Perhaps Neil Young has simply lost his mind.
For at least two, maybe three decades, Young has teased fans with tales of his treasure-trove of archival recordings. Every time it seemed the actual release of his archives was imminent, Young yanked it off the table, leaving fans disappointed and frustrated.
The teasing continues, though Young whetted many an appetite by actually releasing Live at the Filmore East, a 1970 concert featuring Crazy Horse, and Live at Massey Hall, a 1971 solo acoustic show. Both are seminal.
Those two CDs, seemed to be mere appetizers for the main course, a monster archival package featuring 8 CDs, two DVDS and a 150-page book, that was supposed to be released in September, according to a posting on Reprise Records’ Web site. September, however, however, came and went and the package was never released. Young’s decision to release Chrome Dreams II last year apparently supplanted plans for the archival release.
Reprise, however, said the archival package would be released Feb. 19.
Fat chance. Young has not only announced that it again will be delayed but now says the archives won’t include CDs; it will only be released on Blu-ray and DVD. Huh?!?!?
Young apparently despises the sonic limitation of CDs. According to a story on billboard.com, “Young is utilizing DVD capabilities to present an interactive ‘time line’ for the music, allowing users to experience articles and film clips from a song’s given era as well as ephemera like lyric sheets.
Frankly, I don’t care about time lines and ephemera, and I could do without the articles and film clips. All I really want is to hear the damn music Young has locked away in his bulging vaults.
I realize that everybody seems to be predicting the imminet demise of the CD but I suspect most of the folks willing to plunk down major dollars to root through Young’s audio attics want the music on CDs. The packaging is a bonus; what matters is the music.
Perhaps Young, for whatever reason, really has no intention of releasing his archives during his lifetime and this latest twist is simply another delaying tactic.
I just hope he or his heirs see fit to release them during my lifetime.
