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An unofficial news blog for Neil Young fans from Thrasher's Wheat with concert and album updates, reviews, analysis, and other Rock & Roll ramblings. Separating the wheat from the chaff since 1996.
Neil Young's newest album Storytone is now set for a November 4, 2014 release and available to pre-order on Amazon.com. (For those keeping track of such things, this will be Neil's only 35th studio album release, not including live, comps, etc. slacker)
Track List:
Plastic Flowers
Who's Gonna Stand Up?
I Want To Drive My Car
Glimmer
Say Hello To Chicago
Tumbleweed
Like You Used To Do
I'm Glad I Found You
When I Watch You Sleeping
All Those Dreams
Storytone was recorded live in the studio with a 92-piece orchestra and choir. Production by The Volume Dealers (Neil Young and Niko Bolas), recorded and mixed by Al Schmitt with additional co-production, arrangements, orchestration, and conducted by Michael Bearden and Chris Walden.
Apparently, Neil Young does not play guitar or piano on the album?! Now that seems to be really different.
In what will certainly -- as always -- drive fans nuts will be the various release configurations. At the moment, options include: a standard CD edition that features the 10 orchestral song versions of Storytone, the deluxe CD edition (containing both standard and solo versions), and the deluxe 180 gram double vinyl pressing, which will be released on December 16th and will feature both versions of the album. If you pre-order the deluxe CD edition , deluxe vinyl edition or the PonoMusic edition you'll receive instant downloads of both the orchestral and solo versions of "Who's Gonna Stand Up?" Exclusive album bundles include a limited edition, heavy stock lithograph of the album artwork by Neil Young.
And here's a new music video of "Who's Gonna Stand Up?". enjoy!
It's been 36 years ago since we first heard Neil Young perform the song "Thrasher" on the 1978 Rust Never Sleeps tour on October 7 in William & Mary Hall at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. In retrospect, it was an unforgettable moment. A moment that we eventually came to believe that we would never, ever experience again in our lifetime.
And Neil performed the song "Thrasher" with all the intensity and passion that we could ever hope. And it was flawless. All the lyrics were nailed. The right harmonica was loaded. And the audience was rapturously hanging on every note, pondering those oh-so cryptically metaphorical verses.
Until this year, the song "Thrasher" had been played in concert only 32 times, the last time being Oct 24, 1978, which was captured in the “Rust Never Sleeps” concert film*. (*Cow Palace, San Francisco, 22 October 1978. Thanks So Tired & Sugar Mountain!)
So why now? Was there any particular motivation of Neil to perform this rarity in 2014 in Los Angeles?
"This song, uh, you know, I did it, I haven't done it that much in my life, because, at a very vulnerable moment I read something about it. Just like the worst fucking review I've ever read. So, for all you reviewers, if you feel like your words don't mean anything, you're probably right. In that case.. in that case, they were damaging. So, anyway, we uh .. I think I got this uh.. I think this is the one here, I hope so.."
As we rambled about the other night on Thrasher's Wheat Radio, there's a great deal of significance to the song's unexpected resurfacing after its 36 years absence as Neil's most requested obscurity track.
Obviously, the song “Thrasher” is quite special to us and we've long considered the song to be Neil Young’s lyrical magnum opus - rich with poetry, metaphors, themes, allusions, and symbols. In one of our very first posts to the Rust list back in 1993 we attempted An Analysis of the Meaning of the song Thrasher Lyrics.
Looking back today at the analysis, there were some things that we think we got right and a few things that were clearly wrong. Our central thesis at the time was that "Thrasher" was about the whole mega group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young trip in the mid-'70s. Neil seemed to be referring to his former bandmates as the "they" in “Thrasher”. The dinosaurs are CSNY - extinct, a fossil. "So I got bored and left them there, they were just dead weight to me" refers to Neil's departure from CSNY. "It's better on the road without that load" signifies Neil's successful solo path.
“Thrasher” - Rust Never Sleeps film
So that was then. This is now.
It's now been 40 years since the 1974 reunion tour and there's been much speculation about a multi-disc box set being released for the anniversary, as well as, a possible tour. While still no definite confirmation of CSNY plans here in 2014, the clock ticks on and the possibility remains.
But it would seem that the performance of “Thrasher” last week would be a good omen in terms of Neil reconciling differences with CS&N. Or not?
Could this be Neil's response to CS&N regarding the 1974 reunion tour box set, as in it's not going to happen? Well, based on Neil's response to a crowd shout out in Philadelphia to CSNY, Neil replied "Never again."
"But me I'm not stopping there,
Got my own row left to hoe
Just another line in the field of time
When the thrashers comes, I'll be stuck in the sun
Like the dinosaurs in shrines
But I'll know the time has come
To give what's mine. "
First-ever performance of “Thrasher” recorded on May 24, 1978 at the legendary Boarding House in San Francisco.
Or maybe the performance of “Thrasher” has nothing to do with CSNY? Maybe another 4 letter acronym... PONO? A comment below by The Flying Scotsman just might be on to something...
"The aimless blade of science" - surely a reference to the criticism of Pono, intended or not! :-)
Also, along the same lines was Neil's story about one of his guitars: he believed the story for years. Then someone introduced doubt into his mind - it turns out the story about it wasn't true. But he kept on believing the story anyway: "So to me, it's still true".
As blatant a metaphor for his belief in hi-res audio as there could possibly be, and quite apt for the rest of us, too.
It's all about what we believe.
The Flying Scotsman.
Well, we now know the time has come to give what's ours.
We still see the vista. We still hear the muse. We continue.
Godspeed. Thank you Neil. Mahalo.
1. From Hank To Hendrix
2. On The Way Home
3. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
4. I'm Glad I Found You
5. Mellow My Mind
6. Reason to Believe
7. Someday
8. If You Could Read My Mind
9. Harvest
10. Old Man
---
11. Pocahontas
12. Heart Of Gold
13. Plastic Flowers
14. A Man Needs A Maid
15. Ohio
16. Southern Man
17. Who's Gonna Stand Up?
18. Mother Earth
19. New Song 3 - ?Trace My Tears?
20. Harvest Moon
21. After The Gold Rush
---
22. Thrasher
Neil Young begins a two night run at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA, tonight, Wednesday, October 8, 2014.
Support The Bridge School Endowment with VIP Experience
This year, The Bridge School is making a major effort to raise funds for The Bridge School Endowment and using the concert as one of the means to achieve this goal.
Here is a unique opportunity to support The Bridge School at this year’s 28th Annual Benefit Concert to help ensure the ongoing vitality and continuity of The Bridge School and its work. The Bridge Builder Endowment Fund will further the unique approach and programs of The Bridge School and will benefit generations of children, those who attend the school and those who benefit from the broad dissemination of the creative strategies developed by our staff. The VIP Experience at the 28th Annual Benefit Concert is a continuing effort in building the endowment.
(For those keeping track of such things, this will be Neil's only 35th studio album release, not including live, comps, etc. slacker)
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
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(... he didn't kill himself either...)
#AaronDidntKillHimself
Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
