I don't like Neil Young, never have........ - Page 2

tboy · May 16th, 2008, 08:50 AM

In my book, he's one of the few real.

magicguitar · May 16th, 2008, 08:53 AM

Neil Young is just COOL!

Nighthawk · May 16th, 2008, 08:53 AM

You can say what you want about Neil Young, "whiney", "not a good guitar player", whatever... However, the guy is still relevant after all these years and to prove that were talking about him here. He is still writing, recording and producing original music that people still buy. How many artists from his era can say that? Not many. Beyond that his catalog is huge and parts of it are terrible, parts of it are good and parts of it are just inspired. Any fans here of "On The Beach"... A great record. Simple but just soooooo good.

Just-Jim · May 16th, 2008, 09:32 AM

I can see why people do not like him, but I personally do. But of course not everything.

Harvest
His work with the Shocking Pinks
Rust Never Sleeps
Harvest Moon
Comes a Time

Powder Finger is one of my all time favorite songs.

Jim

John Backlund · May 16th, 2008, 09:42 AM

I think without the video I posted, 'Wonderin', though still a good-sounding old tune, would be about 1/4th the artistic 'package' it is without the visuals. Somehow, his voice, which I don't usually like at all, is ideal for this production and no one could have possibly done it 'better'.

My 'issues' with Neil Young's music goes much deeper than his voice. I dislike him on several levels, not all musical. That's not to say that I don't acknowlege his talent, creativity, social conscience, or justified popularity as an artist, which are undeniable.

As an aside, I looked for his backup 'doowop' singers 'The Shocking Pinks' on Youtube, but only found a group by that name that were perhaps the absolute opposite of the three young gentlemen snapping their fingers in the backseat of the Cadillac. I almost have to assume that because the video is probably approaching 25 years old, these are different guys than the moody bunch I found.

Tdot · May 16th, 2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Backlund

I think without the video I posted, 'Wonderin', though still a good-sounding old tune, would be about 1/4th the artistic 'package' it is without the visuals. Somehow, his voice, which I don't usually like at all, is ideal for this production and no one could have possibly done it 'better'.

That's funny because I don't think I've ever seen the video before. For those who are listening to it on laptop speakers, this is one of those songs that becomes quadruple life size through a real stereo.

echale iii · May 16th, 2008, 09:51 AM

Well, like or dislike as you will, but it's hard to argue with the fact that he's still writing, playing, and relevant even after all these years...

I wonder how may of us have as much success marching to the beat of our own drum....

CatfishStudios · May 16th, 2008, 09:59 AM

I love Young..He is an American icon..one of the best songwriters out there...of course his voice is not...well....refined..but he doesnt let that stop him..much respect for Neil ! Old Man, Sugar Mountain, two of my favorite songs period.

thaus · May 16th, 2008, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatfishStudios

I love Young..He is an American icon..one of the best songwriters out there...of course his voice is not...well....refined..but he doesnt let that stop him..much respect for Neil ! Old Man, Sugar Mountain, two of my favorite songs period.

Sorry.......too many up here in Canada claim him as their own! Born and raised in Winnipeg and Northern Ontario.........yeah, he has been an American citizen for quite a while but the Canadians up here consider him a Winnipeger!! You could say an CaMerican icon!

markw51 · May 16th, 2008, 10:07 AM

I'll never forget the first time I saw him.

We were at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. and Buffalo Springfield was one of the bands playing.

Young came out on the stage wearing a leather western jacket with fringe that must have been 3 feet long and everyone laughed at him.

Brent Hutto · May 16th, 2008, 10:08 AM

I'm not like Bubbanov. I don't like everything Neil Young has ever done, far from it.

But fortunately, the 20% of what he's done that I love is more stuff and more different stuff than most musicians can create in a lifetime. At his best there's nobody like him and nobody better. At his worst he's unlistenable. So I just listen to the half-dozen or so albums that I like and don't worry bout the dozens of others.

Eric Karonen · May 16th, 2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

Sorry.......too many up here in Canada claim him as their own! Born and raised in Winnipeg and Northern Ontario.........yeah, he has been an American citizen for quite a while but the Canadians up here consider him a Winnipeger!! You could say an CaMerican icon!

Not quite right. He was born in Toronto, but his lineage is all Winnipeg. Here's a good story about his early days in Toronto both before and after his time in Winnipeg:

http://www.ladlass.com/ice/archives/010456.html

Rumble · May 16th, 2008, 10:47 AM

IMO, Neil Young = The Best Ever, the total package of lyrics, hooks, guitar playing (acoustic and electric), vocals, and overall songs. He's always had a rawness I could only hope to emulate.

CatfishStudios · May 16th, 2008, 10:54 AM

And he made it in the states..and he lives in the states..I claim him for North America!

gibsonjunkie · May 16th, 2008, 10:58 AM

I am a huge fan. Just loaded "After the Goldrush" on my iPod this week. Took me back to a simpler time...

"The Needle and The Damage Done" - amazing song... "Sugar Mountain" - I love a bootleg version I got years ago. I mentioned in another thread earlier this week that Neil was the one that told a standing room only crowd (that I was fortunately in) at Madison Square Garden that the war in Vietnam was finally over... and his song "Ohio" was a classic anti-war song that really caught the turmoil of that decade better than any other song, and I would argue helped fuel the fire that eventually helped bring our boys home...

Good thread!!!

studio1087 · May 16th, 2008, 11:17 AM

I think the "new guitars vs. old guitars" and "do you like Neil Young?" are two of the classic guitar player's debates.

I love Neil Young. Neil has been writing honest rock and roll since before I was born. The passion that he puts into every note is inspiring. I've seen him live about 15 times and I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter once. The work the Neil and his family have done for The Bridge School (helping kids with speech and physical disabilities through technology) is inspiring.

The duet of Treetop Flyer that Neil did with Stills on the Freedom of Speech tour was a treat.....

Introduction by Johnny Cash.....

The more I peel away layers of the Neil Young onion, the more I find. I think he's a very bright writer.

John

Five Finger Fender Fiend · May 16th, 2008, 11:19 AM

I love Neil Young and always have done. Sure, he's controversial and at times vitriolic, but he is a fantastic communicator with an absolute army of fans 'out there'...and you don't achieve that without being gifted. For me he remains one of the most relevant artists today.

Mike Bruce · May 16th, 2008, 11:46 AM

Neil Young is cool in so many ways that most of us can't really relate. Or is he cool because he is not cool?

Played in a NY tribute band for a while. Great fun, great tunes, and more sincere than any number of pop artist tributes around these days.

His biography is pretty interesting.

Mike Bruce

fltpkr · May 16th, 2008, 11:48 AM

I can't think of a single artist whose work I liked 100%. Not even Neil. But I do remember buying the Crazyhorse album "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" in the summer of '69 and laying on the floor in my bedroom with the headphones on for hours on end. It was life changing for me.

Colt W. Knight · May 16th, 2008, 11:51 AM

I'm not a Neil Young fan, but I don't dislike him if that makes any sense. If his songs come on the radio, I don't change the station like Rascal Flatts.

e-merlin · May 16th, 2008, 11:52 AM

I will give Neil Young credit for this, he stands for something, love it or hate it, which is more than I can say for most popular musicians.

chabby · May 16th, 2008, 02:59 PM

I was an absolute Neil Young freak in the late 70's and early 80's but kind of wore him out-thats the way I am. Then I locked onto Jackson Browne who's pretty opposite and wore him out (except now I'm back onto J. Browne again.

My favorite Neil Young was when he did country so obviously my favorite album was "Comes a Time". He even covered "Four Strong Winds on that one.
I was pretty discretionary on his rock and picked and chose - liked Like a Hurrican, Cowgirl in the Sand, Cortez, When you Dance, Welfar Mothers.

Didn't really care for his minor keyed folk stuff all too much but respected his writing of words and stories. I'm kind of a Singer/songwriter guy in my musical tastes (obviously by choices). But neil's voice can grate on you after awhile.

PostoronnimV · May 16th, 2008, 03:17 PM

Neil's music in "Dead man" movie is so great... Helped me to get into his other stuff.

Chris Browne · May 16th, 2008, 03:48 PM

A great artist with a sense of humor!

tuuur · May 16th, 2008, 04:09 PM

Neil Young... a big inspiration. He's the reason I sing with that terrible accent.

Love the acoustic stuff, the harmonies, the extended frenzied solos.

But I don't like everything. I saw the documentary of Crazy Horse (can't remember what it was called now cause I was that disappointed), and I couldn't relate to that at all.

Frontier9 · May 16th, 2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michaell

I can only take small doses of Neil...

...he can't play electric guitar either, it's a joke really...

Well, not in a highly technical fashion, I suppose.

I will never try to talk someone into appreciating Neil's guitar playing but I will try to explain what I get out of it - it's not the tone, it's not the notes he plays, but it's more of a visceral experience for me. I truly get chills sometimes when I hear that old Gibson of his; his 1989 SNL performance of "Rockin' in the Free World" comes to mind. It's almost like Old Black is plugged into his soul on the way to his amp. No killer chops, but a direct connection to what he's all about. When he really gets going it almost seems like he's channeling a... well, ok I'll say it... a hurricane. Noise and fury - like he's walking some thin line between sanity and madness, creation and destruction.

I love that - it reminds me of the pure adrenalin rush I got the first time I played an electric guitar really, really loud.

May 16th, 2008, 08:53 AM	#43 (permalink)
Nighthawk Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2008 Location: Massachusetts Age: 59 Posts: 156	You can say what you want about Neil Young, "whiney", "not a good guitar player", whatever... However, the guy is still relevant after all these years and to prove that were talking about him here. He is still writing, recording and producing original music that people still buy. How many artists from his era can say that? Not many. Beyond that his catalog is huge and parts of it are terrible, parts of it are good and parts of it are just inspired. Any fans here of "On The Beach"... A great record. Simple but just soooooo good. __________________ "Inside the museums infinity goes up on trial"

May 16th, 2008, 10:08 AM	#51 (permalink)
Brent Hutto Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South Carolina Posts: 658 6 Photos	I'm not like Bubbanov. I don't like everything Neil Young has ever done, far from it. But fortunately, the 20% of what he's done that I love is more stuff and more different stuff than most musicians can create in a lifetime. At his best there's nobody like him and nobody better. At his worst he's unlistenable. So I just listen to the half-dozen or so albums that I like and don't worry bout the dozens of others. __________________ ON HIATUS

May 16th, 2008, 10:58 AM	#55 (permalink)
gibsonjunkie Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomfield, Connecticut Age: 55 Posts: 568	I am a huge fan. Just loaded "After the Goldrush" on my iPod this week. Took me back to a simpler time... "The Needle and The Damage Done" - amazing song... "Sugar Mountain" - I love a bootleg version I got years ago. I mentioned in another thread earlier this week that Neil was the one that told a standing room only crowd (that I was fortunately in) at Madison Square Garden that the war in Vietnam was finally over... and his song "Ohio" was a classic anti-war song that really caught the turmoil of that decade better than any other song, and I would argue helped fuel the fire that eventually helped bring our boys home... Good thread!!! __________________ The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese...

May 16th, 2008, 11:17 AM	#56 (permalink)
studio1087 Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Near Milwaukee Age: 44 Posts: 3,580 36 Photos	I think the "new guitars vs. old guitars" and "do you like Neil Young?" are two of the classic guitar player's debates. I love Neil Young. Neil has been writing honest rock and roll since before I was born. The passion that he puts into every note is inspiring. I've seen him live about 15 times and I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter once. The work the Neil and his family have done for The Bridge School (helping kids with speech and physical disabilities through technology) is inspiring. The duet of Treetop Flyer that Neil did with Stills on the Freedom of Speech tour was a treat..... Introduction by Johnny Cash..... The more I peel away layers of the Neil Young onion, the more I find. I think he's a very bright writer. John __________________ JLG Carry On

May 16th, 2008, 11:19 AM	#57 (permalink)
Five Finger Fender Fiend Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bron-Yr-Aur Posts: 664	I love Neil Young and always have done. Sure, he's controversial and at times vitriolic, but he is a fantastic communicator with an absolute army of fans 'out there'...and you don't achieve that without being gifted. For me he remains one of the most relevant artists today. __________________ I'm on the road tonight with this old hillbilly band. We may not be good looking but we sure get outta hand. -Neil Young

May 16th, 2008, 08:50 AM	#41 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 532 7 Photos	In my book, he's one of the few real.

May 16th, 2008, 08:53 AM	#42 (permalink)
magicguitar Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Fallon, Nevada Age: 60 Posts: 523	Neil Young is just COOL!

May 16th, 2008, 09:32 AM	#44 (permalink)
Just-Jim Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 318	I can see why people do not like him, but I personally do. But of course not everything. Harvest His work with the Shocking Pinks Rust Never Sleeps Harvest Moon Comes a Time Powder Finger is one of my all time favorite songs. Jim

May 16th, 2008, 09:42 AM	#45 (permalink)
John Backlund Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: South Dakota Posts: 554 20 Photos	I think without the video I posted, 'Wonderin', though still a good-sounding old tune, would be about 1/4th the artistic 'package' it is without the visuals. Somehow, his voice, which I don't usually like at all, is ideal for this production and no one could have possibly done it 'better'. My 'issues' with Neil Young's music goes much deeper than his voice. I dislike him on several levels, not all musical. That's not to say that I don't acknowlege his talent, creativity, social conscience, or justified popularity as an artist, which are undeniable. As an aside, I looked for his backup 'doowop' singers 'The Shocking Pinks' on Youtube, but only found a group by that name that were perhaps the absolute opposite of the three young gentlemen snapping their fingers in the backseat of the Cadillac. I almost have to assume that because the video is probably approaching 25 years old, these are different guys than the moody bunch I found.

May 16th, 2008, 09:51 AM	#47 (permalink)
echale iii Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ivanhoe, VA Age: 45 Posts: 335	Well, like or dislike as you will, but it's hard to argue with the fact that he's still writing, playing, and relevant even after all these years... I wonder how may of us have as much success marching to the beat of our own drum....

May 16th, 2008, 09:59 AM	#48 (permalink)
CatfishStudios Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon , United States Age: 32 Posts: 727	I love Young..He is an American icon..one of the best songwriters out there...of course his voice is not...well....refined..but he doesnt let that stop him..much respect for Neil ! Old Man, Sugar Mountain, two of my favorite songs period.

May 16th, 2008, 10:07 AM	#50 (permalink)
markw51 Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: rockville, md. Posts: 301	I'll never forget the first time I saw him. We were at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. and Buffalo Springfield was one of the bands playing. Young came out on the stage wearing a leather western jacket with fringe that must have been 3 feet long and everyone laughed at him.

May 16th, 2008, 10:47 AM	#53 (permalink)
Rumble Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Georgia Age: 36 Posts: 738	IMO, Neil Young = The Best Ever, the total package of lyrics, hooks, guitar playing (acoustic and electric), vocals, and overall songs. He's always had a rawness I could only hope to emulate.

May 16th, 2008, 10:54 AM	#54 (permalink)
CatfishStudios Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon , United States Age: 32 Posts: 727	And he made it in the states..and he lives in the states..I claim him for North America!

May 16th, 2008, 11:46 AM	#58 (permalink)
Mike Bruce Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Goderich Posts: 169	Neil Young is cool in so many ways that most of us can't really relate. Or is he cool because he is not cool? Played in a NY tribute band for a while. Great fun, great tunes, and more sincere than any number of pop artist tributes around these days. His biography is pretty interesting. Mike Bruce

May 16th, 2008, 11:48 AM	#59 (permalink)
fltpkr Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oregoon Posts: 770	I can't think of a single artist whose work I liked 100%. Not even Neil. But I do remember buying the Crazyhorse album "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" in the summer of '69 and laying on the floor in my bedroom with the headphones on for hours on end. It was life changing for me. __________________ The preacher says all my sins is warshed away, including that Piggly Wiggly I knocked over in Yazoo.

May 16th, 2008, 11:51 AM	#60 (permalink)
Colt W. Knight Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wyoming Age: 24 Posts: 1,603	I'm not a Neil Young fan, but I don't dislike him if that makes any sense. If his songs come on the radio, I don't change the station like Rascal Flatts.

May 16th, 2008, 02:59 PM	#62 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,257	I was an absolute Neil Young freak in the late 70's and early 80's but kind of wore him out-thats the way I am. Then I locked onto Jackson Browne who's pretty opposite and wore him out (except now I'm back onto J. Browne again. My favorite Neil Young was when he did country so obviously my favorite album was "Comes a Time". He even covered "Four Strong Winds on that one. I was pretty discretionary on his rock and picked and chose - liked Like a Hurrican, Cowgirl in the Sand, Cortez, When you Dance, Welfar Mothers. Didn't really care for his minor keyed folk stuff all too much but respected his writing of words and stories. I'm kind of a Singer/songwriter guy in my musical tastes (obviously by choices). But neil's voice can grate on you after awhile.

May 16th, 2008, 03:17 PM	#63 (permalink)
PostoronnimV Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2005 Location: H Age: 25 Posts: 139 6 Photos	Neil's music in "Dead man" movie is so great... Helped me to get into his other stuff.

May 16th, 2008, 03:48 PM	#64 (permalink)
Chris Browne TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 93	A great artist with a sense of humor!

May 16th, 2008, 04:09 PM	#65 (permalink)
tuuur Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: the Netherlands Age: 40 Posts: 881 7 Photos	Neil Young... a big inspiration. He's the reason I sing with that terrible accent. Love the acoustic stuff, the harmonies, the extended frenzied solos. But I don't like everything. I saw the documentary of Crazy Horse (can't remember what it was called now cause I was that disappointed), and I couldn't relate to that at all. __________________ If we all take the backseat, who's gonna drive? - Fred Cole http://www.myspace.com/tuuur http://www.myspace.com/daggermoon http://www.myspace.com/captainscallywag