Explain Neil Young to me...

HardDrive · 01-07-2006, 07:39 PM

Neil is way before my time (I'm 36), so perhaps I just don't have the historical perspective, but.....I think he is horrible.

His song writing? Pretty good stuff. But who the hell ever let the guy sit in front a microphone? Did anyone notice that the man CAN NOT sing? His fans call his albums brilliant and such....sounds like some second rate bar band with the town drunk for a lead singer.

What am I missing here? Is this part of some folk vibe I will never understand?

Zeke · 01-07-2006, 08:12 PM

Neil Young was born the same year as I was, 1945. so, maybe I understand him, maybe not. I share your opinion of him. Never did like him as a solo artist. A lot of these guys make it on legacy, I guess.

When he was part of a group, like the Buffalo Springfield or Crosby, Sills, Nash and Young, he lent a capable tenor voice to the harmony. I think he is most likely regarded as a good ax man in the music community. Actually, C,S & N did fine w/o him, IMO.

He was totally out of the picture for a pretty long time, but was resurrected by some promoter/producer when all the "classic rock" became a hot seller. they could have left him behind, for all I care.

And, I don't even like his writing all that much, either. So, you're ahead of me on that. But then again, I shun politically slanted songs. If I'm going to listen to music, I want to be entertained, not provoked.

COLDBASS · 01-07-2006, 08:16 PM

"After the Gold Rush..."

Milt, you old timer...

I am not too far behind you...

Jared at Pelican Parts · 01-07-2006, 08:24 PM

if you have to ask, you wont get it.

agree with Coldbass, After the Gold Rush, essential listening

COLDBASS · 01-07-2006, 08:36 PM

Once saw a video clip of the extended live version of "Southern Man" ...freakin awesome...Mr. Young is intense...Grandaddy of Grundge...IIRC didnt he once perform with Eddie Vetter and company on stage?

Jared at Pelican Parts · 01-07-2006, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by COLDBASS
Once saw a video clip of the extended live version of "Southern Man" ...freakin awesome...Mr. Young is intense...Grandaddy of Grundge...IIRC didnt he once perform with Eddie Vetter and company on stage?

yes, many times in fact. They did an album together. Although I think Pearl Jam sucks ass.

Jeff Higgins · 01-07-2006, 09:11 PM

Eddie Vetter couldn't carry Neil Young's jock strap... or whatever...

Ever notice Bob Dylan can't sing either? It's mostly what they sing about, and the music they write (and play) to set the mood, or the tone, of the message. Both are masters at getting the whole package to work together.

Some of us like some of our entertainment to be thought provoking. Not all of it, mind you, but if that's your thing, Neil Young does it as good as anybody ever has. The full spectrum of his commentary, and musical styles, is unique. That's part of why he seemed to dissapear for awhile. He has always done what he wants to do, to hell with the charts or popular acceptance.

It has been when he has been in some of his more off-beat phases that he has seemingly dissapeared, but he never really has. He has been plugging away pretty steadily now for darn near 40 years. It's during his periodic commercial successes that new folks are exposed to him; some like him, some enough to explore his earlier stuff, and they start to really like his music. Others don't; they may have no idea what he is singing about, or can't get past his voice. That's fine. A lot of us really enjoy his music; it's just a matter of personal tastes.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

what do you think of Tom Waits?

Dantilla · 01-07-2006, 09:12 PM

I've said for a long time I'd rather listen to fingernails on a chalkboard than Neil Young.

BlueSkyJaunte · 01-07-2006, 09:22 PM

CSN&Y? Pretty cool.

Young by himself just doesn't "speak" to me.

EdT82SC · 01-07-2006, 09:55 PM

If you don't like Neil Young's voice that is one thing, but he is definitely not a bad singer. He is always on key, and puts real emotion in his singing. But he's not for everyone. Everyone has their own tastes, and there is not a rock band out there that someone doesn't hate. Young writes and plays music that he likes, and luckily for him it is liked by enough people to allow him to pay the bills.

As for CSNY, Neil was asked to play for the first tour of the self-titled CSN album because they recorded extra guitar tracks on most of the songs. They felt the songs wouldn't sound enough like the album without an extra guitar on stage. But everything worked so well during the tour that Young stayed until Crosby's drug use and other interpersonal tensions caused Young to leave.

Neil Young never quit putting out albums either. He has constantly been putting out solo albums since he started doing them. So he was not resurected. In fact the band that was resurected was CSN, who got back together in the 90's after being broken up for years mostly due to Crosby serving jail time for drug offenses.

I happen to think that Young's newer albums are not as good as the early ones. Some people like the new stuff more then the old stuff. I've never really gotten into his slower albums like Harvest Moon. So even if you like Neil Young you are not required to like everything. Listen to music you like, and if that doesn't include Neil Young then that is fine too. Neil would approve.

HardDrive · 01-07-2006, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nostatic
what do you think of Tom Waits?

Genius.

Not much of singer, but thats not the point with Waits, is it?

dd74 · 01-07-2006, 10:47 PM

So Neil Young can't sing, huh? I suppose Kurt Cobain could sing? Talk about "sucks."

Neil Young's voice is like another instrument adding another dimension to his music. Yeah, it isn't Johnny Mathis or Lou Rawls (RIP), but with Young, his voice definitely adds a dimension to his songs. "Harvest Moon" is a great example of this; showing a sort of old somewhat tortured love.

The same has been said about Burt Bacharach. He should never sing his own songs; but again, the same tortured and scorned lover comes up in his songs when he'd sings them as opposed to Dionne Warrick.

Another example is Elton John - he can't sing. But there's an added layer to "Rocket Man" or better yet, " Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)."

450knotOffice · 450knotOffice's Garage

Are you kidding me!? Neil Young CAN'T sing, unless you consider going alternately sharp and flat on a single note to be singing. He sounds like a dying cat to me. Is that supposed to be passion and emotion? His writing seems OK but the singing...oh man, it hurts to listen to him.

Curt Cobain is just as bad, btw.

tabs · 01-07-2006, 11:53 PM

For what its worth....Neil Young like Dylan chronicles things that are important in his life. Like Dylan he hasn't sold out to show biz like the Rolling Stones did...after Altmont....or did the Stones just run out of things to say...Now to be sure Neil and Dylan don't have as poignant of things to say anymore, but they deal with old mens themes as it is that stage of their life.

I have always thought After the Gold Rush and Harvest were great albums...allthough Neil was never a special fav of mine...like the Early Stones, Doors, Jimi and a host of other rockers...

Tom Waits.....There is no devil only God when hes drunk...I know it can kill you so lets do another line down on Heart attack and Vine.... Now Daddy thats irony....

Jared at Pelican Parts · 01-08-2006, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nostatic
what do you think of Tom Waits?

Love him

tabs · 01-08-2006, 12:12 AM

In the Colleisum we call em as we see em....

livi · 01-08-2006, 02:14 AM

I know what you mean, HardDrive. I am turning 40 in two weeks (Heeeelp!!) and I don´t enjoy his music either.

Then again, its not for everybody to spot geniality when it present itself.

A lot of people still don´t appreciate the work of Dr. Porsche, C. Darwin or even Mr. Bush...

89911 · 01-08-2006, 03:20 AM

To each his own. Something about N Young voice, songs, guitar chords and arrangements chills me. I don't know how many times I've listened to "The Needle and the Damage Done" and still get chills. I've got "After the Gold Rush" in my iTunes along with almost every "new" band (Strokes, RadioHead, etc) so I'm not one of those lost in the 70's guy. I never felt how musically gifted a singing voice as a determining factor for what is "good". Wasn't Steven Perry from "Journey" thought to have a great voice?

I'll leave the voices to the American Idol winners.

Jim Richards · 01-08-2006, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nostatic
what do you think of Tom Waits?

Excellent.