Neil Young announces upcoming 10 disc Archives release on Blu-ray Nov. 3, 2008*

[Metoo]

I think that Neil is seeing this project as his life story legacy and wants to be as exhaustive as possible while embracing the highest quality digital audio available at the moment so that his effort does not easily become technologically obsolete. In light of this, perhaps leaving the project open to future internet updates is the way for him to finally let it go and release it.

Of course, this can wreak havoc with the fans' patience and nerves, spawning snarky remarks and attitudes from them. But I think he is just trying to get it right.

[mrbillswildride]

Originally Posted by Metoo

I think that Neil is seeing this project as his life story legacy and wants to be as exhaustive as possible while embracing the highest quality digital audio available at the moment so that his effort does not easily become technologically obsolete. In light of this, perhaps leaving the project open to future internet updates is the way for him to finally let it go and release it.

Of course, this can wreak havoc with the fans' patience and nerves, spawning snarky remarks and attitudes from them. But I think he is just trying to get it right.

Again, got to his massive ego... "as exhaustive as possible" there is often a reason outtakes remain unreleased, cause they suck... not everything Neil ever wrote is fantastic and worthy of release... some real dogs were released...

The scope of this set, to just cover the first five years of his career after all these years, means he'll never finish it, each set will be released in the "next big format," no two on the same format, and we'll all be well dead and cryonically frozen before Sleeps With Angels comes out on Blank Stare memory chip...

[babyblue]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I honestly believe we're not going to see Archives until ol' Neil is gone. In a few years there will be ANOTHER format to delay the release again anyway. I've lived without the Archives for so long that if it does get released on Blu-Ray, I guess I'll still live without it or obtain it by other means. Believe me, if it doesn't get a CD release fans will find a way to get it in that format.

[jv66]

Originally Posted by mrbillswildride

I beg to differ, it has everything to do with his ego, see example of the BS box set... Had he no big ego he would not taunt us with this Archival release for nigh on two Decades now... I mean really enough with the idol worship...

"This Note may be for You," but this Blue Ray debacle/sham is not for me...

No ego? To have a big press release anouncing your very VERY long overdue archival set is not being released on current formats, but rather on a format that most of his fans don't even own yet, but are now presupposed to buy, even though no released date has been set.. yet again... I'll beleive it when I don't buy it...

We are coming at this from different angles...my view is that he simply didn't care enough to release this material years ago, and to re-hash it in different formats.

I'm convinced from meeting him a couple of times with his autistic son that he has higher priorities then his unreleased materials.

[mrbillswildride]

Originally Posted by jv66

We are coming at this from different angles...my view is that he simply didn't care enough to release this material years ago, and to re-hash it in different formats.

I'm convinced from meeting him a couple of times with his autistic son that he has higher priorities then his unreleased materials.

Then why tease us with the bi-annual "it will finally be out this fall" press releases?... is this just Reprise? I don't think so.. I know he has family, and other concerns, but this baby is high on his "work-a-day" list... and this ballsy, cheeky announcement just rubs me the wrong (blue-ray) way...

[jv66]

Originally Posted by mrbillswildride

Then why tease us with the bi-annual "it will finally be out this fall" press releases?... is this just Reprise? I don't think so.. I know he has family, and other concerns, but this baby is high on his "work-a-day" list... and this ballsy, cheeky announcement just rubs me the wrong (blue-ray) way...

It's called a PR dep't. I totally understand how it rubs you the wrong way, it's called "great expectations". We've all been there with artists we admire and want to have more of.

[PacificOceanBlue]

I've been waiting anxiously for this material for years. However, I won't be purchasing a Blue-Ray player and apparently this set either. Pretty sad.

[Jay F]

At least he didn't release a multi-LP set, half the known copies of which suffer from surface noise and seam splits.

[mrbillswildride]

Originally Posted by PacificOceanBlue

I've been waiting anxiously for this material for years. However, I won't be purchasing a Blue-Ray player and apparently this set either. Pretty sad.

Originally Posted by Jay F

At least he didn't release a multi-LP set, half the known copies of which suffer from surface noise and seam splits.

Ouch... (and I hear ya...)

and

double Ouch!!! (kept me away...)

[jsayers]

Here's an idea: most of us just got a $600 kickback tax refund. Buy a Blueray deck. You're gonna need one sooner or later anyway. If there's any change left over, buy a six-pack and put on "Live At The Fillmore" by The Allman Brothers and cry along with Duane.

Look at it like the U.S. Gov't sanctioned your new player. When's the last time Uncle Sam did anything to enhance your listening/viewing pleasure?

Plus, and this is a BIG plus, I think this will be dvd capable, too. Like the dvd layers Neil has been releasing his last few albums on. Watch. I don't believe this will be BlueRay only. Just my 2 cents. It's the CD format Neil hates.

Neil may be crazy, but he's not stupid. He HAS to be aware that only a small percentage of his target audience will be BR capable when this set hits the shelves, but he does know the "deluxe" editions <cd + dvd> of his last few albums have been favorable among buyers, and everyone has dvd players.

Me thinks everyone is getting all worked up over nothing.

I can't wait to get this! However he delivers it, I'm all over it. I'll adjust accordingly.

[RTurner]

Bring on the Blu Ray... I already have the player..

[Chris M]

Originally Posted by fantailfan

Quote from Shakey, paperback ed., p. 500 "...the older you get, the more you realize how much [walking away from a project; he had abandoned a CSNY recording session, late 1975 if I have the chronology right] hurts people." "...every time I say I'm gonna do something, that means like ten or twenty people start counting on that. They start banking on that."

He doesn't really explain why he pulls back, pulls out, but he knows that it always gets people angry at him, so he just does it. I can understand that motivation; recognizing that it's what you're doing is called accepting responsibility, or at least accepting that he does it for his own reasons and he can't just explain it and make it better.

Like many artists Neil follows his muse no matter what. I can respect that. If Neil wouldn't have abandoned those mid 70's attempts at another CSNY record then no On The Beach and no Zuma.

[jsayers]

Originally Posted by Chris M

Like many artists Neil follows his muse no matter what. I can respect that. If Neil wouldn't have abandoned those mid 70's attempts at another CSNY record then no On The Beach and no Zuma.

Words well spoken. As per usual, I agree with you, Chris. You mentioned two of my fave NY albums, with only "After The Goldrush" absent. I really think if I had to pick one, and I know this has nothing to do with this thread, ATGR would be THE one for me. "When You Dance" is the ultimate NY song, for me.

Sorry, back to the thread.

[Claude]

Originally Posted by jsayers

Here's an idea: most of us just got a $600 kickback tax refund. Buy a Blueray deck. You're gonna need one sooner or later anyway.

Be sure the player supports all the advanced features Neil intends to offer on his Blu-ray discs ...

[fasteddie113NL]

you all sound much like some of my friends when the cd was introduced in the 80's and again a few years later when the first albums weren't released on vinyl but only on cd; "no no, , I will not buy...". etc

yet, by 1990, they all had a player AND at least a shelf full of discs (some of them went back to mainly vinyl in recent years, but that's another story...)


having said that, I have my doubts too whether this is marketable in the near future (meaning this Fall), whether I will buy it then (or wait for the audio-rips on the torrent-sites), whether the visual part isn't overrated, whether the internet updates will work out (no, they won't, I have yet to see the first artist that follows-up on promises in that direction)....

let's just wait what actually happens and when before final judgement, right?

for the record, I do believe something like this is the future; it will only be a matter of a few years before computer/internet/streaming video & audio/TV/stereo will be available in fully integrated systems

I believe that in some 20 years time, it will turn out that the CD was an intermediate stage; the LP will survive, multimedia in whatever format will too, most probably streaming, the CD will slowly disappear

[PhilCohen]

My home video collection(on VHS,Laserdisc & DVD) has always been 97% music video(I seldom buy movies), and since there's almost no music-related programming on BluRay, I can't see much reason to buy a BluRay player.
Now there's two reasons never to think(or post) about Neil Young's "Archives" again:
1.I'm not buying a BluRay player just to play Neil Young music.
2.It's just another cruel tease from Young, because archives won't appear until he's dead and gone.

[Expectant One]

Well...I'll probably get me a PS3 in a few years time, so the format wouldn't stop me, should I in the future grow to be a huge Neil fan. The concept sounds pretty cool, actually.

[EveryLittleThing]

Assuming that this set actually comes out sometime this decade (a big, possibly unsafe assumption), this would actually give me a reason to buy a Playstation 3. (Then again, I like video games, anyway. Someone who does not would obviously have a different perspective on the matter.)

It is, at least, a relatively future-proof Blu-Ray player, since the firmware can be updated via the Internet or game discs. Too bad they removed SACD compatibility; the only model now on the market, the 40GB, can't play them.

The big obstacle for me is that I can't afford a 1080p-capable TV, but I'll worry about that if/when this release starts to look more likely.

I've been a Neil Young fan for years, and frankly, I don't care what format it comes out on. It could come out on four-track tape, or PlayTape, or flexidiscs, or Edison cylinders, and I would still probably buy it. Besides, if this encourages a brief renaissance of hi-rez audio, how is it a bad thing? Better Blu-Ray than nothing at all. I realize this opinion will probably be unpopular, so... YMMV, it's only one man's opinion. I don't feel like arguing about it, and I don't want to upset anyone, either.

I can completely understand why some people are very leery and upset, it's just that I expect Neil to be unfathomably perverse. It's been a very long time since any decision he's made has actually fazed me in the slightest. My default mode with Mr. Young is to assume that I have absolutely no idea what he will do next, or what he will choose to release. For all I know, he'll postpone the Archives yet again in favor of recording an album consisting entirely of a 43-minute duet between comb and tissue paper and xylophone.

[TWZ]

Originally Posted by EwaWoowa

*Originally* Neil was quoting that Vol.1 would go up to and stop at 'War Song', which was:

Recorded on May 22, 1972
Released on June 24, 1972

Which would make Vol.1 finish with Harvest and this, and Vol.2 start with JTTP and TFA...

*Originally* that is...

The preview (it can be found on youtube) showed the 10 covers presumably from vol.1, and the last disc had the JTTP cover.

[Pawnmower]

Originally Posted by jsayers

Here's an idea: most of us just got a $600 kickback tax refund. You're gonna need one sooner or later anyway.

Can I borrow your time machine? There are some things I'd like to check out. I highly doubt we'll all NEED blu-ray players. It's far from being THAT established. Plus, most of us with families can use that money from Uncle Sam to greater good. Not Neil and his ego-set. He's released some total crap on his OFFICIAL releases.. mix that with his statement that some things are TOO GOOD to be in the Archives release he's busting his balls on.. and you give me the nail in the coffin of my interest in this set. I'm actually quite thankful he's freeing up more loot for me.