Posted on 08/18/2006 10:02:24 AM PDT by raccoonradio
Neil Young has played on some of the peace movements greatest songs but last night at the Tweeter Center, he alienated more folks than he has in perhaps his whole career.
Unabashedly unleashing the scathingly unpopular Lets Impeach the President, the Canadian guitar icon turned the packed venue on its ear, splitting the liberals and conservatives right down the middle with his take-no-prisoners lyrics. The same folks who moments earlier were cheering him on CSN classics such as Deja Vu and the engaging drug dealer tale Tree Top Flyer turned like a top when Young unveiled his in-your-face, anti-Bush mantra.
With the faces of dead soldiers scrolling behind him, Young ignored the boos and stuck to his grunge godfather image, riffing as hard as he could while inspiring as many middle fingers as peace signs.
The night began simply enough with the pro-military Flags of Freedom from Youngs latest protest album, Living With War. But before the pro-Bushies could say pinko, Youngs acoustic threesome softened the blow, joining him on CSN classics Carry On, Wooden Ships andLong Time Gone.
Things continued harmoniously on CSNY classics such as Southern Cross, andGuinevere, as Crosby, Stills and Nash each ably took their turn at the helm. But relentless in his anti-war stance, Young commandeered the stage with bombarding takes on Restless Consumer and Shock N Awe from his new disc, as well as a rollicking version of Rockin in the Free World.
Many may have left with a bad taste in their mouth over Youngs anti-war vitriol but the 60s-bred quartets fiery take on the classic Woodstock hopefully erased any anger and left all in an apolitical, peaceful mood.
The one Neil Young clip worth seeing, but I still think Link Wray could've done it better...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIMttc0ciKU
Yep. He's playing the full album.
I think after the first CSNY reunion tour, there was a following tour of just CSN.
They must see better receipts with him on the marquee.
Check out this video!
Using the name and tune to serve as a Pied Piper leading a bunch of followers (who don't question the authority of the musical "leader" when he demands they question the authority of the ELECTED leader).
The commies hated rock and roll. It is juvenile, it was crass, it was irrelevant. They liked songs in the "folk" tradition (although they didn't like hayseeds).
When Dylan went electric, they saw him as playing "childish junk". They wanted to silence him. Then they took it over and became the "establishment". Years later, promoter Bill Graham was still trying to promote only bands that had the right "social commentary".
It can be seen in the first episode of the Tom Snyder Tommorow Show 2 DVD set. For Bill Graham (who WAS the music industry at a point), rock and roll BEGAN in the 1960s.
Glad you liked it. It's a bit of a time capsule
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