Neil's electric playing is never meant to be clean pritty sounding. That what crazy horse is all about , brutal raw emotion. He's known as godfather of grunge for a reason.
To me, his guitar playing is amazing and so emotional, and that's what makes it work so well. I listen to music not to hear perfection, but to feel something and, with Neil, I always do.
Agree. It's one of few that can take me away to a beautiful place... without the use of chemicals.... then this guy comes in an throws cold water 💧 on it... 😢
Love Neil's style; he's not about technical chops - and none of my favorites are - he's about expressing something. When I listen to Neil's leads they make me feel something. When I listen to a guy like Steve Vai I just think uh yeah, he's playing really fast.
technical wizardy and fretboard wankery is tedious, play with heart and fucking soul. Its why the likes of neil young or even ron asheton of the stooges stand above vai, mamsteeen and all that shower of fucking nonsense.
@Hugh G. Fallacy its not really a comparison between the two guitarists as individuals is it though, yes we all know theyre completely different and Vai technical ability is unbelievable, i think we are comparing the music they produce and the feelings therein, its not about the guitar playing, so whats being said is Vai, Satch et al are all better guitarists than neil yet cant write a song or a solo that moves us in any way. Thats all dude, Vai, Satch, yngwie all amazing guitarists...but so fucking what, play with heart on a one note solo and touch our souls fuck your technique.
Neil is a relative minimalist in the guitar hero world, but there are technical players who would give their eyeteeth to have a signature sound in the way that Neil does. When you hear a Neil solo, you know it’s Neil.
I would also add that Neil’s lead in Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” was one of the baddest leads heard up until that point and stands up to the rest of time as well.
SmelOdies Neil's sound is the antithesis of technicality yet soars with a pure and colorful musicality that is instantly recognizable amongst the plethora of guitarists. 💜
inindian I wouldn’t call it the antithesis of technicality. Plenty of other big name guitar players with less knowledge of technique than Neil. That said, he was a relative minimalist among the guitar hero set.
Neil can convey emotion through his guitar as well as any rock guitarist ever has. I'm sure there are thousands of technically more "proficient" guitarists that use "vibrato" more often, but for me that's completely missing the point with Neil. There's only a handful of guitar players that have ever brought me to tears, and he is one of them.
He also doesn't put vibrato in his vocals, yet somehow is a very expressive singer. Would rather listen to Young than Clapton any old day -- Neil just feels like he actually has something to say.
To me, Neil is a Rock God! He makes his Tweed Deluxe scream like a demon from the netherworld. Every note a perfect death howl. Rock'n'Roll guitar playing has got nothing to do with virtuosity on a technical level. It's about makin' 'er rip!
Neil Young as a lead guitarist is a mystery. He doesn't have singing finger vibrato (and I am a vibrato fanatic) yet i hear his cry through the guitar and can usually identify him on first note. It might be his innate musicality and gift for melody as a songwriting great as well as his unique tone. His whammy vibrato is very unique (Southern Man the best example) so it might be part of his magic.
He is a genius and the outcome is the magic not the technical analysis! Can Wings of Pegasus emote such purity and power as this!??? It is an eternal mystery and is the soul's expression via Neil and other masters such as Bach. It is the unknown ingredient that 99% of humans sadly miss.
Having no formal training may have a lot to do with it. Claims he doesn't know the scales and modes ? A lot of great music has been created by those who were polluted by rules, theory and structure....
this is from the best "In Berlin concert" now widely banned ! best version ever , guard it with your life , Nils , Bruce Palmer on bass (best bass ever on this song .) and Neils tie !
The entire, "Neil Young (Live in Berlin) 1982", is absolutely the best of him that i've seen/heard . It's my favorite version of , "Like a Hurricane", and the song, "After Berlin" just blew me away . I know that Neil only played that song once during that concert and never again . not sure why it's banned, but perhaps political reasons because of the lyrics in the song, After Berlin.
Neil is a very distinctive player (heck, he is one of a kind as a human being) and his approach has that wild/unpredictable edge to , it can seem his playing is on the verge of chaos at times, which is why so many love him I guess!
Neil's iconic. You can tell a Neil Young solo, no matter what he's playing. What a unique combination of rustic playing and creative exploration/expansion of the melody. And I've always admired his tone. I appreciate the ability to create vibrato with either hand as a mark of a guitarists mastery of the instrument, but also like that Neil's pretty wed to straight notes, whether that's a limitation of his technique or a choice. For me, it's a refreshing change - a swing to the other side of the spectrum (away from reliance on fast playing and overuse of or overly wide vibrato). I always enjoy your breakdown of guitarists - their style/techniques/equipment ...
Saw Neil with CSNY, Stills, and with his band. He's in my top 3 artists and been listening since I was 13 yrs old. That's 47 years of Neil for me. Love 'im! Peace
In a fairly recent interview with Dan Rather, Neil Young told him he had polio when he was a child and it left him with little control of his left hand. So, he compensated by using his right hand more when playing guitar. Knowing that gives a different perspective on his style. There's a video of him in Ontario playing Rockin' in the Free World with Pearl Jam. They started it out, and when Neil walked on stage the intensity level ratcheted up about three or four notches and stayed there till the end of the song. Cool video.
"I wanna love you but I get so blown awayyyyyy...." tell me that doesn't just say it all! Love Neil, Love Nils, Love Longgrain, Love Crazy Horse, Love Neil Young Archives, love my PONO players... Love that Neil is still doing exactly what he loves and only what he wants to do.
NY is an example of a player who expresses emotion of the song through the instrument. Very rare in more hard rock metal genres, who tend to just string licks together around a chord.
No - most annoying. It’s been unavailable for a long time, probably never see it again on RUclips. I’ve got the VHS, but makes you realise how convenient 21st century technology is.
Glad you picked this one. Is he a wizard on guitar...no, but the emotion he brings is what makes it worth listening to. He plays from his soul and sings from his soul and that's what makes him so good...pure music. Thanks for the video!
+NIX_34 I think Neils most emotionally album ( in my personal opinion) is Tonight's the night. It's out of tune on a few places, but it is SO emotional, Neil felt guilty about the dead of Danny Whitten.
When listening to Neil's electric playing I've always got the feeling like the guitar and strings were trying to say the note this way and Neil was like, nope, do it like this. A constant tug and pull between the two, a beautifully chaotic dance.
Neil's leads cut through like arrows, piercing and pure, playing perfect contrast to the background music. He understands how to stand out and carve the melody into something more.
I don't care what anybody says, just being able to watch Neil Young bang away on that black Les Paul is a privilege. I've been lucky enough to see him a number of times over the years and hope to see him several more times before one of us just can't do it anymore. I never thought of him as one of the "great" guitar players, but I've been a life long fan of his music. I love to watch him play, simply because, like you said, he takes it to the edge and a lot of times way past that edge. I'm telling you even the sour notes work, especially when they're coming out of that guitar. I've never been a thief, but if he died and I had a chance to steal that guitar, I'd do it in a blink. In 1974 I bought, what the shop owner told me was a '68, black Les Paul Custom with nickel hardware for around $250.00 with the case. I loved everything about that guitar and think about it every time I play a guitar. It was stolen right off the stage one night during a break. The bar was packed and no one saw it happen, I didn't even notice it was gone until I was walking back up to the stage. That was back in '82 and I'm still on the lookout for it. If I ever find it I'll know it's mine by a couple of odd placed chips out of the back binding.
Dam that sucks! I'm fortunate I've only had leads stolen, but they were great leads, 40ft in length each. The perils of playing live, but losing a guitar is the worst.
As a fan of Hendrix, Cream, Led Zep at the time when I first saw and heard the live video of this song, the one with the fan on stage (no not an enthusiast, an electric air-pusher), I was blown away, and first realised what a great guitarist he is. Like previous commenters, I think it is his loose style of playing that is the appeal. I remarked to a friend at the time that "He sounds like he could go wrong any second, but never does".
David Gilmour is an extreme Neil Young fan. That's really saying something. I've always appreciated tasteful playing instead of a barrage of notes. The music and the solos have to breathe. I think this is most apparent in players who were weaned on the blues. Another player I've always admired is Dave Mason. He would be a great player to analyze.
phillip ph - I always liked the outro solo (3:12) on Long Lost Friend by Dave Mason. Great use of wah, sustain, vibrato, etc. ruclips.net/video/Gf-pBnqTe9Y/видео.html There's something about his phrasing that makes him sound like he's shifting gears which I've always admired. No extraneous notes. Of course there's Look At You,Look At Me (8:00) ruclips.net/video/aHiXd9TNRYI/видео.html Then there's also Ronnie Montrose (RIP) - ruclips.net/video/yn0lczwOjOM/видео.html
Steppenwolf - Here's a quote from Gilmour stating he is always waiting for the next Neil Young or Bob Dylan album. I read he really liked Neil Young's playing somewhere else, as well www.apnews.com/ec625f29f8d3424a9a5a27db3798ebf4
Yes, he's great! I love the Berlin gig - got the dvd fifteen years ago and my brother introduced me to the Trans album twenty years still before that. :) Beautiful show, very warm and passionate - and you can't miss how much these songs mean both to Neil, the band and the audience of West Berliners at the height of the later Cold War.
Neil Young is by far the most influential rock musician period. His music defined the 60's with Crosby Stills, Nash, and Young, and again set the tone of the 70's with Crazy Horse. Then in the 2000's he made folk cool again. Neil Young no mater what is always true to himself, what you see is what you get. His guitar playing is like his voice, just a little off not perfect playing but absolutely perfect for the song.
Lane - Let's not forget GRUNGE... Legend has it that in 1967 Neil lent a flannel shirt to the Cobains to wrap baby Kurt in... the rest was history. ;-)
I think the trade off of Neil NOT CHOSING to play technical is the AWESOME price he is willing to pay for the Emotion he brings to his music. To me it's kind of liking saying Neil doesn't practice voice control or pitch/tone control when performing After The Gold Rush or Free World.
As a huge fan of Neil, and especially when he's with Crazy Horse, I don't think the "vibrato" thing really works for what Neil does. Neil has a very idiosyncratic, "one off" style that is not "critic friendly" to say the least! I will say, this, though. There's only three classic rock guitarists that have ever brought tears to my eyes, and Neil is one of them. The other two are David Gilmour and Peter Green. Neil is able to "go deep", despite his lack of technical mastery. "Hurricane" is my favorite Crazy Horse tune, it always stops me in my tracks. "Powderfinger" is another one where he really is able to mine emotion that most guitarists can only dream of.
He has plenty of vibrato. It can be heard when he plays acoustic leads. Hr doesn’t need the Bigsby. He certainly uses it but it’s not the key to his sound.
One of the very few guitarists that give me the chills every time. So much feeling in there. I love his on the edge chaotic crazy stuff. The only man who can play 30 notes the same in a row and make it sound good - no, great! Screw the finger vibrato.. that would change his sound..
Neil is underrated for his rhythm playing. He has the ability to play funky, which is rare with guitar. His sound is all his own. Yes, he's limited in his chops in some ways but he makes up for it in instinct and commitment. You will not find another guitarist like him. By the way, he played a Telecaster on Tonight's The Night and his vibrato is excellent.
Yes, and that's why this video was probably originally suggested. Phil is always very well researched, but it's a missed opportunity to not have gotten an analysis on the progression of the solos to the end. On the album version, the solos sound like they're flying high in the sky, but gradually run into choppy weather, until the final solo where Neil's guitarwork sounds like it's completely deteriorating like a dying bird. Suits the song perfectly. Though I understand critics call Neil's style "Johnny-one-note" this song still sounds like magic, and the "straight notes" sound chunky but perfect for the song.
Hello Fil. I really admire the way you interpret and explain Neil's playing without any negativity on his solo style. Your analysis of guitarists is spot on professionalism. Neil must be doing something right, as successful as he's been. Much respect.🎸👍
This tour was in 1982. What is interesting is the band is not Crazy House but is so incredible! The drummer is Ralph from Crazy Horse, The percussionist is Joe Lala who played with Steve Stills a lot. The bass player, now this is cool is Bruce Palmer who drove down from Canada with Neil in the early sixties and was original bassist for Buffalo Springfield. The organ player is Nils Lofgren who played on After The Gold Rush as a teenager and years later became a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band! Now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Even though he’s not much for vibrato I really feel he overcomes that with such lyrical phrasing. His solos on Powderfinger and Like A Hurricane (album) can be whistled or hummed and they really get stuck in your head. I also think he’s great because he has such a unique tone. No one sounds like him and you can tell it’s him after two notes.
neil plays such beautifully awkward and emotional notes. maybe hes not the most technical player but he pours his heart out and he plays such heartfelt notes strung together. hes kinda like a guy tryin to talk to a beautiful woman thats out of his league yet hes awkwardly professing his love for her and its coming straight from the heart and its raw,he speaks with the guitar and hes pulling the notes with all his might from his soul. ive been playing guitar for 36 years and i can appreciate a technical or flashy player but they dont give me goosebumps or chills like these notes,the steve vai type players are a bore compared to feeling players.anyone can feel the emotionin all neils notes, now yngwie wouldve played 2.9 million notes in that same time span but would have no emotional affect. just a wow hes fast.
I think he's one of the most unique sounding players on electric guitar. I remember once hearing "Almost Cut My Hair" by CSNY, though at the time I didn't know who they were or that Neil was a member, and when I heard him play his solo I knew it was him. I then figured out who they were and sure enough it was Neil!
I'm not a huge fan of Neil's playing but I get the genius of it..Neil sounds like Neil and you can tell when he is playing. There are a lot of amazing players but you cant tell one from the other. The great ones are always identifiable
It's always about the song for neil. Amazing songwriter and while a lot of people don't like his guitar playing it's quite unique. He is almost fighting the guitar at times on the edge. I like his playing, as it's not a lot of technical wankery.
Neil's studio version of this song features one of the best rock and roll leads of all time. I get much more out of one of Neil's or Bruce Springsteen's leads than any blazing Metal wizardry within weak songwriting.
Thanks Fil, great analysis and to me he's a pretty decent guitar player but not among the greats. His writing is astounding and of course I believe this is when he went solo and put out Harvest, all my young teenage friends went crazy over this. We were all huge fans of Crosby Stills Nash & Young, but him putting out Harvest knocked me out!
A great thing about Neil Young is he never plays a song the same way twice. Every song in every concert, acoustic or electric, is a "happening", a unique event, he's living on the edge and pushing the envelope, letting his raw emotions flow with the moment, taking the audience along on his trip... "I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream That perfect feeling when time just slips Away between us on our foggy trip"
Neil's been my favorite since day one. Memories galore ! He's wrote some heart rippin songs. I have most of his dvd's. No matter what people say, he will always be great and his music will live on forever! Thank you Neil ! What do you think about Tash Sultana ?
I haven't seen a lot, only some loop pedal stuff really. I haven't really seen much of her lead playing techniques, but maybe there's some vids out there!
ive only ever commented on vids probably 4 times in my life but i had to comment because you didnt seem impressed much with neil. the end of the song is the highlight of the whole song. he starts awkwardly but determindly banging out phrases that speak from the gut. i always think,ok heres yngwie,who btw was my guitar god hero when i was first learning,playing alongside neil and theyre both playing over the same song and yngwie would be playing like a technical and blazingly fast guitar wizard and then theres neil who looks like a guy thats been playing for a few years and isnt very proficient but plays with such intensity and beauty that it makes yngwie look ridiculous playing too many notes that whiz right over 99% of peoples head but neil just touched peoples hearts. i appreciated your reply to my earlier comment. one more thing , after all these years of playing i can sound like yngwie but not neil,im sure as a guitar player you know what i mean.
Yeah definitely, Neil's phrasing is always changing so it's impossible to get exactly the same! But fast playing you can get exactly the same, it's just a question of time!
There was a waitress in a small but packed out smokey bar. This song was a anthem to her in our hearts. Like a hurricane. She was a beautiful and tough woman that most of us guys had a not so secret crush on for her. Her name was "Gail". Neil is young in this video and driven.
Like a hurricane is a masterpiece. I think it sets a mood and kind of like an out of body experience. It helps me escape from the world for a few minutes.
How can you rate Neil's guitar-playing technically? He's sloppy, he's messy, he hits so many dud notes, he plays the same note like 100 times in a row........ Oh and that's why I worship him!
I always think he's one of the few white guys who have got the true essence of blues playing.... and that's despite him hardly ever playing in the blues genre!
Ted Shiress yes Neil's sound is the antithesis of technicality yet soars with a pure and colorful musicality that is instantly recognizable amongst the plethora of guitarists. 💜
Love Neil Young's solos. They are truly passionate with direction to the theme of the song. He actually started grunge in the NW. The limey doesn't know 💩 "HurricAne"
Another great musician I saw in the early 80's. I love his style. Maybe it's not for everyone, but I love the long jams. Neil Young great guitarist and great songwriter... thanks.
He did that concert for his handicapped son . it was a way to express to his son that he couldn't understand what his son would try to speak and vise versa , but they were making progress. and they did make a break through between Neil & son.
Please please can anyone tell me how to find that video of NY playing Hurricane. I used to have it somewhere on my favourites but cant find it any more. Love NY and that was a fantastic performance.
What makes Neil such a unique lead (and rhythm) player is his almost uncanny ability to find the perfect notes to fit the song. While many of todays guitar players use a modular approach to the instrument, Neil instead takes a linear approach. The complete opposite approach, with such feel for the guitar. If you listen to his acoustic work, you can really hear his style. Very organic, and he almost never plays a note or chord the same twice. Rock on Neil! 🎸🎶
There has been much criticism of Neil’s playing over the years-too simplistic, too repetitive. But I’ve always been a big fan, especially of his early material. I remember being so impressed by Down by the River that I sat down and learned the lead. It’s somewhat simple, but powerful and emotive. Neil is a true artist, brave and forever moving forward.
Neil Young once said that two best guitar players he ever heard in concert were: Jimi Hendrix, and JJ Cale. That really says something about Neil and his priorities when it comes to guitar playing (expression and melodic playing at its finest...)
Neil's technique is like beating a heavy bag. He has mastered the use of distortion and it feels to me like he is letting out some rage. I love the difference between his acoustic music and electic sound.
Neil may not be a great technician in the conventional sense but, for me, he generates a lot of intensity and emotion in his playing through his tone, his attack and his melodic choices.
Very informed, for a young observer and evaluator of an old "great" player. Neil is one of the "greats", among many, many of the 60's-70''s era players...all had what made them "greats"...identity...we knew who's music it was playing on the radio, without being told, or seeing the music being played by the artists. Seems, not so much today..."identity", has been replaced by "commercial viability". Back in the day, the money thing counted, but not like it does today...I think that's sad. Anyway, good job, you are wise beyond your years, and a good example of hope for your generation.
Your certainly welcome. I'm curious, have you ever done an analysis on Jerry Garcia...he was always out of the mainstream, but many came to understand what unique and complex player he was...and still are.
Some really weird stuff went down in the 90s in the music industry. They crashed themselves into the side of a mountain. Theyve never recovered and never will. Ive heard a lot of things about all the whys involved but the results are what really counts. They F'd themselves. Theyd rather invest in 30 mediocre acts than sign 2 or 3 mega-talents. You make about the same profit and you retain control which the labels lost in the 80s. The super stars were running the labels and it reached a head in the early 90s. The response to that chaos was the Grunge Era which made labels ZERO money but it solved some previous problems which led to bigger problems. Nobody ever said geniuses run record labels.
My brush with fame.....I cut Neil's hair back in the late 80's. He was one of my first clients as a new hairstylist. He was so nice. And I didn't realize who he was until a fellow stylist commented to clueless me, "You know who that was don't you---that's Neil Young." I didn't recognize him and he was so quiet and unassuming. And I'd asked him WHAT HE DID FOR A LIVING! fml
None guitar player here .... but I have to say when Neil plays guitar it is freaking amazing to me. I have no idea if he's doing it with his right hand or his wammi bar. same for his singing.
Ok Fil , thank u for this gift.. N. Young is the reason why I learned to play guitar 🎸 in the80'i was a teenager and I was obsessed with him.. for years I've been listening to his music and playing it my self, I was in Rome for one mega concert of his in Italy , this video really as a trip to memory lane for me and it touched my emotion , thanks again ciao.
Neil does this song in other live performances minus the tie, maybe you should have chosen one of those for review...Neil Young is awesome and I agree with others here who acknowledge his acoustic work.
Well, he's a legend, I love his songs, and I love his courageous stands on issues. I saw him live, once, about 20 years ago. Enduring his solos is the price you pay to be in the presence of greatness! :)
Neil is a perfectionist so I would think that his sound is based on his deliberate choice of playing style. My guess is that he prefers the straight notes and has the option to mix in some shading on the notes with his whammy bar as needed. I think he is often underrated as a guitarist. His sound is very easy to identify and is his musical signature.
For me, I find Neil Young's playing to be perhaps the most powerful and emotional that I have heard. I hear deep yearning and a willingness to endure in his guitar-playing. Power and passion. But maybe that's just me.
Different Music - I'm really glad you brought up the fact that Neil IS a perfectionist (and additionally, a control freak)... To a fault, at times. We've heard him articulate some notes and melodies that can only be described as "Angels singing" on many of his acoustic tracks. Neil had colleges do studies on the amount of data (music) that was ELIMINATED from an Mp3 track and developed his own "lossless" digital music format that is far more compact than FLAC or WAV files. (The recently deceased PONO format)...EVERY note, nuance, cymbal decay, etc, matters to Neil. This is why one can only concede that Neil's playing style when "loose", is basically a "controlled chaos" meant to allow the listener to feel and "live" the song rather than get hung up in listening to each note. I LOVE SRV, but you have to admit that you spend most of the Double Trouble tracks listening to each lick and tasty note that Stevie plays. I truly think that Neil would be disappointed if we did that to any of his works. Remember...Neil is the guy that wouldn't release music to digital sites early on because he didn't want the listener to play each one "out of order" from the numbered tracks on the album. Neil sets a MOOD... A master manipulator if you will. I can't count the times I've seen him and every single time I'm surprised by what he has in store for his audience. Never a dull moment with the crazy Canuk. Neil's flavor is not drawn from one "bite" of music, but it's meant to be enjoyed as a complete "meal" as Neil serves it to us. The chef AND server of multi-course goodness. Those tasty, sweet solos, although important, were only a decadent dessert. Hmmm... I guess it's time for lunch. ;-)
A great song that he can perform live almost identically to a studio version. Some of his best guitar work comes from a live and rare version of Mr. Soul. I will try to find and link.
Ya Fil...Neil isn't one of the greatest lead guitar players. He said himself, he just kinda grits his teeth and plays by feel. He said his old band Crazy Horse just played by feel too! I've seen him at least 3 or 4 times, that I can remember...memory is kinda foggy from those years! Don't know why? Lol😂 Anyway, they're some of the best shows I've ever been to! I always had a great time. He just puts 100% of himself out there when he's on stage and he's there to make sure everyone has fun! It was always a great experience!👍😎🎸🎶
Seen Neil half dozen times over the years. Only weak show was the Greendale tour. Just didn't work for me (and most of the audience from what I observed). He almost made up for it with the encore of non-Greendale classics.
i jeff - It took us a moment to figure out what the hell Neil was doing to us at that concert, but once we figured it out, my crowd was sucked in by the whole story and concept. We ended up buying tickets to the second leg of that tour (and of course, the album) We brought additional people but had them listen to the tracks (in order, of course), and filled them in on the storyline before the show... By the time Neil came back later in the tour, it was as if we (and most of the audience) had become members of the "Green" Family and enjoyed the "Off-Broadway" feel of the actors and cheesy props. We all enjoyed the journey that Neil took us on and (once again) he proved that he'll NEVER give you what you are expecting. The album has somehow crept its way into my list of favorites for "quiet days". I'm not even sure how that happened. Although, not one of Neil's iconic shows, it was his dream and a "brainchild" of his that was years in the making. He actually brought it to life with a good amount of success. How cool did THAT have to feel to a kid from Canada? A good friend of mine that has seen Neil WELL over 50 times once told me "I never like a Neil song the first time I hear it". Now that's a little extreme, but I'll admit that it's IMPOSSIBLE to hear a fraction of a Neil Young song on the first listen... They just get better as you peel away the layers and hear more... Now... Let's talk about the "pipe organ concert" ... Hmmmm ;-)
Neil is right-hand dominant because he had Polio on his left side when he was a kid so he does not have control of his left hand like a lot of guitar players do so he uses his right hand for his music.
Love Neil's playing. It was Neil and his austere solo's that inspired me the most when I was just starting out, that you could play a solo with just one note (like in Down By The River) The first player that made me aware of vibrato however was Tony Iommi, they way his notes would bite and then shake - still love his playing on those early Sabbath records.
I saw him recently as a complete solo show. He had five different stage sets, with different instruments (piano) at each set. So he moved to different sets for each set of music selections. An obnoxious drunk lost her front center seat and I was welcomed to it. A great show and he was so kind to sign autographs. Very small venue. Wonderful
So incredibly cool to stumble across this Wings of Pegasus analysis of my favorite Rock performance of all time! Incredibly difficult to critique such a unique performance as this one, and not piss a lot of people off, but I will say this- your facial expressions while watching this masterpiece performance says it all- joy, which is exactly what this timeless performance is- pure complete freaking joy. I really enjoyed your video, and look forward to more!
Neil is Neil. Almost defies description. i go back to The Buffalo Springfield days of Mr Soul. As far a technique, he has his own style. I mean, who else has played a one note guitar solo on a great track and it sounds as good as it did nearly 50 (!) years ago ? Cinnamon Girl. Heck, every track on Everybody Knows is timeless to me. btw, that's a double drop D. You've probably played that. Some mysteries are left that way with me.
Everybody Knows is one of the first albums i bought with my own money. Love his early electric stuff. His acoustic work has always been my favorite and was one of my main inspirations to take up guitar. I wore out the acoustic side of rust never sleeps, the other side, not so much
Thank you for the replies, Tim. I never saw Neil live but did catch a broadcast years ago where he was playing that pump organ. Funnily sorta enough, i hadn't thought about that in ages until tonight. Bummer the gig you saw featured this.
Neil Young is not a guitar player, he is a Force of Nature.
Brilliant
Yes
And Old Black and that beautiful otherworldly tonr.
His playing on cowgirl in the sand is my favorite he's the original grunge guy IMO
Neil's electric playing is never meant to be clean pritty sounding. That what crazy horse is all about , brutal raw emotion. He's known as godfather of grunge for a reason.
👍
I like that clean style of playing he has as well.
Bio-plasmic Toad well said
It’s been noted that his single note style is an extension of his lyrics
In this case it actually the “Trans band” touring in support of the Trans album rather than Crazy Horse
To me, his guitar playing is amazing and so emotional, and that's what makes it work so well. I listen to music not to hear perfection, but to feel something and, with Neil, I always do.
A lot of people miss the point, his guitar playing is like listening to spoken poetry, it goes beyond musical notes, it's another language entirely.
I dunno if I'd describe it in such grandiose terms. It only goes beyond the musical notes to the extent of dynamics and context.
I agree.
Nope too many wimpy requesters only want his acoustic!!!! Why didn't you play this from beginning
@@DENVEROUTDOORMAN
pay no attention to denveroutdoorman he's NOT a true Neil Young fan.
Agree. It's one of few that can take me away to a beautiful place...
without the use of chemicals.... then this guy comes in an throws cold water 💧 on it... 😢
Love Neil's style; he's not about technical chops - and none of my favorites are - he's about expressing something. When I listen to Neil's leads they make me feel something. When I listen to a guy like Steve Vai I just think uh yeah, he's playing really fast.
Totally agree. At the end of the day music exists as a means of expressing emotion - not running through a bunch of scales in rapid succession.
technical wizardy and fretboard wankery is tedious, play with heart and fucking soul. Its why the likes of neil young or even ron asheton of the stooges stand above vai, mamsteeen and all that shower of fucking nonsense.
And Damian wins the comments award for the term "fretboard wankery." 😄
@Hugh G. Fallacy its not really a comparison between the two guitarists as individuals is it though, yes we all know theyre completely different and Vai technical ability is unbelievable, i think we are comparing the music they produce and the feelings therein, its not about the guitar playing, so whats being said is Vai, Satch et al are all better guitarists than neil yet cant write a song or a solo that moves us in any way. Thats all dude, Vai, Satch, yngwie all amazing guitarists...but so fucking what, play with heart on a one note solo and touch our souls fuck your technique.
@Jonny Kane
Totally agree you can practice for speed but you can’t practice soul.
Neil Young to me is the perfect example of why you don't have to be a technically-masterful musician to be recognized as a great artist.
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You can add JIMI Hendrix to that and he did it upside down.
He is technically masterful, listen to him play acoustic songs. He's flawless
Sorta like Miles Davis...
I wouldn’t claim that Neil is a technical master but he is certainly a master of emotion.
Neil is a relative minimalist in the guitar hero world, but there are technical players who would give their eyeteeth to have a signature sound in the way that Neil does. When you hear a Neil solo, you know it’s Neil.
I would also add that Neil’s lead in Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” was one of the baddest leads heard up until that point and stands up to the rest of time as well.
Yeah having your own sound is the holy grail!
SmelOdies Neil's sound is the antithesis of technicality yet soars with a pure and colorful musicality that is instantly recognizable amongst the plethora of guitarists. 💜
inindian I wouldn’t call it the antithesis of technicality. Plenty of other big name guitar players with less knowledge of technique than Neil. That said, he was a relative minimalist among the guitar hero set.
Eric well said. Neil has a signature for sure!
Neil can convey emotion through his guitar as well as any rock guitarist ever has. I'm sure there are thousands of technically more "proficient" guitarists that use
"vibrato" more often, but for me that's completely missing the point with Neil. There's only a handful of guitar players that have ever brought me to tears, and he is one of them.
He also doesn't put vibrato in his vocals, yet somehow is a very expressive singer. Would rather listen to Young than Clapton any old day -- Neil just feels like he actually has something to say.
To me, Neil is a Rock God! He makes his Tweed Deluxe scream like a demon from the netherworld. Every note a perfect death howl. Rock'n'Roll guitar playing has got nothing to do with virtuosity on a technical level. It's about makin' 'er rip!
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Neil Young as a lead guitarist is a mystery. He doesn't have singing finger vibrato (and I am a vibrato fanatic) yet i hear his cry through the guitar and can usually identify him on first note. It might be his innate musicality and gift for melody as a songwriting great as well as his unique tone. His whammy vibrato is very unique (Southern Man the best example) so it might be part of his magic.
Yeah it does make his playing unique.
@@wingsofpegasus And very great indeed.
He is a genius and the outcome is the magic not the technical analysis! Can Wings of Pegasus emote such purity and power as this!??? It is an eternal mystery and is the soul's expression via Neil and other masters such as Bach. It is the unknown ingredient that 99% of humans sadly miss.
Having no formal training may have a lot to do with it. Claims he doesn't know the scales and modes ? A lot of great music has been created by those who were polluted by rules, theory and structure....
No one else plays like Neil. No one should try. Neil is legend.
I used to have this on VHS and that tie drove me crazy!
Oh man I give a bunch of money to have a copy of this.
this is from the best "In Berlin concert" now widely banned ! best version ever , guard it with your life , Nils , Bruce Palmer on bass (best bass ever on this song .) and Neils tie !
Why was it banned?
The entire, "Neil Young (Live in Berlin) 1982", is absolutely the best of him that i've seen/heard . It's my favorite version of , "Like a Hurricane", and the song, "After Berlin" just blew me away . I know that Neil only played that song once during that concert and never again . not sure why it's banned, but perhaps political reasons because of the lyrics in the song, After Berlin.
Neil is a very distinctive player (heck, he is one of a kind as a human being) and his approach has that wild/unpredictable edge to , it can seem his playing is on the verge of chaos at times, which is why so many love him I guess!
Yeah he doesn't hold anything back!
I have never heard Neil play anything that did not make my dog howl.
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That's funny mate, I like that
He makes the guitar F’n SCREAM!!!! He may not be the most prolific soloist, but his passion is unsurpassed on this song.
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Neil's iconic. You can tell a Neil Young solo, no matter what he's playing. What a unique combination of rustic playing and creative exploration/expansion of the melody. And I've always admired his tone. I appreciate the ability to create vibrato with either hand as a mark of a guitarists mastery of the instrument, but also like that Neil's pretty wed to straight notes, whether that's a limitation of his technique or a choice. For me, it's a refreshing change - a swing to the other side of the spectrum (away from reliance on fast playing and overuse of or overly wide vibrato).
I always enjoy your breakdown of guitarists - their style/techniques/equipment ...
Thanks! Yeah it certainly gives Neil's guitar a unique sound.
He’s playing to the song. Almost like Neil is talking via his guitar. I like it, original and emotional.
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Precisely.
Like the great late Johnny Winter Neil Young could take a riff and play the shit out of it.
Saw Neil with CSNY, Stills, and with his band. He's in my top 3 artists and been listening since I was 13 yrs old. That's 47 years of Neil for me. Love 'im! Peace
Cool!
In a fairly recent interview with Dan Rather, Neil Young told him he had polio when he was a child and it left him with little control of his left hand. So, he compensated by using his right hand more when playing guitar. Knowing that gives a different perspective on his style. There's a video of him in Ontario playing Rockin' in the Free World with Pearl Jam. They started it out, and when Neil walked on stage the intensity level ratcheted up about three or four notches and stayed there till the end of the song. Cool video.
"I wanna love you but I get so blown awayyyyyy...." tell me that doesn't just say it all! Love Neil, Love Nils, Love Longgrain, Love Crazy Horse, Love Neil Young Archives, love my PONO players... Love that Neil is still doing exactly what he loves and only what he wants to do.
NY is an example of a player who expresses emotion of the song through the instrument. Very rare in more hard rock metal genres, who tend to just string licks together around a chord.
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Exactly
I love this live performance. Unfortunately the original video is not on youtube anymore.
No - most annoying. It’s been unavailable for a long time, probably never see it again on RUclips. I’ve got the VHS, but makes you realise how convenient 21st century technology is.
Glad you picked this one. Is he a wizard on guitar...no, but the emotion he brings is what makes it worth listening to. He plays from his soul and sings from his soul and that's what makes him so good...pure music. Thanks for the video!
No problem!
+NIX_34 I think Neils most emotionally album ( in my personal opinion) is Tonight's the night.
It's out of tune on a few places, but it is SO emotional, Neil felt guilty about the dead of Danny Whitten.
When listening to Neil's electric playing I've always got the feeling like the guitar and strings were trying to say the note this way and Neil was like, nope, do it like this. A constant tug and pull between the two, a beautifully chaotic dance.
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Neil's leads cut through like arrows, piercing and pure, playing perfect contrast to the background music. He understands how to stand out and carve the melody into something more.
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I don't care what anybody says, just being able to watch Neil Young bang away on that black Les Paul is a privilege. I've been lucky enough to see him a number of times over the years and hope to see him several more times before one of us just can't do it anymore. I never thought of him as one of the "great" guitar players, but I've been a life long fan of his music. I love to watch him play, simply because, like you said, he takes it to the edge and a lot of times way past that edge. I'm telling you even the sour notes work, especially when they're coming out of that guitar. I've never been a thief, but if he died and I had a chance to steal that guitar, I'd do it in a blink. In 1974 I bought, what the shop owner told me was a '68, black Les Paul Custom with nickel hardware for around $250.00 with the case. I loved everything about that guitar and think about it every time I play a guitar. It was stolen right off the stage one night during a break. The bar was packed and no one saw it happen, I didn't even notice it was gone until I was walking back up to the stage. That was back in '82 and I'm still on the lookout for it. If I ever find it I'll know it's mine by a couple of odd placed chips out of the back binding.
Dam that sucks! I'm fortunate I've only had leads stolen, but they were great leads, 40ft in length each. The perils of playing live, but losing a guitar is the worst.
As a fan of Hendrix, Cream, Led Zep at the time when I first saw and heard the live video of this song, the one with the fan on stage (no not an enthusiast, an electric air-pusher), I was blown away, and first realised what a great guitarist he is.
Like previous commenters, I think it is his loose style of playing that is the appeal. I remarked to a friend at the time that "He sounds like he could go wrong any second, but never does".
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David Gilmour is an extreme Neil Young fan. That's really saying something. I've always appreciated tasteful playing instead of a barrage of notes. The music and the solos have to breathe. I think this is most apparent in players who were weaned on the blues.
Another player I've always admired is Dave Mason. He would be a great player to analyze.
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phillip ph - I always liked the outro solo (3:12) on Long Lost Friend by Dave Mason. Great use of wah, sustain, vibrato, etc. ruclips.net/video/Gf-pBnqTe9Y/видео.html There's something about his phrasing that makes him sound like he's shifting gears which I've always admired. No extraneous notes.
Of course there's Look At You,Look At Me (8:00) ruclips.net/video/aHiXd9TNRYI/видео.html
Then there's also Ronnie Montrose (RIP) - ruclips.net/video/yn0lczwOjOM/видео.html
Steppenwolf - Here's a quote from Gilmour stating he is always waiting for the next Neil Young or Bob Dylan album. I read he really liked Neil Young's playing somewhere else, as well
www.apnews.com/ec625f29f8d3424a9a5a27db3798ebf4
Steppenwolf - Somewhere on Gilmour's website he states that, "A Man Needs A Maid," is in his top 8 favorite songs ever. I'd have to agree with him.
Great to learn that Gilmour is a Young fan...my two favourite guitarists...I wonder what Neil thinks of the Floyd back in their heyday
Love Neil Young! Neil is a live artist, he always gives all he's got! I've seen him live in concert twice, and it's awsome!
Cool!
so have I. absolutely unforgettable.
Yes, he's great! I love the Berlin gig - got the dvd fifteen years ago and my brother introduced me to the Trans album twenty years still before that. :) Beautiful show, very warm and passionate - and you can't miss how much these songs mean both to Neil, the band and the audience of West Berliners at the height of the later Cold War.
Neil Young is by far the most influential rock musician period. His music defined the 60's with Crosby Stills, Nash, and Young, and again set the tone of the 70's with Crazy Horse. Then in the 2000's he made folk cool again.
Neil Young no mater what is always true to himself, what you see is what you get. His guitar playing is like his voice, just a little off not perfect playing but absolutely perfect for the song.
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Lane - Let's not forget GRUNGE... Legend has it that in 1967 Neil lent a flannel shirt to the Cobains to wrap baby Kurt in... the rest was history. ;-)
I think the trade off of Neil NOT CHOSING to play technical is the AWESOME price he is willing to pay for the Emotion he brings to his music. To me it's kind of liking saying Neil doesn't practice voice control or pitch/tone control when performing After The Gold Rush or Free World.
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So he's "choosing" to not play technically. Okay, I get it now .
As a huge fan of Neil, and especially when he's with Crazy Horse, I don't think the "vibrato" thing really works for what Neil does. Neil has a very
idiosyncratic, "one off" style that is not "critic friendly" to say the least! I will say, this, though. There's only three classic rock guitarists that have ever brought
tears to my eyes, and Neil is one of them. The other two are David Gilmour and Peter Green. Neil is able to "go deep", despite his lack of
technical mastery. "Hurricane" is my favorite Crazy Horse tune, it always stops me in my tracks. "Powderfinger" is another one where he really
is able to mine emotion that most guitarists can only dream of.
He has plenty of vibrato. It can be heard when he plays acoustic leads. Hr doesn’t need the Bigsby. He certainly uses it but it’s not the key to his sound.
Three guitarists that imbue emotion into each note.
One of the very few guitarists that give me the chills every time. So much feeling in there. I love his on the edge chaotic crazy stuff. The only man who can play 30 notes the same in a row and make it sound good - no, great! Screw the finger vibrato.. that would change his sound..
Hallo, thx for this Video. Where can I see this Video, it isnt on youtube anymore.
Neil is underrated for his rhythm playing. He has the ability to play funky, which is rare with guitar. His sound is all his own. Yes, he's limited in his chops in some ways but he makes up for it in instinct and commitment.
You will not find another guitarist like him.
By the way, he played a Telecaster on Tonight's The Night and his vibrato is excellent.
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His rythm playing on Cinnamon Girl, and the one note solo, has always impressed me more than most of his other electric songs.
Not many bands you can just close your eyes and get lost in pure musical vibes. Neil makes that possible
The album version of like a hurricane is one of the most emotional guitar solos I've ever heard.
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I agree. It's an astonishing solo. In fact, two astonishing solos. He was on fire. Mind you, plenty of his live Hurricanes are quite breathtaking.
Yes, and that's why this video was probably originally suggested. Phil is always very well researched, but it's a missed opportunity to not have gotten an analysis on the progression of the solos to the end. On the album version, the solos sound like they're flying high in the sky, but gradually run into choppy weather, until the final solo where Neil's guitarwork sounds like it's completely deteriorating like a dying bird. Suits the song perfectly. Though I understand critics call Neil's style "Johnny-one-note" this song still sounds like magic, and the "straight notes" sound chunky but perfect for the song.
Best song ever ❤️
Nope gotta be Live
Hello Fil. I really admire the way you interpret and explain Neil's playing without any negativity on his solo style. Your analysis of guitarists is spot on professionalism. Neil must be doing something right, as successful as he's been. Much respect.🎸👍
Thanks! Yeah it's no coincidence!
Can I just say...Rolling Stone has Neil as the 17th greatest guitarist of all time, I don’t think he needs Phil saying he needs to work harder.
This tour was in 1982. What is interesting is the band is not Crazy House but is so incredible! The drummer is Ralph from Crazy Horse, The percussionist is Joe Lala who played with Steve Stills a lot. The bass player, now this is cool is Bruce Palmer who drove down from Canada with Neil in the early sixties and was original bassist for Buffalo Springfield. The organ player is Nils Lofgren who played on After The Gold Rush as a teenager and years later became a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band! Now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Nils was a great accordion player in his youth. He was also a gymnast, and you can see that in some of his videos with his own band.
My opinion his best
this is definitely the best version, unfortunately this version is no longer available in some countries.....
Even though he’s not much for vibrato I really feel he overcomes that with such lyrical phrasing. His solos on Powderfinger and Like A Hurricane (album) can be whistled or hummed and they really get stuck in your head. I also think he’s great because he has such a unique tone. No one sounds like him and you can tell it’s him after two notes.
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Neil is one of my favorite guitarists, he’s a very eccentric player and sometimes makes notes that are out of key sound good
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Nobody does NY better than NY.
neil plays such beautifully awkward and emotional notes. maybe hes not the most technical player but he pours his heart out and he plays such heartfelt notes strung together. hes kinda like a guy tryin to talk to a beautiful woman thats out of his league yet hes awkwardly professing his love for her and its coming straight from the heart and its raw,he speaks with the guitar and hes pulling the notes with all his might from his soul. ive been playing guitar for 36 years and i can appreciate a technical or flashy player but they dont give me goosebumps or chills like these notes,the steve vai type players are a bore compared to feeling players.anyone can feel the emotionin all neils notes, now yngwie wouldve played 2.9 million notes in that same time span but would have no emotional affect. just a wow hes fast.
Yeah there's more than one way to get the job done!
I think he's one of the most unique sounding players on electric guitar. I remember once hearing "Almost Cut My Hair" by CSNY, though at the time I didn't know who they were or that Neil was a member, and when I heard him play his solo I knew it was him. I then figured out who they were and sure enough it was Neil!
Haha cool!
When you see Neil live your mind is blown and that's all that matters
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Damn straight. Its been almost a year and im still trying to put the pieces together!
I'm not a huge fan of Neil's playing but I get the genius of it..Neil sounds like Neil and you can tell when he is playing. There are a lot of amazing players but you cant tell one from the other. The great ones are always identifiable
This has put every hair on my back up, for about 40 years now.
He has manipulated the angle at which his guitar is facing the amp, to control the absolutely delicious degree of feedback he's getting.
About time you got uncle Neil up here... No one goes more live than Neil in my opinion
Yeah definitely he doesn't hold anything back.
It's always about the song for neil. Amazing songwriter and while a lot of people don't like his guitar playing it's quite unique. He is almost fighting the guitar at times on the edge. I like his playing, as it's not a lot of technical wankery.
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Neil's studio version of this song features one of the best rock and roll leads of all time. I get much more out of one of Neil's or Bruce Springsteen's leads than any blazing Metal wizardry within weak songwriting.
Neil Young has his own style, No other like him, Love his music
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Thanks Fil, great analysis and to me he's a pretty decent guitar player but not among the greats. His writing is astounding and of course I believe this is when he went solo and put out Harvest, all my young teenage friends went crazy over this. We were all huge fans of Crosby Stills Nash & Young, but him putting out Harvest knocked me out!
Cool! Yeah he was a hell of a writer!
Ol' Neil's still rockin' in the free world.
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A great thing about Neil Young is he never plays a song the same way twice. Every song in every concert, acoustic or electric, is a "happening", a unique event, he's living on the edge and pushing the envelope, letting his raw emotions flow with the moment, taking the audience along on his trip...
"I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip"
Neil's been my favorite since day one. Memories galore ! He's wrote some heart rippin songs. I have most of his dvd's. No matter what people say, he will always be great and his music will live on forever! Thank you Neil ! What do you think about Tash Sultana ?
I haven't seen a lot, only some loop pedal stuff really. I haven't really seen much of her lead playing techniques, but maybe there's some vids out there!
Neil has got "it", many great guitar players are technical wonders, but they don't have it!
the truth
ive only ever commented on vids probably 4 times in my life but i had to comment because you didnt seem impressed much with neil. the end of the song is the highlight of the whole song. he starts awkwardly but determindly banging out phrases that speak from the gut. i always think,ok heres yngwie,who btw was my guitar god hero when i was first learning,playing alongside neil and theyre both playing over the same song and yngwie would be playing like a technical and blazingly fast guitar wizard and then theres neil who looks like a guy thats been playing for a few years and isnt very proficient but plays with such intensity and beauty that it makes yngwie look ridiculous playing too many notes that whiz right over 99% of peoples head but neil just touched peoples hearts. i appreciated your reply to my earlier comment. one more thing , after all these years of playing i can sound like yngwie but not neil,im sure as a guitar player you know what i mean.
Yeah definitely, Neil's phrasing is always changing so it's impossible to get exactly the same! But fast playing you can get exactly the same, it's just a question of time!
There was a waitress in a small but packed out smokey bar. This song was a anthem to her in our hearts. Like a hurricane. She was a beautiful and tough woman that most of us guys had a not so secret crush on for her. Her name was "Gail". Neil is young in this video and driven.
I believe it's called garage rock. Sounded good in 1966 - still does.
Like a hurricane is a masterpiece. I think it sets a mood and kind of like an out of body experience. It helps me escape from the world for a few minutes.
How can you rate Neil's guitar-playing technically? He's sloppy, he's messy, he hits so many dud notes, he plays the same note like 100 times in a row........ Oh and that's why I worship him!
Yeah he doesn't conform, which is an advantage!
I always think he's one of the few white guys who have got the true essence of blues playing.... and that's despite him hardly ever playing in the blues genre!
Ted Shiress yes Neil's sound is the antithesis of technicality yet soars with a pure and colorful musicality that is instantly recognizable amongst the plethora of guitarists. 💜
Ted Shiress yet Neil with an acoustic is better than anyone
My top 5 "best" guitarists (subjective and in no order) - Neil Young, Duane Allman, Johnny Marr, David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, Prince (yes that's 6)
Love Neil Young's solos. They are truly passionate with direction to the theme of the song. He actually started grunge in the NW. The limey doesn't know 💩
"HurricAne"
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Another great musician I saw in the early 80's. I love his style. Maybe it's not for everyone, but I love the long jams. Neil Young great guitarist and great songwriter... thanks.
No problem!
He did that concert for his handicapped son . it was a way to express to his son that he couldn't understand what his son would try to speak and vise versa , but they were making progress. and they did make a break through between Neil & son.
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Please please can anyone tell me how to find that video of NY playing Hurricane. I used to have it somewhere on my favourites but cant find it any more.
Love NY and that was a fantastic performance.
What makes Neil such a unique lead (and rhythm) player is his almost uncanny ability to find the perfect notes to fit the song. While many of todays guitar players use a modular approach to the instrument, Neil instead takes a linear approach. The complete opposite approach, with such feel for the guitar. If you listen to his acoustic work, you can really hear his style. Very organic, and he almost never plays a note or chord the same twice. Rock on Neil! 🎸🎶
I love how some solos - from some of his big songs - are literally him playing one note! 😂 Yet they're just right.
Neil’s single note style has so much soul. Weird you can tell he puts emotion into the single notes.
There has been much criticism of Neil’s playing over the years-too simplistic, too repetitive. But I’ve always been a big fan, especially of his early material. I remember being so impressed by Down by the River that I sat down and learned the lead. It’s somewhat simple, but powerful and emotive. Neil is a true artist, brave and forever moving forward.
Neil Young once said that two best guitar players he ever heard in concert were: Jimi Hendrix, and JJ Cale. That really says something about Neil and his priorities when it comes to guitar playing (expression and melodic playing at its finest...)
Neil's technique is like beating a heavy bag. He has mastered the use of distortion and it feels to me like he is letting out some rage. I love the difference between his acoustic music and electic sound.
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Neil may not be a great technician in the conventional sense but, for me, he generates a lot of intensity and emotion in his playing through his tone, his attack and his melodic choices.
Yeah definitely he doesn't hold anything back.
I agree, I think he gets a lot of emotion into his solos and certainly intensity, but using different methods than a lot of guitarists.
Very informed, for a young observer and evaluator of an old "great" player. Neil is one of the "greats", among many, many of the 60's-70''s era players...all had what made them "greats"...identity...we knew who's music it was playing on the radio, without being told, or seeing the music being played by the artists.
Seems, not so much today..."identity", has been replaced by "commercial viability". Back in the day, the money thing counted, but not like it does today...I think that's sad.
Anyway, good job, you are wise beyond your years, and a good example of hope for your generation.
Thanks!
Your certainly welcome.
I'm curious, have you ever done an analysis on Jerry Garcia...he was always out of the mainstream, but many came to understand what unique and complex player he was...and still are.
Some really weird stuff went down in the 90s in the music industry. They crashed themselves into the side of a mountain. Theyve never recovered and never will. Ive heard a lot of things about all the whys involved but the results are what really counts. They F'd themselves. Theyd rather invest in 30 mediocre acts than sign 2 or 3 mega-talents. You make about the same profit and you retain control which the labels lost in the 80s. The super stars were running the labels and it reached a head in the early 90s. The response to that chaos was the Grunge Era which made labels ZERO money but it solved some previous problems which led to bigger problems. Nobody ever said geniuses run record labels.
Could listen to classic Neil all day long. Not the greatest of players but his emotion and phrasing more than makes up for the lack of technique.
Yeah he doesn't hold anything back!
My brush with fame.....I cut Neil's hair back in the late 80's. He was one of my first clients as a new hairstylist. He was so nice. And I didn't realize who he was until a fellow stylist commented to clueless me, "You know who that was don't you---that's Neil Young." I didn't recognize him and he was so quiet and unassuming. And I'd asked him WHAT HE DID FOR A LIVING! fml
finally one of my all time favorites. neil has so many different styles of music , i find him interesting. thumbs up and thank you.
No problem!
Dude I love to watch you- we can tell you really enjoy watching guitarists play- it shows in your facial expressions. youre a joy to watch
Thanks Jim!
None guitar player here .... but I have to say when Neil plays guitar it is freaking amazing to me. I have no idea if he's doing it with his right hand or his wammi bar.
same for his singing.
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Ok Fil , thank u for this gift.. N. Young is the reason why I learned to play guitar 🎸 in the80'i was a teenager and I was obsessed with him.. for years I've been listening to his music and playing it my self, I was in Rome for one mega concert of his in Italy , this video really as a trip to memory lane for me and it touched my emotion , thanks again ciao.
Neil does this song in other live performances minus the tie, maybe you should have chosen one of those for review...Neil Young is awesome and I agree with others here who acknowledge his acoustic work.
This was just the requested video ☺
My favorite guitarist is Tony Iomi. I would really love to see what you would say about his style.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Add Blackmoor's Gates of Babylon solo to the list while yer at it.
Well, he's a legend, I love his songs, and I love his courageous stands on issues. I saw him live, once, about 20 years ago. Enduring his solos is the price you pay to be in the presence of greatness! :)
Haha cool!
Neil is a perfectionist so I would think that his sound is based on his deliberate choice of playing style. My guess is that he prefers the straight notes and has the option to mix in some shading on the notes with his whammy bar as needed. I think he is often underrated as a guitarist. His sound is very easy to identify and is his musical signature.
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For me, I find Neil Young's playing to be perhaps the most powerful and emotional that I have heard. I hear deep yearning and a willingness to endure in his guitar-playing. Power and passion. But maybe that's just me.
DouglasJBender Not just you. And that's why he's one of the very best guitar players out there imho. It's not all about technique and speed.
Different Music - I'm really glad you brought up the fact that Neil IS a perfectionist (and additionally, a control freak)... To a fault, at times. We've heard him articulate some notes and melodies that can only be described as "Angels singing" on many of his acoustic tracks.
Neil had colleges do studies on the amount of data (music) that was ELIMINATED from an Mp3 track and developed his own "lossless" digital music format that is far more compact than FLAC or WAV files. (The recently deceased PONO format)...EVERY note, nuance, cymbal decay, etc, matters to Neil.
This is why one can only concede that Neil's playing style when "loose", is basically a "controlled chaos" meant to allow the listener to feel and "live" the song rather than get hung up in listening to each note.
I LOVE SRV, but you have to admit that you spend most of the Double Trouble tracks listening to each lick and tasty note that Stevie plays. I truly think that Neil would be disappointed if we did that to any of his works.
Remember...Neil is the guy that wouldn't release music to digital sites early on because he didn't want the listener to play each one "out of order" from the numbered tracks on the album. Neil sets a MOOD... A master manipulator if you will. I can't count the times I've seen him and every single time I'm surprised by what he has in store for his audience. Never a dull moment with the crazy Canuk.
Neil's flavor is not drawn from one "bite" of music, but it's meant to be enjoyed as a complete "meal" as Neil serves it to us. The chef AND server of multi-course goodness. Those tasty, sweet solos, although important, were only a decadent dessert. Hmmm... I guess it's time for lunch. ;-)
@@_Common_Logic_ perfectly stated.
A great song that he can perform live almost identically to a studio version. Some of his best guitar work comes from a live and rare version of Mr. Soul. I will try to find and link.
Where is this video now . . . I can't find it on RUclips anymore...:(
I don't know unfortunately!
Good 'ole "One Note Neil" but he sure put's a lot of feeling into those few note's!
Amen!
I love his unpredictable playing. Downright Awesome!
Ya Fil...Neil isn't one of the greatest lead guitar players. He said himself, he just kinda grits his teeth and plays by feel. He said his old band Crazy Horse just played by feel too! I've seen him at least 3 or 4 times, that I can remember...memory is kinda foggy from those years! Don't know why? Lol😂 Anyway, they're some of the best shows I've ever been to! I always had a great time. He just puts 100% of himself out there when he's on stage and he's there to make sure everyone has fun! It was always a great experience!👍😎🎸🎶
Yeah it's cool to see someone just throwing everything into their playing and music!
wingsofpegasus yep!☺
Seen Neil half dozen times over the years. Only weak show was the Greendale tour. Just didn't work for me (and most of the audience from what I observed). He almost made up for it with the encore of non-Greendale classics.
i jeff I didn't happen to see that tour...guess everyone has a bad day once in a while!😀
i jeff - It took us a moment to figure out what the hell Neil was doing to us at that concert, but once we figured it out, my crowd was sucked in by the whole story and concept. We ended up buying tickets to the second leg of that tour (and of course, the album) We brought additional people but had them listen to the tracks (in order, of course), and filled them in on the storyline before the show...
By the time Neil came back later in the tour, it was as if we (and most of the audience) had become members of the "Green" Family and enjoyed the "Off-Broadway" feel of the actors and cheesy props. We all enjoyed the journey that Neil took us on and (once again) he proved that he'll NEVER give you what you are expecting. The album has somehow crept its way into my list of favorites for "quiet days". I'm not even sure how that happened.
Although, not one of Neil's iconic shows, it was his dream and a "brainchild" of his that was years in the making. He actually brought it to life with a good amount of success. How cool did THAT have to feel to a kid from Canada?
A good friend of mine that has seen Neil WELL over 50 times once told me "I never like a Neil song the first time I hear it". Now that's a little extreme, but I'll admit that it's IMPOSSIBLE to hear a fraction of a Neil Young song on the first listen... They just get better as you peel away the layers and hear more...
Now... Let's talk about the "pipe organ concert" ... Hmmmm ;-)
his playing is true to his emotion... even with a tie !!
Neil plays with his heart on his sleeve. Full on. Love his tone.
Amen!
Fil “ Back to Berlin is a great song too from this concert.
Neil is right-hand dominant because he had Polio on his left side when he was a kid so he does not have control of his left hand like a lot of guitar players do so he uses his right hand for his music.
Neil Young is a treasure. I have not heard or seen a bad Neil Young concert! Thank you for this!
Love Neil's playing. It was Neil and his austere solo's that inspired me the most when I was just starting out, that you could play a solo with just one note (like in Down By The River) The first player that made me aware of vibrato however was Tony Iommi, they way his notes would bite and then shake - still love his playing on those early Sabbath records.
👍
"All those notes may be called C, but every one is just a bit different" - Neil on his one note solo
I saw him recently as a complete solo show. He had five different stage sets, with different instruments (piano) at each set. So he moved to different sets for each set of music selections. An obnoxious drunk lost her front center seat and I was welcomed to it. A great show and he was so kind to sign autographs. Very small venue. Wonderful
His guitar speaks. It weeps. It reaches your very soul. Much like Hendrix.
So incredibly cool to stumble across this Wings of Pegasus analysis of my favorite Rock performance of all time! Incredibly difficult to critique such a unique performance as this one, and not piss a lot of people off, but I will say this- your facial expressions while watching this masterpiece performance says it all- joy, which is exactly what this timeless performance is- pure complete freaking joy.
I really enjoyed your video, and look forward to more!
Even battling that pesky tie, Neil rips it! As beautiful as it is sad, what a great sound.
Really enjoy the way you do these videos and the analysis.
Thanks!
Neil is Neil. Almost defies description. i go back to The Buffalo Springfield days of Mr Soul. As far a technique, he has his own style. I mean, who else has played a one note guitar solo on a great track and it sounds as good as it did nearly 50 (!) years ago ? Cinnamon Girl. Heck, every track on Everybody Knows is timeless to me.
btw, that's a double drop D. You've probably played that. Some mysteries are left that way with me.
Yeah he puts everything he's got into it!
Everybody Knows is one of the first albums i bought with my own money. Love his early electric stuff. His acoustic work has always been my favorite and was one of my main inspirations to take up guitar. I wore out the acoustic side of rust never sleeps, the other side, not so much
Let me add that I saw him in the late 80s,early 90s.He only played that fucking organ, never touched a guitar, pissed me off
Thank you for the replies, Tim. I never saw Neil live but did catch a broadcast years ago where he was playing that pump organ. Funnily sorta enough, i hadn't thought about that in ages until tonight. Bummer the gig you saw featured this.
Like a Hurricane ,is a work of genius,the melody,the solos,the vocals.