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

Very sad news. He's from my hometown (Denville, NJ) and I went to high school with him, though he's 3 years older. Lots of people I went to school with are pretty shocked about the news. I will forever remember seeing the cassette of his high school band, Exire, on sale at a local shop. Local boy made good.

 

sadly its not something that is exclusive to musicians or celebrities, I think its a symptom of the stress of modern life and in the UK the numbers are just horrifying

 

For sure, I love his solo stuff. Sad news.

 

I'd met Neal once or twice over the years, as we had a mutual friend, Eddie Trunk. He always seemed like a genuine 'nice guy'. I hadn't followed his career in years but I always loved his solo LP "Fade Away Diamond Time". Now the title takes on other meanings. I even had a "Fade Away" promo t-shirt that I loved. I'd should wear it today, as a tribute.

 

CATS was really going places, too. Not everyone's cup of tea, but it felt to me like it was going to be a seamless CRB->CATS transition for Neal. I was so pumped to see them in October and had the highest hopes for Neal's prospects post-CRB, from CATS to Todd Snider to production work to future solo recordings.

 

When I read this stuff, I think of the goodness he brought with his music. I'm sure the business is hard, separation from families, touring, all a grind. I wish that the happiness which music brings would not translate to the sadness that many of the great musicians appear to feel.

The world is a bad place right now. I know I feel the stress of everyday BS, what with current/world events, etc. Both performing and listening to music has always been my great escape. The great equalizer in life.

It shatters me to think that this great talent felt he could not be saved by that.

 

What a crappy summer for music. Jeff Austin taking his own life threw me for a loop, and now Neal. R.I.P.

 

I've loved Neal's music ever since I bought his first solo album Fade Away Diamond Time upon its initial release in 1995. He was always a solo artist, first and foremost, in my mind. I'm not very much into "jam band" music, and although I bought and heard his work with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Circles Around The Sun, it never had even a fraction of the impact on me that his solo albums did. I enjoyed his studio work with Ryan Adams, but never saw that band live.

For those here who are unfamiliar with his solo discography, there are so many gems in there - and from a completely different, more song-oriented aesthetic than the work he did in other bands. Think Jackson Browne. Rain, Wind & Speed is probably my favorite of his albums, but they are all so great.

Such a sad day.

 

Seriously. Those bands should've been playing at least 50% Neal's tunes IMO. alas.

I believe Neal made a few albums of the year lists in France's Rolling Stone magazine back in the day, there was a time in the 90s and early 00s if you wanted to catch Neal you pretty much had to head to Europe or his living room as he couldn't get arrested in the states.

anyhow, here's a free wheeling interview Neal did in 2003 for his Japanese fans
also, you'll note he actually didn't have any problems 'getting arrested' in the States ;-)

 

I always thought Neal was the secret weapon mvp in any band he played in. Always supported the song, always contributed just what was right and never brought an ego to the stage. He was so talented that anyone he supported musically was given a gift to have him as a co-pilot.

The last time I saw the Cardinals was a real natural transcendent out of body show - in the moment I knew how special it was to be in the room as it happened. So many of the MFCardinals shows were like that, and Neal was a huge part of it.

https://archive.org/details/ryanadams2009-02-20.sbd-ad2k

“Oh this last year left its mark on me
You build me up just to watch me fall
To come as far to think that we were never that close at all
Never that close at all
Never that close at all
It feels just like a dream now”

 

https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/in-memory-neal-casal/

 

I remember that the label he signed with for his debut was a new major headed up by Bud Scoppa, I think. I think they gave him a pretty big budget for his debut but the label went bankrupt not long after his album came out. He had already started recording his second album but had to pull the plug on those sessions after just a few songs had been laid down (those songs later ended up on Field Recordings). After that, he was on a series of indie labels for the rest of his solo career. I knew that European labels like Glitterhouse and Fargo released some of his later albums, so I figured he must have found some degree of success over there.

I kept buying each new album he'd release, some directly from the labels if I recall. Things like Field Recordings and Basement Dreams didn't have wide releases, I don't think. The version of his Leaving Traces "best of" compilation that I have came with a bonus DVD that showed the recording sessions for his debut at a beautiful estate in the Santa Ynez Valley north of Santa Barbara. It looked idyllic and seemed a perfect setting for those songs.

What a loss.

 

Only knew him from the CRB but this makes me sad. Such a great player. RIP.

 

I was on a drive earlier this afternoon, thinking...what can I possibly listen to right now? And decided to put on CRB's Star Crossed Lonely Sailor from the PH sessions. A truly beautiful song by the way.

I had the windows down, the sun was out and it started to rain from a random cloud up above. I just about lost it.

We all have storms
On our horizon
And we all feel the sun
When it begins rising
And we all follow love
Even when it misguides us
But we can't see the light from here

 

Birth in Eternal life grant unto him, where eternal light has shone.

 

This news is really sad to me. Never got to see him live but he was always on my radar as someone I need to see perform. His standouts to me are the Interludes for the Dead and his solo album Sweeten the Distance. One of those time you really feel the loss of someone you never knew personally but through their music. The Interludes album is on now, take me to another plane Neal Casal!

 

Sad news. RIP

 

I am so sad about this. Fan from his early solo albums, Cardinals, Further, CRB to Circles Under The Sun. I got to see him a number of times in Marin at Phil Lesh's Terrapin Crossroads in various lineups or solo. Very nice guy to talk with off stage as well.

This is the best tribute I read today, very deep and touches on what musicians deal with.
Deren Ney

 

Your damn right about all that.. He made every band he played with that much better..I much as I've seen The Cardinals and as much as I love Ryan Adams, Neal was a huge, huge, part of that sound they had.. It's a wake for me tonight..Having drinks and remembering...So sad.

 

A tribute from friend, collaborator and GospelbeacH frontman Brent Rademaker, who says Neal was slated to cut a solo record.

https://buzzbands.la/2019/08/27/nea...sN-lBWpeQU9zVUyG2hcXcCLZeAbcccYEV4bBOWbQFBzCg

 

Saw some nice tweets from Eddie Trunk of all people. Apparently they were longtime friends going back many years, and he said Neal was in a metal band when they first met. Wouldn't have guessed he had a metal background. On the other hand, if you were a teenager in the '80s and you played guitar it was kind of the thing.

 

Haven’t seen it mentioned here yet, but Neal was also in a group of former beachwood sparks players/members of CATS (farmer Dave, Cass mccombs, Dan Horne, Aaron Sperske) called the Skiffle Players who put out an EP and an album over the past couple of years for a small CA label, Spiritual Pajamas. Seems like a tight knit group of friends and I’m sure they’re all gutted today.

 

Damn,that Last MFC show in Atlanta was epic.. One of the best shows I've seen at The Fox...Little did know at the time how special it was.. I met and talked Brad and Neal outside the venue before it started..Super cool cats..Ive talked about this amazing band to so many people who don't have a clue about this..No matter what... MFC are the **** and I still love you Ryan.. Godspeed Neal and Spacewolf....