Like yourself, no doubt, I’ve read, listened and watched many interviews with Neil Young over the last 50 years. Even as recently as last week I still have a sharp intake of breath when I come across him talking about his single minded approach to his career. He openly talks about how willing he is to follow his own path despite the effect on any colleagues, friends or collaborators. Now to many this speaks about the courage of the artist but even from his own perspective he admits that, “You can’t go along creating and changing without hurting a lot of people.”
It is that duality which has kept many of us fascinated in what come next. Are we going to get the pure country folk Neil of Comes a Time or Harvest, the dark brooding, even grieving Neil of Tonight’s The Night or perhaps the political Neil of Living With War? A few years ago I read “Waging Heavy Peace,” Neil’s autobiography, and was astonished how all the contradictions we’ve all seen in Neil over the years are there in plain sight. The millionaire who rants against the corporate, The environmentalist who rejoices in travelling back and forward (hundreds of miles) between his houses and hilariously the rocker who has stood in front of howling loud speakers for sixty years telling us about the quality of sound files.
But it’s all this that makes Neil Young the fascinating artist we know and love. After all this is an artist whose appearance/ non appearance at Glastonbury caused a media flurry at the beginning of 2025. He seemed to have no idea about the details of the festival but accused them of being ‘under corporate control of the BBC.’ It’s fairly clear from that outburst he knew very little about the BBC too. Then there was his withdrawl from Spotify because they hosted a podcast he didn’t like! For a minute he was followed up the hill by Joni Mitchell until they both realised there was no one marching behind them. I’m sure you can find your own mad examples.
But, but, but I say again….maybe this is why we all fall in love with the music and the man. I remember him singing about his life being an ‘open book’ and perhaps that is why we keep reading it. It reflects our own contradictions, mini hypocrisies and double standards and perhaps it allows us to feel a little bit better about our failings. The songs, the voice and the guitar are all so special that we can’t help listening.
On the AC this week we shall devote our entire two hours to celebrating the country side of Neil Young. There is, of course, another side which gave him the moniker ‘Godfather of Grunge’ which I will let others explore. For us, there are enough country connections to fill hours of radio. But we have satisfied ourselves with songs from across the decades and great versions of his songs by Dolly Parton, The Byrds, KD Lang, Waylon Jennings and many more. It all starts at five past eight this Tuesday evening on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds. Do join me of you can.