comment on ThrashersWheatNeverSleeps | Facebook by Len M.:

The Horse can't run on just 3 legs.

And if all you want is the head the horse, watch The Godfather. I get it why they cancelled. And yes, it sucks, I know, had front row tickets to a Neil concert in the 90's that he cancelled.

Heal quickly Poncho.

The negative, hostile reaction to all of this has been disheartening on a number of levels. First, just to be on the record, we ourselves are missing out on The Capitol Theater concert and pre-paid reservations. So we're just as bummed (or "gutted" as the Brits say) as many of you. That said, as with everything, you put your money down and you takes your chances.

But some of the comments that we're reading surprise us here given that the hard core fans must certainly appreciate all of the dynamics of what's going down yet are making comments like "rip off". What gives?

But even more disturbing for us is the amount of near rage and hatred that some are expressing in various forums over a concert cancellation. We say this because if only this outrage and energy could be channeled into some truly consequential matters like say war, environment or poverty to name a few.

Seriously. Do folks who have acted like they have experienced a massive injustice take the same approach with their local elected officials whenever they feel wronged? Let's hope so.

It's an "Angry World", indeed.

The show must not go on, sadly. "Some see life as a broken promise Some see life as an endless fight They think they live in the age of darkness They think they live in the age of fright It's an angry world And everything is gonna be alright"

---

---

UPDATED: Billy Talbot & Ralph Molina Post: Straight From The Horse's Mouth

Billy Talbot & Neil Young
A statement by Billy Talbot (from comments below):

All four of us in the Horse are extremely disappointed in this turn of events. We've never had to cancel a show before. After being together for 40 years, we know there's no way we can play without Poncho, or any one of us. The four of us have to be there for it to be NYCH. If there's any way that we could have played these shows, we would be there. This is an extremely hard twist of fate for us to accept.

One of the reasons that we love what we're doing and it rocks so much, is the fact that we respect that it comes from the four of us. A unified passion.

Thanks Billy! We all love the "unified passion". Keep ridin' that crazy horse.

"Fuckin' Up"
Crazy Horse's Frank "Poncho" Sampedro
Cleveland, OH, Oct. 8
Photo by thrasher
UPDATED: From Press Release - August 20, 2013:

HAMILTON: September Seventh Entertainment Limited announced today at a press conference that that the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic will be offering partial discounts to Picnic ticket holders in light of the cancellation of Neil Young & Crazy Horse on Monday. Picnic Founder and Producer , Jean-Paul Gauthier, also stated that more acts are being added to the Picnic line up which will also include a second stage in the centre of the show field. This year’s line up includes Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Arkells, Whitehorse, Basia Bulat, Trixie Whitley, Rocco DeLuca, Harlan Pepper, Pegi Young & The Survivors and Ohnia:kara on Saturday August 31st at Christie Lake Conservation Area in Dundas, Ontario. Gates open at 11AM and show starts at 12PM. The event serves to celebrate the importance of the Greenbelt, local farmers, art, the outdoors and the eat-local movement.

Gauthier stated, “We are persevering with the 2013 Greenbelt Harvest Picnic despite the cancellation of Neil Young & Crazy Horse by offering ticket purchasers a partial refund of $40”. Gauthier added, “We will be announcing new acts in the days leading up to the Picnic and fans can expect another great event despite the disappointing news”.

Ticket buyers will be receiving refunds at point of purchase. Ticket buyers who purchased through TicketMaster will be contacted by TicketMaster. Ticket buyers who purchased from consignment locations, can pick up their refund beginning Saturday August 24th at 10AM. All buyers must bring photo ID and their tickets to receive their refund.

SSEL also announced today that Harrison Kennedy has been added to the lineup. Kennedy is a multiple Juno and Maples Blues Awards nominee and multiple Hamilton Music Award winner. Kennedy was a member of the Detroit based band Chairman of the Board. In 2013, Kennedy released the album, Soulscape.

Gauthier also announced today that the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic Pre-Party with Pegi Young & The Survivors at This Ain’t Hollywood on August 29th is completely sold out.

---

Original post

Ralph Molina Facebook Post

The news that Neil Young And Crazy Horse's are canceling the remaining N. American Concert Tour Dates hit fans hard. Very hard.

Much anguish and despair. See a sample of some the tweets flying about:

I hope Neil Young will remember Nelson County don't need him around anyhow... pic.twitter.com/jipXaiaSiD

— Becky (@FelixNadarism) August 20, 2013

If Crazy Horse can't make @ottawafolk, why doesn't Neil Young do some of his acoustic stuff? It is supposed to be a folk festival.

— Tom MacGregor (@MacGregorTom) August 20, 2013

@danlanois Hey Dan, I paid an ENORMOUS amount of money to see Neil Young. I am not rich and I want a full refund!!!!!!!!!!!

— Derby Kirby (@derbykirby) August 20, 2013

A press conference is scheduled this morning at 11:00 AM by the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic, Christie Lake - Dundas, Ontario organizers.

All that aside, as happened earlier after the Europe Tour Cancellation, much discussion of "The Show Must Go On!". Many Comments on Thrasher's Wheat -- and elsewhere implored Neil to play. Somehow, some way.

Solo acoustic. A trio. A substitute. Let Poncho play keyboards.

Well, not to repeat ourselves again like deja vu all over again, but this is Neil. Shakey. His way or the highway. That's the Neil deal.

There was a bunch of chatter about what would Bruce Springsteen do? But Neil's not Bruce. And not to sound all sanctimonious, but that's why there are Bruce fans and Neil fans. And if you don't get it, you don't get it.

Get well Poncho.

And thanks Ralph for setting us all straight.

---

---

CANCELED: Neil Young And Crazy Horse's Remaining N. American Concert Tour Dates

Poncho & Neil Young, Melbourne 13 March 2013
(Click photo to enlarge))
From The Capitol Theatre | Facebook:

SHOW NOTICE! Neil Young And Crazy Horse regretfully announce that in addition to canceling the remaining dates on their European tour, they must also cancel their upcoming U.S. tour dates including their upcoming date at The Capitol Theatre on September 2nd, due to a hand injury sustained by guitarist Poncho Sampredo, whose doctor has indicated that Sampredo's hand requires additional time to heal properly.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes to our fans or the festivals where we were scheduled to appear," the band has said in a statement. "As you must be, we too are disappointed at this unfortunate turn of events."

Refunds available at point of purchase.

The canceled North American dates:

8/31 Dundas, ON Greenbelt Harvest Picnic
9/02 Port Chester, NY Capitol Theatre
9/04 Ottawa, ON Ottawa Folk Festival
9/07 Arrington, VA Interlocken Music Festival

As many had worried and fear -- while others maintained hope - it looks like Alchemy has run its course.

It's been a stupendous ride.

Get well soon Poncho.

Hope to see the boys back again someday...

Please, Don't Say It's Over.

Disappointed Neil Young And Crazy Horse Fans Today
The O2 Arena, London, England - 2013-08-19
Photo by Hiroko M. | Facebook(Click photo to enlarge))

---

---

Neil Young - Bakersfield, California - March 11, 1973

Neil Young
Bakersfield, California - March 11, 1973
(Click photo to enlarge)
Here's a photo and a note we received recently.

Since everyone now is looking back 50 years to civil rights, and rightly so, I thought we should also go back just 40 years.

Specifically: March 11, 1973. Here’s an image taken at Neil’s concert in Bakersfield, California, by one of the founding NEWS BROS. band members, photographer Rob Bishop. This was from the Time Fades Away series, and there are audio files of this show available on the web.

While Rob never performed publicly with the band, the long rockin’ NEWS BROS. is celebrating its 30 Year Anniversary Tour this year.

Now, if we all only looked 20 Years younger!

Regards,
Karl

Thanks Karl! You know how time fades away.

---

---

Life on the Rail: A True Story of a Crazy Horse Fan

1st in Line for Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Nimes, France - July 17, 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)
So what is it like to be on the quest for the holy rail?

As we know, it's not easy to be a Neil Young & Crazy Horse fan. No one ever said that it should be.

For those who have been following closely the Europe 2013 concert tour, you have come across the adventures of one particular rustie fan known as Uwe from Germany. Even by the early dates, Uwe went from an "unknown legend" to walking like a giant Horse fan.

Uwe & Rusties on The Holy Rail
Berlin, Germany - June 2, 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)
Here's just one chapter in the amazing adventures of a Neil Young fan: Crazy Horse – and Uwe too | barneyspender:

When we arrived at the Roman arena shortly after 1pm, there was just one other person there, waiting for the gates to open in five hours time.

“I am always number one,” announced Uwe proudly.

Ah Uwe. Where to begin? The kids and I had met him for the first time a couple of nights previously when he and Mrs S went to see Neil Young in Vienne in another Roman theatre.

More on the amazing adventures of a Neil Young fan on barneyspender.

Uwe
Paris, France - June 6, 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)
Uwe, don't be denied! Ever.

---

---

SPECIAL EDITION: 1st Anniversary of Thrasher's Wheat Radio + 20 Years on Rust

Crazy Horse
Berlin - June 2, 2013
Photo by Paolo Brillo
(Click photo to enlarge)
Tomorrow night, Saturday, August 17th at 9:00 PM EST, Thrasher's Wheat Radio will celebrate our 1st Anniversary on WBKM.org.

Our 1st Anniversary broadcast will be expanded to two hours and feature reflections over the past year, as well as, some exceptional live Crazy Horse recordings from 2012 & '13.

So be sure to join us with hosts Tony and Eric as we reel in the year and reminisce over all that is good and celebrate our "Year of the Horse". We'll have some reflections on Neil Young's music and it's meaning in our lives, along with thoughts and memories from the roadtrip to Europe.

We should also mention that we're not just celebrating Thrasher's Wheat Radio, but our 20th anniversary since joining the Rust online community. We've made lots and lots of friends over the years and its been a remarkable journey of technological evolution all held together by The Man, The Myth & The Legend himself -- Neil Young.

So tune in tomorrow night, Saturday, August 17th at 9:00 PM EST, for Thrasher's Wheat Radio's 1st Anniversary program on WBKM.org.

Don't Be Denied!

ps - Thanks to all for supporting Thrasher's Wheat Radio!


Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST
Logo design by
Geoff Moore - Silver Moon Graphics
(How To Support Thrasher's Wheat Radio)

---

---

END OF THE LINE (a.k.a The Final 50): Thoughts on Crazy Horse

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cologne, Germany, 2013
Photo by Roel @ Rust Radio!
(Click photo to enlarge)
So where does Neil Young & Crazy Horse go from here?

Here are some thoughts from our good friend Mark "Spook The Horse" Golly.

END OF THE LINE (a.k.a The Final 50)

TOUR DATES CANCELLED
August 8, 2013
For immediate release:
Due to an accident involving Crazy Horse, the remaining dates on the Neil Young and Crazy Horse tour of Europe and the British isles have been cancelled. We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes to our fans or the Festivals where we were scheduled to appear. As you must be, we too are disappointed at this unfortunate turn of events.
-- Neil Young and Crazy Horse

…that was that then…. The end of the (Euro) line had just have moved in to view for Crazy Horse….

Already Thrasher’s Wheat has seen a heap of semi-invective directed towards the band, Neil Young, Lookout…take your pick. There’s a lot of frustration and upset out there (not hard to see why really) but this isn’t about that anyway ~ people say and think what they want to, vent their feelings in ever more forthright ways. However accurate or misguided the mounting opinions, thoughts and (whisper it) conspiracy theories may be, we’ll leave those all to one side…

London August 8th

So…. I got off the plane at Heathrow’s T5 after a brief sojourn in to Oslo last night. I’d sent friends a few texts whilst in Norway’s lovely capital and sent one more before heading on to the Underground, mentioning the sublime last 50 minutes of the Spektrum show and just how much I was looking forward to heading to Copenhagen on Monday.

As I emerged from the dank Central Line sauna, my battered Nokia was lighting up with texts in the midst of the back end of another London rush hour. One by one as I opened them, the words “tour off” were the only things to compute in a travel-weary brain.

I made a swift call to someone who’d know, and that momentary sense of dread that something truly awful had unfolded in the 18 hours since they went off stage were swiftly put to bed ~ Poncho had a busted hand ~ so, y’know, that was good-ish news, but it meant that there was now a whole heap of unpicking of travel, hotels and ticket refunds to be sorted, money would be lost and some would come back.

Coming back.

Money coming back.

But are Crazy Horse? Crazy Horse coming back…?

Seven Euro tour shows have gone to the wall, but the early signs are that the four in the US and Canada in late August & early September are still said to be ok. They’ll be honoured. Lucky them…

…for those people who had eyes on Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Belgium and England the words “oh, that’s a shame” seem almost trite. On the evidence of that final, incendiary, revelatory 50 minutes in Oslo they do make sense. They make one hell of a lot of sense.

That show at the Spektrum on Wednesday night was special. This was Show 9 on “my” Alchemy tour, thousands of miles and thousands of pounds invested in one last hurrah for the Horse ~ starting in Seattle last winter and ending (now) in Oslo ~ and the grand finale was as good as I’ve seen them on this tour. Jeez, it was as good as I have ever seen Crazy Horse…

Everything started off well on the night and progressed, with a typically thundering clip-clop, to something that became more and more out there...there was a funky setlist too (within the, admittedly, restricted parameters of the tour, especially latterly) and although it was a familiar, well-worn (though beguiling) path through to the acoustic set it remains a path like no other.

A lovely long, drawn out "Human Highway" and delicate, fragile, bare bones reading of "Red Sun" were the headline contenders for “moment of Hour 1”, the latter even trumping the ever-stellar "Love & Only Love" and the deafening clamour of tectonic plates pounding and colliding together during "Walk Like A Giant" (Neil, head tossed back, eyes shut, howling whilst he waggled the amp knob hidden behind the mesh on the cartoon Fender stack....on the big screen, Young appeared like some sort of demented, immense rock'n'roll T. Rex ~ a dinosaur indeed in one respect, but not in the regular, “tired old artist” cliché way ~ this was a beguiling and a quite extraordinary sight...and sound).

Typically, there came a momentary Crazy Horse wobble or two through “Hole in the Sky” and then a beautifully harmonic “Singer Without A Song”, as pretty and as sweet as this song has sounded to my ears. Gut-churning, hell-hole deep chords pronounced the (predicted) arrival of “Ramada Inn” and then…. and then, something began to change. Something began to emerge from the shadows to make a really entertaining and a really very good Crazy Horse show in to something just that extra bit special….

Three-quarters of the way through one of the most subdued and melancholy "Ramada Inn" renditions I’ve heard (no bad thing by the way), the dynamic changed. Crazy Horse went from just plain greatness to something that went way out in to another dimension....Poncho and Neil's guitars locked and inter-twined in the most heavenly and divine manner ~ on the big screen you could see that Neil Young had found that special zone that he always bangs on about...blissed out, lost in the moment with his friends ~ the groove was there, right there, in that single capture as the fabled spook began to nestle across the stage like a melodic shroud.

It was the kick-start to something utterly sublime and totally unforgettable...what followed blew me away, expectations confounded once again. Damn, this band keep doing this to me! 63 shows on the register and they do this to me…unbelievable…

Funny, afterwards, talking to my friends Ragnar and Joost (fellow long-time, seasoned NY observers and travellers) we all mentioned, almost as one, just how none of us would ever have thought that "Sedan Delivery" would be the song of the night at any NYCH show…

…but the band fizzed and crackled and exploded through it like a sonic Catherine Wheel ~ a genuinely ferocious assault on the song, and for a few minutes, it felt as though I was as close to capturing a moment in time, fully 35 years ago with the Horse in full '78 “Rust Never Sleeps”-mode, as I've ever seen them. Jaw-droppingly great...fast & furious, Crazy Horse turning back the garage rock clock I guess.

"Surfer Joe" was a fairground colossus, taken around the back of the ferris wheel where he became lean and mean and fist-fight tight machine...while the twin Gibson assault on "Mr Soul" melded and mashed the song in to a psychedelic punk pulp. The solitary encore ("HHMM") was triumphant, victorious and glorious....loud as f*ck....with a nod to JJ Cale as well it seems....the climax hurtling along like a freight train...the song returned to the dramatic conclusion looking suitably (appropriately) brutalised, battered and bruised.

Another gaze up at the big screen ~ there were smiles all round the stage. Four old men. Trusted friends. Wrapped in each other’s arms. Doing what they wanted to do best. With whom they wanted to do it. They had just made one heck of a racket. And for 50 peerless minutes they made the best noise made by man. Ever. The smiles said it all. They had nailed it. And they knew it. They really did....with grins as broad as fjords and a “whoop whoop” they were gone, laughing and joking as they descended the stage.

For the final 50 minutes or so of Oslo, Crazy Horse were the best I'd ever seen them. The best. No question. Unfeasible tight (for them), well drilled and precise in a way that only Crazy Horse can be. This was a band making the most heavenly rock’n’roll clamour ~ shards of sound dropping down from every inch of the ceiling and walls of the hall.

….and then, less than a day later came the texts.

As things began to sink in on the Liverpool Street concourse, the most extraordinary moments of bitter-sweetness came along too….maybe, just maybe, I’d actually just seen the final Crazy Horse show in Europe. Fate often plays a hand (sorry…) in the constant career arc of Neil Young ~ before anyone really knew what was what, I did wonder whether the stable door would be locked and bolted and the key thrown away for good. Out to grass they would go as the pack leader ventured off to pastures new.

…thankfully, as it stands, that doesn’t seem to be so. Interlocken could be the finale and the final farewell. Who knows?

Maybe the studio door will open again and an unparalleled third CH album in a row may come along. Maybe the tour will find extra legs. Maybe, maybe, maybe…

...the general feeling is that most folk will be staggered if they ever make it back to Europe...but with that bittersweet smile creeping back again, at least I can say “I was there” for what may have been the grand exit of the Horse from the European barnyard....

I so hope not.

And, as ever with Neil Young, time will tell.

Mark
NYAS #1098

Thanks Mark!

Certainly hope it's not the end of the line for The Horse. But if it is, what a great ride it has been.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Rock in Roma, Italy - July 26, 2013
Photo by Francesco Lucarelli
(Click photo to enlarge)

---

---

Neil Young’s Pono Ecosystem Will Put a ‘Freemium’ on Sound Quality | Evolver.fm

Neil Young on “David Letterman” - September 27, 2012
(Click photo to enlarge)
As we await the next chapter in the Crazy Horse saga, what's going on in Pono world?

Last we checked, the question was Is Neil Young's hi-res music service PONO still a viable technology? Well, that still seems to be the question.

From Neil Young’s Pono Ecosystem Will Put a ‘Freemium’ on Sound Quality | Evolver.fm by Eliot Van Buskirk:

Evolver.fm has learned new details about this promising service, which is expected to launch at some point this year, including which devices it will work with — and how its sound quality will differ depending on which one you use.

The main thing to know here is that only one device will be capable of playing Pono files at their maximum, Neil Young-approved sound quality. You guessed it — this is the Pono player, the yellow thing Neil flashed around on Letterman last year, which, to this former MP3 player reviewer, recalls similarly-triangular iRiver models of the past.

Yes, if you want a Pono file to play properly, you’ll need to play it on the Pono device — no computers, iPhones, Androids, or high-end D/A converters for you (more on that last one later).

However, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, Pono files will play on any digital audio device, just at a lower sound quality (i.e. something like what most of us listen to today). In other words, you should be able to load the songs up on your iPhone — they will just lack the amped up sound that made you go with Pono in the first place.

In that sense, Neil Young and his Pono team have figured out how to do something Spotify did for subscription music, but to sound quality: To make it “freemium.” You might be able to “borrow” a Pono file from a “friend” and play it on whatever you want — but in order to get the top-notch sound quality, you’ll need to play it on a Pono, from what we hear, and you’ll need to be the person who purchased it.

As the article goes on to explore, who is the target market for PONO? High-end audiophiles? Folks who like free music?

Maybe folks who care enough about sound quality to pay but aren't necessarily high-end audiophiles?

And, here's the big question -- will PONO be the platform of choice for The Archives Volume #2?

If so, then the next question will be whether the PONO format will have a legacy similar to the BluRay format and The Archives Volume #1.

And don't anyone ask about the format for The Archives Volume #3!

---

---

Interview with Crazy Horse's Billy Talbot

Billy Talbot & Neil Young
Melbourne, AUS - Mar 13, 2013
via Michael S.J. | Photos of Rusties
(Click photo to enlarge)
An in-depth interview with Crazy Horse's Billy Talbot.

In Norway for Crazy Horse’s Europe tour, Billy spoke of capturing the “juice” of a song, the perfect sound of the “trombonium”, and his appreciation for the great group of players who traveled with him On The Road To Spearfish -- his new new album.

From Jambands.com - Need We Say More? > Features > _On The Road To Spearfish_ with Crazy Horse's Billy Talbot by Brian Robbins:

Jambands.com: When you spend a lot of time standing between Neil and Pancho, somebody has to take care of the bass – and you’re damn good at it in Crazy Horse. But you play a lot of guitar on Spearfish – you have your own thing going on; some really cool stuff.

Billy Talbot: Well, thank you – I appreciate it.

Jambands.com:Did you have one main guitar and amp combo for the sessions?

Billy Talbot: I used a 1964 Stratocaster – it’s beautiful; a great guitar – on most of the tracks except where I’m playing acoustic guitar or piano. I played it through my old 1960s Fender Tremolux amp. On “On The Road To Spearfish” I used my 1968 Les Paul with that same amp.

Jambands.com:How about if we run down through some specific songs?

Billy Talbot: Sure.

Jambands.com: “Empty Stadium” is beautiful, but chock full of ache.

Billy Talbot:(sings) “Sometimes I feel like I’m all alone/In an empty stadium …” It’s that contrast between a stadium that’s full of people celebrating and having a great time and when it’s just big and empty. That’s life sometimes: everything is happening and you’re feeling so … so jolly, so to speak … and then the next hour you’re all alone again. That’s what I’m talking about – feeling those blues in a big, empty space when everything is gone. That’s what I was trying to say with that imagery.

The songs really speak for themselves; it’s hard for me to talk about their meanings … that’s why I wrote them. The feelings are best said in the songs – and for you as a listener, you can conjure up your own imagery.

Thanks Brian!

And here's the video for Billy Talbot's “Empty Stadium” on his new new album On The Road To Spearfish.

---

---

PODCAST: Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour - Episode #48

Poncho
"Like A Hurricane"
Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany, June 2, 2013
Photo by Paolo Brillo
(Click photo to enlarge)
Here is the latest downloadable podcast for the Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour.

Saturday, August 10, 2013 - “Down on pain street, disappointment lurks” - Remaining Europe tour dates canceled

Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour - Show #48

[Click link to play or >>> To download, right click on link, save target as, pick destination folder: the podcast will download. Select your preferred MP3 audio player and play file.]

Enjoy!

Also, all previous podcasts archived @ PODCAST: Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour.



Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST
Logo design by
Geoff Moore - Silver Moon Graphics

Thanks everyone for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat Radio! We appreciate you!

---

---

Frank "Poncho" Sampedro Radio Interview - August 3, 2012

Here's an interview with Frank "Poncho" Sampedro, of Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

The interview is from August 3, 2012 with radio station KVSF 101.5, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The DJs are Ira G and Todd Lovato.

In light of recent developments, we found the following comment to be interesting:

“I’m the stick in the mud that doesn’t want to do any other work without Neil.

I just think we have something really special with Neil. We kind of diluted ourselves over the years with trying different projects. A lot of different artists want to work with us, as well. I just don’t want to do that. I think this is special.”

Don't say it's over .

---

---

LAST CALL: Thrasher's Wheat Radio T-shirts

Sandy & Tami
The Arkansas Girls
(Click photo to enlarge)

Thrasher's Wheat Radio Supporters Go To Europe
for Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Tour
Koln, Germany, July 2013

Hamburg, Germany, June 2013

Terri & Donna
The Carolina Sisters
June 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)
We're giving away Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org t-shirts as way to say thanks to all of our listeners and readers. If you're interested, just follow these steps:

#1) Subscribe (or be already subscribed) to one of our blogfeed channels either via Facebook (LIKE us), Twitter (FOLLOW us) and/or subscribe to our email list.

2) Then just email us (thrasher@thrasherswheat.org) with your name, postal mailing address (with *country*), and which blogfeed channel you signed up for (Facebook, Twitter, email list options noted above in Step #1). *Be sure to identify your complete Facebook ID, Twitter handle, or email address.*

Entries must be emailed with SUBJECT line: Contest - Thrasher's Wheat Radio T-shirt

Also, include your t-shirt size (Large or Extra Large)

Deadline: August 10, 2013

If you're going to any of the upcoming Europe shows let us know!

We'll then randomly select Thrasher's Wheat readers as winners.

Don't Be Denied!

ps - At this point, all previous supporters of Thrasher's Wheat Radio goes to Europe should be taken care of. If you still haven't received your stuff, drop us a line and we'll get you taken care of ASAP.

pss - For more info on our commemorative T-shirt, which is organic, spun 100% cotton without the use of any pesticide....using only biofuel, see here.


Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST
Logo design by
Geoff Moore - Silver Moon Graphics
(How To Support Thrasher's Wheat Radio)
Tonight, Saturday, August 10 at 9:00 PM EST, (~15 minutes from now) the Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour from WBKM.org will be streaming.

Tonight's edition will feature the latest Neil Young news from Crazy Horse World Tour.

Tune in details and podcast info @ Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour.

---

---

▶ Don't Say It's Over - "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Oslo Spektrum 7 Aug 2013 - YouTube

During the song "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)", Neil Young sings the lines "Don't Say It's Over" over & over.

In light of recent developments, we have to agree -- please don't say it's over.

"Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Oslo Spektrum 7 Aug 2013.

---

---

Attention Bergen Neil Young and Crazy Horse Fans: The Show Must Go On!

Bull Young
Tonight's scheduled Neil Young and Crazy Horse at the Bergenhus Festning, Bergen, Norway has been canceled, sadly.

But the show must go on!

From our dear friends "Hounds that Howl" and his "Cowgirl in the Sand" comes this note for undeterred rusties up in Norway:

Rusties and fellow Neil Young and Crazy Horse fans in Bergen Norway tonight are saying "Don't Be Denied". Neil Young songs will be in the air in Bergen on Saturday 10 August at 10 pm the Restaurant Madam Felle. Performing there will be the Neil Young cover band BULL YOUNG. The restaurant is located at Bryggen 47, 150 meters from the concert venue toward the center of town.

While Dinning Harborside at the Madam Felle Restaurant here we struck up a conversation with our waiter Jostein Torsvik. Turns out enterprising Norwegian Jostein not only is a part owner of Madam Felle. He is also a minority owner and employee of a music logistics company that erects the stages for rock concerts all over Scandinavia. Earlier today Jostein and his crew had just completed taking down the stage in Bergen after erecting it yesterday.

"It's unfortunate that it was cancelled," a disappointed Jostein told us. "Neil is popular in Bergen and we don't get to see him that often. He was here in 2008 and we were excited to have him back." Jostein's restaurant hired the cover band Bull Young in hopes of filling the void for the Rusties who are in Bergen this weekend. Thanks to him there is still a "Hurricane" warning for tomorrow night in this proud and beautiful Norwegian Port Town.

Bull Young Saturday Night 10 PM at Madam Felle

Hurricane Warning tomorrow in Bergen

Love and Only Love

Bergen, Norway

Thanks "Hounds that Howl" and his "Cowgirl in the Sand"!

Don't Be Denied!

---

---

Neil Young and Crazy Horse Europe Tour Cancellation Reverberates

Poncho
Köln, Germany - July 12, 2013
Photo by Roel van Dijk's
(Click photo to enlarge)
Yesterday's news that Neil Young and Crazy Horse's remaining Europe tour dates are canceled hit the rusty world quite hard.

It was was no pleasure for us here at Thrashers Wheat to break the news just hours before the band was to hit the stage for the big Way Out West Festival in Göteborg, Sweden. Reaction here and here was swift, ranging from concern, anguish, to outright bitterness.

Of course, the main concern is that Poncho's injury is relatively minor and he makes a full recovery.

There were many cries of "The show must go on!".

Neil should have just played an acoustic set.

Crazy Horse should've played as a trio.

Since it was a festival, there must have been some guitarist around who could step in and replace Poncho.

And over and over again, my friends.

Really?

We completely understand everyone's disappointment. Especially those who had been standing on the rail at last night's Way Out West Festival for hours in anticipation. So sorry for all who were excited about seeing Crazy Horse. And for those that traveled long distances or had plans to, our heart goes out and hope there's a next ride on the Horse for you someday.

Absolutely gutted I won’t be seeing Neil Young next week as the European tour has been cancelled. Proper gutted. 😢

— Desirée Ivegbuna (@__mamiwata) August 9, 2013

@neilyoung gutted at cancellation of Liverpool gig. Couldn't @nilslofgren have been drafted in to help out?

— Barb Carlyon (@babscarly) August 9, 2013

@neilyoung so sorry that you had to cancel the shows...hope Poncho gets better soon!!!!

— Elisabeth Arndt (@ellymay5) August 9, 2013

But -- and you know this is coming -- you can't put yourself in Neil's shoes and just say here's what I think is best. I know what's best for Neil. It doesn't work that way. Never has. Never will.

Down on pain street, disappointment lurks.

Down on pain street, disappointment lurks. -- Neil Young

— Neil Young Lyrics (@neilyounglyrics) August 9, 2013

So how bout a little ▶ "Depression Blues to cheer everyone up? :)

Get well soon Poncho! We need you back to ride that crazy horse one more round.

Poncho Fuckin' Up
Australia 2013
Photo by Gary "Old Man Emu" Carter
(Click photo to enlarge)Hey, if we think really hard.... No Rain/More Horse, No Rain/More Horse, No Rain/More Horse!

---

---

TOUR DATES CANCELLED: Neil Young and Crazy Horse Europe Tour

Update: Reports indicate that Poncho has sustained a hand injury.

Report from Rolling Stone by Andy Greene is that Frank "Poncho" Sampedro broke his hand. "It's a mild fracture," a source close to the Young camp tells Rolling Stone. "He's expected to make a complete recovery in time for the North American tour."

Statement from Way Out West Festival, Göteborg, Sweden -- where Neil Young and Crazy Horse were scheduled to perform tonight:

We regret to inform you that a member of Crazy Horse today has been in an accident. Unfortunately, this means that Neil Young & Crazy Horse must cancel his gig tonight. Reiterates and regrets: Neil Young & Crazy Horse forced to cancel due the crash of one in the band. This affects the whole European tour.

This is the first we've heard "crash"? Possibly a translation thing?

---

From official NY Times:

TOUR DATES CANCELLED
August 8, 2013
For immediate release:
Due to an accident involving Crazy Horse, the remaining dates on the Neil Young and Crazy Horse tour of Europe and the British isles have been cancelled. We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes to our fans or the Festivals where we were scheduled to appear. As you must be, we too are disappointed at this unfortunate turn of events.
-- Neil Young and Crazy Horse

We're as stunned as everyone.

Here's hoping that the accident isn't too serious and the Horse will be able to ride again someday soon.

No word on remaining N. American dates.

Major bummer. :(

sorry folks

Poster for tonight's concert Way Out West Festival, Göteborg, Sweden

Way Out West Festival, Göteborg, Sweden - 2013-08-08
Europe 2013 Neil Young and Crazy Horse Tour

---

Oslo, Norway: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews - August 7, 2013

---

Neil Young & Crazy Horse will be performing tonight at Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway.

Got a report? Drop us a comment below.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates and Chronological Grid, Recording Summary, Statistics and Extras.

Also, see Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2013 Concert Tour Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

---

---

▶ "Love And Only Love" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse (Live@5.8.2013 Helsinki)

The perfect song setlist opener from last night shot close on a Nokia 808 Pureview.

"Love And Only Love" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Helsinki Classic Festival in Kaisaniemi Park, Helsinki, Finland on 5.8.2013.

scorchin'

tomorrow is a long, long time when you're a memory

enjoy

---

---

Helsinki, Finland: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews - August 5, 2013

@neilyoung And more photos from the Helsinki show at http://t.co/KZMvy2oYJO #rocknrollwillneverdie #helsinki pic.twitter.com/rx38h9zGsj

— Captain Klutz (@cptklutz) August 5, 2013

Setlist:
Love and Only Love
Powderfinger
Psychedelic Pill
Walk Like a Giant
Hole in the Sky
Human Highway
Heart of Gold
Blowin' in the Wind
Singer Without a Song
Ramada Inn
Cinnamon Girl
Fuckin' Up
Mr Soul
Hey Hey, My My (into the Black)
Encore:
Sedan Delivery

---

Neil Young & Crazy Horse will be performing tonight at Helsinki Classic Festival, Helsinki, Finland.

Got a report? Drop us a comment below.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates and Chronological Grid, Recording Summary, Statistics and Extras.

Also, see Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2013 Concert Tour Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

---

---

Next Release: Neil Young Live At Cellar Door 1970, 'Performance Archive Series'

The Cellar Door (original w/ hinges)
Winnipeg, Canada
via Joey Gregorash Collection
(Click photo to enlarge)
For some time now, we've been hearing rumors that the next Neil Young release will be Live At Cellar Door 1970 from the Performance Archive Series.

As we discussed last night on Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org, a listing for the release has appeared and disappeared on Amazon listings over the last month with a vinyl version currently listed on Germany's Amazon - Cellar Door [Vinyl LP] as a pre-order.

According to Sugar Mountain - Neil Young Set Lists, there were 6 shows at The Cellar Door, Washington, D.C. on 30th November, 1, 2 Dec. 1970 with an early and late show each day.

From a Oct. 2009 interview with Guitar World magazine:

Guitar World: So how many Archives sets are we looking at?

Neil Young: Maybe four, maybe five. It depends on how much cutting and paring down we do, and how much we get into using BD-Live, which is a really remarkable thing. It's tremendous. It's remarkable because we really only saw that aspect of it for the first time six or seven months ago....One thing that we figured out is that we're going to be able to do progressive download updates. So for instance, around 1970 I played a show at the Cellar Door club in Washington, D.C. That show was taped, but we don't have enough great takes to release it as its own disk.

Instead, I'll probably make the songs available as downloadable updates to Archives. We'll drop them onto the timeline one at a time... One thing I'll tell you about the next volume of Archives is that Time Fades Away II is in there. And it's interesting because the whole thing has a different drummer than what was on that album. I switched drummers halfway through the tour- Kenny Buttrey was in there for the first half, and Johnny Barbata came in for the second. It's a completely different thing, with completely different songs. So that's interesting. There's lots of stuff like that that I'm working on right now for the second volume.

Track list for Live At Cellar Door 1970:

1. On The Way Home
2. Tell Me Why
3. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
4. Old Man
5. Down By The River
6. After The Gold Rush
7. Expecting To Fly
8. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong
9. Bad Fog Of Loneliness
10.See The Sky About To Rain

The release is tentatively set by Warner Reprise on September 6 2013.

Note that "See the Sky About to Rain" on Archives Vol. 1 Disc 6 is an edit of Dec. 1 and Dec. 2 shows.

From Steve Hoffman Forums:

All the 6 shows(30th November,1,2 Dec.1970) were recorded by Henry Lewy for a planned double album combined with the electric songs at the Fillmore East. The Cellar Door were 8-track recordings. It's likely that some multitracks from these concerts still survive . Most of the original reels from these shows were shown at The Visit To The Archives(2000, Neil.Young.com). Some of the master logs are also listed in the Archives Book. The Neil Young Archives have all the 2 tracks from these shows. Sugar Mountain by Tom Hambleton takes his information from the Ghost on The Road(Pete Long), which sources are provided by Joel Bernstein. Neil promised the release of this record in Waging Heavy Peace, so this is really a great news.

Obviously, there's a lot going on with "The Cellar Door".

"The Cellar" was a Winnipeg club that Neil Young & The Squires once played.

The song "The Needle and the Damage Done" has the lyrics "knocking on my cellar door" line.

A very young Nils Lofgren talked his way backstage and introduced himself to Neil Young at Cellar Door club in Washington, D.C.

More interestingly, cellar door is a combination of words in the English language once characterized by J. R. R. Tolkien to have an especially beautiful sound. In his 1955 essay "English and Welsh", commenting on his affection towards the Welsh language, Tolkien wrote:

"Most English-speaking people...will admit that cellar door is 'beautiful', especially if dissociated from its sense (and from its spelling). More beautiful than, say, sky, and far more beautiful than beautiful. Well then, in Welsh for me cellar doors are extraordinarily frequent, and moving to the higher dimension, the words in which there is pleasure in the contemplation of the association of form and sense are abundant."
Tolkien's discourse is the most likely origin of this concept and the only documented one. Nonetheless, this phrase has been subject to a legendary degree of misattribution. In common circulation, this pronouncement is commonly attributed to "a famous linguist". [1] It has also been mistakenly attributed to Edgar Allan Poe, Dorothy Parker[2], and Robert Frost although no such texts have surfaced. The most detailed account alludes to a survey, possibly conducted around the 1940s, probing the word in the English language generally thought to be the most beautiful. Contributing to this survey, American writer H. L. Mencken supposedly claimed that a Chinese student, who knew little or no English, especially liked the phrase cellar door — not for what it meant, but rather for how it sounded. Some accounts describe the immigrant as Italian rather than Chinese. Another account suggests that it is a mispronunciation of the French words C'est de l'or, which can be translated as "It is gold".

Tolkien also once used the phrase to illustrate a point about his writing process during an interview:

"Supposing you say some quite ordinary words to me - 'cellar door', say. From that, I might think of a name, 'Cellardoor', and from that a character, a situation begins to grow."[3]

I caught ya knockin' at my cellar door...

---

---