Particularly when the trip to Australia due for earlier this year was cancelled supposedly because of medical concerns...
It is 320 kbps mp3. I guess Hitchhiker will show up soon in Hi-Res on the Warner site though. As a separate item from the vinyl.
In my mind, the is the absolute best version of "Powderfinger". Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Powderfinger:
According to the book Shakey, Live Rust and Never Sleeps have the exact same version. I just read it today as I am following the book as I rebuy the remasters. I plan to do an A/B to verify!
Huh? As if an A/B is even necessary...completely different vocal, guitar solos, performance...the Rust Never Sleeps version just sounds more anemic. Sorry, but it's the most rediculous thing I've ever heard. The Shakey book just lost all credibility.
I thought that rumour was debunked? I read recently (here maybe) it was to concentrate on the Archives.
Wonder if he meant the Rust Never Sleeps film. According to Ghosts on the Road, the Live Rust version comes from the Cow Palace show on October 22, 1978, the entirety of which is also documented in the Rust Never Sleeps film. The Rust Never Sleeps album version, however, comes from the Denver show on October 19, 1978. But if Ghosts on the Road is to be trusted, "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" is supposedly the same version on the Rust Never Sleeps album, the Rust Never Sleeps film, AND Live Rust! That's probably worth A/B'ing.
Oh okay...well then I would concur with live rust and the film...absolutely, but I thought that was just a given. I always thought of live rust as the soundtrack to the film.
Except that Shakey does not in fact say that. The book does point out that the version of Into The Black is the same version on both releases (with door-slam overdubs on RNS), which is accurate. It is also the same version on the RNS film.
The versions from the film are all from the Cow Palace gig, whereas the Live Rust album is a compilation from various shows. This is correct.
Interesting that you are curious about the specifics of where RNS was recorded (even enough to do an A/B test), but a similar discussion about the recording date of Hitchhiker has attracted your contempt and dismissal. Regardless, your comment about Shakey is inaccurate.
I know u guys will say both, and I'll get there, but which one is the most essential: Live Rust or Rust Never Sleeps?
You are right - my mistake! It's actually Into the Black which is the same according to the book. Sorry about that.
In my opinion the Cow Palace take of Powderfinger (featured on both Live Rust and the Rust Never Sleeps film) is more exciting than the version on the RNS album. And overall I think the Rust Never Sleeps film (exclusively from the Cow Palace) is superior to Live Rust (a compilation of various venues, including Cow Palace). In particular, the magnificent Like A Hurricane from the film is far more impressive than the version from album, which ends prematurely due to Neil's guitar going out of tune. Presumably this short Live Rust take was chosen due to time constraints on vinyl, rather than because it was considered to be a particularly good version.
Start with Rust Never Sleeps. Despite the similar appearance, they are very different albums. Rust is an album, and is a fantastic one - easily Neil's best, but this is highly debatable and opinionated. It is a compilation of live performances with overdubs and studio recordings from various times and places, in the spirit of most of neil's late 70's stuff. The presentation and track order are important, and it is simply a killer record. Despite some preferring the other released powderfingers, the RNS one will always be the one in the front of my mind. Also, it is very cool to hear the take of Pocahontas, which is the Hitchhiker take with many added overdubs. This album is a case study in how overdubs and extras both add to and delete from songs Live Rust is currently the only official live documentation of the 2nd crazy horse lineup in the 1970's, and is a great live double album. Although many of the tracks overlap, due to the longer nature of this album and the "greatest hits" vibe, it is very different. I think of this as the kind of summary of the 70's for CH.
If you don’t have Rust Never Sleeps you don’t have Thrasher. And that’s a problem. A big one. Go with RNS first.
"Rust Never Sleeps" is an absolute must-have for any Neil Young fan, if only for "Thrasher" alone. The whole album is sublime.
I own the Hitchhiker vinyl. I had to flatten in with the vinyl flat but now spins and plays nicely. Overall I am certainly pleased but might have been hoping for a bit more groundbreaking stuff. Many of these versions are in fact inferior. My favorite tracks are Hawaii, Ride My Llama, Powderfinger, and Captain Kennedy (Hawks and Doves version still much better). Don't get me wrong, it is a good release and I'm glad to own it, I just find the hyperbole on this one to be a bit much. On a side note, Rust Never Sleeps is one of the best Neil records out there and Rust Never Sleeps is good but suffers from 70's live sound production or lack thereof. Both a very different and I much prefer RNS for the beautiful sound. Start to finish a masterpiece.
