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Neil Young

Thought I would share a few thoughts here.

Neil Young is again on tour, so I am again giving this artist some thought.

I remember reading an interview with Bryan Ferry where he said that Neil Young was one of his favorite artists. I thought this odd given the glam rock of Roxy Music. But he described Neil Young as a musical chameleon, always changing up his music and bands, which is why he liked him so much.

That quote stuck with me.  Buffalo Springfield, Laurel Canyon, Solo Acoustic, CSNY, The Shocking Pinks, The International Harvesters, Rockin’ In The Free World, and so on.  Always a new twist for Neil.  He really doesn’t stay stagnant.

Then, reading about his current tour it seems at every stop he is breaking out some long forgotten and unplayed live tune to keep his set lists interesting.  

I’ve never seen him live, and frankly don’t think I have that much interest in seeing him live.  Yet I own a metric ton of his recorded material.  I remember reading someone else who described Neil as a one string soloist when it comes to rock guitar playing.  That kinda stuck with me.

I do appreciate his approach to analog releases from his vast catalog.

Anyway, he is indeed a hall of famer.

pgaulke60
Post removed 
bikefi10
113 posts
 

I would say he wrote alot of good songs. Saw and liked his concert mid 1980s. Aside from his synth and bebop albums, his music sounds rehashed to me. Lost interest by the 1990s.

Still enjoy his pre 1990s recordings sometimes, but no interest in seeing him or any of the old timers and Im in my mid 60s. So many other bands and music to experience. 

laminarman
6 posts
 

I ignore his politics and his bad music because his good music is so good.  I also ignore his awful singing because the rest can make up for it.  Similarly, nobody plays out of tune as good as Buddy Guy which is why I love him. There is a lot of music out there I just choose to ignore the stuff I don't care for.  Not a James Taylor fan at all, but the YouTube video of him on BBC singing Fire and Rain solo is the stuff of a master. And I can appreciate that. 

davidhrc
8 posts
 

There are many videos on YouTube of his summer tour in Europe. New, younger band accompanying him. It seemed that most every old song was prefaced by an inordinately long jam session of Neil and the band. Then after the song, there was an inordinately long coda jam. Sorta boring stuff surrounding a tasty middle.

howardlee's avatar
howardlee
168 posts
 

I've seen Young in concert multiple times starting in 1970.  He's excelled at staying fresh and reinventing himself over and over again.  The last few years he's gotten stale, like anyone that age (one might expect) but has done an enormous job of marketing himself (just go to his website).  Personally, I've had enough Neil Young and maybe he should rest on his laurels.  Stephen Stills said it best about Neil:  he never played team sports growing up.  An individual, needs to be in charge, doesn't play well with others except on bursts (CSN&Y).  Not really a putdown, but true.

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