Neil Young News: Eric Johnson - The Story Behind the Tour Painter

Monday, April 07, 2008

Eric Johnson - The Story Behind the Tour Painter

A great read of an interview with Eric Johnson, Neil Young's tour manager and painter on the Chrome Dreams II tour. From "By appointment, roadie and painter to Neil Young" on Times Online, Eric says: "One of Neil's many gifts is realising people's talents - letting other people shine."

Also, see the gallery of paintings from the Chrome Dreams II Tour.

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10 Comments:

At 4/08/2008 04:22:00 AM, Anonymous said...: mr johnson paintings are simply awful
At 4/08/2008 09:30:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Agreed. They are about the level of a high school art student. Don't quit your day job Eric!
At 4/08/2008 12:16:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Agreeing with yourself doesn't make you right, dude...

I personally thought they were a nice touch to the concerts, I loved seeing him working up the back while Neil was playing.

And the audience reaction when the paintings were put up before the song started were brilliant.

I would like to buy one for a song I like when they finally go on sale, but I bet they'd be expensive.

I don't think they're awful though, in fact I think they represent what's happening on the stage very well - rugged, rough around the edges, but somehow still deceptively appealing.
At 4/08/2008 12:30:00 PM, Anonymous said...: No. 1's posts are simply awful.

No. 2's posts are the level of a high school art student.

I liked some of the paintings that I saw on the euro tour.
At 4/08/2008 01:15:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I thought they were a nice touch to the concerts too. I thought they were all great - seem to remember the powderfinger one at Manchester was brilliant and dark.

The paintings are in line with Neils music and what he wants. As with music, art is all about taste.

If you look at Neils music he seems to like an 'amatuer' touch to things for example playing with Crazy Horse - they aren't perfect musically but they have the groove Neil wants.

I seem to remember Nils Lofgren telling Neil he could't play piano very well when doing the After the Goldrush Lp and Neil saying that's why he asked him to play it.

Roll on Dublin!!
At 4/08/2008 02:03:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Please don't compare these horrid paintings to Neil's music. Neil's music may be ragged at times, but the guy is a genius and has mastered his craft.

These paintings are really bad.

Look at "Mister Soul." That painting is DREADFUL!!! Or look at how all his horses look the same. Check out how the bull looks just like all the horses. The guy's got no talent.
At 4/09/2008 01:46:00 AM, Anonymous said...: I like the "N" painting the most

c'mon, the idea was ok, but the paintings are not
At 4/11/2008 03:35:00 PM, Anonymous said...: He should have asked Mazzeo to help out - now THAT would have been brilliant !
At 5/06/2008 04:03:00 AM, Anonymous said...: does anyone know how to buy the paintings yet?
At 5/09/2008 03:12:00 AM, Anonymous said...: i liked the paintings....kind of funky. not monet or van gogh but cool in their own right.

i would buy one when they go on sale if they are not too much.

saw neil in amsterdam and london and i thought they added to the show....loved it when neil changed his mind and Eric had to change the painting.