Howdy All, glad to say got rid of ALL ceepeeyew yesterday and with a little help from my friends proclaiming I'm Clean for almost a whole day now - good thing we have each other as 24 hour support here on Techride! What a great Techstock '99 concert Neil Young gave last night; he had that audience of NYC Boomers right in the palm of his hand. When I lived in California thru the '70s and '80's I knew some people in the music business, and they would always mention the name and legend of Neil Young in absolute awe. For one thing, it's always been said that he is a true Native American shaman - born with the power to heal people with his music using his voice and words and sounds - his power then developed over the years by elders through his ancestral mentors - and Wow, seeing him last night made me remember these stories and know for sure how true they are. His performance took away all my stress about anything whatsoever and as I sit here this morning writing to you it's still gone (haven't even bothered to look at my portfolio and the markets!)... So there sat Neil alone on a chair onstage with a giant movie screen in back of him displaying a minimalist light/shadow show of different moods or times to harmonize with each song. For each song he chose from which guitar or banjo from his quiver to play, or the piano or organ, going on and off the harmonica, always drinking a beer, always introducing anyone who came onstage to give him a new cold beer or make an adjustment "Oh hey, that's Larry", and constantly singing. Making everyone so comfortable, like These Greats know how to do by creating the feeling of being with him at his house among friends. So then it went beyond even that to a flash or two of of being inside a teepee being "smoked" and made whole; especially when he sang a song about a dream he had of four around a campfire talking; Marlon Brando, Pocahontas, and Me and You. You could have heard a pin drop in that place, as everyone there felt something undefinable happen. (Disclosure: Of course, take this with a grain of salt....I hold a collection of Neil Young albums and CD;s...not to mention Consider The Source ;o) Ya know, Neil has had some problems over the years with balancing his calling and gifted talent with his own self because his natural personality doesn't match his situation. (such a common problem among people who have different brainwaves than the majority). Neil's struggle was complexified by his origins in the backwoods of Canada and being a very shy simple humble person by nature; when he became a star sometimes the overwhelming recognition from his fans, citified ways, and the life on the road didn't combine so well within and around Neil. I grok he's had to go through some struggles like we know about lately with the ceepeeyew, and of course he's long since come out on the other side in the sunshine because if he hadn't, well, by his age he might not still be around. Feeling so fortunate today I got to see this wonderful show, and if Neil Young Solo Acoustic Tour comes to your area (tickets sold out quick and they were mighty expensive but any old stock will give out a couple) maybe you will too. He didn't perform either Heart of Gold or Hello Cowgirl in the Sand as a signal for Techride...but he did reappear for 5 encores as the audience went from clapping and calling for Neil, to howling like Tennessee blue-tick hounds begging him to return to the stage just one more time (which got him back out there because he sang about a late great dog of his named "Elvis" with the intro "every show's gotta have a dog song" and ending with "that hound dog is History" ). Yes it was 5 encores, like a sign of support for Techride cutting loose of that "C" just like that 5fer guy said he did (after really it gave him the boot just like it did to us).
So From LIVE At Techstock '99 Neil Young sang This One for Techride Pals and for Families & Pals everywhere (whether by choice or not; whether it's face or cyberly, by pen, relations, karass, karal, workmates, telephone, whatever): when he sang For Techride: "It's So Good To Have A Friend Who Can Tell You When You're Pissin' In The Wind".
(To which I say 2U, "Ain't It The Truth"....)
A 909 On Friendship 2U2,
Joan
And back at'cha. |
