Rick Rosas Tribute: Jan 10, 2015, Los Angeles, CA

A tribute to the late Rick Rosas is scheduled for Jan 10, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA.

Sadly, Rick Rosas passed away last month. Rosas, affectionately known as "Rick the Bass Player", has had a long musical career. Most recently, Rosas filled in on bass on the Neil Young & Crazy Horse tour of Europe (Billy Talbot had suffered a stroke).


Rick Rosas: 1949 - 2014
Liverpool, England - July 13, 2014
Photo by Paolo Brillo 
Legendary session musician Waddy Wachtel:

November 8 at 5:57pm ·

Here at home,

Our hearts have been ambushed and forever will bear the scar of knowing that our dear dear friend Rick has been taken away from us forever…

To say "they broke the mold when they made this guy" is such an understatement in this case.. doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.

He was the greatest friend, funniest wiseguy, and such a seriously devoted and dedicated musician always.

Another gigantic understatement is "Rick, we'll miss you."

I look forward to all of us having a night of rock and roll and great memories being shared in his honor and remembrance. A night he would have wanted.

You'll all know when that night is coming.

R I P Rick Rosas

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A video tribute to Rick Rosas: 1949 - 2014:

Rick Rosas: 1949 - 2014
Strictly Bluegrass Festival, October 5, 2008
Photo by Anthony Pidgeon/Redferns

At a November concert by Pegi Young & The Survivors, Pegi and the band made a toast to Rick on stage. Shots of tequila were involved. Check it out...



Thanks sweet, sweet Malibu Joni!!!

Rick Rosas - Europe Summer 2014
Photo by Ruby Inthedust

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
(Rick Rosas far left)
2014-07-12, Hyde Park, London, England
Photo by Paolo Brillo
(Click photo to enlarge)


Neil Young, Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas, Richie Furay

Photo by Joe "The Drummer" Vitale
Rick Rosas has performed Joe Walsh, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Rivers, Ron Wood, Etta James, and the Buffalo Springfield, among others.



Rick Rosas, Ivan Neville, Joe Vitale

Photo by John Nunu Zomot | Facebook - Bonnaroo 2011 (60)
From Wikipedia:

While playing in Walsh’s touring band, Rick met Neil Young at the Farm Aid III benefit held on Sept. 19, 1987 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Young was impressed with the bass player’s musical skill as well as his soft-spoken, laid back manner, and invited him to join his new horn-driven big band, the Bluenotes. It was a bold departure for Young to front a horn section but with saxophonist Steve Lawrence leading the band, the Bluenotes turned out to be one of the most successful musical aggregations of Young's storied career. They recorded their first album in November, 1987 through January, 1988 at the Studio Instrument Rentals in Hollywood and the sessions produced, This Note's For You and controversial single of the same name. Walsh introduced them at the Hollywood Palace in April of 1988, as “the best band in the country.” Rosas and Bluenotes drummer Chad Cromwell were hailed as the tightest rhythm section Young had played with since the Buffalo Springfield and they would frequently end their shows with Springfield classic, "On the Way Home."

Richie Furay and Rick Rosas

Photo from Rick Rosas Facebook Wall Photos (62)
From Wikipedia:

Rosas played on Young’s next album, Chrome Dreams II which finally saw the release of the epic 1988 Bluenotes track “Ordinary People,” he also provided backing vocals for the track “Dirty Old Man.” With an eclectic group of musicians, Young’s Electric Band toured America and Europe and Asia for nearly three years, playing material from nearly every phase of Young’s massive catalogue. A concert film, Neil Young Trunk Show directed by Jonathan Demme, captured an incendiary 2007 performance in Philadelphia, where in one scene Young is seen praising Rosas’ musical abilities, “Rick can play anything!” Another album, with Young, Fork in the Road was recorded during the tour, which culminated in a Hyde Park performance in London with Paul McCartney joining Young onstage for a cover of the Beatles’ "A Day in the Life".

Buffalo Springfield
Bridge School Benefit Concert 2010

From Wikipedia:

A year later Young invited to participate in the reunion of the Buffalo Springfield at that year’s Bridge Concert, the annual benefit Young and his wife Pegi hold to raise money for the The Bridge School for physically challenged children. Along with long time friend, drummer Joe Vitale, Rosas joined the original members Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, in two nights of musical alchemy that surpassed wildest expectations. A six show mini-tour followed in June of 2011 with concerts in Oakland, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and the Bonnaroo music festival but a planned fall tour was cancelled when Young broke his toe and took the downtime to write a memoir. While touring with Pegi Young & the Survivors, he got the call from Neil Young to fill in for Crazy Horse bassist Billy Talbot, who had suffered a mild stroke a few weeks before their 2014 European Tour, making Rosas the only bassist to have played with the' Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Crazy Horse.

Rick Rosas & Ben Keith
Cutting Room, NYC, NY 07-19-2007
Photo by Johnny Marr
More on the life and career of Rick Rosas: 1949 - 2014.

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Gibson Interview: Session Great Waddy Wachtel

Waddy Wachtel

On Neil Young's latest album Storytone, the legendary session musician Waddy Wachtel played a prominent role -- lead guitar on a Neil Young album -- a first.

From an interview with the session great Waddy Wachtel in Gibson Magazine by Michael Leonard:

“I recently played with Neil Young for Storytone. That was wonderful. His new album is live, straight to 2-track. I got the call, walk in, and there's this big band playing swing blues. What the hell is this? I couldn't even see Neil. So I just plugged in and played. Dialled up a clean sound, a bit of lead here and there. Then Niko Bolas, producer of Neil's record and a dear friend of mine, comes over and says 'where's the real Waddy? That dirty sound you have?' I had that, of course. I thought they wanted me to do some swing kinda thing?

“So I get into that sound, and finally see Neil across this big room. He was behind all the baffles with headphones on. He says, 'I'm not playing on this, just singing.' But then I got called back for the next week at the Sony Sound Stage, California. For a beautiful song Neil had written with a full, full string section.

“They wanted me to do what I call my 'phoney' steel guitar. It's a Les Paul and a volume pedal. The '60 burst. I got a lot of gigs in L.A. early on just by doing that. The Les Paul and Bigsby plus a volume pedal – I could sound like a pedal steel guitar. So there's footage of that with the 'new' '60 from Neil's new record somewhere.”

Thanks Ron, LAOL!!

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Youngtown Rock ’n’ Roll Museum Has a New Canadian Home

Trevor Hosier at the Youngtown Rock 'n' Roll Museum
Photo by Lance Anderson

Good news for the Youngtown Rock ’n’ Roll Museum.

As you may recall, the Youngtown Rock ’n’ Roll Museum was formerly located in Neil Young's boyhood hometown of Omemee, Ontario, Canada, but closed earlier this year.

While no longer in a town in north Ontario, the Neil Young focused museum is moving to the Olde Gaol Museum on Victoria Street North in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada. The Youngtown Rock N Roll Museum is a showcase of Rock N Roll artifacts and memorabilia from the first three decades of rock history, including extensive Young artifacts and exhibits. Museum founder and curator Trevor Hosier has acquired many amazing items for exhibit including “Natural Beauty”, a vintage 1970’s Texan acoustic guitar donated by Neil Young.

From Youngtown Rock ’n’ Roll Museum has a new home in Lindsay | Kawartha Lakes This Week by Paul Rellinger:

“The last year-and-and-a-half, it just became too much for me to look after,” explains Mr. Hosier.

“Even though I had five great volunteers who looked after things, the bulk of the work fell on me…shovelling snow, cutting the grass, upkeep of the building. I made the decision this summer that I had taken this as far as I can go.”

With a new manager on board at the Olde Gaol Museum, talk centred on that historic site as a possible new home for a portion of Mr. Hosier’s extensive, and valuable, collection. That led to the securing of “a beautiful room on the main floor” which, come February, will be home to Youngtown Museum at the Olde Gaol.

“It’s been real hard,” admits Mr. Hosier of closing down the Omemee location.

“Just yesterday (Monday) I was there. I had some Neil Young music playing. It was pretty moving. It’s certainly been a big part of my life. A labour of love, really.”

...

“What I’ll really miss is talking with the people who visited…hearing their stories and memories as they view the exhibits,” he says.

“I’m just so happy the Old Gaol Museum stepped up to give us a new home. People can enjoy the exhibits for years to come.”

This is great news for Neil fans that this invaluable collection will be preserved and continue to be open to the public. Thanks for all you do Trevor and your "labour of love".

Full article at Youngtown Rock ’n’ Roll Museum has a new home in Lindsay.

More on Trevor's trip to Neil's California ranch and his amazing Archives tour and photos are on Youngtown museum site.



Also, see Broken Arrow editor Scott Sandie's report in latest issue of Broken Arrow Magazine - November 2009 (#116).


Youngtown Museum
Original Location in Omemee, Ontario, Canada

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Thank You Very Much for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!!! We Love You All

We've been thrilled to share the love and give away Neil Young concert tickets, books, posters, magazines and all sorts of other stuff. But the best of all is sharing what we call Neil Stories -- those which "emotionally resonate" with us all and make it such a joy to be part of the community of global rust.

Truly one the greatest highlights in the 18 years of Thrasher's Wheat existence was -- without a shred of doubt -- was taking Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org to Europe last summer for the Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy Tour.

Thrasher's Wheat Radio Supporters Go To Europe
for Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Tour - June 2013
As you may recall, earlier this year, we had Some Good News and Not So Good News. Essentially, Thrasher's Wheat last it's advertising partnership and the source of the majority of funding for running the Thrasher's Wheat blog.

But we harvest on here at Thrasher's Wheat undeterred because we have a job to do. So we formally invite you to join us in this venture: Support our blog, engage with us, and make your participation and support a reality. Find a level that suits you and slip into the groove.

Uwe "Computer Age" - Rockin In The Free World
White House, Washington, DC
Photo by Hounds That Howell
So Why Bother To Support Neil Young News on TW?

Our goal is simple: we create the best Neil Young blog we possibly can, refrain from contaminating it with nasty, evil corporate advertising, and then ask you to donate to us what you think it's worth. So far it seems to be working out sort of. We're not likely to break even on bandwidth and storage expenses (much less donated labor) this way, but that's not our goal.


Berlin - 2013
Here at TW we're not just non-commercial. We're anti-commercial. We feel that quality blogs and corporate advertising just cannot co-exist. We also choose to refrain from forcibly extracting money from you by charging subscription fees. We want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed so generously over the past few years. We quite literally couldn't do it without you.

And, as always, we understand that contributing money is just not an option for some of you. That's fine. All posts, feeds and services at TW are open to everyone, and we will do everything in our power to keep it that way.

We’ve helped influence decisions on release formats and availability, we think, through our writing and your activism in response to it. We’ve exposed the hypocrisy of professional music critics and tried to speak out against the madness, fear and greed. All the while trying to find some hope in the future and have a little fun along the way!



But the basic underpinnings of our financial model haven’t changed: we’re often only one blog post away from pulling the plugs at any given moment.

So, here's how you can help.

We need ask for your financial support, at least at the most basic level of *just* $3 per year. Only $3 per year.

At less one penny a day, it’s less than your daily newspaper, cable television, subscription package or internet service. Less than a 6-pack of decent beer, even?! And you very well know the high quality of independent blogging, informed opinion, thoughtful commentary, wonderful and bizarre reader comments and warped humor you get here for that minimal contribution. Is there any other blog you read anywhere that provides you this much fun?

Donations are the only model we can see as we look ahead at the media landscape that faces us. Without a corporate sell-out (that would limit our independence) and without a mega patron (ahem... who would likely impose opinions and views while probably also staking out No-Go areas of speech) we simply cannot continue onwards toward the New Media Paradigm we’ve become. In addition to this blog, we also have Twitter and Facebook stream feeds, as well as an email list all requiring daily maintenance.

As the people-powered, irreverent blog that Thrasher's Wheat is, we can only remain this way with your help. Your support will let us continue to do what Thrasher's Wheat tries to do as well as possible. Won’t you please donate now? (securely, safely, privately)

Walk with us.


Sponsored by Nobody:
This Blog's For You!
Support us now, please. It’s really easy, almost painless. Your support matters: it’s the only way we can see our way into the future.

Which we plan to continue, with your help. Today. Now. C'mon just 3 bucks. Only $3 today for a year of Neil fun. Such a deal. Thank you!

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You have proven that Thrasher's Wheat matters to you, and that you support our mission: to bring free Neil Young knowledge to the planet, free of charge and as free as possible of advertising. You've helped make and keep Thrasher's Wheat available for the whole world. If you find this site helpful as a reference or news source, please help us continue to help all Neil Young fans. Hopefully, this will continue to work to help defray the costs of running Thrasher's Wheat. Any excess funds generated above and beyond operating expenses will be donated to The Bridge School.


Pulling the plug on TW simply cannot happen. After all, we've been implored to "Keep on bloggin' til the power goes out."

Thrasher's Wheat Radio Supporters Go To Europe
for Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Tour
Koln, Germany, July 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)
And if shopping for stuff isn't your thing, we understand.

Just spreading the word about Thrasher's Wheat is a huge help. If you have friends that you think might enjoy TW - please take a moment to drop them a note. Postings about TW on appropriate web forums are also a great way to spread the word. As a matter of fact, we have folks using our Thrasher's Wheat logo on their blogs!

So LIKE us on Facebook , follow us on Twitter and/or subscribe to our email list. (On occasion we pick random folks on the mailing list for little Neil treats. And no spam. We promise.)

In response to our semi-irregular begging fund-raising effort we also received some nice notes from our beloved readership. And -- as we are fond of saying in these tough times -- it is your words which really keep us going with our little Neil Young blog thing.

As some have suggested, "if there is a more balanced, fact based, deeply analytic, independent and proven insightful Neil blog, or voice than TW, better serving the relevant niche, than this one, we would like to see it. Whether you love or hate Neil, this blog is incredibly valuable for its depth and consistency of analysis."

We need your support as independent journalistic voices in the mass media milieu. Make no mistake, your support of all of our work here helps establish all of us as protected and respected bloggera, and we are thankful for the same.

If you are reading this, you either know, or should know, precisely what level of outstanding blogging that goes down daily here on TW.

Soldier Steve & Alchemy & TW Radio
So who is TW? We're a teeny, tiny non-profit that runs a popular Neil Young fan blog. We have only 1.5 staff but serve 1,000's & 1,000's, and we have costs like any other web sites: servers, power, programs, and ancillary costs. Folks think TW is special. We like that we're NOT behind a pay firewall but out in the open -- in public view --as it should be. Love all, serve all, as they say. It is like a temple for the mind, a place we can all go to think and learn. To protect our independence, we'll never *rarely* run ads. We take no record label funds. We survive on donations averaging about $5. Now is the time we ask. If everyone reading this gave $5, our fundraiser would be done within an hour. If Thrasher's Wheat is useful to you, take one minute to keep it online and ad-free another year. Please help us forget fundraising and get back to Neil news.


Berlin - 2013
That said, this posting violates all our precepts here at TW -- it’s the time of year we do something we hate, which is asking for your support.

We hate it for two reasons:

One: many of our supporters are in dire straits economically and have no money to contribute. Even for those fortunate to have jobs and homes and food, it’s still been a tough of late. If you don’t have funds to spare, don’t even think about giving.

Two: Far more than we want people giving money, we want people taking action. That’s our first, second, and third priority -- that’s what we ask for 9 times out of 10. Videos, photos, reviews, comments. That truly supports TW.

But we’ve had so many people taking so many actions this year that this whole blog continues to grow -- those less crazy than those early days of the 21st century. It’s completely great. And it means we need the resources to coordinate it all, to make it more than the sum of its parts.

So today, we’re asking you to chip in what you can. So, if you can

here

These periodic blog fund-raisers, play a vital role in supporting the work we do here. Reader support in all its forms really is central to the work we do here, and it’s very appreciated, gratifying, and helpful.

Hamburg, Germany, June 2013

The most vital attribute of our work, by far, is full-scale independence — the ability to write on any topics of importance free of concerns about offending potential advertisers or fear of other forms of implications — and it’s reader support that makes that possible. This model ensures that we have only one constituency that matters — our readers — and that, in turn, means we need only be concerned with producing work that is as informative, as consequential and, most of all, as honest as possible. Neil has always been faithful to his word in honoring our unfettered editorial independence while publishing this blog, which is one reason it’s been a great platform for our work, but it is reader support that permits us to spend a portion of our time voluntarily writing here every day and doing the work we think will do the most good without any fears or constraints.


Author Dave Zimmer
On The Beach with Thrasher's Wheat Radio

There is widespread and always-growing concern about the inability of blogging endeavors to find a sustainable financial model, particularly with the ever expanding Internet. But we think the Internet has highlighted one of the best ways to enable independent blogging: through reader support. This is not a brand new approach, nor is it one confined to smaller outlets. But for us, this is the model that permits us to engage in the optimal form of independent blogging and generally maintain independence.

Those wishing to participate can do so via Paypal by clicking the button above.

As always, we genuinely appreciate all forms of reader involvement here; the communal nature of Internet writing is one of its most valuable characteristics, and an active, vibrant, supportive readership has been crucial to blogging the Neil scene since 1996 (and on a daily basis since 2003) in so many ways.

Sandy & Tami
The Arkansas Girls
Words, such as these, by the oh-so delightfully handled ShittyHorse:

Thrasher, what you provide to us Neil Fanatics is truly invaluable.

I visit other "Neil Sites", and Thrasher's Wheat is by far my favorite, not to diminish others, just my personal preference. You've created a strong community here, where Neil fans can talk everything Neil- from news and events to albums, songs, concerts, personal experiences and feelings, band members and other musicians, but most of all you give us a place to gather, to show our numbers, and be with others who truly understand why Neil's music touches us in such a profound and meaningful way.

I think it's safe to say that we all, even the most critical fans, appreciate the hard work and dedication that you and Thrashette put into this site. Times are tough, which is why your site and others like it become more and more important- it provides a much needed escape at times, entertainment, information and always puts a smile on my face. Even Neil Young himself has recognized the importance of Thrasher's Wheat.

You are part of Neil history and, in turn, Rock n' Roll History.

From here on I'd say any definitive book written on Neil's life and career would be lacking if missing a Thrasher's Wheat reference- you've been a liaison between the fans and the man himself. What you do is important and appreciated. Never loose heart.

I've made a large purchase this morning on Amazon through this site, as I always try to do, which I hope helps out. Of course it is a small thing, but if all your readers did this same, one small thing I'm sure it would help out a lot.

Again, thank you for your hard work, and devotion, not only to Neil but also his fans.

Happy Holidays to you and Thrashette!

Thanks SH! We appreciate your kind words of support. Always and sincerely.

Again, thanks everyone for their contributions. But mostly thanks for all the reviews, photos, links, videos, and comments. And your kind and supportive words, especially. We truly enjoy sharing the Neil love around the world. We've been doing this on & off for 18 years on Rust/HH/RH and 15 years on TW and we'd really like to continue -- readers willing.

Philadelphia RustFest - October 2014

So by helping us out, you'll also help out to spread the Neil love around the world. And -- maybe in some small way -- it all helps the Bridge School, Farm Aid, Musicares, and the LincVolt project. Because we all want to light a candle, make a difference, be the rain, and be the change.

Be the wheat.
peace and love,
thrasher & thrashette

"Keep on bloggin'
`Til the power goes out
The batteries dead
Twist and shout"
- "Fork In the Road"

ps - it keeps us searchin' for the vista and the muse. We won't Be Denied!


"Love & Only Love"
Paris - 2013

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CONTEST & Uncut Magazine Neil Young Cover Issue - January 2015

Win A Free Issue (Details below)
Uncut Magazine Cover of Neil Young - January 2015
(Click photo to enlarge)
The latest issue of Uncut Magazine features Neil Young on the cover with lots of photos, interviews and fresh news items.

And -- thanks to the good folks at Uncut Magazine -- we're pleased to be able to offer a free copy of the magazine to Thrasher's Wheat readers. Details follow below.

Two intense and personal albums. A possibly valedictory tour with Crazy Horse. Revelatory solo shows. A new book, a new sound system, a new political engagement – and a new relationship… 2014 shaped up to be one of the strangest and most compelling of Neil Young's storied career. With the help of his oldest compadres – Graham Nash, Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro and the late Rick Rosas – Uncut discovers the truth and what really happened in the last 12 months, and wonders just what rock's greatest maverick might do next.

Neil: "I don't think it's a musical decade coming up, as much as one of fighting for mankind…"

Uncut Associate Editor Michael Bonner let us know that he received the Crazy Horse rehearsal set lists while learning that 'Tumbleweed' was originally worked up with the Horse. Uncut plans to post the full Poncho transcript - a brilliant interview and covers a lot more ground than could be published.

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HOW TO WIN A COPY OF "Uncut Magazine Neil Young Cover Issue - January 2015"

Lucky Thrasher's Wheat supporters will be eligible to win a free copy of the Uncut Magazine Neil Young Cover Issue - January 2015. We truly appreciate being able to what we do here at TW, and we love being able to give something back in return.

To enter the contest, 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 - "Uncut Magazine Neil Young Cover Issue - January 2015"

Include name, postal mailing address with *country*.

Deadline: December 19, 2014

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

Don't Be Denied!

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