THIS WEEKEND: "CSNY DEJA VU" Film | Neil Young Archives

 "CSNY DEJA VU" Film Poster - 2008

 

This weekend on Neil Young Archives, the film "CSNY DEJA VU" will playing in the Hearse Theater.

Directed by Bernard Shakey & Produced by L.A. Johnson, with a running time of 1hr, 36min, 14sec, the documentary of CSNY's 2006 tour was written and produced by Mike Cerre.

Times Contrarian | Neil Young Archives

 

From  Times Contrarian | NYA:

Playing this weekend at the Hearse Theater is another moment in the USA's divisive history as CSNY tours America in the times of the Iraq war. Never seen at NYA before, this moment in time reminds us that “we have all been here before.”

   

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young -  2006 Freedom of Speech Tour

 

Neil Young's "CSNY: Deja Vu" documentary film of the 2006 Freedom of Speech tour will be the last film of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 25.

From N Y Times:

"During the tour, the CSNY band traveled with Mike Cerre, an 'embedded' correspondent who has been to Iraq and Afghanistan 5 times in the current 'War on Terror.'

Cerre and his crew captured the reactions of America during the moments before the 2006 elections, just as the nation was beginning to 'turn' against the war and the administration that started it. The internal conflict of Americans struggling to come to grips with the reality of the war and the right to speak out against it or in support of it is documented with raw footage of a country at odds with itself and in mid-change."

 

 

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young -  2006 Freedom of Speech Tour

 

 

From Sundance Film Festival program guide:

"If you grew up, as I did, with your dorm room full of albums by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young and antiwar activities as part of your daily agenda, you may approach the Freedom of Speech Tour with preconceptions about its motivations and content based on the band you remember. Although the chronicle of that tour, CSNY Déjà Vu, is indeed a look back at the politics and anti–Vietnam War sentiment, its real value lies in its rejection of simple nostalgia and its ability to focus on the present day.

As both a portrait of a band and an examination of artistic process, CSNY Déjà Vu is filmmaking that is self-centered, yet fresh and critical. Today’s generation must be as tired of hearing about the ’60s as we were of an earlier era, and this depiction of the tour is anything but preaching to the converted. Part performance, part commentary, and very much a call for activism, CSNY Déjà Vu is relevant because we ignore the lessons of history at our peril.

Featuring music from Neil Young’s controversial Living with War CD, this evocative and edgy film documents reactions from fans to a band that has remained committed to issues of politics and art for more than four decades. Since history seems to repeat itself, perhaps our artists best illustrate what we need to remember."

 

'CSNY DEJA VU' Official Trailer

From Reuters - Q&A: Neil Young hopes documentary will spur debate:

Q: What do you hope to gain from the release of the film?

Young: "Discussion. Debate. Open forums.

And it does do that to people. You'll see what happens when this film comes out on the Internet -- you'll see people talking. It'll be interesting. It'll open up a thing, and that's what it does. That's what the music did. That's what happened in the audiences. I saw families fighting within the families, the kids wanting to stay, and the parents going, 'No, we've got to get out of here. This is no good.' The parents dragging the kid out, and the kid looking back. And we're not talking a 10-year-old here. We're talking college kids being driven out by just straitlaced fathers, the classic father image, of strength.

Not much compassion, but a lot of strength."

From KBS Radio "Neil Young Says President Bush Is An Idiot Who Is Driving The Country Into Insanity":

Neil Young had some harsh words for President George Bush and his tenure as a wartime president.

Young spoke about the criticism that the recent Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young documentary CSNY - Deja Vu has received, telling Uncut, "We're not telling the world what to do... It's so funny what people say about us... We're not trying to control the world. All we're saying is, 'Hey this f***ing president is killing us. This f***er is driving the country into insanity. This f***er is responsible for America being the most hated country in the world right now. That's what we're saying.

All I'm saying is: 'This is what I think about this idiot. What do you think?'" Young directed the politically-charged film which documents CSNY's 2006 Freedom Of Speech tour which featured material from Young's then-recent album Living With War. Young went on to explain that although he needs to air his opinion on the state of American affairs, he's not under any delusions that change will be quick in coming: "It's a different world than it was in the 1960s. I have more experience. I am not under any misconceptions that my next record is going to change the world. I'm a realist. So I just say what I feel, and that's where the Living With War record came from...

I'm still standing. I'm strong. I know my strengths, what I can and what I can't do.

I just go forward."

More on CSNY: Deja Vu Film.

Also, see:
- Premiere of 'CSNY Deja Vu' at 2008 Sundance Film Festival
- Deja Vu Preview Footage on YouTube
- Interview at Sundance: Bernard Shakey Explains CSNY Deja Vu
- Concert film 'Deja Vu' polarizes Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young fans
- 2006 Crosby Stills Nash & Young Freedom of Speech Tour

Crosby Stills Nash & Young - 7/6/2006 - Camden, NJ
photo by Buzz Person (via CSNY.net)

Also, see Crosby Stills Nash & Young Freedom of Speech tour comments. More at Commentary on Politics of CSNY Freedom of Speech Tour.  (Ah those were the days.  If you think you're stressed today, you should've been here back in 2006. or is just deja vu all over yet again!?)

---

---

PRE-ODERS NOW OPEN - "WAY DOWN IN THE RUST BUCKET" by Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse Release Date: February 26, 2021

Deluxe Box Set Edition (DVD, 4 LPs, 2 CDs)

Pre-Order Now: WAY DOWN IN THE RUST BUCKET" by Neil Young w/  Crazy Horse 

(Please shop locally & independently. But if you can't, we appreciate your supporting Thrasher's Wheat by clicking this link . Thank you!!!)

 

 "WAY DOWN IN THE RUST BUCKET | NYA 

 

"WAY DOWN IN THE RUST BUCKET" -- both a film and double album -- by Neil Young w/  Crazy Horse is now scheduled for release on February 26, 2021, per latest NYA posting.

"My Country Home"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Catalyst Club, 1990 via Neil Young Archives
(More on TW @ RUST BUCKET PREMIERE TODAY: "Country Home" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse, 1990 Rehearsals | NYA )

 

 

MORE RELEASES coming in DVD / BLU-RAY | Neil Young Archives

Vinyl, CD, and Deluxe box sets available for preorder on Friday, January 15.

Country Home

From the new live album and film Way Down In
The Rust Bucket documenting a legendary 1990
show with Crazy Horse

Listen now exclusively onhttps://t.co/Lw3ovmPLRt or on the Neil Young
Archives Mobile App

Vinyl, CD, and Deluxe box sets available for
preorder Friday pic.twitter.com/bv8dYuE9sW

— Neil Young Archives (@NeilYoungNYA) January 13, 2021

The RUST BUCKET tapes have been called "the missing link between Ragged Glory and Weld".  "My Country Home" will be the 1st single and is now in the NYA filing cabinet.

 

Catalyst Club, 1990
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
via Neil Young Archives

 

Here is the Official album trailer for 'Way Down in the Rust Bucket'.

As we shared here @ TW in 2020,  songs from the 3 set "RUST BUCKET" concert were being screened on Hearse Theater Screen #2 | NYA. 

In 2019, Neil Young announced a major Archives discovery titled "RUST BUCKET".

The complete concert setlist is 20 songs with a running in total of 3 hours. (See Sugar Mtn for more details).

WAY DOWN IN THE RUST BUCKET
via Subscriber News | NYA

As noted earlier, a complete multi-camera video (6 cameras?!) was discovered in the NYA vaults. Produced and Directed by the late LA Johnson, the Neil Young & Crazy Horse concert was filmed on November 11, 1990 at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, California. (See Sugar Mtn for more details). Consisting of 3 sets, plus encore, the video is titled WAY DOWN IN THE RUST BUCKET. 

 

Here's an update from Audio Engineer John Hanlon on the earlier announced Archives discovery of Neil Young "unearthing" a major 1990 Crazy Horse concert. Audio Engineer John Hanlon writes on Times Contrarian | NYA about progress on transferring and mixing the audio from The Catalyst Club gig.

J. Hanlon's Notebook | Times Contrarian | NYA

 

Neil Young w/ Engineer John Hanlon
via Mountaintop: Neil Young with Crazy Horse Film

From a comment in September 2019 on Neil Young "Unearths" Major Crazy Horse Archives Discovery by Scotsman:

There is a strong case for releasing not just this remarkable show, but every single multi-tracked film from the Ragged Glory tour that ran until April 1991.

Yes, after the Catalyst, the setlists were near-identical from night to night. But the performances were consistently off-the-scale. Neil was at his absolute peak as a guitar player in February-April 1991.

It's notable how the attitude became darker and more intense as the tour rolled on, evolving from the more relaxed Catalyst show into a more furious, disciplined, brutal soundtrack to the Gulf War. This was a draining tour for Neil, his most energetic performances ever, and you can see how burnt out he looked at the final show in LA. I think he'd given everything he had to give, musically. No wonder the next tour was the polar opposite of Weld.

As for the Catalyst show (one of two warm-ups for the arena tour that would end up being delayed a couple of months until the beginning of 1991), it's the missing link between Ragged Glory and Weld. We are lucky to have had great audience tapes from this show, but I think it deserves an official release. We'll see what happens.

Scotsman.

Thanks Scotsman. Brilliant on calling the Catalyst gig "the missing link between Ragged Glory and Weld". A very special Crazy Horse club show with “Surfer Joe” and a rare "Dangerbird" (1st live performance since ZUMA album release in 1975).

Also, check Comment of the Moment: RUST BUCKET PREMIERE NOW PLAYING: "Country Home" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse, 1990 WELD Rehearsals | NYA .

Here's a review from Broken Arrow Gig Reviews - 11.13.1990 - The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California By Rick Zeek, Issue #42, Feb 1991.

Broken Arrow Gig Reviews
- 11.13.1990 - The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California By Rick Zeek, Issue #42, Feb 1991

Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse

 

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.

 

Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse:
"3rd Best Garage Band in the World"
~~Bill Graham

 

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

#DontSpookTheHorse 

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

 #MayTheHorseBeWithYou

---

---

A Message From Neil Young: Sadness and Compassion

A Message From Neil | Neil Young Archives
 

To say that we are in a delicate moment here in the U.S. of A. is a bit of an understatement.

With the impeachment of U.S. President Donald Trump looming, a new President Biden to be sworn in on January 20, the coming days are sure to be tense.

This weekend, Neil Young posted the following "A Message From Neil | Neil Young Archives":

 1-9-21

Sadness and compassion hit me last night as I watched fellow Americans telling their stories.

A young lady in tears spoke of being maced in the Capital. She was crying because she had been attacked and all she was doing was trying to have her voice heard in this Revolution. She was one of thousands who have been carrying the feeling of being persecuted for their beliefs, their feeling that American power just didn’t care.

This, to me is beyond my own feelings that our president has betrayed the people, exaggerated and amplified the truth to foment hatred. Resentment of the Democratic party among the insurrectionists at the Capitol was rampant. We don’t need this hate. We need discussion and solutions. Respect for one another’s beliefs. Not hatred.

I was devastated to see the double standard. The way people were treated in the BLM demonstrations recently, compared to the other day. There is no place here for White Supremacy. People need each other to be truly free. Hatred will never find Freedom.

I learned that a some of the people storming the Capitol were police themselves, and gained peaceful entry by showing their badges. I was shocked to see the Confederate flag being waved inside the chamber; the destruction and disrespect. But mostly I felt bad for the people. With Social media, issues are turned to psychological weapons and used to gather hatred in support of one side or the other. That is what Donald J. Trump has as his legacy.

I still have my strong beliefs. That has not changed. But now I feel empathy for the people who have been so manipulated and had their beliefs used as political weapons. I may be among them. I wish internet news was two-sided. Both sides represented on the same programs. Social media, at the hands of powerful people - influencers, amplifying lies and untruths, is crippling our belief system, turning us against one another.

We are not enemies. We must find a way home.
ny

Yes, we must find a way home.  And peacefully, with dignity, freedom and justice for all -- the children of destiny, as well as, their parents, families and friends.

We can only hope and pray that Neil's message is heard.

 

 Neil Young: "I'm Happy To Report In. Vote Your Conscience." - January 2020

 

2020 began on a very optimistic note for Neil Young and rusties.

Neil became a U.S. citizen and a Crazy Horse reunion tour was in the works for the Summer of 2020.  But 2020 turned out to be indisputably difficult. 

We have made various comments on 2021 here and there. We certainly do not want to be alarmist, but we have been harping on the Big Shift for years now, so we do feel most of our readers are well prepared for the long days and weeks ahead. You know, winterlong meets strawberry fields -- big time, 3X.

It will become darker. And then, it will become unbelievably bright.

No, we do not have the revolution blues here at TW, as stated previously.  However, we do  have the "evolution blues". (see comment links above for more.)

So we repeat our 2020 mantra again here in 2021: Keep Calm, No Fear, Shut It Down, and Keep on Rockin'!

Namaste, Om Shanti, peace & love

#BeTheRain
#BigShift
#disCERNment
#NoFear
#WT1sWBW4 

---

---

Reconsidering Neil Young Selling Song Catalog Stake

Neil Young - "Cough Up the Buck$" Video - 2008

Much reflection on the big news last Wednesday that  Neil Young has sold a stake in his song catalog or ... after the goldrush, as it were.

Merck Mercuriadis - Founder, Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited

 

Generally, there is sort of a sigh of "oh well, guess that's just the way it is."  Many applaud Neil for negotiating a deal and securing a nice nest egg.  Others fear that this is yet another step towards diminishing independent artists and their rights.

So who is Merck Mercuriadis and what is Hipgnosis really up to? (for more, see comments below)

Neil Young's 1988 "This Note's for You"

 

For us here at TW, we want to take a moment to clarify our position on the deal.

First, no one really knows what the terms and conditions are of the deal. Only a statement by Merck Mercuriadis, the founder of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited was issued. There is even confusion over the amount of the deal. The $150,000,000* figure seems somewhat in dispute, however this BBC News headline cites the 9 digit figure. Is that British pounds? Euro? USD?

All that aside, here is how we see this from a positive perspective 1st. The deal achieves what we assume are Neil's 2 main priorities: his family and NYA.

The lump sum allows Neil not to have to worry over the care of his son Ben, who with special needs, requires expensive 24/7 health care. From that perspective, everything else is irrelevant.

Neil, Pegi & Ben say "Good Night. Thanks for coming. We love you all."
2015 Bridge School Benefit Concerts 

photo by thrasher

Second, the ability to sustain NYA in perpetuity is certainly another driver of the deal.  Running NYA with the enormous library, high resolution audio and video streams is very expensive in terms of staffing and technical services and support, particularly at the bargain subscription fee.

By guaranteeing early subscribers a lifetime annual fee of just 19.99/year, Neil has locked himself into a fixed revenue stream with ever increasing costs which clearly was not the best way to structure the arrangement. 

Neil Young Archives - Opening Soon (August 2017)

 

So those are the pros of the deal and all that really matters.

Yes, we do have a major concerns, as a fan and music lover.  But this is Neil's deal and he's done what he thinks is best -- with or without the late, great Manager Elliot Roberts' guidance.

Neil Young and Elliot Roberts, Manager
August 2016

Presumably it also gives Lookout Management staff leadership and direction folded under Hipgnosis, where they will continue to review and care for Neil Young's song catalog, per Neil's terms and conditions. This also avoids a day (like the Prince estate) of when the family and associates fight over the artist's legacy and how best to preserve and monetize. Again, another positive on the situation.

Otherwise, we do think that we've clearly expressed ourselves previously over our concerns. Did Neil sell out to vultures too quickly and leave money on the table? In the long run, who really has controlling interest given a 50/50 split? Questions, questions, questions. See coverage here and here.

Comment of the Moment: Neil Young Sells Song Catalog Stake For $150,000,000
See https://t.co/OczO5SMoo9
☮️♥️@NeilYoungNYA pic.twitter.com/uY9hFY6Pgu

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) January 7, 2021

Sponsored by Nobody?!
Neil Young's 1988 "This Note's for You"

 

In the meantime, see How Banning Neil Young Outed MTV’s True Corporate Colors. 

 

Also, see this 2007 piece The Price of Neil: When Art and Commerce Collide.  More on "Cough Up the Buck$": Neil Young's Song of the Day | NYA.

Cough Up The Buck$ Crew
HarryO w/ Volume Drinkers: Brand New Guy & Paul D.
Madison Square Garden, NYC, NY - 12/15/2008 

photo by TW

---

---