Neil Young Launches Online Archives (1st December 2017)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Defrance, Aug 4, 2017.

  1. ymenard

    ymenard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    We're getting near the 1 year opening... has there been ANY audio content that is not available to the public in official format? I have 90% of his CD's, what the point in the subcription? I already paid for all this.
     
  2. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England
    The main clue being that it was recorded at "Plywood Digital".

    Neil was in the habit of recording with a mixture of analog and digital technology in the eighties up until the mid-nineties, but I think it all went through some sort of digital stage.

    Not that it matters, in the case of Ragged Glory: it sounds fantastic. David Briggs made sure of that, and the performances transcend any debate of analog vs digital. Neil's made some analog records in recent years that have very mediocre sound quality in comparison, regardless of their artistic merit.
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2018
    jumpinjulian, andyediewatt and bonus like this.
  3. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England
    Neil told me that the reason Pono failed in the marketplace was because of streaming taking over from downloads.

    And yet, how many of the target audience for either project even have a preference for streaming services over other formats? A minority, I suspect. I think his conclusion is flawed.

    So the focus of the website has largely remained "high-resolution" audio, rather than exclusive content. Once they make the focus more fully on "new" or exclusive material, the chances of success will increase. The upload of Hurricane from 2013 was a welcome step in the right direction.
     
  4. qtrules

    qtrules Forum Resident

    Location:
    canada
    just the long version of 'birds'.
     
    Boswell likes this.
  5. Heart of Gold

    Heart of Gold Forum Resident

    Location:
    Turin,Italy
    Neil Young' s live material is relatively unlimited. The available unreleased studio material in the vaults isn't so large. We'll see.
     
  6. andyediewatt

    andyediewatt Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Australia
    Currently blasting Life from NYA. Even with superior sound and it being blasted at full volume it's still a turkey.

    Do you guys think there will be photos/articles/videos etc added to more recent song cards on the archives?
     
    footlooseman, DPK and JoeRockhead like this.
  7. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Cool! Is there a link or external source for this news? Is it planned for 2019, or no date yet?
    Really looking forward to it!
     
  8. andyediewatt

    andyediewatt Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Australia
    It's information Neil wrote as a response to a letter to the editor on NYA website. Nothing in concrete yet just plans to tinker with master copies and eventually release.
     
    albertop likes this.
  9. Josip

    Josip Forum Resident

    Location:
    Croatia
    Neil is planning Archives vol 2. in May 2019!

    So, first: what do you think will be there?

    Second: will everything be available at NYA as well or we'll get neil-ed again?
     
  10. windfall

    windfall Senior Member

    Location:
    UK
    Third: How many of you actually believe it will happen?
     
  11. Heart of Gold

    Heart of Gold Forum Resident

    Location:
    Turin,Italy
    I think that it's going to happen.
     
    JoeRockhead and vertigone like this.
  12. Heart of Gold

    Heart of Gold Forum Resident

    Location:
    Turin,Italy
    Independently from the contents on the website, so far there isn't any major archival release planned for Christmas time. ???
     
  13. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

    Boy- a lot of you folks really like to bash Neil, don’t you?
    It’s getting really boring. I’d love to hear what any of you have written, recorded, performed and made classic for the ages.
     
  14. Heart of Gold

    Heart of Gold Forum Resident

    Location:
    Turin,Italy
    I think to have not read real complaints here. Some people are eager to listen to more material on the website, other simply desire to see more stuff released after many years of waiting (since 1988). Nothing strange. After the release of vol. 1 (2009), Elliot Roberts promised the release of the following volumes in 2-3 years.
     
  15. FourWalledWorld

    FourWalledWorld Forum Resident

    Exactly. I don't see any active "bashing" here. Just fans who want to see more releases of archival product. What's wrong with that?
     
    JoeRockhead likes this.
  16. qtrules

    qtrules Forum Resident

    Location:
    canada
    keep listening, it has some excellent songs.
     
  17. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England
    It (the CD box set) will happen, but not necessarily to the timescale suggested.

    To put this into perspective, I think the Archives set ("Decade 2") was first mentioned as being prepared for release the same year I was born.

    The first Archives volume was released shortly before my 21st birthday.
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2018
  18. John Harchar

    John Harchar Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    The original intention for V2 was to go from the Time Fades Away tour in 1972-73 up to the Geffen era in 1981-82, which is roughly the same amount of time covered in V1. Everything on V2 once it's released should be available on the website, barring licensing issues. Could things change in the next six months? Absolutely. But this is the first time been narrowed down to a month rather than "some time in the next year or so."

    As for Decade 2, RP is correct: it was first mentioned as a possibility around 1988-89, so yeah things can slide a bit. Lucky 13 was the first hint of what the Archives could possibly contain.
     
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  19. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England
    I'd say that there's a very strong market for deluxe box sets at the moment (just look how many have been released in the last couple of years), so I suspect it's something the record company will very much be pressing for in the near future, even if Neil is less enthusiastic about the idea because it's not hi-res enough.

    When I spoke to Neil about how great I thought most of his 44.1 (CD quality) albums sounded, he seemed far more interested in convincing me that their sound quality was actually substandard than accepting praise that they already sounded great as they were.

    Now, granted, perhaps there is something wrong with my hearing and these classic albums actually do have substandard sound quality. But I think the problem with the continuing pursuit of "resolution perfection" is going to put a spanner in the works for the website in multiple ways, while the physical box set will (eventually) emerge, triumphant and unscathed.

    Firstly, the evidence that "hi-res" actually has any effect at all beyond placebo is very flimsy, with at least one foot firmly mired in pseudo-science. So, fittingly I suppose, it's on a "shakey" foundation that has already derailed numerous businesses.

    Secondly: where does it stop? We had 24/96, followed a few years later by 24/192 (with 24/96 being written off as "underwater listening"). 24/384 is now available. What's next: 48/768? Will that be twice as enjoyable?

    Meanwhile, teenagers listening to Ed Sheeran on Spotify seem to be having a fantastic time and it doesnt seem to have hurt Ed's sales, either. Perhaps the reason hi-res (above the already perfect resolution of 44.1) hasn't caught on to a wider audience is that it's simply not as superior as claimed, nor as much fun?

    And a box set (whether CD, blu-ray or vinyl) has a strong and enjoyable tactile element completely missing from the supposedly superior experience of hi-res streaming. Bob Dylan's management realise this: his Bootleg Series releases are beautifully presented.

    Including a subscription to the website in the cost of the box set would be a good idea, but would require a change of heart from management who still revel in trying to sell us the same thing (re-released! Re-mastered!) 15 times.
     
    Sean Murdock, DTK, EwaWoowa and 3 others like this.
  20. Graham

    Graham Senior Member

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    Do you regularly chat to Neil? Sort of serious question. Great post BTW.
     
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  21. RoyalPineapple

    RoyalPineapple It ain't me in the photo, babe.

    Location:
    England
    Thank you. No, I don't! Probably for the best - I would drive him nuts. :laugh:
     
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  22. Mbd77

    Mbd77 Collect ‘Em All!

    Location:
    London
    Arguably, the way this was released was better than the eventual box set.
    Personally this was what I was hoping for - a’Lucky 13’ cd release for each period, supported by live albums. My view is that should’ve been started in the 1990s, no blue ray or any gimmicks, just a 10cd set in jewel cases or something like that, with the live albums added separately. I would’ve liked to see some live multi-disc sets come later. I think the ‘Archives’ project (which I was very insignificantly involved with briefly at one point) is the victim of over-thinking and way, way too little momentum.
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2018
  23. Mbd77

    Mbd77 Collect ‘Em All!

    Location:
    London
    The thing with the sound quality argument that comes up often...sound quality is irrelevant if you can’t hear the music AT ALL if it’s unreleased.
     
  24. John Harchar

    John Harchar Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    At least the two "new" live albums included in V1 filled up a CD each. On the new set, I wouldn't want the 5 "new" albums to take up 5 discs where they're likely in the 40-45 minute ballpark (maybe Odeon-Budokan is longer). You can start off a disc with one of the unreleased albums, but don't split it off from the other material. Say the new set starts off with Time Fades Away II and it's 42 minutes, don't skip over to the next disc for the Tonight's the Night material. Don't put Homegrown on Disc 3, then start off disc 4 with more Homegrown material. Let us know exactly what each album contains, then continue from there.
     
  25. Graham

    Graham Senior Member

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    Of all the things to complain about...
     
    Kahunasunset likes this.

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