Neal Casal (CRB, Circles Around the Sun, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals) R.I.P.*

Make of all this what you will...

Neal Casal Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com (#5)

Family Law Case Report

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What’s this? Can’t get it to open.

 

Essentially, court records of Neal filing a restraining order against the woman that has been alleged to be posting doctored texts and photos about her being in love with Neal.

 

Dark and creepy stuff, if true.

 

Yeah, I feel icky even reading this stuff, if I'm being honest. But the allegations in that Heavy link make this whole thing unsettling and sad on another level.

 

God. That tabloid headline is so trashy.

 

Yeah, this whole thing just got WAY more sad. Consider that his longtime partner is the one who found him hanging, and now this young retraining order chick is tagging him in posts to let his GF know.

 

Can I ask where you seen this reported that it was a hanging? I haven't seen anything other than it was suicide.

 

Weird. Her Facebook photo doesn't look shopped to me. but I'm not an expert.

 

I understand that Neal & the woman had a brief liaison sometime a few years back and the moment that was over the nightmare began for Neal with her nonstop harassment and abuse as well as whatever nonsense and lies she cooked up and peddles on her social media platforms.

 

Looking at the dates of those court filings...it doesn’t matter, of course, and I could be way off, but now I wonder if that was why Neal took take time off the road last August-September. The first filings were in late August around when they cancelled the CATS shows, and he was back on tour with CRB the day after the 9/19 hearing.

 

Ok, last one....

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And I've seen it reported as hanging multiple places, not that it matters one bit.

I'm still gutted every time it crosses my mind.

 

There's a picture of him at that Stones show on instagram and he's wearing that same shirt. So I don't know but it kind of seems like she's telling the truth.

 

Wow, she looks pretty crazy though...yikes

 

Abe Vigoda’s daughter?

 

instagram post from a friend of his.

dave ford on Instagram: “Another goodbye to another good friend... I am shattered to learn of the death of my friend and fellow Rolling Stones fanatic Neal Casal,…”


her facebook profile photo that she says was taken that day. posted as a link because it's kind of big

https://i.imgur.com/taQaKdx.jpg

 

I'm feeling bad about this today. Currently listening to the CRB, 11/20/16 the 930 Club.

I just wrote in another thread there are now gaping holes in the Bay Area concert scene where the CRB should be. For me, anyway.

 

Having spent more time on his Tumbler page made me like the guy even more.

His photos of Marin California made me feel as if I was back home again after having moved out of the Bay Area this spring.

I think why it’s been so hard for some of us was that he was not only approachable and nice* but just “got it”.

*I don’t fault touring musicians for not being approachable as it’s a stressful life and people want a piece of you but Neal was just cool. Not too cool for school or where it seemed like it just came easy as it did for others but just a good guy trying to do what he loved.

 

I wish people would let the body get cold before they start digging stuff up trying to tarnish people's memories. Not knocking anyone on here, but the tabloid and attention seeking types who do this.

 

Unfortunately, that happens sometimes because people are trying to make sense of a shocking death like Neal's and they wind up finding out unfortunate details.

While I was familiar with Neal's work with Ryan Adams ("Freeway to the Canyon") and Chris Robinson, I wasn't familiar with his solo work. His passing caused me to first listen to Leaving Traces and now Sweeten the Distance. Wow. Really tremendous work that should (have been) be heard by more people.

 

What Neal-related music has everyone been listening to?

For me, it's been a mix of live and studio CRB (the new album is extra bittersweet to listen to now), solo work, RA & the Cardinals (first time really since everything went down with Ryan), Phil and Friends, GospelbeacH and Beachwood Sparks. What a body of work he leaves us with.

Listened to Willie Nelson's Songbird today for the first time in awhile. I remember it not being very well-reviewed at the time (Willie's biographer was pretty critical of it), but it's easily one of Willie's best albums of the past 15 years. Neal plays guitar and piano; I forget which song -- might be the title track? -- where Neal gushed about sitting next to Willie and showing him the chords on on piano.

 

I’ve been listening to Neal’s solo records, which are extremely accomplished. For all of the support he did for other artists, his own work has clarity and style that is uniquely his voice. Beautiful music and lyrics.

I’ve also been listening to the Cardinals after putting them aside after Ryans’s scandal. The music is so extraordinary, and the Cards elevated it to the stratosphere. Neal’s harmonies are divine.

After the Crowes I never made the jump to CRB, but I’ve got their live Betty albums Queued up to go.

I think it’s probably a testament to Neal that he could work with those notoriously persnickety frontmen and bring his balance and gifts to their vision for so long. 2 of my favorite performers, but 2 performers you either have to have patience for, or ignore what they do offstage completely. Neal must have had the patience of a saint.

 

It’s correct that Neal only toured with Beechwood Sparks, but didn’t record with them, right? So, what are you listening to @cable hogue clearly, I need to educate myself better on some of his other work I’ve never heard.

 

Nope, he plays on 2012's The Tarnished Gold. Not sure if he's on every track but you can definitely hear Neal whenever he comes in.

Also noticed Neal plays bass on some track(s) on the Jayhawks Mockingbird Time, which I find a bit odd (where was Marc Perlman?).

 

Yesterday evening I threw on CRB's Phosphorescent Harvest and then Big Moon Ritual. I really like Phosphorescent, but IMO those first two CRB albums have a real magic that they never recaptured. I love the breezy, spacey soundscapes on the first two. So excellent. They had changed a lot by the time they released Phosphorescent Harvest.