NEIL YOUNG FEATURE
“Often In my life I've felt that I was slngled out for extreme things to happen to.’ lett, hell Young In 1987, turntan up for along season upfront In the hlg guitar-noise league.
SELECTED NEIL YOUNG
I Everybody Knows Thls ls Nowhere (1969) His second solo album and the first appearance of former bar band Crazy Horse. Features ‘Cowgirl In The Sand’. 'Down By The River‘ and the all-time great ‘Cinnamon Girl’.
I After The Goldrush (1970) Young’s first hit came with this album’s ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart‘ and ‘Southern Man’ prompted a miffed Lynyrd Skynyrd to write the riposte ‘Sweet Home Alabama’.
I Harvest (1971) A half-country set. this went straight to Number One and sold gazillions. thanks to ‘Heart Of Gold‘. Mood chills with the agonising ‘The Needle And The Damage Done’
I On The Beach (1974) Watergate. Manson. Paranoia. Heavy. And excellent.
I Tonight’s The light (1975) A powerful set. inspired. if that’s the word, by the deaths ofCrazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten and a CSNY roadie from heroin abuse.
I ZIIIIIa (1975) lnto historical tem'tory with ‘Conez The Killer‘ on this more optimistic record. Folk-rock slant with stinging solos.
I Decade (1977) A triple-album/double- CD retrospective. selected by Young himself. in a class of its own.
I Bust llever Sleeps (1979) Live document of the last Crazy Horse tour for eight years. this explosive set accompanied the movie of the same name. Also included Young's salute to punk rock and the first appearance of live standard ‘Powderfinger’.
I Trans (1983) Neil weirds out with vocoder. synths and strange little ditties like ‘Sample And Hold‘. An oddity. but typically adventurous of spirit.
I This tlote’s For You (1988) Say hello to Shakey Deal (for ’tis he) and The Blue Notes! A good-time R&B set which includes the great MTV-stuffing title track.
I Freedom (1989) The ironic anthem ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’. a manic reading of ‘On Broadway’ and some crucial backing vocals from Linda Ronstadt. Only a few ofthe highlights on show here.
I Weld (1991) A live double recorded during the GulfWar. Weld is the turbulence ofthat time in a nutshell. In his mid-40s. Young plays with a ferocity that Crazy Horse match stroke for stroke. Only Nirvana — half his age — were in this league.
I Harvest Moon (1992) After two excellent studio albums. Freedom and the aptly-named Rugged Glory. Young quietened down and reassembled the cast of folk/country-tinged Harvest for a sequel. twenty years on. No surprise when the dreamy title track is picked up for heavy radio rotation.
I Unplugged (1993) As the Independent’s Andy Gill pointed out, it’s a testament to the wealth of Young‘s back catalogue that he can release two live career retrospectives in the space of two years that have only one track (‘Like A Hurricane‘) in common. Unplugged is Young stripped down to his acoustic binhday suit. and it’s utterly i compelling. I
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