Neil Young---Live At Massey Hall--

[Fredmando]

Ok, I have mixed feelings about live albums. Sometimes, the bands or performers change the arrangements of my favorite songs or the sound isn't quite up to par. So, I wasn't really expecting a lot when I pulnked down the cash for the CD/DVD set of this Neil collection.
All I can say is "wow." The audio is amazing and makes me want to dig out a turntable. They say that Neil won't release anything with questionable sound quality. That is part of the reasn it has taken him so long to put together his boxed sets.
I like this CD a lot and don't realy want to share it with my friends who are "so-so" Neil fans, you know? The DVD is awesome and I won't spoil it for you. The concert footage is good, but the rest is creative as hell.
I am very glad my best friend gave me a bad copy of Decade 20 some years ago. This is a "Major Find" in the "CDAS" books!

[ronmac]

I'll have to see if I can snag a copy. Thanks for the review.

[Denis]

Ok, I have mixed feelings about live albums. Sometimes, the bands or performers change the arrangements of my favorite songs or the sound isn't quite up to par. So, I wasn't really expecting a lot when I pulnked down the cash for the CD/DVD set of this Neil collection.
All I can say is "wow." The audio is amazing and makes me want to dig out a turntable. They say that Neil won't release anything with questionable sound quality. That is part of the reasn it has taken him so long to put together his boxed sets.
I like this CD a lot and don't realy want to share it with my friends who are "so-so" Neil fans, you know? The DVD is awesome and I won't spoil it for you. The concert footage is good, but the rest is creative as hell.
I am very glad my best friend gave me a bad copy of Decade 20 some years ago. This is a "Major Find" in the "CDAS" books!

Hey Fred, I just picked this up on Friday and did some listening over the weekend.  I've been listening to Neil Young for years and years as well and this is one of my favorite albums now.  Obviously the songs we've all heard before but the "unplugged" versions on this CD/DVD are more intimate, more personal.  You really feel like he's sitting there, playing it just for you.  And the songs...wow, Cowgirl in the Sand gives me goosebumps just thinking about it, Old Man, Needle and the Damage Done, Down by the River, Ohio, Helpless...awesome.  I love this album and I think even casual Neil Young fans should pick it up.  

[jimmy buffett]

When I first read about the upcoming release of this CD, I circled the release date on my calandar, because I was there!  I took my girlfriend at the time to see Neil do this solo concert at Massey Hall, and over the years I have read many articles that refernce this event.

One memory that stuck with me was how NY had dropped his pick leading into a song (Helpless), and every single time I drop my own pick I am reminded of seeing him do this live in concert.  Never forgot it over these 36 years and I was dying to see if this was included in the live CD.  Well guess what, it was!  Way too cool...

Anyway, I agree with the above comments.  I'm not a big fan of live recordings, but I have played this one several times over the past week and I appreciate it a little more each time it's played.  Since many of these tunes were being played live prior to their eventual release, we never knew that  many of these songs would go on to become NY classics.  Kind of like the wallpaper of your life at the time.  I haven't played the DVD yet, but I highly recomend this set for NY fans.

I wonder what ever happened to the girl...

jimmy

[Fredmando]

Denis--
Yeah, I think the album really grows on you. It's not a "greatest hits" by any means, but the quality is right in your face.
The DVD is quite the deal. It reminded me of the Jonathan Demme approach in the Neil movie.
Jimmy, that is a great story. I think that must have been some concert. I have met Neil Young before and he is quite a guy.
I have seen him with Crazy Horse and solo--during his country period and all out rock. It's something to see this DVD after reading David Crosby's second autobiography. Crosby is closer to Nash as far as frienship, but he talks about how much common sense and talent Neil has.
But, I listened to this Massey Hall CD and I thought "where has this been hiding for over 30 years?"
Great stuff!!!

[Fredmando]

Hey, does anyone know which Martins Young is playing in the Massey Hall concert? I think it would have been too early for the Hank Williams Martin, right? I heard that Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young all bought consecutively numbered D-35's...is that right?
Anyway, I love how his low-E string is tuned so low it is flopping!
File that under "don't try this at home!"

[Denis]

Hey, does anyone know which Martins Young is playing in the Massey Hall concert? I think it would have been too early for the Hank Williams Martin, right? I heard that Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young all bought consecutively numbered D-35's...is that right?
Anyway, I love how his low-E string is tuned so low it is flopping!
File that under "don't try this at home!"

Not D-35's but D-45.  Look on the back of the album, that's one of the four CSNY had made back in ...69 I think.  I think it's a D-28 that he's playing most of the time.  I'm not sure if it's the Hank Williams D-28 though....can you even imagine what kind of feeling it must be to play that guitar?  I remember reading that the D-45 is what he's used for all his studio recordings ever since he's owned it. 

I like the album more and more as I listen to it Fred.  Cowgirl in the Sand  and Don't let it bring you down just suck you right in.  What a phenominal songwriter.  One of the best that ever came out of Canada along with Joni Mitchell, Robbie Robertson and Gordon Lightfoot. 

[Fredmando]

Neil said in an interview that he loaned his tour bus to Willie Nelson once and left Hank's guitar in the master bedroom for Willie to play.
Talk about a generous guy!
Nothing against Willie, but would you let him play your gutar? Look at the "helicoptor" marks on what is left of Willie's guitar top!
Yeah, the album is awesome. A friend of mine didn't like the seguay from "A Man Needs A Maid" to "Heart of Gold." I thought it worked well, but the Maid song is not my favorite Neil tune.
The sound...I can't get over the sound.

[fado]

I've never been a NY fanatic but I've always been able to appreciate his genius. Having said that, I absolutely love this CD. It sounds fantastic. It's been getting heavy rotation on the CD player at home. Even the kids are starting to pick up on the chorus'.

Rob

[Fredmando]

Hey, I did some reading up on the Net and found that this album was supposed to be the follow up to "After The Gold Rush." Young's longtime producer, David Briggs, really wanted this album to come out as a bridge between Gold Rush and Harvest. I guess Young won out and Harvest was released instead. That explains the excellent sound on this CD. Again, I can't believe work like this was been in a vault for all of these years.
I had a friend of mine listen to it yesterday--a friend who is a real guitar player and performs in some local groups. He was taken by the sound and we launched into a great conversation about "micing" guitars in the old days versus the pick-up system of present day. This all reminds me of my brother and I experimenting with a CD versus vinyl on his Thorens turntable. We were listening to Rush 2112 thorugh headphones, JBL speakers and comparing the two. Granted that the early days of CD recording was kind of touch and go, you can really hear the difference between most CD's and vnyl.
Anyway, I wonder if the fact that this master was on reel-to-reel tape helped the sound quality of the Neil CD?
--Fred

[jimmy buffett]

...and one week after it's release, this CD is now the top selling disc in Canada!  After all these years, I guess we jusy cain't get enough of Neil and his down home sound.

jimmy

[canoe65]

About a month ago I bought Neil Young's "Heart of Gold' DVD and it is amazing ... often more than 4-5 guitar attack ... "Comes A Time" ... "One Of These Days" ... "Four Strong Winds"... awesome stuff.

Just yesterday, I picked up Young's 1971 Massey Hall CD/DVD set and ... all I can say to anyone who doesn't have it is, "Get It".

The new Massey Hall Solo effort has a mix of some of his greatest songs (circa 1971) and Neil does an incredible job on some songs that I am less familiar with.

AND I've only listened to the CD.  My friends tell me that when I can get a chance to see the DVD part of the 2-disc set ... I will really be amazed. ... Neil Young ... solo ...  acoustic ... WOW !!   

[Fredmando]

Canoe, you have some very smart friends!!
Happy Friday Neil Fans!!!!

[canoe65]

Canoe, you have some very smart friends!!

Fredmando,

I DO have some smart friends ... a wife of 32 years that, once in a while, slows down and lets me catch her ... three kids that aren't costing me as much as they used to ... the Neil Young 'Live' CD/DVD ... the Larrivée Guitar Forum ... AND my Larrivée L-03 ... I have been blessed and LIFE is very GOOD !!   

[Tycho]

I really love this album in the week or so that I've had it. 

The DVD that comes with it is quirky Neil at his quirkiest.

[Fredmando]

Fredmando,

I DO have some smart friends ... a wife of 32 years that, once in a while, slows down and lets me catch her ... three kids that aren't costing me as much as they used to ... the Neil Young 'Live' CD/DVD ... the Larrivée Guitar Forum ... AND my Larrivée L-03 ... I have been blessed and LIFE is very GOOD !!   

Canoe--
I've had a long week and your message made me grin. Man, 32 years is something to cherish and be very, very proud of. So, thanks for reminding me of how good life is. I've been married 10 years and I wish I would have met my wife when I was 20.
The L-03 rules.
I listend to Decade today and I really love that collection of Neil's work. But, the "in your face" sound of the Massey Hall CD keeps pulling me back.
Thanks for sharing!
Fred

[Celticjam]

Neil has always been one of my favorites since I was in 8th grade (35 years ago!).  My best friend's brother got "Harvest" for Christmas that year and we wore it out.  This cd has the "Neil is in my house" feel.  If ever there was an album to use to figure out tab and chords, this is it. It feels like you can just reach out and grab the notes. I just love listening to him tune that guitar...better than an electronic tuner.

This cd is moving into the top ten of my desert island picks.

Kevin

[myom]

If you are reading this and you don't have this CD yet, I can only assume you aren't a fan. This is by far the best live album I've heard, and one I'll treasure for years. Go buy it! Being a young man, I've never had the chance to see him live, so this is the next best thing!

[Celticjam]

This cd is giving me a big GAS pain!! I need a big rosewood Martin...ARGGG! Neil ain't dead yet and he still plays some great live stuff.

Kevin

[jcbuggs]

Kevin,

I know exactly what you mean!!! Love the way the guitars sound on this CD. Just that big ol' Martin and Neil. Doesn't get much better than that for me.

Joe