21 REASONS: My top 3 rock artists, why I chose them, and what they all have in common.

I first thought about this as I was waking up one morning from dreams spinning off the heels of the Neil Young concert in October of 2007.

I have a definite top 3 rock artists: Rush, Pink Floyd and Neil Young. They're all very different from each other and cover a wide spectrum of styles, flavors and sounds. Since I didn't have the privilege of noodling deeply through Young's cannon until the last couple of years, he's the most recent addition. Before him it was a solid top 2, but "Shakey" (Young's nickname) absolutely blows my mind.

Despite their differences in sound texture, general mood, and band makeup (not talking about the KISS kind), there are definitely some common threads that draw me to these three artists.

What do my top three bands all have in common:

1. They all stem from the 1960s. Neil Young started out with Buffalo Springfield around 1965, then went on to form a collaborative rotation between Crosby, Stills & Nash, then Crazy Horse, and as a solo artist with multiple lineups over the years... Pink Floyd incubated about the same time as Young; with Syd Barrett (guitar, vocals), Roger Waters (bass, vocals), Richard Wright (keys, vocals), and Nick Mason (drums). David Gilmour (electric/acoustic guitars) joined in 1968 and Barrett soon left thereafter (see photo below, a shot during the band's brief period as a quintet)... In terms of Rush; at the age of 15, Alex Lifeson (electric/acoustic guitar, top photo on the rt.) formed the first incarnation of the band in 1968 with Jeff Jones (bass, vocals) and John Rutsey (drums). The lineup went through several changes -- including as a quartet for some time with someone on keys -- before settling on the classic trio lineup in 1974 with Geddy Lee (bass, vocals, keys, to lft.) and Neil Peart (drums & percussion [lyrics too], center), and it shall remain that way as long as there is Rush, God willing... Hopefully I'm accurate in all that info...
   
2. They uphold high standards of quality and musicianship. They're passionate about their art, and it's about very little else...and that passion is definitely contagious, as it spills over into the fan camp.
   
3. A high majority of their core members are multi-instrumentalists. I won't bore you by listing all the instruments each band member can play, but I can assure you it's an unbelievably long list.
   
4. They present incredible lyrical quality and depth...the kind that resonates with you to the point where you borrow quips from songs years later --- to the effect that the artist serves as some kind of guidance counselor, helping to make sense of a sometimes very complicated world... probably helping to form part of one's life creed. Hey, at least that's how it has worked for me.
   
5. They're their own harshest critics. Despite some harsh critics out there (many times unfair) --- and despite some definite bashing and pot shots thrown in the direction of these artists (from fans, critics, and giants in the rock industry alike [ahem, can anyone say Rolling Stone?]) --- in the end THE ARTISTS are their own hardest critics.
6. They're survivors and have shown longevity of at least 30 years (roughly) as active recording and live performing acts. To be totally precise, Pink Floyd made it to 28 years, but we'll fudge the numbers a bit and give them the benefit of the doubt---especially considering they reunited in 2005 for the Live 8 performances.
7. They each have attained their own distinctive sound; to the effect that any rock listener would immediately recognize them.
8. They've inspired a generation of musicians, with more to come.
   
9. They each have great diversity in their catalog, which in the case of each band spans the course of at least 4 decades.
10. They've built their careers on touring and the quality of live performance. Touring, touring, touring... and more touring... Between 1974 and 2007, Rush alone have released 19 studio albums in its career, and toured off every single release. With that many albums under one's belt, that's COMPLETELY unheard of... but it shows how much the artist values the live presentation of their material.
    
11. They have all had the pleasure of performing live for ME. It seems like a foregone conclusion that I should see all of my top three bands live, but that didn't happen until last fall, when I saw Neil Young for the first time. Since I've seen Roger Waters live as a solo artist, and a "Rogerless" Floyd, I'll count that as seeing the classic Floyd lineup---although it's not the same thing---but I have the excuse of age working for me there (I was in 5th grade when The Wall came out, and my folks wouldn't let me attend my first rock concert until 9th grade... interestingly enough, my first concert was Rush, my favorite band, on May 18, 1984).
    
12. They're constantly reinventing themselves and aren't afraid to take risks... and they've taken plenty of them.
    
13. They're warriors. They've failed, picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, and powered ahead. That was more tolerated in the 60s, 70s, and even the 80s... however the recording industry doesn't have tolerance for that anymore these days, which is really unfortunate. Artists sometimes learn and develop through mistakes they make, and classic albums can be born out of what's perceived as "erroneous experimentation."
    
14. Their early catalogs are typically filled with a plethora of rawness and experimentation (and even some of their later material too). This tails off the prior two points a bit... these bands entered the music scene when they were still young, developing as musicians, and trying to "find their sound." So as a fan, to have the ability to track this sort of progress in an artist and hear the development not only presents a treasure trove of material and variety, but is unheard of anymore in the recording industry.
    
15. They have lots of diversified material out there. To the effect of the last point, the works of these bands is VERY well documented.
    
16. They've survived unthinkable tragedies... seismic shifts, to say the least, that would destroy most bands... ironically however, the tragedies survived by these artists have presented resonating long-term effects on these bands; with some good and some bad results.
    
17. All these bands bring endearing, quirky elements to the forefront... qualities that turn most people away, but are preciously unique characteristics for their fan following... whether it's Geddy Lee's high-pitched vocals and Rush's 70s proggy period, Floyd's deep noodling into the avant-garde in the late 60s, or Neil Young "taking it into the ditch" in the early 70s (scrapping his polished sound for an out-of-tune, gravelly one)... only to name a few.
    
18. They found success on their own terms... to the effect that all of them are rich beyond their wildest dreams... I call that out simply to make a point; any of these artists would humbly submit that the quality of the music is all that matters, that they are normal people who say they don't really matter (to the point of being self-depreciating), and you would hear them credit their success to their fans and others besides themselves.
    
19. They each have enigmatic qualities and appeal... I'm not really sure why, they just do. That probably has to do with their determination to the quality of their craft, the lyrical subject matter that's tackled, perseverance, and a combination of all the other elements I've pointed out today.
    
20. They show continued appreciation to their fans and don't exploit them. Perhaps this gives some insight as to why they've held on to their followings as long as they have, and why fans keep coming back for more... they WANT to support the artist... because the fans know the artist is dedicated to the quality of the product they put out and its live presentation... which trumps the element of making money (which is also nice)... the money was to come eventually, but that wasn't the focus... which is why Rush does things like paying $40K in use royalties to the Brazilian gov't to play 20 seconds of "The Girl from Ipanema" at a 2002 show in Rio de Janiero, during the filming of Rush in Rio.
    
21. Oh, and of course they know how to rock and also have mellower acoustic abilities. Diversity is always a good thing.
    

So there it all is.

One rule I gave myself before publishing this post was that I had to own, and have deep familiarity, with AT LEAST 95% of the original material from these bands...

That was easier said than done with Neil Young's recordings, as there are projects out there that are out of print and very difficult to find... such as the CD EP Eldorado from 1989, Trans from 1983, and a couple other albums from the 80s only available on LP... oh, and even one classic album from his "ditch trilogy" that he hasn't released on CD, 1973's Time Fades Away...and that doesn't include the recordings he finished and shelved, never releasing at all. Then you're left having to either seek out pirated recordings or go search through online jukebox sites, the latter of which I prefer to do...

So, that being said, I tried to be as comprehensive as I could be... this was a tough post that involved several sittings. S

THE STAGE HECKLER: Neil Young still proving he's one of a kind

I've stalled my reporting on the Neil Young concert I saw last month, primarily because I was so blown away by the guy that I needed some time to digest the whole experience of seeing him live.

I'd been waiting years for a chance to see Neil Young perform live, and since he's one of my top 3 artists, it was especially exciting to see him for the very first time... like I felt as if I was being christened for the first time with something new that I didn't know before... almost like going to my first concert, Rush, back in 1984... close, but not quite the same.

To add, none of us knew what he was going to play that night. I had a notion that we were going to get the split set (acoustic followed by electric) based on his latest CD Chrome Dreams II (which was actually released on the day of the show, but I got it in the mail a few days early as a result of my ticket purchase that night), but Neil tends to do whatever he wants, so we knew nothing going into it... which was how I preferred it. I'd been spoiled with set lists from my other favorite bands before, due mainly to my stupid curiosity.

This time, I wanted to be surprised... and I was, pleasantly.

Here's the set list from the evening:

Acoustic set

1. From Hank to Hendrix
2. Ambulance Blues
3. Sad Movies
4. A Man Needs a Maid
5. No One Seems to Know
6. Harvest
7. After the Gold Rush
8. Mellow My Mind
9. Love Art Blues
10. Love is a Rose
11. Heart of Gold
    

intermission

Electric set

1. The Loner
2. Everybody Knows this is Nowhere
3. Dirty Old Man
4. Spirit Road
5. Bad Fog of Loneliness
   
6. Winterlong
7. Oh, Lonesome Me
8. The Believer
9. No Hidden Path

Encore

1. Cinnamon Girl
2. Like a Hurricane

There were some things that went on at this concert that I've never heard nor seen before.

Just prior to the beginning of the acoustic set, the usher came around to the audience in our section, barking out orders that apparently came from the artist himself, Mr. Young. The requests involved the following, assuming I'm not garbling things a bit:

1. Please do not use any flash photography, as it disrupts the performer's concentration.
   
2. Please refrain from getting up from your seat to use the restroom.
3. Please refrain from shouting and talking during the performances.

The set lists he chose were especially interesting, in that he played songs from projects that he never released on any of his albums; with "Sad Movies" and "Love Art Blues" being the two culprits... now that's a very artsy fartsy thing to do.

Sure, the guy's aged a bit... and got lost and indecisive on the stage a couple of times... but he still rocks the house and leaves it all out on the stage.

He played a flawless acoustic set, part of which he seemed to be winging. Some research of set lists from other shows reveals that he mixes it up a bit from night to night, which explains some of his indecisiveness on stage... like when he paused to choose a guitar... then picked one up... then set it down... then took a drink of water... then got up to go over to the piano on the far right of the stage, where he sat for a few seconds doing nothing... (Shhh---there's an ar-teest on stage thinking...) Then he got up to go all the way across the stage to the other piano... only to break into "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere"... finally! Yeaaaa!

It was more charming and amusing than anything else. I saw it simply as an artist at work. It was nice to finally witness a performance where the artist was willing to to take a few risks. It was like watching a painter developing their work in progress.

After the intermission, Neil came onstage with an assortment of musicians from his prior bands; Crazy Horse (the drummer) and the Stray Gators (the latter band having accompanied him on his most commercially famous album of the 1970s, Harvest)... so the electric set was suited to play anything from any previous album in his massive cannon.

During most of the songs in the electric set, a roadie would come out onstage to place large paintings on an easel with the name of the song to be played printed on them. For me, the paintings were spoilers. The timing of the sign placement was often a bit off, to the effect that it would go up just before the song began... so I found myself covering my right eye so I couldn't see the sign, as I wanted to be surprised by the music and enjoyed the exercise of recognizing what tune he was playing.

Security seemed to be rather tight that night, but during the electric set, when "Spirit Road" began, some folks in the front got up from their seats to dance. Since security didn't to anything about it, the masses poured onto the floor to occupy the space between the front row and in the aisles. A reserved seats show essentially turned within seconds into one of general admission... so much for that $500 front row seat on eBay (the fella up front, not me).

Electric Neil was impressive too. I can't get enough of the distorted crunch of his harder songs. We were treated to a 20 minute extended freak-out version of "No Hidden Path" from the new album, in which Young WENT OFF noodling around with feedback from his guitar as he crunched and chopped his way through his classically unique soloing style.

We were then treated to a couple classics in the encore; heavy versions of "Cinnamon Girl" and "Like a Hurricane."

I would liked to have heard more, but that would involve a week long Neil Young festival of four hours sets---and we still wouldn't get through the man's catalog. I was happy with the mixed set of this evening.

My group walked out of the venue very impressed, and we all agreed that it was unlike anything we'd ever seen before. S

Gearing up for the "other Neil"

Now that the Rush chapter has come to a close for the year (and what a ride it was!!!)... well, it never really comes to a close, but I have to move onto other things to keep my mind occupied...

(drum roll please... bshshshshshshshshshshsh...) It's time to gear up for the "other Neil!" Yaayyy!!!

The "other Neil" means Neil Young, who also happens to spawn from Canada like the "primary Neil," (being Neil Peart, drummer /lyricist of Rush). In recent years both have also shared the fact that they migrated to southern California at some point of their lives. What else do they have in common... they're both lyricists, and they both have piercing stares... and they shake around alot (Neil Young's nickname being "Shakey," of course---I'm assuming due to his angular guitar poses when he's soloing and awkward sudden jolts onstage---soon to take out someone's eye, if he hasn't already)... what else... I'm sure I could draw all kinds of bizarre parallels...

So October 23 is the big day, which will be here in less than 4 weeks. It's a big event because not only will I be seeing Neil Young for the first time in concert, but his new album Chrome Dreams II is released on that same day. From what I understand, some members of the Crazy Horse band are accompanying him on this tour, so I'm expecting some electric Neil---but it would be nice to get a little acoustic Neil as well.

I just love this guy's diversity, both between projects and during live sets. How does someone get down and dirty with Crazy Horse in 1977's American Stars & Bars, then record a beautiful and sentimental acoustic album like 1978's Comes a Time, and finally slap down a masterpiece mixing both light and heavy sounds with 1979's Rust Never Sleeps? Then brings it out on stage to pull off both ends of the spectrum flawlessly? Neil Young. There's nobody like him, and the breadth of his catalog is only second to Dylan's---but in my opinion he's way more accessible than Dylan---and all due respect to you Bob, but Neil could rock you out of the house. Plus I couldn't understand a damn thing you were "singin'/sayin'" at Portland State a couple years back, which doesn't help matters either.

Neil Young is one of the hardest working artists out there, and always has been. His career has taken more interesting and unlikely twists and turns than the North Cascades Highway; which, if you dive deep into his catalog, is one of the very appealing things about him; you have absolutely NO idea where he's going to steer the ship next. He could give you something light and polished, or he could drive it "into the ditch," as he once stated, and give you something raw and gravelly.

Neil's one of those artists who, if you venture deep into his catalog past the Decade compilation (which is actually a decent introduction), rewards you with countless lost gems. That's how I discovered Tonight's the Night, which is one from the "ditch trilogy" that I keep coming back to (along with On the Beach and Time Fades Away, the latter of which was never released on CD). I can throw that on, then bump up to 1992's Harvest Moon (a MUST own if your even a marginal N.Y. fan), then get more contemporary with his recent rallying cry Living with War.

Neil's catalog is a potpourri of tasty treats, and you really can't go wrong anywhere---especially in the 60s, 70s and 90s---but especially in the 70s. Of recent, I really like 2000's acoustic Silver and Gold, the creativity of Greendale from '02, the sentiments of his father and upbringing in Canada on Prairie Wind from '04, and the anger and honesty of Living with War from '05.

The only part I might warn you about is his 80s material, which has some weaker albums, but that was overshadowed by extenuating circumstances involving a war between him and Geffen records. David Geffen was basically being mean to Neil (there's really no other way to frame it, the guy's an ass) and not supporting new directions he wanted to go in, so Neil responded with an album titled Trans, which featured "Transformer Man," a rather amusing listen (morphed robotic early 80s voice and all, insanely dated). Despite that unfortunate period, he closed out the 80s with a new record deal and the album Freedom, which boasted the hit "Rockin' in the Free World." He then inspired an entire rock sub-genre, the grunge scene, which in turn inspired him. Whatever he may have lacked in the 80s he certainly made up for in the 90s.

Anyway, I could go on forever about this guy. I look forward to the new CD and to seeing the man in concert. We'll talk about him more in the near future. S