The Mynah Birds: An In Depth Exclusive

The Mynah Birds
John Goadsby (aka Goldie McJohn), Bruce Palmer, Richie Grand, Ricky James Matthews, Jimmy Livingston and Frank Iozzo (aka Frank Arnel)
February 1965
(Click photo to enlarge)

Editors Note: In honor of the annual Record Store Day and the vinyl release of The Mynah Birds single, we bring you an in-depth look back at The Mynah Birds.

Reduced to a footnote in Neil Young and Rick James’s careers, Toronto R&B sensation, The Mynah Birds have been overlooked in the annals of rock history. In a Thrasher's Wheat exclusive, Nick Warburton uncovers the fascinating story behind the first largely white band to sign to Motown Records. Nick Warburton is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years’ experience of writing across a wide range of topical issues and is a specialist in the field of popular music. His pioneering work on The Mynah Birds was recognised by Universal Records, which contacted him to assist with the band’s entry on its Motown 1966 Singles Boxed Set.

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In 2006, Universal Music Distribution unveiled volume six of its epic Complete Motown Singles series. Like its predecessors, the five-disc package, documenting the year 1966 and containing no less than 125 tracks, had been compiled and presented with immaculate detail.

Housed in a hard back cover and adorned with a replica copy of The Four Tops’ classic “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” in the front window, the boxed set was a fitting tribute to the ground-breaking music recorded under the auspices of Motown Records during the 1960s.

However, what made the 1966 singles series stand out for many avid rock fans was the inclusion of two previously unreleased tracks by The Mynah Birds, the legendary Toronto R&B band that for a mere six weeks married the unlikely talents of future funk star, the late Rick James (or Ricky James Matthews as he was then known) and Canadian guitar legend Neil Young.

The Mynah Birds - October 1965
(Click photo to enlarge)

Scheduled for release as a single on Motown’s V.I.P. subsidiary in spring ‘66, and assigned the catalogue number 25033, the garage/folk-rock classic “It’s My Time” (allegedly one of several Rick James/Neil Young collaborations but credited to Michael Valvano, Ricky James Matthews and R Dean Taylor in the boxed set) should have been a smash single.

Driven by James’s distinctive soulful voice and Young’s ringing 12-string guitar, the infectious “It’s My Time”, coupled with the contrasting “Go On and Cry”, a soft ballad credited to James, rhythm guitarist John Taylor and Motown staff writers, Michael Valvano and R Dean Taylor, had all of the ingredients to be a hit record.

But it was withdrawn when, half way through the recording of an album with producers William “Mickey” Stevenson, Michael Valvano and R Dean Taylor at Motown’s Hitsville studio, the band imploded in spectacular fashion.

James was AWOL from the US Navy, and his surrender to the FBI put an end to any further recordings. Left to reassess their futures, Neil Young and bass player Bruce Palmer promptly relocated to Los Angeles where they founded Buffalo Springfield. For Young it was the start of an illustrious career that would lead him to superstardom and a successful solo career.

But how did an interracial Canadian R&B band come to fall under Motown’s radar in the first place, and, more importantly, what happened to the rumoured album that was shelved?

To answer these questions, we need to go back to the autumn of ‘64 and a thriving Toronto live scene, into which stepped a young man wanted by the FBI: James Ambrose Johnson Jr.

The Mynah Birds at El Patio, Toronto in Feb '66.
Photo by Toronto Telegram.
(Click photo to enlarge)

Months shy of his 17th birthday, the Buffalo native made an instant impression after being invited to sing a few songs with Klaus Karl Kassbaum’s band at the El Patio coffeehouse in Toronto’s bohemian district, Yorkville Village. The future Steppenwolf bass player, better known as Nick St Nicholas, duly hired him as singer, and, dressed in the teenager’s US naval gear, they became the aptly named Sailorboys.

Besides Rick James and Nick St Nicholas, the line up at this time also comprised lead guitarist Ian Goble and drummer Rick Cameron. One early witness to the nascent group was Bev Davies, who later ran the Cellar coffeehouse in Yorkville where she befriended struggling folkie Neil Young.

For those in the know, Bev Davies was the woman that missed out on Neil Young and Bruce Palmer’s famous road trip to Los Angeles after being promised a place in the hearse.

“I was at Ontario College of Art fall 1964 [and] “I used to go to the El Patio to see Ricky James Matthews band,” says Davies. “I think Nick had an older brother who was at art school that year. The art school had a band called ‘the art school rubber band’ and he may have been in that. There was some connection between the band sometimes called The Sailors and the art school.”

Davies remembers James strutting around the stage. “Two outstanding songs that I remember him doing were ‘Hitch Hike’ and “I Got My Mojo Working’, she adds.

Local fame soon beckoned when eccentric businessman Colin Kerr, the owner of a local nightclub called the Mynah Bird, offered his services as a manager and renamed them after his favourite pet, a minor bird called Rajah. He also insisted the musicians adopt Rajah as band mascot and dress in minor bird colours on stage!

“He had [this] one minor bird that he would leave in a cage with a tape running 24-7 saying, ‘Hello, Ed Sullivan’ because he was quite convinced that sooner or later we’d end up on his [TV] show,” remembers new drummer Richie Grand.

The Mynah Birds - "Mynah Bird Hop" 45RPM
(Click photo to enlarge)

In a more constructive move, Kerr engineered a recording deal with the Canadian arm of Columbia Records, which resulted in a hopelessly rare one-off single – the R&B belter “Mynah Bird Hop”, coupled with the calypso-flavoured “Mynah Bird Song”.

Both sides of the single were penned by Colin’s brother, the late Ben Kerr, and featured another future Steppenwolf member, John Goadsby (aka Goldie McJohn) on organ plus new guitarist Frank Iozzo (aka Arnel).

Issued in early ’65 with the catalogue number C4-2660, the single bombed. Yet despite its chart failure, the two tracks offer a fascinating glimpse into James’s formative years as a singer. Even as a teenager, his charisma and immense talent is clearly evident.

Of the two tracks, “Mynah Birds Hop”, is by far the more impressive and finds the teenager sharing vocals with a man nearly 10 years’ his age – the late Jimmy Livingston, who co-fronted The Mynah Birds for a few months and would go on to front The Just Us, The Tripp, Livingston’s Journey and Heather Merryweather.

One of rock’s true madcaps, Livingston’s off-the-wall stage persona was way ahead of its time – readers are advised to check out The Tripp on Canadian filmmaker Bruce McDonald’s three-part documentary series Yonge Street: Toronto Rock & Roll Stories, where the singer’s unnerving performance beats Joy Division’s Ian Curtis to the punch by 10 years.

Livingston later decamped to L.A where his prodigious consumption of hallucinogenic drugs would tragically see him fall into the Syd Barratt/Skip Spence orbit of rock casualties.

The troubled singer was but one of many musicians that would pass through The Mynah Birds’ ranks during late ‘64/early ’65; another journeyman being future Mandala, James Gang and Guess Who guitarist, the late Domenic Troiano.

But it was arguably the arrival of the late Bruce Palmer, traded with Nick St Nicholas from local rivals, Jack London & The Sparrows (later to morph into Steppenwolf) that shifted The Mynah Birds up a gear.

Soon after Palmer’s arrival, Kerr landed the band an important showcase gig at the Collonade Theatre in downtown Toronto and, according to Grand, in an inspired move he paid hundreds of girls to rush the band’s limo as it pulled up outside the venue!

The Mynah Birds - "Mynah Bird Song" 45RPM
(Click photo to enlarge)

The writing was on the wall, however, and by late spring ’65, The Mynah Birds had split from their eccentric manager. “We broke away from him and went with another little promoter,” remembers Grand, who left soon afterwards to join The Stormy Clovers, the first group to perform Leonard Cohen songs. “We went to Montreal as The Swinging Doors and played at the Esquire Show Bar.”

Left with the band name, James and Palmer secured the patronage of well-healed businessman John Eaton, and in June 1965 brought in three musicians from Brantford, Ontario band, The Bunkys – lead guitarist Tom Morgan, rhythm guitarist and songwriter John Taylor and drummer Rick Mason.

Eschewing the Kerr wardrobe and decked in clothes to match their idols, The Rolling Stones, The new-look Mynah Birds soon turned heads.

One was the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which, according to Mason, filmed the band for a long-lost documentary while playing at the Devil’s Den. “CBC came down the stairs and filmed the whole night of us,” says Mason. “Somewhere in their archives they have the footage of us.”

Eager to get a foot in the fledging Canadian rock market, one of Eaton’s first moves was to buy the musicians some new equipment and to set up an expense account. They also acquired a new manager, a shady character known as Morley Shelman, who was suspected of pocketing most of the money Eaton forwarded them.

Nevertheless, it was Shelman who used his connections with actor Sal Mineo to pique the interest of Motown Records. In October 1965, an awe struck band drove down to Detroit to audition personally for Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson.

According to Garry Graff and Daniel Durchholz in the excellent Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History, The Mynah Birds got as far as taping a backing track for “No Greater Love”, written by Howard Lemon and produced by Harvey Fuqua.

But for Tom Morgan, the session was a turning point. Sensing the label was only interested in Rick James, he bailed out two months later making way for an unlikely replacement – struggling folkie Neil Young.

The Mynah Birds
Rick Mason
Photo by Nick Warburton
(Click photo to enlarge)

Rick Mason remembers Young’s first job with the band – the Inferno, a club on Toronto’s east side in early January 1966. “They put rubber gym mats out for us to play on! The first song we go to do, Neil goes up to do his lead and unplugs his guitar. He plays the whole lead without his guitar plugged in!”

Soon after, the new line up returned to Detroit to begin sessions for an album, but only completed four tracks, cut between 18-26 January. Mason remembers the label being a hard taskmaster. “Twenty-four seven, day and night until we dropped,” is how he describes the workload.

“Neil used a 12-string a lot,” he continues. “But we never did anything as a band. It was all done in parts and they put it together. Then everybody would drop in and do songs with us, like Smokey Robinson and Tammi Terrell.”

Several of the song titles are listed on the Broadcast Music Inc (BMI) website. Only one is credited to Neil Young: “I’ll Wait Forever” which is listed as a co-write with Ricky James Matthews, Michael Valvano and R Dean Taylor, and was completed at the January sessions.

The other finished track is “I Got You (In My Soul)”, a Rick James/John Taylor co-write that sounds suspiciously like a direct lift from Van Morrison and Them’s ‘Little Girl”!

John Taylor’s widow Carolyn has five separate song-writing contracts signed by Rick James and her late husband for Jobete Music, dated 18 January 1966. These include “Go On and Cry” and “I Got You (In My Soul)”, as well as three previously unknown songs – “We Gotta Go”, “Don’t Change Your Mind” and “Pretty Words”.

The Mynah Birds - August 1966
John Klassen, Rick Mason, Mark Smith, John Taylor and Tom Morgan
Photo by Rick Mason
(Click photo to enlarge)

According to an article in Billboard, dated 5 March 1966, The Mynah Birds only recorded four tracks in January but had plans to return to Detroit the next month to undertake further recordings.

“The Mynah Birds are billing themselves as the first Canadian group to be signed by Tamla Motown, with the first single under their new recording and management contract to be released shortly, it’s ‘I’ve Got You [In My Soul]’, written by lead singer Rick James [sic], one of the four numbers cut last month at the Motown studios in Detroit,” ran the review.

It then added: “The group’s personal manager, Morley Shelman, reports they’ll return to Detroit next month for more sessions with an album in sight and talk of US tour upcoming.”

Regrouping in Toronto a week after the first batch of sessions, The Mynah Birds were billed to play the El Patio in Yorkville Village on 11-13 February when news of James’s AWOL status reached Motown. The April sessions were duly scrapped, and with James in the FBI’s custody, The Mynah Birds’ career derailed. But that’s not quite the end of the story.

With Young and Palmer heading to Los Angeles, remaining members John Taylor and Rick Mason kept The Mynah Birds going for another year. Bringing back former member Tom Morgan alongside The Bunkys’ bass player John Klassen and new singer Mark Smith, the group gigged incessantly before finally dissolving in spring 1967.

Not long after, and having served time in military prison, Rick James was offered a second shot at Motown. Pulling together yet another version of The Mynah Birds with former David Clayton-Thomas sidemen, guitarist Bill Ross and drummer Al Morrison, plus bass player/singer Neil Lillie (aka Neil Merryweather) from The Tripp, they rehearsed at the label’s Gold Star studio before laying down a couple of backing tracks at Hitsville with R Dean Taylor in the producer’s chair and an unknown organist.

Session logs for 21 June 1967 reveal that two songs – “Masquerade” and “Fantasy” were cut before a studio dispute curtailed the sessions and irrevocably split the band, leaving Rick James to go on to a plethora of fascinating groups such as Salt & Pepper, Heaven & Earth, Great White Cane and The Stone City Band before finally striking gold with “Super Freak” in 1981.

While the Motown sessions in January 1966 provide a tantalising glimpse of what might have been had James’s arrest not scuppered the record deal, it would not be the last time that Rick James and Neil Young would cross paths.

Watch this space for the next chapter!

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Nick Warburton has been researching the history of The Mynah Birds and its related groups for a documentary and for a forthcoming book. He would like to thank Rick Mason, Stan Endersby, Tom Morgan, Carolyn Taylor, Carny Corbett, Richie Grand, Neil Merryweather, Harry Weinger, Bev Davies, Ivan Amirault and Goldie McJohn. This is an extended and modified version of an article that was published in Record Collector in March 2012.

Email: Warchive@aol.com
Web: www.nickwarburton.com
Follow Nick on Twitter @Lucifersblues

Copyright © Nick Warburton, 2012. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

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Thanks Nick! Great research.

More on Rick James and Neil Young: The Mynah Birds, The "Super Freak" and Neil.

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Photo of the Moment: Neil Young and Donald "Duck" Dunn

Neil Young with Booker T & The MG's (Donald "Duck" Dunn)
Finsbury Park, London - 1993
Photo by Jimmy Newark
(Click photo to enlarge)

The Photo of the Moment is Neil Young and Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass of Booker T & The MG's at Finsbury Park, London in 1993.

Thanks Jimmy!

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Neil Young & Crazy Horse To Co-headline Outside Lands 2012 Festival

Neil Young & Crazy Horse, along with many others, will be co-headliners for the fifth annual Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park from Aug. 10-12.

Other co-headliners include Stevie Wonder, Metallica, Jack White and the Foo Fighters.

Full lineup at Outside Lands 2012.

Outside Lands pairs music with wine and food, and is known as "the world's only gourmet music festival."

Tickets on sale this Thursday (Apr. 19) at noon PST.

(Thanks to everyone who notified us!)

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Radiohead Samples "After the Goldrush" at Coachella 2012 + PLUS, RARE Interview

Radiohead headlined the Coachella 2012 Festival this past weekend and partially covered Neil Young's "After the Goldrush".

During the first encore, as an intro to "Everything in It's Right Place" (1:27:25), Thom Yorke went a capella on "After the Gold Rush."

The following interview with Thom Yorke was conducted by Mark Cooper, on January 27th 2008 at the BBC TV Centre in London. Sections from this interview were supposed to be used in "Don't Be Denied", a documentary on Neil Young.

Sadly, the footage went completely unused in the final edit. Here is the complete, unedited raw footage of that interview of Thom Yorke on Neil Young's influence.

Thom Yorke: “I once watched him [Neil Young] play ‘Cortez the Killer’ with the Pearl Jam band . . . and there was probably the most sustained wind — I can’t think of another way of putting it — but this wind was coming off the stage as he was playing his solo and it just did not stop, it was just like this force of nature coming off the stage.

It was extraordinary, because if you sat down and analyzed or listened to the bits, you know, there was nothing sort of special necessarily in the elements, but something happens and it all comes together: boom. The idea is to be a channel of what is going on.

And that’s what you should be doing.”

More on Radiohead Covering Neil Young Songs.

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5 Things That Remind Me Of Neil Young (That Really Shouldn’t) « The Pulmyears Music Blog

Ok, here's some silly, Neil fun.

From The Pulmyears Music Blog | "5 Things That Remind Me Of Neil Young (That Really Shouldn’t)".

We'd have to agree. These are 5 things that really shouldn’t remind us of Neil. But we are acquainted with the phenomenon of Neil is everywhere.

Afterall, there really are more that just "5 Things That Remind Me Of Neil Young (That Really Shouldn’t)".

Right?

Share your "5 Things That Remind Me Of Neil Young (That Really Shouldn’t)" in comments below.

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Comment of the Moment: Reappraising "Are You Passionate?" 10 Years After

Are You Passionate?
(Back Cover - Click photo to enlarge)

Quite a pleasantly surprising reaction to the recent re-appraisal of Neil Young's Are You Passionate? on the album's 10 year release anniversary.

The Comment of the Moment is from D. I. Kertis regarding the back cover of the album and the listing of song titles, including the elusive "Gateway of Love":

Neat thread, as I've come to regard this as an album with its own special place.

The title track is actually one of my favorite NY songs of the 2000s. Although it's very personal, but I think it's also as much about 9-11 as Let's Roll ("a world that never stops/turning on you/turning on me", and most obviously the countermelody verse beginning with "Once I was a soldier...").

AYP?, for me, is one of those tracks that plays almost like a poem set to music.

I like Goin' Home, too, but the title is definitely my favorite track here. The last couple tracks also appeal. Even though She's a Healer is a long one based on a repetitive riff, I love the overall sound of it--NY grunge crossed with Booker T's highly jazz-influenced Motown sound.

If nothing else, this one of the more musically experimental, fusion-oriented albums, and Healer seems to define its sound the most strongly. Maybe it's because I tend to enjoy exploring many different musical styles (I.e. Not a fan of just electric Crazy Horse or only acoustic folksy) that this album is interesting to me. Mr. Disappointment and Differently also stand out in this regard, as does Quit to a degree (I can understand the lyrics being seen as somewhat hackneyed, but the collage of guitar and keyboard is very evocative on its own at times).

Like others, I sometimes skip Let's Roll, not so much because I think it is terribly jingoistic (though I can certainly understand how it might come off that way), but because the subject matter is unpleasant, which is compounded by the very heavy-handed approach, and it has some outstanding lines, but really isn't that great a song in my opinion.

On a related note, thinking about this makes me wish Neil would release Toast, which I seem to remember hearing was being prepared back in 2009, about the time Fork in the Road was coming out. Given that it was the project directly preceded AYP?, and that Goin' Home was recorded during those abandoned sessions, it seems like it might make an interesting companion piece, provided that it ever finds its way out of the vault.

Not to clog up the board, but another thing I wanted to mention having a massive post: the alternate track listing provided by following those notecards shown on the back cover, minus the unreleased Gateway to Love (which I hope is on Toast, crossing fingers again).

I actually use iTunes to place the tracks in this order, with interesting, certainly not-bad results. I'm assuming anyone interested in doing this themselves owns the CD (or images can probably be found online), so I won't type out the entire sequence unless anybody asks, but for reference, note that I followed the cards horizontally rather than vertically (i.e. Left to right by rows, rather than by columns).

I find this order makes the album darker and heavier, and potentially less commercial. It's bookended by When I Hold You in my Arms and Quit (Don't Say You Love Me) respectively, which drew out some lyrical and musically connections between the two that I hadn't thought about much before and makes the album seem more tightly structured and much more conceptual. But the most radical change is to move Healer from being the album's finale to track 2. But I was surprised how much this started to click after one or two playbacks. I'll let others try it on their own, but suffice it to say that Healer is given two very different lyrical/musical contexts depending on which order one chooses, and in my opinion the most impressive and interesting part is that both musical roles make complete sense.

Like I said, though, it's also a tonally darker, possibly edgier album this way. Let's Roll and the title track are still placed back to back exactly as on the original, but are sequenced immediately before Quit, meaning the whole album is now a build-up to its darkest tracks, especially the title track, which also effectively becomes the climax. Whether or not this is desirable really depends on personal preference, and to be honest, I could probably argue either side of that depending on which way the wind is blowing.

So I'll leave everyone else to make their own assessments as they wish to. I just encourage other Neil fans to try it, especially if the album doesn't appeal much in the official sequence. I have a hunch the notecard picture may show this as a sequence that was considered for release before Gateway was dropped, especially because I remember a description of them shuffling notecards to determine the sequence for Harvest Moon somewhere in Neil's authorized biography.

And in an ideal world, we might be able to in include Gateway to Love in the sequence, but for now this will have to do : )

D. I.Kertis

Thanks D.I.! Good to hear from you. It's been awhile. Please come back again soon. peace

Also, thanks to Matthew Wilkening over at Ultimate Classic Rock for the reappraisal article "Neil Young’s ‘Are You Passionate?’ Turns 10 Years Old".

More reaction to the recent re-appraisal of Neil Young's Are You Passionate? on the album's 10 year release anniversary.

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Pegi Young and The Survivors: Northhampton, MA, April 10, 2012

Pegi Young
The Iron Horse, Northhampton, MA - April 10, 2012
Photos by Steve Babineau | Facebook
(Click photo to enlarge)

Pegi Young and The Survivors are out on the road.

Here's a nice photo gallery from The Iron Horse in Northhampton Mass. by Steve Babineau.



Pegi Young and The Survivors on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon singing "Medline".


Pegi Young and The Survivors
The Iron Horse, Northhampton, MA - April 10, 2012
Photos by Steve Babineau | Facebook
(Click photo to enlarge)

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The Coal Porters play Neil Young's Like A Hurricane - YouTube

Speaking of Americana, here's a different take on the classic Neil Young & Crazy Horse song.

The Coal Porters on Sept. 9, 2010 at the Americana Festival in Nashville playing Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane".

The Coal Porters are a London based Blue Grass band.

(Thanks John "Big Chief"!)

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The Greatness of Bruce Springsteen (and Neil Young)

Bruce Springsteen

"You know, the difference between the greatness of Bruce Springsteen and that of Neil Young?
Bruce makes you think you, too, can be as great as he is; Neil makes you think he is really no better than you are to begin with. Remember that."
Dr. Eric Alterman - Altercation

Much as been written about the importance and impact of Bruce Springsteen's music.

So why would we even bother to highlight yet another homage to Bruce in the never ending flood of coverage? On a Neil Young blog nonetheless?

Mainly, because it's the kind of article we would like to have written about Neil Young.

An article which would explore the loss of Ben Keith and its impact on Neil -- just as the loss of Clarence Clemons impacts Bruce. An analysis of the parallels between Bruce's tribute to Woody Guthrie on Nebraska and Pete Seeger on The Seeger Sessions relative to the upcoming Americana.

Of how Bruce's "Born in the USA" was co-opted by the Reagan administration to project an image of America that was diametrically opposed to the true meanings of the lyrics -- similar to the misinterpretation of Young's "Rockin' in the Free World".

The article by long time Springsteen scholar and fan Eric Alterman is adapted from the book The Cause: The Fight for American Liberalism From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama and is online at Bruce Springsteen's Political Voice | The Nation.

Definitely worth a read if you like Bruce. Or Neil. But especially if you like the greatness both artists.


Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young


More on Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young: The Difference in Greatness

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Americana Covers Contest

An Americana covers contest has been announced.

Neil Young is inviting musicians to submit their cover of one of the listed 'Americana' classics for the chance to win. The winner will have their submission featured on Neil Young’s social media channels and will receive $1000.

For details, see Cover an American Classic for Neil Young.

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‘Are You Passionate?’ Turns 10 Years Old

Are You Passionate? by Neil Young
(Click photo to enlarge)

It's been ten years since the release of Neil Young’s Are You Passionate? album.

In the critics' game of "Hits & Misses", Are You Passionate? often falls into the category of "Misses". But is it finally time for a re-evaluation, like much of Young's back catalog that is classified as "Misses"?

Over at Ultimate Classic Rock Matthew Wilkening thinks so with the article "Neil Young’s ‘Are You Passionate?’ Turns 10 Years Old".

As the camouflage, rose and romantic portrait on the cover art indicates, the lyrics on many of this album’s 11 songs deal with familiar themes of love and war.

Young had toured with the famous instrumental R&B group [Booker T & the M.G.’s] as his backing band way back in the early ’90s, but it was nearly a decade before they released a record together.

Just in case you’re not clear who he’s working with, Young works musical quotes from the band’s 1969 hit ‘Time is Tight‘ into two tracks on the record — ‘Be With You’ and album opener ‘You’re My Girl.’

The Memphis Soul legends’ tight grooves and inherent professionalism provide an interesting contrast to Young’s untamed guitar on many of the songs, even if his vocals seem oddly polished on a couple of tracks.

More of Ultimate Classic Rock | "Neil Young’s ‘Are You Passionate?’ Turns 10 Years Old" by Matthew Wilkening.

As for trivia, the album's title is a homage to The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967 album "Are You Experienced?". Also, the back cover lists song titles, all of which appear on CD except for "Gateway of Love". Go figure.

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Billy Talbot Interview - 1996

Billy Talbot - Rome, Italy, November 20, 2005

Here's an interview with Crazy Horse bassist Billy Talbot from 1996. (ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR , October 24, 1996, BY NICK KREWEN)

You can't accuse BILLY TALBOT of having a short memory span.

In a career that has lasted 27 years and boasted somewhere in the vicinity of 1500 concerts, the good-natured bassist who anchors CRAZY HORSE, the band that helps NEIL YOUNG achieve his ragged glory, not only remembers the group's 1991 appearance at Copps Coliseum, but Hamilton itself.

"I remember meeting some great people, going to eat at a great African restaurant, and meeting a security person who has turned out to be a great friend over the years," says Talbot Tuesday from his Vancouver hotel room.

"We were really smoking that night. But we're smoking way more now on this tour," he adds, referring to band's current ten-date cross-Canada tour to promote Neil Young's latest album, Broken Arrow.

What's even more impressive is Talbot's recollection of the first time he accompanied Neil Young to Hamilton: as bassist with THE SANTA MONICA FLYERS back in 1973 when they played McMaster University on October 28 to kick off the Tonight's The Night tour. It was one of the first tours since the November 18, 1972 drug overdose of DANNY WHITTEN, ex-Crazy Horse guitarist and one of the band's co-founding members.

Talbot admits that a year later everyone was still reeling from the tragedy.

"We knew it was coming, but it was a shock," says Talbot of Whitten, who left Crazy Horse in 1971 due to his problems. "But that album wasn't solely about Danny. It included some of the other good friends we lost -- BRUCE BERRY, who was one of our roadies. JIMI HENDRIX. JANIS JOPLIN.

"Danny was the topper. That was the one that hit too close to home."

Talbot says he remembers flying to Ontario and playing three gigs on the university circuit before the band embarked on a week-long European tour.

"It was like an Irish wake," he recalls. "There was a lot of celebrating, a lot of drinking, and being rowdy instead of playing out the darkness."

As for The Santa Monica Flyers, which featured longtime Young associate BEN KEITH on pedal steel, future E. STREET BAND guitarist NILS LOFGREN, Talbot and drummer RALPH MOLINA?

"That was just another pseudonym for Crazy Horse," chuckles Talbot, who celebrated his 53rd birthday yesterday.

Although Crazy Horse -- Talbot, Molina and guitarist FRANK (PANCHO) SAMPEDRO, who joined in time for 1975's Zuma -- is best known as Young's favorite rock and roll accompanists, sharing credits on such classic albums as Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and Rust Never Sleeps, the band's origins come from an unlikely source: the acapella vocal music known as doo-wop.

Born in New York City, Talbot first became involved in music singing doo-wop on Big Apple street corners at the age of 14. At 17, he migrated to Los Angeles where he met Whitten and Molina, forming a vocal group called DANNY & THE MEMORIES.

"That's why there are a lot of harmonies in Crazy Horse," says Talbot. "From performing doo-wop when we were youngsters."

After a short stint as THE CYRCLE in the studio with producer SLY STONE, Whitten, Talbot and Molina took up instruments and joined forces with LEON and GEORGE WHITSELL and BOBBY NORCROFF, becoming THE ROCKETS. At that point Neil Young came into their lives.

"I first met Neil around 1967, when he first got in town," says Talbot, who resides in San Francisco.

"We knew each other slightly before the BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD days. He heard The Rockets' album and we used to jam on`Mr. Soul' before he recorded it with Buffalo Springfield. But I remember him pulling up in his hearse."

When it came time for Young to enter the studio to record Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, The Rockets had dwindled to three and Crazy Horse was born.

Talbot says that although Young writes the songs, Crazy Horse is more of a partnership than people realize.

"It's like art," he explains. "He's the leader. We're the colors. We all contribute to the overall picture."

More on Crazy Horse.

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Art and Neil Young

Art and Neil Young Photo by Henry Diltz  A fun -- yet sad -- little story about Neil Young and his dog Art from Rhino Records - Fun Stuff - Henry Diltz Gallery (defunct):

Henry Diltz: Here is Neil Young with his dog Art. This was in Malibu in front of a beach house that Neil had there for a while. This was one of his favorite dogs and Neil had just put the sunglasses on him (in the sunglasses you can see Gary Burden and I standing there taking the picture). Unfortunately, shortly after this the dog was shot by a neighboring rancher for chasing his cattle, which is sort of the unwritten law -- that if a dog chases your livestock, you have the right to shoot it. So although Neil was very upset, he understood.

Speaking of dogs, who can ever forget "Old King"?

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Comment of the Moment: Diehard Fans Stuck in the Past

Crazy Horse & Neil Young
MusiCares Honors Paul McCartney - 2/10/2012
Photo via | WireImage |

Once again, we find ourselves in that weird, disorienting place between the announcement of a new Neil Young album and a release date in the not too distant future.

Such a strange, odd territory.

Many, many fans hail the prospects of the first full band studio collaboration between Neil Young and Crazy Horse since the 20th century release of Broken Arrow.

Yet, other fans, have reservations about the reunion for a variety of reasons.

Thus far tho, no one has complained that they want a solo Neil acoustic album (or a Shocking Pinks Volume #2)... yet.

And as we try and balance these competing factions of opinion, we here at Thrasher's Wheat often find ourselves getting caught up in a debate that -- to us -- just doesn't seem to be necessary whatsoever.

Hey, what's that sound? Look at all the faux drama going down.

So the Comment of the Moment is from Billy Corgan: "My diehard fans are stuck in 1993." by BIGCHIEF:

As lifelong fans of Neil Young, we're always waiting for the next classic 'anthem' as Ralph Molina likes to refer to them.

Sometimes it takes a decade or so, but we know that he has another one in there somewhere. Beginning with Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and 'Down By The River', Cowgirl In The Sand', and 'Cinnamon Girl', it took several years for Zuma to come along offering 'Cortez The Killer'as the next 'anthem worthy' song. Shortly thereafter came 'Like A Hurricane'. A few years later, Neil once again delivered with 'Rust Never Sleeps' which consisted of multiple 'anthem worthy' songs including 'PowderFinger' and 'Hey Hey, My My ( Into The Black). Then came Freedom with probably the most popular, radio friendly 'anthem' of all time, 'Rockin' In The Free World'.

Since then, nearly 23 yrs have past and while Neil has been diligently receptive to the 'muse' whenever it calls upon him, there has not been anything as 'anthem worthy' of the aforementioned songs.

While I'm certain that radio friendly, commercially successful songs would be a goal of most artists who have enjoyed the notoriety and the resulting glory that proceeds such success, it's obvious by the distinct differing personalities of each song that Neil doesn't follow a formula as such in an attempt to duplicate a follow up to any particular song just for the sake of commercial success. Most artists would be grateful to have written and recorded any one of Neil's classic recordings.

Rarely does a Neil Young album consist of what would be considered as 'filler'. The only other artist that I'm aware of besides Dylan who was capable of recording a complete album of quality songs to that degree would be the Beatles, and those records were a concerted effort of four individual songwriters. Among the so called anthems, there were also 'Southern Man' and 'Ohio'.

There have been several bands who came out of the chute with such great success like 'Boston, for example, that fell into the trap of capitalizing on the success of their winning formula only do succumb to an early death by not challenging their audience to accept innovation and growth. If anything was to be learned by the success of the Beatles, it was that they were constantly changing and evolving.

Most bands lifespan is maybe three albums if their lucky without innovation and growth in their creative process. Most bands who have been fortunate to be accepted by their audience while duplicating their past success's are now relegated to the 'oldies circuit' of a nostalgia act.

Those who are expecting a new 'anthem' on the next 'Crazy Horse' release are missing the point entirely. Whether there is another 'Cortez' or 'Rocking In The Free World' in Neil's future is irrelevant. The fact that he has evolved and hasn't adhered to a predictable 'sure thing' formula is what has kept his music fresh and keeps his audience anticipating his new releases for over 40 years.

And as long as he continues following the path of his 'muse', it's almost certain that when the time is right, an 'anthem' is sure to surface once again when least expected.

Thanks -- as always BIGCHIEF! Well said.

It's easy to get buried in the past, when you try to make a good thing last.
A crazy horse can only go so fast... like the dinosaurs in shrines.

Americana... we await its arrival upon our shores.

More on diehard fans stuck in the past.

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The Stealing Of Stephen Stills' Les Paul

Buffalo Springfield

Here's an interesting Buffalo Springfield story involving the theft of Stephen Stills' Les Paul guitar.

It's from the now defunct The Official Website of Ed King. Edward C. King is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The story involves a 1968 tour with the Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and Strawberry Alarm Clock.

This happened on the 1968 Beach Boys tour of the South. It was also the final tour for the Buffalo Springfield. They pretty much argued amongst themselves the entire trip. At one point, in Dallas, one member of the band (who I'd better not identify!) was outside of Neil Young's hotel room banging on his door and screaming "Young, I'm gonna break every finger on both your hands!!" (Young had announced he was quitting the band.)

Watching them play every night was like watching history...we knew that.

They'd close their show with "BlueBird" and, at the end of the song, Steve Stills would grab the handle of his Bigsby on his old Les Paul Custom, bend that handle all the way back - and the strings would pop one by one. "bing ... POING !" I asked him why he did that and he replied "It makes the neatest noise."

After one show some guys on the road crew were putting some guitars in the luggage bay below the band bus. A few of us from the 3 bands (I think I can recall Neil Young & Alan Jardine) were standing out in back of the coliseum when this older station wagon pulled into the parking lot. One of the guys in the car jumped out, ran over to the bus and grabbed Stills' Les Paul from the luggage bay, ran back to the car, threw the guitar in and they started to drive off. Good thing it was still in the parking lot....they couldn't go that fast.

We saw this and started running toward the station wagon. Like I said, I can't recall who did what but someone broke the back window out (someone else jumped in and stopped the driver) and Young was able to retrieve the vintage guitar. The rest of us pulled the occupants out and stomped on them for a while! But the important thing was that we were able to get Stills' guitar back! (I know THAT feeling.)

Later on that tour Stills gave Lee Freeman and myself a personal tour of New Orleans. He was a huge influence on my music at the time. But I am still kind of miffed at the time he came into our dressing room in Memphis....I had just bought a 1965 Gibson SG Standard in town (couldn't even find these guitars in L.A.). He was eating from this greasy, buttery tub of popcorn, grabbed my guitar from out of my hands and started playing it.

Gee....thanks.

More on Stephen Stills and Neil Young.

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Bruce Springsteen & Neil Young: "Souls of The Departed"

At the 2004 Vote For Change concert in St. Paul, MN, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young played together on "All Along the Watchtower" and "Souls of the Departed".

The video has a very surreal feel to it -- black and white, grainy, shot off a video screen.

Also, nice to see Neil & Bruce jammin' with Nils Lofgren.

Definitely screams out for a high quality version somewhere.


St. Paul, MN - October 5, 2004
photo by Muriël Kleisterlee and Jos Westenberg

Also, see Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young: The Difference in Greatness.

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Billy Corgan: "My diehard fans are stuck in 1993."

Billy Corgan

Given the recent fan "drama" over the upcoming release of Neil Young's Americana album, it reminded us of a story from awhile back.

Former Smashing Pumpkin frontman Billy Corgan once stated that his diehard fans are "stuck in 1993."

The response came when asked about whether Corgan went online to see what people were saying about his new songs.

From The Measure | The L Magazine - New York City's Local Event and Arts & Culture Guide Corgan said:

"If I read anything from let's call it the 'hardcore fanbase,' they are stuck in '93.

It's 17 years [later] and I don't know what they expect to have happen.

It's sort of beautiful because what they are saying is, 'You so touched me in that moment, I want more of that.' But the thing that I find really insulting is there's a deeper message there which is 'You'll never be better.' To try to tell a man that he'll never improve beyond something he did when he was half-crocked on drugs or drama, that's just not right.

When I look at Johnny Cash or Neil Young or Tom Waits, those guys have proven that by remaining vital to themselves, that at some point they are able to burst through with another period.

Billy Corgan -- like Neil Young -- found himself in a difficult situation with his fan base. Yet he seeks to remain a vital artist.

So -- based on the pre-judgement of Americana -- are Neil Young hardcore fans simply stuck in 1968? 1978? 1988? 1998? 2008?

Or do Neil fans really wish him to remain a vital artist?

Discuss.

UPDATE: Also, see Billy Corgan Discusses Neil Young on Howard Stern Interviews

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Neil Young's Hagström: The Story Behind The Guitar

  Neil Young on Hagström guitar on Chrome Dreams Photo by Larry Cragg (via Rolling Stone)  

Last month, we posted a Photo of the Moment of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young with Jimmy Page in 1974. 

In the photo, Neil Young is playing a Hagström guitar -- quite a rare sight. Now here's the fascinating story about how Neil got the Hagström at Prune Music in Mill Valley, CA. Patrick "Buzz" Burke, former co-owner of Prune Music in Mill Valley, remembers the day Neil Young came in to the store to buy guitars -- and the $25 guitar he continued to play on stage 20 years later. 

 

For more Marin County photos, memories, and stories from the 1950s to 1980s, visit http://www.MarinNostalgia.org presented by Jason Lewis. (Thanks Dirty Young Man!)

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Photo of the Moment: Paul McCartney and Neil Young

Paul McCartney and Neil Young
Capitol Records - Los Angeles, California - 09.02.12
(Click photo to enlarge)

Back in February, Paul McCartney was honored at Musicares by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, and many, many others.

As part of the festivities, Neil Young accompanied Paul McCartney to Capitol Records in Los Angeles, California and introduced Paul at the Walk of Fame ceremony.

Paul McCartney and Neil Young have had quite a few interesting musical encounters over the years. (See Paul McCartney and Neil Young.)

More on Paul McCartney Honored at Musicares by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, others.

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Behind The Scenes at the "Americana" Album Playback Session

Americana by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

The upcoming album "Americana" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse is already
highly anticipated and early first listen reports sound promising.

In another Thrasher's Wheat exclusive, an unpublished transcript of the "Americana" album playback session offers us a rare, behind the scenes look at the inner workings of the music industry.

The following transcript is from the "Americana" album playback session which took place at Warner Music Group (WMG) headquarters in Los Angeles, CA in late January. In attendance were Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse with Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Poncho Sampedro, Elliot Roberts (Young's Manager), and much of Warner Music Group's executive management team including Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer), Todd Moscowitz (Co-President and CEO), Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO), Paul M. Robinson (General Counsel) and Will Tanous (Executive Vice President, Communications & Marketing).

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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Album music fades out.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): OK. Well. Thanks guys. That all sounded rather ... uh ... spirited.

So let me get this straight. These are all old folk songs that you've re-arranged?

Neil Young: That's right. They're all classic Americana -- or folk -- songs that I brought my band in to record on. It seemed that if I was gonna get back with Crazy Horse, going back to our roots seemed like a good place to start re-grouping.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): It's been awhile since you guys were in the studio together, right?

Neil Young: Yeah, a few years but it didn't take long to catch stride with the boys. Heh.

Elliot Roberts (Young's Manager): The last studio track Neil and Crazy Horse recorded together was back in 2003 on the "Are You Passionate" album. On, on, uhh... which track was that guys?

unintelligible cross-talk
(either Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Poncho Sampedro - Band Crazy Horse?): "Goin' Home"

Todd Moscowitz (Co-President and CEO): Right. OK, fine. I guess I was expecting to hear more ... more... more of that grungey-style Crazy Horse sound?

I mean was that a children's choir on one of the tracks? That was a children's choir I heard wasn't it? Towards the end?

Neil Young: Yeah, on “This Land Is Your Land” we thought we needed to add something special for Woody.

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): Woody?

Neil Young: Yeah, Woody. Woody, right. Woody Guthrie.

laughter

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): Woody Guthrie. Right. Of course. Some sort of tribute to his 100th birthday, maybe?

Neil Young: Not really. I just liked the song. That's all.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): Let's get back to these tracks for a minute. So all of these songs were written by others? Did you write any of these Neil?

Neil Young: Nope.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): So Paul. What kind of copyright and licensing issues do we have here? Are these all public domain?

Paul M. Robinson (General Counsel): All of the songs are in the public domain.

Todd Moscowitz (Co-President and CEO): So the label will not be obligated to pay royalties, publishing fees, etc?

Paul M. Robinson (General Counsel): That's right.

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): Now this is starting to make sense.

Todd Moscowitz (Co-President and CEO): Nice job Neil. Thanks.

laughter

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): Alright. So what else? Let's take a look at the album cover.

What are we looking at here? This looks like you've taken some old photo and slapped the bands faces on top?

What's that all about?

Elliot Roberts (Young's Manager): You want me to answer, Neil?

Neil Young: You can try.

Elliot Roberts (Young's Manager): What you're looking at is actually the cover to an album that Neil planned to hand in during the 1970's but never got around to finishing.

Todd Moscowitz (Co-President and CEO): What album was that?

Neil Young: Shit. Got me. Homegrown? Chrome Dreams? Ride My Llama? Just found it when we were cleaning the warehouse after the fire. Seemed pretty cool.

Tom Wilkes designed it.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): Oh, the guy who did your Harvest cover, right?

Neil Young: Yeah. Tom passed away a year or so ago. Seemed like a nice way to honor his memory.

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): This seems to have been an old photo of some Native American Indians?

Neil Young: That's Geronimo driving a car back in around 1905. The car is called a Locomobile.

Get it? Loco? Crazy. As in .... nevermind.

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): Oh, those are your faces! Ok, that's you Neil Young. And which one is you?

Billy Talbot (Crazy Horse, bass): I'm Geronimo.

laughter
unintelligible cross-talk

Ralph Molina (Crazy Horse, drums): That's me in the head dress.

Poncho Sampedro (Crazy Horse, guitar): I just got the feather.

laughter
unintelligible cross-talk

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): But seriously for a moment guys.

Have you considered the implications here?

It seems you're taking some artistic liberties with a Native American icon.

What are the ramifications of this Paul?

Paul M. Robinson (General Counsel) We looked into this. As everyone well knows, Native American icons have been exploited in all forms and fashions for sometime. Look at all the sports teams using Native American imagery. Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians. My lord, look at the travesty of the football team Washington Redskins' franchise name.

If this country can tolerate a sports team with a name like Redskins, it can certainly tolerate a Neil Young album taking some artistic license with Native American imagery.

WMG Legal sees no issues with this cover.

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): Good. We certainly don't need some faux uproar over an album cover with some outraged minority group right now.

Neil Young: Geez.

unintelligible cross-talk

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): And these lyrics here? American folk songs. What could go wrong? This seems like a safe play. Wouldn't you agree Paul?

Paul M. Robinson (General Counsel) We looked into this. Legal has cleared all of the lyrics as being public domain. These songs have been performed many, many thousands of times over the decades and in some cases, centuries.

Now that said, we did research each song and legal did come back with some findings that everyone needs to be aware of.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): Such as?

Paul M. Robinson (General Counsel) Let's take "Oh, Susannah". This song written by Stephen Foster was originally performed on September 11, 1847. The Americana version was arranged with a new melody by Tim Rose and was originally performed by The Big Three in 1963, and updated by Tim Rose and the Thorns in 1964.

That said, "Oh Susanna" was initially a hateful white supremacist song sometimes performed in blackface and mocking African-American slave history. The version that we just heard - fortunately -- omits lyrics from the stanza which would be considered highly offensive.

Neil Young: Are you guys serious?! We played this at the Bridge School last year with Dave Matthews. The crowd loved it. No one said a single word about this song being controversial until just now.

Paul M. Robinson (General Counsel) OK. OK. I'm just trying to protect the company here. We need to consider these things.

We would definitely recommend that the song "Oh, Susannah" be dropped from the album because of the racial undertones.

Neil Young: Drop it?!

Now hold on here.

Is it really my, or any artist's "responsibility" to either the song, history or the music fan, to adhere to or at least reference or explain the original purpose of a piece of music, and the political, social or spiritual climate of its time, in some way, so that the authenticity and history of something isn't lost or disrespected?

Do we owe it to the song, the song's author or the music fan to prostrate ourselves before the energy that created that piece of music and deliver it into the 21st century in a way that retains, and even helps to convey or preserve a clear idea of the song and its history? Or, more importantly, to not undermine reality or contribute to confusing, or even rewriting, history?

Elliot Roberts (Young's Manager): Neil. Easy, now.

Neil Young: Shut up Elliot. Let me finish.

My responsibility as an artist isn't for some kind of historical or social accuracy, or toward supporting a certain political identification. My responsibility as an artist isn't simply to do something that could be perceived as insulting to those of us with touchy emotional triggers about American Indians, the dark history of Colonial America, or the authenticity of music history.

That's the job of historians. It is the job of artists to paint the sky with beauty, not to write history books.

Livia Tortella (Co-President and COO): Neil, we understand where you're coming from on this.

Truly. We do.

But you can't be politically correct by whitewashing an important aspect of an Americana folk song that became popular because it dehumanized blacks. It's who we use to be as a country like it or not. It's part of our collective experience as Americans. Do we take responsibility for this history by acknowledging it? Sharing it? Singing it? Or do we wash it away by ignoring the folk history?

By ignoring the folk history behind the song, we're denying Americans their own history of struggle and triumph overcoming racial stereotypes and bigotry.

Neil Young: Look, I've explored American history many times in my songs.

Take "Pocahontas". Politically correct?! Historically accurate??

Do you think we had this conversation with Mo and Joe?

Hell no.

Or "Peaceful Valley Boulevard". Did we have this conversation?

Maybe you realize that "Peaceful Valley Boulevard" explored the relationships between scenes of early American settlers, this time being attacked and massacred by Indians, and how the brutality of ignorance, selfishness and fear have translated from one time period to another?

From the peaceful valley to Peaceful Valley Boulevard, again crass American materialism sucking the life out of something beautiful and natural and turning it into something lifeless, meaningless and culturally or spiritually dead.

Were either of those songs really "accurate" in some important historical sense? Politically correct?

Certainly they make references to terrible things that happened, in a general way, in the history of early America, and convey very poignantly the sense of hopelessness as industry and materialism annihilate the beauty of the world, which is all very important and meaningful...

Altering things is as much a part of art as anything else, and in fact, throughout history, art has served as a vehicle for re-imagining things. And while the artist has every right to be as accurate as he or she wants, the very nature of artistic license makes it unnecessary to do so.

Billy Talbot (Crazy Horse, bass): It's just not the purpose or responsibility of art to define history.

Ralph Molina (Crazy Horse, drums): If we perceived art to have that kind of responsibility, it would serve only to undermine the very free-flowing expressions and nature of art itself.

Poncho Sampedro (Crazy Horse, guitar): Is it really necessary for an artist like Neil to cater to everyone’s sensitivities?

Altering a historical photograph is an artistic statement, not a historical statement. Is it necessary for an artist to say, “This is Americana and that is not Americana” in some sort of agreed-upon way because of some kind of universal social agreement that we have?

Neil is not a historian.

If he says God Save the Queen and Gallows Pole are going to appear on his “Americana” album, then well, dammit, that’s what he’s gonna do. It doesn’t invalidate the record, the music, or anything he’s doing. At all.

Neil Young: And as far as bigotry goes, I think we can all pretty much see the reality that Oh Susanna is always going to exist. It is a part of the lexicon of music from which America was born.

Elliot Roberts (Young's Manager): Neil does not have to answer to anyone else’s sensitivities, and that’s not only his right as an artist, but it’s absolutely necessary. If Neil gave in to everyone’s sensitivities throughout his career, would half of his music even exist, and would the other half be nearly as good?

Neil Young: Shut up Elliot.

Guys, there's a reason we sometimes call you guys record company clowns and suits. It's this type of lyrical analysis bullshit. You're almost as bad as some of my fans who chatter, twitter and blog over everything in microscopic detail. You guys way over-analyze everything.

It's all one song, for god's sake.

Unidentified Voice: Well, these are multi layered questions that require multi layered answers, but I think that like anything in life it’s a double edge sword.

A “one size fits all racial stereotype” cuts both ways.

Like all peoples, Native Americans were widely diverse and unique from each other, both geographically and culturally. Too often we “worship and respect” a wisdom and way of life that we attribute to Native American culture as a rule, without also acknowledging that conflict and subjugation existed there as well. I don’t know that indigenous cultures were obliterated for purposes of entertainment tho, so much as the white culture just wanted its own way to their detriment, to say the least. I think that many of us feel a “sense of hopelessness as industry and materialism annihilate the beauty of the world”,

The only thing that we can be guilty about as a people is to ignore or excuse away the lessons of the past, and fail to utilize them in avoiding the same thing in the future. Art “needn’t reflect” the past, but it is one of many ways that we can, but even the attempt is dependent on the audience. Somehow we have to create the awareness in ourselves, and a discussion like this is a good start.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): Well, that was deep.

So are we finished here?

Will Tanous (Executive Vice President, Communications & Marketing): Rob, we haven't discussed promotion, marketing, tours, etc yet.

Todd Moscowitz (Co-President and CEO): OK, how are we going to market a bunch of old folk songs? Who is the target market for this album?

Neil Young: C'mon Elliot, guys. Let's go.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): Wait Neil. Elliot. Guys. Hold on.

Look we know you're pissed off.

We just want to make sure we give your album a fair shot.

Let us get back with you.

We think there's something here we can work with.

Will, take this back to marketing. Let's come up with some new cover art. Maybe drop that "Susannah" song. And how about we add in one of those grungy Crazy Horse songs. Don't you have some unreleased stuff somewhere?

Maybe that album... what was it? Toasted or something?

Wait, wait Neil.

Before you go. We wanted to ask about the Archives.

Neil Young: What about it? You'll get it when it's ready.

Rob Cavallo (WMG’s Chief Creative Officer): How about that old unreleased live album "Times That Do Fade Away"? Can we get that going?

Seriously. You know, fans have been petitioning for its release for years now. Tens of thousands of signatures for its release.

Why not?

Neil Young: As far as I'm concerned, I'll never, ever re-release "Time Fades Away". I put it out on vinyl. It's out there. And if I ever do re-release "Time Fades Away" it'll only be on vinyl.

Period.

Good day.

(pause)

Unidentified Voice: Damn. Now what?


Will Tanous (Executive Vice President, Communications & Marketing): I guess it's a good thing we didn't bring up the focus group results on the album title feedback.

I still think this title is going to hurt us on international sales, especially Europe.

Any chance we can ask Neil for a title change? Something more catchy?

Unidentified Voice: Hey, turn that off...

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THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

Thanks to the hands on Ranch Crew for sharing this transcript. Definitely insightful.

"Americana" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse is set for release June 5th (#231 in Amazon.com music pre-orders).

More on the controverseries surrounding the upcoming album Americana by Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

ps - Happy ARC Day!

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