Neil Young revealed some bad news and some good news in a message posted Tuesday, January 23, on his Neil Young Archives website.
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The bad news, according to the 78-year-old folk-rock legend, was that he’s been “playing with arthritis in my hand for years and years.” On the positive side, Young reported, “[I] finally discovered a way around the pain with no drugs that let me play as I felt.”
Young explained in his post that he discovered this new way of playing at his most recent concert with his backing band Crazy Horse, which took place in November 2023 at a private event held at the Toronto club The Rivoli.
“The last time we played live was so amazing! I had a great time. We all did,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer noted. “The last show was a lifetime experience. The guys all said as we left the stage[,] “That was a really good one!” All the guys, even [Crazy Horse drummer Ralph [Molina]!!! It was a very special night!”
Young then revealed that the show was recorded and plans are now in the works to release it as a live album.
“It should come out about when we hit the road again – April,” he explained. “It’s double vinyl and I love the sound in all its Ragged Glory!”
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More About the Toronto Show
According to a report on RollingStone.com, Young and Crazy Horse played almost their entire 1990 album, Ragged Glory, at the concert. The show also included versions of his classic songs “Cinnamon Girl” and “Rockin’ in the Free World.” The event reportedly was a birthday party for Dan Reiss, the billionaire CEO of the Canadian apparel company Canada Goose.
“Nothing new,” Young wrote about the set. “Just my old songs and the Horse, but I felt so great, my singing was free and easy. I can’t remember a night like that in decades, if ever.”
Meanwhile, in a separate post on his official website, Young premiered a recording of “Cinnamon Girl” from the Toronto show.
“This version of ‘Cinnamon Girl’ is an example of the energy captured as the horse road through the RIVOLI club in Toronto Nov 4, 2023,” he wrote about the performance. The post also appears to reveal that the album will be titled FU##in’ UP after a song from Ragged Glory.
Young’s 2024 Tour Plans
Young recently revealed that he would soon be announcing details of a 2024 tour. Young currently has two confirmed performances this year. The first is scheduled for May 4 at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and the second will be at the Bourbon & Beyond fest, taking place May 19-22 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Young’s Recent Album Releases
Young’s most recent solo studio album, Before and After, was released in December 2023. His latest album of new material with Crazy Horse was World Record, which came out in November 2022.
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