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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.
Tonight, Saturday, April 27 at 9:00 PM EST, (~3 hours from now) the Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour from WBKM.org will be streaming.
Tonight's edition will feature the latest Neil Young news, as well as, a major announcement of Thrasher's Wheat Radio Europe Tour Plans for the summer.
Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour is presented and produced each week by WBKM.org in the heart of Burlington, Vermont.
A podcast of tonight's broadcast will be posted for your listening pleasure here soon after broadcast.
Rust Radio is now streaming 24 hours a day, seven days week.
Also, the website has been completely redesigned with new features including an in-browser player, a schedule of upcoming shows, direct links to the excellent Sugar Mountain and Song X websites.
OK, we admit that we must receive on any given day here at Thrasher's Wheat, at least a half dozen or more Neil Young covers.
Some good. Some not so good.
We usually listen a few seconds and move on.
Now this isn't the best cover of Neil Young's "Comes A Time" we've ever heard. But maybe the youngest Young cover -- 3 years old?!
Hi Thrasher,
Just wanted to say I've been reading your site on close to a daily basis for quite some time.
I'm a huge Neil fan as my wife can attest. After the Gold Rush is what did it for me. But one of my favourite songs is Comes A Time, and that whole album is a beauty too. It was one of the first songs I ever sang to a group of people (around a campfire to children at a summer camp). More recently I've adopted it as a useful lullaby to sing to my 3 year old son before bed. He loves it and repeats all the words. On a hike the other day while he was sitting up on my shoulders I captured him doing his best to cover the song, and thought I'd share.
So here you go. It's never too early to be a Neil Young fan!
Geoff in Ottawa
Thanks Geoff! You're right -- You can never be too young (or old) to be a Neil Young fan!
"I met Neil Young on a Gravel Road in Mayflower Today. Yes Really."
Shelli Russell with Neil Young
Mayflower, Arkansas
(Click photo to enlarge)
Neil Young was driving his LincVolt thru Mayflower, Arkansas the other day looking at the aftermath of the Canadian Tar Sands pipeline rupture and devastation.
Shelli Russell just happened to encounter Neil Young.
Willie Nelson turns 80 next week, but the festivities got underway last Thursday night in Nashville, where a star-studded cast of duet partners featuring Neil Young**, Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Jamey Johnson, Ashley Monroe and Leon Russell paid tribute to the outlaw country icon at an intimate birthday soiree. The celebration – held at Jack White**'s Third Man Records – doubled as a taping for an upcoming CMT Crossroads episode.
Of all the guests, Young was the only one who played his own songs (not that anybody complained), as well as the only guest who joined Nelson to perform as an unaccompanied duo. Although Young's appearance wasn't a surprise to the 100 or so attendees who packed the makeshift TV studio in Third Man's warehouse/office space (and, unfortunately, not the adjoining record store/compound's cozier live music venue, the Blue Room), it was as though the audience couldn't really believe they'd witness the Godfather of Grunge rock out with the Redheaded Stranger in such close confines until they actually saw it. And Young diehards probably couldn't believe what they were hearing when the singer busted out the rarely-performed, resplendent Rust Never Sleeps** lullaby "Sail Away," which he performed standing almost nose to nose with Nelson at center stage.
"I wrote it for my car, but it works for you great," Young joked in barroom-chum fashion before serenading Nelson with his next number, a spellbinding rendition of the 1976 Stills-Young Band classic "Long May You Run." Strumming and swaying back and forth, eyes obscured by a baseball cap, his voice sounding pristine as if preserved in time, Young mostly sang it directly to Nelson, not to the crowd or the cameras. With White, Johnson and Monroe watching enchanted from the wings,it was a moment not lost on anyone but maybe the man of the hour, who was keeping a close eye on his friend and fellow Farm Aid organizer's left hand for the chord changes, making the rawness all the more real.
And then it was the moment we still can't exactly believe we were privy to: Neil Young striding out plainly in his T-shirt and baseball cap, joining his old pal Willie Nelson for a take on "Sail Away" from Young and Crazyhorse's superb 1979 LP Rust Never Sleeps. Not only were Young's two tunes the only non-Willie numbers of the night, but "Sail Away" was also the only song that began with a false start — it seems the wrong lyrics were cued up on a teleprompter, and, Young admitted with good humor, it tripped him up a bit. While Nelson's contributions to the number were somewhat limited, it remained a goosebump-inducing moment, right up until Young punctuated the song's end with a mildly premature "thank you" — he mentioned that while on tour with the Judds many moons ago, he noticed their penchant for thanking the audience before the song was through. That got a big laugh. Young introduced his next song with the note that it was actually written for his car, but that it would work for Willie too. The tune was "Long May You Run," of course, and between the song's sentiment and Young's top-notch performance, it was The Spin's favorite moment of the evening.
To be fair, most of our excitement is tied-up in the success of our Third Man Record Booth.
The dozens of people who waited in line to record their very own 111 seconds of vinyl magic walked away with one-of-a-kind audio mementos that we (and they) will never forget. Whether it was a marriage proposal, folk song, last will and testament, poem, one act play, a Sir-Mix-a-Lot cover or birthday greetings, accompanied by everything from a vintage 1920's Gibson mandolin, a boombox or an iPhone, every last recording from the booth was inspired and fulfilling. Even Neil Young stopped by and recorded a song in the booth.
The booth was carefully monitored by two engineers throughout the day to ensure all the mechanizations were in fine working order. Third Man made the decision (at least for Record Store Day) to use the highest quality aluminum substrate lacquers. These blanks offer the best fidelity for cold needle record cutting and can be played dozens and dozens of times without any noticeable audio degradation.
Record Store Day weekend has really put the booth through its paces and our engineers (Third Mangineers?) have learned a lot from this weekend and are making the necessary modifications to ensure the booth can soon be a permanent fixture in the Novelties Lounge.
Jack White also did a recording in the booth this weekend and we share that with you here for free so you can hear the warm analog fidelity that radiates out of this booth.
From Farm Aid 1990, Neil Young sings "Mother Earth".
Happy Mother's (Earth) Day!
Mother Earth by Neil Young
Oh, Mother Earth,
With your fields of green
Once more laid down
by the hungry hand
How long can you
give and not receive
And feed this world
ruled by greed
And feed this world
ruled by greed.
Oh, ball of fire
In the summer sky
Your healing light,
your parade of days
Are they betrayed
by the men of power
Who hold this world
in their changing hands
They hold the world
in their changing hands.
Oh, freedom land
Can you let this go
Down to the streets
where the numbers grow
Respect Mother Earth
and her giving ways
Or trade away
our children's days
Or trade away
our children's days.
t’s as quiet out here as it looks, folks, and it’s lovely. It’s a long road ahead, but I’m proud to be moving along, part of the change. It’s Earth Day, and I’m reminded that I love her. We need to save her. Mother Earth is in trouble, and every idea to help her has merit. I’m one idea, and proud to be one. LV
Neil walked forward during the start of the 'Opera Star' Encore and leant against the giant mic whilst casually glancing around & checking out what was going on in the Pit -- much to our delight ;) — at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, QLD Australia.
Thursday night, 21st March 2013. Vector Arena in Auckland.
First time here and I was pleasantly surprised at the venue. I think I expected a sort of tin shed where people mostly play horrible netball stuff. However, the Grounds and surrounding area, and the facilities available to you before the doors opened at 6.30, were excellent. Naturally, we were there a good few hours before we needed to be,( 4.1/2 to be precise.!)..but once the Eatery was open, we basked in glorious sunshine at an outside table where very attentative staff made sure we were happy, kept the table clear and bought drinks for those silly sods that needed them. Why seemingly sane folk would want to get tanked up on alcohol before a NEIL YOUNG concert is beyond me but I suppose this IS Auckland, a different sort of crowd to Wellington.
The Support act, The Drones, an Australian band, opened for Neil in Wellington. They were here tonight too. The Drones were earsplittingly LOUD and not at all enjoyable but probably only for that reason.. Some 'quieter moments' showed that they were melodic and accomplished so why they chose to unleash this vicious assault on the Audience is beyond me. BeCAUSE of the Wellington performance, we chose not to enter the Stadium in Auckland until 8.30, after they had left the Stage. Such a shame and they could so easilly have done themselves some real good had they toned it down. As an aside, NEIL YOUNG is 67 and a good proportion of the Audience would have been of similar age or maybe a DECADE or so YOUNGer.
Why the Promotors thought it a good idea to present the Drones to such an Audience is beyond me but maybe they would have been palatable had the volume been reduced to that which NEIL and CRAZY HORSE managed to survive with..... I might still hunt out some Drones material, just to see what we missed by BEING there.!!
And so to 8.44. The Stage was set and the Gigantic Fender 'Speakers' were unpacked. Eventually, the large gaggle of white coated boffins that were responsible (If they could stop squabling amongst themselves...) for setting up the Stage, lowered the huge HUGE Microphone and Stand, you know, the one from Rust never sleeps n that. The Boffins maintained their petulant antics much to the delight of the crowd and eventually, Order seemed to be established and to a huge roar from the Capacity Crowd, NEIL and the HORSE entered Centre Stage and stood lined up on the left side. The New Zealand flag appeared and the New Zealand National Anthem rang out. A great touch and NEIL likes to show that respect in every County he plays... Nice one Son. Out came the white coats and assisted the Band into their instuments.
Neils almost constant companion, 'Old Black, his beloved '53 but heavilly modified Gibson Les Paul, burst into LOVE and only LOVE at 8.53 and the crowd roared their approval. We were on our way and we were at one with the Master and the Horse... Some favourites, POWDERFINGER, some new, ONTARIO, heavy times with the feedback rich Walk like a GIANT (and He IS too) made sure that the excitement level never ever dropped. The HORSE were blindingly brilliant and the raport between NEIL and Poncho is something to see. The tempo slowed a wee bit at 9.39 with a beautiful version of Hole in the sky. NEIL was taking a break from the blistering pace already set.
Out came a white coat and took Old Black.... Suddenly, an Accoustic appeared and a harmonica cradle.... NEIL burst into HEART OF GOLD to a huge roar of approval from the crowd who were by now totally sold on the evening. It was a great rendition too, from a time long ago and far away. Next came TWISTED ROAD, which I 'think' was done with his Gretch white Falcon..? Somebody will correct me. From here to the beat up old piano at Stage Right. NEIL sang this beautifully, his voice over the entire night was just perfect (for an old guy.!) and it didnt let him down on this slow evokative ballad. While he was singing, a beuatiful blond girl wandered out onto the stage, carrying a beat up old guitar case. She wandered from prop to prop and to the Piano, she looked whistfully at the Speakers and the microphones, and the HORSE. She wandered here and there, stopping sometimes and staring into a space she knew but couldnt reach. The Singer without a Song.... and then she was gone..
It was now 9.57 and after donning Old Black again.... The unmistakable Chords for RAMADA INN rang out.. A Great long version too and quickly followed by a strange elongated funky, rap, whispered, howled, chastising, humourous, pleading, oh, you name it, every emotion, FU#*#n' up. A marvellous concoction of words and riffs that rattled back and forth between Ralph and Billy and Frank and NEIL, any spaces neatly filled by the audiences noisy participation...14 minutes saw some good humoured banter between all present although I was beginning to think that some of the 'older' members of the Audience might be getting uncomfortable with THAT word.. (which came out about 150 times.?? )
Suddenly we were into the Mighty CINNAMON GIRL at 10.27. There had been no breaks in the performance, no waffle or setting up etc.. Just hard and fast performances all round.10.32 saw a strange piece of theatre. NEIL talked long about his Analogue Time machine, and 'demonstrated it on the Les Paul, scratching the wire wound 'low E' string down its length producing the comb tooth effect, all the while letting us know what era we were now in, mentioning various albums and times. The Time machine went too far and NEIL exclaimed that this was no good because he hadnt MET the HORSE yet... so he cranked it upstream a bit.
Suddenly, and with much storm effect sound all through this theatre, we arrive at Woodstock. Rain appeared across the stage and side screens. Loud thunder and lightning and NEIL began shouting out those immortal words that we know and love...."Hey, maybe if we think real hard, we can stop this rain..... No rain, No rain, No rain... Keep off those Towers, we dont need any more weight on 'em..." .A great skit and I was half expecting him to break into I'm driftin' back but instead, Neil announced that they were going to do a 'new one' because thay stand a good chance of messin it up as they didnt usually do it.... They launched into a great version of SURFER JOE, such a suprise to hear this rare performance tonight...I must have been good in a past life.... This great song was closely followed by MR SOUL ., an 18 minute version that got us all warm n comfortable in our NEILship, and got us going again....The set finished with MY MY, HEY HEY..... Brilliant. This is of course the new 'old'.
The band did an extended version and the Audience joined in too. NEIL and CRAZY HORSE left the stage at 10.58. NEIL had been on stage since 8.44 without a break and without even a drink of water. Astounding stamina and he looked to be enjoying this, the last Show of a 31 venue Tour that has lasted for over a year. Incredible. Much stamping and whistling and shouting as the White coat brigade went about tasks on stage.. They looked busy but were doing very little of course...lowering the huge Speaker crates to within an inch of the Speakers and then stopping and argueing amongst themselves... All great fun. The head 'Coat' began whipping up the crowd out front to lift their game and make more noise. The response was instant and wonderful and from our seat we could see NEIL and the HORSE coming back.. There was rapturous applause and noise as NEIL entered the Stage area again, followed by the greatest Rock n Roll band EVER. It was 11.02 a mere 4 minutes had passed since they had left NEIL struck up a fantastic entry to DANGER BIRD. Stroking the strings with three fingers in a sawing action, producing that unidentifiable (until now) sound we hear on the Vinyl. He used his thumb and first finger to pluck out the action, all the while maintaining the sawing motion... My ears were tingling as was the hair on the back of my neck... It built and built into a beuatiful version of Danger Bird. 19 minutes too. SEDAN DELIVERY followed at 11.20 and at 11.26 NEIL sang... 'Hard to say goodbye' bringing us back to earth as we realised that the time was ticking down and this was quite possibly the close of the Show.
He burst into ROLL ANOTHER NUMBER (for the Road...). I must add that the camera work onto the big screens was supurb all night but with these last two or three songs we were given special intimate close up shots of NEILS playing. As Roll another Number played out, the camera lads swivelled into the standing Audience showing some rapturous faces and a crowd that was game to stay there for aNOTHer three hours. Neil though had done his thing. He had been, seen and conquered this wonderful crowd of NEIL enthusiasts. Auckland crowds can often be hard and unruly but THIS lot had seen the MASTER at work and behaved impacably. Suddenly, it was time to go, NEIL and the BAND fronted the stage and to be honest, apart from the screen shots, this was the first and only time a lot of us had SEEN Ralph the Drummer. His station was set well back between the huge 'speakers'.
I guess we had been spoiled a bit at the Wellington Concert two days earlier as we had had fabulous seating stage centre and not very far back. Eventually, of course, they all left the stage and we sat there noisilly just in case, as this was the last show on this huge tour, that HE would appear again for just a few more.... Of course, he was totally spent and had given his all for 3 solid hours. It was 11.42 when the lights went up and we knew in our Hearts of Gold that this was all there was. A fabulous fabulous Concert and we all filed out slowly, most with not too much to say as she was a hard act to follow.. I have woken up every morning since the Wellington Show with a NEIL song on my mind.. It is with me all day too but I am gradually becoming aware that there is a great sadness creeping in on me that I cant shake. Me and HE are not as YOUNG as we were... The chances of me every seeing the MAN up this close and personal again are about zero unless he comes to see us in New Zealand again and the possibility of that is pretty remote...
However, I AM left with a few scratchy pictures from my camera, a head full of the two Concerts and my deep and abiding LOVE for NEIL and the many many MANY years of joy and love that we have shared. "Pardon my Heart, if I show that I care.....For I love you more than moments, we have or have not shared"
Thanks NEIL. Thank CRAZY HORSE. NEIL YOUNG, FRANK SEMPEDRO, BILLY TALBOT, RALPH MOLINA
Neil Young showed his support of Vinyl & Independent Record Stores back in 2011, on International Record Day.
Young was in town for a concert at the Landmark Theater when his crew decided to do some vinyl shopping. Emaleigh Franzak, Asst. Manager of Plan9 Music, Richmond, Virginia wrote us to say:
I took the photo posted on the Plan 9 Facebook page. It was a really fun day, and that was an excellent surprise.
The best/worst part was that we were actually playing "Le Noise" when he walked in the door. I just about melted for a few seconds.
There was nothing we could do but keep listening, of course! He shopped for a bit...was very reserved, but polite and friendly!
Neil bought Its a Beautiful Day record. (Incidentally, this is a very classic album and if you read the linked review it'll make you want to dig out your copy... or find a used copy.)
Very nice!
There was been a rather huge reaction in the Vinyl & Independent Record Stores community around the world. The Record Store Day Facebook page has 100's of Likes and Comments on the sighting.
Neil Young, Tour Manager Eric Johnson, Manager Elliot Roberts Plan9 Music, Richmond, Virginia
Photo by Emaleigh Franzak
Spin the black circle.
ps - Keep an eye out for Time Fades Away on vinyl. See it? Grab it!
"Nowadays I'm excited about either new music or energy": Neil Young | The Talks
Neil Young
A somewhat odd interview of Neil Young from The Talks.
Not so much odd regarding content, but its context. It appears to be recent, but no background info and just a transcript. There is a brief audio clip on the link, also
The Talks: So, what excites you these days? Neil Young: Well, when I get excited about anything nowadays it’s either new music or energy. Those are the two subjects I’m most concerned with.
The Talks: Your own new music? Neil Young: Yeah, I’m always open to new stuff. I don’t sit and try to figure out what to do, I just wait for an idea to come.
The Talks: And what excites you so much about energy? Neil Young: We’re working on building an automobile that doesn’t have to go to a fueling station, that creates its own fuel. That’s really what I am focusing the rest of my life on. I am finished with everything else as far as I am concerned. The Talks: Besides music of course… Neil Young: The music is great and it is nice because it gets people thinking, it moves people, but ultimately, to make a real change in the world, it’s going to have to come from energy. It’s going to have to come from physics and science. So I am working with physicists, scientists, and engineers around the world trying to build this car.
It's Been 39 Years: CSNY 1974 Tour Box Set Planned for 2013 Release
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Wembley Stadium, London, 1974-09-14
Photo by smartsetpix | Flickr
(click photo to enlarge)
As we've reported over the years, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young have been working on a CSNY 1974 Tour Box Set and it now seems to be ready just in time for the 39th anniversary of the tour!?
Of course, we're glad to see this after waiting a few decades, but at this point, why not wait another year for the 40th? And maybe coincide with a tour? Just a thought.
"It's going to come out August 27th," Graham Nash tells Rolling Stone. "It's going to fuckin' stun people. We only multi-tracked eight or nine shows from the tour, and we've chosen the best from those gigs. We've had to do a little tuning, but not that much . . . But the spirit of the band! If I take myself out the band and look at it, it was a fuckin' great band."
David Crosby shares his bandmate's excitement. "I am one of the most egotistical people on this planet," he says with a laugh. "But the legend looms larger! You have to remember that in 1974, the Beatles were over and the Stones were playing a completely different kind of music. When I hear this shit, I think, for a moment we were probably the best band. It's startlingly good."
They have yet to settle on a title. "I want to call it What Could Possibly Go Wrong?" says Crosby.
A number of other comments by CSN in Rolling Stone with Neil content. But no actual Neil, naturally.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 1974 summer tour was unprecedented in many ways -- not the least of which was a pioneering mega huge sound system able to blast tens of thousands at outdoor stadiums. The Bill Graham produced spectacle went on to usher in the massive rock and roll extravaganzas that so many other acts would later follow.
I saw them on their reunion tour at the Capital Center in DC and it was one of the best concerts I've been to.
The DC crowd was attentive and appreciated their wooden music as much as their electric. It was like attending several concerts in one as they played together, then split up to play individually or as a duo (Crosby & Nash) and then finished together. It was a long concert, but awesome. As stated by an earlier poster, Neil Young was clearly the star of that night, when he played a solo set near the show's end. I hope they include something from the DC show.
More on the reunion tour of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in 1974.
In an interview with CBS This Morning in 2012, Crosby, Stills, and Nash discussed their current tour and how the dynamics of the group are better than ever before.
(Thanks Mike!)
Every night when Lincvolt plugs into the grid energy we already have generated and I go to sleep, that means we did not have to generate more. Not doing that is a waste of precious energy. Every night, the grid keeps running and is in low use. It’s just too big to turn off. That’s when we waste big energy. I like to use that energy for the Lincvolt Carbonet.
Lincvolt is my girl. I call her “Miss Pegi”. We’ve been getting ready to travel for a long time. Now we are.
So why does this matter? In other Greendale News of the Moment, don't look now, but...
Arctic Sea Ice: The Death Spiral Continues
Graphic via Climate Progress
(Click photo to enlarge)
"That's Neil Young driving home to his ranch at Broken Arrow.
We were recording the American Dream album. I'm in the limousine with David [Crosby] and Steven [Stills] behind him. Neil, of course, wasn't in the car with us. It's Neil. He has an English sports car. I think it's called a Jensen.
I saw him driving along this lonely road and I thought, 'This is a perfect image of Neil Young.' And even though you can't see Neil, except the back of his head, it is in fact Neil."
Neil Young and LincVolt Stop In Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Neil Young & Jeff Broin
Poet Biorefining - Sioux Falls, South Dakota
(Click photo to enlarge)
Neil Young and LincVolt continue to make their way across the country on their road trip to promote sustainable fuels.
The latest stop was Poet Biorefining in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a producer of celulosic ethanol.
“It's a fuel made by Americans in America that is cleaner than fossil fuels, that's the message.
Which is incredible for the planet is what we are talking about, climate change and the problems with that that are happening.You don't see much about what's going on in the climate and media, it's not a fast moving subject, kind of a slow moving story, but it's not going to be going away unless we do something.
“The planet needs a publicist then it would be a big star and everyone would pay attention to it.
Rockin' in the U.S.S.R.: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young?!
Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan
OK, file this under the heading of diplomatic nirvana.
Apparently, back in the 1970's, someone thought it would be a good idea to have Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young fight communism. Per recent Wikileaks disclosures of diplomatic cables, the US embassy in Moscow thought the singer-songwriters might connect with Russian youth.
US ambassador Walter Stoessel Junior wrote:
“Soul genre not of top interest here, and suggest priority consideration be given to soft rock, blues/rock or country rock. Previous country music efforts have succeeded in establishing acceptability of this genre and we believe time is right to expand musical horizons.
Top performers who are both eminent in the field and genuinely creative artists should be approached first before considering ones of lesser stature and perhaps less creative talent."
No indication of whether the US embassy in Moscow was aware that Neil & Joni are Canadian.
Needless to say , these concerts never happened and there's no indication the artists were ever even aware of the possibility. It is highly doubtful any of the artists suggested would have ever accepted such an arrangement.
Hi.
LV is running beautifully. We have an app onboard that tells us in real time exactly what our continuous CO2 savings are compared to a regular gasoline powered car or truck of equal size and weight. Currently we have saved a half-ton of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, traveling a little over 1100 miles.. Our goal is to save the weight of Lincvolt in tons of CO2 over the next few weeks. That weight of Lincvolt is just over 3 tons.
the driver.
Thanks LV for helping save the planet for another day!
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Human Highway
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This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
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The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
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