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Written by bnbrainer on 28 May 2012
Book Review: Neil Young FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Iconic and Mercurial Rocker by Glen Boyd
Everybody knows that a standard issue rock biography or online lists of stats and facts is nowhere near being gratifying enough for a fervent fan, especially when it comes to the expect-the-unexpected but prolific and almost willingly perverse Neil Young. There are other artists and examples just as confounding to the fair-weather fan that spring to mind: Bob Dylan with his restless penchant for perennial retooling, Elvis Costello’s spice-spiked variety platters, the hejira and hissing of some free-spirited promise by Joni Mitchell, Lou Reed’s ever-new sensations and metal-machine maneuvering, and the chameleonic David Bowie doing his, oh, chameleonic thing, among others.
The long-haulers among the Neil Young faithful, however, know that though there may be detours and ditches, all roads really lead to an iconoclastic and individualistic adventurousness seemingly ingrained within the fierce independence of this uncompromising artist. Forever young and still rockin’ in the free world (well, 28 countries, to be precise in what must be a frequently answered question), Neil Young has released, in the span of his career since his 1968 departure from the Buffalo Springfield: 34 solo albums, eight live albums, 33 studio albums, 59 singles, and four soundtracks. He has also released five albums with Buffalo Springfield; 12 albums with Crazy Horse; five albums with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; and one album each with Graham Nash, The Squires, The Stills-Young Band, the Shocking Pinks, the Bluenotes, and the Restless.
As for his performances, according to one statistician, Young has logged 88 tours, 1800 shows, with nearly 29,600 songs played live. And this isn’t even including the concerts with his various bands and side projects, and, of course, his Motown years with the pre-braided, super-freaky Rick James.
Can’t forget the Motor City–and a short-lived early stint with the early-’60s group the Mynah Birds fronted by Young and the also short-lived punk-funk pioneer. However, after the American naval authorities got in touch with the can’t-touch-this, AWOL Ricky James Matthews, the music world would have to spin without–as author Glen Boyd puts it in his exhaustive, and no doubt exhaustingly researched–treasure trove of all things Young, the “world’s first ever folk-rock-punk-funk supergroup.” Though I’m not sure that Young was inclined to master the “Temptation Walk,” or bust some other choreographic moves, the prospect would have at least made the Mynah Birds, minus-Rick James, one of Motown’s first all white groups-and if you think that that distinction falls to the chartbusting Rare Earth, you’d be wrong.
Read more: www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Book-Review-Neil-Young-FAQ-Everything
Posted in Book Info, News / Article | Comments Off on Book Review: Neil Young FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Iconic and Mercurial Rocker by Glen Boyd
Written by bnbrainer on 28 May 2012
Part of The Archives?
Release Posted by Robin Murray Fri, 25/05/2012
Neil Young is to collect his first four solo albums in an upcoming budget box set.
A seminal songwriting talent, Neil Young’s sprawling discography can be an imposing beast. Do you start with his folk period, his country rock output, his oddball 80s output or the 90s rejuvenation?
Thankfully, Neil Young is set to make things a little easier for fans. The Canadian born songwriter is to collect his first four solo albums in a new budget box set, acting as a superb introduction to his output.
‘Official Release Series, Discs 1-4’ will be released through Reprise on June 11th, with the box set due to contain: ‘Neil Young’ (1968), ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’ (1969), ‘After The Gold Rush’ (1970) and ‘Harvest’ (1972).
These four albums chart Neil Young’s progression from the wreckage of Buffalo Springfield towards the enormous commercial success of ‘Harvest’.
Celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year, the album’s soothing country rock remains a touchstone – arguably paving the way for Fleet Foxes, Band Of Horses and countless other plaid shirt clad minstrels.
However there remains plenty left to explore. Hell, even ‘Harvest’ – perhaps Young’s most easily accessible album – contains the final guitar rampage of ‘Words’.
‘Official Release Series, Discs 1-4’ is set to be released on June 11th.
p.s.: 5th is release date for “Americana”.
Posted in "The Archives" project, Album Info, News / Article | Comments Off on Box Set due for release June 11th
Written by bnbrainer on 22 May 2012
What Patti Smith and Neil Young won’t be doing at BEA
May 22, 2012 | 10:32am
The nation’s biggest publishing conference, Book Expo America, announced Monday that it had scored a rock ‘n’ roll coup: On its second day, Patti Smith will interview Neil Young on stage. That’s far more rock power than the annual conference, taking place June 5-7 in Manhattan, usually has in-house.
Publishers have come to see that Smith, a legendary rocker since the release of her 1975 album “Horses,” and longtime poet, is a literary asset. Her recent memoir “Just Kids,” in which she wrote of her early years in New York with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe, was a runaway bestseller. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the L.A. Times Book Prize, one of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 books of 2010, and won the National Book Award for nonfiction.
Maybe some of that literary fortune will rub off on Young, who enters the publishing marketplace with his own memoir “Waging Heavy Peace” in October. The book, publisher Blue Rider Press promises, chronicles his youth in Canada, playing in Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and his years with the band Crazy Horse. It will include, among other things, stories of “the LSD-laden boulevards of 1966 Los Angeles.”
The conversation at Book Expo between Smith and Young promises to be a highlight of the conference, for 2012 and over its long history. The two will have a lot to talk about, and who knows, maybe they’ll even hum a few bars.
But no matter what creative sparks fly between them, nothing can compare to the performance above. Despite the low-quality video, the performance of Neil Young’s song “Helpless” is stunning. When Patti Smith comes in, around the 4:29 mark, she is a majestic, commanding force, and her additional lyrics give the song a whole new dimension. Keep watching: she and Neil Young share a mic for the chorus at about 6:40.
The performance was in 1996, at one of Young’s annual Bridge School Benefits. Pearl Jam was also on the bill that year. They won’t, as far as I know, be joining them at BEA.
Here for video:
latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2012/05/rock-legends-at-bea-patti-smith-and-neil-young
Tags: helpless, Patti Smith
Posted in Interviews, News / Article | Comments Off on Patti Smith to interview Neil
Written by bnbrainer on 22 May 2012
Neil and Crazy Horse are set to headline Austin City Limits this October 12-14 along with Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Black Keys.
Festival is at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas
http://lineup.aclfestival.com/
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Neil Young and Crazy Horse
- The Black Keys
- Jack White
- Florence + The Machine
- The Avett Brothers
- Iggy & The Stooges
- and many many more….
Tags: Americana, tour dates
Posted in Crazy Horse, News / Article, Tour dates & Info | Comments Off on Neil/Crazy Horse to headline Austin City Limits Festival in Oct
Written by bnbrainer on 22 May 2012
Lone Red Rider reports:
Check out this free e-book which contains, amongst a lot of other things, an exerpt of Neil’s forthcoming book:
publishersmarketplace.com/bea/2012/BuzzBook.html
Links to various ereader services included. Select the one which is relevant to you. I went the google play route since I had an account already set up.
Neil’s all over the map in this exerpt. But it’s nice to experience his “voice” over many topics we have come to be familiar with.
____________
Thanks, oz.
Tags: Waging Heavy Peace
Posted in Book Info, News / Article | Comments Off on Waging Heavy Peace excerpt
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