On a call with Neil Young Archives Patrons yesterday, there were a lot of details about the Archives Volume 3. I apologize that I didn’t take careful notes or record all of the stuff that NY said, so some of these details are a bit fuzzy.
First, NY did express his like for the Atmos mixes of his tracks. He talked about future hard copy releases (the archives and perhaps other series from him) and noted that one thing he loved to do was publish new versions of tracks, and in particular, first recordings of tracks. He said that we would see (well, hear) a lot of tracks previously unpublished, some never published in any form and others in new versions or mixes, and that sometimes those new versions would be Atmos (which sound “fantastic”). Quite a contrast to at least 2 of the previous 3 calls, where he did say he liked working on the Atmos versions of the albums that went up on Apple Music, but he always then had a long speech about the superiority of analog vs digital.
Volume 3 of the Archives issues Sept 6, and some material has already come out on a CD and as a digital download. Vol 3 covers 1976-1987, and he said Vol 4 (being worked on now, presumably a couple of years out) will cover through 2002. Vol 3 includes “15 completely unreleased songs, and 121 unreleased versions (original versions, alternate versions, different mixes, live tracks).” The big box edition includes 5 Blu-Rays with 11 full-length films, plus 17 CDs. When asked about whether future hard copy media would include multiple versions of tracks (stereo and Atmos, for example), NY said that the issue is that doubling the material doubles the number of discs so they are still thinking this through. They are committed to 192K/24b stereo when the material allows (primarily for streaming, but 5 Blu-Rays is a lot so maybe?). Whether or not there will be some Atmos tracks on Vol 3 isn’t clear. It was clear, however, that Vol 4 would have some Atmos tracks (although he also said Atmos or other updates would only be on previously unreleased versions, and that old albums would be preserved in their original mix). Very confusing, and apologies for not having a recording to go back to.
One of the movies is of Trans, not sure whether a making-of or a concert film or a mix. But the group on the call were very enthusiastic about the Trans film (his son Zeke is always on these calls, plus a few other long-time associates).
Outside of Volume 3, there’s a “CSNY 1969” album (or album set, not sure) coming out very soon. It was recorded about 2 weeks after Woodstock, so very soon after NY joined the group. He said the version of Down By the River on that album is his definitive version. Also, back in Sept 2023 NY and Crazy Horse played a couple of nights at the Roxy in LA on the 50th anniversary of the NY and the Santa Monica Flyers concerts there. Crazy Horse here means Molina, Talbot, Lofgren, and Micah Nelson doing Ben Keith’s parts. The band played Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere and Tonight’s the Night in their entirety, and NY said both the concert album (and possibly the video?) are being worked on and will be out once done.
Oh, and I forgot (late edit). When a patron pointed out that next year is a big anniversary for Mirror Ball, NY said they were looking into a box set. Of course Mirror Ball is one of the Atmos mixes up on Apple Music, and NY heaped lots of praise on Pearl Jam.
First, NY did express his like for the Atmos mixes of his tracks. He talked about future hard copy releases (the archives and perhaps other series from him) and noted that one thing he loved to do was publish new versions of tracks, and in particular, first recordings of tracks. He said that we would see (well, hear) a lot of tracks previously unpublished, some never published in any form and others in new versions or mixes, and that sometimes those new versions would be Atmos (which sound “fantastic”). Quite a contrast to at least 2 of the previous 3 calls, where he did say he liked working on the Atmos versions of the albums that went up on Apple Music, but he always then had a long speech about the superiority of analog vs digital.
Volume 3 of the Archives issues Sept 6, and some material has already come out on a CD and as a digital download. Vol 3 covers 1976-1987, and he said Vol 4 (being worked on now, presumably a couple of years out) will cover through 2002. Vol 3 includes “15 completely unreleased songs, and 121 unreleased versions (original versions, alternate versions, different mixes, live tracks).” The big box edition includes 5 Blu-Rays with 11 full-length films, plus 17 CDs. When asked about whether future hard copy media would include multiple versions of tracks (stereo and Atmos, for example), NY said that the issue is that doubling the material doubles the number of discs so they are still thinking this through. They are committed to 192K/24b stereo when the material allows (primarily for streaming, but 5 Blu-Rays is a lot so maybe?). Whether or not there will be some Atmos tracks on Vol 3 isn’t clear. It was clear, however, that Vol 4 would have some Atmos tracks (although he also said Atmos or other updates would only be on previously unreleased versions, and that old albums would be preserved in their original mix). Very confusing, and apologies for not having a recording to go back to.
One of the movies is of Trans, not sure whether a making-of or a concert film or a mix. But the group on the call were very enthusiastic about the Trans film (his son Zeke is always on these calls, plus a few other long-time associates).
Outside of Volume 3, there’s a “CSNY 1969” album (or album set, not sure) coming out very soon. It was recorded about 2 weeks after Woodstock, so very soon after NY joined the group. He said the version of Down By the River on that album is his definitive version. Also, back in Sept 2023 NY and Crazy Horse played a couple of nights at the Roxy in LA on the 50th anniversary of the NY and the Santa Monica Flyers concerts there. Crazy Horse here means Molina, Talbot, Lofgren, and Micah Nelson doing Ben Keith’s parts. The band played Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere and Tonight’s the Night in their entirety, and NY said both the concert album (and possibly the video?) are being worked on and will be out once done.
Oh, and I forgot (late edit). When a patron pointed out that next year is a big anniversary for Mirror Ball, NY said they were looking into a box set. Of course Mirror Ball is one of the Atmos mixes up on Apple Music, and NY heaped lots of praise on Pearl Jam.
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