Hehe, to me it’s slow, psychedelic dreamscapes. Vibrant. But I agree the concert felt like one big thing. Enormous.
You should have been at the show where that quote originated (I was). It was the second to last show of the tour and they were really opening things up setlist wise. During the acoustic set, Neil busted out "out of my mind". The next night, tour closer in Buffalo, was equally spectacular.
I was a full on Neil Young feedback junkie at that point, so to see him blowing out "like a hurricane" to 20 plus feedback drenched minutes was heaven. And the way he intro'd the song with "music arcade" was a stroke of genius.
Can anyone tell me what live date, or dates, this comes from? Is it all one show? Thanks. didn't want to go through all the pages of thread for the info.
I have a copy of the vinyl (extricated from the Super Deluxe Version) surplus to requirements. Pm if interested.
Loving this. Picked up the 4LP. Weld is one of my favourites. I don't have the best system or ears but the record is very quiet and I can give it some welly. When everyone's out!
It's interesting that Neil seems to have no problems getting his LPs pressed compared to some of the other labels, such as Mobile Fidelity.
...usually it's a black Gibson for the drop-D songs: the red Gretsch appears occasionally on a few tours, but is more of a rarity. I think 1991 was the first tour Poncho used it.
Update: As "recently" as the 1987 European tour, Poncho was still using his Gold Top for the songs in alternate tunings. So 1990/1991 (including the Catalyst gig) was probably the first tour to feature the more mellow and sparse sounding hollow body Gretsch. ...unless he played it at all with Rick Rosas/Chad Cromwell in 1988 or 1989. Which guitar gets chosen? The pattern seems to be: Red Gretsch (since 1991): all songs in double-dropped D tuning, except for F*!#in' Up. Black Gibson (since ~1996): F*!#in' Up always and sometimes the other double-dropped D tuning songs, as well. Gold Les Paul: everything else. Explanation for non guitar nerds: Dropped-D refers to tuning down the biggest string on the guitar. Double-dropped D refers to tuning down both the biggest string and the smallest. These tunings gives guitar chords an altered sound. (Non guitar nerds have again started snoring: apologies).
I think the DVD of Way Down In The Rust Bucket sounds alright. (Yes, I know: I'm never satisfied). In fact, if this were the only source, it would still be a 5* release. Because a couple of years ago, we didn't even know the complete show was filmed. And the mix still sounds entirely enjoyable. So some perspective is necessary. That said............... The version of the video with the stereo mix, as streamed last year, is clearly a more thrilling experience than the finished product. If the intention was to make it more "live" sounding (why? Hanlon already mixed it to sound "live") then that's fair. But there are better ways to do that merely folding-down the sound to mono. In fact, many of Neil's live records have been made to sound like an authentic concert experience. Just adding an extra dose of reverb and/or ambience recording to the stereo mix would have done the trick. And if the intention was to obscure the splice in Cowgirl, then "baby" and "bath water" spring to mind. And if it was a production error? Who knows. PS The soundtrack on the video is credited to The Volume Dealers (aka ace-musician Neil Young and ace-engineer Niko Bolas). Is John Hanlon still working with Neil?
I was there, and I believe a few others as well. Still a few days behind as I was out of town snowboarding over the weekend, just getting caught up. But I did get the files in time to listen on the drive up the mountain. Sounds real good, obviously, but the fades are kind of a bummer. Performances however are pretty epic across the board, and it brings back good memories from that night! But the live show does feel almost 'curated' with most of the crowd & atmosphere faded out. It doesn't really play like an actual concert recording from a single show. But I get it, time/format constraints, and all. When my DVD gets here I'll rip that audio and most likely use it as my "go to" for general listening. Could also do a "matrix" with one of the existing audience tapes, getting that "in the venue" feel and atmosphere between songs, and a good SBD/Aud mix for the songs themselves.... I am not really an audio wiz when it comes to that kind of thing but I think I'll try it on a song or two and see how it turns out. Anyway -- having been there, this release is a real treat! I've had the audience tapes for years, but now having it in all it's Audio and Visual RAGGED GLORY is something else. Thanks Neil!!!
Poncho on Rust Bucket and lots of other stuff: Neil Young and Crazy Horse's Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro on New Live LP, Why He Left the Band
Thanks for the info/confirmation. The one released version without the crowd edits/fades, and it's (essentially) a mono mix? Wow. Sad.
That's a groovy interview. I love Poncho. 'You know what? Let me go on record as saying that I think this Way Down in the Rust Bucket is the best Crazy Horse record we ever recorded. I love it! I love this record. Neil plays great, unbelievably great. He’s just electrified. “Country Home” sounds like a country tune I never heard in my life. He just takes it to all kinds of different levels. He nails “Cortez.” He nails “Danger Bird” and “Over and Over.” He’s just playing so good and the band played really good.' He also mentions how much he's looking forward to the Alchemy live release from his final tour. Me too!
Update #2: Poncho used the de-tuned red Gretsch guitar on Cinnamon Girl and When You Dance at least as early as the 1986/1987 tour; but not on Cortez The Killer. As featured here, at the show where the police used tear gas on the audience: He also plays another hollow-body on the 1976 tour, but without sharp video footage it's hard to tell what it is. (Guitar nerd-ery ceasefire).
