Hi Neil,
Longtime no speak. Find myself watching Live Aid. And there you are. Flawless performance on the big day. Haven’t checked but this Helpless needs to be in these magical archives. You, live in the ’80s, is always such joy. Dangerbird solo has landed. You made me cry when you let loose Ambulance Blues in Groningen.
LOVE you always,
Toby
Thanks Toby
LOVE
be well
neil
Hey Neil, first off just wanna say you and the Chrome Hearts absolutely killed it in Milwaukee this year! I just wanted to know, is there any live recordings of Danger Bird from the Rolling Zuma tour or any from the ’70s? I’d love to hear those early live versions of that song, it’s a masterpiece!
Anyways man, Peace & Love
Colten
Thanks Colten
LOVE
be well
neil
Hello. I wrote in over a year ago to ask when Archives III would be available to buy digitally on iTunes. On Friday I found it there and bought it within seconds. I spent all weekend listening to it, and I want to say that it’s heavenly, especially the home recordings with Nicolette Larson and Linda Ronstadt. There’s a bunch of other great stuff on there too, but that particular disc is an absolute gem.
The set was released on September 6, 2024 and I had to wait over a year to get it off iTunes. I am here to say it was worth every goddamn minute of waiting, and it’s not even my favorite Neil era. Thank you again for putting this stuff out and giving longtime fans like me a real treat with each of these boxes. I know Neil likes to focus on the future and doesn’t want to be seen as a museum piece, but we are all really lucky that he’s thrown open the door to the vault, and I’m happy this music will be out there long after we’re all gone.
Dan
Thanks Dan!
That gave me an idea!
I’ll see if i can do it before I say it.
LOVE
Neil
Always enjoy Trunk Show in The Hearse. Was lucky to catch that tour with my son at Massey Hall. That Shakey Pictures chord to open these things is something. How did that come about?
Hope you caught/are catching some good ol’ Ontario leaves. Not the grandest this year; they can’t all be the best (due to dry summer?) yet always beautiful and magnificent.
Sandy
Lake of Bays, Ontario
Sandy,
Shakey Pics Opening was by Jack Nitzsche
LOVE
be well
neil
Aloha,
I heard you are removing your songs from Amazon Music.
I applaud your decision.
I am still using my NYA app a lot and I’ve barely scratched the surface. So much content!
Will always renew the NYA app annually.
Jon Cross from Hawaii.
Thanks Jon!
Appreciated….its something we can all do. Just stop supporting those who support this damaging Government!
It is easy to buy other ways and it feels good to support other smaller businesses….
LOVE
be well
neil
Misguided loyalties and how to fight back against big Corporations. Neil Young is correct. Often, Corporations are considered evil because they lack a moral compass.
In the timing community, who is all-important? The answer is easy: “The Timer,” the small business person, the individual. Period.
Who is weak in our industry? The answer is also simple. The manufacturer of timing equipment. This is because the manufacturer depends on the Timer for sales. Thus, when a manufacturer does evil and has no morality, we, the Timers, must fight back. When we do this then we protect ourselves into the future.
No worries, this works. What happens is that manufacturers and the new CEOs start wooing us with wine and dine sessions, offering us all special benefits. Life then becomes good.
Thanks Greg
Incite!
LOVE
be well
neil
Hi Neil do you have any footage of when you recorded Freedom? I love it when you document your recording process. Please give us more! lol
Love ya Neil take care
We will check
Thanks
LOVE
be well
neil
Im 19 and I always was very aware of climate change and factory farming and such, but I never really changed my life around it. I would buy plastic water bottles and so much unnecessary waste. I always just brushed individual action off as pointless because the big oil companies are the ones who are doing most of the pollution, but about six months ago I watched your 2023 Farm Aid performance of “Are There Any More Real Cowboys” on YouTube. Before the song, you said, “It’s you and your friends who want to do it too, you have to start feeling like they’re with you, like we’re all part of a big thing.” And it really changed the way I see the world and to be honest gave me a lot of hope. thank you for that, seriously.
-Joseph
Thanks Joseph
Means a lot to me!
LOVE
be well
neil
Neil, hope all is well. The world needs you now more than ever. We need the positivity and the electric music against this corrupt organization. What does 2026 hold for you and the band? Planning more shows for next year? You sounded great and looked to be having a lot of fun during a time when the world is becoming scary. Also, the presale experience that you created for us archive members was magnificent. It was great to be able to purchase pit tickets without having to pay a huge double rate. Thank you, be well my friend!
I am glad we made it easier.
Its a constant thing we have to stay on top of.
We are coming out again in 26!
Thanks !!
LOVE
be well
neil
Dear Neil
I disagree strongly with Peter from Dublin.
Quality whether you want it or not: that’s the deal.
The Real deal.
Physical laws rule the world. That’s true for vinyl pressage too.
Niko Bolas, John Hanlon and Chris Bellman know that.
If you download the quality of your work
The slogan will be ,..
Quality without quality.
I have all the records he talks about and it doesn’t cost that much.
Got a great vinyl player and a great vacuum tube amplifier.
And I want to hear the real sound, the full sound.
thank you for listening Neil.
with apologies to Peter from Dublin
We are actively looking at his letter and taking it very seriously. We do think we are right but we are checking and making vinyl copies and checking different approaches to be sure. You will see what we do. Everyone will hear the difference. We have a good approach coming.
Thanks Peter
LOVE
be well
neil
Hello Neil,
A few years back when ordering at our then-favorite restaurant, the El Compadre on ECR, my next door neighbor, Glen Forbes of Boo Boo Records beginnings, whispered something in my ear. I don’t hear well, but later understood he was telling me you were sitting at the back table. After we sat down and through the meal, you looked over at me two or three times. I didn’t then know why.
My only and even then dumb thought was a long-ago memory of a friend telling me I looked some like Stephen Stills. I don’t, but that thought went through my mind. It was not until I got home, when my wife, Jeanette, shook her head at me when I told her and said, “Bob, look at what you’re wearing.” I had on a T-shirt from Portland that had images of all the Portland bridges.
Your son and a couple of friends were dining with you. Rather than interrupt your meal, I left without saying thank you for all the love. I wrote this to say that now.
I had thoughts of writing you a number of times, but it was not until listening to Fats Domino the other day and then reading of his life, also full of a lot of love, that I got to this. In reading about Fats and his good life, I read that Elvis (yes “He was the King” 😊 said Fats was the real king of rock and roll.) We first-year boomers likely share that thought. It’s sad Fats is not much mentioned or played these days.
Neil, thanks again, and if you’re ever passing near Garden Farms on a sunny afternoon and thirsty, stop and say hello.
Bob Ferguson
Hey
Thanks Bob!
LOVE
be well
neil
First, I would like to thank you for two amazing shows at Deer Lake. My daughter, Molly, stood at the front on Saturday and said watching you inspired her to live her best possible life. She was in tears throughout the show.
I wanted to share something cool with you. I love blending sounds, and recently I have been listening to your song ‘Talkin to the Trees’ through the right speaker of my stereo, and Chet Baker/Bill Evans ‘I talk to the trees’ through the left speaker. Man, they sound just so perfect together. ( Almost as good as ‘Live Rust’ through the right speaker and National Geographic’s ‘Songs of the Humpback Whale’ in the left. But, don’t get me started)
Thanks for all of it.
Peace and love,
Doug
Wild!
Thanks Doug
LOVE
be well
neil
Hi Neil~
I was saddened to see the loss of a beautiful soul during these dark times on Earth. Perhaps we all need to ask Jane to rain the love of her soul from the other side. Did you have the honor of meeting Jane Goodall? (Jane’s final msg on Netflix.)
Hope all is well.
Much love,
Linda
Beautiful
I don’t believe I ever met Jane. What a soul!
Thanks Linda…
LOVE
be well
neil
I’m New to Neil. Met my husband in 2010 and he had every album you had ever produced. I didn’t get it. He listened regularly, but without me. Then, last Thanksgiving, we decided to watch The Last Waltz. You came on stage and bowed to the band, “It’s one of my greatest pleasures to be on this stage tonight and play with these people.” Is this a direct quote? Probably not, but it’s close. The point is, I felt your genuine respect for the band. It wasn’t about you. You wanted to point the stage to them. Robbie smiled in disbelief. Then, you began. Robbie played a few strums, looked around at the others and you said in jest, “They got it now, Robbie.” And you began with Helpless. The harmonica. The sincerity and all of it sprinkled with beautiful harmony from Joni from behind the curtain. The song finished and you offered a humble ‘thanks.’ I looked at my husband and said, “I think I just fell in love with Neil.” I got it. I got a glimpse of you, your music, your genuine respect for others. And I was moved.
What’s next? Cortez. After the Last Waltz experience, my husband decided he should build a playlist that maybe I’d enjoy. We are cooking dinner, listening to the “New to Neil” playlist, and Cortez begins. I don’t need to go into all the details, but that song stopped me in my tracks and I wept. I wept. Not gonna look up “what is the meaning of Cortez?” “What is Neil’s message? To me, it doesn’t matter, not really. I felt the emotion, I felt the past. Not sure if that’s what you are going after, but it hit me spiritually and hard. Transcendent experience. I felt the pain and it hurt. More than once.
What am I trying to share with you? I want you to know that I feel your music and message. I appreciate you. Thank you for giving your life to the art. At the same time, if. you don’t read this (because really it’s TLDR), that’s ok too. I just needed to say it. I needed you to know you’ve touched my soul with your music. It matters, your music matters and your message matters.
With genuine respect,
Tena (with the love of my life-Bill)
Hi Tena and Bill!
Lots of LOVE….
Thanks!
be well
neil