TODAY: Farm Aid 2014: Raleigh, North Carolina - September 13

"Rockin' In The Free World"
Lukas Nelson, Neil Young & Micah Nelson
Photo by TW
(Click photo to enlarge)

Neil Young Setlist

1. Heart Of Gold
2. Comes A Time
3. Pocahontas
4. Standing In The Light Of Love
5. Mother Earth
6. Who's Gonna Stand Up And Save The Earth?
7. Rockin' In The Free World

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Farm Aid will have its annual concert at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, North Carolina, today, Saturday, September 13.

Farm Aid 2014 will feature live performances by Farm Aid President and Founder Willie Nelson and board members John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, as well as performances recorded earlier in the day from additional Farm Aid artists including Jack White, Gary Clark Jr., Jamey Johnson, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Delta Rae and more.

Farm Aid announced that AXS TV will be the exclusive television broadcaster of Farm Aid 2014, to be presented live in high definition (HD) on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT. This partnership brings the concert experience to fans who are unable to attend the sold-out family farm festival at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, N.C.

In addition, the webcast, "Farm Aid 2014 Presented by Amy's Kitchen," will stream at www.farmaid.org.

Furthermore, Willie Nelson's SiriusXM channel (56), Willie's Roadhouse, will air live from Farm Aid 2014, beginning at 12 p.m. EDT. SiriusXM's
Dallas Wayne will host backstage interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage of the event.

Festival fans can put the entire Farm Aid experience in the palm of their hands with the official Farm Aid 2014 mobile app, which is now available for iPhone and Android devices. Fans can view the entire Farm Aid 2014 schedule and add artists, workshops and artist briefings to make their own personalized schedule for the day. To download the app, visit www.farmaid.org/app. 

For more information about joining the #Road2FarmAid, visit www.farmaid.org/Road2FarmAid.

For concert updates and other Farm Aid 2014 announcements, follow Farm Aid on Twitter (@FarmAid) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/farmaid), and visit www.farmaid.org/concert.

About Farm Aid: Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America.

Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $45 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

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Lineup Announcement: 2014 28th Annual Bridge School Benefit Concert

2014 28th Annual Bridge School Benefit Concert Lineup Announcement.

October 25-26, 2014
Shoreline Ampitheatre
Mountain View, CA

Neil Young
Pearl Jam
Florence and the Machine
Tom Jones
Soundgarden
Norah Jones and Puss 'n Boots
Band of Horses
Pegi Young and the Survivors

Tickets will go on sale Friday, September 19, 2014 at 10:00 AM PDT at Live Nation.

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Farm Aid This Weekend! Highlights from Farm Aid 2013

Pete Seeger's Last Ride
"This Land Is Your Land"
John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Pete Seeger, Dave Matthews, Neil Young
Farm Aid 2013 - Saratoga Springs, New York
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Photo by Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve, Inc. via http://www.farmaid.org
(Click photo to enlarge)
Farm Aid will have its annual concert at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday, September 13.

Without a doubt, the highlight of Farm Aid 2013 in Saratoga Springs, New York was Pete Seeger singing "This Land Is Your Land" with John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews, and Neil Young.

Sadly, this was Pete Seeger's last public performance and he would pass away several months later.

A truly priceless moment if there ever was one.




More on Highlights of Farm Aid 2013.

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STREAMING: "Who's Gonna Stand Up" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Neil Young
2014-07-12, Hyde Park, London, England
Photo Paolo Brillo |Facebook
(Click photo to enlarge)
Now streaming on Neil Young's official website is his new song "Who's Gonna Stand Up".

While the details are labeled as "January 21, 2014 - New York City", this is incorrect and intrepid Rusties have identified the track as sourced from Liverpool, 13 July 2014.

Enjoy!

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Photo of the Moment: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Barolo, Italy - July 21, 2014

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Collisioni Festival, Barolo, Italy - July 21, 2014
w/ Rick Rosas, Dorene Carter, and YaDonna West
Photo by Francesco Lucarelli
(Click photo to enlarge)
The Photo of the Moment is Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Collisioni Festival, Barolo, Italy - July 21, 2014 by Francesco Lucarelli.

Grazi Francesco!
ciao

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The Road RasCals Bridge Ride Update

The Road RasCals have hit the road and made it across "The Continental Divide".

Earlier this year, we learned of a delightful planned adventure of some Bridge supporters this Fall. (see The Road RasCals To Ride Across The West for The Bridge Kids).

Kloe and Lilly are biking from Denver, CO to Los Angeles, CA this Fall in order to raise money for The Bridge School.

Here's an update:

Greetings from Ridgway (Colorado)! After the first five days or so, we are safe and doing well. The trip has had a lot of unexpected turns and change-of-plans, but it's going well. We have met a lot of new people, some of which know about The Bridge School and some who we get to tell about it. I was wearing a Lincvolt tee shirt in a store and someone recognized that for Neil Young, which started a great conversation about the school.
Just wanted to give you an update. Finding a computer has proven to be really difficult so it's hard to update the blog but I'm hoping to find someway to do it soon.

Will send another update in a week or so,

Lilly

Best of luck Kloe and Lilly! Keep on pedaling in the free world!

Road RasCals | Fundraiser on CrowdRise

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EXCLUSIVE: Q&A on Human Highway Director's Cut

This week, the World Premiere of Human Highway (Director's Cut) will be held at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Thrasher's Wheat is pleased to bring our readers an exclusive Q&A session with a member of Neil Young's Shakey Pictures crew who worked on the research, editing and meticulous restoration under the supervision of Director Bernard Shakey.

Neil Young's 1982 post-apocalyptic musical comedy, has long been out of circulation and is regarded as a cult classic with its mythical history of production mayhem, post-production chaos and forgotten legacy.

Now, 32 years after Human Highways' first screening, Bernard Shakey's crew is ready to answer a few questions.



Thrasher's Wheat - The film Human Highway is considered to be a cult classic somewhat similar to the legendary Journey Through the Past and has been described as "if David Lynch directed "The Wizard of Oz on acid." What surprised you going back to the footage shot back in late 70's?

Shakey Pictures - Maybe not so much surprising, but very noticeable was how well shot the film was under the direction of David Myers.

[ed - David Myers (1914–2004) was the cinematographer for the film Woodstock and Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz among many other concert documentaries.]

TW - So what prompted the desire to produce a director's cut version of Human Highway?

SP - The version that was first screened at the Mill Valley Film Festival in 1982 really could be considered the Director’s Cut. Time went on and various edits of the film had their moment in the sun, but Mr Shakey still held onto his original vision. Along with Producer L.A Johnson, he dispatched the Shakey Pictures crew to locate, catalog and collect for assembly all the original footage that had been cut out of Human Highway post- Mill Valley. It was a lengthy undertaking.



TW - The original release of Human Highway was 88 minutes. The director's cut version is 80 minutes. Usually these director's cut versions go to longer side not shorter. Is this tweaking/ shortening up longer scenes or scenes removed?

SP - That is correct. Once the 1982 Director’s Cut was reassembled, Bernard oversaw further refinements to the story. An astute viewer will note that while the running time of the movie is shorter than that on VHS, there are actually some new elements in the final presentation that will be screened at TIFF.

TW - Was this filmed in 35mm?

SP - Human Highway was shot in both 35mm and in 16mm film.

TW - What are we looking at now? Film edited on high resolution digital video?

SP - The Shakey Pictures team found and transferred the original negatives of the film footage, which then underwent extensive restoration and cleaning, frame by frame. Editing was in high resolution digital.



TW - What is the sound format resolution compared to original?

SP - The sound quality is much improved over the original. The same attention to detail that was given to picture was also given to audio on this project.

The film’s original master 16 track analog tapes were transferred at 24 bit/ 192kHz, as well as the original dialog and music reels.

The new mix of Human Highway is now presented in 5.1 surround as well as in stereo.

TW - What are the release format plans? Blu-ray?

SP - After Human Highway’s theatrical run, it would be fair to say that you can expect to to see Blu-ray and DVD releases.



TW - We know folks would love to hear the story of Woody, the wooden Indian and his mates. Were they really burned in the desert? Is Woody, the wooden Indian, we've seen recently onstage with Neil the same? A survivor?

SP - Yes, that is indeed Woody in the film. He has some scenes in the garage at Otto’s Corner. I don’t know his back story or what stock he came from, but do know that Woody embodies the strong silent type. That is well depicted in Human Highway.



TW - Will there be a director's cut video release with "special features"? Like a vinyl album soundtrack, a booklet, deleted scenes, 'making of' documentaries, etc?

SP - It’s a bit too early to reveal what comes next out of the Shakey Pictures archives in relation to Human Highway, but there is definitely some stuff in the vaults.



Thanks Shakey Pictures!

Human Highway (Director's Cut) Trailer from Shakey Pictures on Vimeo.

Human Highway (Director's Cut) Clip 1 from Shakey Pictures on Vimeo.

Human Highway (Director's Cut) Clip 2 from Shakey Pictures on Vimeo.

More at Shakey Pictures - Human Highway.

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"Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years" by Sharry Wilson

Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years

(Click photo to enlarge)
Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years
Review by Broken Arrow Editor Scott Sandie

I was delighted to receive an Advance Readers Copy of Sharry’s book from the publishers. I read it through quickly the first time, then went back and read most of it again. I knew a lot of this material already of course, both from the 80 pages of ‘A Shakey Education’ that I edited in 2010 for the magazine, and also the other Neil books already in existence. But there’s a large amount of detail in here and a big chunk of it is from new research. At 450+ pages, 600+ footnotes, and over 130 photos, it's a very impressive achievement; an exhaustive look at Neil’s school years, tied in neatly to his musical development. It’s described on the jacket as a ‘detailed chronological narrative of Neil Young’s early life’, and that’s exactly what it is. It leaves almost no stone unturned and is surely the definitive study of Neil Young’s early life. In some cases I have to say the detail is mind-boggling. It’s also comprehensively and vividly illustrated, with many never-before-seen photos.

Backstage at the Flamingo Club in Fort William, April 1965.
From left: Neil, Bob Clark, Ken Koblun.
Courtesy of Ken Koblun. Copyright Don Baxter.

The book is organised into three logical parts; Part One: Born In Ontario, Part Two: Winnipeg…Field Of Opportunity, Part Three: Leaving Sugar Mountain.

The opening part covers the years 1945 to 1960, and takes us in four chapters from Neil’s birth in Ontario, through Omemee to Pickering, and back to Toronto, before the move out to Winnipeg in 1960. Part Two is set wholly in Winnipeg, covering Neil’s time at Earl Grey Junior High and Kelvin High School up until he quit high school age 18 in 1964. Part Three sees Neil setting out for a life on the road as a full-time musician.

Sharry’s research consisted of two major strands; interviewing many of the people who were there at the time and were willing to go on the record about it, and exhaustive research of the Scott Young Fonds, which are held at Trent University.

In a long list of people interviewed by Sharry were many of Neil’s old classmates, friends, and of course former band members. Sharry was dogged in tracking them down and many had interesting anecdotes to tell from these early years with Neil. One or two went beyond the call of duty in offering assistance, with Ken Koblun at the top of the list.

Trent University Archives, where the Scott Young Fonds are held.

What’s a ‘fonds’? It means ‘an aggregation of documents that originate from the same source’. A fonds is different to a collection because of its organic nature. It’s a series of archival documents that have been naturally accumulated by an individual, often through day-to-day activities. The Scott Young Fonds is a very substantial collection of material (documents, paperwork, correspondence, photographs, books, memorabilia etc) gathered from his long life and were a rich source of research material. Sharry and I were fortunate to first visit the Archives at Trent University for two days back in 2009 – there will be more on this in an article in a future issue – and we were both staggered by the quantity of boxes and the quality of what they held. Scott Young was an organised and methodical man with his paperwork; he had a good filing system and to his eternal credit he seemed to have kept almost everything. You name it, it’s here and it’s availability seems like a miracle...

In the years after 2009 Sharry was granted full access to all the archival material, returned many times, and has made very good use of her findings. A surprising amount of it pertains to Neil, especially from his earliest days. The private correspondence (much of it between Scott and Rassy Young, Neil’s schools etc) is very detailed and a lot mentions or relates to Neil’s music. The photos are wide ranging, often typical family ‘snaps’ that take on new importance with the Neil Young connection. The memorabilia was a real surprise, totally unexpected. Some of it was handmade by Neil and is priceless, in all ways. In order not to spoil the book I don’t want to give too much away, you’ll enjoy discovering it yourselves. But here’s one example. Some of you might recall the famous old story of Neil and his chickens, which is told here in expanded detail. Part of the tale is that on one occasion a fox got in and killed Neil’s chickens, so to remind him to close things up each night his dad made a sign saying, ‘LOCK UP CHICKENS’. With Neil’s famous sense of humour, at some point he wrote under it, “Neil is a good boy”, presumably one night when he remembered to lock them up! And there, in box 26 of the Scott Young Fonds (amongst a whole raft of stunning material), carefully kept by Neil’s dad since 1957, is this sign, yellow with age but perfectly legible. There were moments during our first visit to Trent when words weren’t necessary, we simply looked at each other with stunned expressions as the depth and richness of the boxes’ content became clear; this was one such moment.

Taken behind the 4-D in Fort William, June 1965.
Clockwise from left: Terry Erickson, Bob Clark, Ken Koblun, Neil.
Courtesy of Ken Koblun. Copyright Don Baxter.

The narrative tells the story of Neil’s upbringing and schooling in tandem with his musical development. Central to part one is the gradual breakdown of his parent’s marriage, which led directly to his move to Winnipeg with his mother. The itinerant nature of Neil’s early years is clear, with the family making several moves before he was 12, some caused by Scott Young’s work, some by problems in the Young’s marriage, and a couple of winter stays in Florida to help with Neil’s recovery from polio. We learn of Neil’s growing interest in music – especially the fledgling sound of rock’n’roll – buying 45s, listening to his transistor radio, and trying to play his Arthur Godfrey plastic ukulele, which had been a gift from his parents. At one of several schools Neil attended he met Comrie Smith, forming his first strong musical friendship, and the pair dreamt of starting a band. Sharry takes us through all these occurrences in colourful detail, with many quotes from the principals. Stories and ‘facts’ that have been wrong for years are corrected, and a torrent of new facts emerge. As an example Sharry has confirmed (with Neil’s ‘camp’) that it’s Comrie Smith who’s playing guitar and sitting on those steps with Neil in “Don’t Be Denied”. Further, it’s at Lawrence Park Collegiate in Toronto – not the oft-quoted Earl Grey Junior High in Winnipeg. What we get throughout the book is many new stories, and a lot more flesh on the bones of older stories. Neil’s relationship with Comrie Smith is a good example of this. We learn a huge amount more about their musical relationship and how the two grew together, Comrie emerging as an important cog in Neil’s early musical development. Much of this information comes from notes that Comrie made back in 1970 (‘Notes on Neil Young’) that had been kept by his sister and that Sharry tracked down.

Lawrence Park Collegiate, Toronto

As Part One draws to a close the Young’s marriage is over, Scott has moved out and Rassy and Neil are ready to move to Winnipeg.

And it’s in Winnipeg, during his years at Earl Grey Junior High School and Kelvin High School, that the music really took off and the writing concentrates on that. Sharry has dug deep to find out a lot more about Neil’s musical development here, and we are taken on a trip of discovery as Neil’s dream gradually takes shape through his various bands. The Jades; one half-hour gig at a Friday night school canteen dance, Sharry has details of their set-list. The Esquires; Neil’s first serious band, he had answered an ad for a guitar player in the Winnipeg Free Post. In three or four months he played several gigs with them before too many late nights forced Rassy to tell him to quit. And it’s here that we see another stunning example of Sharry’s research. It’s a fantastic, previously unseen, earliest ever photograph of Neil onstage with The Esquires. It was taken at Patterson’s Ranch House in February 1961 and shows the five band members neatly dressed in matching dark trousers, white shirts and dark ties. Neil is in the rear beside his amp, back mostly turned to the audience, staring intently at the neck of his guitar as he plays. It deservedly gets a full page in the book. We also learn the tantalising information that The Esquires were captured on 8mm silent film at a dance before a full house of 300 at the same venue, but that the film has been lost down the years. The Classics; only five shows, but by now Neil had teamed up with bass player Ken Koblun, who of course was to become a central figure in Neil’s early career. They soon changed their name to the Squires, performed in excess of 200 gigs. Neil soon quit school, heading out to find fortune and fame, and the rest is history.

As well as the musical sections, Sharry skilfully weaves in what was going on with Neil’s schooling, his home life with Rassy, and his somewhat strained relationship with his father. The level of detail continues throughout and it makes for a great read.

I should make special mention of the photographs. There are over 130 spread throughout the book and appear every few pages. They start when Neil was a naked toddler in 1946 and go through to him playing solo acoustic (thankfully now fully clothed) onstage at The Riverboat in late 1965. There are many that you will not have seen before and I found almost all completely fascinating. Some I would not have believed existed...but they do. For example, we get to see a Classic’s playlist from 1962. Sharry has persistently tracked them all down and they’re here.


Neil Young, May 1955
Mayfair - Rosedale Park, Toronto, Canada
Photo by Mary Ellen Blanch
Special mention too for Ken Koblun, who graciously answered endless queries from the author and then kindly put at Sharry’s disposal his famous ‘List Of Shows’. Neil calls this ‘The Gospel According To Ken’, and it covers all the shows that Ken performed with The Classics, The Squires, The Springfield and Three’s-A-Crowd from November 1962 up to December 1967. Accompanying this list in the appendices are five Squires songlists from 1963 and 1964 – these look very interesting and need some analysis. The appendices are followed by comprehensive foot notes (more than 600) and a detailed bibliography.

In terms of criticism, there are some places where I might question if the detail, fascinating ‘though it is, is just a bit too much and perhaps doesn’t particularly add to the story, especially for the casual fan. But those occasional side trips are part of the author’s makeup. Sharry wants to give us ALL the details and her writing reflects that. Some readers might say, 'Did I need to know that?' And as with any biographical work of great detail there will be some who absorb every word, and some who might skip over parts. But warts and all, it’s here! I hope you enjoy the read.

Thanks to Sharry for supplying some of her unused photos for this review.

Author Sharry Wilson in a Town in North Ontario

Also, see Author Sharry Wilson's site: Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years.

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Neil Young Guitarist Poncho Sampedro Wants a Crazy Horse Farewell Tour | Rolling Stone

Crazy Horse's Poncho & Neil Young - Europe 2014
Photo by Matt Kent/WireImage

A must read interview with Poncho from Rolling Stone by Andy Greene.

Frank "Poncho" Sampedro discusses a multitude of topics including hoping for a "proper" Crazy Horse farewell tour, his 2013 hand injury and Billy Talbot's health.

The group's future plans are unclear, and Poncho says that Crazy Horse almost certainly won't appear at Farm Aid on September 13th in Raleigh, North Carolina. "It's just a huge expense to bring Crazy Horse there," says Poncho. "Neil did tell me that he loves this band, he loves playing with us and he wants to do it as much as he can. He didn't talk about any sort of timeframe, and I'm sure he loves playing with CSNY, too."

On the plane back to America, Poncho did approach Young with his take on what the future should hold. "I said to him, we should get together in the spring, record another Crazy Horse album and do a farewell tour next year,'" says Poncho. "Elliot was saying, 'Great idea!' But Neil's a poker player. He didn't really say anything. He's always thinking about what he's doing today and tomorrow, and right now he has acoustic shows, Pono and he's working on a fiction novel."

More on Neil Young Guitarist Poncho Sampedro Wants a Crazy Horse Farewell Tour | Rolling Stone.

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Open Letter: CSNY 1974 Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set Orders

CSNY 1974 | Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set

The following comment was submitted on the CSNY 1974 | Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set by George Koumantzelis:

Dear Thrashers Wheat Readers,

On May 29, I purchased a copy of the Limited Edition $500.00 CSNY 1974 Box Set from CSNY Deluxe. On June 12th, my bank and VISA confirmed that my credit card was charged over $558.00 !!! ...

The online - and subsequent emails from CSNY - states that we would all receive our items "5 Weeks" after Release Date - which was July 12. ... It is now September 4th, and I have still not received my Box Set. ...

Not only that, but on my credit card statement, it says that my money was paid to a BIG DOT PRINT company in Los Angeles, CA - Phone Number 866-962-9482. http://www.manta.com/c/mx20ykp/big-dot-print ... Does anyone know what is going on? ...

Thanks! - a Loyal Neil Young fan since 1967 !!

- George Koumantzelis / Sept 4, 2014

Total bummer George and sorry this has happened.

We've heard from several others who are just as frustrated and disappointed.

Here's what we know. From Classic Rock Debacle: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Sue Westside Printer - Business | Venice-Mar Vista, California Patch By Penny Arévalo (Patch Staff):

The company behind the folk rock group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is suing a print shop for allegedly failing to fill online orders for box sets of the band’s 1974 reunion tour and refusing to return nearly $240,000 in revenue collected from the first buyers.

CSNY Recordings LLC filed the lawsuit Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court against D’Andrea Graphics Corp. and its owner, David D’Andrea. The lawsuit alleges breach of contract, intentional interference with contract and conversion. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

A representative for D’Andrea did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment. Both CSNY Recordings and D’Andrea Graphics are based in West Los Angeles.

According to the complaint, the two sides reached a verbal agreement in May for the manufacture and distribution by D’Andrea of 1,250 of the box sets. D’Andrea was to collect all revenue from sales on behalf of CSNY and to split the proceeds after recovering its out-of-pocket expenses, according to the suit.

The box sets were to be sold through a website with editorial content and photos provided by CSNY, the suit states. CSNY announced the release of the box set on May 29, the suit states.

But when CSNY attempted to get updates on sales from D’Andrea, it did not hear from the company until June 17, when D’Andrea said he did not understand why sales were lower than expected, according to the lawsuit. CSNY told D’Andrea to expand the shipping options, the suit states.

However, on July 18 D’Andrea repudiated the contract, the suit states. CSNY then found out that D’Andrea Graphics did not pay most of its vendors, including the website designer, according to the lawsuit.

D’Andrea received $237,620 from box set buyers, but refused CSNY’s demands to turn the money over to them after the band took over the manufacture and distribution of the music and set up a new website, the suit states.

CSNY was forced to tell many of the first customers to buy the box sets that their orders will likely not be shipped until October and several have cancelled their purchases and demanded refunds as a result, the suit states.

“Plaintiff has been forced to refund their purchases out of its own funds because plaintiff is not in possession of the pre-order revenues,” the suit states.

CSNY was first formed in 1968 by David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young.

--City News Service

So George and others, it looks like steps are being taken to straighten out the situation. Whether and when you receive your box set and/or a refund seems unknown.

We'll try and report more as we learn more.

Definitely "pre-order downs".

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Neil Young on "SEPARATION OF CORPORATION AND STATE"

neilyoung.com

So what's on Neil's mind lately?

From the official neilyoung.com web page:

SEPARATION OF CORPORATION AND STATE

September 1, 2014, from undertheinfluencefilm.com

"Under the guise of democracy, huge global corporations have purchased our politicians and are writing laws that poison our planet and dismantle our democratic process. Corporations have usurped democracy by using their vast wealth to influence politics and silence the citizen voice in government.

All natural living systems are in rapid decline, pushing the human race ever closer to extinction. Despite enacted environmental protections, global corporations have recklessly abused the four natural resources that we rely on for life (air, soil, fresh water and oceans) as an open sewer for their toxic wastes with blatant disregard for humankind.

Neither the environmental crisis nor the many other social and economic crises we face can be addressed until democracy is restored and this cycle of corruption is broken by corporate money being removed from politics.

UNDER THE INFLUEN$E focuses on what can and is being done by conscious and committed citizens, movements and businesses to reverse the ecological destruction and take back democracy."

Read more and see the trailer [below]

People, please go to this link and share.

This is how I feel about what is going on in OUR world. You can learn here. --NY

SNEAK PREVIEW... from UNDERtheINFLUENCE on Vimeo.

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"I've Got The Revolution Blues": Neil Young on Social Revolution

It seems that just about everyone has "The Revolution Blues" these days.

As the "Big Shift" inexorably approaches, a look back at some very significant comments by Neil Young on social revolution.

Also, some of the most eloquent and articulate speaking that we've ever seen by Neil in an interview.

Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff interviews Neil Young at the Cloudforce Conference 2011 in Japan. Young compares the youth movements of the 60s and 70s with the social movements (Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street) of today, noting how social media technology is enabling people around the world to effect change in ways never imagined.

Recorded live in Tokyo, Japan, December 14, 2011.

We must say that we were quite pleased to hear Neil discuss Kent State and Occupy, especially after the attacks we saw on our post #OccupyWallStreet 2011 and Kent State Ohio 1970: Is This Really Deja Vu? back in November 2011.

When we posted this back in 2012 , there were a number of comments on the subject and here's one by Mother Nature on the Run who said...

I think television helped shape a lot of what happened on the campuses in the 60s, too. We saw injustices like images of little girls down South getting hosed during demonstrations and protests. We were watching their brave and courageous mothers and fathers being beaten and treated like animals. We saw people grieving for their murdered relatives and friends afterwards.

Getting high helped many of us escape once in awhile from the inhumanity of our own people. Unfortunately, some of our friends and family started developing an addiction for the high and couldn't find their way back to reality.

So here we are, 40, 50 years later and wondering if the social revolution ever ended. Nope, it still raves on in so many ways through musicians and artists work.

I would disagree with Neil by saying some of the music, most notably RAP, is very much social protest music against social injustices of the people who listen to it.

I very much agree with Neil that if we are open to it, we can learn a lot from the Japanese and their survival, their reverence and respect for social order and reconciliation, and overall mutual collectivism. Unlike here in America, the head of the nail sticking out gets hammered in.

Is Neil is referring to mainstream-pop culture music today that appears to void of social consciousness raising? He forgot the sidebar note about there ALWAYS being an undercurrent in art & music & literature directed at those guilty of social injustice. Only until it becomes part of our collective social conscience can we make a difference or bring about change that will improve upon the condition for all life on our planet.

Neil continues to give an honest-to-God account of the human condition which is why his work is still so relevant today. He writes how most of us are feeling on any given day or any day of major significance.

Remember? That one song he pulls out of our collective consciousness? "Imagine?" It's the one song that said it all after the tragedy of September 11.

Remember when he did Hank's "Alone and Forsaken" that one time, too? The songs he doesn't write, he pulls out of obscurity. He pulls it right out from our hearts:

"We met in the springtime when blossoms unfold. The pastures were green and the meadows were gold. Our love was in flower as summer grew on; her love like the leaves now has withered and gone.

The roses have faded, there's frost at my door. The birds in the morning don't sing anymore.

The grass in the valley is starting to die & out in the darkness the whippoorwills cry.

Alone and forsaken by fate and by man. Oh, Lord, if you hear me please hold to my hand. Oh please understand.

Oh, where has she gone to, oh, where can she be? She may have forsaken some other like me.
She promised to honor, to love and obey; each vow was a plaything that she threw away.

The darkness is falling, the sky has turned gray; a hound in the distance is starting to bey
I wonder, I wonder - what she's thinking of?

Forsaken, forgotten - without any love."

And speaking of deja vu all over again, fast forward to today and unbelievably, Tin Soldiers and Nixon's Coming, yet again.

So just occupy the music, how about it, OK?

Thanks Denis & MNOTR!


"Try To Remember Peace"

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▶ "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'": Tribute to Lou Reed at 2013 Bridge School Benefit Concert - Neil Young & Friends

Here's a tribute to the late, great Lou Reed at the 2013 Bridge School Benefit Concert by Neil Young & Friends.

The loss of the hugely influential Lou Reed came just a day before the annual Bridge concerts, so there was great anticipation about not if -- but who - would step forward to pay homage to Mr. Street Hassle himself. The tribute task fell to My Morning Jacket's Jim James, who covered the Velvet Underground’s “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’” along with Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis, and more.

Also, check the great save by the strings when the strap comes off of Neil's guitar towards the end.
***
On February 18, 2010, Lou Reed paid tribute to Neil Young at a concert for the Vancouver Olympics Tribute. Coming on stage in leather, Reed played a heavy electric rap version of “Helpless”.


Lou Reed
Vancouver Olympics Tribute to Neil Young Reviews - February 18, 2010
Photo by THE BACKSTAGE RIDER

So Lou, how's that dirty boulevard these days? A little cleaner hopefully.

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The Adventure Set To Begin: The Road RasCals To Ride Across The West for The Bridge Kids

Kloe and Lilly - The Road RasCals

Earlier this year, we learned of a delightful planned adventure of some Bridge supporters this Fall. (see The Road RasCals To Ride Across The West for The Bridge Kids).

Kloe and Lilly are biking from Denver, CO to Los Angeles, CA this Fall in order to raise money for The Bridge School.

In 1986 Pegi Young founded The Bridge School for students with speech and physical limitations. The school is awesome, and students learn how to utilize alternative communication and assistive technology.

You might wonder what biking has to do with The Bridge School? Basically, Kloe and Lilly want to go on a bike ride and raise money for the Bridge Kids and more. Much more. Here's what Lilly writes on her blog Road RasCals | "Quick, what's the number for 911?":

I just want to say thank you to everyone who donated to The Bridge School in honor of our Road Rascals adventure. Kloe and Kyle are officially in Denver, and we leave Tuesday bright and early. The final bits of planning are coming into place- we finally have a place to stay every night, which is a huge relief. We'll be spreading the word of The Bridge School and the different programs that the school offers throughout the trip which will be great.
My sister, Leah, and friend, Alex, are going to be putting stuff on the Road Rascals blog as we send them updates throughout the trip, so you can follow how it's going. Also, the fundraiser will be up throughout the trip so please feel free to post it on social media and tell your friends about it.

Anyway, I just want to send a final thank you before we head out. It is pretty cool that this started out as an idea and is now actually happening. And it's even cooler that so many people have supported us in the ways you have. I know this sounds generic, but I typed each of your email address' out and really can't thank you enough. Thank you so much for supporting Kloe, Kyle and myself, and we look forward to telling you stories long after you have any interest in hearing them.
Seriously, thanks,
Lilly

Best of luck to Kloe and Lilly and their journey to help out The Bridge School! We'll be posting updates as their journey start date approaches.

Road RasCals | Fundraiser on CrowdRise

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▶ "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cork, Ireland 10/07/14

"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse at The Marquee Cork Ireland on July 10, 2014

"I was always thinking of games that I was playing
Trying to make the best of my time

But only love can break your heart
Try to be sure right from the start
Yes only love can break your heart
What if your world should fall a-part?"
"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" by Neil Young

Pegi Young & The Survivors w/ Neil Young

Johnny D's - Boston, MA - 9/11/13

Photo by Steve Babineau - Sports Action Photography

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Love To Burn, Separate Ways, Barstool Blues & The Days That Used to Be: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Summer 2014

"Love To Burn" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Mönchengladbach, Germany on July 25, 2014.

"Late one night
I was walking in the valley of hearts
The spirit came to me
And said 'you've got a move to start
You've gotta take the first step
You've gotta crawl to be tall'

And then she told me somethin',
That I'll never forget

You got love to burn
You better take a chance on love
You better let your guard down

You better take a chance,
.... a chance on love."
"Love To Burn" by Neil Young



"Separate Ways" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Liverpool, England on July 13, 2014

"I won't apologize
The light shone from in your eyes
It isn't gone,
It will soon come back again.
Though we go our separate ways
Lookin' for better days

And I'm feeling better now,
a lot more alive somehow,
my heart is open
and my love comes pouring through.""
"Separate Ways" by Neil Young



"Barstool Blues" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Mönchengladbach, Germany on July 25, 2014.

"I have seen you in the movies and in those magazines at night
I saw you on the barstool when you held that glass so tight
And I saw you in my nightmares, but I'll see you in my dreams
And I might live a thousand years before I know what that means"
"Barstool Blues" by Neil Young



"Days That Used to Be" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse at The Marquee Cork Ireland on July 10, 2014

"People say don't rock the boat,
Let things go their own way
Ideas that once seemed so right
Now have gotten hard to say
I wish that I could talk to you,
And that you could talk to me
'Cos there's very few of us left my friend
From the days that used to be"
"Days That Used to Be" by Neil Young



Pegi Young "I Don't Want To Talk About It" (Danny Whitten) at her show in Anaheim, California on 22 November 2011

"I can tell by your eyes
That you've probably been cryin' forever
And the stars in the sky don't mean nothin' to you
They're a mirror

I don't wanna talk about it, how you broke my heart
If I stay here just a little bit longer
If I stay here won't you listen to my heart
Oh my heart?"
"I Don't Want To Talk About It" by Danny Whitten

Neil & Pegi - 2001

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Neil Young is Back in the Recording Studio + TONIGHT: Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour

George Doering, Chris Walden, and Neil Young (L to R)
Recording Chris Walden's arrangements at Sony Pictures Scoring Stage
via Gina Zimmitti Music Contracting | Facebook

All week, we've been receiving numerous reports that Neil Young is back in the recording studio.

Recording with @neilyoung, great to have a great choir live in the room with us! @Local47 pic.twitter.com/9LUrGwiXG4

— Marc Sazer (@marcsazer) August 19, 2014

Fresh back from the just completed Europe Summer 2014 Concert Tour with Crazy Horse, Neil Young appears to be fulfilling his latest desire to record with an orchestra. Earlier this year, in an interview with Billboard, Neil said:

"I have new songs that I'm working on, and I haven't stopped doing that," he says. "I do it when I feel like it and I'm collecting them. And sometimes I play them live before they come out as a record, and because of the way everything is people hear them before they come out, on the Internet. But I still feel like I'm gonna make records of them."

"I'd like to make a record with a full-blown orchestra, live -- a mono recording with one mic," he explains. "I want to do something like that where we really record what happened, with one point of view and the musicians moved closer and farther away, the way it was done in the past. To me that's a challenge and it's a sound that's unbelievable, and you can't get it any other way.

So I'm into doing that."

Neil Young project today. Arranger/ conductor Chris Walden. Contractor Gina Zimmitti pic.twitter.com/cAkkAEciRH

— JoAnn Kane Music Svc (@JKMSlibrary) August 21, 2014

As for what Neil Young might be recording? Well, if we had to guess (and we have no particular inside info on this), we'd say "Who's Gonna Stand Up And Save The Earth?", which debuted on the Europe Summer 2014 Concert Tour. Maybe "Separate Ways" and "Standing In The Light Of Love", which while not new songs, are unreleased and were re-worked this summer in Europe.

And what else might there be going on in the studio? Well, we'll have a bit more to say on all of this tonight, Saturday, August 23 at 9:00 PM EST, on the Thrasher's Wheat Radio Hour from WBKM.org.

Tonight's edition will feature concert highlights from the just completed Europe tour, discussion and news.

Tune in details and podcast info @ Thrashers Wheat Radio Hour.


Thrasher's Wheat Radio
Tune in on WBKM.org, Saturdays @ 9P EST

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Field of Dreams: A First Look at "Harvest the Hope" Cornfield Concert Venue - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA

Heartland #NoKXL (Keystone XL pipeline)

(Click photo to enlarge)
A Field of Dreams... build it and they will come.

KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports


From Farmer will host two music icons for benefit concert in northeas - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports:

NELIGH, NE (KTIV/US92) -

Just over a month from now, music legends Willie Nelson and Neil Young will come to northeast Nebraska to help aid the fight against the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline Project.

Neligh farmer Art Tanderup has not been shy when it comes to statements against the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Last year he created the "#No KXL" crop art on his 160 acre farm, and now his farmstead will host music legends Neil Young and Willie Nelson for a music festival next month for the group Bold Nebraska.

Art Tanderup, Neligh farmer said, “Needless to say it is very exciting. I never dreamed anything like this would ever happen. Every morning when I get up I pinch myself and say is this for real or did I just have a dream?”

News of the once in a lifetime concert has spread quickly through the town of Neligh. Within minutes both hotels in town are sold out that weekend, and have stopped taking calls. Neligh's Economic Development Director says the sold out rooms give you an idea of the impact this concert is already having in town.

Greg Ptacek, Neligh Economic Development Director said, “We are trying to capitalize on maybe having some organizations do fundraiser's to catch some breakfast crowd before they get out to the farm ground.”

Ptacek says he is working on getting extra camping spaces secure for the concert as well as getting supplies need out to Tanderup's farm. Proceeds from the concert will go to Bold Nebraska and the fight against the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline. Bold Nebraska Executive Director hopes the impact makes its way to Washington DC.

Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska said “I really do hope that the concert, Harvest the Hope, first and foremost sends a message to President Obama that we are still fighting this pipeline very strongly in Nebraska.”

Harvest the Hope will be held Saturday September 27 from 1-5pm. To learn more about concert, visit the website boldnebraska.org.

Willie Nelson & Neil Young

Neil Sings “Long May You Run” for Willie's 80th Birthday

WHAT: "Harvest the Hope Concert" featuring Neil Young & Willie Nelson
WHY: Benefit for Bold Nebraska, IEN and the Cowboy & Indian Alliance
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: The farm of Art & Helen Tanderup, near Neligh, NE

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Thank You for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!

We've been thrilled to share the love and give away Neil Young concert tickets, books, posters, magazines and all sorts of other stuff. But the best of all is sharing what we call Neil Stories -- those which "emotionally resonate" with us all and make it such a joy to be part of the community of global rust.

Truly one the greatest highlights in the 18 years of Thrasher's Wheat existence was -- without a shred of doubt -- was taking Thrasher's Wheat Radio on WBKM.org to Europe last summer for the Neil Young & Crazy Horse Alchemy Tour.

Thrasher's Wheat Radio Supporters Go To Europe
for Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Tour - June 2013
As you may recall, earlier this year, we had Some Good News and Not So Good News. Essentially, Thrasher's Wheat last it's advertising partnership and the source of the majority of funding for running the Thrasher's Wheat blog.

But we harvest on here at Thrasher's Wheat undeterred because we have a job to do. So we formally invite you to join us in this venture: Support our blog, engage with us, and make your participation and support a reality. Find a level that suits you and slip into the groove.

We need ask for your financial support, at least at the most basic level of *just* $3 per year. Only $3 per year.

At less one penny a day, it’s less than your daily newspaper, cable television, subscription package or internet service. Less than a 6-pack of decent beer, even?! And you very well know the high quality of independent blogging, informed opinion, thoughtful commentary, wonderful and bizarre reader comments and warped humor you get here for that minimal contribution. Is there any other blog you read anywhere that provides you this much fun?

Uwe "Computer Age" - Rockin In The Free World
White House, Washington, DC
Photo by Hounds That Howell
Donations are the only model we can see as we look ahead at the media landscape that faces us. Without a corporate sell-out (that would limit our independence) and without a mega patron (ahem... who would likely impose opinions and views while probably also staking out No-Go areas of speech) we simply cannot continue onwards toward the New Media Paradigm we’ve become. In addition to this blog, we also have Twitter and Facebook stream feeds, as well as an email list all requiring daily maintenance.

As the people-powered, irreverent blog that Thrasher's Wheat is, we can only remain this way with your help. Your support will let us continue to do what Thrasher's Wheat tries to do as well as possible. Won’t you please donate now? (securely, safely, privately)

Walk with us.

Support us now, please. It’s really easy, almost painless. Your support matters: it’s the only way we can see our way into the future.

Which we plan to continue, with your help. Today. Now. C'mon just 3 bucks. Only $3 today for a year of Neil fun. Such a deal. Thank you!

Only your credit card is necessary to apply directly & securely. No PayPal account setup necessary. (NOTE: A portion of ALL donations also help The Bridge School, Farm Aid, Musicares, and other worthy causes.)

Sponsored by Nobody:
This Blog's For You!
So Why Bother To Support Neil Young News on TW?

Our goal is simple: we create the best Neil Young blog we possibly can, refrain from contaminating it with nasty, evil corporate advertising, and then ask you to donate to us what you think it's worth. So far it seems to be working out sort of. We're not likely to break even on bandwidth and storage expenses (much less donated labor) this way, but that's not our goal.



Berlin - 2013
Here at TW we're not just non-commercial. We're anti-commercial. We feel that quality blogs and corporate advertising just cannot co-exist. We also choose to refrain from forcibly extracting money from you by charging subscription fees. We want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed so generously over the past few years. We quite literally couldn't do it without you.

And, as always, we understand that contributing money is just not an option for some of you. That's fine. All posts, feeds and services at TW are open to everyone, and we will do everything in our power to keep it that way.

We’ve helped influence decisions on release formats and availability, we think, through our writing and your activism in response to it. We’ve exposed the hypocrisy of professional music critics and tried to speak out against the madness, fear and greed. All the while trying to find some hope in the future and have a little fun along the way!



But the basic underpinnings of our financial model haven’t changed: we’re often only one blog post away from pulling the plugs at any given moment.

So, here's how you can help.

Purchases via Amazon.com of *anything* (books, CD's, shoes, etc.) will provide Thrasher's Wheat with a small commission. All you have to do is click the banner above and shop. (Please shop locally and independently. But if you can't, we appreciate your supporting Thrasher's Wheat by clicking image above. Thanks!!!)



United States - Amazon.com

Canada - Amazon.ca

United Kingdom - Amazon.uk

Germany - Amazon.de

(Please note: International Amazon orders (non-U.S.A., non-Canada, non-U.K., non-Germany) do not credit to Thrasher's Wheat unfortunately. Other international readers are asked to please use PayPal account or credit card to support Thrasher's Wheat.)

You have proven that Thrasher's Wheat matters to you, and that you support our mission: to bring free Neil Young knowledge to the planet, free of charge and as free as possible of advertising. You've helped make and keep Thrasher's Wheat available for the whole world. If you find this site helpful as a reference or news source, please help us continue to help all Neil Young fans. Hopefully, this will continue to work to help defray the costs of running Thrasher's Wheat. Any excess funds generated above and beyond operating expenses will be donated to The Bridge School.


Pulling the plug on TW simply cannot happen. After all, we've been implored to "Keep on bloggin' til the power goes out."

Thrasher's Wheat Radio Supporters Go To Europe
for Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Tour
Koln, Germany, July 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)
And if shopping for stuff isn't your thing, we understand.

Just spreading the word about Thrasher's Wheat is a huge help. If you have friends that you think might enjoy TW - please take a moment to drop them a note. Postings about TW on appropriate web forums are also a great way to spread the word. As a matter of fact, we have folks using our Thrasher's Wheat logo on their blogs!

So LIKE us on Facebook , follow us on Twitter and/or subscribe to our email list. (On occasion we pick random folks on the mailing list for little Neil treats. And no spam. We promise.)

In response to our semi-irregular begging fund-raising effort we also received some nice notes from our beloved readership. And -- as we are fond of saying in these tough times -- it is your words which really keep us going with our little Neil Young blog thing.

As some have suggested, "if there is a more balanced, fact based, deeply analytic, independent and proven insightful Neil blog, or voice than TW, better serving the relevant niche, than this one, we would like to see it. Whether you love or hate Neil, this blog is incredibly valuable for its depth and consistency of analysis."

We need your support as independent journalistic voices in the mass media milieu. Make no mistake, your support of all of our work here helps establish all of us as protected and respected bloggera, and we are thankful for the same.

If you are reading this, you either know, or should know, precisely what level of outstanding blogging that goes down daily here on TW.

Soldier Steve & Alchemy & TW Radio
So who is TW? We're a teeny, tiny non-profit that runs a popular Neil Young fan blog. We have only 1.5 staff but serve 1,000's & 1,000's, and we have costs like any other web sites: servers, power, programs, and ancillary costs. Folks think TW is special. We like that we're NOT behind a pay firewall but out in the open -- in public view --as it should be. Love all, serve all, as they say. It is like a temple for the mind, a place we can all go to think and learn. To protect our independence, we'll never *rarely* run ads. We take no record label funds. We survive on donations averaging about $5. Now is the time we ask. If everyone reading this gave $5, our fundraiser would be done within an hour. If Thrasher's Wheat is useful to you, take one minute to keep it online and ad-free another year. Please help us forget fundraising and get back to Neil news.



Berlin - 2013
That said, this posting violates all our precepts here at TW -- it’s the time of year we do something we hate, which is asking for your support.

We hate it for two reasons:

One: many of our supporters are in dire straits economically and have no money to contribute. Even for those fortunate to have jobs and homes and food, it’s still been a tough of late. If you don’t have funds to spare, don’t even think about giving.

Two: Far more than we want people giving money, we want people taking action. That’s our first, second, and third priority -- that’s what we ask for 9 times out of 10. Videos, photos, reviews, comments. That truly supports TW.

But we’ve had so many people taking so many actions this year that this whole blog continues to grow -- those less crazy than those early days of the 21st century. It’s completely great. And it means we need the resources to coordinate it all, to make it more than the sum of its parts.

So today, we’re asking you to chip in what you can. So, if you can

here

These periodic blog fund-raisers, play a vital role in supporting the work we do here. Reader support in all its forms really is central to the work we do here, and it’s very appreciated, gratifying, and helpful.

Hamburg, Germany, June 2013

The most vital attribute of our work, by far, is full-scale independence — the ability to write on any topics of importance free of concerns about offending potential advertisers or fear of other forms of implications — and it’s reader support that makes that possible. This model ensures that we have only one constituency that matters — our readers — and that, in turn, means we need only be concerned with producing work that is as informative, as consequential and, most of all, as honest as possible. Neil has always been faithful to his word in honoring our unfettered editorial independence while publishing this blog, which is one reason it’s been a great platform for our work, but it is reader support that permits us to spend a portion of our time voluntarily writing here every day and doing the work we think will do the most good without any fears or constraints.

There is widespread and always-growing concern about the inability of blogging endeavors to find a sustainable financial model, particularly with the ever expanding Internet. But we think the Internet has highlighted one of the best ways to enable independent blogging: through reader support. This is not a brand new approach, nor is it one confined to smaller outlets. But for us, this is the model that permits us to engage in the optimal form of independent blogging and generally maintain independence.

Those wishing to participate can do so via Paypal by clicking the button above.

As always, we genuinely appreciate all forms of reader involvement here; the communal nature of Internet writing is one of its most valuable characteristics, and an active, vibrant, supportive readership has been crucial to blogging the Neil scene since 1996 (and on a daily basis since 2003) in so many ways.

Sandy & Tami
The Arkansas Girls(Click photo to enlarge)
Words, such as these, by the oh-so delightfully handled ShittyHorse:

Thrasher, what you provide to us Neil Fanatics is truly invaluable.

I visit other "Neil Sites", and Thrasher's Wheat is by far my favorite, not to diminish others, just my personal preference. You've created a strong community here, where Neil fans can talk everything Neil- from news and events to albums, songs, concerts, personal experiences and feelings, band members and other musicians, but most of all you give us a place to gather, to show our numbers, and be with others who truly understand why Neil's music touches us in such a profound and meaningful way.

I think it's safe to say that we all, even the most critical fans, appreciate the hard work and dedication that you and Thrashette put into this site. Times are tough, which is why your site and others like it become more and more important- it provides a much needed escape at times, entertainment, information and always puts a smile on my face. Even Neil Young himself has recognized the importance of Thrasher's Wheat.

You are part of Neil history and, in turn, Rock n' Roll History.

From here on I'd say any definitive book written on Neil's life and career would be lacking if missing a Thrasher's Wheat reference- you've been a liaison between the fans and the man himself. What you do is important and appreciated. Never loose heart.

I've made a large purchase this morning on Amazon through this site, as I always try to do, which I hope helps out. Of course it is a small thing, but if all your readers did this same, one small thing I'm sure it would help out a lot.

Again, thank you for your hard work, and devotion, not only to Neil but also his fans.

Happy Holidays to you and Thrashette!

Thanks SH! We appreciate your kind words of support. Always and sincerely.

Again, thanks everyone for their contributions. But mostly thanks for all the reviews, photos, links, videos, and comments. And your kind and supportive words, especially. We truly enjoy sharing the Neil love around the world. We've been doing this on & off for 18 years on Rust/HH/RH and 15 years on TW and we'd really like to continue -- readers willing.


Author Dave Zimmer
On The Beach with Thrasher's Wheat Radio

So by helping us out, you'll also help out to spread the Neil love around the world. And -- maybe in some small way -- it all helps the Bridge School, Farm Aid, Musicares, and the LincVolt project. Because we all want to light a candle, make a difference, be the rain, and be the change.

Be the wheat.
peace and love,
thrasher & thrashette

"Keep on bloggin'
`Til the power goes out
The batteries dead
Twist and shout"
- "Fork In the Road"

ps - it keeps us searchin' for the vista and the muse. We won't Be Denied!


Paris - 2013

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