PHOTO GALLERY: Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Koengen 1. August 2014 | Roy Bjørge Photography

Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Bergenhus Festning - Koengen, Bergen, Norway - 2014-08-01
Roy Bjørge Photography
(Click photo to enlarge)

A nice photo gallery of Neil Young and Crazy Horse in concert at Bergenhus Festning - Koengen, Bergen, Norway on 2014-08-01 (reviews).

Photography by Roy Bjørge .

Thanks Ralf!

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Randy Bachman's "Heavy Blues" Album with Neil Young, Others: Cover Art, Track List

Randy Bachman & Neil Young - ~2009

As we reported last year, Randy Bachman is planning to release an album titled "Heavy Blues" in 2015 which features Neil Young, Peter Frampton and others.

Additional details are becoming available regarding cover art and the track list for the new album titled "Heavy Blues".

Track list for Heavy Blues:

“The Edge”
“Ton of Bricks” (featuring Rival Sons guitarist Scott Holiday)
“Bad Child” (featuring Joe Bonamassa)
“Little Girl Lost” (featuring Neil Young)
“Learn to Fly”
“Oh My Lord” (featuring Robert Randolph)
“Confessin’ to the Devil” (featuring Jeff Healey)
“Heavy Blues” (featuring Peter Frampton)
“Wild Texas Ride”
“Please Come to Paris” (featuring Canadian folk-rock singer Luke Doucet)
“We Need to Talk”

Heavy Blues will be released on April 14.

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Neil Young Scheduled For Tonight Show on February 3

Jimmy Fallon strike yet again!

Coming up on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon": Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Young and former “Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen sitting in with 'The Roots' on February 3.

(Note: it's Full Moon!!! Thanks Via Bad News Beat, bh & Ralf!)

Earlier this month, Jimmy Fallon featured an Air Guitarist Shredding "Down by the River": Bradley Cooper on Tonight Show.

As previously noted, it is quite well established by now that Jimmy Fallon tremendously admires Neil Young and goes to considerable lengths to showcase his "Neil Passion".

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10 Albums 'On The Beach' | Under The Rusted Moon - All About Neil Young

10 Albums 'On The Beach' | Under The Rusted Moon
(Click photo to enlarge)
Here's a little fun for Neil Young fans from Under The Rusted Moon - All About Neil Young. (German site with language translation feature in sidebar. Thanks Ralf!)

Identify the 10 Neil Young albums that are 'On The Beach'. You can click image above to enlarge.

First comment below to list all 10 will win some awesome Neil item that is TBD.

Have fun!

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"In Memory of Tim Drummond of The Stray Gators" on Thrashers Wheat Radio Tonight

The Stray Gators, 1971
Tim Drummond, Jack Nitzsche, Neil Young, Kenny Buttrey, and Ben Keith
Broken Arrow Ranch, September 1971.
Photo by JOEL BERNSTEIN
(Click photo to enlarge)
With the recent passing of bass player Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015, we will be remembering him and The Stray Gators tonight on Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour on WBKM.org.

(More on In Memory of The Stray Gators: Gone But Not Forgotten.)


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



Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST

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▶ Flashback: Neil Young Covers 'Sweet Home Alabama' in 1977 (sort of)

Long time readers of this site are by now quite familiar with our fascination on the whole "faux feud" between Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. Afterall -- over the years -- we've only written about the subject once, or twice, or maybe thrice, well you get the idea, no -- not once again?!, and so on...

But that doesn't stop Rolling Stone and Andy Greene jumping in again with a post on Neil Young Covering 'Sweet Home Alabama' in 1977 just weeks after Lynyrd Skynyrd's tragic plane crash. (FULL DISCLOSURE: Neil doesn't actually "cover" Sweet Home Alabama but segues into at conclusion of "Alabama" repeating "sweet home Alabama" a few times and a little riffing.)

Neil Young pays tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie Van Zant in the medley of "Alabama" and "Sweet Home Alabama" Alabama on 11-12-77.



Ronnie Van Zant with Neil Young "Tonight's The Night" T-shirt
Oakland Coliseum, July 2, 1977 - Photo by Michael Zagaris
Neil Young with Lynyrd Skynyrd/Jack Daniels Whiskey T-Shirt
Verona, Italy 7.9.1982 - Photo by Paolo Brillo on Flickr

Ronnie and Neil -- Friends or Foes? Check here for everything you could possibly ever want to know about this blog's highest ranking topic: Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young.

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You Know How Time Fades Away? And Drummers? And Bass Players? And...

Shows Per Band Member Playing With Neil Young
Sugar Mountain - Neil Young Set Lists
Here we are in the years.

We certainly seem to be entering a period where some of our great long time musicians are moving along to that great gig in the sky.

Just within the past few months, we've lost:

• Dallas Taylor: 1948 - 2015
• Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015,
• Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas: 1949-2014

As we noted last week, in the post In Memory of The Stray Gators: Gone But Not Forgotten, Neil Young is now the sole surviving member of The Stray Gators. But we've known all along that Neil Young is the quintessential survivor.

Which brings us to the statistics on the ever so indispensable site Sugar Mountain - Neil Young Set Lists. As you can see in the chart above, Neil Young has already lost quite a few of his long time collaborators. (You can see the full list of the 100+ band members at Sugar Mountain. As a side note, we did find a few of the entries a bit surprising like Larry Cragg with 382 performances and Joel Bernstein with 209 performances. Thanks Babbo B for the heads up!)

The loss of Ben Keith was definitely Neil's biggest loss in recent years, but otherwise Neil's top 20 bandmates remain intact -- aside from those noted above and the late Donald "Duck" Dunn.

We admit this is our least favorite aspect of blogging the Neil Young news and truly hope we're finished writing obituaries for 2015. We can only hope because you know how time fades away...


Rick Rosas & Ben Keith
Cutting Room, NYC, NY 07-19-2007
Photo by Johnny Marr

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Dallas Taylor: 1948 - 2015

Dallas Taylor, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Bruce Palmer, Neil Young, Graham Nash
Shady Oak Drive in Studio City.
Photo Henry Diltz, 1969
Dallas Taylor, the drummer with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young has passed away. He was age 66.

Taylor played at Woodstock with CSN&Y for the band's second live performance. After retiring from music, he became a counselor specializing in addiction treatment.

Dallas Taylor, was the drummer on Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s Deja Vu album, and played drums for Stephen Stills’ group Manassas.

Music Scene - 1970
Photo by Jeff Allen

In a 1994 Los Angeles Times essay, he wrote about Kurt Cobain, the 27-year-old lead singer of the rock band Nirvana who killed himself in his Seattle home after checking out of a drug rehab facility:

"I understand what it is like to be an angry, depressed addict who needs so badly to be liked that he gets on stage and sweats and bleeds and hopes that people will somehow connect," he wrote.

"But as addicts whose only real happiness is being high — whether it's on dope or music, writing, acting or painting — success becomes our worst enemy. When self-hatred runs so deep, it is never alleviated by fame or wealth."

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young ''Down By The River'' [Music Scene - Live - 1970]

Also, see Dallas Taylor Interview.

Dallas Taylor
Photo by Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times

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REVIEW: Tribute To Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas: Los Angeles. January 10, 2015

Waddy Wachtel Band w/ Jason Sinay & Pegi Young - "Like A Hurricane" - Rockin for Rick Rosas
Last week, a tribute show for the late Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas was held at the Black Rose Tavern in Los Angeles. (see In Memory of Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas)

Post by Pegi Young.

From Waddy Wachtel Band: January 10, 2015 by Nina:

The Waddy Wachtel Band - "Rocking for Rick" - January 10, 2015

it was an incredible night of exciting electrifying rock 'n' roll at The Joint (presently Black Rose Tavern) in Los Angeles Saturday night 1/10/15!!!! So many great performers and a huge appreciative audience came to honor Rick Rosas - original and long time bassist with WWB - who passed away in November. Everyone said: Thank You Rick for all the years of rockin' with WWB and so many other artists.
And it was sweet to have Bob Rosas (Rick's brother) and members of Rick's family joining us.

It was a cold rainy night here in Los Angeles, but the club was packed! And the performers gave an amazing show!!!! As many people as possible got to see the first set before there was no more room, and others waited outside in the rain to get in for the second set. WWB warmed everyone up!!!!!!

We got so many great songs in one night it was awe inspiring!

Here's a list of all the performers who graced the stage. You can check the set lists below to see which songs they performed on.

Waddy Wachtel
Phil Jones
Bernard Fowler
Brett Tuggle
Jamie Savko
Al Ortiz
Blondie Chaplin
Keith Allison
Ron Dziubla
Mindi Abair
Jack Tempchin
Terry Reid
Johnny Rivers
Jason Sinay
Darryl Jones
Pegi Young
Norm Sancho
Los Lobos

For those of you who want to read my notes on some of the songs...........

Johnny Rivers was first up on the stage with his electric ukulele telling of how long he'd known Rick and singing 2 songs solo without the band. For such a crowded room, everyone was quiet enjoying his emotional renditions.

Time to plug in and ROCK.........

It's hard to find a few words to describe Waddy Wachtel, but the best I can come up with is Magnificent Multitalented Maestro. Give Waddy a guitar and you're sure to hear some of the best music you've ever heard. We're very lucky to have Waddy put these shows together, but it also gives him - and us - the opportunity to Rock It Up together. I can never give Waddy enough praise!

Phil Jones demands your attention when he puts sticks to drums and cymbals. He's the bedrock that builds an exceptionally rockin' foundation for all these shows!

Brett Tuggle can play! Whether making his fingers dance on the keys or on the guitar strings, you know Brett always delivers ..... anything asked for. And the dude can sing!

Al Ortiz has sat in on bass for Rick when he was unavailable for a gig, and we're so glad he flies in from Arizona to thump those strings. Al did a great job, and was a perfect fit for Rick's spot on stage at the show!

Waddy, Phil, Al, Brett and Jamie jumped right into "The Ocean" and we all were happy to jump in with them. Blasting with so much energy and Jamie wailing on lead vocals - YESSSS!!!!

Bring on the horn section. Ron Dziubla and Mindi Abair blew those saxophones in perfect accompaniment to "Bitch" with Jamie again thrilling all with his vocals.

Next up was Bernard Fowler singing lead vocals on "Blue Jean" and "Jail Break" (the Thin Lizzy song) like only Bernard can deliver - so amazingly talented Bernard is.

WWB left the stage to make room for...... Los Lobos. Three of the band members showed up to delight all with 3 songs. Rockin'!

WWB returns to kick it up another notch......
Blondie Chaplin was happy to give us his exceptional vocals on "Lawyers Guns and Money." Always fantastic!

Jack Tempchin picked up his guitar and took center stage. This is when it started feeling like a WWB reunion. As Waddy said, Jack was responsible for getting these shows going in the first place 15 years ago. They were called Big Mondays and the band played every Monday night. Waddy said the first couple of shows were down the street at The Mint, but they soon realized they were too ROCKIN' for that venue and moved to The Joint. Great shows they all were! It was so nice to see Jack and hear him sing again.

Pegi Young added delightful harmony vocals to the songs with Jack, and was back on stage to sing more harmony vocals throughout the night. It was so nice to have here there. Rick and Phil played with her band Survivors for many years.

A reunion wouldn't be complete without ...... Terry Reid! Terry sang with the band for many years, but hasn't been with them for a long while. He came to town specifically for this show, and all the regulars from way back were thrilled to have him there! So were the folks who hadn't seen him before. Amazing!

Our Southern Man - Keith Allison is always ready to rock, and you can't help it but to smile and rock with him! A very talented man who also sang with the band since the onset.

The first set ended with another rockin' tune "Won't Get Fooled Again." Waddy made those guitar strings his slave and electrified everyone with the sounds he blasted through his amps. Brett was in total control of his keyboard as he played that part - seemingly effortless. Phil brought the drums in pounding after the keyboard solo, and Al kept the rockin' rumble on cue. Jamie hit high notes that give you goosebumps. A perfect ending for a perfect set.

The first set was so deliciously long that I was a little worried the band might just do the one long set. :-( But........ This is WWB! They came back with many more songs for us in a second set! :-)

After Brett wailed through vocals and Waddy was blistering fast on his guitar solo on "I Am the Walrus" Jason Sinay sang 2 Neil Young songs with Pegi Young on harmony vocals. Jason has sat in with WWB many times, and it's always fun to watch and hear him and Waddy sharing guitar solos. So nice having him there!

At some point, but I don't remember exactly when, one of Waddy's amps started smoking! Everyone clapped - Waddy burned it up! It got fixed, and we were back on track.

The reunion night wouldn't have been complete without Terry doing one of everyone's favorite songs from the early band days - "Waterloo Sunset." Yes, Terry twirled the mic stand and put everything he's got into it. Ahhhh!

Then we got another "Jail Break." This was the AC/DC one. Two "Jail Break"s in one night..... excellent! Jamie and Waddy nailed it!

Bernard gave tribute to the many performers we lost last year. Including Rick Rosas, Bobby Keyes, Ian McLagan and Joe Cocker. Then he said the next song was for them - "Heroes." Nice tribute, and we all got a bit teary eyed.

Keith then pumped it up by reminding us we must keep the Rockin' going with "C'mon Everybody." Waddy knew we needed a song like that at that point. Okay....... we definitely will Keep Rockin'!

Al turned his bass over to Darryl Jones for the next song "Live With Me." Of course, Darryl was amazing! I'm glad Waddy got to sing lead vocals on that song - he does it so well! And Ron Dziubla did a great job on sax - in a beautiful tribute to Bobby Keyes.

Waddy gave praise to his friend Ian Mclagan as the band rocked into "Itchycoo Park." Ian performed that song with Small Faces, and it was a sweet remembrance of Ian's talent.

How do we end such a wonderful night? Hey, everyone get back on stage to join Bernard singing "Rockin' In The Free World." Okay! The stage was filled with Waddy, Phil, Al, Brett, Bernard and joined on harmony vocals by Jamie, Blondie, Pegi, Mindi, Keith and Jack. Our hearts were filled with the reminder to.....
Keep Rockin'!!!!!!!

Rockin in the Free World at Waddy Wachtel Tribute Concert to Rick Rosas

Setlist, videos, and more at Waddy Wachtel Band: January 10, 2015.


Rick Rosas: 1949 - 2014
Liverpool, England - July 13, 2014
Photo by Paolo Brillo 

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, Ivan Neville, Joe Vitale
Photo by John Nunu Zomot | Facebook - Bonnaroo 2011 (60)

Richie Furay and Rick Rosas
Photo from Rick Rosas Facebook Wall Photos (62)

Buffalo Springfield
Bridge School Benefit Concert 2010


Rick Rosas & Ben Keith
Cutting Room, NYC, NY 07-19-2007
Photo by Johnny Marr
Also, see Tribute to Rick Rosas on Thrasher's Wheat Radio.

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1969 Interview with Neil Young | CBC Digital Archives

From the CBC Digital Archives, a Feb 11, 1969 interview with Neil Young.

In 1969, the 23-year-old musician explains why his band, Buffalo Springfield, broke up and how he made his debut solo album.

(Thanks Susan M. & Hounds That Howell!)

Tonight, Saturday, Jan 17 at 9:00 PM EST, the Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org will have Neil Young songs, conversation and all the fresh wheat news.

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


Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST

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In Memory of The Stray Gators: Gone But Not Forgotten

The Stray Gators, 1971
Tim Drummond, Jack Nitzsche, Neil Young, Kenny Buttrey, and Ben Keith
Broken Arrow Ranch, September 1971.
Photo by JOEL BERNSTEIN
(Click photo to enlarge)
With the passing this week of Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015, we were reminded that The Stray Gators are down to one last surviving member -- Neil Young.

As kahunasunset commented on "Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015":

Neil is the only one left of the original Stray Gators. Sad

Neil Young
Jack Neitzche
Ben Keith
Tim Drummond
Kenny Buttrey

So, long live the Stray Gators! Gone but not forgotten...

• Ben Keith: 1937 - 2010
• Kenny Buttrey RIP

Lest anyone forget, it was the Stray Gators and the Nashville sessions which produced the album Harvest that put Neil Young in the middle of the road before he headed for the ditch.

Neil Young's 1972 "Harvest" is his most commercially successful album.

"Heart of Gold" is Neil Young's only number one hit single in his long musical career. The song, on the surface, seems to be a plea for the redemption of all-conquering love. With James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt singing backup, the song was a made for radio hit waiting to happen. And amazingly, more than 40 years later, the song continues to be among the most requested and performed in concert.

From the album Decade's hand written liner notes by Neil himself on the hit song "Heart of Gold":

"This song put me in the middle of the road. Travelling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I met more interesting people there."

More on the "Barn Sessions" and Neil Young's album Harvest .

Also, see Neil Young... The Quintessential Survivor.

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Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015

Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015 (Center rear)
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - London, Sept. 14, 1974
Photo by Joel Bernstein
(Click photo to enlarge)

UPDATE: From official Neil Young website, a statement:

TIM DRUMMOND
April 20, 1940 - January 11, 2015

Rest in Peace Tim. You were a great bass player and songwriter. You had the fire, the magic. You played with James Brown, Conway Twitty and and Bob Dylan. You held the groove for JJ Cale. You played on many of my records too. I remember your humor, your life, your quickness, your love. Thanks man!
Neil Young

Tim Drummond, a bassist who performed with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young has passed away.

Drummond first played with Neil Young on the album Harvest in Nashville and became a member of the Stray Gators.

He played with Conway Twitty, James Brown, Joe Simon, Fenton Robinson, Jimmy Buffett and Charlie Daniels, among others. Drummond appears on albums by J.J. Cale, Ry Cooder, Graham Nash, Don Henley, Bette Midler, Paula Abdul and Jewel.

A tribute by Joe Henry | Facebook:

very sad this hour to learn of the passing of my old and dear friend, the great bassist tim drummond. his sprawl was immense, having played with a diversity of ...seminal artists --from james brown to conway twitty, through to ry cooder and neil young, and in the latter pair's most significant periods. as well, he gave up and held down gospel's supreme and funky authority in service to bob dylan, when gospel was the scrambling poet's preferred delivery system.

tim was the bassist on my own second album, "murder of crows" in 1988, and did in that moment what no musician i had long admired had yet done: he treated me like a peer. and it changed me.

rest easy, timmy. put on those fur slippers and glide.

Tim Drummond, bass, with Neil Young on "Down By The River" on Austin City Limits.

From Tim Drummond, Bassist for Neil Young and Bob Dylan, Dead at 74 | Rolling Stone by By Daniel Kreps:

Drummond served as primary bassist on Young's 1972 masterpiece Harvest and contributed to every studio LP the singer-songwriter released from 1974's On the Beach to 1980's Hawks & Doves. Drummond was also a member of Young's short-lived backup bands the Shocking Pinks, the Stray Gators and the International Harvesters. After reuniting with the Harvest crew for 1992's Harvest Moon, Drummond's two-decade-long tenure with Young ended with the rocker's 1993 MTV Unplugged performance.

Astrid Young, Neil Young's half-sister who played alongside Drummond on Harvest Moon, wrote on Facebook, "RIP Tim Drummond. Long may you run."

"One of the best bass players and a great guy. Sad to hear this," producer Craig Leon tweeted.

Drummond's credits run deep and diverse and include the Beach Boys' 16 Big Ones, Don Henley's Building the Perfect Beast, a trio of Ry Cooder albums and Jewel's Pieces of You. The bassist performed alongside legends Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker and Taj Mahal on Jack Nitzsche's score for the 1990 film The Hot Spot and collaborated with the likes of James Brown, Lonnie Mack, Rick Danko, J.J. Cale and John Mayall through the years.

In addition to being an in-demand session bassist, Drummond also co-wrote "Saved" with Bob Dylan, the title track from Dylan's 1980 album. Drummond was on the bass for the entire run of Dylan's "gospel trilogy" – Slow Train Coming, Saved and Shot of Love – and, along with longtime collaborators keyboardist Spooner Oldham and drummer Jim Keltner, was a member of the powerful backup band that accompanied Dylan on his Slow Train Coming tour.

"I can't praise [Dylan] enough. He's not only a dear friend, but he was just great," Drummond recently told Rolling Stone about touring Slow Train Coming. "At that time I was semi-bandleader, and I kept telling the band, 'Watch [Dylan's] right heel when he's stomping. Don't tap your toe, watch your heel. That's where the beat is.' And that's exactly right. It's the heel that counts. If you tap your toe, you'd be off."

Drummond also joined Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young on the road during the band's infamous 1974 "doom tour" and performed on CSN's 1977 single "Just a Song Before I Go." Rolling Stone spoke to Drummond about his experiences on the 1974 CSNY trek, including the night he and Stills hung out with Dylan after a Minneapolis concert.

"He played us all the songs from Blood on the Tracks on acoustic guitar," he said. "We were on twin beds, across from each other. Oh God, I can't tell you how great it was. At one point Stephen said something to him about the songs not being good. I was so goddamn embarrassed. He was probably coked out. Dylan, being the arrogant man that he was said, 'Well, Stephen, play me one of your songs.' That was the end of it. Stephen couldn't even find one string from another at that point."

He also recalled what the tour was like onstage. "The guitar duels between Stephen and Neil got really loud," Drummond said. "I'd just wander between the amplifiers and do my thing so I could hear myself. I was lucky I made it through that tour without ruining my ears."

Drummond's death comes just three months after Rick Rosas, who played bass alongside Neil Young for nearly 25 years and was known as "Rick the Bass Player," passed away at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer.

Tim Drummond in Awe of Stills
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Wembley Stadium, London, 1974-09-14
Photo by smartsetpix | Flickr
(click photo to enlarge)

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"The Monsanto Years" Album Coming: Neil Young & The Nelson Boys

Lukas Nelson, Neil Young and Micah Nelson
Farm Aid 2014 - Raleigh, NC - September 13, 2014

Fans are all chattering about the upcoming collaboration of Neil Young with Willie Nelson's sons Lukas and Micah Nelson.

The working album title is "The Monsanto Years", but we're inclined to believe that Neil may be joking -- or maybe not?

We had some commentary on the potential and possibilities last night on Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org. If you missed the broadcast or the repeat stream this morning, then you can download the podcast at Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour - 1/10/15 - Episode #112.

[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.]

Thrasher's Wheat Radio and WBKM.org -- keeping it real since 2012. :)

walk on

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Neil Young Recording New Album With Willie Nelson's Sons | Rolling Stone

Well -- at least for once -- we managed to get one of our annual Neil Young predictions correct.

At the International Consumer Electronics Show on Wednesday, Neil Young revealed that he will be recording a new album with Willie Nelson's sons Lukas and Micah Nelson.

Neil was interviewed by Rolling Stone Executive Editor Nathan Brackett at CES and spoke primarily abut the PONO project. From Neil Young Recording New Album With Willie Nelson's Sons | Rolling Stone By Andy Greene:

"I'm working on another album now that I'm going to do be doing with Willie Nelson's sons," he said, jokingly suggesting he would title it The Monsanto Years after the agriculture company he's been railing against for years. "It's an upbeat review of the situation."

Young was less sure about his other future plans. "I don't know much about the future," he said. "I want to [focus on Pono] and I want to continue playing music. Those two things should keep me pretty busy. I have some film editing and things to do on the side. I'll probably be writing some more books. I want to keep doing what I do. I'd like to continue doing it for a long time."

Young has no tour dates on the books right now other than an appearance at the pre-Grammy MusiCares tribute to Bob Dylan on February 6th in Los Angeles. "I did a tour last year called Honor the Treaties that went across Canada to try and help the aboriginal first nations tribes enforce their treaty rights in the constitution of Canada," he said. "If I do anything this year, I might do that again in a bigger way. At first it succeeded, but it succeeded more than the artists I was trying to get thought it would. If I do that again maybe it'll get more artists. At this point, it's interesting to try and do something meaningful and try and make some sort of a difference because I've attained a certain level that I feel a responsibility to use for positive things rather than just getting my name in People magazine or something."

Lukas Nelson, Neil Young and Micah Nelson
Farm Aid 2014 - Raleigh, NC - September 13, 2014
Photo by M.F. Andrews
(Click photo to enlarge)

From Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real | Facebook:

We have an incredible announcement to make. Neil Young has honored us by asking us to accompany him on his next recording project! Unfortunately, this means we have to reschedule all of our shows in January except the 17th, but we promise we will make it up to you and in the meantime we will be creating some beautiful music for you all to enjoy. Just as a fun fact, the band actually started when Anthony Logerfo and I met at a Neil Young concert...and the name "Promise of the Real" comes from the lines of a Neil Young song called "Walk On".

"Some get stoned, some get strange...
Sooner or later, it all gets real..
Walk on.."

(Thanks bh @ Bad News Beat!)

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Air Guitarist Shreds "Down by the River": Bradley Cooper on Tonight Show

OK, so when this YouTube started circulating earlier this week, we admit that we basically tried to ignore it.

But as the tweets, shares, likes, etc started piling up, we could no longer divert our eyes.

It is quite well established by now that Jimmy Fallon tremendously admires Neil Young and goes to considerable lengths to showcase his "Neil Passion".

So on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon we have yet another Neil Young tribute.

This time an air guitarist who shreds "Down by the River". 1st you may say, what the heck is that? Well, watch. 2nd, you may say who is Bradley Cooper? Well, so did we. But some of our dear readers straightened us out and here's the scoop: He is an increasing popular American Actor. Bradley Cooper was the main star in the Hangover Movies, and is the sniper in the new movie American Sniper. He has played supporting roles in many other movies such as Yes Man, Wedding Crashers, the A-Team, Failure to Launch, & Guardians of the Galaxy. (Thanks Daniel, Tim & others for setting us straight!)

OK, so the Neil news is slow this time of year...

Maybe Neil will announce something soon ... a tour, an album, a new band ... or something really unexpected...

In the meantime, enjoy!

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Reviews of All 49 Neil Young Studio Albums | Live Like Dirt

Neil Young Official Releases Series (ORS)#1-#4
Way back in 2004 a longtime esteemed Rustie and Neil Young fan by the name of Mike "Expecting 2 Fly" Cordova posted a series of articles on his experience listening to all of Neil Young's albums in chronological order. It was his journey, his self-appointed task.

Now, a decade or so later, another intrepid Neil fan as completed a review of all 49 of Neil Young's studio albums on Live Like Dirt:

So, which albums will you review?

All 49 the Neil Young studio albums in chronological order: Neil Young (1968), Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969), After the Goldrush (1970), Harvest (1972), On the Beach (1974), Tonight's the Night (1975), Zuma (1975), Long May You Run (1976), American Stars 'n Bars (1977), Comes a Time (1978), Rust Never Sleeps (1979), Hawks & Doves (1980), Re-ac-tor (1981), Trans (1982), Everybody's Rockin' (1983), Old Ways (1985), Landing on Water (1986), Life (1987), This Note's for You (1988), Eldorado (1989), Freedom (1989), Ragged Glory (1990), Harvest Moon (1992), Sleeps with Angels (1994), Dead Man (1995), Mirror Ball (1995), Broken Arrow (1996), Silver & Gold (2000), Are You Passionate? (2002), Greendale (2003), Praire Wind (2005), Living with War (2006), Chrome Dreams II (2007), Fork in the Road (2009), Le Noise (2010), Americana (2012), Psychedelic Pill (2012), A Letter Home (2014), Storytone (2014).

Why Chrome Dreams II and No Chrome Dreams?

The first Chrome Dreams album was a bootleg and never officially released.

Why include two soundtrack albums, "Dead Man (1995) and "Greendale (2003), but exclude the other two soundtrack albums, "Journey Through the Past" and "Where the Buffalo Roam"?

"Dead Man" and "Greendale" are original albums, composed, recorded, and played by Neil Young. "Journey Through the Past" falls more into the greatest hits/compliation album category. "Where the Buffalo Roams" was scored by Neil Young, but the majority of the soundtrack features music by other artists.

Why no live albums?
What? Fourty-nine album reviews not enough for you? Calm down.

Wait a minute, isn't "Rust Never Sleeps" a live album?

Not exactly, it's kind of an intermediate. Although the foundation tracks were recorded live, many of the tracks were later overdubbed in the studio. Additionally, there is another Neil Young album from the same time period called "Live Rust" which is a true live album featuring much of the same material.

Why should anyone care about your opinions on records that were in, some cases, released over 40 years ago? Hasn't enough been written about Neil Young?
Good point. No one should care. I like Neil Young and I'm just having fun.
If you have any other questions just ask and I'll add the responses here. Alright, without any further ado, here we go...

Continue to Live Like Dirt for reviews of all 49 Neil Young studio albums.

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Forever Young: Reflections Based on the Inspiration of Neil Young Songs

Tonight's the Night by Neil Young

If you're looking for a nice overview of Neil Young's songs, here's a comprehensive and eclectic survey from Gem Videos and Beyond.

There are 50 entries in the 2014 series "Forever Young" that are personal reflections based on the inspiration of songs and music by Neil Young.

A few of the highlights:

• # 38: "Facing the Music" (centered on Tonight's the Night)
• # 37: "Shedding the Baggage" (centered on Mansion on the Hill)
• # 44: "A Heart Transplant" (centered on Pardon My Heart)
• # 50: "Just About out of Superlatives" (centered on Cortez the Killer)
• # 17: "The Commencement Speech" (centered on Ordinary People)
• # 14: "Lock Picking" (centered on 'The Loner')
• # 42: "Beach Front Property" (centered on On the Beach)
• # 39: "A Pardon on the Partisan Kind" (centered on The Campaigner)

(Thanks Pete!)

Enjoy!

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Happy Neil Year! Is 2015 The Year We Find Out Who's Really Going To Stand Up?

The Synchronicity of Thrasher Road & Wheat's Landscaping

(No, not a photoshop image)

Happy New Year to you and welcome back to Thrasher's Wheat. Here's to hoping that everyone has had a nice 2014 holiday as we look ahead into the year 2015.

Pull up a chair.

2014 was quite a year for Neil Young as we found out quite sadly (and TBD) that Yes, Only Love Can Break (& Fix) Your Heart.

2014 began with Some Good News and Not So Good News for Thrasher's Wheat in 2014. And -- delightedly we might add -- we're still blogging away the Neil news (merely trying to separate the wheat from the chaff).

We also supported "Harvest the Hope". But hope is a hard road to travel. We blogged on A Message of Hope & Love & Alchemy that while most were sympathetic to, we also heard harsh criticism -- especially from the ever Anonymous doubters:

"Thrasher,

More like poetic justice you delusional hysterical stupid douche bag. Here's hoping your pathetic suck up bitch site dies a quick and painful death.

Anonymous"

Who's Going To Stand Up and Save The Earth?
Neil Young
2014-07-12, Hyde Park, London, England
Photo Paolo Brillo |Facebook
And just when we thought things couldn't get uglier and sadder than they certainly did with the news of Neil and Pegi's divorce after 36 years of marriage. While the Neil and Pegi saga broke many hearts and nearly crushed our spirits, fans persevered and overall respected the privacy of the matter.

The rEVOLolution is Love

So what might 2015 bring us?

Clearly, the evolution/revolution continues. Is 2015 The Year We Find Out Who's Really Going To Stand Up? Will the looming "Big Shift" roll on incrementally or suddenly? In the meantime, here we all are -- both irrevocably changed -- and yet still much the same as we ever were.

Ferguson, Missouri - November 2014

The protesting of state sponsored brutality and violence continues, but where are the musical anthems that capture the emotions of our times? From Billboard | 'Fear of Being Blackballed' Prevents Artists From Releasing Protest Music:

Neil Young was so shaken by photos of the four unarmed students killed by military gunfire at Kent State that he wrote "Ohio" for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young right away. By the end of the week, it was playing on the radio. That was 1970. Now, in 2014, outrage over police brutality has become much more widespread, inspiring protests and "die-ins" nationwide for Michael Brown and Eric Garner, two unarmed black men killed in confrontations with cops. Days ago in Brooklyn, two NYPD officers were murdered while sitting in their patrol car. But this year will end without a defining protest song.

...

"I think a lot of it is just due to fear of being blackballed and not making a living," Questlove of The Roots told Billboard, referring to the backlash the Dixie Chicks faced in 2003, when Natalie Maines told an audience that the band was "ashamed" that President Bush was from Texas. "We were like, 'Man, if a white woman can lose her career in the United States for speaking up for what's right, then shit, we'll get the electric chair.' I think that was the bottom line.

And that just really rendered America silent." 

Freedom: Kent State University, Ohio - 1970
As always, we live in dangerous times where those who stand for freedom are often accused of treason and worse. Such times are now and the struggle for freedom -- even among those who feel they are actually free -- is more paramount than ever. The right to live and speak freely is an inalienably human right that can never be assumed nor taken for granted.


Freedom: Sunset Strip, Los Angeles, CA - November 1966
So, for what it's worth... we're protesting the lack of protest music. Who's gonna stand up and make some protest music?

"First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me."
~~ Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

After all, the tools to speak up, to stand up, to make a difference have never been more accessible in the history of humanity than today. Because "The Net Is Mightier Than The Sword" as clearly articulated by James Corbett at TEDxGroningen below.



So where do we go from here? Well, we're very interested in hearing from you -- our dear readers -- where do we go from here. We are expecting to be making some adjustments in 2015, so stay tuned.  In the meantime, drop us a comment below or send us an email to thrasher@thrasherswheat.org . As 2015 begins, we can only suggest to try to recharge as much as you can, enjoy your family and friends, and prepare yourselves for the changes that will be coming in the New Year. Remain calm, open and engaged. On occasion, folks wonder where this all comes from or where to start in answering The Really Big Questions. Reading both 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are essential to understanding Today's Reality.

  Orwell Was Right (and Grandpa, too)
So will it be the Red pill or the Blue pill today? Or the "Psychedelic Pill"?


A Psychedelic Pill
We mean, how far down the rabbit hole do you really want to go?  How much truth can you handle? Simply being aware of one's own free will and exercising it is an act of liberation and self realization.

Stay Calm. No Fear.

For us, we try to be wise enough not to “feed the chaos” further with our own fear, anger, or hate. For our own sake, we try to turn our backs and head towards what is true and pure and loving. We try as best we can to devote our lives to that which makes us happy, healthy, and complete. We are all made to enjoy music, nature, beauty, and the company of our loved ones. We try to live the life we believe is right, no matter the consequences. Without fear and with unconditional love.

The Heart of Love

Our plan is to continue forward and keep on bloggin' until the power goes out and our battery's dead. Thanks to all of you who support what we do here at Thrasher's Wheat. Thank you all for your contributions, support, and helpful efforts throughout the year. We can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate every single one of you as you manage to keep us refreshed, stimulated, and stepping through your constant sharing of ideas that nudge us onward. We couldn't do it without you. Again, we don't want to sound paranoid that forces are at work to shutdown our advertising, deprive us of revenue, and thwart our freedom of communication. But at the same time, we can't brush all this off in a blase fashion. On the bright side, we consider this to be another validation of a sort of what we do here at TW. In the past, the attacks on this site have reinforced our belief that we have taken the less traveled fork in the road on our journeys.

Searching for the Heart? Or the Key?

So believe in what we both together are doing. Knowing we can succeed. Our time is coming. Nothing will stop this now so we begin this year of 2015 with love in our hearts. Make peace our goal, and vow to be true to ourselves. Working to create a world that we can be proud of, and that which we helped to create. May the beautiful energy of music and love surround you and yours, and let it be your traveling muse and guiding light. That is our wish for our world in 2015. Look at everything with the eyes of love and we will create harmony and peace. Lastly, we’d again like to thank all of you out there for your amazing support. Thank you for taking the time to read our posts and comment; send heart-warming notes, photos, and links; and thanks for spreading the word.

Dreams can come true... if you want to work hard to make them happen. We are all making a difference together and feel the world is taking notice. Having said this, let’s all prepare for what is to come in what we believe will be a New Year full of positive, lasting change.

be the alchemy.
be the wheat.
peace and love,
namaste
thrasher & thrashette

ps - The video below "Neil Young Sang and We Heard The Truth" will not be everyone's cup of tea, so use discernment. Before clicking, eliminate all expectations for poetic lyrics, angelic voices, high production values, tour de force direction, interesting camera angles and clever editing. This video -- from our long distance friend Cainan in a tropical Bali paradise -- comes from the heart.



Afterall, it's all about you and me...


"We're The Ones We've Been Waiting For" Gulf Oil Gusher Rally, Florida, June 2010 1,000,000 Strong Against Offshore Drilling | Facebook "Walk with Us"

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