Neil Young and Crazy Horse Neil Young News
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Here is the Neil and Crazy Horse interview published that week. The interview was done by Emmanuel Tellier from "Les Inrockuptibles" magazine.
Atchao
MoMo
ET: "Year of The Horse" is a record and a film. What are your feelings on the Jarmusch work ?
Neil Young: I love that movie and I think it is a perfect add-on for the "Year of The Horse" record.
You can really feel the personal view of a film maker, and above all the movie
is about the band. It's more than a simple story, it's an impression, a
succession of feelings. I had the idea of doing this movie - I like this kind of
stuff and I like to have a camera with me, but Jim made it possible.
Poncho: I always thought that that the story of Crazy Horse was less interesting than
his music. It's certainly the more successful movie on Neil Young and Crazy Horse, but for me,
this film is just touching on this topic. With all due respect to Jim and his
work, I think that the first song in the movie shows more than what you can see
in the following hour. So I liked this short movie, but I wouldn't like people
to stick to this cinematographic view. It happened so many things in that band,
that no one, as a movie maker, will be able to relate.
Neil Young: It was a little painful for me to watch the archive shots that Jim wanted to
include in the movie. I don't like so much watching these old pictures of our
concerts, even if it's interesting - especially to show how consistent Crazy Horse was
during the last 20 years. I have particulary some pain to watch the more
personal stuff, such as my haircut or my eyes. Looking at these pictures makes
me more introverted.
Poncho: Personnaly, I find these shots really incredible, so powerful through the
ages, the music is our priority and it's really something you can feel with this
movie. Haircuts changed, not the need to be on stage. Basically, the only one
who evolves, who feels different states of mind and some weariness is Neil.
ET: Because of his continious need of revivals, relationships between Crazy Horse and Neil Young
were always special.How do you live it out?
Ralph Molina: Its' such a long time, we are used to these up and downs. Neil's
career is cyclic and Crazy Horse has to live with that. We don't have any choice but to
be available for Neil and to live deeply the moments we are together. For one
year Neil will want to play with us, the next year he will prefer to dispense
with our services. That's the way it is, you can't be against his wishes. Life
learn us to be humble.
Neil Young: I have been living with this these cycles for such a long time now, that I
can anticipate it. I feel these things, I'm ready to these upsets and I always
try to warn the others with my projects as soon as possible. Right now, I don't
know what I'll do after "Year of The Horse". I'm thinking that doing something with Jack
Nitzche should be a great idea, but perhaps I will go in studio with Crazy Horse. It's
not me who will decide, it's the songs. I think that Mirror Ball had to be
played with another band, that's why I did it with Pearl Jam. Even if Crazy Horse thinks
that they could have proposed something more powerful for those songs. It's
always difficult to tell his old friends that I won't play with them for the
next album, but it's the ability to live separatly that enable us to be together
after all these years. Crazy Horse is the best garage band of the world, and when I want
to do that kind of music, I ask for them. When you want a song to take off,
there is no better band like Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse is a machine, it's not a passing attraction,
it's not a toy. Grunge was a passing attraction, not the music we play together.
Crazy Horse was there before the grunge movement and Crazy Horse survived to the grunge.
ET: The Jarmusch's movie doesn't tell us anything new about Neil Young, it seems that
you are hidding behind the band.
NY: I have the feeling that the essential part of what can be related is in the
film. The essence of the Neil Young and Crazy Horse story is in this movie, there is nothing to
add. The short interview sequence with Jarmusch is sufficient to tell what can
be told, because the things that could fit in a longer interview are personal
things. I understand that people want to know more about me and Crazy Horse. But they
should understand that guys such as Ralph, Billy, Poncho and me are not inclined
to the confidences. Because, after all, the only thing that matters is music...
It's much more important than questions and answers. I never was a fan of
interviews. Even when I was a fan of an artist, I was simply "interested", I was
never so enthusiastic that I read everything about him. I remember that, when I
was a teenager, I collected the chewing gum wrappings with rock stars short
informations. I remember particularly of an Elvis Presley series, like - "Elvis,
why do you wear sideburns ?- Because I like sideburns". My interest for Elvis
go no further in that matter. I liked his records, his music, but I didn't give
a damn about his secrets or any of his grey areas. Some people know everything
from their heroes, the least point of view - probably a way to live by proxy.
NY: Some people know everything from their heroes, the least point of view -
probably a way to live by proxy. I'm not curious, by nature. I'm too linked to
the songs to try and find what is behind these songs.
RM (Ralph): You certainly have to live daily with Neil to feel how he lives with
his music. Neil doesn't give a damn of his status, of his position in the rock
history. The only thing that matters for him is to grab his guitar, write songs,
record it, with or without Crazy Horse, and then to play these songs in concerts. All the
things not directly related to music bore him.
NY: I give everything to the music. Or more exactly: I gave to the music
everything that I can share, that means that there are some other things in my
life, but these are my inmost feelings. What I give to my family, my children is
very precious for me. Particularly since they do not interfere with my
connection to the music. These are two different worlds, just like two different
gardens separated with a door to go from one place to the other, but I'm the
only one to have the key ... At home, I rarely receive people related to the
music business. Once the door passed, it's another life that starts, the life I
share with my children and my wife. With them, I do some gardening, I play with
electric trains or I take care of the animals. It's a very simple life but it
makes me deeply happy. With my wife we worked hard, like crazy, to have my sons
feeling better physically . We started a very hard therapy, but it was worth it.
My older son is 24 and will get married this summer. My second is 18 and my
daughter is just 13. I'm also very proud of my father, you can see him in the
Jarmusch film. He always have been at my side, always ready to motivate me again
when necessary. I like the way he looks on the things, and his fatherly look on
what I do.
When I look at my father, I think that I have some great years ahead of me. I
still want to be part of the rock scene for the next years. I will still record
songs in the next ten years.
ET: What does R&R bring to you after all these years?
NY: This is a physical happiness. I'm more and more happy to play Rock and my
connection with music is more and more instinctive. It's now really a way of
life, that's my reason of living. All things go through the music - everything I
have to say -. For sure, there are things that I don't want to share, more
personal things, not so easy to translate into songs, but even if these
feelings can't be expressed with words, they always come out one way or the
other. The best example is "Tonight's The Night", the version in the "Year of The Horse" movie is striking. This
song works well, its' always a moving performance, after all these years, it's
because we do not have to play it every night. A song as "Tonight's The Night" has to be deserved.
RM: I really like the sequence in the film when Neil is explaining that the
music is more and more precious for him. It was certainly very exciting to play
R&R when we were 20, but it's more intense now. That means that even when Neil
is not with us, Crazy Horse can work. We are no more frustrated when Neil is in tour or
is rehearsing without us. The first thing we do in these moments is to play as a
trio, with only the happiness to play. Neil will soon appear, he will come back,
pushing the door of the studio and saying: " I always knew that your are the
best" (laughs). Neil played with a lot of musician in his life and we are the
only ones whith whom he is still playing again. So when we are playing together
again, it's more intense.
ET: In "Year of The Horse" movie, it's really impressive. How are you able to get such an
atmosphere night after night ?
Frank: The stage is the place where we realize the true importance of our
relation with Neil. It's striking when watching this movie: it's always the same
thing, that kind of circle we molded together. It's just like an indian dance
or a religious ceremony. We are unable to control what's happening when we are
playing together. It's something beyond us, something instinctive.
Billy: That the music we play: the chords are simple, repetitive. It's good fo
our nerves and muscles. It's not an intellectual music, it's a physical act.
When we start that songs, we can't be out, we have to be part of the circle, we
have to devote ourself to the music.
Neil: With Crazy Horse, we always work hard. Sometimes, people don't understand how hard
it is. Jarmusch film really shows that. Playing with Crazy Horse is just like keeping
your house clean. Everyday you have to clean house, tidy up your things. That
the price you have to pay. There is a handful of guys I think able to go further
than I can, able to be more productive. But constantly, they will have to
question themselves. To have some success, you have to show your personality, to
get out of the masses. Beck is really successfull on that way. For me , he is
the best. He is part of the R&R story. So, as soon as I can get him for the
first part of my shows, I jump at the opportunity. In a sense, I think that he
has more charisma than I have. With him, taking up the stage seems so natural,
and I'm so awkward... I can't be a leader without my songs. They really put me
on front of the stage. I wasn't born to be on the front of the stage, even if I
learnt to appreciae this physical contact. It helped me a lot during the 80's. I
don't know any better stimulus than to play in a room that is not full.
ET: Do you think of your role in the R&R history ?
Neil: I don't know what will be my part on the rock history in 50 years, it's
not very important. A lot of people will never hear of me, but I will not lose
any slip over it. For my fans, I would like to give a very well-ordered archive.
I've been working on that archives project for ten years. But I ended my part of
work two years ago; I handed in my piece of work, I gave the tapes - with a lot
of rarities and unreleased stuff - with various notes and comments on the LP'
covers. To come with these archives, we planned to deliver a long documentary
and a book series. You just have to wait for some more months... But look out
!!! you have to be a real fan to get in, there is some awful songs - stuffs in
where I sung out of tune - some really weak songs (laughs)... But since these
songs are part of my life, even poor thinks enlighten the following songs, so I
think it's important to unlurk that stuff. There was some hard time in my
career. This periods has to be shown just like the good time. I often heard that
I am an humble man, it always amazed me. I am a regular song writer, theres
nothing to crow about! In the Jim's movie, I introduce myself as a Crazy Horse guitarist,
because it's my way to feel it. The others say they play with Neil Young, and I
always say that I play with Crazy Horse. People talking about me as a genius are wrong.
They didn't know me.
Please take my advice, I'm on the first row and I have a good sight of the
thing. Neil Young, I have been living with him for such a long time now, and I
know how twisted he is. Believe it, this guy is not a genius..."
Date: 29 Jul 97 20:18:13 EDT
From: "Serge Gironnay(MoMo)" <100440.1215@CompuServe.COM>
To: HH
Subject: HH: Inrockuptibles Neil Young Interview
More reviews of Year of The Horse film.
Also, see another interview with Crazy Horse's "Poncho" Frank Sampedro from "Year of the Horse" tour and an interview with Crazy Horse's bass guitar player Billy Talbot.
Also, for more see Jim Jarmusch page.
Thrasher's Wheat - A Neil Young Archives 
Neil Young Films
Neil Young Interviews