On The Run InThe 1970's

Neil Young takes on the seventies and wins hands down

Every musical artist who has survived long enough to have a “career” can expect that career to be broken down, analyzed, dissected and so on. It comes with the territory. One of the things that most often occurs is that the artist is assigned and “era” that more than likely refers to their best work. Sinatra of course had the fifties, the Beatles, Stones and Dylan all had the sixties. You get the picture.

My vote for the seventies goes to Neil Young. (Due to the numerous live recordings, and the fact that a whole band was contributing, I give Young the nod over the Grateful Dead for this accomplishment.) I can think of no other artist who produced so much first rate material for the duration of the decade. Lots of acts turned in memorable and historic recordings during the seventies. None did it year in and year out for ten years though. Even the best would stumble occasionally. Young never stepped off the beam though. As others would slip he just kept passing them with one impressive album after another.

Most artists have that one album that you just can’t love like you do all the others, not Young in the seventies. I can’t swear to it, but I can’t think of another major act who released more studio music in that time either. He was simply at his peak and followed his muse wherever it took him. Where he led, I followed like a puppy.

He had plenty of commercial success during that period too, but he never rested on it or tried to repeat himself. He was a rock act, a country act, a folk act, hard rock, soft rock, a live act, part of a group off and on and more. He never stood still. He released eleven solo albums and was a part of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young for “Déjà Vu” and “Four Way Street” during that stretch. I have no doubt the man needed a maid as busy as he was.

Music has always had prolific artists, but we’re focusing on consistency not quantity here. Some would say that Ryan Adams would be the modern day equivalent, but that’s wishful thinking. Young released thoughtful, concise recordings that inspired his generation. Adams vomits up demos, unstructured songs devoid of melodies and meandering musings that serve no purpose but to keep his name in magazines like “Paste” and “No Depression.” But I digress, I come here to praise Neil Young not bury Ryan Adams. (I’ll save that for a future post)

Here’s a list of each album Young released during the 1970’s. Let me know if any other artist can match this output. Note that this list doesn’t include “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” which came out in 1969. Also not included are the soundtrack “Journey Through The Past” and the first real box set if you think about it, the three album set “Decade.”

1970 - After The Goldrush
1972 - Harvest
1973 - Time Fades Away (Live)
1974 - On The Beach
1975 - Tonight’s The Night
1975 - Zuma
1976 - Long May You Run (W/ Stephen Stills)
1977 - American Stars ‘N Bars
1978 - Comes A Time
1979 - Rust Never Sleeps
1979 - Live Rust

Most acts would be glad to call that output a career and be proud. For Young it’s just one of the five different decades he’s released music in. The extraordinary music from Young didn’t end in the seventies by any means. He just hasn’t strung ten straight years together of essential recordings like those again. Stay tuned though, if anyone could do it a second time it would be him.