Neil Young vs. Paul Westerberg

[fungo]

I just read an article about Neil Young in Rolling Stone (I know, I know. I only bought it because Neil Young was on the cover.) and I was struck by the similarities between him and our man Paul.

Both...

grew up in the tundra

are somewhat reclusive

write music from the heart

are equally comfortable playing rock, folk, blues, country

don't release albums with the sole purpose of pleasing fans

were inspired on their latest albums to write very personal and introspective songs after the recent deaths of their fathers

are known to wear flannel

get blamed for inspiring "grunge"

have messy hair

have never been in my kitchen


Any other similarities?

[FreeRider]

They're both musicians that go for feel rather than technical virtuosity. I remember reading some interviews with Young and he said when he jams with other people, too many people try to impress him by playing flashy or whatever. That's why, Young said, he enjoys playing with Crazy Horse. He's more impressed if somebody plays a sound or creates and atmosphere rather than exhibit fretboard gymnastics on the guitar.

Paul has said that he likes that kind of grit and swagger to the music. He's mentioned before that when he starts writing songs, he instinctively wants to write a rhythm. So based on that, I think the two of them share a quality of going for a certain feel in performing and in recording. You know, "the first take is the best take." Technique and all that goes out the window for these two when it's about the moment for them. At least, that's how I see it.

[thetwilitekid]

a lot of people thought Neil Young was American, and when I was a kid I thought The Replacements were Canadian.

Is this something?

[GtrPlyr]

- They seem to be easily bored, hence the constant genre jumps, and few takes during recording.

- Both have worked with bands that aren't that musically competent. This of course has been turned into an advantage by both, by allowing them to create more visceral music.

- Both idolize Bob Dylan

- Both claim not to listen to much modern music


I recall Paul saying that he likes Neil in an old interview. I'm pretty sure he covered a Neil song a few years back, though I can't remember which one anymore.

[kgp]

gtrplyr said:

I recall Paul saying that he likes Neil in an old interview. I'm pretty sure he covered a Neil song a few years back, though I can't remember which one anymore.

'Don't Cry No Tears'

[DuluthToMadison]

While driving home after Paul's solo show at The Barrymore in Madison a few years ago (and still thouroughly blown away by the intensity of one person and a guitar) a friend and I were having a conversation about how great it would be if there were another artist that could share a bill on this type of performance. Kind of a 1/4 show solo for each and the other half with both on stage doing each others songs and some favorite covers. The person we thought would be best was Neil Young. Maybe it was all the Berghoff, but it made sense then and I think it still does.

[kgp]

todd said:

While driving home after Paul's solo show at The Barrymore in Madison a few years ago (and still thouroughly blown away by the intensity of one person and a guitar) a friend and I were having a conversation about how great it would be if there were another artist that could share a bill on this type of performance. Kind of a 1/4 show solo for each and the other half with both on stage doing each others songs and some favorite covers. The person we thought would be best was Neil Young. Maybe it was all the Berghoff, but it made sense then and I think it still does.

If two artists were to share a bill like that, shouldn't their fanbases overlap? I mean, nearly all of Paul's fans are familiar with Neil Young's music, but I would guess that a lot Neil's fans wouldn't know Paul from the pope.

Of course I'm still waiting for that triple bill of Paul, Dylan, and Prince.

[scoOter]

Of course I'm still waiting for that triple bill of Paul, Dylan, and Prince.

that would be awesome. strangely enough, i believe that a prince/westerberg collaboration would actually work in a weird way. not sure about dylan, though, oddly enough.

[headlightbeams]

scooterboy said:

Paul, Dylan, Prince

strange, weird, odd

[Dave74]

kgp said:

todd said:

If two artists were to share a bill like that, shouldn't their fanbases overlap? I mean, nearly all of Paul's fans are familiar with Neil Young's music, but I would guess that a lot Neil's fans wouldn't know Paul from the pope.

While touring for Ragged Glory, Young brought Sonic Youth and Social Distortion out on the road with him (and I still hate that I missed it because I couldn't convince anyone to go with me). Results, I hear, were mixed.

[FreeRider]

dave74 said:

kgp said:

todd said:

If two artists were to share a bill like that, shouldn't their fanbases overlap? I mean, nearly all of Paul's fans are familiar with Neil Young's music, but I would guess that a lot Neil's fans wouldn't know Paul from the pope.

While touring for Ragged Glory, Young brought Sonic Youth and Social Distortion out on the road with him (and I still hate that I missed it because I couldn't convince anyone to go with me). Results, I hear, were mixed.

I saw Neil on that tour. We missed most of Social Distortion's performance but we got there in time to see Sonic Youth. From what I remember, yeah, the reaction was mixed. I think a lot of the older Neil fans didn't much care for SD and SY's sound or style.

[HillBillyJunk]

Both are one take virtuosos. The first take being the best.

heres the song, fuck it and fuck you if you dont like it:)

neil young is the greatest musician to grace this planet.

[kgp]

dave74 said:

While touring for Ragged Glory, Young brought Sonic Youth and Social Distortion out on the road with him (and I still hate that I missed it because I couldn't convince anyone to go with me). Results, I hear, were mixed.

Did they open for him, or was it more an equal billing? The only way I can see Paul playing with Neil is as an opener, and judging by how (according to Paul, anyway) the Petty shows went, I doubt he'd want to be someone's warm-up act again.

[FreeRider]

kgp said:

dave74 said:

While touring for Ragged Glory, Young brought Sonic Youth and Social Distortion out on the road with him (and I still hate that I missed it because I couldn't convince anyone to go with me). Results, I hear, were mixed.

Did they open for him, or was it more an equal billing? They only way I can see Paul playing with Neil is an an opener, and judging by how (according to Paul, anyway) the Petty shows went, I doubt he'd want to be someone's warm-up act again.

SD and SY opened for Neil and Crazy Horse. It wasn't an equal billing.

[gregf]

Both Paul and Neil play Taylor acoustic guitars.. I know Neil collects guitars and tours with lots and lots of guitars a couple of which are Taylors. I recently bought one (the very low end, they start at about $400) and they are amazing instuments. Paul plays a 12 string Taylor on the session at AOL.

Another similarity? They both have a REALLY hardcore fan base.

[brianlux]

They both have, at one time or another, expressed mutual respect. Somewhere, I've got a page printed off the net in which Neil says something about "Answering Machine" being one of the best solo-with-electric-guitar songs he's ever heard. Paul's been quoted as having been a big Neil fan earlier on (maybe still?)

[headlightbeams]

brianlux said:

Somewhere, I've got a page printed off the net in which Neil says something about "Answering Machine" being one of the best solo-with-electric-guitar songs he's ever heard.

Hmmm, someone else took that compliment too:

"So in typical Steve Poltz fashion, he recorded an album on his own. But of course, not any measure of a normal album. He followed up his major label debut with “Answering Machine,” which is an album of 56 songs (plus several hidden tracks to afford the proverbial buck a bit more bang), all of which were outgoing messages on his answering machine while he was out on the road. So each song is 45 seconds long, with titles like “Sugar Boogers,” “Ken Follett Stole My Wallet,” and “Dog Doo Blues .48.” It was later reported to him that Neil Young was quite an enthusiastic fan of “Answering Machine.” Poltz did meet Young sometime thereafter at a wedding reception, but rather than engage Neil in a musical discussion, Poltz he chose to approach the legend thusly, when they met at the buffet table: "[w]ow, these quesadillas are great. The tortillas taste real homemadey.” Young allegedly arched a confused and alarmed eyebrow and beat a hasty retreat." (from his myspace site)

"Answering Machine is 56 songs all 45 seconds long. Outgoing messages from his home Machine. This is one of Neil Young’s favorite records."
(from poltz's regular website)

Or maybe NY just has a thing for answering machine songs, since they've worked their way into his songs too.

[allshookup]

Neil Young: "This Note's For You"
Paul Westerberg: "Jingle"