On The Beach: 45 Years Later, Still Neil Young’s "Most Beautiful (and Most Depressing) Album"

"On The Beach" Ad with Neil Young Facing Camera
45 years ago -- on July 16, 1974 -- Neil Young released his fifth studio album, the essential 'On The Beach'.

From An Ode to ‘On the Beach,’ Neil Young’s Most Beautiful (and Most Depressing) Album | VICE by Hilary Pollack:

Forty-five years after its release, Neil Young's melancholic search for meaning in a chaotic world feels more relatable than ever.

"On the Beach", which turns 45 this week, managed to transcend that pessimism, and lives on as a not-so-cult favorite among critics and fans alike.

As just observed above, many Neil Young fans discover that "On the Beach is the greatest album I've ever heard".

Neil Young: On The Beach, Malibu
Photo: Henry Diltz, 1975

But -- as Neil - himself puts it on notes for Album of the Week | NYA there are reservations and consequences about darkness:

On the Beach: Album of the Week | NYA

Over the years here on TW, we've explored The Surrealism of Neil Young's "On The Beach" Album, with its cover considered to be one of his most creative and intriguing designs (by the late Gary Burden) of his vast catalog.

Gary Burden
In an exclusive interview on Human Highway.org with Gary Burden of R.Twerk & Co., the artist, art director, and designer talks about his journey along the Human Highway. Here's an interesting snippet:

Q: Besides the archives, a favorite Neil album design of yours?

Gary Burden: My favorite album cover that I have made, ever, is Neil Young’s “On the Beach.” This cover is loaded with information! From the styles of clothing and objects to the Coors can to the headline of the newspaper of the day of the photo shoot.

My final “gift” to the viewer/consumer was printing the tacky floral designs inside the sleeve.

That one blew the mind of the record company. Not in a good way!

(Complete interview on Human Highway.org with Gary Burden.)

"The Drought" & "On The Beach"
The Surrealism of Neil Young's "On The Beach" Album
"On The Beach" -- the final link of Neil Young's Ditch Trilogy -- is considered by many fans to be one of his best and their most favorite of all Neil Young album covers and artwork. Designed by Gary Burden, photographed by Bob Seideman, and graphic lettering by Rick Griffin, the cover is quite enigmatic with a Cadillac car fin jutting from the sand like a crashed rocket being buried by time. A shoeless Neil stares out into the ocean near a forlorn potted palm. A jaunty yellow beach umbrella matches Neil's jacket. The yellow theme is even continued with a Coors beer can on the table. Inside the album, things become even more crpytic with the album's liner notes. Fans have poured over Rusty Kershaw's strange handwritten note for clues and meaning often to no avail. Apparently, the recording sessions' heavy use of Honey Slides took a toll ... possibly to the creative sides' benefit?

Rusty Kershaw

From Rusty & Doug Kershaw: The Cajun Way | Cocaine and Rhinestones by Tyler Mahan Coe:

So, the inside scoop with On the Beach is, even if you don’t see his name listed as playing something on a particular song, even if he’s not listed as a producer of anything, Rusty Kershaw is all over everything except those first two songs because he has everyone bombed on honey slides the entire time they’re making this album. Julie Kershaw’s cooking this stuff up by the pound. Ben Keith says, 20 minutes after eating a honey slide, you start forgetting where you are, which, remember, is the very thing Neil Young wants to do at this exact point in his life. Elliott Roberts, Neil’s manager, says, “People passed out. The stuff was like much worse than heroin. Much heavier. Rusty would pour it down your throat and within 10 minutes you were catatonic.” If you haven’t figured out where this is headed, these sessions go way off the rails. Musicians are switched over to instruments they barely know how to play. The shortest song to come out of this is four minutes and four seconds long. The longest and, arguably, best song is nearly nine minutes. Keep in mind, everyone may be losing their shit on honey slides but, for Rusty Kershaw, this is just Monday. Or, who ever even cares what day it is, man? He’s used to this and, as a result, in much better condition than anyone else to take creative control. And that is exactly what he does. If you think I’m playing this up to tell a good story, Neil Young’s own roadie, Willie Hinds, once said On the Beach is Rusty Kershaw’s album, not Neil Young’s.

"Time Fades Away", "Tonight’s the Night" & "On the Beach"
The Beautiful, Enduring Gloom of Neil Young's Ditch Trilogy

Neil Young's Ditch Trilogy -- consisting of "Time Fades Away", "Tonight’s the Night" & "On the Beach" -- is well documented as containing the "missing link" to the Rosetta Stone of understanding his entire body of work over the decades.

Neil Young's Ditch Trilogy -- consisting of "Time Fades Away", "Tonight’s the Night" &

Anyone recall the 1959 film "On The Beach"?

Poster for film "On The Beach"

With Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Tony Perkins in starring roles and direction by Stanley Kramer, the film "On The Beach" is based on Nevil Shute's 1957 novel on the aftermath of nuclear war.

Fascinating how the film and album have similar trajectories. On the album, Neil Young sings as if he's devising his exit plan the entire time because he knows the destructive nature of the muse which is anlagous to the theme of the novel and film. And this post apocalyptic world view was presaged by "After The Goldrush" -- but that's another story.

The vibe of the album is bleakly dark ("Burn outs stub their toes on garbage pails/ Waitresses are cryin' in the rain"), resigned ("Though my problems are meaningless/ That don't make 'em go away"), sometimes apocalyptic ("The world is turning/ I hope it don't turn away", and the Manson line: "But I hate them worse than lepers/ And I'll kill them in their cars".) Neil's psyche in music and lyrics reveals a man going through transformation via his art.


"Out here on the beach, but those seagulls are still out of reach"
In 2003, it seemed that an official release was near when four of the "Missing 6" Neil Young albums surfaced. (On The Beach, one of the four albums released after a long hiatus, was also the subject of a fan's petition drive which would eventually gather over 5,000 signatures from the Neil Young Internet fan community Rust and Human Highway.)

Image from Under the Rusted Moon

Shirt of the Moment: On The Beach
Niecette Kristen On The Beach
Virginia Beach, VA - August 2016

On The Beach? Or On The Couch?
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie On The Beach
(On The Beach by Neil Young Album Cover)

10 Albums 'On The Beach' | Under The Rusted Moon
(Click photo to enlarge)

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

via DeVORE FIDELITY

Rick Carlisle at Orpheus Records w/ On The Beach vinyl
Ain't Got No Blu-Ray DVD: Spin The Black CircleMore on Neil Young On The Beach reviews.

Also, see more on the origin of the expression "Ditch Trilogy" as applied to Neil Young's 3 albums "Time Fades Away", "Tonight’s the Night" & "On the Beach".


"On the Beach": Neil Young and Promise of the Real - Antwerpen, Belgium, July 10, 2019

TODAY IN ALBUM HISTORY: #NeilYoung released his fifth studio album 'On The Beach' 45 years ago on July 16, 1974 | Discover where it ranks in our Neil Young readers' poll here: https://t.co/Zv7PktyL2E pic.twitter.com/oZekGEOQQi

— Albumism (@Albumism) July 16, 2019

One of my all all time favorite albums was released 45 years ago today. On the Beach by Neil Young. A stone cold classic @NeilYoungNYA pic.twitter.com/QZaaw9iHcg

— Peter Duddy (@duddy_peter) July 19, 2019

Neil Young - Live at The Bottom Line - 1974/05/16, NYC, NY

Pushed It Over The End (AKA Citizen Kane Jr. Blues): 0:42 - 6:26
Long May You Run: 7:38 - 11:47
Greensleeves: 12:03 - 13:55
Ambulance Blues: 15:00 - 23:08
Helpless: 24:17 - 29:20
Revolution Blues: 30:50 - 34:28
On The Beach: 35:05 - 40:26
Roll Another Number: 41:30 - 44:11
Motion Pictures: 49:15 - 53:10
Pardon My Heart: 54:38 - 58:39
Dance Dance Dance: 59:18 - 1:01:58

“Motion Pictures (For Carrie),” is a song about actress Carrie Snodgress.

“I think I was starting to realize what a fucked-up life I had chosen for myself with Carrie,” Young told Jimmy McDonough in the 2002 biography Shakey. “So I was outta there.”

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"A THANKS TO ALL": Message from Neil Young + Promise of the Real + Europe Tour Setlist Analysis

A THANKS TO ALL - To Europe, London and Kilkenny |NYA

Neil Young has posted on NYA a message of thanks from himself and his band Promise of the Real.

To Kilkenny; what a beautiful day and evening it was! A great set by Bob, and our celebratory shared goodbye to our old friend. . . . ‘Will the Circle be Unbroken’ for Elliot.
By and by. . . .

In addition to Neil's heartfelt thanks to Europe, London and Kilkenny for the just completed European tour, each member of Promise of the Real adds a personal comment as well.

As noted previously, a re-broadcast of the live stream concert from this past weekend's concert in Kilkenny, Ireland will run "this week for 24 hours".

Neil Young + Promise of the Real - Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland - 14 July 2019 https://t.co/dTEbjXLALv + SETLIST + "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" (Neil & Bob Dylan)@NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 @bobdylan pic.twitter.com/ifMSU45CKU

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 15, 2019

In looking back over the setlists of the just completed European tour on the indispensable Sugar Mountain, here are a few notes and analysis.

Selists via Sugar Mountain

• 164 song performances
• 48 unique songs
• 2 Unreleased songs: Milky Way, She Showed Me Love
• 21 albums song selections
• 6 - Harvest
• 6 - Ragged Glory
• 4 - Comes A Time
• 4 - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
• 3  -Harvest Moon

Songs per album via Sugar Mountain

More on Neil Young + Promise of the Real's European tour:

Neil Young News: VIDEO: "Like A Hurricane"/"I’ve Been Waiting For You": Neil Young + Promise of The Real - 12 July, Hyde Park, London, England https://t.co/QZPWBXbePV @NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/lLipAOO7w8

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 13, 2019

REVIEWS: Neil Young + Promise of The Real co-headline concert with Bob Dylan 12 July at Hyde Park, London https://t.co/HujWwg9AnY + PHOTO GALLERY BY PAUL DOCKER@NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/4Vz4rLwSAL

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 13, 2019

Neil Young + Promise of The Real co-headline concert with Bob Dylan 12 July at Hyde Park, Londonhttps://t.co/HujWwg9AnY - CONCERT SETLIST POSTED @NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/KoCiVD99m6

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 12, 2019

VIDEO: Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, July 10, 2019 https://t.co/F2IaksNFwR @NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/TcuFLvbDhh

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 11, 2019

Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, July 10, 2019 https://t.co/g2KLfmL8Za + CONCERT SETLIST POSTED
Photo by @rdvdijk @rustradio@NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/XMfReVp6rD

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 11, 2019

Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Sportpaleis, Antwerpen, Belgium, July 9, 2019 https://t.co/6KNiNykjTR + CONCERT SETLIST POSTED @NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/iEVpF40LAW

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 9, 2019

Neil Young News: VIDEO: "Cortez The Killer" - Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Olympiahalle, München, Germany - July 6, 2019 https://t.co/CDVCB3WZmv + Commentary@NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 @rustradio @sugarmtn @neilyounglyrics @UnreleasedNeil @RustedMoonBlog pic.twitter.com/DRvRmwjn6G

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 7, 2019

Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Elbufer, Dresden, Germany - July 2, 2019 https://t.co/d0prXXigW3 On the rail for Neil + REAL - Reviews, setlists, photos, videos, etc.@NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 @dhlovelife pic.twitter.com/CkM4gJuJuU

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 6, 2019

"Danger Bird": Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany, July 3, 2019 + commentaryhttps://t.co/Aw7yu8mGRO@NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/F7Ea84K3vg

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 5, 2019

Neil Young News: Photo of the Moment: Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Tinderbox Festival, Odense, Denmark - June 29, 2019 https://t.co/NAKchF6xG0
Photo by Richard Tidwell@NeilYoungNYA @Neilyoung @rustradio @lukasnelson @jacmnelson3 #POTR pic.twitter.com/YuMoZXWETC

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 1, 2019

SETLIST POSTED - Neil Young + Promise of The Real - Tinderbox Festival, Odense, Denmark - June 29, 2019 https://t.co/mall5OxFOH … @NeilYoungNYA @Neilyoung @rustradio @lukasnelson @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/e5m7DPnEsM

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) June 29, 2019

Getting Ready for Live Stream @ TW HQ
Photo by Tour Manager Hounds That Howell
#WT1sWBWO

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Harvest Moon Gathering: Benefit for The Painted Turtle & The Bridge School - September 14

Just announced, Harvest Moon Gathering: Benefit for The Painted Turtle & The Bridge School on September 14.

Per announcement:

Join us for Harvest Moon: a daytime benefit concert on Saturday, September 14 at the Painted Turtle camp in Lake Hughes, CA (50 minutes from Getty Center). Audiences will take in performances by Father John Misty, Norah Jones, and Neil Young on a grassy hillside with unobstructed views of the performers, mountains, and a beautiful lake nestled near the Los Angeles National Forest. Included with each ticket is an all-star celebrity chef picnic cooked and served by Southern California’s top chefs, and a beer and wine tasting from select California Breweries and Wineries.

All proceeds benefit The Painted Turtle, a non-profit providing children living with serious medical conditions a traditional camp experience free of charge, and The Bridge School, which provides free education to children with severe speech and physical impediments.

Tickets on sale Friday, July 19. Details @ Harvest Moon Gathering.

Neil Young has recruited Norah Jones and Father John Misty to join him for 'Harvest Moon: A Gathering,' a charity concert to benefit The Bridge School and The Painted Turtle https://t.co/LINT5oZ185 pic.twitter.com/1a17PwjhTR

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) July 16, 2019

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LIVESTREAM RE-BROADCAST: Neil Young + Promise of the Real Concert @ Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland

LIVE STREAM KILKENNY REBROADCAST | NYA

Per Neil Young Archives (NYA): Times-Contrarian, Neil Young + Promise of The Real live stream concert this past weekend in Kilkenny, Ireland will be re-broadcast "this week for 24 hours".

Neil Young | NYA Live Stream

From a comment on LIVESTREAM TODAY ON NYA: Neil Young + Promise of the Real - Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland - 14 July 2019 by Scotsman:

...The last time Neil did a live stream with POTR, I didn't comment: mainly because I thought it was total crap and switched off half way through.

Well, I'm singing a different tune tonight. I loved tonight's live stream from start to finish. That's the honest truth.

Unfortunately I missed attending Hyde Park this year for personal reasons. And when you are losing (or have just lost) someone close to you, someone special, every second suddenly seems more precious.

Of course, our loved ones stay with us in spirit. But that's not to deny or downplay the great sense of loss we all feel. Every breath feels ever more valuable. Every action is more alive, every feeling more intense. I know that. I'm feeling it too, among my own circle.

And that's what Neil is feeling on this tour, I guarantee you that. He's played his heart out. He really has. His band have performed impeccably. They've more assuredly committed to a different direction this tour: they've fundamentally shifted from "more is more" to "less is more". Quality over quantity. It's an approach they touched on in 2016, but have really gone to town with this time around. They've realised that their considerable strengths are actually subtlety, feeling and nuance. The result is a band and band leader who are all now pulling in the same direction.

I loved the camaraderie, the setlist, I adored Neil's ferocious guitar tone and the urgency of his playing. The beautiful big bloodbath climax to Cortez, the cutting guitars solos of Throw Your Hatred Down. The Nelson brothers were as close to perfect as I've heard them, sparse, soulful and powerful. Doing justice to the songs.

Most of these songs were purpose-built for Crazy Horse, of course. A very special band. I'd personally love Sampedro to come out of retirement for one more go around. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that happens. Band members come out of retirement with the same freqency as mafia Dons. And I hope Poncho reads this and considers it. But in the meantime, I'll just say these other guys are doing okay.

In short, I thought the show was bloody brilliant.

Scotsman.

Thanks so much Scotsman. And again our sympathies that you were unable to make the concert but glad to hear you were able to enjoy the strea,

Likewise, the live stream went smoothly here at TW HQ on both PC and Android platforms.

Neil Young + Promise of the Real| NYA Live Stream

For more on this past weekend's concert in Kilkenny, Ireland, see Neil Young + Promise of the Real - Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland - 14 July 2019 .

LIVESTREAM TODAY ON NYA: Neil Young + Promise of the Real - Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland - 14 July 2019 https://t.co/dTEbjXLALv @NeilYoungNYA @lukasnelson @POTR @jacmnelson3 pic.twitter.com/mp8hTPCLRh

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) July 14, 2019

Neil Young
Waiting in the wings
Photo credit Sergio Bratti
Thanks Hilda Fernhout. pic.twitter.com/2WUhJ2Yy71

— Harold Lepidus (@DylanExaminer) July 17, 2019

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LIVESTREAM TODAY: Neil Young + Promise of the Real - Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland - 14 July 2019

Bob Dylan & Neil Young Concert
Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland on 14 July 2019

Image via NYA LoiveStream @ TW HQ

Via http://sugarmtn.org/:

2019-07-14, Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland
w/ Promise Of The Real
1. Like An Inca
2. Mansion On The Hill
3. Over And Over
4. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
5. Love To Burn
6. Throw Your Hatred Down
7. From Hank To Hendrix
8. Heart Of Gold
9. Human Highway
10. Old Man
11. F*!#in' Up
12. Cortez The Killer
13. Piece Of Crap
14. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
15. Rockin' In The Free World
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16. Will The Circle Be Unbroken (guests with Bob Dylan)

Neil Young and Dylan duet in Kilkenny pic.twitter.com/ALr5SbQTjp

— Raphael Pour-Hashemi (@RaphPH) July 14, 2019

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Neil Young + Promise of The Real conclude their Europe concert tour by co-headlining with Bob Dylan today, Sunday, 14 July at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland.

Per Neil Young Archives (NYA): Times-Contrarian, the concert will be live streamed. In addition, "the whole performance will be dedicated to Elliot [Roberts]". (Elliot Roberts -- Neil Young's long time manager -- passed away last month.)

Got a report? Drop us a comment below.

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

Check back for updates, reviews, setlists, photos, videos, etc.

SUNDAY!
6:15pm Irish Standard Time
Join Neil Young + Promise of the Real
for a LIVESTREAM from Kilkenny, Ireland
in the Hearse Theater
on Neil Young Archives

Available to NYA Unlimited Subscribers: https://t.co/L9oTEi1pvm#NeilYoung #NeilYoungArchives #NYA #LiveStream #Music pic.twitter.com/4CbzPqEYX3

— Neil Young Archives (@NeilYoungNYA) July 12, 2019

Live Stream starts @
7.15 pm Paris/Berlin
6.15 pm UK/Ireland
1.15 pm East Coast USA
10.15 am West Coast USA

Waiting for Neil Young and Bob Dylan in Kilkenny tonight - second time to see Neil Young first time was courtesy of @benioff pic.twitter.com/fnkDDabcB8

— Kieran Carrick (@kierancarrick) July 14, 2019

Here we are two legends Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Kilkenny roasting ☀️☀️ beer cold 🍻🍻so all good 🙌 pic.twitter.com/U2Q6xOSBjg

— Bernie Gore (@gore_bernie) July 14, 2019

My road trip today is to see Neil Young a Bob Dylan playing a double bill. Two legends. I’m right in front of the stage pic.twitter.com/gNZK2f9OvB

— Paul Casey (@PaulCasey1) July 14, 2019

Neil young is my favourite human I think pic.twitter.com/LjijTg1bwJ

— Pushpin (@Pushpin_band) July 14, 2019

All Along The Watchtower 😎
Stunning day in Kilkenny for Bob Dylan and Neil Young 😎 pic.twitter.com/79oaON6X3j

— Vincent (@Planetwaves20) July 14, 2019

TW HQ
Photo by Tour Manager Hounds That Howell

Bob Dylan and Neil Young in KIlkenny: Everything you need to know https://t.co/wnw1E4NVUi via @IrishTimesCultr

— Irish Times Culture (@IrishTimesCultr) July 11, 2019

Bob Dylan and Neil Young review – age has not withered them https://t.co/vIwxzztQfj

— Greg Kealey (@gkealey) July 14, 2019

Age is defeated at shiver-inducing Hyde Park double bill of Neil Young and Bob Dylan – review https://t.co/y4uh7Apxxq

— mason (@mason849) July 14, 2019

We've a special treat for you if you're heading home from Nowlan Park today.

Join us for our Bob Dylan/Neil Young Special Show and hear from both legends and also a selection of music from that era. pic.twitter.com/R1zsaLteSM

— KCLR 96FM (@kclr96fm) July 14, 2019

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