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An unofficial news blog for Neil Young fans from Thrasher's Wheat with concert and album updates, reviews, analysis, and other Rock & Roll ramblings. Separating the wheat from the chaff since 1996.
Consider
these first episodes to be a soft launch of pilot tests as we shake down various
technical issues. As we get the kinks worked out, we'll be bringing in
additional features and special guests.
Review of the Moment: CSNY's Deja Vu 50th Anniversary Edition
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 'Deja Vu'
Re-enters this week's #Billboard200 chart at #159
(screenshot via CBS This Morning- May 23, 2021)
CSNY's Deja Vu 50th Anniversary edition boxset continues to surprise and delight fans.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 'Deja Vu' re-enters this week's #Billboard200 chart at No. 159.
It hit No. 1 on May 16, 1970, stayed on the charts for over 7 years, and last appeared on the chart in October 1977.
Just finished listening to the entire Deja Vu box set and I’m extremely impressed.
I don’t want to single anything out quite yet as I need to listen several times before I commit to individual songs, but the vinyl sounds excellent and the pressing is beautiful. There are 29 unreleased tracks and several of them are remarkable. The booklet comes with a historical and well written text, and includes some great photos of some very young and talented musicians. The cover is an exact replica of the original album and the sound of the music is phenomenal.
Only one unreleased song from Neil, but his unmistakable guitar work can be heard on several of the unreleased material, and needless to say.... incredible.
The Deja Vu 50th is an embarrassment of riches, and After The Gold Rush 50th anniversary is simply an embarrassment. Thankfully Neil has given us so much more inside and outside his archives over the past year that it feels inappropriate to complain about the 50th anniversary of After the Gold Rush.
That being said; the 50th anniversary of After the Gold Rush is the only Neil Young release I won’t be purchasing on vinyl as it is simply over priced for what is offered. But I’m so grateful for the multitude of quality releases that Neil has given us and look forward to the future releases he has already prepared.
Neil has always followed his own path and with this one exception I have always been impressed with his choices. Throughout his storied career I have always admired his ability to surprise and confound his fans. Yet he has never released an album that I didn’t’ find compelling.
He is without doubt one of the few creative artists that has never compromised his gift or patronized his fans. He’s unconcerned with fame and follows his own path which is why he has earned the ability to make the music he chooses and doesn’t care if anyone buys it. He has built a fan base that admire his tenacity and integrity.
Deja Vu Demos disc......
I’ve been listening to the DEMOS disc, and I have always enjoyed hearing songs that have yet to be formed.
Everything on this disc is really enjoyable, but the ones that really peaked my interest were.... 4+20 / Birds / So Begins the Task : Hold on Tight / How Have You Been / Know You Got To Run / Question Why / Laughing / She Can Handle It / Deja Vu, and of course the Our House demo with Joni is just really sweet.
Stephen Stills is such a remarkable musician and his demos could have easily been officially released versions and no one would have complained. Each of his demos feel fully realized. Just a remarkable talent.
David Crosby managed to create some stunning songs during a tragic and painful period in his life. Considering what he was dealing with, I can’t imagine how he functioned at all, let alone creating such beautiful songs like Laughing and Almost Cut My Hair. He deserves some praise for not giving up during such extreme circumstances.
Neil Young only gave us the demo for Birds, and I suppose we should be grateful as it is a wonderful version.
Graham Nash seems to be the one most attentive to the details for each song he sings on, and I think Question Why is a great song. Glad we finally get a chance to hear it.
These four guys were at their best during the making of Deja Vu and these demos really shed some valuable light on their process. I’m interested in what others have enjoyed and look forward to reading everyone’s thoughts. These are the songs I resonated with the most on this disc, and I will be listening to the Outtakes & Alternates more intently and write about them later. What a wonderful 50th anniversary edition.
Deja Vu Outtakes disc......
Outtakes tend to be a lot like deleted scenes from movies.
Basically there’s a reason why they didn’t make the cut, and these eleven tracks are a great example of that. The Demos disc had a running time of over 70 minutes and was filled with some wonderful music. Outtakes runs just over 40 minutes with only a few real gems. The tracks I really found intriguing were : The Lee Shore / Horses Through a Rainstorm / Ivory Tower, and Laughing. These four songs were definitely worth adding to this deep dive into this seminal record, and I feel each add value to the story. Unfortunately for us Rusties, Neil is basically missing on the disc. But after my first listen of the entire set I heard Neil’s guitar featured prominently on the Alternates disc...... coming next.
Deja Vu Alternates disc......
Of the three bonus discs included in this 50th anniversary edition of Deja Vu, this is definitely my favorite. The whole disc feels like a complete piece and contains an incredible example of the guitar work from both Neil and Stephen. This is why they needed Neil in the first place. Just their guitar conversation during Almost Cut My Hair is worth the entire price of this collection. Sadly it’s the only song that captures their guitar magic together on this particular disc. The absence of Neil Young during the making of Deja Vu is even more evident now with this collection, but what is here is obviously really wonderful stuff. I would have loved to hear an alternate Country Girl but apparently there wasn’t one..... or Neil is hanging on to it for a later release of his own...... maybe. 🤞
Every song is just different enough to make it an interesting listen, and with the addition of Know You Got To Run as a bonus, this is the best disc in the set. I’m so glad that this ‘Alternates’ disc was chosen as the vinyl release for Record Stone Day coming up in July. What a wonderful gift to add to the vinyl collection. Certainly an important companion piece to the original release to be sure.
Looking forward to hearing from others on this release.
Peace 🙏
P.S. Happy 80th Birthday Bob, you are a true master of your craft., and a treasure to us all.
Thanks so much for all of the commentary here Dan. Greatly appreciated your making the effort to share thoughts on each of the discs.
While it keeps getting pointed out that Neil held back for his Archives, the richness brought by Crosby, Stills, & Nash's contributions more than offsets. In an earlier interview, Stills admits that Neil has turned out to be the smart one who kept all copyrights and ownerships. Still, OTOH, sold all of his songs which is why this boxset probably ended up being on a Rhino Label reissue.
Here is the recent episode of Thrasher's Wheat Radio 2.0 Podcast, hosted by our good friends WBKM.org highlighting CSNY's Deja Vu 50th Anniversary edition.
Bob
Dylan and Neil Young are friends and mutual admirers. They have
appeared on stage together numerous times, and have even referred to
each other in their songs.
But we were asked by National Bob Dylan Examiner "So what about those Bob & Neil fans? What's up with that?"
So here was our reply to that age old question...
Neil Young and Bob Dylan - 1986
Bob Dylan and Neil Young: A Fascinating Saga
Bob
Dylan and Neil Young are friends and mutual admirers. They have
appeared on stage together numerous times, and have even referred to
each other in their songs.
While
Dylan is universally acknowledged as the most influential and important
20th century singer-songwriter performing today, Young is among a very
small contingent of contenders for second place. Young's integrity and
credibility place him among a distinguished group of artists to be
compared to Dylan.
As a long time Neil Young fan, we've never
really perceived any rivalry whatsoever between the Bob and Neil fan
bases, and find the whole Bob vs Neil discussions to be a bit tiresome. It seems no matter your preference, both men are living legends and musical geniuses.
Nevertheless, the whole Bob and Neil business can be quite humorous.
Back in 2006, we linked over to a blog post on Top 10 Reasons Why Neil Young is Better Than Bob Dylan.
The tongue-in-cheek posting created quite a bit of an uproar generating
nearly 100 comments from outraged Dylan fans. So what exactly would any
Dylan fan find objectionable??
Bob Dylan and Tom Petty & Neil Young "My Back Pages" at BobFest - 1992
In the end, this comment from Karen sums up where many serious music lovers stand on the Bob vs. Neil debate:
I love Neil Young. I am a fanatic. First and foremost, a Rustie (Neil Young fan). But I also love Bob Dylan.
Neil
has been very clear over the years on his own admiration and
appreciation for Bob Dylan, he (Neil) has called Dylan the master on
several occasions. Neil has said many times over that Dylan was an
inspiration to him. One of the funniest, more recent comments was during
a recent radio interview about 'Prairie Wind', Neil's latest album, the
interviewer had apparently heard that Neil does a great impression of
Bob Dylan (presumably Dylan's speaking voice, given the context of the
interview.) Neil pauses, and as his manager literally breaks into the
studio to make sure Neil is NOT going to impersonate Bob Dylan on air,
Neil says, Impersonate Bob Dylan, huh? Hey, I've been doing that for
forty years.Haven't you been listening?
So. Whether you like Bob, Neil, both or neither, it's all one song...
Bob Dylan Covers "Old Man" by Neil Young - 13 Nov 2002 @ Madison Square Gardens, New York City
"I'm listening to Neil Young, I gotta turn up the sound Someone's always yellin', 'Turn him down' Feel like I'm driftin', driftin' from scene to scene I'm wondering what in the devil could it all possibly mean."
~~Bob Dylan's "Highlands"
"No one can touch you now, But i can touch you now. You're invisible. You got too many secrets. Bob Dylan said that. Somethin' like that."
~~Neil Young's "Bandit"
Also, see the issue of Broken Arrow: "Great article on 'Young Plays Dylan Plays Young' that chronicles the songs that Dylan has covered of Young's and vice-versa".
Happy birthday Bob! Thanks Bob for having Bobfest! (And Thanks Harold!)
A Rock & Roll Trinity: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost Bob Dylan, Neil Young & Eric Clapton,
Madison Square Garden, New York City - 1992
(See Bob Dylan and Neil Young:Master & Disciple)
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
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