Whilst listening to the new ‘Psychedelic Pill’ album by Neil Young and ensconced in his book Waging Heavy Peace, I got to thinking how this artist above all, sums up the ethos of Echoes and Dust.
Fiercely independent and a fuck you attitude that would shame all punk bands, here is an artist who has walked his own path for what seems like an eternity, I now put forward my argument that Neil Young is a worthy godfather of everything independent and as such deserves a place on the hallowed (hallowed? really? – Ed.) pages of E&D.
Here is an artist, who when he started, was just another singer songwriter from Laurel Canyon, espousing the hippy dream and writing songs about peace, love and all that bollocks. Little did we know that this was an artist who would strive for change in everything he did and even at the risk of alienating his fans, will follow his muse wherever it takes him.
Perhaps the turning point was the death of Danny Whitten from a heroin overdose. This single act must have had such an impact on Young. Maybe it was the troubled births of his children or the fact that he nearly died of polio in his younger days. Not content to settle into a rut, Neil Young would release albums which would be deemed awful (‘Trans’) or rejected by his record label for not being what Neil Young is about. His reaction? Keep on doing what he wants.
Yes, ‘Trans’ is an odd album but it has moments of beauty which take your breath away; ‘Computer Age’ foresees the future before Human League got started. I get the feeling that Young really likes this album as he keeps returning to the songs on it. Some of his forays into deep country or jazz or even heavy metal are so against the ideal of ‘Harvest’ that you wonder if this is the same artist.
It is this independent spirit that has kept him relevant all these years and revered by those who seek to make music of their own rather than tow the line. Dogged determination to follow his muse has resulted in some of the greatest songs ever made and I would like to raise a glass and induct him into a hypothetical inaugural hall of fame here at Echoes and Dust. Maybe he would like the work we do here as well.
Posted by Martyn Coppack.
