Neil Young:Time Fades Away:On CD At Last?
Notorious 1973 Live Album Is Expensive And Hard To Find On Vinyl.
Feb 3, 2009
The reality couldn't have been further from the truth. Young had wanted Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten to play with his touring band. Since the pair had last played together in 1970, Whitten had sunk into heroin addiction and was barely able to function.
Despite their friendship, Young was forced to fire Whitten and gave him money to fly to L.A. Whitten took the cash and the flight, scored drugs on his return and died from an overdose. Shattered, Young was faced with coping with both the grief and a gruelling tour with an under-rehearsed band for company.
Time Fades Away: Dividing Fans And Critics For Over Thirty Years
Although not on a par with the hostility Bob Dylan faced from his audience when he went electric, the resulting shows would confuse and alienate Young's audience. Performing in an emotional state, he insisted on playing mostly new, untried material. The document of the tour, the Time Fades Away album, has since been reviled by fans, critics and the artist himself.
In Jimmy McDonough's biography 'Shakey'(www.randomhouse.com), Young says: “I think it's the worst record I ever made – but as a documentary of what was happening to me, it was a great record.” As a result, he instructed his label never to release the album on CD. At present, a Young fan site (www.thrasherswheat.org) is petitioning the Reprise label to have the album officially released. It's certainly overdue in this format if their campaign is successful.
Because, while Time Fades Away may be a 'warts and all' scenario, it's still a fascinating record. Yes, the band are often ramshackle and alcohol-fuelled. Young, too, struggles with both the unfamiliar material and sometimes just to stay in tune, but it merely adds to the raw, spontaneous thrill of the moment.
The Ragged Glory Of Neil Young In Concert
It's never less than captivating stuff. The title track and Yonder Stand The Sinner lurch along on, riding reckless grooves. L.A is a scabrous open letter to Young's adopted Californian city and the painfully personal Don't Be Denied finds Young referring candidly to his nomadic childhood in Canada.
Even better are the solo piano and vocal tunes. The Bridge and Journey Through The Past are brittle and gentle oases of calm, while the gorgeous Love In Mind remains one of the hidden jewels in this enduring performer's vast catalogue.
The Third Act In Neil Young's 'Doom Trilogy'
Time Fades Away is worth it for this tune alone, although the epic Last Dance is also vital. The band cling on to the lumbering groove for dear life, Young bellows “No no no!” repeatedly and guests David Crosby and Graham Nash valiantly request the shellshocked crowd to “sing with us.” It's brutal and magnificent, even if it is several hundred degrees darker than the average rock anthem.
Despite its' abrasive reputation, Time Fades Away is essential listening. It's dark and soul-baring, yet hardly more volatile or dysfunctional than either Tonight's The Night or On The Beach, the other albums making up what Young fans refer to as his 'Doom Trilogy' from the mid '70s. Its' transition to CD would fill a fundamental hole in all exhaustive Neil Young collections.
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