Neil Young and Rick Rubin: 'World Record', Recording on Tape, and Creative Process | Apple Music
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Neil Young and record producer Rick Rubin sit down with Zane Lowe for an intimate conversation at Shangri La Studios in Malibu, California.
In the interview, they discuss the upcoming album 'World Record', benefits and challenges of recording on tape, and debate the pros and cons of digital versus analog methods of making music.
From Rock Cellar Magazine:
Young on his seemingly relentless focus on releasing new music decades into his career:
“I don’t care. I figured that’s why they like it, because I don’t care. It’s what I have to do. I want to do this. That’s why there’s 51, 52 albums because I want to do this and I can still feel it. I’d be crazy to stop.”
Reuniting with Rubin for World Record:
“So all these songs started like that. 8 out of 10 of them started with the melody, with no instrument. No words, no instrument, no chord changes. That is significantly, completely in another zone, and not thought of or sitting down to feel anything…just walking. So then I started thinking maybe four, five months later it might be nice to go to do some stuff. I’d written a couple of other songs and one of them was Chevrolet. I just finished that and I was back here and I said, “God, it’d be nice to get in the studio and do some stuff.” Checked it out and the Horse was ready to go. And so I called and I booked the studio and I said, “God, that was easy. Usually you can’t get in this place.” I mean, I’m going, I got it, it’s three days later. I was very, very lucky to get this place again. So, here I am and then I said, “Well, I’m going to call Rick now,” because I thought of Rick right away. I’m going, “Who’s going to help me do this?” And so, I thought of Rick because he’s here, it’s his place. So, there we did. We’ve done things before, but we’ve never completed a record before, which doesn’t mean anything because the things we did, we remember. And we remember what they felt like, so that’s our history. It’s not about what records came out. So, musically we are very similar… it just seemed like the right thing. So, I told him the story of whistling and doing this stuff, and then writing the songs in two days, all of the songs were finished in two days… It’s so weird, it was the weirdest project.”
Why he avoids social media:
“It scares the shit out of me. I don’t like to go to social media. I don’t like to get involved in that and the back and forth of one celebrity against another celebrity to do as a certain kind of people. I mean, who cares? There’s so many more important things than that to think about today if you really want to look at what’s happening. Again, even as I’m saying that, I can feel like, whoa, you’ve said that so many times already. People know that, but people don’t really know it well enough to act on it. I keep going back to the same old thing and it’s going to be the death of me pretty soon. I probably have to stop doing that. Ya… Fuck them if they can’t take a joke.”
00:00 - Recording to Tape
11:47 - Creating the Melodies
18:55 - Theme of ‘World Record’
29:36 - “Love Earth”
41:13 - Working on Vinyl
53:09 - Neil Young on ‘Harvest’
Also, see Rick Rubin & Neil Young Tease Their New Music For Jack White.
Labels: @NeilYoungNYA, #CrazyHorse4HOF, #NeilYoung, album, archives, neil young, neil young archives, nya, rick rubin, song, video
9 Comments:
Hey Now Thrasher - I know that you're no fan of Howard Stern, but I was wondering if you had heard his interview with Neil and what you thought of it.
No. Link?
It's about 2 hours but it is exclusive to the SiriusXM app for now -
Neil Young Explains Spotify Beef to Howard Stern: ‘Why Would I Keep it on There When It Sounds Like a Pixilated Movie?’
https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/neil-young-explains-spotify-beef-howard-stern-1235172086/
Another subject, something that really hit me. Neil says he is terrified of social media, a back and forth between one celebrity and another.., I feel the terror and I am certainly not a celebrity!!
I removed myself from Facebook or MetaCrap or whatever in 2012. I would see some "friend" who "commented" and the comment was toxic and totally uninformed. I would then "feel compelled" to respond and on and on, round and round we go: a totally stupid waste of time (I am not always opposed to dreaming the hours away). And then I noticed also that is was vicious and that I was adding to the viciousness. I became that my soul was endangered (I am writing is Neilisms).
Beck and his nonsense with what is Sacred fits into this. Social Media is part of a larger ecology of self-promotion and self-profiting. The NFL lost its soul a long time ago. Gone are the days when my Dad and I watched Jim Brown in the Cleveland snow on a lousy black and white television. I used to go to Bruins games for 5 bucks, sit in "obstructed view seats" (where I also saw Neil and the Horse on Rust tour- old Boston Garden). Now it costs $500 for two people to attend a Bruins game (including a beverage and a hot dog).
The cupboards are bare but the streets are paved with gold.
sorry for typos
At the risk of making people angry, I will say that I support NY’s stand on factory farms / unnecessary cruelty to animals. I am an omnivore, but why should Wilbur be tortured prior to someone enjoying him as a meal? Let him at least have a life free of torture!
Perhaps it’s easier for me to let NY do what he wants because A) That’s what he does, and B)I didn’t show up too too late for the party, 1988.
I know that I am very lucky, because I already saw him play live 18x
But Neil can do what he wants for the reasons he has, and I will not complain. Green diesel bus, COVID fears, factory farms. It might seem to some that NY is just offering up a variety of reasons why he does not want to tour. And this could make people resentful, even of our favorite Music Artist.
When does Neil get to retire? Some might say he already has. But with as much new studio music being created, with archival albums and live shows being released, if this is what NY’s retirement looks like, then we know what we already knew: Shakey is a workaholic. His long, bountiful career may show evidence NY was “addicted to touring.” He appears to have overcome his addiction.
We should all probably try to make Peace and accept that we have never been able to tell Neil what to do. In recent years, he may have decided (perhaps with help from DH) to cater to his fans more, by releasing TFA on LP / CD(!) He gave us the out-of-tune Cinnamon Girl from Fillmore East because fans were discussing it right here on TW (maybe also NYA).
Yup, me, just a big old green dragon, napping on mountains of Gold (as in The Hobbit).
Have a great stay! Your brother Alan in Seattle
A yes, the grammar!
“Have a Great Day!” (or stay, if applicable!).
Also, I had intended to say, about the dragon nonsense, “sonic Gold”….
Yes, we, like the dragon in the ridiculous film version of the Hobbit, best scene goes to dragon (some color) sleeping on his mountains of Sonic Gold.” An embarrassment of riches, thank you Neil Young!
@ Thrasher: “Keep on blogging’ til the power goes out.” (-NY, FITR)
Peace be upon you! And Save the Humans! To save the humans, we must save Nature and her creatures, lands, oceans. Eating meat produces a lot of pollution and contributes to global warming in a few big ways. The Amazon rainforest is being leveled to raise cattle.
Global Warming hitting WAY faster than expected / predicted by 95% of Scientists. Why be an Alarmist, right?
Who’s Gonna Stand Up & Save the Earth?!
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
@ Jeff - thanks for link. just checked summary and as far as we can tell, no discussion of latest album w/ Crazy Horse World Record?
odd?
@ Abner - ah, yes, the allure of SocMed and all its impacts. good call.
Sounds like some good memories from back to The Garden. no worries on typos
@ YBAiS - no arguments here... but ...
everyone needs a last chance to see Neil & The Horse on tour. that really needs to be the priority. we say that having seen Neil's last concert at Farm Aid 2019.
it would break our hearts to know that was the final rodeo.
Your Brother thrasher in Greendale
@YBTiG: I love your goal of seeing NYCH again, of course!
I would LOVE to see Neil with CH (or solo, band, or whatever touring). But I dare not expect it or demand it.
When the time is right, it could happen. Next shows will take place in a more intimate setting, I predict.
We will be very lucky to witness it.
Bring it on, if it can be…. And we will throw a TW party like the work has never seen!
YBAiS
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