Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I'm a big Neil Young fan but I'm not as knowledgable about the activities of Neil's legendary backing band when they are not under his employ. I have their first Album (The one with 'I Don't Want To Talk About It') which is O.K but nothing more. Is there anything else out there to discover. I would love Neil to let 'The Horse' out for one last run out before they get too old. Been listening to alot of 'Ragged Glory' and 'Arc-Weld' recently and they rock really nicely!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

There is a reason backup bands rarely make good albums on their own (The Rumour is another example...) Mostly they are just musicians who back someone up, even if they are good, they may not have the ability to create something original and lasting. I suspect it is not Neil who is holding them back one last time.

 

LouieB

Link to post
Share on other sites
The Rockets

 

The Rockets, White Whale Records 1968

 

Crazy Horse

 

Crazy Horse, Reprise 1971

Loose, Reprise 1972

At Crooked Lake, Epic 1972

Crazy Moon, Capitol 1978

Left for Dead, Capitol 1989

Gone Dead Train: The Best of Crazy Horse 1971-1989, Raven 2005

Scratchy: The Complete Reprise Recordings, Rhino Handmade 2005

Link to post
Share on other sites

There is a reason backup bands rarely make good albums on their own (The Rumour is another example...) Mostly they are just musicians who back someone up, even if they are good, they may not have the ability to create something original and lasting. I suspect it is not Neil who is holding them back one last time.

 

LouieB

 

Heh, I bought a Rumour record for $1 a few months ago. I can't seem to get around to listening to it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I love the story about David Crosby who used to get really frustrated with Neil for always playing with Crazy Horse. He could'nt understand how a band who were not technically competent could be good. Neil just said it's not about their ability it's about their 'Feel'. Give me Neil and the Horse over CSNY any day.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I love the story about David Crosby who used to get really frustrated with Neil for always playing with Crazy Horse. He could'nt understand how a band who were not technically competent could be good. Neil just said it's not about their ability it's about their 'Feel'. Give me Neil and the Horse over CSNY any day.

 

Yeah, also Dylan supposedly asked him "why do you play with those guys?" :lol

Link to post
Share on other sites

Heh, I bought a Rumour record for $1 a few months ago. I can't seem to get around to listening to it.

I have one I bought for a buck too and I HAVE listened to it and it wasn't worth the time. And you can't fault them for being great musicians...that's not the point.

 

LouieB

Link to post
Share on other sites

I love the story about David Crosby who used to get really frustrated with Neil for always playing with Crazy Horse. He could'nt understand how a band who were not technically competent could be good. Neil just said it's not about their ability it's about their 'Feel'. Give me Neil and the Horse over CSNY any day.

Hmmm..this from the same guy who doesn't get the Beatles....

 

Sure Crazy Horse gives Neil Young a great feel, but the difference between Crazy Horse and CSN or CSNY is that those bands have writing and singing talent. Not so much of that with CH. They do great as Neils Band, isn't that enough?? Clearly they don't have any sort of star power.

 

LouieB

Link to post
Share on other sites

the first crazy horse album is good. danny would've probably become a respectable artist leading that band, had he not been heroin addict. crazy moon is okay too. neil plays on that. the rest are pretty bad. however, billy talbot put out an album a few years ago call Alive in the Spirit World and it is excellent. very 'neilish'. i think the horse are great...love talbot's bass and poncho's guitar lines are so interesting. check out the album broken arrow and listen closely to the second guitar. great stuff.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have one I bought for a buck too and I HAVE listened to it and it wasn't worth the time. And you can't fault them for being great musicians...that's not the point.

 

LouieB

 

I'll go out on a limb here and say that there are probably a lot more terrible Graham Parker albums than terrible Rumour albums. Unfortunately, I seem to own most of the bad Graham records.

 

Re: Crazy Horse. Sure, they play like cavemen, but I doubt you'll be hearing a group of "good" musicians play a convincing version of Sedan Delivery.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll go out on a limb here and say that there are probably a lot more terrible Graham Parker albums than terrible Rumour albums. Unfortunately, I seem to own most of the bad Graham records.

 

Re: Crazy Horse. Sure, they play like cavemen, but I doubt you'll be hearing a group of "good" musicians play a convincing version of Sedan Delivery.

There are some not so great Graham Parker albums (although he is someone I like alot), only because he has had a long career and put been through some fallow times. His early and now his late career are quite good. I don't believe the Rumour put out that many albums in total, but I know none are as good as just about any Graham Parker album. (They did a nice job of backing up Garland Jefferys a few decades ago.)

 

LouieB

Link to post
Share on other sites

There are some not so great Graham Parker albums (although he is someone I like alot), only because he has had a long career and put been through some fallow times. His early and now his late career are quite good. I don't believe the Rumour put out that many albums in total, but I know none are as good as just about any Graham Parker album. (They did a nice job of backing up Garland Jefferys a few decades ago.)

 

LouieB

 

At the risk of derailing a Crazy Horse thread too far into Graham Parker territory, can you name one or tow of the best Parker albums?

 

I've been meaning to get more of his stuff, since I hear songs of his that I like fairly often. I probably have three or four of his albums, but the only one that I think is solid is this:

 

parker06c.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

At the risk of derailing a Crazy Horse thread too far into Graham Parker territory, can you name one or tow of the best Parker albums?

 

I've been meaning to get more of his stuff, since I hear songs of his that I like fairly often. I probably have three or four of his albums, but the only one that I think is solid is this:

 

parker06c.jpg

Squeezing out Sparks, Heat Treatment, Howlin Wind, Stick to Me.

 

His latest stuff on Bloodshot is only for those who like him, but it is good too. Stuff in the middle...not so much. Pretty hit and miss.

 

LouieB

Link to post
Share on other sites

Squeezing out Sparks, Heat Treatment, Howlin Wind, Stick to Me.

 

His latest stuff on Bloodshot is only for those who like him, but it is good too. Stuff in the middle...not so much. Pretty hit and miss.

 

LouieB

 

Cool, thanks. I think I have mostly middle period stuff. The Real Macaw :ermm , and other '80s keyboard drenched stuff like that.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...