STREAMING THIS WEEKEND: "In A Rusted Out Garage" Concert by Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 1986 | NYA #CrazyHorse4HOF

Neil Young & Crazy Horse:
"3rd Best Garage Band in the World"
~~Bill Graham
(See @ ~~1:26:30)

During the intermission of the final stop of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's 1986 Rusted Out Garage tour, Bill Graham said that Crazy Horse is "the 3rd Best Garage Band in the World". (See @ ~~1:26:30)

This weekend, the concert video of "In A Rusted Out Garage" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse will be streaming on Hearse Theater | NYA.

The "In A Rusted Out Garage" concert was originally simulcast on HBO's Pay-Per-View and radio from the final night of the tour at The Cow Palace in Daly City, California, on Nov. 21, 1986. The concert features a cameo from the late comedian Sam Kinison as Young’s annoyed neighbor by the band's volume. The concert captures tracks from Crazy Horse’s then-forthcoming 1987 LP Life such as “Mideast Vacation” and “Prisoners of Rock ‘n’ Roll”.

Neil Young & Poncho - 1986
Photo by DAVID PLASTIK

Tour Program: Rusted Out Garage by Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 1986

From "In A Rusted Out Garage Tour Program" by Bud Scoppa, September 1986, Everybody Knows This is a Rusted Out Garage:

For this 1986 concert foray, which he calls (with tongue only partly in cheek) the "Neil Young & Crazy Horse in a Rusted Out Garage" tour, the artist has called upon his longtime rock & roll cohorts Ralph Molina, Billy Talbot, and Frank Sampedro, known collectively as...you guessed it.

Young's storied association with Crazy Horse dates back to 1969, but NY&CH haven't been out on the road together since the "Live Rust" tour seven years back (resulting in a film directed by Young's alter ego, Bernard Shakey, the pizza baron). There's no question that the reunion bodes well for the true rock & rollers in the audience. But exactly what sort of rock & roll will the entity known as Neil Young & Crazy Horse purvey in late 1986? Will it be akin to the loping, elongated sagas of their classic initial collaboration, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, wherein Neil guitar-rumbled with the late, great Danny Whitten, the Horses's original leader? Will it be the shimmering meditations of the epic Zuma ('75), which introduced Sampedro, Whitten's long-sought replacement? Will it be the chopped and channeled R&R of the punk inspired Rust Never Sleeps? The wall-shaking sonics of the truly boffo Live Rust (as glorious a concert LP as you're likely to hear anytime, anywhere)? The rapid-transit psychodrama of Re-act-or? Or something entirely different and unexpected?

Whatever shape(s) this performance takes, one thing's for sure: It'll be anchored with yeomanlike crunch and precision by drummer Molina and bassist Talbot, who are as unified and spot-on as a rock rhythm section can be. For Young, Crazy Horse has always been synonymous with rhythm, which is musical reason he was so devastated by the loss of Whitten (he hardly picked up an electric guitar between Whitten's death and Sampedro's arrival several years later), and subsequently so reinspired when Frank came around. Make no mistakes about it - Neil Young & Crazy Horse is one of THE great rock & roll bands, a fact that shall be made abundantly clear when the house lights go down this evening. Fasten your seat belts, ladies and gentlemen.

Setlist via Sugar Mountain:

1986-11-21 Cow Palace, Daly City, California, USA

1. Mr. Soul
2. Cinnamon Girl
3. When You Dance, I Can Really Love
4. Down By The River
5. Too Lonely
6. Heart Of Gold
7. After The Gold Rush
8. Inca Queen
9. Drive Back
10. Opera Star
11. Cortez The Killer
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12. Sample And Hold
13. Computer Age
14. Violent Side
15. Mideast Vacation
16. Long Walk Home
17. The Needle And The Damage Done
18. When Your Lonely Heart Breaks
19. Around The World
20. Powderfinger
21. Like A Hurricane
22. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
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23. Prisoners Of Rock 'n' Roll

Poster via Sugar Mountain

From interview "YOUNG AND HIS ‘GARAGE ROCK'--KEEPING THE FLAME BURNING" | Los Angeles Times by ROBERT HILBURN (Nov. 16, 1986):

“This tour is like a rebirth of something that’s real,” Neil Young said.

“I haven’t played straight rock ‘n’ roll since 1978, except for a little bit on ‘Reactor.’ I held back everything for so long. Now I have the energy. It’s like you’ve (stored it) and suddenly have this massive impulse to release it.

I always knew it would come back. I just didn’t know when.”

From interview "YOUNG AND HIS ‘GARAGE ROCK'--KEEPING THE FLAME BURNING" | Los Angeles Times by ROBERT HILBURN (Nov. 16, 1986):

What’s behind the garage band concept?

Neil Young: I just feel that Crazy Horse is like a garage band and I was talking to some deejay and I said, “Listen, I don’t want to brag but I think Crazy Horse is the third-best garage band in the world.” That’s really where I like to be. Let someone else be No. 1 and No. 2. We make too many mistakes to be No. 1 and nobody wants to be No. 2, so we’re No. 3.

We rehearsed for 2 1/2 months for this tour . . . longer than I have ever rehearsed for anything with any band. I usually rehearse for three days, but I wanted the band to be in shape so they could keep up with me. We’ve been recording every show of the tour for the album. This is how we recorded “Rust Never Sleeps.”

I’ve got six new songs in the show. I’ll record these mothers until I get them right and then I’ll take the crowd (noise) off and do some overdubs and it will sound like a million bucks.

"Neighbor" Sam Kinison (left)
via Hearse Theater | NYA

Tour Dates - USA - In A Rusted Out Garage Sep/Oct/Nov 1986
via Broken Arrow Magazine - NYAS (#25, p. 32)

Review via Sugar Mountain

Poncho and Neil
via Hearse Theater | NYA

T-Shirt from "In A Rusted Out Garage" Concert Tour by Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 1986
via Richfield Coliseum, Cleveland, OH | My Concert Memories

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Jack Nitzsche , Neil Young's producer/arranger on the masterpiece "Broken Arrow", has stated that Crazy Horse was the American equivalent of The Rolling Stones. IOHO, Crazy Horse is to Neil Young what The Band was to Bob Dylan. As perfect a complement as tequila and salt.

In tribute to Crazy Horse, the "3rd Best Garage Band in the World", here's a look back at some highlights:

• EXCLUSIVE: Crazy Horse Drummer Ralph Molina Interview
• Year of the Horse Film Review and Interviews on the making with Crazy Horse, Neil and Director Jim Jarmusch
• Year of the Horse - Interview in France's Les Inrockuptibles, July 1997
• Year of the Horse - Film Review
• Crazy Horse Biography - Reprise Records, 1997
• Frank Sampedro Interview - Torhout Festival, 1996
• Poncho Interview - Halifax Daily News, 11/1/96
• Interview: Crazy Horse and Neil Young Maintain Special Relationship, by Barry Gutman, Music Wire, ~9/96
• Billy Talbot Interview - Rip it Up, ~8/96  
• Crazy Horse Album Reviews- by Robert Christgau
• Years of the Horse

Induct Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
#CrazyHorse4HOF

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A Very Happy Valentine's Day To All of Our Hearts of Gold: "We Love You!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's been roughly 45+ years now since Neil Young's immortal song "Heart of Gold" entered our lives, and we'd like to wish that every day could be Valentine's Day.

And no Neil Young song seems to say Happy Valentine's Day more than "Harvest Moon" it would seem by gauging the song's popularity as a "First Dance" song.

So there comes a time for a delightfully heart-warming little love story or ...Understanding Neil Young's Music.

Love And Only Love
(Via Rusted Moon)

Often, we've found ourselves trying to explain Neil Young's music to others with varying degrees of success. In the end, we find that his music isn't really something that can be explained.

While we've expended quite a few words on this blog making an attempt, it really is the stories of others which transcend the gap much better.


Art by Susan Farrington
So Happy Valentine's Day to all of the hearts of gold out there.


"Dreamin Man" by Neil Young

FOUND: "Heart of Gold" ... Literally | The New England Journal of Medicine

Here's a very rare performance of Neil Young's "Love in Mind" at Carnegie Hall, NYC on 1/9/14. As everybody knows, "Love in Mind" -- from Time Fades Away -- is only available on vinyl*. (* As everybody knows, "Love in Mind" also is on the "Live at Massey Hall" CD, same tour as the TFA version, different date)

And Happy Valentine's Day to our Heart of Gold, Thrashette. I love you!

FOUND: A Heart of Gold
An Island in the Sun Under a Rainbow

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Also, see Top 10 Neil Young Love Songs.

"Heart Of Gold", NYA Song of the Day, 2/14/19.

LOVE IS SUCH A GIFT.
NYA Song of the Day

Love & only LOVE
New York City, NY - January 2014

thrashers
☮️♥️
Farm Aid 2019

Neil Young - Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 2019-02-04 | NYA

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Comment of the Moment: Greendale, Greta, Sun Green, Julia Butterfly & Neil Young

"Be a goddess in the planet wars"
Greta, Sun Green, Julia Butterfly & Neil Young's "Greendale"

A fair amount of discussion on our recent posting on Greta and "Greendale".

Here is the Comment of the Moment on "Greta Thunberg and Neil Young's Prophetic Greendale: Sun Green + Julia Butterfly" by Dan S.:

Greta is following her own specific path. It is hers alone to walk.

Activists have been around forever, and it is those who actually make a difference who are most remembered after they’re gone. Even when they fail. The fact that Greta is even being mentioned here is evidence that she is making a difference, and I for one want to celebrate that with her. Perhaps getting anointed by Time Magazine as “person of the year” wasn’t all that helpful to her cause, but it did get everyone’s attention. I’m sure she could care less, frankly.

She’s calling out to fellow young people to get up and start speaking out to fight for their future. It’s about time young people start to wake up and let their voices be heard. She’s kicking her generation into gear; certainly someone had to. Technology has numbed us into an isolating fog, and if Greta can wake them up, then perhaps we can all make a difference. Who knows. Maybe the young people can become the catalyst to make the big difference in the world again.

Hearse Theatre just played a live Ohio yesterday, and it reminded me of when music was a call to arms for people to wake up and take on the world. To stand up and say “enough”!!! If Greta can do that, then God’s speed to her and her friends.

She’s fearless with her condemnation of the world governments lack of leadership and address the potential solutions that frankly are painfully obvious to this old man. Neil Young has made it clear that he understands where this young woman is coming from and although she probably isn’t concerned about what Neil Young thinks, it does illustrate her impact up to now. Not to forget how our man in the White House reacted, saying: “she has anger issues” which is something he knows intimately. Once again, she got his attention.

Greendale came out a while ago, and at the time it was not completely embraced by all of Neil’s fans, yet many of us were thrilled with this remarkable album. Here we are in 2020 and it now seems more relevant what Greendale was, and is today. With Greta, Sun Green (the fictional character) has materialized in the flesh. She’s not sitting in a tree or chained to a statue, but she is making a difference. Right now.

So keep on rocking in the free world Greta, for as long as it is free. Good luck fighting the good fight for your future, and ours. I’m with you.

Peace.

Thank you Dan -- as always -- for your well measured and thoughtful comment.

Obviously, this is a difficult subject based on our past experience as well as reaction to the recent posting. We appreciate everyone taking a breath before hitting the keyboards. Certainly time seems to have mellowed everyone since Greendale's original release back in 2003. When we put the post together recently, it was somewhat shocking to re-read comments and their level of hostility to the album. It was almost disproportionate in its backlash, relative to it's relatively mild message, especially when compared to Living With War, which really took the Neil hostility to whole new level.

"The Power of Youth" Meets "Be The Rain!"
Greta Thunberg and Neil Young's Prophetic Greendale: Sun Green + Julia Butterfly

More on Neil Young's Prophetic, Inconvenient and Essential "Greendale".

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PRE-SALE TOMORROW: Light Up The Blues Concert w/ Stephen Stills, Neil Young + Others: May 30, 2020, Los Angeles

As reported last month here, Stephen Stills "Light Up The Blues" annual autism awareness benefit concert for Autism Speaks will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2020, at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

Kristen and Stephen Stills' annual benefit concert this year will feature performances by:

• Neil Young
• Willie Nelson
• Stephen Stills
• Lucas Nelson and Promise of the Real
• Fantastic Negrito
• Lucius
• Chris Stills

This is the only announced concert date for a live performance by Neil Young in the new year 2020, thus far. It appears that Neil Young will play with Promise of the Real. Additional artists can be added.

Pre-sale begins at 10 am PST tomorrow, Wednesday, 2/12/2020 on NYA.

Venue Pre-sale begins Thurs., Feb. 13 from 10:00 AM PST– 10:00 PM PST - PASSWORD: Autism
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/09005846AD3447F8

General public tickets will go on sale Friday, Feb. 14^th at 10:00 a.m. PST through Ticketmaster at  https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/09005846AD3447F8.

Don't Be denied!

Stephen Stills & Neil Young
Light Up The Blues 3rd Annual Concert (2015)
Photo by Jeff Allen
(Click photo to enlarge)

Neil Young Stephen Stills 'For What It's Worth' Light Up The Blues Autism Speaks Benefit - Dolby Theatre Los Angeles, April 21, 2018

From 2018, Stephen Stills Teams Up With Neil Young For Autism Benefit | Rolling Stone by Andy Greene:

"The reason we started Light Up The Blues was out of the void of me not having to be micromanaging Henry so much, as he was finally in a good place," Stills' wife Kristen tells Rolling Stone. "Stephen and I wanted to give back to families that don’t have time and resources to make their kid's life a full-time job with lots of overtime."

Last year was the first time they didn't hold a concert since they started the organization. "Neil [Young] stopped by our house one day last year," says Kristen. "He said, 'Stephen, man, we gotta do Light Up The Blues again.'" Stills couldn't have agreed more. "He said, 'Look, I'm out of the Bridge School. And now it's over to you,'" says Stephen. "I watched how he did the Bridge School benefits and I got great lessons from it."

Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Patti Smith, Mike Campbell & Chris Stills
"Light Up The Blues" Concert, Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, CA - April 21
Photo by Deb

More on 2018 "Light Up The Blues" Concert, Los Angeles, CA - April 21 (photos, videos, reviews, etc.).

Light Up The Blues 4th Annual Concert w/ Stephen Stills, Neil Young

More on Light Up The Blues 4th Annual (2016) Concert w/ Stephen Stills, Neil Young + Others.

More on 2015 Light Up The Blues 3rd Annual Concert (photos, videos, reviews, etc.).

Stephen Stills & Neil Young
The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing GRAMMY Event
Village Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California - January 21st, 2014

"They are one person
They are two alone
They are three together
They are for each other"
“Helplessly Hoping” – by Steven Stills w/ Graham Nash, Neil Young & David Crosby - CSNY
See https://t.co/1Zz5eLvHum@thedavidcrosby @TheGrahamNash @CSNofficial @NeilYoungNYA pic.twitter.com/wLf4KQWMk9

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) February 1, 2020

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Greta Thunberg and Neil Young's Prophetic Greendale: Sun Green + Julia Butterfly #BeTheRain

Sun Green (Sarah White, Greendale Film by Neil Young, 2003) + Greta Thunberg (Climate Activist, Born in 2003)

These days in the Neil Young fan community, there has been much discussion on the prophecy of Neil Young's Greendale and it's central character Sun Green relative to Greta Thunberg, the internationally known climate activist.

In Neil Young's 2003 album, tour and film titled Greendale, the central role of Sun Green was played by Sarah White. Notably, she wears her blond hair in braids nearly exactly as Greta Thunberg. Coincidentally, Greta was also born in 2003, the same year that Neil Young's Greendale was conceived.

Neil Young has stated in interviews that he was inspired to create the character 'Sun Green' in the spirit of environmental activist Julia Butterfly.

Julia "Butterfly" Hill - 1998

Julia Butterfly is best known for having lived in a 180-foot-tall, roughly 1,500-year-old California redwood tree for 738 days between December 10, 1997 and December 18, 1999. Julia received a fair amount of media attention in the 90's for her activist efforts and inspired many to action.

Sun Green in Neil Young's Greendale Concert Tour - 2003

In Neil Young's Greendale song "Sun Green", the lyrics directly reference Julia Butterfly.

"She'd [Sun Green] still like to meet Julia Butterfly
and see what remedy brings
and be a goddess in the planet wars
tryin' to save the livin' things

But that might not be easy
livin' on the run
Mother Earth has many enemies
there's much work to be done"

"And hope has always been the tone of youth."
Frame from Greendale Graphic Novel by Joshua Dysart/Cliff Chiang

On Neil Young's website, he posted the following message on Greta Thunberg Speaks: Please Listen | NYA in March 2019:

Neil Young: "Greta Thunberg Speaks: Please Listen" | NYA

"I have been told she is a lot like Sun Green from Greendale. But Sun Green is a lot like her."

The Power of Youth
Time Magazine "Person of the Year" Greta Thunberg - 2019

So, the comparisons between the fictional Sun Green and non-fictional Greta Thunberg, caused some to cry foul, essentially saying that Greta Thunberg ain't no Julia Butterfly (or for that matter, Sun Green either). All just a coincidence, certainly -- although mathematically impossible -- past proves future. Right on cue ...

For example, Mark, who commented (on Premiere: RETURN TO GREENDALE by Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ Balboa Theater, San Francisco, CA - Jan 28, 2020 ):

........ oh please

.... please do not defile my vision of Sun Green by equating her righteously welding herself to the Eagle's beak w/ Saint Greta's dancing across the water on a high school gap year global road trip aboard a billionaire donated, luxury yacht

'She was welded to the eagle's beak
sun green leaned into that megaphone
and said, "truth is all i seek" '
"Sun Green" by Neil Young
However, many others do see Greta Thunberg as a legitimate heir to the Sun Green / Julia Butterfly legendary figures in her climate activism quest.

For example, Neil Young fan Peacelover Doc, commented (on Premiere: RETURN TO GREENDALE by Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ Balboa Theater, San Francisco, CA - Jan 28, 2020 ):

Many climate change deniers want to silence this girl so they can continue to use up this planet and leave her generation with the mess. That's bullshit & Greta Thunberg, is speaking truth to power.

That's pretty Sun Greenish to me.

Greta Thunberg: "Be a goddess in the planet wars"?

Mark, who kick started this conversation here on TW, did return to defend his original supposition that Greta's "low risk" efforts were unworthy of sainthood in the spirit of Sun Green / Julia Butterfly. Mark then comments (on Premiere: RETURN TO GREENDALE by Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ Balboa Theater, San Francisco, CA - Jan 28, 2020 ):

Julia Butterfly didn’t traipse around the world with a camera crew & related entourage directing her toward people to scowl at & berate. She spent two years IN A TREE, and by virtue of her sacrifice & risk of life, brought warranted attention to her cause.

Sun Green welded herself to the eagles beak in her home town.

And I, for the above reasons, do not equate St. Greta with either.

John Lennon said, around the time of that first Earth Day, that ‘a working class hero is something to be’.

Mark is a guy who believes passionately in where he lives & works endlessly to make it better.

He’s no star, not on TV anymore and doesn’t attract a crowd, but his work still stands.

Think Globally, act locally.
Be the Rain, people.

"Be the Rain, You Understand" - Grandma to Sun
Frame via Greendale Graphic Novel
By Joshua Dysart/Cliff Chiang

"Be the Rain!" - Sun Green
Frame via Greendale Graphic Novel
By Joshua Dysart/Cliff Chiang

be the rain
Poster for "Live From Greeendale" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse
#BeTheRain

The Greendale Backstory

Sun Green (Sara White) and Grandpa (Ben Keith)

"Greendale" on Neil Young Archives in the Hearse Theater

A premiere screening of the film RETURN TO GREENDALE by Neil Young & Crazy Horse was held at Balboa Theater in San Francisco, CA on Jan 28, 2020.

Film Reviews of Neil Young's "Greendale"

Neil Young calls "Greendale" on Times-Contrarian | NYA "one of the biggest highlights of my filming life".

"Sun had a poetry about her"
Frame via Greendale Graphic Novel
By Joshua Dysart/Cliff Chiang

But back in 2003, "Greendale" was one of the most controversial and divisive albums and concert tours of Neil Young's career.

Neil Young & Sun Green
Radio City Music Hall, New York, March 18, 2004
Photo by thrashette

The musical and lyrical importance of "Greendale" can not be understated - either in terms of Neil Young's body of work, nor its impact on his fan base.


Sun Green - Art by Cliff Chiang
Inside The Making of Neil Young’s Greendale Graphic Novel
As many of our long time readers here at Thrasher's Wheat know, we have long since declared: "The Inconvenient Truth of Greendale".


Neil Young’s Greendale
Written by Joshua Dysart, Illustrated by Cliff Chiang
The inconvenient truth of Neil Young's Greendale is that he was right -- and his message is even more relevant today than upon Greendale's original release.

Greendale is "Everything You're Looking For" - Bandit

The inconvenient truth of Greendale is its uncomfortable confrontation with themes such as the power of mass media and global corporations, loss of personal freedoms and privacy, destruction of the environment, rampant fraud and corruption, an out of balance government and breakdown of the family. All of which we've detailed before here, here, and here.

"a little Mayberry livin' can go a long way"
GREENDALE 2020 HINDSIGHT by James Mazzeo

Neil Young News: Premiere; RETURN TO GREENDALE by Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ Balboa Theater, San Francisco, CA - Jan 28, 2020
See https://t.co/hTt0IDeLud
---#CrazyHorse4HOF @NeilYoungNYA @CrazyHorse4HoF pic.twitter.com/UdjixWOKSy

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) February 2, 2020

More on Sun Green in the "compelling", "controversial" and "audiences challenging" concert opera "Greendale" by Neil Young.

"This church was above war. Above politics. Above apathy. Above greed. This church was boundless."
via Neil Young’s Greendale Graphic Novel - Written by Joshua Dysart, Illustrated by Cliff Chiang
(Click image to enlarge)

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