‘News / Article’ Articles
this is the default category / most important part of the front-page. Most posts come in as news/articles.
Written by bnbrainer on 20 September 2011
An article in today’s issue of the New York Times revealed some more information about Neil’s forthcoming memoir. It’s tentatively titled “Waging Heavy Peace” and is to be released in the fall of 2012.
artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/neil-young-joins-the-rock-star-memoir-parade/
Neil Young, easily one of the most influential and enigmatic musicians of his generation, will write a memoir, his publisher said on Monday. Blue Rider Press, an imprint of Penguin Group USA, acquired the book after several years of discussions with Mr. Young, said David Rosenthal, the president and publisher.
“He’s been very busy playing and touring and making records, and the guy has 100 things going on all the time,” Mr. Rosenthal said. “He felt that this was a really propitious moment to try and put some stuff down on paper.” The book, tentatively titled “Waging Heavy Peace,” will be released in fall 2012. Mr. Young has already finished writing “a good deal of material,” Mr. Rosenthal said. “The intention is to cover pretty much everything — growing up, music, life,” he added. “I am astounded at his memory for detail.”
[more articles about the Neil books]
Tags: Waging Heavy Peace
Posted in Book Info, News / Article | 1 Comment »
Written by bnbrainer on 15 September 2011
Sharry writes:
I found myself in the middle of Neil childhood heaven while attending the premiere screening of “Neil Young Journeys.” That was definitely the theme of the evening. I felt very attached to everything that was going on. It was all so intimately familiar to me.
The concert footage which was excellent and compelling in its own right, was interspersed with footage from a road trip Neil took with his brother Bob and director Jonathan Demme. While visiting various sites in Omemee and Brock Road (Pickering), Neil reminisces about his childhood. His brother drove the lead car (an old Cadillac) and Neil and Demme followed. I’ve made numerous trips to Omemee over the past 5 years and was given a guided tour of Brock Road this past January. I’m familiar with all of the places and people that Neil mentioned. (Although I didn’t know about Bob guarding Neil’s chicken coop with a rifle after the famous chicken massacre of 1956. I took some notes.)
It was very cool to see Neil driving along Highway 401 West in his classic old car heading into Toronto with Massey Hall as the destination. He meant to take the Yonge Street exit but he got mixed up and took Bayview Avenue instead. Another driver honks at Neil as he maneuvers to quickly join the exit lane. (He also drove alongside a huge transport truck and it was really noisy.) I know that stretch of the highway where he took the wrong exit and it is really confusing at times.
As they approach Massey Hall Neil remarks, “It certainly doesn’t look like it did before. But I can smell it.” (In reference to Massey Hall). The camera then pans over the entire building from top to bottom where the triple red entry doors stand proudly.
When Neil was on-stage he made numerous comments about his childhood. He said that he was “reading a lot about his childhood lately.” He also mentioned that he attended many different schools and that during one particular year he had attended three different ones. (Neil was well acquainted with being the new kid in the class.)
Continuing with the “I Am A Child” theme, one of Neil’s ex-classmates from Grade 4 at an elementary school in Toronto was selected to speak during the Q&A session. Mary Ellen B. introduced herself and Neil’s face immediately lit up. He recognized her name right away. He said that Mary Ellen was his “first girlfriend.” I had interviewed Mary Ellen for “A Shakey Education” and she had called me earlier in the day to let me know that she planned to attend. (We were able to meet face to face — for the first time! — after the screening.)
Neil relayed an amusing story about winning a prize at a game at a community fair. He thought he had won a beautiful piece of jewellery. He had a bit of a crush on Mary Ellen so he decided to present her with a token of his affection. He went to her house but she wasn’t there. He gave the gift to Mary Ellen’s mother with instructions to give it to Mary Ellen. It turned out that the “golden necklace” was really a fancy dog collar choker chain. It was crafted in a chain-link fashion with little golden medallians hanging from it. Mary Ellen didn’t have the heart to tell Neil that his lovely gift ended up on the neck of their pet boxer.
Another classic Neil childhood heaven moment was when a large manila envelope was relayed to Neil from the audience. Neil’s old childhood pal from Omemee, Garfield “Goof” Whitney, wasn’t able to attend the screening but he sent along a memento to give to Neil. When Neil received it he jokingly remarked , “Oh, what does Goof want me to do now.”
During the road trip to Omemee Neil points out where his old friend Goof lives. (I had the opportunity to interview Goof this past April.) He reminisces about how his older friend would delight in taking advantage of his youthful naivete and general gullible nature. Goof told Neil that it was a good idea to eat tar from the road because after you chewed it for a while it would begin to taste like chocolate. Neil believed Goof and tested this out. Neil jokingly remarked that this was the beginning of his close relationship with cars.
Another member of the audience who spoke with Neil during the Q&A session had a photo with him that was taken at Kelvin High School’s 75th Anniversary Reunion in June 1987. Neil attended the event and was in the photo with some others. The reunion was held in conjunction with the Shakin’ All Over 1960s Winnipeg Bands Reunion. The audience member asked Neil if he was aware that Kelvin was celebrating its 100th anniversary next May and if so, did he plan to attend. Neil responded affirmatively.
Sharry (Up in T.O. keepin’ jive alive)
p.s. I’ll add some other highlights from the screening in the next day or two. There’s so much to report. I can’t do it all in one shot.
Tags: Jonathan Demme, Journeys, Sharry
Posted in Concert Reviews, Movie Info, Neil-unsorted-MISC-trivia, News / Article | 4 Comments »
Written by bnbrainer on 14 September 2011
actually he already wrote it:
Neil Young taking a holiday from music
After the rapturously received world premiere of Neil Young Journeys on Monday evening at a packed Princess of Wales Theatre, the singer and about 35 relatives, friends, associates and discreet admirers repaired to Canoe restaurant for a quiet (no music!), relaxed dinner 54 storeys above downtown Toronto.
Seated at Young’s table – he kept a white chapeau on through the entire meal – were his wife, Pegi; his long-time manager, Elliot Roberts; Neil’s brother, Bob; and Jonathan Demme, the director of Young’s last three concert films, including Journeys.
Young said he is taking a holiday from music for the time being to concentrate on writing non-fiction, mostly memoir-ish stuff. He has just completed his first book, a 105,000-word epic tentatively titled Cars I Have Known. No publisher as yet.
GlobeAndMail Staff
Last updated Tuesday, Sep. 13, 2011 6:34PM EDT
_________________________
Sharry, go ahead and publish it!
Tags: Cars I Have Known
Posted in Book Info, News / Article | 3 Comments »
Written by bnbrainer on 12 September 2011
Neil Young Surprises Pearl Jam at Toronto Concert With 15-Minute ‘Keep on Rockin’
While many were speculating that either Chris Cornell or U2’s Bono would join Pearl Jam onstage during their Sept. 11 in Toronto as both rockers were in town for TIFF festivities, it was Canadian crooner Neil Young who surprised the stadium-sized crowd by taking the Air Canada Centre stage with the Seattle group.
Pearl Jam — in town to kick off their latest Canadian tour as well as premiere their ‘Pearl Jam Twenty’ documentary at TIFF — were closing their 26-song, 150-minute set with a cover of Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ when the iconic singer came onstage to help bring the track home. Young would make the most of the cameo, extending the song well into what seemed like the 15-minute range. The response from the sold-out audience was nothing short of deafening.
“Uncle Neil,” as Eddie Vedder called him, then harmonized with Pearl Jam’s frontman — who actually seemed quite surprised by Young’s appearance — on one microphone before rounding things out with a huge finish and hugging it out with the band, who played on his 1995 album, ‘Mirror Ball.’
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Tags: Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam, TIFF
Posted in Movie Info, News / Article | 1 Comment »
Written by bnbrainer on 11 September 2011
Tomorrow, Monday 12 Sept, the new movie by Jonathan Demme about 2011 Massey Hall shows will screen at the Toronto film festival TIFF. Location: “Princess of Wales” – nice name. More info on NeilYoungTimes/news. Our special reporter Sharry is on scene.
Tags: Jonathan Demme, Journeys, TIFF
Posted in Movie Info, News / Article | 2 Comments »
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