Comment of the Moment: Photo of the Moment: Neil Young Concert in Dijon, France - 1982 Europe TRANS Tour

Neil Young
Parc des Expositions, Dijon, France - 1982-09-15
photo by Bruno Fisson
(Click photo to enlarge)  

For all the TW regulars out there in the rustie grains communities, you're really going to love these synchronicities.

The quick back story here is that last week, we posted on Photo of the Moment: Neil Young Concert in Dijon, France - 1982 Europe TRANS Tour.   The photographer is unknown of this back to the future, time traveling cosmic cowboy/TRANSformer man.

 

In the thread, a fan named Bruno Fisson asked "Who took photo?".  Upon spotting the photo and thread, John K. recognized Bruno's name as author of the once definitive book on Neil Young bootlegs.

 

Neil Young: A Complete Illustrated Bootleg Discography 

published w/ Broken Arrow Magazine (quarterly journal of the Neil Young Appreciation Society)

 

John K went on to digress about this little synchronicity and thank Bruno for his research way back in the 1980's.

But wait.  It gets even better.

Which brings us to the Comment of the Moment on Photo of the Moment:  Neil Young Concert in Dijon, France - 1982 Europe TRANS Tour by Mr. Bruno Fisson:

Thanks John.

Thanks Thrasher!

I'm very moved... and I didn't know I had fans! You know, I’m only a collector who likes to share what he knows and has learned over the years...

It also allows me to remember Alan Jenkins, without whom all this would not have been possible.

If I asked "who took the picture?" It’s that I'm sure we were neighbors that night!

And here are some other pictures I took… which show that Neil's outfit was worn for at least 3 songs (On the Way Home, Don't Cry No Tears, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, and I think, maybe Cortez The Killer…) 3 different guitars for those songs!

Sorry ViP, the Wyoming Native T Shirt is not blue but rather "old black" or "used black"!….

Sorry Dionys, but I don’t think the jacket is so "clownesque", especially since it reminds me of the outfit of surgeons who operate in French "operating theaters"! (I'm not sure that's the right term?!)

When I think back to this concert, what immediately comes to my mind is the extraordinary presence of Nils. Like a goblin spinning around Neil, a wisp dancing through the air…

For me, Nils has always been a huge guitarist that I love a lot and that I find far too underrated!

There is an anecdote of this concert that I would like to share with you:

In those 80's, very athletic Nils used to do flips on stage.

His brother Tom, who was his tech, had set up a small springboard which he watered before the concert began. When Nils started his flip, the landing did not go well and Nils slipped and found himself on the ground on his back, while continuing to play! Amazing ! And what a professional!!

For my "fans", I would like to tell you I’m still collecting Neil bootleg vinyl… And I’m actually working on an update for "A Complete Illustrated Bootleg Discography"… So I’m looking for any kind of help."

Photos are in chronological order!

Thanks so much Bruno for reaching out here.  Quite a discovery and putting together pieces from this unique period in  Neil Young's musical styles and fashions.

Here are Bruno Fisson's Neil Young concert photos from Parc des Expositions, Dijon, France - 1982-09-15 on 1982 Europe TRANS Tour.

Neil Young
Parc des Expositions, Dijon, France - 1982-09-15
photos by Bruno Fisson
(Click photo to enlarge)

More on  Photo of the Moment:  Neil Young Concert in Dijon, France - 1982 Europe TRANS Tour.

 

TRANSformer Man 

Before Berlin + After Berlin

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Photo of the Moment: Neil Young Concert in Dijon, France - 1982 Europe TRANS Tour

"TRANSformer Man" - Neil Young Dijon,  France - 1982 Trans Tour(Click photo to enlarge)

 

Our 1st reaction when seeing the Neil Young photo above was "wow". 

We had not seen this image before and find Neil channeling his inner futuristic self via a major wardrobe departure. From early in the Europe 1982 Trans Tour at Parc des Expositions in Dijon, France on 1982-09-15, we don't think this outfit saw too many appearances. 

By the time that Neil got to "after Berlin", he was wearing skinny ties.

Year 1982 - Neil Young Pulled from the Future into the Past
(Out of the Blue, Into the Black)

 

That Neil. The original "TRANSformer Man" way back in 1981. Can you see the TRANSformation?!

More on Europe 1982 Trans Tour and Neil Young's film "Berlin" & TRANS Band.

More on Neil Young's TRANS album and era.  Also, see reviews and comments on Neil Young Film "Berlin" This Weekend in Hearse Theater on NYA.

 

Neil Young - TRANS (1982)
Cropped Album Cover

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VIDEO: "Computer Cowboy" by Neil Young from "TRANS - THE ANIMATED STORY", directed by Micah Nelson

"Computer Cowboy" by Neil Young via "TRANS - THE ANIMATED STORY", directed by Micah Nelson
The Hearse Theater | NYA

 

Last week, Neil Young posted on NYA that his 1982 album  TRANS was being restored to his original vision.

Today, "COMPUTER COWBOY", directed by Micah Nelson, will screen in The Hearse Theater | NYA.

Per Hearse Daily | NYA:

This is a work in progress. Arriving in 2022 with Volume 3 it includes all of the Trans music and characters, telling their whole story.
Micah and Alex have done a wonderful thing here and I can't wait to share the whole project with you.

THE REAL STORY OF TRANS!

 More on Neil Young’s TRANS Album Being Restored | NYA.

Micah Nelson's Curated Playlist: "WE R NEIL-LIST"
image via Neil Young - TRANS (1982)
Cropped Album Back Cover

 

Particle Kid (aka Micah Nelson)
Farm Aid 2019 - Alpine Valley, Wisconsin
photo by thrasher

Also, see:

• Neil Young’s TRANS Album Being Restored + More | NYA
• TRANS: A Little Bit of Essential Neil Young
• ‘Trans’: An Album So Controversial, The Label Sued Neil Young Over It: Revisiting The Legend’s Robot Rock Opus | Vinyl Me Please 
• Neil Young: "Super amazing long-form [TRANS] video by The Particle Kid!"
• Neil Young's LincVolt: Out of the Sunset 
• Neil Young's TRANS Mixes: "I Need A Unit to Sample & Hold"
• The Story of Neil Young’s Heavily Computerized, Utterly Bewildering ‘Trans’ | Ultimate Classic Rock
  
• Neil Young's Techno-Synth-Pop Phase  
• Margo Price Spins Neil Young's 'Trans' Album
  
• Micah Nelson's Curated Playlist: "WE R NEIL-LIST"

 Neil Young - TRANS (1982)

Cropped Album Cover

(See TRANS: A Little Bit of Essential Neil Young)

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Neil Young’s TRANS Album Being Restored + More | NYA

Neil Young's TRANS - LincVolt Edition (See Neil Young's LincVolt: Out of the Sunset)

 

Neil Young has announced that his 1982 album -- the wildly misunderstood and vastly under appreciated TRANS -- is being restored to his original vision.  

Neil Young - TRANS (1982)

Cropped Album Cover

(See TRANS: A Little Bit of Essential Neil Young)

 

From  T-C | Neil Young Archives:

Left with all that music, in the end, I decided to go to the Islands and record there. New songs. ‘Island in the Sun, ‘A little thing called love,’ ‘Hold on to your love’ and ‘Like and Inca’ were all recorded right there and then.

We took a whole new track….and combined the two records to make Trans -Trans, an album that told the tale of going from one life to another, as my own life had changed in many ways with the birth of my wonderful second son, quadriplegic, non-speaking, the subject of the film-story and one of my great teachers.

Now the story has ultimately been told as it was meant to be. Animated by my friend Micah, the great Micah Nelson, our story of Trans is finally living!

In the meantime, Trans - the record, has been restored. All the original mixes are there. Just the way the album was first made. The record is in the filing cabinet available now. A missing song ‘If you got love,’ is still missing but now will be found in the archives Volume Three, along with the animated musical film - Trans.

Full details on T-C | Neil Young Archives.

Micah Nelson's Curated Playlist: "WE R NEIL-LIST"
image via Neil Young - TRANS (1982)
Cropped Album Back Cover

Also, see:

• TRANS: A Little Bit of Essential Neil Young
• ‘Trans’: An Album So Controversial, The Label Sued Neil Young Over It: Revisiting The Legend’s Robot Rock Opus | Vinyl Me Please 
• Neil Young: "Super amazing long-form [TRANS] video by The Particle Kid!"
• Neil Young's LincVolt: Out of the Sunset 
• Neil Young's TRANS Mixes: "I Need A Unit to Sample & Hold"
• The Story of Neil Young’s Heavily Computerized, Utterly Bewildering ‘Trans’ | Ultimate Classic Rock
  
• Neil Young's Techno-Synth-Pop Phase  
• Margo Price Spins Neil Young's 'Trans' Album
  
• Micah Nelson's Curated Playlist: "WE R NEIL-LIST"
  

 

Neil Young
His Techno-Synth-Pop Phase

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Speakin' Out: Neil Young Fanzine, Issue #3

Speakin' Out
Neil Young Fanzine, Issue #3

Speakin' Out is a new Neil Young fanzine and issue #3 has just been published.

Speakin' Out -- a UK based fanzine dedicated to the music of Neil Young -- features concert reviews, photos and all sorts of interesting items.

In an interview with Micah Nelson -- "Particle Kid: Take The Best You Can Today!" -- he discusses the TRANS animated film (Thanks Ian, NYUA, & HtH!):

Micah Nelson: I have been working off on for over a year now on the TRANS project with Neil.

There will be an animated video for each song. It's like a dystopian sci-fi rock opera art film. Very strange and very cool.

A totally DIY project, using a ton of different mediums all stitched together like an animated collage. It is raw as hell. Neil is re-releasing the TRANS EP the way it was originally meant to be heard, and seen as an animated film.

It's a dream project."

Certainly a welcome addition to the Rust community after the demise of NYAS's long standing, legendary and thoroughly indispensable Broken Arrow Magazine.

We obtained our 1st copy of Speakin' Out while attending Neil Young's solo concerts in Chicago in 2018. So a big thanks for our nice gift Reluctant Mosher!

More information at Speakin' Out: Neil Young Fanzine. All profits go to grassroots music venues and projects.

Also, see Speakin' Out: Neil Young Fanzine, Issue #2.

So, keep on Speakin' Out and we'll see you down the road!

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More on Micah Nelson & Neil Young: "Super amazing long-form [TRANS] video by The Particle Kid!"

Micah Nelson's Curated Playlist: "WE R NEIL-LIST"

image via Neil Young - TRANS (1982)

Cropped Album Back Cover

See discussion on response to a Letter to the Editor section on Neil Young Archives, where Neil answer questions regarding the 1982 album TRANS and a remastered release.

Particle Kid (aka Micah Nelson)

Farm Aid 2019 - Alpine Valley, Wisconsin

photo by thrasher

Also, see:

• 2019 - Year of The Nelsons: Willie, Lukas & Micah
• VIDEO: "Everything Is Bullshit" by Micah Nelson + Lukas Nelson Discusses Tour Next Year
• INTERVIEW: Micah Nelson on Father Willie Nelson and "Uncle" Neil Young
• Micah Nelson on 2016 U.S. Election
• Micah Nelson: The Trippy Troubadour | Rolling Stone
• Micah Nelson Interview on Rebel Content Tour | Rolling Stone

w/ Micah Nelson @ 2015 Bridge School Benefit Concerts

(Note: Micah wearing a TW button)

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Neil Young Film "Berlin" This Weekend in Hearse Theater on NYA

"Neil Young in Berlin"
(VHS tape box from TW Archives)

Neil Young's film "Berlin" will be playing this weekend in Hearse Theater | NYA on Sunday, Nov. 24 Saturday, Nov. 23. (Interestingly, as soon as we posted this, the film was moved up one day. Probably just a coincidence. psst, there are NO coincidences.)

"Neil Young in Berlin" (1983), directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, is with The Trans Band and filmed in concert on Oct 19, 1982 at Deutschlandhalle, West Berlin, West Germany.

"Sample & Hold"
Neil Young & Nils Lofgren

The film, which runs 60 minutes, with The Trans Band including Nils Lofgren, Bruce Palmer, Ben Keith, Ralph Molina and Joe Lala, is epic in many respects. In particular Neil Young's nearly savage and brutal destruction of Ol Black guitar is almost unbelievable.

Year 1982 - Neil Young Pulled from the Future into the Past
(Out of the Blue, Into the Black)

The concert includes:
Cinnamon Girl / Computer Age / Little Thing Called Love / Old Man / The Needle And The Damage Done / After The Gold Rush / Transformer Man / Sample And Hold / Like A Hurricane / Hey Hey, My My / Berlin

So get your popcorn!

The Trans Band

Before the Fall:
Neil writes "Love Is All We Need" on the Berlin Wall in 1982

"Just like a young boy running down the road
I'm singing out the same old song
Can't go back the way I started from
The road goes on and on
Won't you help me, help me, help me, help me,
Help me, help me, help me, help me,
Make my way on home
Help me make my way on home
After Berlin.

Lights are shining in the German sky
Clouds make walls between the moon and I
Don't know where I started from
So won't you take me, take me, take me, take me,
Take me, take me, take me, take me,
Just the way I am
Ah, take me, just the way I am
After Berlin.

I'll be cruising down the corridor
Seeing things I never seen before
Tomorrow morning in old Berlin
Where they lock you out or lock you in
Won't you save me, save me, save me, save me,
Save me, save me, save me, save me,
From the final day
Save me from the final day
After Berlin.

Just like a young boy running down the road
I'm singing out the same old song
I can't go back the way I used to go
The road goes on and on
Won't you help me, help me, help me, help me,
Help me, help me, help me, help me,
Find my way back home
Won't you help me make my way on home
After Berlin.

Help me, help me, help me, help me.
Help me, help me, help me, help me."

"Berlin" by Neil Young (unreleased)

More on Neil Young's TRANS album and era.

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Neil Young: "Super amazing long-form [TRANS] video by The Particle Kid!"

Micah Nelson's Curated Playlist: "WE R NEIL-LIST"
image via Neil Young - TRANS (1982)
Cropped Album Back Cover

In a response to a Letter to the Editor section on Neil Young Archives, Neil answers a few questions regarding the 1982 album TRANS and a remastered release.

We can expect high resolution 24/192 files and a vinyl release, as well as, a video: "Super amazing long-form [TRANS] video by The Particle Kid!" [Micah Nelson]

TRANS AND HI-RES
Neil Young Archives

Finally. The whole TRANS tale animated. We can't wait for this vision by 'The Particle Kid' to hit Hearse Theater!

Micah Nelson, aka 'The Particle Kid', recently showcased a curated Playlist: "WE R NEIL-LIST" on NYA and used a cropped image from the back cover of the TRANS album.

#ICYMI, Margo Price recently celebrated Jack White's Third Man Records' 10 year anniversary by spinning Neil Young's 'Trans' album -- one of her favorite records.

Also, here's a very in-depth look back at Neil Young’s "controversial" 1982 album ‘Trans’.

More on TRANS: A Little Bit of Essential Neil Young | Rocket 88 .

Also, see The Story of Neil Young’s Heavily Computerized, Utterly Bewildering ‘Trans’ | Ultimate Classic Rock.

Also, see Reassessing Neil Young's Geffen Records Years.

Year 1982 - Neil Young Pulled from the Future into the Past
(Out of the Blue, Into the Black)

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Margo Price Spins Neil Young's 'Trans' Album

Margo Price & Neil Young's 'Trans'
via @MissMargoPrice | Twitter

Margo Price is celebrating Jack White's Third Man Records' 10 year anniversary by spinning Neil Young's 'Trans' album -- one of her favorite records.

She played "Mr. Soul" track from Neil's 1982 album. (NOTE: strategic placement of album over 8 month bump.)

Happy 10 year Anniversary @thirdmanrecords thanks for letting me come spin some of my favorite records ⚡️⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/XimbFbBhNx

— Margo Price (@MissMargoPrice) April 7, 2019

Neil Young - TRANS (1982)
Cropped Album Cover

As we tweeted, "Excellent choices @MissMargoPrice ! So 2 @Neilyoung tracks?! Cinnamon Girl & Mr Soul?! What a nice couple."

Excellent choices @MissMargoPrice ! So 2 @Neilyoung tracks?! Cinnamon Girl & Mr Soul?! What a couple. https://t.co/pYyuDxDP4R ☮️❤️

— ThrashersWheat (@ThrashersWheat) April 7, 2019

Margo Price
Farm Aid 2018 - Hartford, CT
photo by thrasher

Here's a very in-depth look back at Neil Young’s "controversial" 1982 album ‘Trans’.

More on TRANS: A Little Bit of Essential Neil Young | Rocket 88 .

Also, see The Story of Neil Young’s Heavily Computerized, Utterly Bewildering ‘Trans’ | Ultimate Classic Rock.

Also, see Reassessing Neil Young's Geffen Records Years.

Year 1982 - Neil Young Pulled from the Future into the Past
(Out of the Blue, Into the Black)

So 35+ years after the ‘Trans’ release, is this album from the future finally ready for the present?

We think so. Thank you Miss Margo Price! And best of luck to you and your family and the upcoming new, little one.

Margo Price (NOTE: Bob Dylan shirt)
Farm Aid 2018 - Hartford, CT
photo by thrasher

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Neil Young's Handwritten Setlist: 1983 “Solo Trans” Tour, 1st Show

Neil Young – Handwritten Setlist /1st Show 1983 “Solo Trans” Tour
via Record Mecca

Neil Young's handwritten setlist for the 1st Show on the 1983 “Solo Trans” Tour (see 1983-01-05, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz) reveals some interesting, last minute song changes.

The handwritten by Neil Young setlist of songs includes “Comes a Time”, “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”, “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)”, while scratching out "My Boy", "Ready for the Country" and others.

From the letter of authenticity from longtime Neil Young associate and archivist Joel Bernstein via Record Mecca:

“This letter is to authenticate Neil Young’s handwritten preliminary setlist for his January 5, 1983 show at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. This was the first show of his 1983 Solo Trans Tour.

I photographed Neil Young for the first time at his first East Coast show with Crazy Horse, at the Bitter End in New York City, in February 1969. I went on to work with Neil extensively, as both his and CSNY’s tour photographer, and shooting him for eighteen of his album covers (including After The Gold Rush, Harvest, Time Fades Away, Tonight’s The Night, Decade and Rust Never Sleeps) plus numerous other official projects including publicity, advertising, songbooks, posters, et al. On various tours from 1973-1993, I also worked with Neil as his guitar technician; and served as his archivist for 20 years, researching and presenting him with every source for audio, artwork and text used in his massive box set Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972.

During the course of working for Neil, he gave me various acetates, test pressings, set lists and other memorabilia. Neil knew I was a collector and he wasn’t, so once he was done with things like this, instead of throwing it away, he often gave it to me. This is from my personal collection.

Sincerely,
Joel Bernstein

More on Neil Young's 1983 “Solo Trans” Tour.

Also, more on Joel Bernstein and Neil Young's Archives.

Letter of Authenticity by Joel Bernstein
via Record Mecca

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‘Trans’: An Album So Controversial, The Label Sued Neil Young Over It: Revisiting The Legend’s Robot Rock Opus | Vinyl Me Please

A very in-depth look back at Neil Young’s "controversial" 1982 album ‘Trans’.

So 35 years after the ‘Trans’ release, is this album from the future finally ready for the present?

From ‘Trans’: An Album So Controversial, The Label Sued Neil Young Over It: Revisiting The Legend’s Robot Rock Opus | Vinyl Me Please by Gary Suarez:

At the age of 37, he was still too young for the legacy set. Of course, he could very easily have rested on his laurels at Geffen, doling out predictable folk and rock with or without the aid of his faithful Crazy Horse cohorts, or made moderately risky moves toward the mainstream. Neither of those options would have satisfied Young, an artist presumed difficult and genius in the same breath by fans and critics alike. So he made his most controversial and hated album ever. In line with other eyebrow-raising departures of the period like Joni Mitchell’s Dog Eat Dog or Lou Reed’s Mistrial, Trans makes an attempt at modernizing the sound of a restless creative. The effectiveness of said attempt is another story.

Full article at ‘Trans’: An Album So Controversial, The Label Sued Neil Young Over It: Revisiting The Legend’s Robot Rock Opus | Vinyl Me Please by Gary Suarez.

Also, more on TRANS: A Little Bit of Essential Neil Young | Rocket 88 and The Story of Neil Young’s Heavily Computerized, Utterly Bewildering ‘Trans’ | Ultimate Classic Rock.

Also, see Reassessing Neil Young's Geffen Records Years.

Year 1982 - Neil Young Pulled from the Future into the Past
(Out of the Blue, Into the Black)

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Techno-Synth-Pop, TRANS, Vocoders and Neil Young

Neil Young
Techno-Synth-Pop Phase
(Click photo to enlarge)
So some interesting comments on the recent post Synchronicity and Neil Young with a video of the song "Transformer Man" and some gadget discussion involving vocoders and synthesizers.

While it is very unclear exactly what is happening in terms of the vocals, instruments and devices, it does allow for some possibilities.

From a comment by Matt L.:

Is he dialing up sounds on that thing? Is that a vocoder?

Nils and Neil are both singing through the vocoder, if you check out the other tracks. Particularly in Sample and Hold, and Computer Age, where both are playing guitar. They have (wireless?) headsets being used to process the vocals through the vocoder.

At one point Neil sings through both the wireless and the stage mic and you can hear his natural voice combining with the vocoder-affected voice (on Computer Age), which I think is a really nice touch, as it melds the human and the electronic sounds into one - very symbolic of what he was getting at as well.

So, I don't know, I think he's pantomiming.

Okay, I just checked, and all the photos of 1980-era vocoders appear to be of large, rack-mount boxes. So I think the little box is an imaginary ipod.

Or perhaps a PONO!

You're right Matt. We did go back and check and it does seem that it's a hybrid PONO.

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