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Post by Rust Never Sleeps on Jul 14, 2008 22:54:22 GMT
I don't know anyone who likes Trans (I think it's funny!). I don't know anyone who likes Everybody's Rockin' (I hate it myself!). I don't know anyone who likes Landing On Water ( I find it bland). But was Neil's 80's output really that bad or was he just being Neil and doing what he likes?
Was he sticking two fingers up at the music business? I don't really know but something odd was going on in the world of Neil Young!
Then, in 1989, Freedom appeared from nowhere and he was back!
Maybe this is why we love the man. We never know what's coming!
So come on kids... be honest!
Neil in the 80's... did he suck?
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Post by Down By The River on Jul 15, 2008 1:27:26 GMT
You'd be shocked. I actually quite enjoy Trans ("Sample & Hold" and "Like An Inca", I f**king love, and I can't help but like the fascinatingly odd version of "Mr. Soul"- it almost sounds like video game music, but boy does he know how to pleasure that guitar), Re-ac-tor ("Shots" seriously rocks my world... in so many ways), and Landing On Water (in particular, I find "Pressure" intriguing). Everybody's Rockin' is strangely cute, but I don't think I'd choose to listen to it unless it was the only Neil around (sorry Neil) or I was in a really weird mood. This Note's For You and Life, I like what I've tasted.
A lot of his '80s albums, I'll be honest, I've not really listened to much. By the same token, though, I've not really listened to more than the isolated song or two (sometimes more) from each album with any regularity (except for Old Ways, but to be fair, I've not really given it a chance at all because country music left a bad taste in my mouth from childhood)- with the exception of his '60s and '70s work, which I could pretty much catalog and give a lot of the lyrics from memory. I appreciate all his sounds, really. I've yet to hear a song of his that I just absolutely cannot stand.
I think, with his '80s stuff, he was experimenting, testing his boundries and possibly the boundries of his fans and almost assuredly of the record companies and other such peoploids who had tried to put him in a box for years- I take that back, he was actively destroying those boundries with relish. He's never been one to like being pigeon-holed, and actively rebels against being told what to do (god I love him so much for that) and these albums certainly broke him free of any possibility he had of being labelled.
Neil in the '80s certainly didn't suck. He was wild, taking hold of those who tried to hold him down and putting it back on them, and sexy as ever with his strong, opinionated mind, just tearing down every wall in his path.
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neillwith2ls
One of the Ordinary People
On The Beach...brrr!
Posts: 49
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Post by neillwith2ls on Jul 17, 2008 12:59:07 GMT
The term "Bad 80's Period" was probably coined for Neil Young, but there's a lot of wheat amongst the chaff. 'Freedom' aside (that's an awesome album), there's probably enough decent material from 'Hawks & Doves' through to 'Life' to fill a couple of albums (at a push!). As is mentioned above 'Trans' is an incredible statement for an artist to make, at his stage of his career, especially considering the personal sentiments behind the vocoder sound. 'Transformer Man' is incredible, and I heard it first on 'Unplugged'. 'Sample & Hold' is also a great Neil Young song. I'd love to see Neil revisit (and re-invent) some of these songs in his live set; it'd floor everyone.
'Life' also has one or two good moments, but I think it's 'This Note's For You' which has the strongest material on it; 'Coupe De Ville" is a wonderful track. Don't forget also that the 'Eldorado' ep is from the 80's, and there's no a bad song on that!
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Post by moethesleaze on Jul 22, 2008 12:57:54 GMT
obviously the 80s is a real mixed bag....especially considering the whole geffen episode, but theres still a lot of great stuff there..as you can tell by my username ive a real soft spot for reactor, i think its a bloody great album, alot of anger and repetitive stuff on there(this has been linked to the programme him and pegi were working on for their son), hawks and doves b-side has its moment (discounting a-side as this is all 70s stuff) landing on water is awful though, the nadir of his career, trans is interesting , as always trying new stuff out. Old ways is great for me (like a bit of country...indeed the version of get back to the country he recently did at malahide was a highlight for me)..life was the start of the real road back that lead to freedom etc.
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ddddyyyy
One of the Ordinary People
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Post by ddddyyyy on Sept 7, 2009 7:26:16 GMT
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iasc
One of the Ordinary People
Posts: 7
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Post by iasc on Dec 24, 2009 16:37:26 GMT
I think, with his '80s stuff, he was experimenting, testing his boundries and possibly the boundries of his fans and almost assuredly of the record companies and other such peoploids who had tried to put him in a box for years- I take that back, he was actively destroying those boundries with relish. He's never been one to like being pigeon-holed, and actively rebels against being told what to do (god I love him so much for that) and these albums certainly broke him free of any possibility he had of being labelled. I think you got it in one there 'Transformer Man' is incredible i agree.
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Post by crazyhorse on Jul 24, 2010 7:06:31 GMT
if i had listened to neils 80's albums as a starting point to neil young then i wouldnt be a fan of his now. having said that i absolutely love Trans,evrybodys rockin, old ways. Reactor and Life are also good, the only one from the 80's i cant get into is Landing On Water, ive tried and ive tried to like it, am i missing something there?
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pachyderm
One of the Ordinary People
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Post by pachyderm on Oct 8, 2017 12:41:15 GMT
I thought Old Ways was great. It was the LP that really got me into liking Neil.
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