Re: Artist of the Week 04/18/11 - Neil Young
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 5:35 pm
#8
Time Fades Away/Neil Young (1973)
With the success of Harvest, Neil Young was now a rock star. The original plan was to head back into the studio to record the follow-up album, Time Fades Away, and then follow it up with an arena tour. Dissatisfied with the proceedings, Neil decided to scrap the studio plan and record the album live on the road. Producer Elliot Mazer was forced to scramble and put together a recording truck which Neil later dubbed “His Master’s Wheels”. Neil invited The Stray Gators, Jack Nitzsche and Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten to his Broken Arrow ranch for the Time Fades Away rehearsals. It was well-known at the time that Danny had a major heroin problem, but someone had convinced Neil that he was in good enough shape to tour. Immediately into rehearsals it was apparent Danny was in no condition to head out on the biggest tour of Neil’s career. Neil was forced to make the painful decision to send Danny back to Los Angeles with $50. Later that evening, Whitten was found dead at a friend’s house due to an overdose of alcohol and valium. When they found his body, there was no identification, just a note with Neil’s phone number. Young was obviously crushed, but the show must go on. Sensing his own fragile mortality, Neil penned the autobiographical Don’t Be Denied the day after learning of Danny’s death. With the huge cloud of guilt over Whitten’s death hanging over his head, Young and his band hit the road. Up to this point, Neil had strictly been a club act. Now he was about to embark on an arena tour that played 65 gigs in 90 nights. Young was not comfortable in the new settings and the tour was marked by Neil being mostly drunk off tequila and high tensions within the band. Over the course of the tour, it was apparent the smiling hippie was gone. Neil was transforming into a drunk, out-of-it guy who frequently clashed with band members, as well as the audience that came to hear “the hits”. It was an unnerving, tumultuous time in Neil’s life and he has frequently stated that Time Fades Away was his least favorite album. Reflecting back on the time, Neil stated, “I felt like a product, and I had this band of all-star musicians that couldn’t even look at each other. It was a total joke.” The descent into “the ditch” was underway.
1. Time Fades Away – Love the pounding barroom piano and touches of pedal steel. Neil isn’t singing. He’s yelling and occasionally belting it out on the harmonica. Great mood setter. (9)
2. Journey Through the Past – “Song without a home…” Just Neil and the piano. Achingly beautiful performance, dripping with nostalgia. Love this one. (10)
3. Yonder Stands the Sinner – “This will be kind of experimental…” Drunken and sloppy. Neil is yelling again and his voice is cracking. The polish that marked the smooth sounds of Harvest have been stripped away. Same band. Very different sound. (9)
4. L.A. – Ooof! Fuckin’ classic. Top 10 Neil. The Gators and Nitzsche find that Horse-like trance. “In an ocean full of trees…” (10)
5. Love in Mind – Another tender piano ballad not dissimilar to the vibe created on Journey Through the Past. (9)
6. Don’t Be Denied – Autobiographical tale touching on his parents’ divorce, getting beat-up on the schoolyard, starting his first band, getting discovered and becoming an arena-filling rock star. Love the herky-jerky playing. Sounds like the song will fall apart at any moment. All-timer. (10)
7. The Bridge – The third piano ballad. Later became the name for the school he founded with his ex-wife Pegi Young. (8)
8. Last Dance – Sloppy, dirgelike rocker to close things out. Neil’s voice was struggling toward the end of the TFA tour, so Graham Nash and David Crosby were brought on to help with supporting vocals. You can hear Nash screaming like a possessed fool on the version that made it onto the album. (9)
Overall Score - 10
Time Fades Away/Neil Young (1973)
With the success of Harvest, Neil Young was now a rock star. The original plan was to head back into the studio to record the follow-up album, Time Fades Away, and then follow it up with an arena tour. Dissatisfied with the proceedings, Neil decided to scrap the studio plan and record the album live on the road. Producer Elliot Mazer was forced to scramble and put together a recording truck which Neil later dubbed “His Master’s Wheels”. Neil invited The Stray Gators, Jack Nitzsche and Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten to his Broken Arrow ranch for the Time Fades Away rehearsals. It was well-known at the time that Danny had a major heroin problem, but someone had convinced Neil that he was in good enough shape to tour. Immediately into rehearsals it was apparent Danny was in no condition to head out on the biggest tour of Neil’s career. Neil was forced to make the painful decision to send Danny back to Los Angeles with $50. Later that evening, Whitten was found dead at a friend’s house due to an overdose of alcohol and valium. When they found his body, there was no identification, just a note with Neil’s phone number. Young was obviously crushed, but the show must go on. Sensing his own fragile mortality, Neil penned the autobiographical Don’t Be Denied the day after learning of Danny’s death. With the huge cloud of guilt over Whitten’s death hanging over his head, Young and his band hit the road. Up to this point, Neil had strictly been a club act. Now he was about to embark on an arena tour that played 65 gigs in 90 nights. Young was not comfortable in the new settings and the tour was marked by Neil being mostly drunk off tequila and high tensions within the band. Over the course of the tour, it was apparent the smiling hippie was gone. Neil was transforming into a drunk, out-of-it guy who frequently clashed with band members, as well as the audience that came to hear “the hits”. It was an unnerving, tumultuous time in Neil’s life and he has frequently stated that Time Fades Away was his least favorite album. Reflecting back on the time, Neil stated, “I felt like a product, and I had this band of all-star musicians that couldn’t even look at each other. It was a total joke.” The descent into “the ditch” was underway.
1. Time Fades Away – Love the pounding barroom piano and touches of pedal steel. Neil isn’t singing. He’s yelling and occasionally belting it out on the harmonica. Great mood setter. (9)
2. Journey Through the Past – “Song without a home…” Just Neil and the piano. Achingly beautiful performance, dripping with nostalgia. Love this one. (10)
3. Yonder Stands the Sinner – “This will be kind of experimental…” Drunken and sloppy. Neil is yelling again and his voice is cracking. The polish that marked the smooth sounds of Harvest have been stripped away. Same band. Very different sound. (9)
4. L.A. – Ooof! Fuckin’ classic. Top 10 Neil. The Gators and Nitzsche find that Horse-like trance. “In an ocean full of trees…” (10)
5. Love in Mind – Another tender piano ballad not dissimilar to the vibe created on Journey Through the Past. (9)
6. Don’t Be Denied – Autobiographical tale touching on his parents’ divorce, getting beat-up on the schoolyard, starting his first band, getting discovered and becoming an arena-filling rock star. Love the herky-jerky playing. Sounds like the song will fall apart at any moment. All-timer. (10)
7. The Bridge – The third piano ballad. Later became the name for the school he founded with his ex-wife Pegi Young. (8)
8. Last Dance – Sloppy, dirgelike rocker to close things out. Neil’s voice was struggling toward the end of the TFA tour, so Graham Nash and David Crosby were brought on to help with supporting vocals. You can hear Nash screaming like a possessed fool on the version that made it onto the album. (9)
Overall Score - 10