"This Old Guitar" & "The Needle and The Damage Done" on Conan Last Night

Last night, we got a two-fer and an interview with Neil on the Conan O'Brien Late Night show.

First, Neil Young performed "This Old Guitar" from "Prairie Wind" with Emmylou Harris.


Then Neil sat down with Conan and chatted. Neil discussed his brain surgery and -- in his typically wry fashion -- described the surgery as "having something on his mind removed".


Neil joked about changing the tunings on all of Conan's guitars backstage. As for news, Neil mentioned that the new film by Jonathan Demme will be called "Heart of Gold". Not "Prairie Wind" as we might have expected.

Conan asked Neil about his aversion to broadcast television. Neil explained that he is a "control freak". He then went on to advise the TV audience to "Turn down the lights, turn up the sound, and put on your sunglasses". My first instinct was that maybe we'll get some electric?

But next up was a short and sweet "Needle and the Damage Done". And a wardrobe change! So who says Neil doesn't like TV?!



And for those of you curious as to what Neil's t-shirt said, a close inspection reveals:

"Just because you know a lot of chords and can play really fast, doesn't make you an expert." -- Aunt Bee

And if you must know the context, ZumaMan on Rust elaborates on Aunt Bee Taylor from the 1960's TV program Andy Griffith Show - Mayberry RFD:

"From an episode where a teacher from Raleigh comes to Mayberry to do some research with Helen Crump (Andy's girlfriend). Aunt Bee assumes he is wanting to woo her and tries to make Andy look good to him. In one scene, Aunt Bee brings out a guitar and begs Andy to play, but he defers to the teacher, who proceeds to play a classical flamingo number with lightenign fast fingers, to which Aunt Bee replies..."just because......."

Neil concludes the week as musical guest tonight.