Despite releasing a new album with Crazy Horse on December 10, Neil Young is ready to release another project “pretty soon.”
While he released Barn just a couple of days ago, Young is ready to put out another album. If this was any other artist that might sound a little wilder. However, Young has released multiple albums in the same year on many occasions.
In 2006, he released Living with War and Living with War: “In the Beginning”. He had a double album year again in 2012 with Americana and Psychedelic Pill both with Crazy Horse. The same thing happened in 2016 and 2017. It seems that the songs just keep flying from his pen and he keeps getting back in the studio to record them.
He talked with Rolling Stone about the possibility and what keeps him writing songs after almost 60 years of a songwriting career.
“I just love music,” the singer-songwriter said. “If you see the reactions that people are having to a song like ‘Welcome Back,’ that’s why we do this. It gets at people’s souls. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s me.”
Neil Young isn’t under any impression that he is solely responsible for the reaction to his music. Sometimes, there is just something inherent about the song that connects with people.
“It could just be that they found the music that they like, and they can find the music they like in any number of people,” Young continued. “But, you know, just to read that about these songs that I’ve just done, and hear how happy people are to get them, it’s very gratifying. …That makes me want to keep going. I’m already planning another record.”
How Neil Young Builds and Records Songs
Another absolutely fascinating part of the interview had to be when Young talked about how he builds songs. He also talked about his recording process. The artist has had decades to perfect his process. Instead of writing a whole song and then playing it over and over again, he takes a different approach.
He plays parts of the song, might hum a few verses, then he starts to finish it up. However, he never plays a full song until it’s time to record.
“I don’t sit and play the guitar and sing the song. I might sing one verse, or think it while I’m playing, maybe humming or something,” Neil Young said. “Then I write all the words out and I try to never do it again until it’s being recorded with the band. Right before we do it, I’ll show the band the changes and I’ll let them play for a few minutes. Then I just start.”
That’s how his songs sound so natural and authentic. Neil Young, y’all. One of America’s greatest.
