Neil Young News: BBC Responds to Coverage Criticism of Neil Young's Glastonbury Concert

Friday, June 26, 2009

BBC Responds to Coverage Criticism of Neil Young's Glastonbury Concert

Neil Young encore "A Day in the Life"

Our comments section on the Neil Young Glastonbury Festival Concert Reviews yesterday is filled with irate BBC viewers over the poor coverage.

Here's the BBC response by Mark Cooper is the Executive Producer of the BBC's Glastonbury coverage:

Many viewers have left comments on the Glastonbury website asking why we are not showing all of Neil Young's set on the website or last night on television.

The BBC has spent the last couple of months talking to Neil's management about how much of his set we might be able to show on TV, radio and online over Glastonbury weekend.

Neil Young's career has been conducted on his own terms. Last night Neil's management agreed to let TV and radio broadcast five songs as they watched and listened to his performance. They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist. [ed. - our emphasis] They have decided to make one song available online over the weekend to give a flavour of his set. That's Rockin' In The Free World and that's their decision.

You probably won't find too many Neil Young performances available freely on TV or online. He generally prefers the audience to find his albums and recently exposed much of his early work on the multi- DVD set, Archives Volume 1.

The BBC made a documentary with Neil last year, Don't Be Denied. It offers an insight into his career, its fierce independence and his insistence on running his music and his career on his own terms. [ed. - our emphasis]

Long may he run.

Mark Cooper
Executive Producer, BBC

More on Neil Young News: Glastonbury Festival Concert Reviews of Neil Young: 6/26/09.

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15 Comments:

At 6/27/2009 05:55:00 PM, Philip said...: I have found it very amusing to be sitting in Sacramento and following TW threads. Had I been in the UK I too would have been either their or waiting with video at the ready for extended NY. BUT, we all know his stance on live TV stuff - he cannot control the sound quality and only rarely can be found on TV in concert.
ITV2 last week - not a great surprise - BBC showed more than I expected. I like the guy that claimed NY and Dylan cannot sing and pointed to F. Mercury!!!!
That was the funniest comment I have ever read.
My mantra has always been that you can tell those who know little about music as they generally like Queen, U2 and Meat Loaf (and Dire Straits).

The interesting psychology of the NY situation is though we all want everyone to appreciate him and his music, we also would hate it if NY sucked up to the BBC or other media to market himself to a new audience.
Ultimately, I am far happier paying extortionate prices to see NY live than watching inane interviews and TV slots. You only have to read the journo's reviews of these latest gigs to recognize what (understandably) little comprehension most folks have of NY and his music.
Lots of lyrics would be suitable here!
Don't be Denied!
Philip
At 6/28/2009 04:08:00 AM, Paul SMITH said...: Well, if it was down to Neil, then fair enough, but I am just so glad I got the chance to see him at Nottingham and experience the electric atmosphere. Enjoyed what the Beeb did show, but currently listening to "The Boss" who is well in NY's shade in my view, so it is a great shame people could not hear more from Glasto
At 6/28/2009 04:50:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Not directly related to this thread (can't for the life of me figure how to just send random info in). Whilst drowning my sorrow at not being able to get last minute tickets for last night I came across this. Well I liked it.....Old Man++--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzwBHP3nnNM&feature=fvsr

Nick
At 6/28/2009 05:37:00 AM, luckypaul said...: Having been able to get to Nottingham and Hyde Park I'm happy with that.

The five songs were enough for my mate Steve to 'get' something of Neil's magic after five years of total scepticism and standing there in Hyde Park last night it was obvious that the only way to appreciate it fully was to actually be there getting the music in your face direct from Neil.

And the five songs the BBC showed were pretty represetative.

Needle and the Damage Done - song with the most heartrending lyric solo on acoustic guitar

Words - classic Neil song played on the gretch

Get Behind the Wheel - a new one

Rocking in the Free World - awesome all out rocker

Day in the Life - well if you've seen it you'll know all about that!
At 6/28/2009 10:16:00 AM, Anonymous said...: "My mantra has always been that you can tell those who know little about music as they generally like Queen, U2 and Meat Loaf" hmmmm interesting....very interesting.
At 6/28/2009 05:18:00 PM, tyddles said...: I can fully understand the stance that Neil and his management take on television coverage. Having seen Neil this week in Aberdeen, television coverage does not come close to the atmosphere or sound of his concert live. As long as he keeps touring, fans , like me, will continue to pay and attend...the live concert is indescribable and cannot be bettered.
Long may he run
Val. Liverpool. England
At 6/29/2009 02:57:00 AM, ned said...: As much as love and respect NY. He and his reps remain far too controlling of such treats. The micro management displayed here harkens back to the pre internet era. Concerns about sound etc are overblown and fail to recognize the simple fact what he does not allow will circulate in poor quality on youtube from
iphones anyway. How is that better?
It's as if because they have control, they feel compelled to exercise it, whether it's a good idea or justified or not.
At 6/29/2009 01:38:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I'm guessing that the talk about retaining the mystery of the artist meant that Neil didn't want cameras showing him reading virtually all his lyrics from the floor or Pegi sitting at the piano for show and not really playing. Stuff like that.
At 6/29/2009 01:59:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I see you're still up to your old tricks, Thrasher. Helpin Neil keep the illusion alive. You keep a clean, clean house for old Neil, doncha? So much for truthtelling and freedom of expression and all that sort of talk. That's okay. I got in the habit long ago of saving screenshots of all my posts, including this one, before you can delete them. Someday your worldclass pettiness will be known.
At 6/29/2009 02:08:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Mea culpa. Poor Thrasher, accused before he even acts. All apologies.
At 6/29/2009 03:12:00 PM, Burnzy said...: Well, I was there and it was, to be blunt, fucking awesome.
At 6/29/2009 07:32:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Funny how the BBC guy said there wasn't much Neil available online. Well during Neil's recent Canadian tour there were many YouTube postings of reasonable quality - and each one showed the man's tremendous energy and talent. And they're still there waiting to be enjoyed!
At 6/30/2009 12:17:00 AM, Philip said...: Ihave just seen on you tube a copying of RITFW and it would appear NY management is right to restrict TV coverage as TV always dilutes the power of the live experience - they have to equalize the sound and take out the lows and highs - might as well have the James Last plays NY if you ask me.... But of course I still want to see film of the performance - even though the sound is normally crap.
As an aside I remember back in the 70's when yes were on TV - All the beauty and nuance of the soundscapes and the power - all lost on TV.
Here is hoping NY will Tour the Foothills in the Fall!
My pictures are still on the wall.......
Philip
At 7/03/2009 09:47:00 PM, Nathan said...: Buy a ticket or shut the fuck up. -Nathan Johnson
At 7/05/2009 03:09:00 AM, Mother Nature on the Run said...: Personally, I think televisions are over-rated if not down right mind numbing evil... except for Tina Fey on 30 Rocks ... she's adorable.