Neil Young will release an archival live album, “Tuscaloosa”, on June 7.
As Rolling Stone notes, the project captures Young and his backing band the Stray Gators in concert at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on February 5, 1973.
“It’s from the period right around Harvest and Tonight’s the Night,” explained Young earlier this year. “For me, it’s edgy. It’s like those mellow songs with an edge. It’s really trippy to be down in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and singing those songs from Harvest and the songs that we were doing for Time Fades Away before it came out. I found this thing and it had such a great attitude to it. I just loved the whole night, so I put that together with [engineer] John Hanlon.”
“Tuscaloosa” delivers just 11 songs from the show – short of the regular 20 at the time – as Hanlon confirms the full set wasn’t captured on tape, and that “The Loner” was out of tune and “On The Way Home” was simply on too many other live albums.
In a letter to a fan on his Neil Young Archives website, Young defended his decision to release the show with songs missing.
“We don’t like to release a lot of songs on many albums, so ‘On The Way Home’ went by the wayside,” responded Young to fan inquiry about the incomplete recording. “‘The Loner’ was just not good enough. I still make those decisions because I am here on the planet. However, those two versions will be available in the archives for members to hear. I have no plans to release everything I have ever recorded. Some of it is just not good enough.”
Young is previewing the package with an audio stream of the closing track, “Don’t Be Denied.”
“Tuscaloosa” will be available in multiple formats, including digital, CD and a three-sided vinyl album with etched artwork on side four.
Young is currently in the studio recording a new album with his longtime band Crazy Horse, their first since Nils Lofgren returned to the lineup following the retirement of guitarist Frank Sampedro.
Neil Young & Stray Gators
“Tuscaloosa”
Release date: June 7
01. Here We Are In The Years
02. After The Gold Rush
03. Out On The Weekend
04. Harvest
05. Old Man
06. Heart Of Gold
07. Time Fades Away
08. Lookout Joe
09. New Mama
10. Alabama
11. Don’t Be Denied
See also:
Neil Young to record new album with Crazy Horse
Neil Young plans expanded Ragged Glory reissue
Neil Young announces exclusive solo theater shows
Neil Young streams The Losing End from archival Songs For Judy live album
Search Neil Young at hennemusic
