He was also a great photographer https://www.amazon.com/Ryan-Adams-Cardinals-Other-Windows/dp/0810982668
Did NOT see this one coming. Was just listening to "Maybe California" the other day. But this video was what made me appreciate Neal in the first place...always preferred this to the studio cut.
"I see you standing by the gate, a silent spirit It makes me wish there was a way I could make your dreams up and fly away With no help from above You'd feel no pain With only love to guide you On your way, every day And when it's over you will feel no pain". R.I.P.
Discovering Neal's albums in 2001 opened a huge portal to a new world, can't thank him enough. Simply one of the most soulful dudes of all time. See you soon, Neal So don't expect me to be forgiven 'Cause it's too late for that And it's hard enough to just keep living without feeling this trapped Well the truth in our lives, yeah we lost sight of that It's rolling in the dust somewhere down the track We both wrote the songs and we loved them so well We let 'em slip right through our hands In that Cincinnati motel
Not been on the forum for a few hours and couldn’t believe my eyes when I checked in and saw this thread, i’m stunned. Have listened to some interviews/podcasts in recent months and he just seemed like a busy and contented guy. His last solo album is excellent. RIP Neal.
From the Fillmore on December 15, 2018. This was the last CRB show I saw. I'll post any up close shots I have of Neal later, but I may not have any.
This is heartbreakingly sad news. Neal was genuine talent and a gentle soul. I saw him many times with The Cardinals and a couple of times without. Had the pleasure of speaking to him after a solo gig up at the Cluny in Newcastle a few years ago, just a very humble hard working musician. A very sad loss.
Since I fell on hard times I haven't known what to do I spend my days here in line Just waiting for something new From fireworks and peaches To weed, speed and bluegrass From buses that burn And barns that lean down As far as my memory reaches Since I fell on hard times I haven't known where to go I thought I might have seen a sign With the first dust of snow But it added up to nothing And now I'm no longer sure If my prayers are just a habit Or if I'm just a fool For thinking life ain't worth living Since I fell on hard times Thank you, Neal Rest easy
As I keep flipping between this thread and Twitter, I can't help but wish Neal could have seen all of these outpourings of love. Obviously we can't understand the demons he was battling, but I wonder how much it would have helped to see what a positive impact he's had on the world.
Probably not much help at all- it's usually not a "hug it out" sort of situation, sadly. I wish it was. But those who struggle to find reasons to live often don't find it in expressions of how much they mean to other people.
Yeah, that is likely very, very true. But still, a good reminder to let folks know how much we appreciate them while they are still around to hear it.
Sad to hear. Got to see him twice this year on back to back nights with CRB at the Ardmore Music Hall. Fantastic guitars with a real nice tone. Just this week I finally purchased the CATS Let it Wander LP. Great music and looks like they were finding their style while getting away from the Grateful Dead mash-up inspired tunes of the S/T. Was looking forward to see where that band was going. RIP Brother!
Neal did a record "Return in Kind" back in 2004 in which he paid tribute to his many influences. Here's a track by track take by Neal himself I found in my email archives this morning: Return In Kind by Neal Casal 1. Debris (Faces) - from the late, great Faces..Ronnie Lane was such a soulful musician and songwriter, this song is one of his very best..it’s one of those songs whose lyrics I don’t fully understand but I feel them deeply just the same. I’ve never been sure if it’s about a lover, a friend, or family..i guess that’s the best kind of song you can have, one that leaves everything wide open..a lot of it makes me think of my own father, completely breaks my heart...”I went there and back, just to see how far it was”..no one has ever described my own life so simply.. 2. With Tomorrow (Gene Clark) -.just an amazing song..one of many great Gene Clark songs. says so much with so few words. I knew I had to sing this one as soon as I heard it.. 3. Too Late (The Consolers) - I found this song on cassette at a yard sale a few years back..this old man had all these gospel tapes in a cardboard box and i asked him which one would be best..without hesitation he pointed to “The Consolers 21 greatest hits”. I took his word for it, paid my seventy five cents, and discovered a record that I could never live without.. 4. Be Real (Doug Sahm) - words seem pointless when it comes to Sir Doug, he’s almost too great to describe... ..there were at least 20 of his songs that I wanted to record for this album.. 5. It’s Not Enough (Johnny Thunders) - there’s two ways to do a cover song..either be as true to the original version as possible, or completely do your own thing with it..in this case, I went for the latter..i love Johnny Thunders and I’ve always loved this song but never thought of actually singing it on my own.. i stumbled upon this version by accident on a French solo tour last year...it was one of those boring, exhausting, never ending soundchecks that happen occasionally, i was mindlessly fooling around on the piano and this just dropped out of nowhere while I wasn’t looking..i never could have planned doing this song on the piano in this way, and it’s funny because it’s the only song that I’ve ever covered, that I feel truly belongs to me.. 6. Miss Direction (Love As Laughter) - by Love As Laughter, a Sam Jayne song.. learned during my time with Beachwood Sparks when we were on tour with Love As Laughter and The Glands...when I first heard this band live, I thought they were one of the worst bands of all time..by the end of a week on the road, i knew without a doubt that they were one of the greatest..this song is the true sound of desperation.. 7. It Won’t Hurt (Grace Braun)... there are so many great songs floating around out there, but it’s not often that I hear a song and want to cover it the minute I hear it. this is one of those few...i’ve been waiting to record it for over six years.. 8. Portland Water (Michael Hurley) - I first saw Michael Hurley open for six string drag in Raleigh, North Carolina, back in 96’ or 97’. Kenny Roby was a big fan and had arranged for him to come down and do a couple of shows.. i wasn’t sure what to make of him at first but once I heard the “wolfways” record, I was hooked for life..his sense of humor is so subtle, and his outlook so original, that it’s easy for his music to pass you by....sometimes you have to slow down and take a second look y’know? 9. Yellow Kid (Royal Trux)...one of the last, really dangerous rock n’ roll bands. Another song that, for reasons unknown, feels like one of my own... 10. There’s a Reward (Joe Higgs)..jamaican music is almost as important to me as rock n’ roll..well, it’s all one and the same isn’t it? I learned this song from a documentary film, can’t remember the title. It’s a song that everyone, everywhere, can relate to at any time....several years ago I don’t think I could have done this song and pulled it off, it obviously comes from a really deep well of experience...but I think I now have enough life behind me, enough experience to sing it in my own way and bring something real to it..hope so..
Shocked... What a tragic loss. Saw him a couple of years with the CRB - such a wonderful, gifted guitarist. The CRB had become one of my favourite "new" bands.. Lost for words..RIP Neal.
So saddened by all the sadness enveloping my favorite musicians. First Dave Berman, now Neal. I hope they’ve found their peace.
This is a track from Neal’s last album. Beautiful song and video, it just oozes a laid back California vibe;