What’cha Readin’? Backstage at Neil Young and Crazy Horse with the Sadies

Over the last few weeks reading Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young, we’ve learned a lot about his idiosyncrasies.

Through the form of the book, we’ve discovered that Young views his present and future work on initiatives like Puretone (or Pono, as this high-grade media player is now known) and LincVolt (an initiative focused on retrofitting automobiles to be more environmentally friendly) to be just as significant as the body of musical work behind him. Or, the thing that most of us are more interested in.

We’ve learned that he’s quit drinking and smoking weed, that he misses his partner David Briggs more than anything and, on a personal note, I’ve learned that Neil Young and I both use the same Sonicare electric toothbrush and buy our replacement heads at Costco. Our teeth are amazing.

On Tuesday night I saw Neil Young and Crazy Horse for the second time on their current "Alchemy Never Works" tour (a clever, chemistry geek play on "Rust Never Sleeps"). The show was at the Kitchener Auditorium and featured great sets by Los Lobos and the Sadies as well.

Thanks to the kindness of the Sadies, I got to go backstage and, as well as speaking to Dallas Good about the merits of OFF! and a Minor Threat reunion (he’s for it, I am not), I met Young’s brother Bob Young and we chatted about him maybe appearing on this book club at some point (I’m also going to see Patti Smith and the Sadies open up for the Horse in Ottawa on Saturday).

In the video above, you can get some flavour of backstage life from my good friend and fellow new dad, Mike Belitsky of the Sadies. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something about Neil Young from watching it.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about Neil Young from reading Waging Heavy Peace? What do you make of the book in general? Have you seen or are you going to see Neil Young and Crazy Horse on their current tour?