Neil Young Listening Club

Music
#1061

Haven’t heard this one in some time, probably since it first came out. I remember seeing a couple of shows on this tour. Neil was very adamant that people stay put for the live performance of this material during the first set. Vividly remembered that ushers were instructed not to let anyone in the aisles coming or going while Greendale songs were being played. Could only move about after a song had ended. Found that extremely strange at the time, and it just conjured up memories of it almost 20 years later. Just an artist wanting you to be immersed in the little fictional town he created in his head I reckon.

Remember enjoying it when it came out, but don’t remember much. Looking forward to a revisit this week.

2 Likes
#1062

I saw the film of this in the cinema! It was pretty good, a bit am dram but also endearing. I liked my Neil best when he is ramshackle and a little bit shambolic. That’s when the good stuff comes through. I also like that this is an example of Neil getting a crazy idea in his head and properly committing to it, and the results are a lot better than when he decided to make a rock n roll album or a country record. The tracks @Besterberg mentions above are the best for sure, but you kind of need to listen to it as a piece instead of cherrypicking. Haven’t listened to the live version yet, need to get on it (although I’ve got Way Down In The Rust Bucket turning up on Friday, which I fully expect to be incredible, so that might be my archive Neil blocked out for a few weeks).

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#1063

I’d have loved to have seen it live. I found the CD a bit boring at the time, but it’s grown on me over the years. The sound is a bit dry without Poncho, and also the first half of the album drags a bit IMO, when he’s setting the scene, introducing the characters etc.

#1064

Yeah it was definitely an intriguing experience. He had a crew that had set up stage props depicting various settings in the small town. Vividly remember the small bar set up for ‘Double J’. There were actors onstage playing the parts of Neil’s fictional odyssey while him and Crazy Horse played the songs upfront. Wasn’t even that big of a stage where I saw him, but props everywhere. It was half Broadway half meets rock and roll show.

#1065

just to be clear, this film wasn’t a concert movie like the footage in the clip above (although, as you can tell they were no ordinary concerts), but a “proper film” that Neil wrote, directed and (obviously) soundtracked.

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#1066

I bought this on DVD when it came out, might still be in the original wrapping, never seen it. Will dig it out this week.

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#1067

pretty sure the European tour was a lot less exciting than this - couldn’t get tickets because it was a tiny place he played in Dublin, but I remember they were all acoustic solo shows. The Be The Rain clip above looks like a lot of fun.

#1068

yeah, i bought the DVD as well, not sure I ever watched mine. Once was enough, really…

#1069

Yeah he went all out, here is a screen shot I found of all the people coming and going, stage set up. Quite the backdrop!

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#1070

Bump! Only one more day to listen to Greendale!

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#1071

I noticed that there is a live acoustic Grreeendale album from Dublin on Spotify - I guess it must have been that show. There’s also a graphic novel:

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#1072

Started listening to Greendale a few times this week, but eventually gave up and listened to the “new” live album instead. It was all a bit:

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#1073

Think I’ve listened twice this week. Can’t remember a thing other than feeling a bit meh about it all. It’s better than Are You Passionate, but not sure it could have been much worse than that.

#1074

All right, all right. Lackluster reception these last few weeks but we will keep on moving along.

Up next: A Neil Young album I have never heard!

Ladies and gentleman for your listening pleasure this week, I present to you…

(Released September 27th, 2005, “Prairie Wind”)
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#1075

I’m listening to them all but I find I don’t have a great deal to say! Keep going though - I’m enjoying giving them all a go, even if I’m not enjoying them all, if that makes sense.

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#1076

I’ve heard it ‘passively’, via my mum listening to it, but have never properly paid attention to it. There’s an interesting back story, isn’t there, in that he recorded it before surgery for a brain aneurysm.

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#1077

Oh yeah man no worries, i’m dedicated to the cause. It will get on and popping in a couple weeks when we get the first of the archival live releases going.

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#1078

Thanks for keeping it going. Hopefully Living With War will get a reaction too.

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#1079

A late career favourite of mine, will definitely be involved.

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#1080

Never got on with this one. Will revisit this week to see if my opinion is wrong.