4 Dead In Ohio: May 4, 1970

"It's still hard to believe I had to write this song. It's ironic that I capitalized on the death of these American students. Probably the most important lesson ever learned at an American place of learning. David Crosby cried after this take."

Liner notes of Neil Young's Decade album

Pulitzer Prize photo by John Filo

37 years ago, on the campus of Kent State University in Ohio, a series of events took place which still resonate to this day.

From the website of Alan Canfora, a Kent State eyewitness and victim, a summary of the events between May 1 through May 4, 1970.

MONDAY, MAY 4, 1970

At 11 a.m., about 200 students gathered on the Commons. Earlier that morning, state and local officials had met in Kent. Some officials had assumed that Gov. Rhodes had declared Martial Law to be in effect--but he had not. In fact, martial law was not officially declared until May 5. Nevertheless, the National Guard resolved to disperse any assembly.

As noon approached, the size of the crowd increased to 1,500. Some were merely spectators, while others had gathered specifically to protest the invasion of Cambodia and the continued presence of the National Guard on the campus. Upon orders of Ohio's Assistant Adjutant General Robert Canterbury, an army jeep was driven in front of the assembled students. The students were told by means of a bullhorn to disperse immediately. Students responded with jeers and chants.

When the students refused to disperse, Gen. Canterbury ordered the guardsmen to disperse them. Approximately 116 men, equipped with loaded M-1 rifles and tear gas, formed a skirmish line towards the students. Aware of bayonet injuries of the previous evening, students immediately ran away from the attacking National Guardsmen. Retreating up Blanket Hill, some students lobbed tear gas canisters back at the advancing troops, and one straggler was attacked with clubs.

The Guard, after clearing the Commons, marched over the crest of the hill, firing tear gas and scattering the students into a wider area. The Guard then continued marching down the hill and onto a practice football field. For approximately 10 minutes, the guard stayed in this position. During this time, tear gas canisters were thrown back and forth from the Guard's position to a small group of students in the Prentice Hall parking lot, about 100 yards away. Some students responded to the guardsmen's attack by throwing stones. Guardsmen also threw stones at the students. But because of the distance, most stones from both parties fell far short of their targets. The vast majority of students, however, were spectators on the veranda of Taylor Hall.

While on the practice field, several members of Troop G, which would within minutes fire the fatal volley, knelt and aimed their weapons at the students in the parking lot. Gen. Canterbury concluded that the crowd had been dispersed and ordered the Guard to march back to the commons area. Some members of Troop G then huddled briefly.

After reassembling on the field, the Guardsmen seemed to begin to retreat as they marched back up the hill, retracing their previous steps. Members of Troop G, while advancing up the hill, continued to glance back to the parking lot, where the most militant and vocal students were located. The students assumed the confrontation was over. Many students began to walk to their next classes.

As the guard reached the crest of the Blanket Hill, near the Pagoda of Taylor Hall, about a dozen members of Troop G simultaneously turned around 180 degrees, aimed and fired their weapons into the crowd in the Prentice Hall parking lot. The 1975 civil trials proved that there was a verbal command to fire.

A total of 67 shots were fired in 13 seconds. Four students: Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder were killed. Nine students were wounded: Joseph Lewis, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Robbie Stamps, Donald Scott MacKenzie, Alan Canfora, Douglas Wrentmore, James Russell and Dean Kahler. Of the wounded, one was permanently paralyzed, and several were seriously maimed. All were full-time students.

The Four Dead in Ohio

Allison Krause - Age: 19, 110 Yards
William Schroeder - Age: 19, 130 Yards
Jeffrey Miller - Age: 20, 90 Yards
Sandra Scheuer - Age: 20, 130 Yards

Also, see Neil Young's song "Ohio" Lyric Analysis.

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4 Days in May: Ohio, May 3, 1970

Students and National Guard Clash at Kent State, Ohio

37 years ago, on the campus of Kent State University in Ohio, a series of events took place which still resonate to this day. Thrasher's Wheat is providing a timeline of the events leading up to that fateful day on May 4, 1970.

From the website of Alan Canfora, a Kent State eyewitness and victim, a summary of the events between May 1 through May 4, 1970.

SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1970

May 3 was a relatively quiet day. By now, however, the campus was fully occupied by Ohio National Guard troops, and armored personnel carriers were stationed throughout the campus. Although some students and guardsmen fraternized, the feeling, for the most part, was one of mutual hostility.

That morning, Ohio Governor James Rhodes, who was running for US Senate, arrived in Kent and along with city officials, held a news conference. Rhodes, running on a "law and order" platform, attempted to use this opportunity to garner votes in the primary election, which was only two days away.

In a highly inflammatory speech, Rhodes claimed that the demonstrations at Kent were the handiwork of a highly organized band of revolutionaries who were out to "destroy higher education in Ohio." These protesters, Rhodes declared, were "the worst type of people we harbor in America, worse than the brown shirts and the communist element...we will use whatever force necessary to drive them out of Kent!"

Later that evening, a National Guard commander would tell his troops that Ohio law gave them the right to shoot if necessary. This merely served to heighten guardsmen's hostility toward students.

Around 8 p.m., a crowd gathered on the Commons near the Victory Bell. As the group increased in size, Guard officials announced the immediate enforcement of a new curfew. The crowd refused to disperse. At 9 p.m. the Ohio Riot act was read. Tear gas was fired from helicopters hovering overhead, and the Guard dispersed the crowd from the area. Students attempted to demonstrate that the curfew was unnecessary by peacefully marching towards the town, but were met by guardsmen.

Students then staged a spontaneous sit-in at the intersection of East Main and Lincoln Streets and demanded that Mayor Satrom and KSU president Robert White speak with them about the Guard's presence on campus. Assured that this demand would be met, the crowd agreed to move from the street onto the front lawn of campus.

The guard then betrayed the students and announced that the curfew would go into effect immediately. Helicopters and tear gas were used to disperse the demonstrators. As the crowd attempted to escape, some were bayoneted and clubbed by guardsmen. Students were again pursued and prodded back to their dormitories. Tear gas innundated the campus, and helicopters with searchlights hovered overhead all night.

Tomorrow will cover May 4, 1970.

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4 Days in May: Ohio, May 2, 1970

Students Protest at Kent State University, Ohio

37 years ago, on the campus of Kent State University in Ohio, a series of events took place which still resonate to this day. Thrasher's Wheat is providing a timeline of the events leading up to that fateful day on May 4, 1970.

From the website of Alan Canfora, a Kent State eyewitness and victim, a summary of the events between May 1 through May 4, 1970.

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1970

On the morning of May 2, some KSU students assisted with the downtown cleanup. Rumors of radical activities were widespread, and KSU's ROTC building was believed to be the target of militant students that evening. During the Vietnam War, students on many college campuses opposed the presence of ROTC and often were successful in forcing the removal of ROTC from their campuses.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed on the city of Kent, and students were restricted to the campus. At 5 p.m., shortly after assessing the situation, Mayor Satrom alerted the Ohio National Guard. KSU officials were unaware of this decision.

Shortly after 8 p.m., about 300 people gathered on the Commons, where a few anti-war slogans were chanted and a few brief speeches given. An impromptu march began and participants headed towards the dormitories to gain strength. Large numbers of people joined the march. The now 2,000 marches swarmed the hill overlooking the Commons and crossed the Commons. Then they surrounded the ROTC building, an old wooden World War II barracks which was scheduled to be demolished. Windows were broken and a few persons eventually set the building on fire.

Plain-clothed police who were standing nearby made no attempt to stop the students at this point. Firemen arrived on the scene but their actions were abandoned because some of the crowd attacked the firemen and slashed their hoses. The blaze quickly died out. The firemen eventually regained control and the fire died out. The building was ignited again. This time, however, firemen arrived with massive police protection. Police surrounded the building and dispersed the students with tear gas. The firemen again got the fire under control.

The crowd then moved to the front of the campus. The students retreated to the Commons to find the ROTC building smoldering at both ends. Within minutes, the building was fully ablaze.

The crowd then assembled on the wooded hillside beside the commons and watched as the building burned. Many shouted anti- war slogans. In the first two weeks of May, thirty ROTC buildings would be burned nationwide.

Armed with tear gas and drawn bayonets, the guard pursued students, protesters and bystanders alike, into dormitories and other campus buildings. Some stones were thrown and at least one student was bayoneted. The question of who set the fire that destroyed ROTC building has never been satisfactorily answered by any investigative body.

Tomorrow will cover May 3, 1970.

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4 Days in May: Ohio, May 1, 1970

U.S. President Richard Nixon

37 years ago, on the campus of Kent State University in Ohio, a series of events took place which still resonate to this day. Thrasher's Wheat will be providing a timeline over the next 4 days leading up to the fateful events on May 4, 1970.

From the website of Alan Canfora, a Kent State eyewitness and victim, a summary of the events between May 1 through May 4, 1970.

"On April 30th, President Nixon announced on national television that a massive American-South Vietnamese troop offensive into Cambodia was in progress. "We take these actions," Nixon said, "not for the purpose of expanding the war into Cambodia, but for the purpose of ending the war in Vietnam, and winning the just peace we all desire."

These were familiar words to a war-weary public. Some felt that this decision was essential for attaining a "just peace" and sustaining America's credibility in the world. Yet others, particularly students, believed that this action represented an escalation of the war and a return to ex-President Johnson's earlier hopes for a military victory. As the fires from the artillery began to burn in Cambodia, a raging fire of protest spread across the United States.

At Kent State University, the reaction to Nixon's announcement was similar to that of other campuses across the nation.

FRIDAY MAY 1, 1970

At noon about 500 students gathered around the Victory Bell on the Commons, the traditional site for rallies. A group of history students, who had organized the protest, buried a copy of the Constitution, which they claimed had been murdered when US troops were sent into Cambodia without a declaration of war by Congress.

Three hours later, Black United Students held a rally, which had been scheduled before Nixon had made his announcement. Some 400 people gathered to hear black students talk about recent disorders with the Ohio National Guard on their campus. Word spread quickly that another rally, one to oppose the invasion of Cambodia, was scheduled for Monday, May 4, at noon.

Friday night, one of the first warm evenings of the spring, several hundred students gathered in downtown Kent in an area with a number of bars, known as "the Strip," on North Water Street. A spontaneous anti-war rally began in the street. Twice, while the rally was in progress, passing police cruisers were hit with beer bottles. Afterwards, police stayed away from the area.

Meanwhile, more people were leaving the bars. Many in the crowd chanted anti-war slogans, and a bonfire was set in the street. The crowd blocked traffic for about an hour and then moved toward the center of town. Some members of the crowd began to break windows. Primarily "political targets" were attacked, including banks, loan companies, and utility companies.

After being informed of the events, Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom declared a "state of emergency," and arbitrarily ordered all of the bars closed. Kent police, along with the mayor, then confronted the crowd. The riot act was read and police proceeded to clear the area. People inside the bars were ordered to leave, forcing hundreds more into the streets.

The crowd was herded toward the campus with tear gas and knight sticks, which was in the opposite direction in which some of them lived. Fourteen persons, mostly stragglers, were arrested. About $5000 in damage was done as 43 windows were broken--28 in one bank.

Tomorrow will cover May 2, 1970.

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Rolling Stone Interview with Neil Young

Rolling Stone has an online audio interview with Neil Young on a variety of subjects. Young discusses the main difference between the students of the ’60s, who rabidly protested the Vietnam War, and the apathetic students of the ’00s:

“It’s more important for them to get a job than it is to worry about the war. Because the economy is in shambles. Because no one is coming to the campuses and taking them over to Iraq. But as soon as they start doing that, you’ll see everything change immediately. It would be like night and day. These students are ready to rock — but nobody’s pushed the button.”

The posting is also attracting a few Neil-bashers but Neil fans are fighting back.

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Rust Radio Feed

Rust Radio is on the air again this weekend and we have a new feature here at Thrasher's Wheat.

Over in the right sidebar, about halfway down, just below the Rust feed, is a new feed from Rust Radio. The feed displays the status and the current song.

Pretty cool. Tune in and turn on.

Thanks Roel!

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Pegi Young 's Upcoming Album

Neil & Pegi at Bridge Concert 2004
Photo by Craig Abaya

Pegi Young will be releasing her first album this June according to Billboard.com. Referring to the album's songs, she says "They helped tell this story I was thinking about and was taking shape in my head; it's sort of a melancholy theme and a reflective record."

From Billboard.com:

"Young recorded the album in her husband's studio at their Northern California ranch with assistance from bassist Rick Rosas, guitarist Anthony Crawford, drummers Karl Himmel and Chad Cromwell and pedal steel whiz Ben Keith. And yes, Neil wound up playing on a host of tracks, including an electric sitar solo on "Love Like Water."

"Leading up to it, I put the band together and we just sort of avoided discussing whether Neil was going to play on it or not," Young says. "He dropped by the first day and kind of listened, and the next day, the guys at the studio had wisely created a little space for him, should he want to participate at all. And then he just ended up playing on everything, all the way through."

Neil playing sitar should be interesting.

As posted on Rust by rkellner2003, is this Pegi's album cover (from Pegi Young's website)?



Thanks for info Peter, Andrew & Tim!

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Ahmet Ertegun Tribute with CSNY

Stephen Stills & Neil Young

From Rolling Stone report on the tribute to Ahmet Ertegun on Tuesday April 17 at the Rose Theatre in New York City, New York:

"Towards the end of Tuesday night’s star-packed tribute to late Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, Neil Young spoke for his fellow artists: “Ahmet was our man,” he said, after singing “Helplessly Hoping” with David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. “I just hope that today’s musicians have someone like Ahmet, because we were really lucky.” Crosby and Nash then stepped offstage, leaving Stills and Young to perform an emotional version of “Mr. Soul” — a song by their first band together, Buffalo Springfield, whom Ertegun signed to Atlantic subsidiary Atco Records. (With Young strumming hard on a downtuned acoustic guitar and Stills playing biting electric leads, they stuck closer to the recording than this slowed-down Young/Stills version from Woodstock). At the song’s conclusion, Young looked upwards and said, “Thanks, Ahmet.”

Ahmet Ertegun - Founder of Atlantic Records
Photo by Jim Cooper/AP

More on AHMET ERTEGUN 1923-2006.

Thanks Ieuan and Bad News Beat!

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Comment of the Moment: The Power of Green (Dale)

The Comment of the Moment on The Power of Green (Dale):

"Thomas Freidman is incredibly bright and insightful - great article. Neil may be articulate in his writing and certainly moves us all, but he is not necessarily as well stated in his political views. I loved Greendale, saw it four times and own all Greendale related DVDs etc. but it was almost sophmoric in it's simplicity which is part of the reason why I loved it so much. Never the less, the message of Greendale was pure. In short, let Neil inspire your Green ethic and let Thomas Friedman and other well researched scholars deliver the content. To all the critics, please remember in the end Neil is a brilliant writer, composer and musician, not a social commentator etc. and when Neil is so compelled (Greendale, Living with War)at least he has the balls to start a conversation in his own humble way."

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The Power of Green (Dale)

Last year, we wrote that "the inconvenient truth of Neil Young's Greendale is that it's message is even more relevant today than upon its original release in 2003."

In a major article in Sunday's New York Times, Thomas L. Friedman argues that going green can be the basis of a new unifying political movement for the 21st century:

One day Iraq, our post-9/11 trauma and the divisiveness of the Bush years will all be behind us — and America will need, and want, to get its groove back. We will need to find a way to reknit America at home, reconnect America abroad and restore America to its natural place in the global order — as the beacon of progress, hope and inspiration. I have an idea how. It’s called “green.”

If you understood Neil's message in Greendale, than I urge you to read this article. I'm sure that Edith, Earl and Sun Green would all agree.

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Comment of the Moment: Patti Smith Covers "Helpless"

A Comment of the Moment on Patti Smith Covers "Helpless":

"I just discovered this place by accident. I am really pleased because Patti sits at the throne of my pantheon, with Young and Dylan at her feet. By way of introduction, can I tell you about the best concert I ever saw? Classify under rock 'n roll ramblings.

It was way back in 1989, in Sydney Australia. Me and my two best girlfriends were devastated to find that Neil was coming to the Sydney Entertainment Centre, and we couldn't afford tickets. The best we could do was to get some cheap cask wine and sit outside listening to Neils ghostly voice wafting through the doors. We were literally bawling. So near, yet so far. Then, about half an hour in, the doors suddenly opened and three drunken, blonde bimbos stumbled out with looks of utter disgust on their faces. They were obviously Bon Jovi fans. 'This concert SUCKS!!' were their exact words, and in one purely miraculous, unforgettable moment they handed us their tickets. All I can say was Neil gave a spine tingling performance, half acoustic and half plugged in, and it was a night I will never forget. A sentimental favourite that one. There is no accounting for taste in this world!"

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Patti Smith Covers "Helpless"

Patti Smith covers Neil Young's "Helpless" on her upcoming CD Twelve. The album of cover songs also includes Bob Dylan's "Changing of the Guard," Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and The Doors' "Soul Kitchen".

Patti Smith covers Neil Young's "Helpless"

Listen to sample clips on Amazon.com.

UPDATE: Patti Smith Covers Neil Young's "Helpless" - Paris 20 juin 2008 - Fondation Cartier, Les Soirée Nomades, Summer Solstice.

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Borrowed Tunes II: A Tribute to Neil Young

In 1994 a tribute album to Neil Young called Borrowed Tunes: A Tribute to Neil Young was released. Now comes word that a followup tribute called Borrowed Tunes II will be released later this year.

From the press release:

Sirius Canada Inc. & Universal Music Canada are joining forces to record and produce Borrowed Tunes II, a musical tribute to Canadian music legend Neil Young featuring a mix of popular Canadian artists and new and emerging musicians performing their own version of a Neil Young song.

Collaborating artists include Barenaked Ladies, Emily Haines, Finger Eleven, Chantal Kreviazuk, Dallas Green, Hawksley Workman, Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace, Ron Sexsmith, Goldendogs, Quebec-based Dobacaracol, Jorane and many others.

"I'm excited to pay tribute to Neil Young and his incredible body of work," said Chantal Kreviazuk. "Neil's songs have inspired so many Canadian musicians over the years and the Borrowed Tunes II recording is a wonderful way to honour him."

"Neil Young is one artist who all five of us regard as a hero and a musical inspiration," added Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies. "We are delighted to pay tribute to him."

"Sirius Canada is thrilled to work with these immensely talented artists on this unique Neil Young tribute project," enthused Andreanne Sasseville, Director of Canadian Talent Development for Sirius Canada. "Sirius is committed to helping established and emerging Canadian artists expand their fan base, and allowing
Canadian music fans to connect with their favourite artists in new and meaningful ways."

Distributed by Universal Music in Canada, Borrowed Tunes II will be recorded in conjunction with Toronto-based producer Mike Roth (Big Bold Sun Music), and will be available at the end of the summer. Selected tracks from the recording will be featured on Sirius Canada's Iceberg channel 95.

All proceeds from album sales will benefit two not-for-profit organizations selected by Neil Young: The Bridge School and Toronto-based Safehaven."

More on other artists covering Neil Young songs.
Thanks Chris!

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Comment of the Moment: Living With War Choir Member Remembers

Responding to the post Still Living With War: One Year Later a member of the 100 voice choir Alicia Morgan writes:

"I'll never forget how shocked I was that people were going nuts about my little post on my little nobody blog. I was surprised at the vitriol, both at the beginning when I was accused of making it up - when I was assured that it wasn't real because 'Neil Young doesn't record at Capitol; everyone knows that' and 'his record company hasn't mentioned it' - and then when it turned out not to be a hoax, and my inbox burst at the seams from all the apologies pouring in ;-), how vile some people could be to find their way to my blog and threaten and insult me.

Nevertheless, it was awesome to get so many positive reactions too, and be a part of something that matters. I think, looking back over last year, that the record did make a difference. It contributed to a lot of dialogue that would not have happened otherwise, and I think we've made progress since last year, and that 'Living With War' was a part of it."

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Still Living With War: One Year Later

The 4 Musketeers
Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, & Neil
Art by Down With Tyranny!

A year ago it all started when an obscure blog link popped up over in the right sidebar here on Thrasher's Wheat. According to the blog Last Left Turn Before Hooterville a new Neil Young album was being recorded. The blog, written by a member of a 100-voice choir, said the album would contain the lyrics: "Let's impeach the President for lyin'!". Alicia blogged:

"Every time new lyrics would come up on the screen, there were cheers, tears and applause. It was a spiritual experience ... We finished the session by singing an a cappella version of "America the Beautiful" and there was not a dry eye in the house."

"I've never been at a recording session that was more like being at church. Heck, I've never been to a church that was more like a church than that session."

Needless to say, the Rusties were in an uproar last April, with a serious meme circulating that this was all an elaborate hoax.

Could this be the predicted swerve to the ditch? This wasn't the first time Neil was ahead of the curve on impeachment (Nixon) or calling out for the truth.

As word of the album began to percolate through the blogosphere, reactions began to pour in fast and furious.

From Cole Slaw Blog:

"Mildly disappointed with Neil Young's syrupy fall release 'Prairie Wind,' this morning I'm happy (I'd write 'thrilled' or 'overjoyed,' but I'm trying to be more understated) to read that Neil will soon release a hard-rocking protest album called 'Life in War.'

After days of continuing speculation as to what Neil was up to, his official website began to offer up specific details. Neil himself described the album as "Metal Folk Protest" like Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan.


Once completed, Neil played the album for his label Reprise and than immediately gave a live interview to CNN. For many fans, this was Neil at his finest -- speaking truth to power.


Neil Rocks on CNN

So would "Living With War" be rock's "Fahrenheit 9/11"? For critics, it seemed to be the case.

But things would get ugly. Very ugly. Blogs exploded on early news reports of the still unheard album.




Day By Day Cartoon

Sadly, a not untypical comment on Hammer of Truth » Neil Young Jumping on the Impeachment Train by Taylor:

"How should I put this? How but, Fuck Neil Young.

He nothing but another commi, liberal, anti-american, hippie. If he hates the way George Bush runs America, then he can just take his whining ass back to Canada. We sure as hell don’t need him here, complaining about how bad things are. He talks like he would make a better president than George Bush. If someone like Neil Young was our president, then every terrorist in the world could walk all over us and he wouldn’t do a damn thing. His little anti-war ass."

Well, we thought we had seen everything. Until "War on Neil Young" from Red State Update started appearing on YouTube. Couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.

It nearly became depressing. How could so many who probably had never even heard of Neil's music become so filled with hate? I was down on a frown when a messenger brought me a letter. Thankfully, there was much support for both Neil and Thrasher's Wheat. Without the stunning and overwhelming reader support, this site would have folded last April.

Eventually, the CD was released, heard and evaluated. Reviews of "Living with War" were predictable for their focus around one song on the album and failing to grasp the larger picture.

The experience of April 2006 was unlike anything ever experienced before here at Thrasher's Wheat. Now I know what it feels to be hit by a virtual tsunami with 100's of comments on nearly every post -- many of which were filled with hate about Neil's freedom of expression. One of the things Thrasher is most proud of is the coverage the site has received that notes our non-partisan and apolitical stance, as Daily Kos notes:

"The definitive Neil Young site Thrasher's Wheat has done the hard work of assembling reaction from musical and political bloggers. Some of the reactions gathered on the normally apolitical Thrasher's Wheat show Bush's zombies in early meltdown."

If nothing else, Living With War was the most courageous album of 2006.

Complete coverage of the Living With War controversary at Neil Young News: 04/01/2006 - 05/01/2006 and Neil Young News: 05/01/2006 - 06/01/2006.

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Paul McCartney & Neil Young: "Only Love Can Break Heart" on YouTube

UPDATE 6/27/09: See Paul McCartney encore w/ Neil Young on "A Day in the Life" at Hyde Park, London, England Hard Rock Calling 2009 Festival: 6/27/06.



More on Bridge School Benefit Concert 2004.

Thanks HwyCDRrev!

Also see more on Paul McCartney and Neil Young inspirations, influences and collaborations.

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Comment of the Moment: Massey Hall DVD Mystery

There's been a bit of discussion regarding the Massey Hall DVD as to what exactly we're watching relative to the audio CD. Here's a comment on Massey Hall Reviews from Wally:

"Does anyone else notice the similarities between the Massey Hall DVD and the film footage taken of Neil performing about a week later in Stratford, Conn.?

This show was filmed by the same Dutch camera crew whose film clips of Neil on his ranch appear on the DVD. There are many discrepencies on the DVD video compared to the CD audio as well. Neil is speaking words on the audio that he does not appear to be speaking in the DVD (Dance, Dance, Dance when speaking to the audience about making some noise). The in between song banter is not included on film in the DVD. The songs without footage (BFOL, I Am A Child, Helpless)were not performed in Stratford which makes me believe the Massey Hall film footage is not what it is purported to be. Is Neil being honest here? Go to www.umgf.com to read more about this in the "Techniqes and Players" section of the forum. You can see the Stratford film footage at www.sugarmegs.org and see for yourself....."

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Neil isn't being honest here. There's definitely creative license here and the CD and DVD do not claim to be uncut footage. They're both heavily edited. It would be nice if the releases did include more specific information about the source material though.

For more discussion, see The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum: Massey Hall DVD mystery? Footage from another concert?.

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY

From LIVING WITH WAR TODAY:

"The recording of Living With War started one year ago. Since that day, 947 US soldiers have given their lives. Each day, LWW will be playing songs recorded exactly one year earlier."

The super-cool LWW Timeline Control has all the details of the album's evolution and reaction.

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Massey Hall Reviews

Orange County Weekly by Oliver Hall:

"There is no need to preach to Young fanatics, who will rush out and buy the thing no matter what. For people who have a casual interest in Neil Young’s music, or those who prefer the Harvest side of his persona, though, this album will be a great source of pleasure and perhaps even a major discovery. For one thing, the set list includes songs a casual fan probably hasn’t heard before: until now, “Journey Through the Past” and “Love in Mind” have only been legitimately available on the out-of-print Time Fades Away;“Bad Fog of Loneliness” has never made it onto a record (“I was gonna do it with Carl Perkins and the Tennessee Three,” Young says of a cancelled appearance on the Johnny Cash Show,speaking in a distracted way that makes him sound weirdly like Kurt Cobain for a moment); and “Dance Dance Dance” has only been released as a cover by the late Danny Whitten’s version of Crazy Horse. Live at Massey Hall is a beautiful recording of Neil Young at one of his creative peaks, making lovely, scary music."

Entertainment Wise by Janne Oinonen:

"If last year's 'Fillmore East' set from 1970 found Young in full hard-rocking pomp, embarking on those electrifying epic jams with Crazy Horse at full gallop that earned him the 'Godfather of Grunge' status, this second release in the long overdue Archives series represents the decibel-dodging flipside of his artistic persona. Not that there's anything soft-focus about these stripped-down proceedings. Armed with just a guitar and piano, Young might sound, ahem, relaxed to the point of keeling over during the mumbled banter that intercepts the performance, but there's no hint of hazy-eyed sluggishness in the intense, often chill-inducingly beautiful music.

Captured at a creative peak when songs were practically pouring out of him, a lot of these tunes were yet to be committed to tape at the time of this show. The unfamiliarity of large chunks of the set doesn't lessen the enthusiasm of the adoring hometown crowd one bit. As it shouldn't with songs as strong as these, many of which were to form the backbone of 'Harvest', the album that turned Young into a bona fide superstar."

Uncut by GAVIN MARTIN:

"Reminiscent of Dylan in his mid-‘60s heat, Young was practically pissing genius.

Consequently, a hail-the-conquering-hero atmosphere was evident in Toronto: the crowd break into applause when he gets to the 'I'm going back to Canada' line in the middle of “Journey Through The Past”. Unknown to them, Young was in a back brace after a sustaining an injury moving timber at his ranch on a Christmas break. Certainly, no signs of any distress are evident in his superlative acoustic guitar and ol’ Mission Hall piano accompaniment. The relaxed, rambling intros suggest that herbal self-medication was on the agenda. And if so, it only seems to have helped him to focus on the music; once into a song, the hangdog hippy is banished and magic takes hold, with Young attaining cinematic scope from minimal instrumental accompaniment."

Pitchfork by Rob Mitchum:

"All this gloom and doom was only going to build for Neil Young over the years following this tour; his new 'The Needle and the Damage Done' foreshadowed the ensuing half-decade of addiction and death that would inspire some of his finest records. Live at Massey Hall catches Young divining that bleak future from the darkness of the crowd, caught alone at the microphone, a chilling example of why he was, in this particular guise, the 70s' best architect of lonesomeness."

BBC by Chris Jones:

"Stripped of either the country garage stylings of Crazy Horse or his more salubrious West Coast chums, these direct readings brim with the energy of a man hitting his songwriting zenith. Not only do we get early versions of classics such as ‘’Heart Of Gold’’ or ‘’Old Man’’ we hear songs that were either shelved for several years (‘’See The Sky About To Rain’’, ‘’Journey Through The Past’’ and ‘’Love In Mind’’) or simply never saw the light of day (‘’Bad Fog Of Loneliness’’).

Peppered with earlier material, even from his days with Buffalo Springfield, it fast becomes clear that this is no ordinary ‘unplugged’ experience. His approach to acoustic troubador chic had, by this point, been tempered by his membership of the West Coast royalty. Every chord and inflection contain the sun-drenched mellowness and harmonic sophistication associated with the period, but remain entirely Young’s due to his own gloomier perspective (‘I live on a ranch now…lucky me.’)."

From Music Box by Douglas Heselgrave:

"Worlds apart from his incendiary 1969 and 1970 performances with Crosby, Stills, and Nash as well as with Crazy Horse, the shows that Young gave during his 1971 tour of Canada played a large part in forming the classic image that today resides so fondly in the public’s imagination. Confident and brimming with creative fire, one moment, fragile, delicate, and unassuming, the next, the songs sound as if they are being delivered around a campfire or in one’s own living room. The playing is sometimes tentative and exploratory; at other moments, it is full of fire and intensity. The delivery is often unsure; the lyrics are like Zen koans — brief and to the point, having not yet achieved their iconic status. The voice is so impossibly pure and, well, so young-sounding, that (to borrow a phrase) it’s not only love that can break your heart. The intimacy and immediacy of these songs, many of them performed here before they even were recorded, brought tears to my eyes more than once. The versions of Old Man and The Needle and the Damage Done that are featured on Live at Massey Hall are set up beautifully by Young, with the back story to each song’s creation adding resonance to those tunes that have become overly familiar as the years have passed. To be given the chance to hear embryonic, classics-in-the-making — like a piano suite of Heart of Gold and A Man Needs a Maid — is nothing short of a revelation."

From Stylus Magazine by Stewart Voegtlin:

"Everything is spent on “Don’t Let It Bring You Down,” as if Young valiantly attempts to answer what that abstract “it” might be for each and every living breathing being that made it to Massey Hall for the show. He gives these lyrics his most impassioned reading of the evening, wholly believable, convincingly convinced in the stupid power of song. Castles burning, red lights flashing, sirens moaning, the dead heaped in confusing piles on roadsides in every town of every nation; these are clichéd and prophetic phrases, strung together out of necessity and relayed by nearly every bright-eyed dumbfuck new to ennui and armed with a pawnshop acoustic. No matter. Young reclaims the piece by singing it as it probably should have been sung from the beginning, as if the “solution” was realizing that there never was one to begin with, deftly making Massey Hall as ageless, remarkable, and as relevant as it could be."

Salon by David Marchese:

"But aside from being a fantastic collection of songs, the album is elevated by its audio vérité feeling: Young's halting, self-deprecating song introductions; his admonition of the cameramen after their clicking shutters throw off his rhythm; the lonesome, cracked beauty of Young's singing voice. They all add up to a portrait of a young man fiercely protective of a gift that allowed him to write such searing, soulful music, and few albums in his vast catalog showcase Young's talent with such simple and forceful clarity."

Also, Bad News Beat: Massey Hall reviews en masse, Sneak Preview of Live at Massey Hall, and 1971 Toronto Massey Hall Concert Next Up in Archives Series.

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Zuma Tryptich Charity Auction

This coming week THE TEENAGE CANCER TRUST is holding a series of fundraising concerts at The Royal Albert Hall. If you can't go or couldn't get a ticket here's your chance to support the charity and get yourself a great item. All proceeds from this auction will go to the charity. Very generously donated by James Mazzeo, this is perhaps one of Mazzeo's most famous and controversial works. The tryptich's inspiration emerged from the Zuma album cover created for Neil Young in 1975.

Images and details at eBay: Zuma Tryptich - Mazzeo - Neil Young (item 270096019916 end time Mar-31-07 14:00:00 PDT).

Thanks Cyril!

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Neil Young Discography Reviews

The Runout Groove: Neil Young Discography Part Six - CSNY / Deja Vu (1970)

The Runout Groove: Neil Young Discography Part Five - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969)

The Runout Groove: Neil Young Discography Part Four - Neil Young (1969)

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Broken Arrow Magazine - Issue #105

Neil Young in Austin, Texas - Aug. 16, 1987
Photo by Paul Holland

A little behind on my reading with all the news lately so just now getting around to checking out the latest issue of Broken Arrow Magazine, published by the Neil Young Appreciation Society.

Issue #105 (February) of Broken Arrow Magazine - as usual - has some fine articles, commentary and nice photos.

The cover by Paul Holland is from the Saragosa Tornado Benefit on August 16, 1987 in Austin, Texas.

Also in Issue #105:

• A Conversation with Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas by Paul Docker
• In Defense of Landing on Water by Stig Tolderlund
• The Story of the Real Captain Kennedy
• An Interview with Richie Furay by John Brindle

And as usual, a news section edited by Barry Martin, with lots of innarestin' items.

Check out the Neil Young Appreciation Society page for more info on how to join.

Don't be denied!

Thanks Scott and everyone who is supporting the NYAS & BA!

Thrasher - NYAS#2476


More on back issues of Broken Arrow magazine.

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Cinnamon Girl Cover Contest

American Laundromat Records and Daisy Rock Guitars are co-sponsoring a contest inviting female artists and female-fronted bands to submit a cover version of Neil Young’s "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" to win a Daisy Rock guitar, consideration for an official Daisy Rock endorsement, and a guaranteed slot on the upcoming American Laundromat Records benefit CD Cinnamon Girl - Women Artists Cover Neil Young.

Joe Spadaro of American Laundromat Records says:

"Neil Young is a true original and we wanted to celebrate his music and introduce younger music fans to Neil's early work. Having women artists cover Young's classic songs puts a cool spin on the traditional tribute record, and also honors the strength and courage of women who have had or have breast cancer."

All proceeds from the Cinnamon Girl project will be donated to Casting For Recovery, a national non-profit support and educational program for women who have or have had breast cancer. Tanya Donelly, Jill Sobule, The Watson Twins, Kristin Hersh, Lori McKenna, Josie Cotton, and Britta Phillips are just some of the outstanding female artists covering Neil Young for the Cinnamon Girl benefit CD due out October 3, 2007.

Full details at www.myspace.com/cinnamongirltribute.

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New CSN Book and Premiere Concert

There's a new CSN book being published titled Legends: Crosby, Stills & Nash. The book was written by Stefano Frollano and Salvatore Esposito and is 120 page with a biography, discography, and interviews. The book is available from Editoririuniti.

The book premiere will be celebrated on April 6, 2007 in Rome, Italy at Classico Village club with two tribute bands: Déjà Vu Band and The Waterfall. Contact Be-In Productions: mrs.Roberta Valenti at robertavalenti2001@yahoo.it for additional info.

Thanks Stefano! Ciao!

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Massey Hall #1 on Amazon

The Archives Massey Hall CD, is #1 on the Amazon Best Sellers Listing.

Not that it matters since numbers add up to nothing.

More on review of Live at Massey Hall.

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The Archives Vol.01 1963-1972: Let The Speculation Continue

Over the years, many Neil Young fans have cursed: The Archives Be Damned.

Still, the question has always remained: "When -- if ever -- will the Archives be released?"

It looks like Neil fans are another step closer with a new Archives page on the Reprise Records website. The site features a tantalizing trailer for the 8 CD, 2 DVD, and 150 page booklet for The Archives Volume #1: 1963 - 1972.

Over the years there has been a tremendous amount of speculation over what exactly will be on the Archives. Various theories abound like that it will be similar to the Buffalo Springfield box set or that it will be all unreleased material or that it will be all live or even re-mastered released albums. But no one seems to really know. But we have lots of clues...

In discussing the vision for the Archives, Neil said in a 2005 interview on Prairie Wind Companion CD:

NEIL YOUNG: It, there's I think four or five volumes. And Volume One is an eight-disk set from 1963 to 1973. You know, it has film of performances. It has my earliest recordings, um, released and unreleased recordings from 1963 on. It has, uh, uh, a performance series and now they may be sold separately, one or two of them, but, uh, there is a spot for them in the box, and you can just slip them in there.

So and, uh, it, it's coming out on CD and it's coming out on DVD. And I recommend the DVD because it has got much better sound and it has of course it has film. It has, it has an actual filing cabinet you can go into and, and get all of the documentation of all of these. The original lyric sheets, all the original stuff that goes with everything. It's kind of like a museum. That's a, it's a virtual, uh, museum filing, filing system.

And you just go through the, open up the door and file through it. Find a song, lift it out, read everything about it. You can read newspapers that were at that time, reviews of it when it came out, the original manuscript, pictures, all this stuff. If there's any film or video from those, from that era, chronologically, it's all chronological. Everything is in order. You can find anything you want.

And see how songs that were, uh, released on albums years later were actually recorded at a different time. And so it, it gives you another slant on the way things were. It tells you what albums these things came out on. It gives you the full picture of what happened from chronologically, rather than the records I produced.

JODY DENBERG: And the films, like, uh, Human Highway or Muddy Track, would they be a part of it?

NEIL YOUNG: They'll all be part of it.

From Rolling Stone interview on the Archives:

"It starts with my earliest recordings in 1963,' says Young. 'Then several recordings with a group called the Squires, into the earliest Buffalo Springfield stuff. Then there's a live record culled from a week's worth of performances at the Riverboat in Toronto."

So what else can we expect from The Archives? Apparently, Easter Eggs, Virtual Bongs, & BlueRay DVDs?!

"Young says he has been working on the project constantly, but "I wanted to wait until the right technology was around to make it the way I saw it. With BlueRay DVD technology, I've created this time line on the discs that will take you through the entire story, putting everything on there that's relevant."

Included, says Young, are "I Wonder," cut with the Squires and later retooled as "Don't Cry No Tears" for his album "Zuma"; demos he cut for Elektra records in 1965; outtakes from his classic "After the Goldrush" LP; and "a 16-minute live version of 'Cowgirl in the Sand' that's pretty cool."

Asked by director Jonathan Demme if there will be any "Easter eggs," the term given to hidden material on the DVD, Young says, "We're trying to figure out how you hit on something from about 1967 and get a virtual bong. To enhance your listening pleasure."

From Peter Hund's Good New Music:

"[Live at the Fillmore East 1970] is also a clue to how the archival material Young’s been promising for 16 years will shape up: Good New Music has it from a reliable source that the Performance Series will not supplant the much-anticipated archival box set series Young has mentioned, contrary to speculation on fan websites and blogs. The Neil Young Archives multibox set is still in the works, with the first of four boxes slated for fall 2007.

Each of the four boxes will be a chronological volume of previously released and unreleased live and studio songs (including some that have never been on record), according to the source. As Young has said, all the songs will be presented in the order they were recorded, but listeners also will be able to hear unreleased albums such as “Homegrown” in their entirety.

Installments in the Performance Series will be chronologically numbered, some released individually, others as bonus discs in the archival box sets. “Fillmore” is Disc 02 in the series. Only Young knows what Disc 01 will be, the source said, “and he ain’t talking!”"

In an interview with Spin Magazine (11/95), Young says of The Archives: "From the worst piece of shit to the best thing I ever did--you make the choice." Which reminds us of comments made in Shakey biography by Jimmy McDonough:

"Y'know, I don't give a shit whether anybody BUYS it or not. I just wanna do it. And there may only be two hundred copies, signed by me. But it's gonna fuckin' exist. When it's done, people can do whatever the fuck they want, make any fuckin' order they want out of it. But they're gonna have the whole fuckin' thing to choose from. They're not gonna get part of it. Everything-the good, the bad, the ugly.

So you know the difference. Some of it is good, some of it is crap that wasn't released-there's a reason. Take a look, see what it is. That's what a fuckin' archive is about, not "Here's Neil Young in all his wonderfulness-the great, phenomenal fucking wonderfulness." That's not what I want.

I want people to know how fuckin' terrible I was. How scared I was and how great I was. The real picture-that's what I'm looking for. Not a product. And I think that's what the die-hard fans want - the whole fuckin' thing."

Also, see:
- Archives Announcement at Sun JavaOne Conference Keynote with Neil Young

- The Archives Turns Fans Blu

- Coverage of Archives Announcement at JavaOne Conference

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Sneak Preview of Live at Massey Hall

Thanks to an inside source, Thrasher's Wheat has obtained an advance release copy of Live at Massey Hall. So, here are a few thoughts on the first listen.

Live at Massey Hall more than just captures Neil Young's triumphant return to his Canadian home town Toronto on January 19, 1971. It provides an intimate portrait of the artist opening himself up to his audience while becoming more confident and comfortable with his rising fame.

While Live at Massey Hall has circulated as a bootleg for many years, this is the first time we hear a superb soundboard quality recording that fans have been yearning for with the Archives release series. For those semi-disappointed with Live at the Fillmore East not being a complete set, Live at Massey Hall should more than make up for that decision. In what appears to be an edited recording of 2 performances (early and late shows), the 17 song CD allows us to hear virtually what the Toronto audience experienced over 35 years ago.

Regarding the Archives #3 release, Neil said:

"This is the album that should have come out between 'After The Gold Rush' and 'Harvest'. David Briggs, my producer, was adamant that this should be the record, but I was very excited about the takes we got on 'Harvest,' and wanted 'Harvest' out. David disagreed. As I listen to this today, I can see why."

Playing new songs that would later appear on Harvest like "Old Man", "Needle and the Damage Done", and "Heart of Gold" one can only imagine the experience of hearing the eventual classics live in concert the first time. The audience clearly adores Neil's homecoming, welcoming nearly every song's opening notes with applause.

Shifting between acoustic guitar and piano, the concert also includes several songs the audience is familiar with such as "Ohio", "Cowgirl in the Sand", and "Down by the River". But it is the new songs (at the time) which are most striking. "Journey Through The Past", which would not be released until Times Fades Away, played on piano is simply gorgeous.

Neil truly reveals himself in his between song chatter while tuning and changing instruments. The comments are perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the CD in fact. We hear Neil gently admonish a photographer for taking pictures. We learn that Neil has just written 3 songs over the past several days. We learn that Neil has a new home -- a ranch in California.

Another striking revelation on the CD is the careful phrasing Neil gives to songs which we're so familiar with like "Helpless". The freshness of presentation is literally astonishing. While we've all heard "Heart of Gold" more times than we can count, the song's inclusion in the "Man Needs A Maid" suite is genuinely touching.

Humorously, Neil introduces "Man Needs A Maid" as a "Broadway musical". The song also includes a subtle lyric variation -- which are always fun to spot. Instead of "A Man Needs A Maid", Neil substitutes the line "Afraid, a man feels afraid."

One of the concert's funnier moments did not make it to the released CD. Just before "Bad Fog of Loneliness", Neil says "I hold a meeting with my songs every 6 months to see which ones get recorded. This next song wasn't even invited to the meeting." Moments later, Neil chastises the audience for applauding, saying "What're you clapping for? You don't know this song". Instead, we hear the early show performance introduced by describing an upcoming performance on "The Johnny Cash Show".

In some ways, you can almost hear Neil mature while listening. Not just as a singer-songwriter but as a unique musical talent, as well. Happily, Live at Massey Hall offers us another tantalizing glimpse of what's ahead in the Performance Archives series.

So with a little less than 2 weeks until the official release of the Archives Massey Hall CD, it is already in the top 10 #7 on the Amazon Best Sellers Listing.

Preview CD by clicking below.

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Cover for Ghosts On The Road

Here's the cover of the upcoming book Ghosts On The Road - Neil Young In Concert by Pete Long. The cover photo is by Joel Bernstein.

The Ghosts On The Road - Neil Young In Concert website contains sample pages and order information.

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Al Gore's iTunes Playlist Includes Neil

From Gristmill:

Track Four: After the Garden, by Neil Young
Al Gore: I love Neil Young's passion and his courage in reawakening the music of protest in America. The Bible says: 'A little child shall lead them,' but sometimes it's an old master like Neil Young who provides leadership. In this song, his metaphor is unmistakable and powerful the very first time you hear it."

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Massey Hall in Top 5 on Amazon

With a little more than 2 weeks until the official release of the Archives Massey Hall CD, it is already in the top 5 on the Amazon Best Sellers Listing.

Here is the track listing, cover and background info.

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Bob and Neil, Over and Over, Again and Again

We really do hate to stir things up here at Thrasher's Wheat. Really. But, at the risk of escalating the debate, here is a blog comment that just begs a response. The comment comes in regarding last year's goof post on Top 10 Reasons Why Neil Young is Better Than Bob Dylan.

A little background on this "battle". A year ago a whole controversy erupted over who was better: Bob or Neil? This resulted in a huge backlash from both the Dylan and Young communities on a number of fronts including whether even such a discussion was relevant.

Well a year later, we still get the occasional comment on the subject. Here goes the latest bomb:

"Neil Young is a better guitarist (and musician) than Dylan, and a stronger more enduring musician(than the seemingly brain-dead Dylan) which is often overlooked by his abundant political activism found within his popular hits, such as Keep On Rocking in the Free World, Ohio, etc. Also, although Dylan is the superior songwriter of the two, his music is better played by other talented musicians (such as All Along the Watchtower covered by Hendrix) or by the local high school garage band that plays in your neighbor's basement for that matter. Vocally I will say that Bob Dylan does have a better voice in certain songs (Lay Lady Lay, for example), but these songs are not what most radio listeners remember. I mean most of the Dylan songs most easily recognized by listeners focus on the screechy, raspy and yappy vocals of Dylan such as: Rainy Day Women or Like a Rolling Stone, just to name a few. Yes I would agree that Neil Young does not have the world's greatest voice either, but there is really nothing that can be done to change the nasal sound of his voice (ask any music student).

Although these last few statements may seem trivial to some of the viewers out there, these facts will stand on there own: Bob Dylan will never be inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame on 3 separate occasion as will Neil Young (CSNY, Buffalo Springfield, and Crazy Horse/ solo career), nor will Bob Dylan have 2 guitar solos within the top 100 of the greatest solo's of all time (Cortez the Killer, and Cinnamon Girl). What's even more ironic is that the only time that Young's Canadian nationality is brought up is when his opponents can't think of anything to criticize him for, whereas Bob Dylan you can criticize him for his horrible interview etiquette, or his strange appearance within a Victoria Secret commercial (I don't think a creepy and haggard looking old man does well to sell quality clothing such as Victoria Secret), among a HUGE list of other things, and yet people think Neil Young is a sellout! And the fact that Neil considers himself a B student of Dylan is because his specialty isn't the same type of music that Dylan plays today, and this comment is a way to show respect to an elderly musician as is Dylan. I think the Young haters need to look past the nationality and the stereotyping of Young into only a political songwriter, but look at his overall better musicianship

So let's re-cap

Vocal ability: Young <--> Dylan
Guitar playing: Young > Dylan
Selling Out: Young <> Dylan (Thunder On the Mountain)
HOF nominations: Young 3 (4 including an induction into the Canadian Hall of Fame), Dylan 1
Overall: Young > Dylan

And to the last "anonymous" post, mocking Young's "Let's impeach the President" song, I say to you, your words are those of a sell out Bob Dylan fanatic, because a Canadian and proven legend who is more of a patriot and lover of freedom than many "true-blue" Americans, should not be stifled by a mere material image, he can leave that worry to Dylan instead."

As for Thrasher? He's sticking with Neil's obervation that he's a "B" student of Bob's.

For more, see Top 10 Reasons Not to Goof With Bob Dylan Fans.

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Rust Radio's New Website

Rust Radio has a new look and feel. All the usual stuff is still there, and some things have been updated. Where the old content was scattered all over the domain, the new site has the same design for all pages.

Some new features include:

• a new design
• a better explanation about how to use rust radio (with live statistics whenever the radio is online)
• an improved list of neil torrents
• the complete history log files and descriptions
• a list of Neil links

And Rust Radio is still playing those great Neil concerts every week!

Thanks Roel! Looks great! Nice job.

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Dennis Hopper Interview on Weld on YouTube

Dennis Hopper interview on the 1991 Weld Tour and filming Human Highway.

More on Weld album.

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Ghosts On The Road - Hardback Last Call

A second edition of Ghosts On The Road - Neil Young In Concert is scheduled to be published later this year. There will be a limited number of hardback copies printed and orders must be submitted by March 1.

The first edition of Ghosts On The Road was published in 1996 and immediately became recognised as a valuable resource for Neil Young enthusiasts worldwide. Here at Thrasher's Wheat, we consider the book to be an indispensable resource.

The updated and revised edition will be published in early 2007 and will contain additional chapters relating to the years 1996 through to 2006 together with considerable expansion of many previous chapters. Author Pete Long has spent a good deal of time revising particular sections of the book and his work on the Buffalo Springfield box set and an article in the NYAS magazine Broken Arrow regarding the Time Fades Away tour in 1973 bear testimony to the expansion.

The author says: "I could only justify offering a revised version if it contained sufficient extra information. I did not want anyone, particularly those who already had a copy of the first edition, to feel that they were not getting a significantly improved book."

The Ghosts On The Road - Neil Young In Concert website contains sample pages and order information.

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Neil Young Discography Review on the Runout Groove

The Runout Groove has another installment in the Neil Young discography review series.

After reviewing the Buffalo Springfield era, the next chapter is Neil's first solo release. The album is reviewed track by track.

This promises to be a great series of reviews of Neil's catalog.

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Son Volt's The Search

Ever since recognizing Neil Young's influence on Uncle Tupelo, Thrasher has been a big fan of both Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar.

So looking forward to Farrar's new Son Volt release The Search scheduled for March 6.

From Amazon.com review by Scott Holter:

"Five albums into Son Volt's career--and a pair into the band's rebirth following leader Jay Farrar's several solo ventures--it's time to bury the encumbering 'alt-country' moniker that has dogged Farrar since his days in the genre-setting Uncle Tupelo. While the inexhaustible songwriter relied on guitars to drive 2005's rock-heavy Okemah and the Melody of Riot, Son Volt amends its familiar arrangements on The Search, balancing the instrumentation with piano, organ, and dabbles in a horn section. 'Feels like drivin' 'round in a slow hearse,' Farrar pleads over repetitive piano and East Indian guitar loops in 'Slow Hearse.' It's a pensive opener that suggests something is askew, but the horns that kick off 'The Picture' literally scream it from the Stax vaults. Farrar dives in and out of genres, tingling the ivories to add subtle alterations to both the gorgeous 'Underground Dream' and Imagine-like 'Adrenaline and Heresy,' turning his band into Gang of Four for the 134-second rocker 'Satellite' and singing alongside Shannon McNally on the soulful 'Highways and Cigarettes.' While it may be impossible for this Son Volt to ever reach the pinnacle of their 1995 debut, no one can accuse Jay Farrar of going through the motions."

Preview clips of songs are on http://www.sonvolt.net/.
Pre-order from Amazon.com Son Volt's The Search (Support Thrasher's Wheat. Thanks!)

More on Jay Farrar and Neil Young and here.

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Massey Hall Trailer

The trailer for the Massey Hall CD/DVD is now up on
Neil Young's Archives site.

Includes great performance clips from the concert and 1988 comments by Neil.

Also, there is a performance of "Needle and the Damage Done" on Amazon.com

Also, on www.myspace.com/neilyoung is a performance of "Old Man".

Pre-Order from Amazon.comLive at Massey Hall (Support Thrasher's Wheat. Thanks!)

Here is the track listing, cover and background info.

Thanks e2f for the tip!

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Portuguese Neil Young website

Here's a new Neil Young website in Portuguese -- Página em Portugês sobre o Neil Young.

The site contains a biography of Neil, some of his collaborators (CSN, Richie Furay), a discography with reviews, a page containing images (divided by decades) and some audio clips.

Thanks José and good luck!

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"Mansion On The Hill" Video on YouTube

Here's Neil Young's video for "Mansion On The Hill". Somehow this struck me for Valentine's Day.

Maybe it's Neil as a preacher?

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Randomly Blogged: Pearl Jam & Neil Young

America Mystica: Neil Young & Pearl Jam - A rundown of collaborations such as Mirror Ball

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Neil Young and Emmylou Harris: Guess who has 11 Grammy Awards and which one has zero?

Neil Young and Emmylou Harris
photo from "Heart of Gold" film

UPDATE - Feb. 12: Neil's perfect Grammy streak continues -- zero awards. Well, at least he lost to Dylan in the Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance category.

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This weekend, the annual Grammy Awards will be handed out. Neil Young received 3 Grammy Awards nominations for "Living With War". Nominated for Best Rock Album, and 'Lookin' For A Leader' was nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance."

So, guess who has 11 Grammy Awards and who has zero?

Emmylou Harris has received at least 11 Grammy Awards in her career. Neil Young -- 0, zero, nada. Not that it matters. Neil Young was up for 2 grammy nominations for Prairie Wind last year. He even dressed up and attended the ceremonies. Will he attend this year?


Jonathan Demme, Pegi Young, Neil Young
48th Annual Grammy Awards - 8 Feb 2006
Getty Images Entertainment photo by Stephen Shugerman

This could only mean one thing. The Grammy Awards are either incredibly correct with Emmylou or horribly wrong on Neil.

Thrasher might live a thousand years and still not know what this means...

More on Emmylou Harris and Neil Young.

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Lucinda Williams West

One of our favorite singer-songwriters over the years has been Lucinda Williams. Her work is exceptionally evocative and her concerts are outstanding. Last time we saw her play in 2005, she played a nice mix of newer and older material in her distinctive vocal style.

On Amazon.com, Don McLeese writes on West:

"Though the arrangements stray from Lucinda Williams's motherlode blend of blues, country, and folk, West may well be her best album. It is easily her most musically adventurous, and often her most lyrically inspired. Williams's singing has never sounded better, from the aching tenderness of 'Where Is My Love?' to the ravaged catharsis of 'Unsuffer Me.' New York producer Hal Willner, who has worked with artists such as Marianne Faithful and Lou Reed, enlists the support of eclectic progressives like guitarist Bill Frisell, keyboardist Bob Burger, and violinist Jenny Scheinman, along with harmonies from the Jayhawks' Gary Louris, to weave a subtly rich sonic tapestry. Much of the material was inspired by the death of Williams's beloved mother ('Mama You Sweet,' 'Fancy Funeral') and the bitter breakup of a relationship (the jagged-edged emasculation of 'Come On,' the repetitive incantation of 'Wrap My Head Around That'), though 'Are You Alright?,' 'Learning How to Live,' and 'Everything Has Changed' could reflect the aftermath of both. Other highlights include 'Rescue,' with a languid subtlety and ambient pulse reminiscent of Beth Orton, and the dreamy, wistful title track. Where Williams's music has long cut close to the bone, the best of West slices right through it.

Scheduled for release on February 13, the CD is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com Lucinda Williams' West (Support Thrasher's Wheat. Thanks!)

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"Only love can break your heart": CSN&Y on YouTube

CSNY perform "Only love can break your heart" at the Fillmore East, June 1970.

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Live at Massey Hall Pre-Order

The 1971 Toronto Massey Hall concert is scheduled to be the next release in Archives Series and is now available for pre-order.

Pre-Order from Amazon.comLive at Massey Hall (Support Thrasher's Wheat. Thanks!)

Here is the track listing, cover and background info.

Thanks for the photo Ed!

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