Neil Young

[tabs]

Originally Posted by tcar

Yoko was a surrogate mother for John.

Maybe so, but anyone who knew them would tell ya John called the shots...

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Mule

May be, but alone he was a very, very pale shadow of himself as a Beatle.

Your still confused Mule...The spark of that collorboration was a once in a generation or more phenon. So how can you compare.. a sole career vs a collorboration.

Dylan once told Mick Jagger, "I could write Satisfaction but you could never write Ballad of a Thin Man."

With the Fab Four..it was John Lennon that spoke with a conscience and kept them honest and it was Paul that gave them the pop sensibility.

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by red-beard

I saw Neil in '85. He pissed off the entire audience. We went to see Neil Young, not some crappy country band. Won't go again.

There was a short period of time when Neil tried out country western. I must admit that was a low point for him. He won't do that again.

[VaSteve]

Neil has always had a country influence, but the Old Ways period was pure Country. I have a great bootleg of the Austin City Limits show. DBTR with the pedal steel guitar an piano ROCKS.

Neil has always been a squirrely guy, seems like they just released Chrome Dreams II. The hard core know that CD1 was an album that was never officially released, could only get on bootleg. Would have come out around the TNT era. I've got boots of that as well from the acetate. Great early/mid 70's stuff. CDII contains "Ordinary People" which is an 18min sone played perhaps only once in Tornto in 1988. Something lie 15 verse. Wild. Right after that he played the full 60 to Zero (known as Crime in the City on the Freedom album and far less verses!).

If you really listen, his techincal playing has lost some of it's chops. He has some form of epilesy and thus it has affected his playing. Contrast the Re*ac*tor album with Rust Never Sleeps. Something happened around 80-81 that required him to change his style. This is where some of the "Raggedy Neil" playing comes from that you see during a Crazy Horse show...all that feedback and tremolo bar.

His new stuff is terrible compared to the older stuff. Even the mide 1990's stuff is better than what's coming out now. I kind lost interest around Are You Passionate. Just all sounds the same. *which is ironic if you listen to Weld (or one of the boots of that era). Heckler shouts out "It all sounds them same" Neil shouts back "it's all one song" Great sense of humor.

Seen Neil like 6 or 7 times. I'd go again, as long as it wasn't too much new stuff. Even solo he is captivating.

[Sonic dB]

Maybe so, but anyone who knew them would tell ya John called the shots...

This would be consistant with public sentiment.... however, if anyone gives a sh--, there are some bootlegs of their early studio sessions from 63, which I have on my IPOD, doing tracks like "One after 909" and "from Me to You"....and John and Paul clearly on the tapes, are going back and forth arguing about the arrangements, *****--g about what the other was supposed to play etc.
Obviously there was a dynamic of tension and competition from the beginning between Paul and John, and although Paul played the media-card of "the baby faced Beatle" he was a SOB in reality, just as John was...both fighting for control of the group from the beginning.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Sonic dB

This would be consistant with public sentiment.... however, if anyone gives a sh--, there are some bootlegs of their early studio sessions from 63, which I have on my IPOD, doing tracks like "One after 909" and "from Me to You"....and John and Paul clearly on the tapes, are going back and forth arguing about the arrangements, *****--g about what the other was supposed to play etc.
Obviously there was a dynamic of tension and competition from the beginning between Paul and John, and although Paul played the media-card of "the baby faced Beatle" he was a SOB in reality, just as John was...both fighting for control of the group from the beginning.

Why U miserable so and so...U took my statement out of context and used it for your own purposes.....Well congratulations you have learned something from me, my son..and I am proud to call you that.

Anyway to set the record straight...My comments about John calling the shots was about his relationship with Yoko. Ya dumb fk.

[Sonic dB]

My comments about John calling the shots was about his relationship with Yoko. Ya dumb fk.

There is a bootleg tape that I heard, of John and Yoko at the breakfast table in 1975 and Yoko clearly is bossing John around telling him that he needed to clear the table and do the dishes after breakfast, to which John steadfastly argued against saying 'have Sean do it, the lazy kid'.... so yeah, this relationship was clearly one of conflict too and both John and Yoko wore the proverbial pants.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Sonic dB

There is a bootleg tape that I heard, of John and Yoko at the breakfast table in 1975 and Yoko clearly is bossing John around telling him that he needed to clear the table and do the dishes after breakfast, to which John steadfastly argued against saying 'have Sean do it, the lazy kid'.... so yeah, this relationship was clearly one of conflict too and both John and Yoko wore the proverbial pants.

Yeah and then there is the story that Yoko canceled a recording sesssion and begged one of Johns assistants not to tell him who did it.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Superman

...He rocked.

That says it all !!! I wish I'd been there...

[Superman]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

I'd go again, as long as it wasn't too much new stuff. Even solo he is captivating.

FWIW, I thought it was a good balance and tasteful presentation. A few new songs were mixed in, but they were good and most of the stuff was what I wanted to hear, played the way I like. It was pretty straightforward. The accoustic stuff was gentle and heartfelt and intimate. The electric stuff was crunchy and sonic and he beat the piss out of the black Les Paul and tried to bend the tremolo bar and stomped the foot pedals like a man possessed. I think it was a new song, Spirit Road in which he did the long (at least twenty minutes) bit of guitar S&M. It worked. And in the harsh electric set he did the fattest, smoothest Oh, Lonesome Me I will ever hear. Substantially better than the album version, if you can believe that. The great ones make it look easy.

I'll weigh in on the other thing. John was clearly the creative force the other Beatles had trouble reckoning with. Paul was cute and had a golden singing voice, and he was a technician. His chops are like Mozart compared to John's Beethoven. Mathematical. Young bass players would do well to just chart his bass chops. Instructive, on a basic level. Structural. Paul understood music. John understood art. Between the two of them, they were immensely productive. In about eight or nine years, they created a mountain of brilliant tunes.

[creaturecat]

Neil Young - one of the finest writers/documentarians for a generation (or 2).
His book "Shakey" is an enlightening read.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Superman

I'll weigh in on the other thing. John was clearly the creative force the other Beatles had trouble reckoning with. Paul was cute and had a golden singing voice, and he was a technician. His chops are like Mozart compared to John's Beethoven. Mathematical. Young bass players would do well to just chart his bass chops. Instructive, on a basic level. Structural. Paul understood music. John understood art. Between the two of them, they were immensely productive. In about eight or nine years, they created a mountain of brilliant tunes.

I think that Stupor and I said and see basically the same thing, except for a difference in viewpoint. I basically said John kept them honest and Paul had the Pop sensibility. John kept them moving forward and Paul made the music accessible. The 2 together were a phenon...that is very rarely repeated.

Paul would have been happy doing.."I love you do" but John needed to move the bar and push the envelope...they hit just the right note at the right time, with a generation coming of age that had prosperity (the time to contemplate their navels) and the desire to differentiate their lives from their parents sensibilities. So as the band developed beyond "Love you do" the culture was able to grow right along with them. Perhaps that is why the Fab Four have such warm spot in the Boomer generations heart. Also let me state that I am not downplaying the the genius of the music one iota. ...

[Superman]

Or......it just might be due to plain ol' songwriting genius. Thirty-five years ago, at the tender age of fifteen, I knew for a fact that I'd be hearing Lennon/McCartney songs in elevators for the rest of my life. It's one of the things I ended up being right about.

[Drago]

Originally Posted by Superman

Ablosutely agree. Nothing whatsoever wrong with that voice.

I used to play bass in bands and have had many musician friends. Even since my heyday. A young fellow I knew years ago, several years or ten or so younger than I, was/is a very gifted guitarist. Speed metal, mostly. He was friends with the Seattle grunge contingent (Pearl Jam, Soundgarten, etc). He is highly respected, though he never got the Big Break. Brilliant guy. He once told me he envies my generation for its anthems. He said we have dozens. By some counts, many dozens. His generation has approximately none, unless you count Running With the Devil. Yes, we have your anthems. Several by Neil. And in those, his voice is ESSENTIAL to the song. When was the last time you heard someone try to cover a Neil Young song?

Pearl Jam covers his work all the time Sup...but you don't like Eddie Vedder's voice, do you?

[Superman]

It bothers me a bit when it sounds like he's trying hard to restrict the air volume in order to attain a deeper tone. Old disk jockey trick.

I think some Neil Young would be good to learn, for campfire purposes. Of course, Young and Vedder lack my singing abilities but as long as they're not around, it shouldn't be too embarrassing for them.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by tabs

Your still confused Mule...

One of us is.

The spark of that collorboration was a once in a generation or more phenon. So how can you compare.. a sole career vs a collorboration.

That is exactly what I'm doing. Was Lennon talented, immensely. Is McCartney talented, immensely. The driving force WAS the collaberation. I'll say Lennon 1/3, Mc Cartney 1/3, George & Ringo, 1/6, George Martin 1/6.


Without the Beatles Lennon was far from earth shaking.


Dylan once told Mick Jagger, "I could write Satisfaction but you could never write Ballad of a Thin Man."

Dylan couldn't shine Mick's shoes. You can come with all the artistic this & that you want. The Worlds Greatest Rock & Roll Band only refers to one group. When I go to a show or listen to music, I want to be entertained. Artistic fru fruness won't cut it if the entertainment is not there. Just for reference, about the only great band I haven't see is Pink Floyd.

Dylan writes great songs. You could make a case for him being the best at it. When you say, The Worlds Greatest Rock & Roll Band everyone knows who you're talking about.

With the Fab Four..it was John Lennon that spoke with a conscience and kept them honest and it was Paul that gave them the pop sensibility.

That might be a little over simplistic. John, song writer, very good & creative guitar. Paul, songwriter, great vocals. Do you know how many very talented bands go nowhere due to lack of good vocals, tons of 'em. Compare The Yardbirds' sales to Led Zeppelin's. Biggest difference? I believe they called him "the voice of rock & roll," Robert Plant. I'm a pragmatist. I'f the end product isn't that good, the artsy fartsy aspect doesn't pick up the slack, IMHO.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by tabs

I think that Stupor and I said and see basically the same thing, except for a difference in viewpoint. I basically said John kept them honest and Paul had the Pop sensibility. John kept them moving forward and Paul made the music accessible. The 2 together were a phenon...that is very rarely repeated.

Paul would have been happy doing.."I love you do" but John needed to move the bar and push the envelope...they hit just the right note at the right time, with a generation coming of age that had prosperity (the time to contemplate their navels) and the desire to differentiate their lives from their parents sensibilities. So as the band developed beyond "Love you do" the culture was able to grow right along with them. Perhaps that is why the Fab Four have such warm spot in the Boomer generations heart. Also let me state that I am not downplaying the the genius of the music one iota. ...

It's not like they were operating in a vacuum. The Rolling Stones, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds & scores of other great bands were stretching the boundaries of music. The pressure was on. Remember, they considered their toughest competition to be "The Beach Boys." They played at a local festival here recently. I was in front of a big screen watching LSU beat Florida.

[Steve Carlton]

Just watched the Neil Young Heart of Gold DVD and was really pleased. Nothing but good songs in this concert, and really filmed nicely by Jonathan Demme. Fantastic!

[TerryH]

Anyone catch that Johnny Cash Show tribute on PBS last night? Might have been pledge night. Tivo'd throught the "Yak Yak" so they may have been selling the DVD. Originally ran in August and will be on again....

From PBS website....
Pop/Rock
Part 1 of 2. Johnny Cash's 1969-71 TV series is remembered.
Monday, December 17, 2:00 AM

What a treat! From 1969.....

Bob Dylan, "I Threw it All Away"
Ray Charles, "Ring of Fire"
Roy Orbison, "Crying"
Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell, "Long Black Veil"
Neil Diamond, "Cracklin' Rose"
Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Bad Moon Rising"
James Taylor, "Sweet Baby James"
Neil Young, "The Needle and the Damage Done"
Carl Perkins, "Blue Suede Shoes"
Jerry Lee Lewis, "Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin On"
Derek & the Dominos, "It's Too Late"
Carl Perkins, Eric Clapton and Johnny Cash, "Long Way to Go"
Johnny Cash, "A Boy Named Sue"

[silver912e]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Just watched the Neil Young Heart of Gold DVD and was really pleased. Nothing but good songs in this concert, and really filmed nicely by Jonathan Demme. Fantastic!

I totally agree. I saw the film in a theater last year & then bought the DVD. The first half is from Prairie Wind, a recent album, and the second is classic Neil songs. He tells great stories, and it's a soulful performance. He did the performance shortly after his recovery from the brain surgery.