Neil Young continues to mine his vast archives of unreleased recordings while also recording new music.
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The folk-rock legend recently revealed that he’s recording a new album with his current backing band The Chrome Hearts that he’s co-producing with Lou Adler. In addition, Neil announced plans to release an archival LP of rare 1977 recordings called Oceanside Countryside on February 14.
In a recent interview on The Mentors Radio podcast, Young also reported that he has rediscovered an entire album of unreleased tracks that he recorded during the early 1980s.
Neil explained to the podcast’s host, Dan Hesse, that the recordings were made around the time that his then-label, Geffen Records, sued him for “making music that was uncharacteristic” of himself.
“Just as I was being sued, or before I was being sued, I was in Nashville and I made a record there,” Young noted. “I made a great record at a studio called Castle Recording with all these great, amazing Nashville studio, expert, amazing musicians… singers and everything.”
He continued, “I did the whole thing. I had the whole Nashville sound and everything, and then I was sued for making music that was uncharacteristic, and I never listened to it. And I just [found] it the other day. And I had buried it so deeply that I never listened to it.”
Neil added, “I just found it, and I love it. I can’t believe it. So, it was a gift to find 11 tracks.”
Young has hinted that he’ll title the album Uncharacteristic. Although he’s announced no definitive plans to release the album yet, judging by his enthusiasm, the recordings will see the light of day sooner than later.
More About Geffen Records’ Lawsuit Against Young
Around 1981, Young left his longtime label Reprise Records and signed a deal with his friend David Geffen’s new label, Geffen Records. At the time, Young began releasing a series of albums exploring genres outside of the folk rock and classic rock for which he was best known.
Neil’s first few albums for Geffen Records weren’t commercially successful, and after he released a collection of rockabilly songs called Everybody’s Rockin’ in 1983, Geffen sued Neil for making albums that were “musically uncharacteristic of [his] previous recordings.”
Young countersued for breach of contract, noting that the label had granted him creative control of his own albums.
The suit was eventually settled, and Geffen apologized to Young, who went on to record three more albums for the label before returning to Reprise in 1988.
Young Also Opened Up About His Relationship with Wife Daryl Hannah
Also during the interview, Young discussed his relationship with his wife, actress/filmmaker Daryl Hannah, whom he married in 2018.
“I’ve been married a few times, and I’ve given everything I could to each one of my wives,” Neil said. “There’s a lot of things that get in the way of having that kind of a complete relationship forever. And lucky for me, I have found someone that I think is that deep in Daryl.”
He continued, “Daryl and I are just going to try to make it last as long as we can, ’cause that’s what we do. And she’s just got such a great quality. It’s just amazing.”
Asked how he defines success, Young pointed to his wife as an example.
“Well, for instance, Daryl’s an actress, but she’s also a director and a writer and an editor and a shooter of film,” he noted. “She does the whole thing. And, she evolves around the whole thing.”
Hannah has directed a number of movies featuring Young, including the 2018 musical film Paradox and the 2021 documentary Barn: A Band A Brotherhood A Barn. She also has shot Neil’s series of Fireside Sessions home performances.
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