THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 15, 1996 TAG: 9608150035
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC SUNDQUIST, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 99 lines
ANOTHER GRAYBEARD rock 'n' roller plays the Virginia Beach Amphitheater tonight, but this one is no nostalgia act.
Yes, Neil Young played Woodstock. He wrote the best protest song of the Vietnam era (``Ohio'') and released his most commercially successful single (``Heart of Gold'') 24 years ago. With a host of other grizzled veterans, he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Yet, like few of his peers, Young remains a vital force in rock music.
Lollapalooza organizers vainly sought him as a headliner. He received an Oscar nomination for his soundtrack song for ``Philadelphia'' and recorded an album with Pearl Jam. Well into the '90s, Rolling Stone still found his music to be ``cutting edge.''
Part of Young's continuing appeal is his feedback-laced, earthy electric guitar work, which earned him the nickname ``godfather of grunge.'' Another factor is his independence, which, after all, is what the ``indie'' music scene is about.
In his videos and music, Young has lambasted corporate rock, eschewing sponsorships and squabbling with record companies. He's confounded fans by experimenting with rockabilly, technopop and the blues, and he frequently employs idiosyncratic, obscure imagery.
All of which means Young has a huge and diverse body of work. Tonight, he'll be backed by Crazy Horse, his veteran ``garage band,'' so fans of Young-the-folkie should bring earplugs. Those who revel in his guitar-fuzz fests should, well, prepare to revel.
Whatever he plays, it will be the barest sample from his extensive discography. To get a real sense of Young's contribution, you'll need to resort to recordings. Here are some suggestions:
Essentials
``Ragged Glory'' (1990). Recorded with Crazy Horse, this one earned Young his grungemeister status and a new generation of fans. It includes the everyman anthem ``F-----' Up'' and the upbeat radio hit ``Mansion on a Hill.'' The album formed the basis for a tour that was recorded as ``Weld'' (1991); a stop at William & Mary Hall in March 1991 was Young's most recent in this area.
``Rust Never Sleeps'' (1979). Half loud, half acoustic, it cemented Young's reputation with critics. ``Powderfinger,'' a towering, fantastic vision of an act of violence on the American frontier, is a perennial favorite and is likely to be heard tonight. ``Hey Hey My My,'' recorded in acoustic and electric versions on the album, is a tribute to the sometimes perverse vitality of rock. Young borrowed the phrase ``Rust Never Sleeps,'' a prescient warning against the complacency and staleness that would overcome many of his peers, from a paint commercial. Also with Crazy Horse.
``After the Goldrush'' (1970). Young's third solo album, ``Goldrush'' has stood the test of time better than the more commercially successful ``Harvest'' (1972) of the same era.His politics have always been quirky - an ex-hippie, he supported Ronald Reagan's military buildup - and Southerners may legitimately object to the stereotypes in ``Southern Man.'' But, viewed broadly, the anti-racist message was on the mark. Young's brooding falsetto in the title song, which notes the passing of the '60s, aptly delivers the key line: ``Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970s.'' Near-essentials
``Freedom'' (1989). Young was angry as the '80s ended, and the music on ``Freedom'' showed it, whipsawing between strident electric and pensive acoustic. It speaks of crime, environmental degradation, poverty, drugs, vacuous leadership and general malaise. ``We got a thousand points of light/For the homeless man/We got a kinder, gentler/Machine gun hand,'' he wails on ``Rockin' in the Free World.'' Still, there are hints of grace. The ballad ``Wrecking Ball'' ventures to hope that ``smog might turn to stars.''
``Tonight's the Night'' (1975). This sobering album followed the drug death of Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten. The title song, rendered in painful, grief-laden shouts, tells the story of roadie Bruce Berry, who also OD'd. Noteworthy
``Harvest Moon'' (1992). Neil Lite. Mostly mellow, sometimes corny, the album nevertheless ventures into deeper water with songs about war (``War of Man'') and the environment (``Natural Beauty''). Fans of this album will also like ``Comes a Time'' (1978), which features some sweet Nicolette Larson vocals.
``Old Ways'' (1985). Country, with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
``Re-Ac-Tor'' (1981). Working-class rock, with Crazy Horse.
``Trans'' (1982). Technopop.
``Everybody's Rockin' '' (1983). Rockabilly, with the Shocking Pinks.
``American Stars 'N' Bars'' (1977). Country-rock ballads with Linda Rondstadt, Emmylou Harris and Nicolette Larson; includes the memorable guitar showcase ``Like a Hurricane.''
``This Note's for You'' (1987). Blues, Young-style, with the Blue-notes. The title song decries commercialism: ``Ain't singin' for Pepsi/Ain't singin' for Coke.''
``Mirrorball'' (1995). Pearl Jam collaboration. MEMO: On Stage
Who: Neil Young and Crazy Horse with Gin Blossoms and Ben Folds Five
When: 7 tonight
Where: Virginia Beach Amphitheater
Tickets: $17.75 to $32.75, plus parking and service charges; to
order, call 671-8100
Information: 368-3000 ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by MIKE HASHIMOTO
Neil Young by CNB