(Rumors, Sightings, Eavesdroppings)
The newest report comes first. Scrolling down takes you backward through time... Note that this report is a log of stuff posted to the Rust List, so some of it may not make a lot of sense when taken out of that context. Subscribe to the Rust List to get ALL of the info...
Year of the Horse premiered in Helsinki, Finland Friday. I didn't have the opportunity to see it but there was a favorable review of it in the daily newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet. It was a pretty long article but I'll translate parts of it:
"Jim Jarmusch's on-the-road document Year of the Horse manages primarily to look like Neil Young's music sounds, heavily convincing, majestetic without being pompous, full of feeling without getting sentimental, beautiful like a bunch of wild horses you'd better admire from a distance.Again, certain parts of the article have been left out in this humble translation, such as "Crazy Horse consists of...". You know those facts already. And some parts of the article were freely translated."Neil's music tends to at its heaviest blow the wax and brains out of your ears (?!) but his poetic solo ballads are like a trip along a dusty country road in the afternoon sun.
"In this film, two of the least compromising artists of our time meet. Even if it is mainly Neil and Crazy Horses's film, Jarmusch is absolutely the right picture teller to tell the story of the most honest rock musician of our time.
"Crazy Horse are the wild horses of American music, an idea and an attitude, a concept whose importance for the chapter of the rock'n'roll of today that is not mainly commercial chart crap is bigger than one immediately realizes.
"The small clubs of the smokey 60's are replaced by large international arenas in the 90's but the sound gets heavier and more powerful.
"Jarmusch's home made anti-estethics gets boring for the viewer and it feels like its independent nature is its main goal. But one still has to admit: this is almost the only thing that deserves to be called rock'n'roll. Old men smell worst and sound most powerful."
Benny
The preying mantis
From: Todd Crawford <Spotydog@netcom.ca>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 22:22:56 -0500
Subject: Neil heals the Loons
Just received my latest issue of Cottage Life Magazine, and the main article in it is about the Loon (the bird, not the coin!). Anyway, I am flipping through it, when BAM! what do I find on page 54, but a picture of Neil, playing the acoustic, sans harmonica!! The caption read, "The Loono Awards Best Wailer in the category of Homo sapiens". Here is the blurb:
We love loon music but what music do loons love? A few years ago, Cottage Life reported on an experiment by bird rehabilators Michael and Janice Enright to soothe an inconsolable loon chick in their care.... Ebony [the loon] cried for weeks, to the point where the exhausted couple began playing music to the little bird - "classical, jazz, everything," says Janice. The baby loon turned a deaf ear to the human race's finest musical endeavours until someone put on Long May You Run, by Neil Young. Says Michael, "the chirps turned into chirps".It goes on to mention that another loon brought in to recover from an injury, immediately responded to Harvest Moon. Finally it quotes Scott Young:You might think it a happy coincidence, but Ebony Young, as he was gratefully renamed, continued to respond to Neil's wailing vocals. "He really liked Thrasher... ...and Birds, of course."
"I always knew loons were smart. They probably heard in Neil's voice a kindred spirit, for he used to cottage on Lake of Bays, watch loons and serenade them. He has a loon-like sound, I'm sure he tried to imitate them. That is why he's gotten so successful."There you have it, Neil heels the loons, what next!!! :)
Todd (Spotydog!!)
From: rick shearer <tiorick@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:44:30 PST
Subject: Neil in Rolling Stone
Rusties,
CSN&Y have an article in Rolling Stone #808 (Sugar Ray cover).
They say the album is coming out June, tour to follow, Neil's album move
to Sept - Oct, box set in Oct and Neil 20+ date tour. They quote Elliot
as saying the guys were having such a good time that they switched from
Neil doing a little for CSN to a full blown CSN&Y.
Another thing found by searching for Neil Young in the Rolling Stone web site: they're talking with Mike Gordon of Phish:
Farm Aid seemed to be an intense experience, too.Elsewhere in the article:We were really grooving well together, and Neil must have been inspired too, 'cause he just popped out on stage [to steer Phish into a scorching twenty-minute Down by the River], and I thought the jam was really impassioned in a certain kind of way. So it was a really special experience, 'cause we had just met him that day, and then to really bond with someone like that....
It was kind of an old-school jam, but sonically and texturally, it had so much going on. Have you ever had a guest appearance that turned out so intense?
Maybe not, it was definitely on a different par. He's such an intense and deep guy that he was out there without any distractions in his mind. He wasn't out there thinking, 'I'm a big star joining.' All he cared about was getting immersed in the music, and that was so apparent.
Then songs like Guyute and Limb By Limb were recorded more straight-ahead?Rick 'proto-rustie'Yeah, but the difference was that after we had all the jam tracks from the farmhouse [we rented], we went in and recorded more songs, and actually recorded sixteen songs in two days, including those. And usually it takes us three days to record one song. We were kinda on a roll, and they all sounded pretty good, all sixteen of them. It took maybe a couple of takes for certain ones. We were just in the right moment.
We've been talking to Neil Young a lot, doing these benefits, and his philosophy is you should record everything, and some stuff will be good, and not to worry whether everything's recorded in the same room for consistency. An album is capturing a period of time, and that will tie it all together.
Hey folks. I'm so far out of the loop, these days, I don't know what's known and not known about the upcoming CSNY reunion. But, I do have a new interview with the Croz in which he discusses it, as well as few other things (CPR, Clinton's impeachment...). He talks a bit about our boy Neil, too. You can access it in my CSNY pages.
All the best,
Jeffrey G.
From: jel@topsoe.dk
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 16:45:06 +010
Subject: YOTH in Copenhagen
Just a reminder to rusties from the Copenhagen area and maybe southern part of Sweden....
Year of the Horse will be shown at Store Vega friday the 26th at 21.00. Admission is only DKK 55,-.
If you go we'll probably meet...
Jens
..the Damage Done
From: RE*AC*TOR
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 08:55:13 -0500
Subject: Partick Lippert Award
See the NEWS FLASH.
From: RE*AC*TOR
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 09:11:02 -0500
Subject: Neil Album Yeilds to CSNY
I hear that Euro newspapers are reporting that Neil's new album will not be released until September now, to allow the CSNY album to be released (without competition from Neil's own album, presumably) in June (June 21?), ahead of the CSNY tour.
I guess that also gives him time to refine the new album some more
between the solo tour and the CSNY tour, and still let the manufacturing
work be done while he's off on tour. Sounds logical, but I still hate
having to wait even longer for some pure Neil-stuff!
. . . RE*AC*TOR
From: gharrison@telstra.easymail.com.au
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 13:39:44 +1100
Subject: Spooner Talks About New Album
Greetings folks, things have been a little slow Neil-wise here "down under", but I saw Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham at Melbourne's Continental Cafe last night -- great show, great musicians. These guys have worked with "everyone".
In an interview this morning on Triple R's Off The Record, Spooner was asked about some of the people he had worked with. In particular he was asked about Neil's new album. He said he believed the album was due to be released in the next couple of months. He said that Neil played acoustic guitar only.
When asked if it was a country flavoured album, he said "If you mean is it like Harvest Moon, no it's not. Razor Love is sort of R&B. There is a song about his Dad. It's another good album."
The interviewer, Brian Wise, stated, "You have worked with Neil a fair bit, and Spooner replied, "Neil's been a steady employer. I don't hear from him for a couple of years and then he rings up with a new CD or tour."
Spooner and Dan also said they choose a low profile and only work when and with whom they feel comfortable. A couple of really nice and laid back people who obviously don't stress out too much.
So it looks like Razor Love is in there. Anyone have any ideas of the song about Scott Young? Unfortunately no other songs were mentioned.
Cheers,
Black Bat
From: Joe Denes <deanzie@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 09:34:59 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Neil Is Everywhere dept.
Just got back to Kansas City from Ireland. (Wonderful time and a beautiful country.) We were walking down the pedestrian walk in city centre, Galway when encountered a non-Rustie playing Comes a Time. My friends imediately turned to me and laughed that we traveled that far and I got to hear Neil.
Joe
Dancing Moon
From: USMR42A@prodigy.com (KEN J MURTHA)
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 16:53:38, -0500
Subject: Neil dissed by DJs
Today on their radio show (95.5 KLOS -- and syndicated around the US) Mark and Brian were lamenting the fact that they are running low on free tickets to give to listeners. One of them then mentioned Neil's upcoming shows in LA, and they went on to mock Neil for the next 15 minutes.
They put on Running Dry and were making snide comments about Neil's singing. Then Cowgirl in the Sand comes on and one of them mentioned that it sounded just like his high-school band. After more derogatory comments about Neil's singing, playing and the length of the song, they took calls from people both attacking and defending Neil.
They ended by saying that their guest tomorrow was Neil Young. (Yeah, they were kidding.) All in all it was pretty funny, plus I got to hear Running Dry on the radio....a first for me.
Ken
Better Off Dead
From: Matt Swayhoover <mattsway@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 10:18:54 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Neil Is Everywhere dept.
To my complete disbelief, the local Alt-Rock station (HFS) recently
used String Quarter From Whiskey Boot Hill as the background music for
a traffic report! (The DJ must be a Rusty...)
From: RE*AC*TOR
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 11:23:50 -0500
Subject: Crosby Talks CSNY...
Launch.com has some extensive quotes from David Crosby about what's going on in the CSNY department. Examples:
Norwegian newspaper VG currently has an online poll, and Neil hasn't got the votes he deserves... Two Neil albums, Harvest and EKTIN are on the list, holding 46 and 15 votes each, respectively. My hope is that some of you rusties will vote, making the list look a little better, seen from a rusted point of view....
The poll is at http://www.vg.no/hvaskjer/hot-o-meter/.
Javascript must be enabled in your browser, for you to see the list. Scroll down past the intro screen, and prepare yourself for an express course in Norwegian....
"??? stemmer" means "??? votes". "Stem på denne" means "Vote for this one"
73 de LC8MAT / Vennlig hilsen
A couple of years ago a CDROM focusing on the albums with art by Henry Diltz and Gary Burden was on the shelves. They've both worked on various Neil projects (eg, Burden most recently did all of the Mirror Ball art, Diltz has taken lots of famous Neil pix, etc) and the CDROM has a substantial Neil Content (though not as much as CSN, Eagles, etc). It's a fun CDROM -- and I reviewed it back when it came out.
Well, it turns out that Diltz is now offering the CDROM himself, from
his web site. If it sounds like something you might be interested in,
you can see my review, where there's
a link to Diltz's page -- and you can order it from there.
. . . RE*AC*TOR
From: Naomi Rothenberg <rothenberg.7@osu.edu>
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 10:23:38 -0500
Subject: Neil on CNN
I taped it because I can't stay up that late anymore, and this morning I watched the Neil part while my son was loudly whining about wanting to watch cartoons, so I didn't catch all the details...
The Neil part was about 1-2 minutes, and it was during their "music news." They just confirmed (I didn't catch who confirmed it) that Neil would be touring with CSNY this summer. They said that Neil "was putting Crazy Horse out to pasture." (I hope not!) They had real old footage of Neil (1990) saying something about working with CSN and then more old footage of him with super bad hair, and some footage of CSN.
Naomi
From: mbouchie@juno.com
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 00:30:14 -0500
Subject: SNL Weekend Update
Colin Quinn just made fun of CSN&Y on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update. He reported that they are making a new album, the first one in over a decade. It went something like:
"They are calling the new album CSN & For The Love Of God Y?"Matt
At last!
Just read in an in-flight magazine that Year of the Horse will be premiered in Finland in February, in the re-opened Andorra cinema owned by the Kaurismäki brothers, Aki and Mika. They're both movie directors and are friends of Jarmusch, so it's only logical that they'll show one of his films.
Pekka
From: bigredbeacon@juno.com
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 21:28:26 -0500
Subject: Mott does Neil
Just got the Mott the Hoople 3-CD archives set, which is for some reason unknown to me called All the Young Dudes. Seems like they would have picked something other than the title of one of the band's regular albums for it...
Anyway, it includes a live version of Ohio from September of 1970, and a version of (Come on Baby, Let's Go) Downtown, recorded, but never released, in 1971 in the vain quest for a hit single.
Mick Ralphs was the Neil fan in the group. (I always thought his Wrong Side of the River was the best "Neil" song by anyone other than Neil -- it beats the hell out of A Horse with No Name, anyway.) Ralphs was a hell of a guitar player, and his voice was in about the same range as Neil's, but not very powerful or expressive most of the time.
The vocals on Mott's Ohio are by Ralphs. The intro kicks major ass, with guitar by Ralphs and drums by Dale Griffin. No long guitar solos, but a couple that are short and good-but-not-great. Also a little organ solo by Verden Allen. Comments of Ralphs from 1995 are included in the booklet: "I liked Neil Young, got his Ohio single, and we rehearsed and began performing the song live the week of its release."
The version of Downtown is extremely weird. I will not even attempt to describe it here. Ralphs does the lead vocals, with Ian Hunter joining in here and there.
Ralphs comments from 1995: " I never really liked Downtown and I can understand why Ian didn't want to sing it. It was pretty naff. We were desperately trying to get a hit, but it was an ordinary cover of an ordinary song."
OK. Now that I've listened to Ohio one more time, I'm more impressed with Mick's guitar work on it. Downtown is still extremely weird on second listening.
As most of you have probably heard already, Neil is receiving the Patrick Lippert Award on the 23d of February, I think it is. I just heard last night that Beck is the one inducting Neil. The MTV site has a story on it.
I wonder if Neil's going to perform at the ceremony. It would be a boring ceremony if he didn't. Perhaps Beck and Neil could do something together. Or Neil and Wyclef Jean, who is also receiving the award. Wyclef is used to working with older rock stars. His Bobness participated in Wyclef's tender Gone 'til November with splendour, remember? Poetry in motion... (the video, that is).
Benny
The preying mantis
From: Lars Ola Larsson <dat94lol@ludat.lth.se>
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 13:40:30 +0100 (MET)
Subject: Archives 2000
I found this article today on Jam! Music:
Neil Young box set pushed to 2000Lars Ola
by John SakamotoFor long-suffering fans who have been following this saga for the better part of this decade, the following news will seem like just another cruel joke:
It looks as though the first volume of Neil Young's ambitious, multi-box-set retrospective, in the works for at least the past five years, has been pushed back again, this time into the next century.
According to a spokesperson for Reprise/Warner Music, the first box set is still being worked on, "for release probably early next year."
Neil is scheduled to be on the show World Beat being broadcast on CNN this Saturday night/Sunday morning at 12:00 Midnight. Here's the listing:
12:00 am - CNN World BeatFree Roamin' SoulCover Version: Billie, The Boyz, 5ive, Spice Girls, B*Witched, All Saints, Steps, Solid HarmoniE, Boyzone, Britney Spears, 'N Sync, Backstreet Boys, New Kids On The Block, Joey McIntyre, Robbie Williams, East 17, e17, Wham, George Michael;
The Beat: Michael Stipe, Neil Young and Blondie;
Flipside: German teen idol Sasha;
Fresh Cuts: Tina Arena, Bell, Book & Crandle and New Radicals;
Inside Track: Phish
Reprise has moved the tentative release date from June 22 to June 29 on their
upcoming releases page.
If it were still completely uncertain, I doubt that they'd be fine-tuning
the date like that, while it's still so far out. Maybe this is a sign that
it's really gonna happen this time... :-)
. . . RE*AC*TOR
From: Glenn Cooper <coopergw@mpx.com.au>
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 07:43:04
Subject: Neil Album helps define "The 60s"
Excerpts from an article reprinted locally, originally from the New York Daily News:
New Soundtrack Tries To Capture "The '60s"
But The Real Groove Is With The Originals
By Jim FarberNo decade produced music more integral to its soul than the 60's. Songs of that time provided the glue between the sex, drugs and politics of the day, giving them more social relevance than the tunes of any other decade in this century.
In the time since, lots of albums have tried to sum up that dense and charged time, from the soundtracks of The Big Chill and Forest Gump to the new one, which hits stores this week, for NBC's "The 60s" miniseries.
For those who want something broader, here's some must-own work from that war-torn, tie-dye time, beginning with the holy trinity:
- BOB DYLAN: The single greatest writer and innovator of the era. Buy everything, especially Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 and Blonde on Blonde.
- The Beatles: Again, you must own everything, but stress Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, The Beatles, and Abby Road.
- The Rolling Stones: Their peak's on High Tide and Green Grass, Through the Past Darkly, Beggar's Banquet and Let It Bleed.
:
:- Neil Young: Era's darkest guitarist and quirkiest singer, best on Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere.
:
Just got done listening to it. All of the Neil-related info that he mentioned was that CSNY were working on a record. He said that he doesn't know exactly how it all came about, but Neil came walking into the studio one day. Dave explained that he did the same thing that he always does when he sees that happen. He said that he starts playing music.
Cros also mentioned the upcoming tour to follow the record. He was asked to elaborate on the song Ohio. He remembered that they were somewhere and someone brought in a magazine with the picture of the dead girl from Kent State on the cover. According to him, Neil was so moved by the picture, then there was Ohio.
Peace and Rust
HGS
From: Michael Kelsey <crystalprinc@earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 18:15:53 -0200
Subject: Neil vs Unabomber
Did anyone read today's internet news about the Unabomber seeking a new trial? Seems that he's convinced a law professor to help him find a lawyer to take his case. Will Neil be a witness?
Here's the explanation the professor had for Ted's odd acts:
"In the late 60s, early 70s a lot of folks felt that way (looking for a simpler way of life). Most satisfied that urge by buying a Neil Young album. Ted lived it."Wonder what album he is referring to? Tonight's the Night? Maybe Time Fades Away?
So...either we buy Neil albums or blow people up. Glad I'm a fan!
From: Richard.Shearer@West.Boeing.com
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 12:57:38 -0800
Subject: Neil a DVD Advocate?
An article in yesterday's Orange County Register about "DVD Audio" had some Neil Content. See the article if you want to see the picture used in the newspaper story or if you want to read the full article and related articles on DVD audio. But here's the Neil Content cut and pasted for u.
"Getting the word out (about DVD), getting the buzz out there, (that's key)," Dever said. "It's amazing how quickly information moves in today's day and age. If it's something good, this thing will spread as quick as wildfire."Rick 'proto-rustie'And celebrity endorsements aren't far behind. American consumers who hesitate to buy sneakers (or cereal) without first learning of Michael Jordan's express approval, need an audio advocate, too.
In this case, the industry proffers Neil Young - a longtime critic of digital recording technologies - who, like Mikey in the Life cereal commercials, "hates everything." The veteran rocker, who reportedly condemned CDs as cold, flat and emotionless, is prepared to embrace DVD-Audio, said publicist Bob Merlis.
"My understanding is he's happy with what's coming down the line and intends to put not only his upcoming stuff out but go back and have his older catalog on DVD-Audio," said Merlis.
Ready to update your collection yet?
Sunday night, we went to a Steve Wynn acoustic show in a small Parisian club. He was promoting his new album: My Midnight. He played a one hour set and an encore with some oldies from Dream Syndicate and some new songs.
After the set, Steve and I talked at the bar. He confirmed to me that he is a great Neil fan, he used to play some Neil covers with Dream Syndicate in the 80's and recently for a Bridge School tribute CD did Time Fades Away.
Atchao
MoMo
From: Mark Giles <mlgiles@dircon.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 22:33:16 -0000
Subject: Duck Dunn talks Neil
Here's an excerpt from a recent interview with Donald "Duck" Dunn (of Booker T & the MGs) from the Boston Herald:
Isn't there a demand for the world's greatest backup band from artists besides Neil Young?Mark"Actually, I've been working with Neil again recently making a record," Dunn says. "And I know he's going to want to tour and I'd have to take a tour like that. But backing other people, well, it's up to Booker and Steve. I always thought we'd sound good behind Van Morrison. Yeah, two or three songs on a record with Van Morrison and Booker T. and the MGs would sound good, don't'cha think?"
I sure do. But I don't need convincing.
In Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer a review was included of a book titled Grown Up All Wrong by Robert Christgau. The following quote is included in the review:
"In a final essay, Christgau considers Neil Young and concludes that, at his best, Young presents 'a perfectly and completely explicit demonstration of why rock and roll means as much as Shakespearean tragedy or the contents of the Louvre to people who are supposed to know better.' "After thinking about...I like that observation.
In a USA Today article about CSN and Neil, they say:
Young's solo tour, opening March 2 in Vancouver, is expected to spotlight tunes from a solo album due in September.Shawn McCorkle - Just Riding My LLama
Headline in The Chicago Tribune:
Elliot Roberts says it's so, in a
SonicNet article.
. . . RE*AC*TOR
From: RE*AC*TOR
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 12:15:02 -0500
Subject: Archives: Another News Variation
This came from a radio station (some kind of syndicated news), and it makes more sense that some of the speculation I've been seeing:
Young is currently planning a solo acoustic tour, which should last through the end of March. After that tour, he should be releasing an all-new album; the release of the box set depends on the release date of the new album, which Young wants released first. A source at Warner Brothers Records says that if the new album is out by August, there is a chance that the box set may be released by the end of 1999.. . . RE*AC*TOR
I see they've added Neil's album back to the Reprise upcoming list at June 22 now (standard "tentative" disclaimers apply).
And a Live Daily report mentions "the <CSNY> tour would coincide with a planned Neil Young boxed-set, tentatively set for release in late June and featuring recordings from every phase of Young's career." If we believe that timeframe, both his new album AND the box set are due out at about the same time. (I'd bet that the report got the new album date mixed up with the box set date.)
And supposedly the CSN-plus-Y album is due in May.
And supposedly the Buffalo Springfield box is ready for production.
The race is on.... :-)
. . . RE*AC*TOR