Neil Young at 80
Celebrating the Old Man with a Mixtape of 80 Neil Young warhorses, classics, also-rans, and ditch diggers.
There’s never been a moment that Neil Young wasn’t in my life. He’s one of those cornerstone artists who helped shape my taste for as long as I’ve been aware of music itself. Being that his birthday falls just two days before mine, I’ve also felt an odd kinship with this fellow Scorpio; his restless drive to not get pigeonholed into one sound or spot, while digging ever so deep into whatever passion strikes him when the mood arises.
Yes, Neil’s catalog includes some truly puzzling and, at times, frustrating sideroads—from Pono to Earth—but that’s what makes his career so fascinating and human. Still, I’m just as big a fan of folkie Neil as I am of feedback Neil.
The Mixtape link below reflects 80 of my favorite Young moments (they change quite regularly, however), where his quiet, contemplative side shares space with the feedback-fueled alter ego that fronts the mighty Crazy Horse. There’s a lot here, but there’s, of course, so much more. As one of the most prolific artists of the better part of the last century, it’s impossible to encapsulate his career into merely one Mixtape. His Archives collections prove that. Still, what follows are the ones I return to most often. Hopefully, they’ll stir some memories for the longtime fan, while serving as an illuminating gateway for the uninitiated.
Happy 80th, old man. Long may you run.
Find the Neil Young at 80 Mixtape for Apple Music by clicking on the photo.
