Remember, Remember the 5th of November: VOTE - Freedom vs Tyranny

"I'm Happy To Report In. Vote Your Conscience."Neil Young in 2020

 

Obviously, -- at least so we would like to think -- everyone votes their "Conscience", as Neil Young urged in 2020.

That is voting their conscience for "Freedom" and voting against "Tyranny".

Or, maybe not ... a terrifying realization. Or,  even worse -- those who think they  are voting for "Freedom" but -- in reality -  they're mistakenly actually voting for "Tyranny".  Quite a state of affairs, eh?

As usual, Neil Young has quite a bit to say about Presidents and politics.

Who's Going To Stand Up and Save The Earth?
Neil Young
2014-07-12, Hyde Park, London, England
Photo Paolo Brillo |Facebook 

Many of us were introduced to Mr. Young back in 1970 with the song "Ohio" and the lyrics:

"Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio." 

CSNY's "Ohio" single with the United States Bill of Rights
Highlights the right to peacefully assemble

Richard Nixon: "Campaigner"

"I am a lonely visitor 

I came too late to cause a stir 

Though I campaigned all my life towards that goal 

I hardly slept the night you wept 

Our secret's safe and still well kept 

Where even Richard Nixon has got soul 

Even Richard Nixon has got Soul"

 

And Mr Young has not slowed down on the subject of Presidential politics since 1970.

 

Ronald Reagan

In the 1980's, there were the infamous "Reagan interviews" where -- depending on one's perspective -- either Neil Young was a Ronald Reagan supporter, detractor or undetermined.

From Boston Globe's 1990 Neil Young interview:

Young's been in hot water with certain elements of the press for what's been perceived as his support of Ronald Reagan. Imagine, Neil Young -- the man who wrote that wonderful antiwar, anti-Nixon anthem "Ohio," a longterm environmentalist and activist . . . supporting the most right-wing of presidents.

The neo-Reaganite tag affixed to him during the mid-'80s, Young insists -- quite vehemently -- was taken out of context, blown out of proportion. ''The Reagan-supporting era," sighs Young. "I don't think there is one president that's come down the line that hasn't done something good somewhere." Young says a "sleazeball journalist" nailed Reagan and then forced Young to his defense.

"Some people put down all presidents no matter what," says Young, "like once you get to be president you're a . . . idiot. So if you say anything good about any of them, they think you're supporting everything they do."

Freedom (1989) by Neil Young -
"The rock and roll coda of the Cold War"

 

In the late 1980's, Neil Young penned the song "Rockin' In The Free World"  lyrics:

"We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler,
Machine gun hand"

The lyrics are a direct reference to President George Bush's (#41) campaign pledge to create a compassionate citizenry volunteering to help cope with society's ills. The "thousand points of light" symbolize the American citizen's spirit and a shining example of giving selflessly to care for one another's neighbor and brother. Along with "a kinder, gentler hand", Bush believed that each American could contribute to helping make the United States -- and the world -- a better place to live and work. 

Jump to 2006 and "Living with War" and Neil Young's song "Let's Impeach The President".

                      

In 2008, the song "Lookin' for a Leader" with lyrics:

"And maybe it's a woman
Or a black man after all"

Referencing Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the official music video was prefaced by: "Every American President has left an impact on his country and the World. This musical history lesson from Neil Young takes a look at the past, present and future of US leadership."

Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama

After all, we're still lookin' for a leader.

Americana and The American Dream via Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse Album

Rockin' In The Free World w/
Uwe "Computer Age" - White House, Washington, DC - 2013
( see The role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible")
Photo by Hounds That Howell

Which brings us to 2016 and Donald Trump & Neil Young...

 

Donald Trump & Neil Young - 2014

 

And so began our long running coverage of these two men and their apparent love/hate relationship.

   

Neil Young's Open Letter To President Trump 

‘The Visitor’
by Neil Young + Promise of the Real

In 2017, Neil Young announced his latest new album titled ‘The Visitor’ -- and sharing the 1st preview track of the song “Already Great”.  The song “Already Great” is the response to those complaining about America and the need for it to be "great again". 

Also, see:

• Neil Young: "I don't hate Trump. I do hate that he is President
  
• Neil Young to Donald Trump: This note is NOT for you!
• Full Statement by Neil Young on Donald Trump's Use of Song "Rockin in the Free World"
• Neil Young Weighs In On US Presidential Election
• "Fuck You, Donald Trump" Says Neil Young Onstage; Posts Video Clip to His Facebook Page
• "Got A Man of The People Says Keep Hope Alive": Neil Young’s "Rockin' In The Free World"
• Bernie Sanders Campaign Video of Neil Young’s Song "Rockin’ In The Free World"
• INTERVIEW: For Neil Young, the Trump Era Feels a Lot Like the '60s | Mother Jones
• Neil Young Discusses His New Album, Trump, Future of Pono | Rolling Stone
• Neil Young Discusses Donald Trump  + Donald Trump Discusses Neil Young
• "Rockin' In The Free World" Lyrics Analysis

In 2020, Neil Young was still "Lookin' for a Leader", because "The Times" were a changin'.

JOE BIDEN IS THE GREATEST - Aug 8, 2023

T-C | Neil Young Archives 

In October 2024, Neil Young endorsed VP Kamala Harris for President, per a statement on Neil Young Archives. Young wrote: "Cast your vote for a beautiful future for your family."

"Why I Love Kamala Harris" |  Neil Young Archives  

WHY I VOTED FOR KAMALA HARRIS - Nov 4, 2024T-C | Neil Young Archives 

 

So. From the "tin soldiers and Nixon" in 1970 to "loving" the current Vice President in 2024, Neil has covered the spectrum -- both as a Canadian and a U.S. citizen.

Not that music can change the world or anything like that afterall.

Because one person's perspective on freedom of speech is another's right to dissent.

Sigh. We have all been here before. Sometimes you have to lose to know how to win ... maybe.

Lastly, we bring to you one of the most viral posts in Thrasher's Wheat history: George & John, Donald & Neil + Bob: Sooner or Later, It All Gets REAL ... As in Now.

GEORGE Magazine - 1997; U.S. Citizen Neil Young - 2020

George & John, Donald & Neil + Bob: Sooner or Later, It All Gets REAL ... As in Now 

This one has it all rolled into one ... if you dare.  Why? Because the future proves the past.

"FUTURE PROVES PAST"

Alchemy ... Past, Present, Future. We're all on a journey through the past while time fades away.

More on politics and music and  The Politics of Music or the Music of Politics?

Regardless of the results of the 5th of November, remember empathy and try to focus on our common humanity rather than our often trivial differences. And remember peace, of course.

To be honest and transparent here, we're no longer just "Lookin' For A Leader", mainly because "We're The Ones We've Been Waiting For".

"We're The Ones
We've Been Waiting For"
#WT1sWBW4"

---

---

CANCELED: All Remaining Dates on Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse “Love Earth Tour” Leg #2

 

TOUR BREAKvia  Neil Young Archives

 

UPDATED:  All remaining dates on the  Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse “Love Earth Tour” are  canceled, due to illness hitting “a couple of us”, per   Neil Young Archive.

---

Since the abrupt end of Leg #1 of  Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse's “Love Earth Tour” in May in Chicago, there has been increasing conCERN over the status of Leg #2 scheduled to begin in July.

 

  Love Earth TourNeil Young w/ Crazy Horse

 

Now we are hearing that an announcement on status of Leg #2 of Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse's “Love Earth Tour” will be forthcoming very soon.

So stay tuned, standby, keep your fingers crossed and let's all hope for the best for everyone in the band, friends, and families.

---

---

Photo of the Moment: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 8, 2012

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Cleveland, Ohio - Oct. 8
Alchemy Tour 2012
Photo by TW
(Click photo to enlarge)

 

Ahhh, life on the rail.

We were quite fortunate to have a few rail experiences on the Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy Tour 2012.

More photos and stories on Thoughts & Memories of Alchemy Tour: Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2012.

---

---

Neil Young Says "Alchemy: Probably The Last Crazy Horse Live Album"

Alchemy
via NYA Times-Contrarian

According to the latest edition of the NYA Times-Contrarian, Neil Young writes that "Alchemy is probably the last Crazy Horse live album."

Having had a ride on the rails across the continents from 2012 to 2014, we can definitely say that the Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy Concert Tours will make for a compelling live album.



Thrasher Wheat covered the Fall 2012 N. America Tour, Spring 2013 Australia/New Zealand Tour, Summer 2013 Europe Tour and Europe Summer 2014 Concert Tour.



The third episode of A Rust Trilogy, which began with Rust Never Sleeps in 1978, and continued with Weld in 1990, now concludes with Alchemy in 2012. Things have changed, yet they stay the same. The Alchemy Tour of Neil Young & Crazy Horse -- like Rust and Weld -- brought back those old stage props like big roadcases, giant monitors and towering mic stands.

Alchemy was deja vu all over again.

Alchemy Tour Stage Setup
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Windsor, Ontario, Oct. 3

---

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Cleveland, Ohio - Oct. 8
Alchemy Tour 2012
Photos by TW
(Click photo to enlarge)
We are very fortunate to have just returned from attending both the Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy 2012 Tour shows.

And, boy, what thoughts and memories we have of Neil and The Horse in all of their splendid ragged glory.

From our vantage point of just off the rail, what we witnessed was nothing less than two nearly perfect nights of rock and roll power delivered with raw abandon yet punctuated with all the fun and delight one could ever want. And more.

To say that we've been lucky is a vast understatement. This was our third lifetime installment of "The Rust Trilogy". We saw the Rust Never Sleeps in 1978, the Weld tour in 1991, and now the Alchemy tour in 2012. While the boys in the band and some of the songs are still the same, life's journey has continued. As they say, "their spirit seems unstoppable." Just ask anyone who has seen the chemistry of the Alchemy tour.

Highlights? Too many.

The Crazy Horse huddle.

The dinosaur stomp of "Walk Like A Giant".

Flipping off Poncho during "Fuckin' Up".

The Psychedelic Mic

The flying keyboard descending for "Like A Hurricane". (Note new tye-die draping for the crying dove)

And good news! Concerts being filmed by Shakey Pictures.

What else?

And of course our fellow rusty Neil fans who get it and know The Way. We're honored to be part of the tribe. See you next time at the campfire.

Love and Only Love will endure.

peace,
thrasher

More photos of Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy Tour 2012.

More on Thoughts & Memories on Alchemy Tour: Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2012

---

---

Photo, Review & VIdeo of the Moment: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Alchemy Concert Tour

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Kingston, Ontario, Oct. 5
Photos gallery by Andre Bergeron
(Click photo to enlarge)
This has to be one of our favorite photos we've seen come out of the Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2012 Alchemy Concert Tour.

The photo by Andre Bergeron is definitely worthy of clicking thru for enlargement and the entire gallery captures the Horse vibe in glorious black & white.

Also, here's another early review of "Psychedelic Pill" by Neil Young and Crazy Horse on TONEAudio MAGAZINE by Bob Gendron:

Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s first new studio album of original material in nine years gives a symbolic middle finger to modern convention.

Its length is sprawling, its surrealist first song occupies more than 27 minutes of time, and its lyrical content casts aspersions on the present and embraces the past. It is the opposite of the digestible sound-byte fare dominant on the very FM radio band that once championed Young. It is a stubborn and curmudgeonly statement in no hurry to go anywhere, and feels nary an obligation to apologize for its imperfections. It is the unmistakable sound of an artist doing things on his own terms and caring not an iota if he doesn’t make everyone happy. It is noisy, raw, loose, off-the-cuff, spontaneous, and blatantly out of step with what’s often perceived as progress. It is alternatively indulgent and lean, nostalgic and contemporary, humorous and serious, unscripted and planned, frustrating and engaging, simple and complex. It is everything one might expect a get-back-into-the-shed Crazy Horse record should be, and then some, and is likely to irritate the listeners that doubt the performance abilities of Young’s longtime garage-rock mates.

Approached on its own terms, Psychedelic Pill is also another master stroke from an icon who, nearing 67 years old, could sleepwalk through the remainder of his career rather than continue to take bold risks and potentially antagonize—even alienate. But Young has never been about playing it straight, and of late, whether on record or in print, he’s rarely seemed more fiery or outspoken.

My My Hey Hey Oct 11 2012 Chicago United Center

Watch very carefully @ 1:50 - 2:10. Never seen this before....

shudders...

More on Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2012 Alchemy Concert Tour .

---

---

---

Thoughts & Memories on Alchemy Tour: Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2012

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Cleveland, Ohio - Oct. 8
Alchemy Tour 2012
Photos by TW
(Click photo to enlarge)
We are very fortunate to have just returned from attending both the Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy 2012 Tour shows.

And, boy, what thoughts and memories we have of Neil and The Horse in all of their splendid ragged glory.

From our vantage point of just off the rail, what we witnessed was nothing less than two nearly perfect nights of rock and roll power delivered with raw abandon yet punctuated with all the fun and delight one could ever want. And more.

To say that we've been lucky is a vast understatement. This was our third lifetime installment of "The Rust Trilogy". We saw the Rust Never Sleeps in 1978, the Weld tour in 1991, and now the Alchemy tour in 2012. While the boys in the band and some of the songs are still the same, life's journey has continued. As they say, "their spirit seems unstoppable." Just ask anyone who has seen the chemistry of the Alchemy tour.

Highlights? Too many.

The Crazy Horse huddle.

The dinosaur stomp of "Walk Like A Giant".

Flipping off Poncho during "Fuckin' Up".

The Psychedelic Mic

The flying keyboard descending for "Like A Hurricane". (Note new tye-die draping for the crying dove)

And good news! Concerts being filmed by Shakey Pictures.

What else?

And of course our fellow rusty Neil fans who get it and know The Way. We're honored to be part of the tribe. See you next time at the campfire.

Love and Only Love will endure.

peace,
thrasher

More photos of Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy Tour 2012.

---

---