Grace Potter and Joe Satriani cover "Cortez the Killer"

A simply awesome cover of "Cortez the Killer" by Grace Potter and Joe Satriani.

Can't say enough about this one as it is absolutely killer and definitely worth the view at maximum volume. Have a rockin' weekend!

More Grace Potter Neil Young covers of Down by The River and Southern Man.

Thanks axebox!

LINC VOLT and The Archives: What Matters?

"Every step of the way, we have not been alone. Things fall into place like there was a plan. We have now come to see innovation we had never anticipated in all of our dreams, and we are still moving forward." - Neil Young

During all of the excitement over the announcement of the The Archives on Blu-Ray, there was another piece of news which was largely overshadowed: LINC VOLT - Repowering The American Dream.

We have to admit that the furious reaction to the Blu-Ray format left us somewhat bewildered to the point that we have not even had a chance to digest the actual track list as of yet. But we'll leave that for another day.

No, what struck us was this comment from BECAUSE SOUND MATTERS saying that "Linc Volt is more important to planet earth then the Archives are and ever will be."

The comment definitely gave us pause.

Where does one even start? Gas at $4 a gallon? Burning corn for bio-fuels while food riots break out and people around the world starve? Debating whether polar bears are an endangered species while allowing drilling in Alaska? And don't even get us started on blood for oil.

We could go on but the inconvenient truth of Greendale is that we have a job to do.

A few months ago, when Neil responded to his "music can't change the world" comment he said:

"Somewhere on Earth a scientist is alone working. No one knows what he or she is thinking. The secret is just within reach. If I knew that answer I would be singing the song.

This is the age of innovation. Hope matters. But not hope alone. In the age of innovation, the people's fuel must be found. That is the biggest challenge. Who is up to the challenge? Who is searching today? All day. All night. Every hour that goes by. I know I am."

Undoubtably, Neil is trying to make a difference. So while we debate Blu-Rays and track lists and tour sets, etc., here's something to consider from LINC VOLT - Repowering The American Dream:

" Neil Young's Lincoln is experiencing another mechanical rebirth, a conversion to bio diesel; another part of the evolutionary stage. The car is featured on CNN and apparently as a hybrid, they predict that the car will record a remarkable 100 MPG.

Finally, the four wheel electric that people have been asking for for so long has arrived and progress continues in all directions. Neil Young's LincVolt conversion helps move us through the evolution of this new frontier in transportation.

Neil Young's Linc Volt project is inspiring in that it takes a behemoth, gas guzzling automobile, and turns it into an economical hybrid electric car."

Burn your credit card for fuel.

Harvest Moon Live and Toast Set for Release on July 8

Both Harvest Moon Live and Toast will be released on July 8.

Pre-order Harvest Moon Live on Amazon.com here.

Pre-order Toast on Amazon.com here.

Harvest Moon Live and Toast are no longer listed as available on Amazon.com. No further information available as to why listed and withdrawn. Although it was odd that they were both listed for release the same day?

More on Toast: New Unreleased Crazy Horse Album and Harvest Moon.

Randomly Blogged: Deja Vu Film, Demme Edits Trunk Show, More Barn Tribute

From Reuters, Deja Vu: CSNY documentary in theaters in July. Theatrical release in 15 cities, with simultaneous nationwide video-on-demand release and, via potential partner Netflix, streaming video. The DVD will be released shortly before the elections through the band's label, Reprise, with HDNet in talks to air the film on the same date. Distribution includes Australia, Europe, Israel, Japan and Latin America.

From Hollywood Reporter, Jonathan Demme is currently editing 'Neil Young Trunk Show,' a new concert film.

Uncut.co.uk - Magazine - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG interviews:

"The reformed four talk exclusively to Uncut about egomania, debauchery, war and bush babies.

I wondered, reading this month¹s cover story on Crosby, Stills Nash and Young, if there was any other band whose personal animosities have run so deep, for so long, serial reunions over the nigh-on 40 years since they first split, often only brief relief from their ongoing spats, feuds, rowdy blow-ups and name-calling flouncing.

In this issue, we talk to all four of the band about the amnesty they appear to have reached with each other, and how in a grim echo of the Vietnam era during which their career first flourished as standard-bearers of the Woodstock dream of peace, love and understanding, it took another unpopular war and a president as widely loathed as Richard Nixon to bring them back together."

Most UNDER rated Neil Young record?

Culturespill » Neil Young’s “Reactor”: Kicking Against the Pricks


From Slothtrop Music More Barn: A Tribute to Neil Young:

"Three years in the making, Slothtrop Music is proud to announce the Nov. 13 national release of 'More Barn: A Tribute to Neil Young.' This benefit release for the Bridge School of San Francisco, which was founded by Neil Young, is sure to bring attention not only to the cause of the school, but to the diverse artists interpreting Young's work."

Hmmm. Great idea. Maybe someone should issue "More Barn" t-shirts?!

Thanks Jeffry, Simpson, & Doug!

Being Astrid Young

Between tours and Archives madness, we finally had a chance to read Being Young by Astrid Young. Astrid, Neil Young's half-sister, has written an insightful portrait of Neil that gets behind the persona and in many ways is more revealing than their father, Scott Young’s Neil and Me or Jimmy McDonough's biography Shakey.

Astrid explores the events which shaped their family, drove it apart, and eventually brought all the Youngs back together. One comes away with a much different impression of Neil than the one left by Shakey . In Being Young, we intimately see Neil as a loving husband and father, along with his many other interests such as an environmentalist and anti-war activist.

An excerpt:

The fire crackled. Neil sat down with the Martin across his knee and pulled some strings into chords that became the song "War of Man."

He asked me:
"What would you sing on this part? As a harmony, I mean," and then he went on to sing the chorus, and I'll be damned if I can remember what I did. I know I sang something, but I also know that at that time I was still very shy at the axis of music between us. We were so different, I thought. I didn't think he'd ever relate to me as a musician at all.

"Can you stay a few extra days and do some singing with Nicolette?"

"Sure," I said. "I don't think I have anything going on." At that moment, there was nothing else. Not even the moment itself had sunk in far enough for me to understand the invitation I had just accepted.

So the next day, it happened. And you know, it didn't end up being the scariest moment of my life.

And we should add that Astrid has had a pretty interesting life moving about as a musician, writer and wine expert.

Being Young is available on Amazon.com (you'll be supporting Thrasher's Wheat. Thanks!)

More on Neil's family and friends.

Cinnamon Girl Benefit CD Update

American Laundromat Records has announced that last year's Cinnamon Girl Benefit CD was the best selling CD release for the label. The CD of Neil Young covers has raised over $20,000 for the breast cancer charity to-date. From a note we received:

We cannot thank you enough for all your continued support. Many people are asking us for a list of the top downloads on itunes. Here's the top 5 downloads:

1. Heart of Gold - Tanya Donelly
2. The Needle and the Damage Done - Lori McKenna
3. Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Amilia K. Spicer
4. Cinnamon Girl - Euro-Trash Girl
5. Ohio - Dala

Thanks Jeffry!

Listen to clip samples on Amazon.com.

More on Cinnamon Girl CD - Women Artists Cover Neil Young for Breast Cancer.

Photos of Vienna, Austria - 2/22/08

Vienna, Austria - 2/22/08
Photo by Rene Huemer

A great photo gallery from the recent Neil Young Europe tour in Vienna, Austria by Rene Huemer. Rene writes:

i am really happy i got to shoot at the show. we didn´t know until the day of the show. i got a call in the afternoon from the promoters. so you can imagine i was quite excited. once you start to shoot at concerts you soon become an addict and
besides the creative and technical aspect, also some collectors instinct comes alive ;-)

i work as a photographer and along with my other colleagues from different newspapers, we had two songs of neil´s acoustic set and then two songs from his electric set where we had time to take our pictures.

the photo itself was done with a 24-70mm canon lens and a "eos markII n" body (if someone wants to know). of course it is a colorphoto and all i did afterwards was turning it into b/w. there was no cropping, no effects or what so ever involved. so the way it looks, is the way it was shot.

this was my fifth time seeing neil live in concert and lucky me i got tickets for his show in verona this summer..

see you there ;-)

Check out more photos on Rene Huemer Photography (scroll down on bottom left to "Y" to view Neil gallery).

Thanks René!

More on Vienna, Austria - concert reviews.

Randomly Blogged: Neil's iPod Playlist, EKTIN Cover Wars, The Archives Breakdown

If Neil Young had an iPod what would be on his playlist?

Hidden Track » Cover Wars: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Hollywood Report - WSJ.com on The archives:

"Larry Johnson, the project's producer, says the first installment is to include about 128 songs, 18 of them never released before. There are to be 200 photographs, 160 lyrics manuscripts and more."

Colbert Report on Spider Mania

For most us, the big news last week was the Archives on Blu-Ray announcement. But for the rest of the world seemingly, the big news was Neil Young having a spider named after him.

Here's a hilarious send up of the news.




Colbert Report - "Who's Not Honoring Me Now - Science"

Very funny!

The Archives Turns Fans Blu

Reaction to the Archives news last week continues to pour in.

As we tried to summarize the various opinions on the announcement, it became quickly evident that a lot of folks had very strong feelings on the matter. Some were outraged at Neil for being "elitist" for releasing The Archives in a format that few could afford or even wanted. Others believed that the Blu-Ray format fell into line with Neil's objectives for the past twenty years and should surprise no one.

And another interesting story line is emerging as well. There are those for whom sound does matter and those whom seem unconcerned about quality.

We've followed a number of different discussion threads across the Net and found a couple that are pretty insightful. Over on the Steve Hoffman Music Forums there have been over 500 comments on the announcement. Since the posters tend to be high-end audiophiles, for most, the developments came as welcome news for the embrace of 24 bit/192kHz high resolution audio.

But even on a forum dedicated to the art of musical recording, there was dis-belief at what some see as a marketing disaster in the making.

More surprisingly though (although not actually), is the apparent wide spread appeal of low quality MP3's. Already many are plotting how to rip the Blu-Ray discs to MP3 for their iPods. There are now well over a hundred posts on Neil Young v the MP3 on Guardian Unlimited like this one by IanShuttleworth:

After a lifetime of blarging, you'd think Neil Young would realise that what determines listener satisfaction is not primarily the quality of the release medium, but the quality of the ears. Luckily, I have cheap ears.

Seriously, the rise of the mp3 has demonstrated that the market isn't format-quality-driven. OK, so we repurchased large swathes of our vinyl collections on CD, a masterstroke of marketing, but how often do you get to pull that one? I mean, how often do you repurchase loads of your paperback books in hard covers and printed on better-finished paper? If you've got it, and it's convenient enough and works for you, that's all she wrote. And what the hell, Young's Blu-Ray rarities will be up on the p2p circuit in a flash.

Clearly, what is happening in the technology format preferences debate is breaking down as a generation gap if you will. And maybe this is all obvious and expected. Older, wealthier Neil fans can make the investment and many have a truer appreciation of quality sound. Younger, less well-to-do fans are not as concerned with quality but put higher value on convenience, portability and price (i.e., free).

Sadly, this type of split troubles us and we're sorry to see arguments much like what we went through last fall with the whole uproar over tour ticket prices. (Which incidentally, after all the wailing and moaning, not a SINGLE person wrote and said that they didn't feel like the ticket was worth it.)

But we digress.

All of which brings us back to: do the ends justify the means? Now this is where it gets interesting. There's a long history of format wars and the question of whether content drives technology or vice versa.

Undoubtedly, The Archives will be a major coup for the Blu-Ray format and creates a win-win for Neil. Or does it?

Long time Neil supporter Paul Cashmere asks on Undercover "Has Neil Young Miscalculated His Fan-Base?

Neil Young is making a massive mistake by limiting his forthcoming Archive collection to Blu-Ray.

For someone who has put his audience first for more than 40 years, Young is risking alienation of epic proportions by placing his fan-base below technology.

Young has totally miscalculated his fan-base for what appears to be a business decision. Sure, the technology for what Young wants to do with this is the best. There is no question about that. The trouble is how many Neil Young fans will ever get to hear it?

So, please, come to your senses. Release the Blu-Ray edition of Archives but also make it available for the other 99% of your audience. It should be on CD, it should be available for downloads and if you REALLY want to emulate the original sound, put it out on vinyl.

It is about the audience, not the technology.

So let's go back to what Neil himself has said before in the Shakey biography by Jimmy McDonough:

"Y'know, I don't give a shit whether anybody BUYS it or not. I just wanna do it. And there may only be two hundred copies, signed by me. But it's gonna fuckin' exist. When it's done, people can do whatever the fuck they want, make any fuckin' order they want out of it. But they're gonna have the whole fuckin' thing to choose from. They're not gonna get part of it. Everything-the good, the bad, the ugly.

So you know the difference. Some of it is good, some of it is crap that wasn't released-there's a reason. Take a look, see what it is. That's what a fuckin' archive is about, not "Here's Neil Young in all his wonderfulness-the great, phenomenal fucking wonderfulness." That's not what I want.

I want people to know how fuckin' terrible I was. How scared I was and how great I was. The real picture-that's what I'm looking for. Not a product. And I think that's what the die-hard fans want - the whole fuckin' thing."

Last week Neil said :

'Ten Blu-ray disks doesn't lend itself to P2P,' he pointed out. 'They [the fans] are going to do that anyway - people are going to copy all this music. We don't have to deal with that. All we're doing is supplying the mother-lode, trying to give them quality whether they want it or not. You can degrade it as far as you want, we just don't want our name on it.'

More than just indifference, Young was downright enthusiastic. 'It's up to the masses to distribute it however they want. The laws don't matter at that point. People sharing music in their bedrooms is the new radio.'

And many fans do in fact appreciate and understand what Neil is trying to do with the Archives on Blu-Ray, such as Chicago's comment:

What people don't seem to grasp is the Archives is not just music, pimped with film and memorabilia.

It's Neil's legacy. It's his autobiography. It's his freaking epitaph. This is what scholars will look at someday when they conduct research on popular music.

People just don't get it--that's why he's so obsessed/paranoid/unrelenting with the quality/sound/visuals.

Nevertheless, it is a daunting investment for many of us. Someone in Neil's camp should point him to the latest unemployment stats. People ARE hurting and some of those people are fans. And, I'm one of them.

In the end, I wouldn't be surprised if Reprise will issue a cd/dvd highlights. And don't forget, they are suppose to be available as dvds--not just Blu-ray.

As an aside, to cynically imply that Neil received 'a strong financial incentive' from Blu-Ray is akin to suggesting the reason he favors Martin or Gibson guitars is due to 'a strong financial incentive'. It's the tool needed to do the job. Period.

As for what we're going to do here at Thrasher's Wheat? Well, we're still in the running for the "When Will The Archives Be Released Poll" on Rust ran by Randy back in 1997. We guessed 2001. The other leading contestant "Never". Of course, the "Never" answer may still win!

New Spider Named After Neil Young

FromScience Daily - "Biologists Names New Spider After Neil Young":

An East Carolina University biologist has brought his admiration of Neil Young to a whole new class. Or species, to be exact.

Jason Bond, an ECU professor of biology, has named a newly discovered trapdoor spider, Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, after the legendary rock star.

“There are rather strict rules about how you name new species,” Bond said. “As long as these rules are followed you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have had a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice.”

Thanks Mark F., Carter S., The Captain, iFarah, Brad, Jeffry and everyone else who sent this in! Nice funny break from The Archives craziness.
ps - can someone post this to Rust for Guy? ;)

Also see, Colbert Report - "Who's Not Honoring Me Now - Science". Very funny video!

Reaction to The Archives: Into the Blu and Out of the Black

As expected, a huge reaction across the world on yesterday's debut of the long awaited Neil Young Archives.

Reaction seems to fall into two categories: 1) fans who greeted the news with "Well now it's really getting closer to reality" and 2) everyone else trying to figure out Blu-Ray DVDs, high resolution 24 bit/192kHz audio, high definition video, Internet update downloads, and Java scripted menu navigation.

Into the Blu (Ray) and Out of the Black.



From geir ove rapp’s weblog » Neil Young will launch his “Archives” on Blu-ray: "This is fabulous news for those of us who are pure Neil Young fans and audio freaks."

From Linux News which notes that this will equate to 50 Blu-ray Discs (2500GB of storage):

With up to 50 gigabytes of storage, Blu-ray discs have five to 10 times the capacity of DVDs, which in turn can hold far more material than CDs. Young is planning a series of five volumes, each consisting of 10 discs.

It's unclear how many fans will have the equipment, and the time, to enjoy such a comprehensive archive. Young said he hopes fans will spend hours exploring an interactive time line, playing classic hits and unreleased tracks, while examining contemporaneous films, photos, recording notes and other documents.

From Steve Hoffman Audiophile Forums:

"I think that Neil is seeing this project as his life story legacy and wants to be as exhaustive as possible while embracing the highest quality digital audio available at the moment so that his effort does not easily become technologically obsolete. In light of this, perhaps leaving the project open to future internet updates is the way for him to finally let it go and release it.

Of course, this can wreak havoc with the fans' patience and nerves, spawning snarky remarks and attitudes from them. But I think he is just trying to get it right."

But not all are happy with the momentous news.

Why Neil Young Is Wrong To Go With Blu-Ray Only | Medialoper:

"I’ve been waiting 20 years for this?

In essence, what this decision has done is to reduce me from a life-long fan who has spent decades waiting to spend money on Neil Young’s Archives to someone who might end up waiting for someone else to rip it and post it for me.

The point is that limiting yourself to a single format in this day and age — no matter the quality of the format — is just bad form. Here’s hoping that it comes out not just in Blu-Ray, but versions on CD, and as high-quality .mp3z or .flac files.

I don’t need the highest quality possible, I just want to hear the music."

From Thrasher's Wheat comment on the announcement, in response to some of the Archives outcry and blowback, UWS81 said...

I can't believe you consider yourself a fan base after reading many of these comments. Neil is an artist. His first priority is his art. Even more so since he has more than enough money to not need any one person's or group's approval. I am sure he would love a positive response from his fans but how could it be the thing that motivates him on a daily basis? If it did, especially with fans like you, he would no longer be around to create new art. In other words, your opinions are catty, petty, and inappropriate. If you can't trust an artist like Neil, with 40 years of credibility, you should stop following his work. It will be doing a favor to yourself and all of us who love to see what's coming next."

Steve Hoffman Audiophile Forums fasteddie113NL said:

"you all sound much like some of my friends when the cd was introduced in the 80's and again a few years later when the first albums weren't released on vinyl but only on cd; 'no no, , I will not buy...'. etc

yet, by 1990, they all had a player AND at least a shelf full of discs (some of them went back to mainly vinyl in recent years, but that's another story...)

having said that, I have my doubts too whether this is marketable in the near future (meaning this Fall), whether I will buy it then (or wait for the audio-rips on the torrent-sites), whether the visual part isn't overrated, whether the internet updates will work out (no, they won't, I have yet to see the first artist that follows-up on promises in that direction)....

let's just wait what actually happens and when before final judgement, right?

for the record, I do believe something like this is the future; it will only be a matter of a few years before computer/internet/streaming video & audio/TV/stereo will be available in fully integrated systems

From Steve Hoffman Audiophile Forums mrmaloof writes:

I'm really kind of surprised by this thread! People on this forum have been whining for years about the demise of the high-res SACD and DVD-Audio formats. The reason for their lack of success is obvious: high-res audio by itself is not a sufficient reason for people to buy a new technology.

Now here comes Blu-ray with high-res audio, high-res video, and enhanced interactivity and network connectivity. That's hopefully enough of a feature set to get people other than audiophiles interested in a high-res audio format, especially since it's being including in game consoles. Yes, the price is high, but Blu-ray just won the format war with HD-DVD. Wait a year or two and prices will be at a reasonable level.

Neil's announcement seems like a great thing to revive the prospect of having a high-res digital audio format that actually wins widespread consumer acceptance, though the consumer acceptance may come because of other features of the format. It's not for everybody, sure, and I understand some of the disappointment if all you're thinking about is Neil's Archives. But I expected to see a lot more enthusiasm for it on this forum based on its implications for high-res audio in the future than all the negativity being expressed here.

I don't have a Blu-ray player yet either, but I'm going to start investigating that now!

Steve Hoffman Audiophile Forums EveryLittleThing posted:

Assuming that this set actually comes out sometime this decade (a big, possibly unsafe assumption), this would actually give me a reason to buy a Playstation 3. (Then again, I like video games, anyway. Someone who does not would obviously have a different perspective on the matter.)

It is, at least, a relatively future-proof Blu-Ray player, since the firmware can be updated via the Internet or game discs. Too bad they removed SACD compatibility; the only model now on the market, the 40GB, can't play them.

The big obstacle for me is that I can't afford a 1080p-capable TV, but I'll worry about that if/when this release starts to look more likely.

I've been a Neil Young fan for years, and frankly, I don't care what format it comes out on. It could come out on four-track tape, or PlayTape, or flexidiscs, or Edison cylinders, and I would still probably buy it. Besides, if this encourages a brief renaissance of hi-rez audio, how is it a bad thing? Better Blu-Ray than nothing at all. I realize this opinion will probably be unpopular, so... YMMV, it's only one man's opinion. I don't feel like arguing about it, and I don't want to upset anyone, either.

I can completely understand why some people are very leery and upset, it's just that I expect Neil to be unfathomably perverse. It's been a very long time since any decision he's made has actually fazed me in the slightest. My default mode with Mr. Young is to assume that I have absolutely no idea what he will do next, or what he will choose to release. For all I know, he'll postpone the Archives yet again in favor of recording an album consisting entirely of a 43-minute duet between comb and tissue paper and xylophone.

From industry analyst Bob Lefsetz Letter:

"But the reason we all care is that Neil Young has a body of work. From the Springfield (and before!) to 'After The Gold Rush' to 'Rust Never Sleeps' all the way to 'Greendale'.

Today, as a result of MTV and now the Net, all people care about is the track. Forgo the hit, figure out how to penetrate a fan’s consciousness, to make him a fan of your career. That’s where the satisfaction and the remuneration truly reside."

Also see:
Archives Preview Video and Partial Track Listing

Report on Archives Announcement at JavaOne Conference

Webcast (re-broadcast link), Photos and Press Release of the Archives at Sun JavaOne Conference

Photos of JavaOne 2008 - Day 1 - 05/06/2008

The never ending speculation on what the Archives will eventually be someday...

Archives Preview Video and Partial Track Listing

A brief overview of The Archives project.

At the end of the youtube preview, there is a shot of 10 title screens of the 10 discs in Volume 1:

Early Years (1963-1965)
Early Years (1966-1968)
Topanga 1 (1968-1969)
Live At The Riverboat
Topanga 2 (1969-1970)
Live At The Fillmore East
Topanga 3 (1970)
Live At Massey Hall
North Country (1971-1972)
Journey Through The Past (the film)

And a sharp eyed David S. notes the song list for Volume 1!

Never known tracks like "The Ballad of Peggy Grover, "1956 Bubblegum", "Sell Out", "Slowly Burning", "Casting Him Away From You". OMG!

Also see:

YouTube - Neil Young - Innovation & Music - JavaOne 2008 - Part 1

YouTube - Neil Young - Innovation & Music - JavaOne 2008 - Part 2

Report on Archives Announcement at JavaOne Conference

Webcast (re-broadcast link), Photos and Press Release of the Archives at Sun JavaOne Conference

The never ending speculation on what the Archives will eventually be someday...

Report on Archives Announcement at JavaOne Conference

Here's an exclusive eyewitness report from Thrasher's Wheat blogger/Rustie Chris ‘CW Cannoneer’ Horn on today's announcement of the Archives on Blu-Ray DVD.

I arrive early and was able to get a front row seat, to the side. The Moscone Center was packed with all the conference attendees and press. I lucked out in attaining a press pass.

The keynote speaker was Rich Green Executive Vice President, Software and there were a number of presentations covering new applications. While discussing JavaFX a slide display showed various input/developer modules. The ‘Content’ bubble on the slide had a photo of Neil playing guitar. That was the first hint of what was to come.

After all the presentations were completed they saved Neil for last.

He came out dressed in blue jeans, t-shirt covered by an unbuttoned blue striped shirt and grey cap. He also wore sunglasses.

I moved up to the edge of the stage, right in front of him, to take pictures. I was the closest audience member and nobody else was around me. He looked at me numerous times and I was sporting my 1988 Bridge 2 button.

While there were some glitches during previous demonstrations Neil joked how they taped theirs so it would run smoothly.

Sharing the stage with Neil was Jonathan Schwartz Sun Microsystems CEO/President and Rich Green Executive Vice President, Software. They all interacted together, joking at times, while the taped presentation ran on the big screen behind them. With Neil songs playing in the background, the visual showed how versatile the Archives will be presented, viewing content while listening to music. It looked like it will be full of interesting visual material, both static and video, going back to the very beginning of his career. There was even talk of downloading Archive “updates” even after you have bought the product.

At one point they wanted to give a visual display of how many songs will be contained in Archives. They unraveled an ‘analog scroll’ that stretched about 30 feet. I think it was Jonathan Schwartz who asked where his favorite song (RITFW) was on the scroll, LA Johnson pointed to it about halfway down.

When a gong sound played, leading into a song, Neil and LA Johnson mentioned it was an old song broken out on the recent tour. I spoke firmly (not shouting) "Sultan".

Neil and LA both repeated it as if to remind themselves of the song title.

Not only did Neil see me, I fed him a line.

All too soon it was over. As he was turning to leave I shouted “Release Time Fades Away!” I may be reading into it too much but I thought he had the slightest of hesitations in his motion as if he heard me.

A wonderful experience and it made me salivate even more for the Archives to finally be released.

Thanks Chris! Great report!



More on the Archives at Sun JavaOne Conference.

Webcast of Sun JavaOne Conference Keynote with Neil Young

The reviews and news on today's Archives announcement are starting to flood in.

From Uncut.co.uk - News: "From seeing the demonstration today, and the immense space-age vision that Neil Young has for his Archives, it will certainly be worth all these years of waiting."

From Neil Young rocks JavaOne | Outside the Lines - CNET News.com:

In a meeting with a few press members following the JavaOne keynote, Young talked about the Archive project, which goes back to the late 1980s. The first stage, he said, was collecting the materials.

"I am kind of a pack rat," he said, adding that over the years he's accumulated a lot of unreleased material. "I only give the record company what I want people to hear at the time. So I have a lot of unreleased material. Putting it all together tells a much different story than just what has been produced (for public consumption)."

The compilation of the unpublished clips helps show Young's musical evolution, the effects of success, and the ups and downs, he said. In the beginning, he said, he was nervous and talked a lot, but was very focused on singing his songs. "I'd make a lot of jokes and then sing a tear-jerker song."

Young was asked how music and technology go together. "There is a lot of math; it is emotional math," he replied.

Larry Johnson, of Shakey Films (which works on all of Young's films), said Young had the concept for his latest project on paper 15 years ago. About two years ago, they put the footage all together and waited for the Blu-ray HD-DVD fight to end.

"We are cramming the disc full with every feature we can," Young said.

They started off envisioning it to be something like a video game, a "3D tumbling experience through time," he said. "You could see the history of the world and other great performances through time. It would be a nice thing to do. Hopefully we will get this approach done, but by the time we are halfway through, it will morph."
"Putting on a headphone and listening to MP3 is like hell."
--Neil Young

"The recording business as we know it is changing. As an artist I try to remove myself from the business," Young said. "I steer myself away from that...the commerce of distributing music will work itself out."

He added: "We are trying to give them quality whether they want it or not. You can degrade it as much as you want, we just don't want our name on it." People are taking music and doing whatever they want with it, he said. "The laws don't matter. These are people in their bedroom doing what they want. It's the new radio."

Young said you can't be "scared or paranoid about trying to survive." Sure, when the digital revolution came along, it was "like getting hit with icepicks." Now, he said, the ice is tiny, maybe a little like snow.

That said, he's clearly not a fan of MP3 quality: "Putting on a headphone and listening to MP3 is like hell," he said.

Of course, digital and multitrack recordings in the '80s didn't sound so great either. The sound was shallow, he said. Now, he said, audio quality is climbing, though he still makes all his recordings in analog. "I plan to dumb my analog to the higher level so masses can enjoy it," he said.

Interview with Neil Young on Music Piracy, MP3 Hell and Finding Freaks on the Web - ReadWriteWeb by Marshall Kirkpatrick:

"His thoughts about the content included in his giant life collection? Blu-ray may be riddled with DRM but Young doesn't think that will be an issue.

'Ten Blu-ray disks doesn't lend itself to P2P,' he pointed out. 'They [the fans] are going to do that anyway - people are going to copy all this music. We don't have to deal with that. All we're doing is supplying the mother-lode, trying to give them quality whether they want it or not. You can degrade it as far as you want, we just don't want our name on it.'

More than just indifference, Young was downright enthusiastic. 'It's up to the masses to distribute it however they want,' he said. 'The laws don't matter at that point. People sharing music in their bedrooms is the new radio.' Go Neil!"

Neil Young was a personable, intelligent and well spoken interview subject. I'll remember getting the chance to interview him fondly for the rest of my life.

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The webcast was just totally a thrill with Neil being ... well... Neil. What else?
From Rocker Neil Young Steals Limelight At JavaOne -- InformationWeek:

When Young walked on the stage, he urged Schwartz to stay, saying, "I don't know what I'm doing."

Schwartz moved to his side, clasped him on the shoulder, and said, "I think you do know. You are very much among friends here."

Perhaps Young had witnessed the earlier live demonstrations of JavaFX, both of which froze in their tracks and needed to be restarted. "We're going to give a demo," announced Young, "and it's going to work because it's fake [recorded]."

After that, he never looked back. He launched into a description of his archive project and Johnson flashed samples on the screen of early pictures, news stories, and reviews of Young's work. At one point, looking at his earlier self in fringed buckskin, Young said, "I wouldn't buy a record from that guy."

Re-Broadcast of presentation Archives demo at JavaOne (begins approximately 1:15:00).

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Today's the Day!

Live webcast of 2008 JavaOne Conference Keynote with Neil Young.

Begins 8:30 AM - Pacific Standard Time (PST)

More details of the upcoming announcement of the Archives on Blu-Ray.



SAN FRANCISCO, CA JAVAONE CONFERENCE, May 6, 2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA) today announced a collaboration with Neil Young and Reprise/Warner Bros. Records for the release of the upcoming Neil Young Archive series on Blu-ray Disc, powered by Java technology. Young will join Sun CEO and president Jonathan Schwartz and Rich Green, executive vice president for Software, on stage during the JavaOne conference opening keynote to announce this revolutionary new project and demonstrate some of the interactive features of his upcoming Blu-ray Disc box set. Visit: http://www.java.com or http://www.neilyoung.com for more information.

Neil Young's exciting project ties to this year's Conference theme of "Java + You" by highlighting the role Java technology plays in delivering dynamic content, sophisticated services and application mashups across consumer devices. Today, Java technology is the most widely adopted runtime in the world and is now powering compelling content and rich end-user experiences across all the "screens of your life" on billions of devices – from desktop browsers and computers (800,000) and mobile phones (more than 2 billion) to TVs, Blu-ray Disc players and other connected consumer devices.

More than 15 years in the making, the Neil Young Archive will be a complete biography of the artist's career in a timeline format including a chronology of songs released and unreleased. Through Blu-ray and Java technology, for the first time viewers will be able to navigate through Young's music, movies, videos, personal archives, memorabilia, photographs, letters, handwritten manuscripts and more while the high resolution 192/24 audio is playing, giving a chronological insight into the creative process and an opportunity to bear witness to the evolution of Neil Young's musical soul over the course of his life and work.

The Blu-ray format delivers both unsurpassed 192/24 audio quality and high definition video, capturing the quality of the original analog master recordings in the best digital format available today. The first Neil Young Archive release will be a 10 Blu-ray Disc set available this fall from Reprise/Warner Bros. Records, covering Young's career from 1963-1972.

"Previously, there was no way to browse archival material on a Disc and listen to a song in high resolution at the same time. The technology had not yet evolved to that capability," said Young. "It is important for me that the user experience the high resolution music along with the archival visual material. Previous technology required unacceptable quality compromises. I am glad we waited and got it right. And here is something really new, we will be able to add content to already released Blu-ray Disc archive volumes by downloading it, whether it is music, film or vintage recording sessions, recently found photographs, or other archival materials that were located after the release of that volume. Users will be able to download any of these archival materials and they will automatically be assigned to their place in the Chronology timeline."

"The Blu-ray format offers superior audio and video quality and, through Java technology, gives the viewer sophisticated ways of interacting with the content. Sun is thrilled to be working with Neil Young on what will surely be the most innovative release of any artist's material and the start of a new genre of content," said Schwartz. "Through Blu-ray and Java technology, the Neil Young Archive will create a more immersive experience for the viewer and a truly unique experience for his millions of fans around the world."

Java technology, which is the underlying platform for the new BD-Live capabilities of the Blu-ray format, enables interactive components as well as the ability to update all aspects of a Blu-ray Disc via BD-Live Internet connectivity. For the Neil Young Archive discs this could potentially include content updates such as music, film, adding new photos and providing tour information. It could also provide the ability to support dynamic fan community features such as message boards, concert reviews or even enable fans to use a BD-Live donation mechanism to help support the Bridge School (http://www.bridgeschool.org/). The Bridge School is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative and alternative means of communication and assistive technology applications.

java.com will be featuring the work with Neil Young and the archive project in a special Java + Neil Young segment. Java + Neil Young will include links to Young's appearance at JavaOne, as well as links to more information about the upcoming Blu-ray Disc package.

Neil Young Plans Announcement at 2008 JavaOne Conference

UPDATED - 5/4/08

Today's the Day!

Live webcast of 2008 JavaOne Conference Keynote with Neil Young.
Begins 8:30 AM - Pacific Standard Time (PST)

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Bumped from 5/1/08
UPDATED - 5/4/08

The more we're hearing, the more this looks like it could be some of the biggest Neil news in a long, long time. Ever since we posted the item below last week, speculation seems to center on this being the debut of The Archives on Blu-Ray DVD, which uses Java scripting for the multi-media menu functions.

Another rumor has it that this may be the Blu-Ray technology which is showcased with the un-released Crazy Horse Album Toast.

Whatever happens Tuesday morning, we think it will be a real milestone. And not just for Neil fans but music and technology fans as well.

There's already a buzz in the tech world that has some speculating about whether this is all just hype.

Drop a comment below and check back Tuesday!

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From On The Record - The Official Site for Breaking News and the Latest Information from Sun:

Yes, it's true - Neil Young will join Sun on stage during the JavaOne opening keynote session on May 6, at Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Come hear and see what Java technology means to Neil Young as he does a special demo of a new music project.

Day/Time: Tuesday, May 6; 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Who: Rich Green (EVP, Software, Sun Microsystems) will be joined by several special guests, including Neil Young and Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz

Can't make it to JavaOne this year?

The keynote session with Neil Young will also be available via webcast & we'll post some photos in the JavaOne press kit.

So how much do you want to bet this is the debut of the Archives on Blu-Ray?


Is the waiting almost over?

Happy Cinco de Mayo from Shakey Pictures

Happy Cinco de Mayo from Shakey Pictures!

Ohio: Why Today's Students Don't Protest the Iraq War

Is this why today's students don't protest the Iraq war?

On Monday, May 4, 1970 at 12:24 PM, twenty-eight Ohio National Guardsmen began shooting into a crowd of student anti-war protesters at Kent State University. In thirteen seconds, the guardsmen had fired sixty-seven rounds and four students lay dead.

Immediately after the Kent State shooting (sometimes referred to as the "Kent State Massacre"), Neil Young composed the song "Ohio" after looking at photos appearing in Life magazine. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young went to the studio and recorded the song which was released to radio stations shortly after the killings. Soon, the lyrics "Four dead in Ohio" became an anthem to a generation.

In the liner notes of the Decade album, Neil wrote:

"It's still hard to believe I had to write this song. It's ironic that I capitalized on the death of these American students. Probably the most important lesson ever learned at an American place of learning. David Crosby cried after this take."

The Four Dead in Ohio

Allison Krause - Age: 19, 110 Yards
William Schroeder - Age: 19, 130 Yards
Jeffrey Miller - Age: 20, 90 Yards
Sandra Scheuer - Age: 20, 130 Yards

The four killed and nine wounded were all full-time students.

Over the years, Thrasher's Wheat has received more mail and comments on this song than almost any other Young song. Comments like this from Jodi:

"I just would like to say that I am a 23 old student and I am doing a speech on CSNY during the protest era, mainly the song 'Ohio'. I would have to say that this song has touched me and it has become one of my favorite songs. It is tragic what happened to the students, especially when I read two of those who died were just walking to their next class. This song puts me in a time I was never in and I appreciate the music as well as the students."

Students and National Guard Clash at Kent State, Ohio

The events of May 4, 1970 have been extensively detailed since that day and there still remain many unresolved inconsistencies surrounding the activities of the Guardsmen and students.


"Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago."

Jimmy McDonough writes in the Neil Young Biography "Shakey" about the song "Ohio": "In ten lines, Young captured the fear, frustration and anger felt by the youth across the country and set it to a lumbering D-modal death march that hammered home the dread." (Listen to clip of "Ohio")


"Tin Soldiers" & President Nixon

Crosby once said that Young calling Nixon's name out in the lyrics was 'the bravest thing I ever heard.' Crosby noted that at the time, it seemed like those who stood up to Nixon, like those at Kent State, were shot. Neil Young did not seemed scared at all.



When asked about releasing the song "Ohio", Graham Nash responded:

"Four young men and women had their lives taken from them while lawfully protesting this outrageous government action. We are going back to keep awareness alive in the minds of all students, not only in America, but worldwide…to be vigilant and ready to stand and be counted… and to make sure that the powers of the politicians do not take precedent over the right of lawful protest."

A video collage of still images commemorating the 36th Anniversary of the killing of four college students by National Guardsman at Kent State in 1970

Start and end sequence of a 1 hr documentary special by Germany's WDR TV. Coverage originating from major U.S. networks. TV Teams of NBC, ABC and CBS had been present.

YouTube Video - In 1970, in response to Nixon's widening of the Vietnam War into Cambodia, students throughout the US protested. Nixon sent the National Guard to restore order to the Kent State campus. The resulting consequences changed the course of the war.

Student Video Project of Kent State Massacre May 4, 1970.

"Ohio" music video.

From DownWithTyranny! on why students don't protest today JD said...

Concerning contemporary civil disobedience:

The youth do protest today. In the beginning of the Iraq War, there were some huge protests. My dad marched with me on Washington and told me it reminded him of May Day. In the late nineties, there were some pretty significant anti-globalization protests. There are tons of small - but often effective - protests in the environmental movement, and a huge, annual protest at the School of the Americas. When I was in college, there was a wave of succesful living wage campaigns on college campuses, including mine.

But I would suggest two reasons we don't protest as often - or as big - as our parents: First, I'd imagine we're more cynical than the boomers were.

Second, the mainstream media these days ensures that even the most succesful protests get little air-time. It always vastly underestimates the numbers, and brands the entire event by focusing entirely on the most extremist, least sympathetic factions. In college, I saw this happen in every large-scale protest in which I ever participated. This lack of coverage contributed to the perception that we don't protest, which perhaps ultimately became a self-fulfilling prophesy. Given the futility of our protests, I for one stopped protesting in the old-fashioned way and started blogging.

Maybe we just weren't doing it right, but civil disobedience, like democracy, doesn't work without a functioning press.

Of course, I'd be open to suggestions from the veterans of the civil rights movement and anti-Vietnam movement. But, to no baby boomer in particular, I have to ask, why aren't you on the streets again? Or are you?