Product Description
The story of Neil Young from early days in Canada to his established career as a rock star. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Essential Neil Young
Wow, I did not know the name J. Sayers or address on return, but my name and address, should I open it or not? I did and when I pulled it out of the Package, I got the biggest smile on my face when I saw Neil on the cover I got tears in my eyes[ sorry but I adore Neil, and have great respect for Him and His Family]. I got this book in 2 day`s, made My day.Fliped threw it, can`t wait to read it.THanks J. Sayers Joan Cruz ... Read more

Product Description
For more than 30 years, Neil Young's fans have appreciated his individualistic stance, his unique sound, and his determination never to take the easy route. Neil Young provides a concise, well-researched view into the career of this rock and roll giant. Alexis Petridis includes full biographical information and a complete discography as he explores the influence of Young on everybody from Sonic Youth and Ron Sexsmith to Nirvana. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Short yet worthwhile
The book is kind of thin - much of it is taken up with photos and discography. That being said, I quite enjoyed the
opening section where Neil's start in the music biz is laid out.
It's very clear that Neil wasn't an instant success and that
early on a willingness to hang in there despite setbacks as well as a happenchance intro to a future CSNY member were key.
One humorous error is the reference to an Honorary Music Doctorate awarded to Neil by Lockheed University in Thunder Bay.
Sounds like a good school to study aerospace engineering at, but
if there is a Lockheed University I don't think it's located in Thunder Bay. The author must be refering to Lakehead University which is in Thunder Bay - the name is apropos
because the city is located at the head of Lake Superior.

Should be used more as a Neil Young Companion
This book is, as has been already stated by the other reviews, concise and to the point. The part that really interested me is the disassembly of each track and each album, not so much giving an interpretation (which is inevitable sometimes) but rather information about the song, and the situation from which the album was birthed. I take this book everywhere I go because of its small size and an easy reference if I'm listening to a song and want to know more about it (even if, at times, it is a biased account). The author and I don't always agree but he often provides a thoughtful, and sometimes unexpected, platform to approach this mans' art.
The story and legacy sections are quick and have been stewed together with quirky trivia that could drive you into obsessive fandom. It gets through his life at a brisk pace and the pictures provided are fun to look at and are reproduced at a high quality, keeping in tune with the rest of the book. This book is an excellent purchase that every Neil fan should have stuffed into their glove compartment on those long, song-driven road trips.

concise, very readable
This is a concise book, but I mean that as a compliment - it does an excellent job of covering the key aspects of Young's life and career, without getting lost in the writerly junk that weighs down so many bios ("It was a bright and sunny day when Johnny entered the studio . . ." - ugh). The arcane details about the recordings are mostly covered in a separate annotated and critical discography - itself very readable, with many interesting insights and surprises. A nice approach that I'd love to see used in other music bios. Definitely recommended for Neil fans.

FWIW, it's also a very sharp-looking book. A nice job all-around.

Achieves what it sets out to do
This small book (small in size and only 138 pages, by the way, not 152) is apparently part of a series called "Kill Your Idols". Divided into three sections, ("The Story" fills only 51 pages; "The Music" 71 pages and it finishes with "The Legacy") it provides a neat encapsulation of Young's life and recorded output. Petridis' mini-reviews of Young's albums are fair and sensible. Accuracy is good, although there are errors in the small photo section.

To someone like me who buys every Young bio, there is, unsurprisingly, nothing new here. It would serve as a good primer, however, for someone trying to find out if the one singing "Heart Of Gold" and the one cooking up a storm playing with Pearl Jam on TV really are the same guy!

Mediocre
Unfortunately now that Neil has apparently scuttled the authorized bio supposedly due this year (he's actually being sued by the author!)we have to make due with plodding efforts like this which is obviosly compiled from other sources and contains no first hand info from Neil and maybe none from people who actually know Neil. The book is well researched though and the writing is passable, which is better than a lot of rock bios ... Read more

Product Description
Lots of photos and 28 great songs such as Cinnamon Girl
* Sugar Mountain
* Mr. Soul
* I Am a Child
* Down by the River and many others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Gotta Have for Neil Young fans
I bought this book when it first came out, and Neil Young was one of the hottest young Folk Rock stars around. I loved it, this book has some great pictures, and a little info, and is outstanding for anyone who loves Neils early work.
I bought each book in this series and in my opinion this and Vol. II are the best.

If your a Neil Young Fan you have to have this book and VOL. II. You won't be sorry.

Excellent book
This is a great anthology of Neil Young's early years, including stuff from Buffalo Springfield and some obscure but tuneful songs from that band.I found the chords to be right on target for one of my favorites, Flying on the Ground, a beautiful song with unusual chord voicings that would not be apparent to the average guitar player.The chord charts for that song alone make this book worth the price. ... Read more

Product Description
Charting the career of Neil Young, this is an album-by-album, track-by- track examination of every song released by Young, from his first album with Buffalo Springfield to his collaboration with Pearl Jam in 1995. CD- shaped, this book is designed to sit alongside a CD collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

zero to sixty neil young
Rec. Book "Neil Young" Zero to Sixty. New - Packed good - no problems. Ordered other items on Neil Young from Amazon and will order again.This book will be the last one I read, thumed threw read a little hear and there, also pictures inside I have`nt seen, some things I`ve read in other books, yet I know I`ll enjoy it, it`s over 700 pages WOW, something to read when it`s snowing outside. Thanks again. Can`t help but "Love The Man" he`s Awsome,Will see him tomarrow night 11/9/08, in Chicago in concert. Thanks again.Joan Cruz

great condition
we got this book as a gift for a huge neil young fan, and he was very happy with it. it was in great condition.

Excellent reasearch by the author.very detailed
This may be the only book you'll ever need on Neil Young.Then again, there is always more to Neil than we know...

For an entirely different but excellent analysis of Neil Young's music and personality, read"Neil Young and The Poetics of Energy" by WILLIAM ECHARD

neil young zero to sixty
this is the best and most complete and accurate book about Neil that you will ever read. Why buy the others as i have read all and this is the only book,if you really want to know about shakey neil......

released music only
This might be a pleasing read-along for the casual collector. Rogan provides short blurbs for each song, including a littlebackground information on each, and quotes from (unsourced) interviews. Many Neil Young fans could write this book in a weekend alone with a stereo and a pot of coffee.

As a "Guide" though, this book is not "Complete". Neil Young has a few unreleased albums (like "Chrome Dreams", which went as far as an acetate) and unrecorded tunes (like "No One Seems To Know"). Rogan's book doesn't cover these. Heavyweight collectors will also be dissatisfied with lack of information on various releases. Not to mention, if I may be so gauche, bootlegs.

And realisticly you can buy a dozen record guides (and read dozens more online) that include writeups of Young's available albums. ... Read more

Product Description
Neil Young has been making albums since 1968 and is more in the public eye today than he has ever been. His influence is clear on the music of many of today's new bands such as Pearl Jam. His latest album, "Harvest Moon", is hailed by many as his best yet and he has gained a whole new generation of fans whilst keeping those who have followed him for years. Young has always been out of step with mainstream rock, unfazed by trends or demands. His sojourn with Crosby, Stills and Nash (with whom Young temporarily regrouped in 1988), saw his most creative period, although his almost maniacal solo output has never been less than interesting. In this book the author tracks the long career of the Canadian born singer including details of his involvement with Crosby, Stills and Nash and also Pearl Jam. His live performances are listed in some detail and his career is documented with scores of colour and black and white photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Book Review for Neil Young
I've been a long time of Neil Young fan. What is great about this book is the photos there are some very good ones. Another nice feature was the backround stuff. It would be nice to see an up to date one (2nd Edision.)I would recomend this for the die hard collector.

Keep On Rockin Rick Glenn

Neil Young Visual Documentary
Thank`s Suzanne Santillance from sundanzemaw Books. Rec. book in good condition, in 4 day`s. Has lot`s of pictures and info. If you collect anything on Neil Young add this. If I knew what was in this book I would haved payed more for it, I got it at a great price. Will be good reading for long winter nights. Gotta Love Neil there`s no one or will there ever be anyone like "The Man". Joan Cruz

An excellent outline of Neil Young's career (with photos)
This book is excellent for die-hard long-time Neil Young fans such as myself.It is essentially a chronological outline of Neil Young's musical career, with some narrative and many photographs interspersed with theoutline.It starts at the begining of his musical career and ends at 1994,when the book was published.It also includes a discography.It isprinted on high-quality glossy paper.The majority of the photos are blackand white, but with a significant minority of the photos in color.It'sfascinating to follow the twists and turns of Neil Young's career and hismusic.The outline tells when Neil Young recorded each of his songs, andit lists every concert he ever played by city and date.The narrativehelps to expand on the outline and to move the story along.Highlyrecommended for serious Neil Young fans. ... Read more

Product Description
Rockin' in the Free World
* Crime in the City
* Don't Cry
* Hangin' on a Limb
* Eldorado
* Ways of Love
* Wrecking Ball
* No More. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1966, Neil Young drove a battered funeral car two thousand miles from his native Toronto to Los Angeles to seek his fortune in the music business. Nearly forty years of continuous writing and performing later, he is firmly established as one of the most influential and idiosyncratic singer-songwriters of his generation. His restless and innovative spirit ensures that he is one of the few rock veterans as vital in his old age as he was in his youth. Simmons provides fresh insights into Young's life so far. She also uncovers new facts about his friendship with Charles Manson, and closely examines his schizophrenic eighties output and musical return to form as the "Godfather of Grunge" in the nineties. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

whats the beef
I just don't get what some of these complaints are about this book. Yeah it's short but how I understand it is it was meant to be short - an introduction to Neil Young. And that was exactly what I was looking for. I've only just started getting into the man (yeah, I know!) and I didn't want to plough through 600 pages, but this really gave me a lot of insights into his character and his life and made me want to read further. Now I'm going to buy Jimmy macDonoughs book. But if you want something to the point and well written I would recommend this

Slight.
After reading this biography, I've no more insight than I would from reading cd liners. Very little insight into the characters in his life; nothing more than say CS&N's large egos.No interviews from on the scene characters, old band mates for ex. This book does not do justice to its subject.

WHAT??
I was very excited to get started on this book but about 15 pages into it, it states that Neil was at Woodstock and mentions CSN as "sidekicks". It was very wrong. I was truly dissapointed.

Small but perfectly Formed
I'll lay my cards on the table, I am what is commonly called a Neil Young obsessive so I wouldve been driven to buy the book whatever it was like. So no surprise I have a library full of, how shall I put this politely, mouse food. When I bought Sylvie Simmons' book on Neil Young I was a bit disappointed on first viewing to see that it wasn't very long - I've always loved her writing in MOJO magazine, especially of course when she's written about Neil Young, so I would have loved something the length of the Jimmy McDounough book (which I also bought). But do you know what? She packed more information and real insight into that short space than McDounough did into his huge tome (and actually I liked that too). So I'd say to any Neil Young fan, check Miss Simmons' book out, you won't be disappointed ... Read more

Product Description
A Man Needs a Maid
* Alabama
* Are You Ready for the Country?
* Harvest
* Heart of Gold
* Old Man
* Out on the Weekend
* The Needle and the Damage Done
* There's a Word
* Words (Between the Lines of Age). ... Read more

Product Description
Titles include: Alabama
* Broken Arrow
* Cinnamon Girl
* Country Girl
* Cowgirl in the Sand
* Harvest Moon
* Heart of Gold
* Helpless
* Like a Hurricane
* Long May You Run
* The Needle and the Damage Done
* Old Man
* On the Way Home
* Only Love Can Break Your Heart
* Southern Man
* Sugar Mountain
* Tell Me Why. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Best Neil Young Guitar Book
Love all the detail. It's not for beginners but intermediates will have fun working it out.

Best Neil Young guitar compilation period
As of now, this is the best place to start...still not all popular songs are included...but still the best to date

Songs are here in there entirety...if you want easy guitar stuff go elsewhere, this is to the actual recordings...

Some Crazy Horse songs are ment for two guitar players not one...but either way rhythem or lead is still great to use...

Acoustic songs are 100% correct...so are the eletric can't stress it enough...

Best place for any guitarest into Neil Young to start...also, the unplugged tab book is great as well...

5 starts....

DIfficult to follow
I found the tab in this book very hard to follow. I am a beginner guitar player, and Neil Young is always a good place to learn. However, the tab seems filled with unnecessary info that the make the bass notes hard to follow. Even simple songs that I knew like, "The Needle and The Damage Done", were brutal to follow. If you want an ABSOLUTE tab layout of the songs, with EVERY single minute noise, then get the book. Poor indeed, as far as I'm concerned. ... Read more

Product Description
Titles are: Baby What You Want Me to Do
* Big Time
* Changing Highways
* Loose Change
* Music Arcade
* Scattered (Let's Think About Livin')
* Slip Away
* This Town. ... Read more

Product Description
The music of Neil Young is studied through a collection of articles and reviews. Also there is coverage of tracks from the "Love To Burn" album. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A good review
I didn't realize this book was focused on the Rock and Roll Cowboy bootleg.I didn't have the bootleg when I bought the book but I still was able to enjoy it. I found Williams reactions to the songs interesting andit made me want to get the bootleg even more.When I finally did get it Ireread the book and enjoyed it even more.

The music but not the man
Williams has written an ambitious book which attempts to review Young's music from his earliest commercial releases in 1966 through1994. As the other reviews indicate a large portion of the book is devoted to a song bysong review of the Italian bootleg 4 CD retrospective "Rock and RollCowboy". Unlikethose reviewers I had owned "Cowboy" foryears before reading "Love To Burn" so my criticism of the bookis a little different. Put simply, this book should be titled"What Neil Young's music means to Paul Williams." While Williamshas some interesting thoughts about some songs that's all they are -- histhoughts. Second, Williams sometimes succumbs to the dread rock reviewer'saffliction of writing pretentiously and sometimes sounds like a sophomoreEnglish Lit majorwho just had his first class in music theory. Forhardcore Neil Young fans it is in an enjoyable read because it isinteresting to compare and contrast one's thoughts with Williams' but thebook offers little insight into the thoughts of Neil himself. Ofcourse, no available book has done that because Neil is not forthcoming anddoes not allow the authors opportunity to pick his brain. Which is ashame because Young is the most important figure in rock history (a boldassertion I know but one that could be amply illustrated by the RIGHTbook), and his personal life is a remarkable story as well.We need butlack the magnum opus which chronicles how a kid from Canada came to L.A.formed a seminal and hugely influential band moved on to superstardom as asolo artist and with CSNY, then deliberately abandoned mainstreamacceptance with a series of the darkest, rawest albums ever released by apop musician (Time Fades Away, On the Beach and Tonight's the Night), onlyto end the 70's with a series of successful albums that contained not a hint of compromise to commercial formulas.Then after reaching the top asecond time, Young again (to borrow a phrase from Dylan) threw it allaway-- with a series of albums so determinedly eccentric as to alienate allbut his most devoted fans.Then at an age when his contemporaries wereall either dead, retired or all but irrelevant he soared again for a thirdtime with a stunning series of albums including Freedom, Ragged Glory, Weldand Sleeps With Angels ( and more after the book was published). Williams meticuoulsy chronicles the music but misses them man who producedthe largest, most daring and most compelling body of work in rock history.Unfortunately we Rusties have to make due with books such as this ratherthan the definitivebiography (or dare we pray, autobiography) because ofthe Neil's reluctance if not refusal to divulge his essence to others. But in the end it is maybe just that reluctance, or maybe ambivalence is abetter word that makes Neil what he is. The man clearly wants acceptanceand success--- but only on his terms. He does what moves him at the momentand hopes it is popular but won't change a note or a word to make his musicmore accessible or commercial. And, in the end he has succeeded.I canlisten to the music and discuss it with my friends so william's book givesrelatively little to the hardcore Young fan (and who else is going to reada book like this?) other than an enjoyable night's read while blasting Rockand Roll Cowboy or otherNeil on the stereo----- but you can do a lotworse than that with your time.

It should include the bootleg
This book could have been titled: "Review of a Bootleg."

I would have enjoyed this book a LOT more if I had had the bootleg "Rock and Roll Cowboy" to listen to while reading it.Williams is a greatwriter, but he spent far too much time discussing this bootleg that theaverage joe can not get.Thus I ultimately found the book to be incrediblyfrustrating and ended up TRADING IT FOR THE BOOTLEG!There's some kind ofjustice in that.

Enjoyable insights -but you must have the CD's discussed.
Book is very enjoyable as a listening companion to the music discussed. As usual, the author brings enlightening, personal observations on themusic and artist.However, the majority of the book centers on the unofficial 4 CD bootleg "Rock and Roll Cowboy", which covers liveperformances for most of Neil's career. Until I trackedthis bootlegdown, reading the book was frustrating (to say the least).Once I got thebootleg, the book was immensely enjoyable. (So, there is no point toreadingthe book without having the music discussed.) (By the way, themusic in this bootleg is a MUST for serious Neil Young fans.) - WGL ... Read more

Product Description
This unique, best-selling series features quotes gathered over the years from family, friends, and the artists themselves giving the reader a personal insight into their music and world. Fully illustrated throughout with black and white photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Love It
Rec. book on Neil Young."In His Own Words".Came fast,has lots of pictures, which I like. Can`t get enough of Neil.Thanks. Joan C.

Disappointing
"In His Own Words" is nothing but a compilationof previously published quotes lifted from old magazines, liner notes and the like. To even a diehard Young fan this book is a major disappointment. Unless youare a collector who simply wants any Neil related material available Iwould advise against purchasing this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Titles are: Act of Love
* Big Green Country
* Downtown
* Fallen Angel
* I'm the Ocean
* Peace and Love
* Scenery
* Song X
* Truth Be Known
* Throw Your Hatred Down
* What Happened Yesterday. ... Read more

Product Description
Title cut
* If Anybody Had a Heart
* Tomboy
* Haven't We Lost Enough?
* Yours and Mine
* (Got to Keep) Open
* Straight Line
* House of Broken Dreams
* Arrows
* After the Dolphin. ... Read more

Product Description
This album-matching folio is sure to become a classic in the Neil Young library of guitarists everywhere. Titles are: Are You Passionate?, Be With You, Differently, Goin' Home, Let's Roll, Mr. Disappointment, Quit (Don't Say You Love Me), She's A Healer, Two Old Friends, When I Hold You In My Arms, and You Are My Girl. ... Read more

Product Description
Thirty-two songs in one of our best-selling folios, with loads of photos and lyrics. Includes titles like After the Gold Rush
* Country Girl
* Heart of Gold
* Ohio
* Old Man
* Tell Me Why, and lots of other great songs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Niel Young Complete Music Volume II1969-1973
This is a must have 217 page paperback of pictures, lyrics, music in piano and guitar format, covering 32 hit songs from 1969-1973...in my opinion, his best music.The book measures 8.75" X 11.75".

All of theNeil Young Complete music books are great!
I've been a Neil Young fan going back to the Buffalo Springfield days. I was in my teens when Neil Young went solo and he was one of the biggest influences in my guitar playing, and music choices.

I've owned the first two books of these books since they where first published way back when, and still love them today.

I will occasionally forget some of Mr. Young's work, and I love going back to these books year after year.

If you're a Neil Young fan these books are golden, I love all of them and they do seem to be fairly accurate to learning his songs. Of course there are some things you need to know in his music to reproduce his sound accurately, but these books will give you a great start in his work.

I think that at least the first two Neil Young Complete Volumes belong in every Neil Young guitar playing fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Useful guide but a key omission
This book is good for those of use who want to play the songs of Crosby, Stills & Nash, but it does not include every song from their first two albums."Woodstock," written by Joni Mitchell, is not here.Maybe the publisher could not get the rights to use her song.Since that's one of CSNY's best songs, its a key omission.But the rest is here, including "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Carry On" -- good singalongs that most guitarists can play.

Remembering the past.
Some song will float in your head for many minutes after it is done.When you hear the first several bars of music - at first you may not know the name of the song (or who sang it), but some where from deep inside of you the words come to your mouth and you sing along with the radio.Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is one of those groups that had songs you will find yourself doing just that. ... Read more

Product Description
A pictorial biography of the life and music of Neil Young. ... Read more