When Neil Young was sued for sounding too country

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 15 Jun 2011 8:43 pm

This is an article in the LA times about when Neil Young was sued by his label, Geffen Records, for sounding too country when his band, the International Harvesters, included fiddler Rufus Thibodeaux, pianist Hargus "Pig" Robbins, steel guitarist Ben Keith and producer-keyboardist Spooner Oldham.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ne ... 5692.story

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 16 Jun 2011 7:36 pm

Rufus is one Cajun wild man on that fiddle.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 17 Jun 2011 12:41 pm

On "Old Ways" it was Ralph Mooney on steel, only one track with Ben Keith, if my memory is right. "Everybody's Rocking" had Ben Keith playing sax and lead guitar.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » 2 Jul 2011 9:21 am

Chas,

Great article, thanks.

Ian

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 2 Jul 2011 5:34 pm

What the article didn't mention was that the diamond-pinkie-ring guys at Geffen had just about blown out their gizzards a short seven months earlier when Young handed them the completed album "Trans", which was, like, experimental pre-electronica way, way, way before electronica was cool. I suspect they thought ol' Neil was trying to jack with them, which just may or may not have been the case.

He said that the album was "inspired" by the then-primitive computer technology that his son with cerebral palsy used to try to speak. And the album by the "country" band that they did release after they ordered him to play rock

- "Everybody's Rockin'" - was 25 minutes long of rockabilly covers. At least, you can't ever accuse him of jumping on the bandwagon....

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 3 Jul 2011 3:40 am

Neil went genre hopping through the 80s, and Geffen as in Geffen the Company, not the dude, took him to task for making un-representational music .. ie, Neil had made a series of high charting rock and country-rock albums for Reprise, he hands Geffen an electro set, his most conservative country album ever, a nu-rockabilly and a blues-horns drenched set.

Personally I think Trans is one of his best records, and far superior to anything he has cut since, and is up there with Havest, Tonight's The Night, etc. ..but you know each to their own. Personally I have never bought into what the critics liked about Neil, the general census is that his solo debut is an overblown half-cooked mess, whereas I think it's a psyche-country masterpiece.

It's all about the business, they signed the concept of Neil Young, where Neil thought they had signed him as an artist... commerce meets art?.. buyer beware I guess.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 3 Jul 2011 8:02 am

Hey Jason nicely put about Neils first solo album. One of my altime favorites, been listening to it recently.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 3 Jul 2011 8:58 am

Neil's biography "Shakey" is a great read. It's long and detailed, not fluff. The author hung with Neil for about ten years to write the book. The truth behind all of those stories is fascinating.

I just got the new International Harvesters Treasure CD. Ben Keith is all over it, and he co-produced it. Very good CD.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 3 Jul 2011 10:25 am

I believed the anti-hype about Neil's supposedly overproduced debut for years, ie: the critics thought it was a lame duck, the same guys who creamed over every fart made by Neil with Crazy Horse.. oh yay you can get a bonus album of feedback.. remember that from the 90s anyone?

Although I loved the Everybody Knows LP, I finally bought Neil's debut as a Buffalo Springfield completist.. and it just about melted my mind. Majestic and totally mad, I'm going to play it now!

Bob's right about Shakey, although I didn't finish it as I don't really have much motivation to read about Neil's latest efforts as I don't really listen to his new records. From the Pearl Jam collaboration onwards, the ship has sailed without me.. don't even get me started on Greendale.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 3 Jul 2011 11:47 am

Yeah, Greendale was pretty bad, but the concert movie of the Lyman Auditorium show is magic. You should see that, Jason. Also, there's a DVD of Live at Red Rocks that really kicks ass.

What I like most about Neil Young is that he's true to himself. Some of his ideas aren't so great, but he's crated a huge body of work with lots of real gems in it. Few of us can say that about ourselves or about the artists we work with.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 3 Jul 2011 5:22 pm

Neil's first 2 solo albums are 2 of my most listened to of alltime.I still remember when I bought them. Went into my local record store April/May 1969 albums were 3 bucks and 15 cent tax, came out w/ Neils 2 and Clouds by Joni Mitchell. Of course I was doing alot off acid back then so that probably helped leave the lasting impression of that music. Sounds as good today as it did then.

Robby Osenton · Post by **Robby Osenton** » 6 Jul 2011 9:57 am

Sleeps with angels is a really great album from the "modern neil" period, and I think it is overlooked. I know I didn't regard it as anything special until very recently, and then I listened to it over and over again. I bought the vinyl copy, and I think it plays much better spread onto 4 sides rather than in a single go.

I love greendale because it is so...weird. It is like a jr high play set to crazy horse music. I get why people dont like it though.

Ben keith has some great moments in Prairie Wind/Heart of Gold, and also sounds really wonderful on A treasure. Ive been enjoying spinning this one

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 6 Jul 2011 10:44 am

Robby, I agree that "Sleeps With Angels" is a fine album. My mother used to laugh about the bass part of "Safeway Cart" I don't know why, but I played it for her from time to time just see her laugh again.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 7 Jul 2011 2:11 pm

While we're on it, with Neil...

Gee...why hasn't anyone mentioned "Neil Young & The Bluenotes"? Probably don't like, eh?

I thought it was just great. Especially: "I don't sing for Pepsi, I don't sing for Coke, I don't sing for nobody, makes me look like a joke" (something like that).

That Bluenote tour only went about a year if that, but I caught it either at the Music Barn or Tanglewood (Lenox, MA) - think it was Tanglewood.

You talk about "the wall of sound"? The Bluenotes were a 4-piece Chicago horn section; These cats could blow smoke with the best of any horn ensembles.

Hey, I was blown out of my seat. What can I tell ya?

Tim Heidner · Post by **Tim Heidner** » 9 Aug 2011 7:06 am

I love that song 'The Double E' on Greendale! That's some grungy rhythm work, right there.