Uncut Magazine Cover of Neil Young - August 2012

Win A Free Issue (Details below)
Uncut Magazine Cover of Neil Young - August 2012
(Click photo to enlarge)

Neil Young is on the cover of the August 2012 issue of Uncut Magazine.

In a world exclusive interview by Jaan Uhelski, Neil Young says: "You can't worry about what people think. I never do. I never did really."

That about sums it all up. Words to remember, indeed.

Neil Young sheds light on Americana, his next album and his time with Crazy Horse in the new issue of Uncut, in shops from Monday, July 2.

In the cover feature, Uncut visits Young near his home in California to hear more about Waging Heavy Peace, his upcoming memoir, his treasure-trove of unreleased albums, and just why he was inspired to record versions of US folk songs on Americana.

Crazy Horse are also interviewed in the piece, and explain what it’s really like working with Neil, waiting for his call, and being his longest-serving and most legendary band.

"I spend money as soon as I get it," reveals Young in the piece. "I don't care how much money I have, I can use it to do something. So I don't save money."

The new issue of Uncut (August 2012, Take 183) is out on Monday, July 2.

Looks to be a fascinating interview as the Neil roadshow journey continues...

Thanks Guy!



CONTEST: Win a free Uncut Magazine Cover of Neil Young - August 2012

Thanks to Uncut Magazine, we are pleased to be able to announce that we have four (4) Uncut Magazines to give away in a contest.

To enter the contest, follow these steps:

#1) Subscribe (or be already subscribed) to one of our blogfeed channels either via Facebook (LIKE us), Twitter (FOLLOW us) and/or subscribe to our email list.

2) Then just email us (thrasher@thrasherswheat.org) with your name, postal mailing address, and which blogfeed channel you signed up for (Facebook, Twitter, email list options noted above in Step #1). *Be sure to identify your complete Facebook ID, Twitter handle, or email address.*

Entries must be emailed with SUBJECT line: Contest - Uncut Magazine - Neil Young Cover Issue - August 2012

Include name, postal mailing address with *country*.

Deadline: July 27, 2012

We'll then randomly select Thrasher's Wheat readers as winners.

Don't Be Denied!
If you're having trouble locating issue, you can check on Amazon.com.

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CONTEST: Autographed Film Poster of 'Neil Young Journeys'

Neil Young Journeys - A Film by Jonathan Demme
(Click photo to enlarge)

Would you like to win a "Journeys" film poster signed by both Neil Young and Jonathan Demme?

Thanks to the good folks at Sony Classics Pictures, we are offering a contest prize of one "Journeys" film poster signed by both Neil Young and Jonathan Demme along with 4 runnerups for unsigned film posters.

"Neil Young Journeys" has an official theatrical release date starting tomorrow, June 29th.



Directed by Jonathan Demme, Journeys captures Neil Young's 2011 solo tour to Toronto's Massey Hall. Concert footage of the Massey Hall performances is interspersed with scenes from a road trip through Ontario. Driving a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria, Young visits the rural town of Omemee, where he spent a key part of his formative years, and reminisces about his former neighbors. As he drives past the dramatically changed landscape, Young fondly embraces his memories of the past.




CONTEST: Win a free autographed film poster of 'Neil Young Journeys' directed by Jonathan Demme

Thanks to the Sony Classics Pictures, we are pleased to be able to announce that we have one autographed and four (4) un-autographed film posters to give away in a contest.

To enter the contest, follow these steps:

#1) Subscribe (or be already subscribed) to one of our blogfeed channels either via Facebook (LIKE us), Twitter (FOLLOW us) and/or subscribe to our email list.

2) Then just email us (thrasher@thrasherswheat.org) with your name, postal mailing address, and which blogfeed channel you signed up for (Facebook, Twitter, email list options noted above in Step #1). *Be sure to identify your complete Facebook ID, Twitter handle, or email address.*

Entries must be emailed with SUBJECT line: Contest - Autographed Film Poster of 'Neil Young Journeys'

Include name, postal mailing address with *country*.

Deadline: July 20, 2012

We'll then randomly select Thrasher's Wheat readers as winners. Sony Classics Pictures has limited eligibility to ONLY the U.S.A. & Canada, sorry.

UPDATE: We're in discussions with Sony on Canadian eligibility.

Regardless, if necessary, Thrasher's Wheat will handle postage & shipping to a Canadian winner (s).

Don't Be Denied!

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Comment of the Moment: "Neil Young is likened unto Michigan weather"

Neil Young
Manchester, England - 3/11/08

Ah, the drama and hoopla that revolves around all things Neil Young.

We're not going to try and recap the latest developments on the Americana reaction thus far. For a refresher, see here.

The Comment of the Moment is from A Neil Young Critic Drifts Into Self-parody by BIGCHIEF:

Most of us have been NY fans long enough to know that he changes musical directions as erratic as a moth in a lampshade.

It's nothing new with Neil.

The only major difference I see was the advent of the internet and 'fan blogs' offering so much information about the mostly reclusive and eccentric artist who rarely gave interviews forcing his audience to draw upon their imaginations to not only interpret his music but his life in general which bordered on mythological with a great measure of 'mystique'. Rock journalists were rarely kind to Neil causing him to even further recoil away from mainstream media. Other then the 5 or 6 songs that Classic Rock stations still play to this day from his vast catalog, unless you had a 'Neil Friendly' fan for a friend or were fortunate enough to have an older brother or sister who turned you on there's a good chance that you would be among the majority who 'just don't get it'.

So even back in the day when he followed Harvest with the 'Ditch Trilogy' only to re-emerge with Crazy Horse with the brilliant Zuma, if you weren't a fan on top of his game this would all be lost on you. For those of us who remained faithful to the often ecclesiastic artist, we've been treated to moments of brilliance. that pattern continues to this day. Unfortunately, many so called 'fans' draw their conclusions from others often misguided opinions from others without fully researching Neil's artistic endeavors for themselves.

I remember the Neil boost I got when I watched his performance of 'Rockin In The Free World' on S.N.L. or the Bob Dylan Tribute when he did 'Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues & All Along The Watch Tower'. In my opinion those two TV appearances were not only highlights in Neil's career but those performances were among the greatest moments in televised Rock-N-Roll period.To the 'Americana' detractors, the rumored double LP ready for release this fall of original material will be, as poncho put it, more in the vein of 'Ragged Glory'.

Neil Young is likened unto Michigan weather. If you don't like what you got today, stick around a while. whatever suits you is probably just around the corner.

Thanks BIGCHIEF!

Hopefully Crazy Horse hits the road soon and we can really get down to business.

For more, see The Americana-ness of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Americana.

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CBS This Morning Interview of Neil Young, Jonathan Demme

A nice interview on CBS This Morning with Neil Young and Jonathan Demme.

Watch Neil's reaction to co-host Gail King's comment about his "silky, smooth voice". Priceless.

Charlie Rose is also co-host and manages to try and draw Neil out on his autobiographical songs.

Thanks Dan!

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Shepard Fairey and Neil Young: The 'Americana' Collaboration

Shepard Fairey and Neil Young
Photo by The Daily Details: Blog
(Click photo to enlarge)

One of the other interesting backstories on Neil Young & Crazy Horse's 'Americana' album is the artwork which accompanies each song. Unfortunately, the artwork is not included in the CD since it appears to have been completed after album production was finished. Maybe the Blu-Ray version? (See Gallery.)

Nevertheless, each song is illustrated and the paintings add to the 'Americana' experience. From Neil Young and Shepard Fairey Talk "Americana": The Daily Details: Blog : Details by Susan Michals"

"When I was first told about the concept, I thought it sounded like a cool idea, but I'm not a huge fan of the original versions of those songs, so I was eager to hear how Neil translated them," Fairey says.

"Then when he sent me the lyrics and some of the backstories on the songs, I was even more excited about the project—especially because of what's going on right now in the United States with the economy and a lot people feeling like the promise of the American Dream is not a reality for them.

A lot of the original ideas behind songs like 'High Flying Bird' are about a man that works so hard in a mine that when he comes out into the light of day he can't enjoy the world because he's blinded by the light—in essence, the fruits of his labor.

So I think there's a lot of parallels between the aspirations and failings of the American Dream, whether it was 1880 or 2012."

Oh Susannah, by Shepard Fairey - 2012
Mixed media (stencil, silkscreen, and collage) on canvas
(Click photo to enlarge)

From an interview with Shepard Fairey and Neil Young in Rolling Stone by Steve Baltin:

"We discovered a lot of depth in these songs and the visuals of these are just amazing," Young told us. "'Clementine' is so deep with its original verses and this art, you really get a feeling for the tenseness and desperation of the situation, the unresolved death and longing."

Fairey's work brought out a lot in the songs that Young believes he might not have seen otherwise. "Almost every one of them had a view that was unique to me," he said. "I wouldn’t have thought of it."

For Fairey, the project was a labor of love. "I’m just really excited I got to do this because I love Neil’s music and I love the way that music affects people viscerally and inspires them to look deeper into the meaning of the songs," Fairey said.

"We had to bring back the original words. Everybody’s forgotten what the songs are about in the first place in their kind of rabid celebration of the beauty of the songs and the lightness of some of the verses," Young said. "They took away the counterpoints the songs were a house for, and so the songs weren’t as strong. And now with the original verses back in and the art that reflects the tension of the original message, we’ve worked on it and made a different thing out of it."

Those words were music to Fairey's ears. "I’m so glad to hear that from Neil. We discussed some of that, but I almost didn’t want to press on all my political views just in case we disagreed," Fairey said, eliciting strong laughter from both himself and Young at that last part. "But my reading into a lot of the songs was it was very relevant to the struggle reflected in [John] Steinbeck’s The Grapes Of Wrath, which people are saying this recession is the most serious thing since the Great Depression and a lot of the same dynamics are at play, so I felt like it was very relevant."

Shepard Fairey and Neil Young
Photo by Claire Marie Voge | Rolling Stone
(Click photo to enlarge)

From AMERICANA PROJECT - OBEY GIANT:

Fairey states, “Neil really liked the art and I was thrilled he asked me to collaborate by making paintings inspired by the songs on his “Americana” album. I’m a huge fan of Neil’s music in general, but when I heard the album I realized how much the subject matter of several songs reflected the aspirations and tragedies of those pursuing the American dream tied into issues relevant to the 99% movement which I have been supporting.”

Fairey says he listened to the music and lyrics to come up with concepts for visual representations of the songs. Then for each song, Fairey presented Young with ideas about a visual image that would best capture the meaning and/or protagonist/s in each song. The artist enjoyed hearing how Neil interpreted aspects of the songs that moved him the most musically and lyrically. Fairey states, “I showed Neil sketches, and then we discussed the ideas and refined them. He was very open to my ideas and encouraged me to go with what inspired me the most. Latitude for interpretation is something that Neil utilizes and seems to value as an important way for the listener/viewer to personalize their interaction with art and music.

I also was excited about this project because the concept of re-interpreting pre-existing songs filtered through Neil’s unique sensibility parallels what I have often tried to do as a visual artist by building upon iconic images that are an accessible part of the cultural dialogue.”

From Neil Young and Shepard Fairey Talk "Americana": The Daily Details: Blog : Details by Susan Michals:

DETAILS: Do you think the American Dream has become a fallacy?

Shepard Fairey: I do.

Neil Young: Wow. That's a big one. All I can say is, everyone has a different idea, but this truly represents a lot of those things and touches on a lot of the core beliefs in the American Dream and questions them and makes you think about them.

And questions whether it's that different from what everybody else's dreams are everywhere else.

It turns out we may not be so perfect.

AMERICANA PROJECT
Poster by Shepard Fairey
(Click photo to enlarge)

Also, see The Americana-ness of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Americana

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The Americana-ness of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Americana

Crazy Horse & Neil Young
Frank "Pancho" Sampedro, Bill Talbot, Ralph Molina
Musicares Honors Paul McCartney
Los Angeles, CA - 2/10/12

After what seems to have been a long couple of days here at TW, it would seem that we more fully appreciate the "Americana-ness" of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Americana album.

So what the heck does that mean you might ask?

Well, if you've been following our comment threads lately, you might understand. If not, well, you may have saved yourself some time -- or depending on your point of view -- missed quite a bit of entertainment. Maybe it's just the summer heat that's getting to folks?

To summarize if just tuning in, last week we decontructed a rather harsh review of Americana on The Herald-Review by Tim Cain. The reviewer found Americana to be a "self parody because it is too rich, too perfect, too comical to be anything but a parody."

Some agreed with our take on the review and others did not. Fine. This was followed by our posting of an equal opportunity dissenting opinion (which we do indeed welcome), of a thoughtful, well considered rebuttal by Babbo.

So we included a poll asking if folks really thought that Americana "Drifts into Self Parody" of a Neil Young & Crazy Horse album?



And what did we find?

Interestingly, it seems that the majority think that no, Americana is not a "Self Parody" because it captures Neil Young & Crazy Horse in all of their raw, ragged glory. Between those who say Americana is not a "Self Parody" and those indifferent, it seems about 95% of folks are OK or neutral with Americana. Only 5% of voters thought Americana is a "Self Parody" because it is "too rich, too perfect, too comical to be anything but a parody." (Could this contingent be the dreaded "4% Club" that emerged after Fork in the Road? Let's hope not since they seem to be growing.)

[NOTE: If you're one of those numbers add up to nothin' types then just read these often heartfelt ordinary people comments on our Facebook page ThrashersWheatNeverSleeps (74).]

In other words, the poll results and positive comments seem to be fairly representative of the mythical "Americana" itself, i.e., passions on the extreme fringes of the Neil-love and Neil-hate camps are unrepresentative while it is the great middle ground of Neil-moderates who are the true silent majority. In other words, the Neil Young fan base is reflective of "Americana" itself where the discourse is dominated by the hype/wind/noise machines on the fringes which is unrepresentative of the true mainstream "Americana". And those mainstream or "ordinary Neil fans" have stood and been counted and they think Neil & The Horse's Americana is perfectly OK.

So where do we go from here? Between a very analytical comment by Greg "A Friend Of Yours" and several other supportive comments like Sandy H's giving us a sanity check along with the poll results, we think we're good for another 15 years of "Separating the wheat from the chaff".

Lastly, here's a comment by setlistthief:

I've just put "Americana" on heavy rotation so I've only formed a few initail impressions. I hear "Powderfinger" in a couple of those folk songs. "High Flyin' Bird" is a NYCH classic that's going to be a live scorcher. "Wayfaring Stranger" is a gorgeous "Boxcar"-like acoustic piece. And in many ways, the remaining songs remind me of Dylan's "Love and Theft." Right now, however, the album doesn't flow for me, but I may get there eventually after a few more listens.

Maybe I won't be listening to "Americana" next year at this time, but right now I'm absolutely intrigued by what Neil's done this time around.

Honestly, I thought Neil would never work with Crazy Horse again. Glad I was mistaken.

So how about it "The John Q. General Ordinary Public of Americana" and Rusties of the world? What do you guys really think?

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Neil & Poncho

Neil Young & Poncho - June 2012
(Click photo to enlarge)

No, not that Poncho.

It seems Neil Young has taken a fancy to wearing a poncho lately. Some seem to follow Neil's fashion styles, so this will be of keen interest to those. Over on Purple Words on a Grey Background, a nice gallery of Neil wearing a poncho in various scenes.

In the meantime, here's the other Poncho fashion style we're most interested in...


Crazy Horse & Neil Young
Frank "Pancho" Sampedro, Bill Talbot, Ralph Molina
Musicares Honors Paul McCartney
Los Angeles, CA - 2/10/12

So how about you? Which Poncho fashion style interests you most?

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Comment of the Moment: A Neil Young Critic Drifts Into Self-parody

Neil Young
Illustration by Mike Faille, from Kiim Kong photo
(Click photo to enlarge)

Americana, Neil Young's first album with Crazy Horse in nine years, seems to have really struck some chords -- both consonant and dissonant.

Once again, we seem to be in one of those phases of Neil's career where many are applauding his prolifically, awesome creativity with new albums, songs, tours, books, films and even a high tech car production. Lucky for us fans, it would seem.

And others -- naturally -- see this as a tremendous opportunity to find fault, belittle and castigate Neil Young's creativity and artistic freedom to follow his muse wherever it takes him. Even down the proverbial rabbit hole. What we call The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young if you will.

sigh.

Yesterday, we decontructed a rather harsh review of Americana on The Herald-Review by Tim Cain. Some agreed with our take take on it and others did not. And in the interest of equal opportunity of dissenting opinions (which we do indeed welcome), here's a thoughtful, well considered rebuttal from Babbo B.:

Where to begin, indeed ...

First off, Thrasher, this critic is not comparing music to TV or magazines, or calling "Family Guy" or the Lampoon self-parodies. He begins by discussing musical parody in various mediums, what works and doesn't, what's fair and isn't. ("Southern California Brings Me Down" is, by the way, a minor masterpiece.)

From there, he uses the musical parody concept as a way to express his feelings about "Americana." He seems to have a very clear grasp of what Neil is trying to accomplish with the album, he simply doesn't care for the execution (not that the review is perfectly executed itself). Indeed, for better or worse, the rawness and sloppiness of the Horse is on primo display here (which isn't surprising since these are essentially warm-up sessions for the "real" album to come). Some people enjoy that approach, some don't - all are entitled to their opinions.

You seem to argue that any reviews of Neil's work are invalid on their face, since the albums can't be evaluated for many years and the recordings are superseded by the live performances. While there is truth to both of those points, the fact remains that "Americana" is being marketed right now, independent of live performances, to a mass audience (not just the Neil faithful), people who simply want to listen to the music, not watch videos or analyze historical context or sociopolitical implications. Those are the folks who the critics are writing for, and many of them will be interested in hearing what other people have to say (particularly critics whose tastes match theirs, based on previous experience) before they cough up their bucks.

While I personally enjoy "Americana," I can see how many people might not, and they deserve some fair warning about what to expect. Neil has every right to follow his muse, and those in the listening public - including critics - have every right to decide whether they want to follow him or not.

p.s. - It's Shepard Fairey, not Fairy.

First, thank you Babbo B. for the comment and taking the time to go and read the linked review, our response and compose your thoughts. It is appreciated and respected. (As opposed to spewing nasty hyperbolic rage like Daylily Dallas.) And, thanks for the typo check. Fixed. :)

Second, out of respect for letting your thoughts go relatively unchallenged, we'll concede your point about a daily newspaper's music reviews are aimed at "The General Public" in order to give them some sense of what they might be in for when coughing up their bucks for "Americana". Here we can say that Neil Young's music hasn't really ever been aimed at "The John Q. General Public of Americana". As we all know, the genre hopping, inconsistent, willfully anti-consumer friendly, ditch style has been Neil's modus operandi ever since he went to Number #1 back in the 1970's with "Heart of Gold" and he's never looked back.

Daily newspapers and the mass media in general will always be targeted towards the lowest common denominator of "The John Q. General Public of Americana" who -- as we know -- have been so heavily propagandized as to no longer be able to distinguish Truth, Love, Freedom and Beauty.

And for those who "get" Neil, sometimes all they can do is just light a candle, sing a song and get behind the wheel. Trust us, worlds are colliding. We see it everyday right here on the front row of TW.

So how about it "The John Q. General Public of Americana" and Rusties of the world? What do you guys really think?

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A Neil Young Critic Drifts Into Self-parody

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - "Americana"
(Zoom Album Cover)


A rather brutal review of Neil Young and Crazy Horse's new album Americana on The Herald-Review by Tim Cain.

The review is entitled "Neil Young drifts to self-parody" and begins by citing a litany of other works of self parody such as "Family Guy", “MAD TV,” National Lampoon & even Randy Newman.

We absolutely have no idea where to begin on all of this other than we start off by pointing out the standard detractor approach of trotting out false equivalencies which compares a TV program or magazine to a music album. The mind boggles with the amount of strawman non sequiturs in a single review.

And it all continues to go rapidly downhill from there.

Before we even attempt to delve into all of this, a few things. Once again, a new Neil Young album comes out and suddenly everyone's a Neil expert and begins to lecture him on the validity of his artistic vision.

We saw the pattern establish itself with the Greendale backlash, the Living With War vitriol, the Fork in the Road outrage, and so on.

Looking back at all of this, there seems to be a template approach to Neil critique which often fails to simply grasp the not so simple fact of what is being attempted.

Unfortunately we have yet to complete our review of Americana. We've been listening to the album for weeks now and have played it through several dozen times since - thanks to the bonus discs with the concert tickets -- we now have about 8 copies between home, car, office, etc.

We'll get back to our thoughts on Americana shortly, but back to the The Herald-Review by Tim Cain:

Which brings me to Neil Young’s new album.

Young has been hyping “Americana” for months. It’s a decidedly different step for the rock legend. For the first time, Young has released an album with nothing but other peoples’ songs. And these are songs many people already know in different forms. (In that way, it’s dissimilar to Bruce Springsteen’s “Seeger Sessions” album, which relied on one songwriter.)

Young’s stated purpose was to do what’s been done for centuries with folk music, take the material, give it a slant, and make it palatable for modern audiences. For Young and the Crazy Horse band, longtime collaborators with Young, this album was not going to be a collection of carefully polished museum pieces, but rather a wakeup call, an effort to shake the dust off the songs and our ears and make us hear them for the first time.

At least that’s what Young indicated.

But any illusion of that is dashed by the first song, “Oh Susannah,” the Stephen Foster song from 1848 that remains one of the best-known American compositions ever.

Anyone familiar with Young’s previous work with Crazy Horse, particularly the late 1970s “Rust Never Sleeps” version, is greeted by a familiar sound. A wash of messy-sounding guitars, a thump of percussion, a plodding beat (not always a negative), Young braying vocals while Crazy Horse provides weak, under-amplified backup vocals, three chords, an ongoing danger that the song may stop at any moment because the players dropped something, or forgot how to play, or just lost interest for a moment.

(If you happen to give it a listen, see if the melody from Shocking Blue’s “Venus” fits in perfectly. Which may be Young’s subtle joke. Young’s version closely echoes The Big Three’s 1963 take on “Oh Susannah,” and some listeners believe “Venus” was lifted at least in part from The Big Three.)

They push their way through a number of folk standards: “Tom Dooley” (here called “Tom Dula,” as it was originally known, based on the name of the person the song is about); “Gallows Pole” (also recorded by Judy Collins, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin); Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.” They also run through “God Save the Queen” (tacking “My Country ’Tis of Thee” on the end) and, bizarrely, The Silhouettes’ “Get a Job.”

If you didn’t know, you might listen to this album and chuckle after a bit, thinking the flourishes on “Oh Susannah” were too rich, too perfect, too comical to be anything but a parody of Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

But it’s not. And it stays that way throughout its running time.

If these guys rehearsed this for more than a few days, it barely shows. If there’s a song here that isn’t a first or second take, they’re trying to fool someone.

Sometimes, an artist does his own best parody.

As we said, it's hard to know where to start here. We could simply shrug and say, critic Tim Cain just doesn't "get" Neil Young. Much like many don't "get" Lady Gaga unless they're a "Little Monster". But that would be too easy.

Fundamentally, we'll just begin with our opinion that the reviewer is missing the entire purpose of the project. The history that is re-interpreted in an unvarnished manner, i.e., a different truth.

The reviewer has not listened to the music in the context of the videos to gain insight into a song like “Oh Susannah” where music is a family focal point to provide relief from the grim times of the Great Depression. And failing to draw the line between yesterday and today's global meltdown. The "Even Greater Depression" of the early 21st century is the story of our lifetime. To miss this point is to fail incredibly.

Or the artwork of Shepard Fairey and Day at the Gallery where the images project populist ideals of the common man against the brutality of the state sponsored repression and economic bondage.

As for some of Cain's musical criticism, arguments could be made about any number of "sloppy" Crazy Horse records from Reactor to Ragged Glory. The raw, ragged Crazy Horse is not for everyone, no doubt. The "a jet plane in a thunderstorm" sound is an acquired taste and those who have witnessed and directly felt in their chest the aural assault that is known as "Crazy Horse-style" know that which we speak.

Lastly, we'll say 2 things. One can never truly evaluate any Neil Young after a single listen or after a single month of listening continuously. Only after a period of considerable time does a Neil Young album's worth become apparent. We'll only mention critical and/or commercial flops like Tonight's The Night or Greendale as examples of albums that were once scorned and deprecated are now considered to be top tier releases.

The second thing to point out is that -- for us -- virtually every studio album,in retrospect, never matches the live concert experience. We maintain that only the the live concert experience captures the true musical power and genius of Neil Young. Neil had transcended being simply just a musician and how he had evolved into a performance artist. About how he creates new art forms by combining music, painting, film, writing and more into something wonderfully new and fun and exciting, i.e., the unbearable lightness of being Neil Young.

The sheer beauty of the freedom to hear The Muse and see The Vista.

So we say, walk on and see you down on the rail this fall.

peace

ps - this blog is my blog, this blog is your blog, this blog was made for you & me.


Neil Young - Austin, TX, June 5, 2010
Photo by Alberto Martinez / AMERICAN-STATESMAN

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Comment of the Moment: Steal This Album

"Internet is the new radio" - Neil Young
w/ Peter Kafka & Walt Mossberg
AllThingsD Conference, Laguna Niguel, California, Jan. 31, 2012
Photos by Asa Mathat

Quite the lively discussion on the post Steal this album: What happens if no one pays for music?.

Essentially, the debate is framed between fan and musician: How should we pay for culture in the Internet era, and if we don’t pay, what happens to the producers of culture?

And after quite a bit of back and forth, our fundamental point was that the vast, vast majority of revenue from music today goes directly to the Apple/Google/Comcast/Verizon mega conglomerates -- not to musicians.

The Comment of the Moment is from knowledgenomad:

First off, thanks for posting on this issue. This is an important issue for all who care about art in all its manifestations, not just music. And these are not easy issues. I remember having discussions in college (where Lowery's CVB played our dinning hall and I became a lifelong fan) about the ethics of taping records. The technology has changed since then, but at the core the issue remains the same.

Lowery's piece bears reading in full, not just excerpted. His writing is cogent and he presents a well thought out argument (which is all the more entertaining when you consider he's responsible for such classics as "The Day That Lassie Went to the Moon").

What's missing from his piece is, indeed, the issue raised by Daylily Dallas -- namely the question of music discovery. In the past, that was often radio, and for me it still very much is. The difference is, now I can use the Internet to listen to great radio programs around the world that have turned me on to artists I would have otherwise never discovered on local stations. And these are artists I have gone on to support by going to their lives shows and/or buying albums. So I do think there is a space for that kind of "free" discovery that needs to be recognized as ultimately supportive of musicians.

My last point touches on the sore point of pricing that has been discussed here previously. I legally own all of Neil's commercial releases in one format or another, but my preference is vinyl. Yet, while I now buy almost exclusively vinyl for other artists, I don't buy Neil's LPs. Walk into any record store (I have the good fortune of living near probably a dozen with 10 miles -- LA must be vinyl mecca), and you'll experience sticker shock when you get the tab labeled "Neil Young." I'm thankful that I'll be able to get Americana on Blu-Ray so that I still get a hi-fidelity recording, but I guess I just don't get why Neil's vinyl has to be so much more expensive than other artists.

Same with concerts -- I can't afford to go to his shows anymore. Most other big name artists are also crazy expensive, but do they really need to be? My wife and saw Prince last year for $25, belying the claim that A-list artists have to charge astronomical prices. Maybe Prince lost money on those shows, but I doubt it.

Anyway, I do hope that people will take to heart Lowery's argument about the ethics of paying for music. And I hope artists and the music industry as a whole will strive to make their art accessible while still enabling them to make a fair living.

Thanks knowledgenomad!

We'll let Neil have the last word...

"I look at [the] internet as the new radio.

Radio [is] gone. Piracy is the new radio; it's how music gets around."
~~Neil Young

So if piracy is the new radio, what do musicians do?

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Don't Be Denied: Off The Record Music Of Neil Young Series

Neil Young & John Einarson
"Shakin' All Over" - Winnipeg - 1987
(Click photo to enlarge)

“Off the Record" Rock & Roll Series – The Music of Neil Young.

On four consecutive Friday September nights listen and discuss the music, words and magic of Neil Young - the creative musician and songwriter, and his influence on a variety of musical genres. Presented by Neil Young author and historian John Einarson. On the final night you'll join together for a dinner evening in celebration of Neil Young's music with covers by Manitoba musician Bill Laing.

September 7, 14, 21 and 28th including a Harvest Moon themed dinner on the fourth night.

Details here.



Also, Neil Young author and historian John Einarson's essential Neil Young: Don't Be Denied - The Canadian Years is out now as an ebook [Kindle Edition]

As they say, Don't Be Denied!

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Steal this album: What happens if no one pays for music? - Art in Crisis

Neil Young Vinyl Shopping - April 16, 2011
2011 Record Store Day
Plan9 Music, Richmond, Virginia
Photo by Emaleigh Franzak

Here's another chapter in the never ending debate on the subject of art and commerce.

We've waded into this debate from time to time over the years and let's just agree that not everyone agrees on the subject.

From Steal this album: What happens if no one pays for music? - Art in Crisis - Salon.com By Scott Timberg:

The dissonance here between fan and musician emerges from one of the key conflicts of our time: How should we pay for culture in the Internet era, and if we don’t pay, what happens to the producers of culture? It was only a matter of time before an exchange like this would make the terms of the debate clear.

Over the weekend, Emily White, an NPR intern and general manager at American University’s WVAU, posted a piece on NPR’s All Songs Considered blog called “I Never Owned Any Music to Begin With,http://www2.blogger.com/img/blank.gif” in which she explains, in a reasonable, matter-of-fact tone, that despite being an enormous music fan, with a library of more than 11,000 songs, she has paid for almost none of it. Part of what’s striking is that she is not a culture-wants-to-be-free zealot, an unrepentant pirate or a feckless, that’s-just-the-way-I-roll Millennial. She seems to suspect there’s something wrong with this picture, but is not sure how wrong, and not sure how to fix it.

Camper van Beethoven/Cracker singer David Lowery, a singer/guitarist whose profile was highest back when indie rock was called college radio, in the mid-’80s to early ‘90s, responded with a long post on the Trichordist, a community blog run by “Artists for an Ethical Internet.” He argues that by taking and listening to music without paying a record store or label or Internet service like Spotify, she and her generational peers are effectively cheating musicians out of the value of their work.

Obviously, we have an interest in this debate.

As our long time readers know, we essentially blog for free. Sure, we generate some Amazon commissions and donations, but we certainly don't come close to earning a minimum or living wage doing this. Like many artists, we do what we do for the love of it. Simply celebrating Neil Young and his music is enough, along with the camaraderie of fellow fans.

So Thanks for Your 15 Years of Support to Thrasher's Wheat!

So what do folks think? All you can eat for free on the internet? Or support what you enjoy?

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The Polyphonic Spree covers Neil Young | The A.V. Club

The Polyphonic Spree covers Neil Young

Everyday it seems that dozens of Neil Young covers breeze by on our Twitter, Facebook, and various other assorted feeds.

And did we really need yet another cover of "Heart Of Gold"? Well apparently the world does now as you can hear above. This cover definitely falls into the category of "wasn't expecting that?!"

From The Polyphonic Spree covers Neil Young | Music | A.V. Undercover 2012 | The A.V. Club:

It had been quite a while since we'd heard anything from the Texas-based, Texas-sized group The Polyphonic Spree, but when a Chicago show was announced, we couldn't help but wonder how many of them would fit in the little round room. (Their ranks have swelled at times to 24 people.) When they chose Neil Young's 1972 "Heart Of Gold," we figured something special would happen, and that the robes would flow. We think you'll find this delightful performance enough to tide you over until the group releases a holiday album later this year. Meanwhile, cult--uh, band--leader Tim DeLaughter recently released a collaboration with Secret Machines' Philip Karnats under the name Preteen Zenith, which is well worth checking out. Enjoy this mega-cover of "Heart Of Gold."

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Broken Arrow Magazine: May 2012 - Win a Free Copy

Neil Young - 1966
Photo by Nurit Wilde

The latest issue of Broken Arrow Magazine, published by the Neil Young Appreciation Society recently hit the streets and we're now finishing up reading the issue. As always a nice read -- especially as we look back while looking ahead.

And -- thanks to the generous support of NYAS and editor Scott Sandie -- we're pleased to be able to offer a copy of the latest issue of Broken Arrow Magazine to a Thrasher's Wheat reader. Details follow below.

The latest issue of Broken Arrow Magazine – number 126 – is now out with another interesting mixture of articles and photographs. Included in this issue, the conclusion of “Expecting To Fly”, Victoria Cavaleri’s surprising memoir from 1966 with a cast of characters that ranges from Marty Balin, Jack Casady, and Allen Ginsberg through to Dickie Davis, Gene Clark and Neil Young, to name but a few. It’s a fascinating read published here for the first time.

Amongst several other articles is a report on the CSNY Italian Convention, a Collectors’ Corner covering very rare Mynah Birds’ singles, a close call in trying to meet Neil at Bristol in 1973, a classic entry for ‘Spotted’ and ‘Mr. Disappointment’ – a Top 5 of one fan’s Neil Young-related disappointments down the years. The issue wraps up with an interesting letters page and a Last Dance mystery. The striking front cover is a rare picture of Neil from 1966, as well as lots more news, reviews and letters.

For more information and subscription information visit the Neil Young Appreciation Society or directly contact NYAS editor Scott Sandie at surfer-joe@nyas.org.uk

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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HOW TO WIN A COPY OF LATEST ISSUE OF BROKEN ARROW MAGAZINE

One lucky Thrasher's Wheat supporter will win a free copy of the latest Broken Arrow Magazine. We truly appreciate being able to what we do here at TW, and we love being able to give something back in return.

All Thrasher's Wheat supporters between now and the end of the month will be automatically entered into the Broken Arrow Magazine drawing. (If you donated in the last 30 days you are automatically eligible and no further action is necessary).

Click below to send support now via Visa or Mastercard — or send support via Paypal.

If you're unable to send any support at this time, we understand. But we'd still like for you to be eligible to win a free copy of the latest issue of Broken Arrow Magazine. Here's how.

We'll randomly select a Thrasher's Wheat reader who subscribes to one of our feed channels either via Facebook (LIKE us), Twitter (FOLLOW us) and/or subscribe to our email list. Just email us (thrasher ATSIGN thrasherswheat.org) with your name, postal mailing address, and which communication channel you signed up for (Facebook, Twitter, email list). *Be sure to identify your complete Facebook ID, Twitter handle, or email address.*

Click here for other support options and to learn why we need our readers support to continue operating Thrasher's Wheat.

Thanks and Good Luck to everyone!

peace & love to all,
thrasher & thrashette

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Musicians as Brands: Neil Young, Patti Smith Discuss Future of Publishing at BookExpo America | Rolling Stone

Patti Smith & Neil Young
BookExpo America, New York City June 6, 2012
(Click photo to enlarge)

Still quite a bit of coverage of Patti Smith's conversation with Neil Young at BookExpo America.

An interesting article on their conversation from Rolling Stone by Scott Steinberg:

It seems that both musicians and authors seeking long-term success would do well to invest in themselves. By pairing a range of supporting activities (including the launch of apps, blogs, exclusive subscriber programs, independently-issued releases, etc.) with traditional publishing efforts, they may have the means to create more powerful promotional and business platforms. All can set themselves up to enjoy more stability and leverage, a better position when negotiating deals and a greater measure of control over their creative output.

It's important to note that self- and alt-publishing solutions aren't a panacea for all artists. As was evident at BookExpo America, as in the recording industry, there’s still a future in retail and major label backing, but wise musicians and authors would do well to look at themselves as much as overarching brands as actual artists – and to operate as much as publishing companies as they do as actual talent.

...

As Young explained when comparing his latest work to Smith’s Just Kids, “I’m a highway and landscapes – you’re a city and painted bricks and lots of people. I’m traveling and you are too, but I’m on the road and you’re travelling down streets.” As the specter of tomorrow’s more fan-connected, high-tech publishing world loomed large over BEA, there seemed to be wisdom in taking the road less traveled.

More on "Don’t Chase the Rabbit", Neil Young Says To Patti Smith.

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Happy Father's Day! Neil Young, "Old Man" & The Story Behind The Song

 

Happy Father's Day! 

Neil Young's "Old Man" seems an appropriate song for the day. From BBC 1971.... back when Neil was a young man ... look at how time flies past.... i'm a lot like you were...

From his 1972 album Harvest, "Old Man" is definitely one of Mr Young's most enduring songs of all time with brilliant banjo and steel guitar. James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt provide backing vocals. 

The song was inspired by the caretaker of the Northern California Broken Arrow Ranch, which Young purchased for $350,000 in 1970 when he was just 25 years old. The song has themes of loneliness and lost love: "Live alone in a paradise that makes me think of two" recalled with a certain pain "love lost/such a cost/give me things that don't get lost." Yet Neil searches on for that oh-so elusive heart of gold:

"I need someone to love me the whole day through Oh one look in my eyes and you can tell that's true."  In the film "Heart of Gold", Young introduces the song as follows:

About that time when I wrote (Heart of Gold), and I was touring, I had also -- just, you know, being a rich hippie for the first time -- I had purchased a ranch, and I still live there today. And there was a couple living on it that were the caretakers, an old gentleman named Louis Avala and his wife Clara.

And there was this old blue Jeep there, and Louis took me for a ride in this blue Jeep. He gets me up there on the top side of the place, and there's this lake up there that fed all the pastures, and he says, 'Well, tell me, how does a young man like yourself have enough money to buy a place like this?' And I said, 'Well, just lucky, Louie, just real lucky.' And he said, 'Well, that's the darndest thing I ever heard.'

And I wrote this song for him.

The "Old Man" Louis Avala & Neil Young  

1970 Dutch documentary film by Wim Van der Linden So happy father's Dad ... from a not so young man to our old man... 

 

The "Old Man" Louis Avala YouTube - Neil Young - Old Man - Live at Massey Hall 

Also, watch & listen to why Neil Young will never sing "Old Man" with a band again. 

And here are a few more appropriate Neil Young Father's Day songs... (Thanks Ralf B.!) - "Daddy Went Walking" - "Far From Home" ("Daddy took an old guitar and sang ...") - Sixty To Zero (talk to my daddy On the telephone ...") - Don't Be Denied ("daddy's leavin' home today ...") - Prairie Wind ("Tryin' to remember what my Daddy said ..." ‎- This Old House ("thinking 'bout daddy, And how he always made things work ...")

 

Here's Canadian rapper Redlight King sampling Neil Young's "Old Man". See A Rapper Covers "Old Man": The Story Behind The Music.

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Comment of the Moment: The Unbearable Lightness of Being A Neil Young Fan

Neil Young Concert
Coburg, Germany - 08/23/08
Photo by Henning Rosenbusch

An amusingly perplexing reaction to the post The Unbearable Lightness of Being A Neil Young Fan.

Judging from the comments, clearly, it is almost completely unbearable to be a "Lightness" Neil Young fan.

From a comment by Greg "A Friend Of Yours":

Interesting analysis, that mixes in some very strong points and potentially sound ideas, but I’m way out of my depth in trying to encapsulate the psyche of the garden variety Neil detractor, and don’t think it’s fair to try.

Everybody has their own story and, you know, “walk a mile in my shoes”, and all that. Yeah, “I’ve been chopping down” that “palm tree for”, well, not 87 years, but at least as early as I started hearing the standard carping about Neil’s voice, and certainly from the time I first commented on this site at the amusing to me incredulity of fan reaction to Greendale. I keep waiting for someone to come along in a Cadillac to serve up the perfect rationale for the savaging that Neil takes on a consistent basis, something other than the increasingly mundane “his music just isn’t the same as it used to be, somehow. Somehow, it just don’t seem right…”, but I haven’t come across that either- not by a country mile. Anyways, I don’t think I’ll hold my breath too long waiting in vain for that broken back moment, so although it’s an interesting notion, and probably has an element of truth to it, I find it hard to reduce things down to “They probably are disappointed in the life they have led after that time, and long back to that time when they were young, untroubled and happy.”

But I think Peter comes very close to the truth of it, by relating to each album he cites a specific to that time current experience Neil was going through in his life, and that as time went by a gulf continued to form between the common experiences of awakening youth and young adulthood, and the divergent experiences of many Neil fans from Neil himself. While we were chattering about what Neil’s music means to him, as opposed to what some fans think it should mean to him, I took up the suggestion to ”peruse” the lyrics to Johnny Magic, just to see if somehow I had mistaken the thrust of their meaning relative to the coherent whole of Fork In The Road’s message, vis a vis the passion that it takes to do as Ghandi suggested, namely “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I wanted to be doubly sure that somehow the lyrics do not betray Neil indulging in “his worst and laziest instincts.” And you know what I saw? I saw lyrics depicting the spirit of Johnathan Goodwin/Johnny Magic bringing to reality the caring and integrity filled (I’d hate to use the word passion again) vision of an artist who in some quarters is deemed to be “unfettered by reality”. Now, I know I’m a little dense at times, and given to mindless worship, but I could swear that I discerned the presence right there in the lyrics of a strong thread tying together the theme of the album, back to the real life experience of its author, and an album and an author representing the passion (damn, just couldn’t find a better way to say it) of “lighting a candle in the darkness”, because “just singing a song won’t change the world.” But you know, I could be wrong, I guess it could be just some insipid “song about a car.”

Another thing I thought about while I was chattering away to myself, was how easy it seems to be to miss the simplicity behind all the complexity running through Neil’s career, a hyper sensitive individual of unique artistic bent, who has the just as unique personality trait to continually reinvent himself along the lines of what is happening for him in his present, as distinct from what is happening to anyone or anything else around him. I think this is referred to as single mindedness, another dart indiscriminately hurled at ‘ole Neil. In other words, “whim” falls far short of explaining Neil’s career decisions. Single mindedness that as far as I can tell usually made Neil impervious to anyone telling him he was “full of crap”. In fact, Neil himself addressed this in Shakey, when told of Briggs’ disdain for songs like “Ordinary People”, because “Neil doesn’t know anything about ordinary people.” Neil flatly turned the notion away, by saying that Briggs wasn’t always a part of his music, and something to the effect that Briggs wasn’t always right. No doubt that if anyone was ever in a position to speak to Neil frankly, it was Briggs, but is anyone really pretending that Neil was talked down from his decisions on a regular basis? No? Correct answer.

So a young, inspired and impressionistic poetic mind, newly off his first taste of the spotlight, and on the rise in the minds of other artists around him, is asked to write the lyrics and music to a movie that never gets produced, but puts it out anyways because it “captures the spirit of Topanga Canyon”, where he is living at the time. The rock world is being turned upside down by the iconoclast Punk Rock, and a little older man embraces it and puts his own spin on it. The much older man has a brush with death, and searches his soul and his past to find an understanding of the life he has led, of life and human experience itself. Then the wizened character looks around at a world suffering under the onus of runaway threats to the environment, and has the temerity to contribute a possible solution. Present experience, current music… current music, present experience… God, you could say the same thing about just about any album this pain in the ass has put out!

The common theme here, that the detractors seem to be missing is that nothing has ever changed in Neil’s musical approach, except for the circumstances of his present experience. Does the detractor expect that today’s Neil is going to sound and act like yesteryear's Neil? Can the prolific melodic value of the old stuff be churned out to infinity without repeating itself, which I think even the detractor can acknowledge that Neil will never allow himself to do, “It’s all one song”, or no?

Why am I trying to explain this? Again?

A Friend Of Yours

Thanks Greg. A friend of ours indeed.


Neil Young Concert
Coburg, Germany - 08/23/08
Photo by Henning Rosenbusch

More on The Unbearable Lightness of Being A Neil Young Fan.

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Neil Young's On a Roll: Q&A With Rock Icon and Jonathan Demme | Billboard.com

Neil Young and Jonathan Demme
(Click photo to enlarge)

An informative interview with Neil Young and Jonathan Demme on the new film Journeys from Neil Young's On a Roll: Q&A With Rock Icon and Jonathan Demme | Billboard.com:

Billboard: With a film, book, art show, new album and another in the works coming out, does it feel like you're busier than ever? Does everything get the proper amount of attention?

Neil Young: It doesn't bother me because I didn't do them all at once. It's kind of a blitz I guess. It's better to get it out rather than hold onto it, because you hold onto it for too long. New things need to come out. Unless there's something wrong with them they should come out right away. I have plenty of old things that I am still holding onto.

Jonathan Demme: He's on a roll.

On a roll indeed. Lucky for us.

As for the doubters? “Take it in and blow hard.”

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The Unbearable Lightness of Being A Neil Young Fan

Neil Young
Frame from film A Day At The Gallery
(Click photo to enlarge)

Soon after the release of the new Americana album -- as the usual accolades were being accompanied by the usual criticisms -- we posted on The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young. In the post we tried to explain how it seems increasingly impossible to please many die hard Neil fans, much less the more casual fans.

Which brings us to the comment of the moment in response to the particularly harsh comment by tjphoto. From a comment by peter d.:

I feel a remarkable similarity in attitude beneath the argumentation of a lot of those who disapprove 'Americana'.

Maybe even similar to all of those who have disapproved of the latest album by Neil for the last 20, 30, 40 years now:

1. This new album is not as good as --enter any NY album from the seventies here--
2. In order to keep our love and respect it should have been as good as one of these.
3. Now that we feel he has failed to reach that level, we may curse and revile him, and if we desire, expand that to accusing him of bad intentions with us and all possible listeners.
4. It is an insult therefore that he dares to demand money from us helpless people who are almost too weak to resist this requirement. We consider this to be perhaps the ultimate proof for the fact that he is no good, a money-grubber, and an exploiter.

...

I suspect that there is a high percentage of people around 40-60 years old among them, people who were young / adolescent around the time RNS (or Harvest) was released. They probably are disappointed in the life they have led after that time, and long back to that time when they were young, untroubled and happy. The soundtrack of that time in their life was written by Neil.

Because Neil's albums from the seventies are about youth and growing up (he himself was an adolescent then, and in my opinion a late bloomer), those albums have made ​​a deep impression on these people - and on all of us.

Later albums were about fighting to communicate with his son, trouble with the record companys, and more and more about happy times with the wife and family.

That may be areas not everyone can relate to...

So the generally recognized theme of growing up changed to a less generally recognizable story of Neil's personal life.

If there is one artist who can transport the 'nay-sayers' back to the feeling from their youth, it must be Neil 'cause he's done it before. The obvious fact he does not even try to do that, hurts deep in their hearts.

I may be a bit cynical, but I too can have a tendency towards such an attitude, so in a way I understand. But to cherish this attitude, will continue to make you feel miserable about yourself and others, I learned that much, amongst others from Neil. There's no reason, and it is pointless to blame any one for your life. You just have to live it, everyday. And everyday there's chances and changes in this world. Grab' em while you can.

For me, this was one of the songs from Neil I didn't like, right from the start. It took me years to chew on it, it's sombre melody and strange arrangement to me felt like a mistake on the smooth, sunny, and sharp rocking sound of Harvest, until I finally realised what it meant to me:

There's a world you're living in,
No one else has your part
All God's childen in the wind
Take it in and blow hard!

Look around it, have you found it
Walking down the avenue?
See what it brings,
could be good things
In the air for you.

Thanks Peter! Appropriate lyrics for our times.

Also, see The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young and God Save The Neil Young Fans (& Thrasher's Wheat).

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Crazy Horse's Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro on 37 Years With Neil Young | Rolling Stone

Crazy Horse & Neil Young
Musicares Honors Paul McCartney
Los Angeles, CA - 2/10/12

Major interview with Crazy Horse's Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro in Rolling Stone by Andy Greene.

'Neil doesn’t turn corners – he ricochets around them. So you just have to hold on to your hat'

Quite an eye opening must read.

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