I have seen Neil Young live over 20 times. My son, Anthony Pellico, is a professional musician, and his favorite artist is Neil Young. All his bands cover some of Neil Young’s material. We live in Oregon, and in Bend, Oregon, they actually have an annual event on Neil Young on his birthday, November 12, called The Church of Neil where local artists get together and cover Neil’s material. It is a wonderful event, and this year will mark its 19th year.
One of my favorite Neil Young concert memories comes from a Neil Young concert I went to in 1985 at The Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. Neil had just released the country album Old Ways and was on tour with a backup band called The International Harvesters. The band included fiddlers, a pedal steel guitar player, backup singers — it was a full on country band. I think a lot of people were hoping for a Crazy House experience but, true to Neil’s style, it was a major change of pace.
I loved it; it was definitely one of my favorite Neil Young concert experiences. It’s the only time I saw him in full country style. He played country versions of Southern Pacific, Powderfinger, and Country Home, which was later released on his Ragged Glory album in a hard rock style. I never wanted that concert to end, and I knew it was unlikely I would ever get another chance to see “Country Neil,” as he is forever changing.
One of the great things about Neil Young is that he is forever changing. He is always on the cutting edge. You never know what Neil might move to next, but whatever it is, he will do it with full passion. That’s just the way he is, his passion is always changing, so you have to enjoy each passion while it’s here. Some people struggle with Neil and his constant changing, but it is what I actually appreciate most about him. If Neil does not like something, he leaves and move to his next passion, and as a fan, you have to respect that, whether you like it or not, he will be passionate.
I am forever a Neil Young fan, and I love the fact that he has always stayed relevant to his true fans. I also appreciate the fact that he is always willing to stand up for what he believes. I may not always agree with him, but I always respect him. I have read Waging Heavy Peace and Special Deluxe more than once, and if you are a Neil fan, I highly recommend them both.
Chris Pellico, and Chris Pellico with his son Anthony