Dearest Neil-
I loved getting to see you and your dogs in Mountaintop and of course “Old King.” I’d love to hear more about the dogs in your life. I missed you Eugene,OR show in 2019 because the late great Diggy was finishing up his tour and that’s the only way I would have missed that show. My dog Frankie got to hear you sound check Powderfinger in Bend, OR a few weeks back and she hasn’t been the same since! Final question: you ever meet a dog named after you?
Peace & Rust
Luke
Luke
We love our dogs! and Mo and Moon have not ever met a dog named Neil!
Love
be well
neil
Hey Neil.
Looking forward to finally being able to hear the vinyl releases of Mirror Ball, Unplugged, and Sleeps with Angels. Harvest Moon is great, too, but that was already easily available on vinyl. Which leads to my question, will the other three be available as their own releases if we don’t want the full the Box Set but we do want the releases we don’t yet already own?
re the other 3, I think so but i have to check to be sure.
Hanlon has been working to bring us all those vinyls and they will be great sounding….the best ever!
They are tentatively scheduled for next year
Love
be well
neil
Dear Neil (& John Hanlon),
I’m all for as much Neil product as possible whether it’s solo, horse, new live stuff, new studio stuff, etc.
However, as a father of two, with a mortgage, child care, increasing food bills (set against the backdrop of trying to buy fairly and equitably), I feel I have to raise my voice and criticise one increasingly common aspect of your releases—the 4th side etching on your vinyl records and the general stretching of traditionally “short” records getting to 3/4 sides in the name of “quality.”
I work in healthcare with a focus on quality and, in the simplest terms, there’s little value or quality in breaking the listening process into 3 or 4 for a record originally designed for a single break midway through.
The audiophile situation is a dubious business at best, my ears worked fine when I first started listening to you but now I’m being told the records I fell in love with are “wrong.”
In the case of etchings, I can absolutely guarantee 99.999% of your fans would rather you took a little bit longer and found some music to fill that 4th side. Case in point, John Hanlon tells us there will only be seven songs out of a 15-song setlist included on Mirror Ball Live covering three sides of vinyl. No doubt we will be charged the full cost of a 4-sided double vinyl record on release day. Rather than hearing a non-bootleg, non-YouTube version of Pearl Jam playing Like a Hurricane or Cortez the Killer.
And I’m sorry, there isn’t a person on earth who says their listening experience has been improved by paying for a side of vinyl with literally no music on it. In fact, I’d wager more record players have been damaged by etchings, thereby ruining the experience in the longer term. It’s not even “no music” à la John Cage because you can’t play it.
Quality whether the people want it or not. Fourth side etchings at the least ARE NOT QUALITY. There’s a wider argument as to whether you’re giving us “quality” at all in the vinyl record buying world.
Other recent (and forthcoming examples)
– TTN 50 (another etching)
– World Record (particularly galling as it is less than the hallowed 46 mins and the vinyl mix is shorter than the similarly scandalous 2-CD version!)
– Chrome Dreams (literally made for a 1977 single vinyl record)
– Toast 51 mins, 2 LPs, 3 sides and an etching
– Colorado 3 sides over 2 LPs … and a 7-inch for less than an hour!
– Tuscaloosa 3 sides over 2 LPs yet there’s now bonus tracks for subscribers on NYA that could have gone on side 4
– Harvest Moon and other reissues that were previously single vinyl records back when people first fell in love with them aren’t drawing new fans through this marketing strategy or false narrative about audio quality. My original 1990 copy of ragged glory sounds glorious on my 1970s equipment. I know it’s pushing it at an hour, but still better value than the 3 disc reissue.
– For comparison, Young Shakespeare, Royce Hall, Dorothy Chandler, etc. are 55 mins or so and all on one piece of vinyl.
In my world, we would critique the limited choice of audio “quality” over a wider definition of a “quality product or service,” and the potential future risks of decreased efficiency (more vinyl flipping leads to fatigue leads to less people hearing the end of the record) and potential equipment damage, as poor horizon scanning. I’d also love to see your stakeholder mapping to see where fan views fit and what the people really really want as opposed to what you or the record company want or think we, the fans, want.
I realise this is selfish to a point, but we are an important factor if you want us to buy your records (or CDs), have money for tickets and NYA subscriptions as well as:
– buy organic food
– make the capital investment to charge an EV at home or other environmentally friendly home improvements (solar panels, insulation, non-gas, wood or coal fired heat options, etc.)
– send kids to good schools, sports clubs, music lessons etc
– support elderly parent
– support good causes locally, nationally and internationally
And yes, I realise I’m making this point to Neil Young, the most impressively single-minded artist on the planet. But something’s got to give here.
Sorry to be the one to complain, but it needs to be said.
Keep on rocking in the free world,
Peter, Dublin.
Hey Peter
What a great refreshing letter!!!!!
quality whether you want it or not!!!!!!
I am going to go over this with John Hanlon, Niko Bolas and everyone to come up with an answer for you.
We are comparing quality of double vinyl to single vinyl in many cases, particularly Lakefield, a new live solo album from Canada recorded just before the LOVE EARTH Tour began. We are considering dual releases of single vinyl with double vinyl as a deluxe high quality version of the same record. The quality would suffer with the single disc, but I am listening anyway to see what I feel. I am sure with one record the single sides would be over 30 minutes. I am listening to two options to decide between today.
Quality is very important to me but I want you to be able to afford the music.
It is particularly bothersome that some new doubles were originally singles. I want to be sure it is worth it to all of you. as you point out. I am locating those albums to compare the quality. The doubles will always be louder because of the extra room on two discs.
Thanks for caring and writing such a succinct -helpful letter.!!! This is why I appreciate the letters so much.
Love
be well
neil
New tour announced on a Tee?
Good evening to everyone at NYA, I hope this finds you all well.
The latest mailshot that dropped today had an intriguing new T-shirt show up in the Greedy Hand Store: the Gulf of Mexico tee…
The locations on the back-print don’t correlate with any previous tour undertaken to date & there are new concert locations—like Muscle Shoals, Spooner’s home!—listed with a sleeve saying “Neil Young Coastal.”
So …
Is this actually for an upcoming solo tour (you briefly touched upon in a LTTE recently). In the best of ways, it seems like a very you tour to do.
Some beautiful theatres in Alabama by the look of it….
Thanks, as ever,
Mark
Norfolk, UK
Not a real tour yet mark! Maybe someday….just a statement on the
GULF OF AMERICA
Love
be well
neil
Hi Neil, Daryl and all at NYA,
I am hopeful this note finds you well. I am reaching out to share an invitation. I am offering a FREE 30 minute virtual discussion on the practice of Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a passion of mine and I love sharing what I have learned in my many years of practice, and answering questions about the practice. It has assisted me in many storms in my life, and right now, it’s really cloudy. We need to pay attention.
The next virtual experience is scheduled for 10/17 at 12(EST). My intention is to offer one each month publicly. I am also happy to offer it to small private groups at no cost, which can be mindfully presented to the audience.
Mindfulness matters.
Much love,
Linda
Thanks Linda
I hope it does well
Love
be well
neil
Hi Neil.
Just writing to thank you and the Band for the wonderful show in Dublin in June.I was attending my fourteenth show with my son Scott, who was attending his first show. He has grown up listening to me listening to you and your music, and now he is enjoying and appreciating your songs & music as a young adult.We are from Galway in the West of Ireland, which your Dad visited back in the ’90s.
Neil hope you and the lads keep on Rockin and come back again soon.
Eugene & Scott Veldon
Thanks Eugene and Scott
Love
be well
neil
Hi Neil!
I was wondering if there is any video footage of the Harvest Moon (album) recording sessions? What an amazing album, it would be so cool to see you all working on it!
Cheers!
Matt
We do have the footage and are working on it
Love
be well
neil
Hi Neil and all at NYA,
Well, Fall came early for me, I went down hard and broke my right femur. I am writing this from my phone, because I dislocated a finger in my left hand during the process, and it’s easier this way.
I can safely say, gravity sucks!
I’ll look into the Harvest movie, I’m just getting myself in place enough to start looking to the future, whatever that is, and I would love see the barn, ranch and live for a time in your process, whatever that was, or is.
OK, I do love this time of year.
A full moon is coming up Wednesday, so I hope you will be making music, enjoying Daryl and friends after your fabulous tour.
Who carves the pumpkin?
Enough silliness from me for now.
✌️❤️🎶🎃
-Mudflow Mike
… reply / follow-up …
Hi Neil and Archives Team,
I did enjoy the Hunters Moon, it lit up the room, the deck and the ocean spectacularly.
The splints are off my fingers now, I had the left pinky and the one next to it tied together, so now I can type as a sort of Physical Therapy and in this case, thankfulness for being alive and still being able to do what I love to do, write and play with music.
The femur is next, and it is still wonky. I am awaiting Herr Doctor to give me the lowdown on what comes next on Friday.
Thanks, you guys for checking in, it feels good!
-Mudflow Mike
Hey Mike
Feel better soon man!
Enjoy the Harvest movie
it is called Harvest Time
Love
be well
neil
Hey Neil!
Hope you and your family are doing well. I’m Will and I’m 20 years old, writing to you from Waterloo, Ontario.
I recently watched Human Highway, what a fun movie! Dennis Hopper is my favorite actor so it’s cool that you and him worked together.
Excited about the new Official Release Box Set. It’ll be great to have Mirror Ball on vinyl. It was super exciting to hear I’m The Ocean live when I saw you in Toronto in August, what an incredible show!
I recently got Ragged Glory on vinyl, best album ever! Mansion on the Hill is my favorite song of yours and it sounds spectacular on vinyl, really cool guitar on that one!
Anyways, I hope you have a lovely Autumn! Just wanna say thanks for the incredible music and memories.
Also happy early birthday!
Keep on keeping on!
Will
Thanks Will!
Love
be well
neil
Nov. 13 if you’re near Woodside stop into the Pioneer Saloon, we’re celebrating your birthday with an evening of songs and stories. Stop in for a toast!!
I still remember fondly taking you and Ben trick-or-treating in Ladera (where we still live), with Ed and Dana Weiss.
Sorry to miss your show at Shoreline, by all accounts it was fabulous.
BertKeely.com
Hey Bert
Thanks for being there!
Love
be well
neil
Hi Neil,
Enormous fan of your music, your integrity, and your courage in speaking out on the issues that matter. I’m genuinely curious, and I don’t mean this in an accusatory way, why you haven’t been more outspoken on the genocide in Gaza?
The crimes committed by Israel over the last two years have been the worst I’ve seen in my lifetime, even eclipsing the bloodshed in Ukraine, and yet I can only think of one time that I’ve seen you bring it up personally; highlighting Trump’s indifference to the suffering of the children of Gaza in a post (rightfully) criticising him for a myriad other issues.
What provoked me to write in on this was seeing no mention of Palestine anywhere on the new “Protest” page on the Times-Contrarian: these, after all, are the protests that are being actively criminalised and repressed both in your home of the US and mine, the UK. I was pleased to see anti-war songs appear in the set of the last tour, but in my opinion the present moment calls for a greater clarity in the form of more explicit statements on the matter.
As somebody who holds you in infinite esteem, I think your voice is a truly important one and would be a vital addition to the chorus condemning Israel’s heinous crimes and advocating peace and justice for the Palestinian people. It would mean the world to me and countless others if you would raise your voice on what is in my view the greatest moral issue of our times.
Peace and love always,
Jack
Thanks Jack
I am thinking about this as I have been for the past years. I do feel that Israel has gone too far,even with all the terrible things that have happenend to jews.. But it is not a simple thing to figure out.
More death is not the answer though.
Love
be well
neil
Hi, Just a quick comment on your Buy Local article. My friends and I went out for a long ride in the farmlands of New Jersey and decided to get some fruit from a local roadside stand. As they were picking apples, they noticed a Shop Rite Supermarket sticker on one.
My question is: How do you know it is from a local market and not just purchased at the big box store and resold?
I became sad knowing that it was not from the farm I was at.
Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World.
Your music is the soundtrack to my life.
I shit you not
ALL MY LOVE
Dave
Dave
You have to be careful. You can’t trust everyone.
Love
be well
neil
Hi Neil,
Surely it’s time for the Coastal movie to be shown on NYA? I can’t wait to see it—I couldn’t see it when it was on the big screen as I don’t live near enough to a cinema. I’ve been a patron from day one! Please please please!
Dave.
Dave
It will come soon
.
I will ask about it and why.
Love
be well
neil
Hello Neil,
As always, I wish You and your family well and I trust that you are all recovered from the recent Tour, which by all accounts appears to have been an enormous success. Since joining NYA a year ago, I’ve received the greatest fulfillment from listening to the Live Timeline Concerts. The current state of our Country and the World has weighted heavy on my mind. One important part of how I maintain my center and stay connected to Spirit is by listening to your music and checking in with Times-Contrarian. For the last 10 months, I’ve listened to your live performances constantly, to the point where I have all but forgotten what the original studio recordings sound like. Different performances of the same song really produce incredible nuance in the sound and feel. I was paying attention in class 😉.
The Toronto August 18, 1988 performance with the Bluenotes is amazing! The Full Wall Phat Brass and Sax Sound combined with Poncho, Rick Rosas, Chad Cromwell, and you is just unparalleled. “I’m Goin’,” “Married Man,” “Hey Hey,” and “Life in the City” are full-on vibrant performances. The softer, metronome beat of “Twilight” and smooth as silk tenor sax in “Coupe De Ville” bring the feeling home. And of course, the epic “Ordinary People”, “Sixty to Zero” and “Tonight’s The Night” are some of most alive, full sounding performances of your career. Wow! Wow! And Wow! I look forward to more Bluenotes live in Archives IV, hopefully.
Paris December 11, 1989 is another show that I continue to return to. The performance of “No More” touches the divine and it always feels like an inspired, singular moment in time. The entire Paris show feels uplifting and full of Soul.
Like many of your fans, I’ve had access to bootleg recordings of your shows. The principle of the matter is that I will never pay money to hear them. Many of the bootlegs are very listenable and enjoyable. However, all bootleg recordings pale significantly in comparison to your Timeline Concerts. Your Timeline Concerts are exactly what I signed up for and your team has more than exceeded my expectations. By my count, your team has added nine shows (or more) in just the last year.
Nagoya Japan May 5, 1989 is by far, to me, the most inspired, extraordinary, mind-blowing performance of the Restless-Lost Dogs era. Your harmonica, acoustic guitar, vocals on “My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue),” “Rockin In The Free World” stand out from other shows. The harmonica and 12-string guitar on “Pocahontas” gives me goose bumps, as does the vocals, harmonica and piano on “Helpless.” “For The Turnstiles” duet with Ben Keith again surpasses other performances of this era. However, the absolute cream that rises to the top of all 1989 performances includes “No More” and “Eldorado” from this show. The perfect tempo, emotive guitar soloing and vocals are elevated and the performance is in a class of its own making. This show is out there, circulating as an inferior capture of a brilliant moment. It deserves better. I know you can’t honor every Timeline Concert request and I hope you will consider this one.
Peace and love,
Joe P
Joe
I will check that out and see what we have.
Thanks so much for this info!!
Love
be well
neil