Neil young

Posted by: m.rushton on 28 December 2013

He has his entire house as the left speaker and his entire barn as the right speaker. And I heard “Harvest” coming out of these two incredibly large loud speakers louder than hell. It was unbelievable. Elliot Mazer, who produced Neil, produced “Harvest,” came down to the shore of the lake and he shouted out to Neil: How was that, Neil?

 

Posted on: 28 December 2013 by bishopla

The electric-based songs were recorded in a barn at Young's ranch in California. Using a remote recording system, Mazer set up PA speakers in the barn for monitors rather than have the players wear headphones. This resulted in a lot of "leakage" of each microphone picking up sound from other instruments, but it resulted in a sound that Young and Mazer liked. "Are You Ready for the Country", "Alabama", and "Words" were recorded in these sessions with Buttrey, Drummond, Keith, along with Jack Nitzsche on piano and lap steel. Young named this band The Stray Gators, which would accompany him on his tour in the winter of 1973.

 

One of my favorite songs of his "Words (Between the Lines of Age)" is on that album.

Posted on: 29 December 2013 by fred simon
Originally Posted by m.rushton:

He has his entire house as the left speaker and his entire barn as the right speaker. And I heard “Harvest” coming out of these two incredibly large loud speakers louder than hell. It was unbelievable. Elliot Mazer, who produced Neil, produced “Harvest,” came down to the shore of the lake and he shouted out to Neil: How was that, Neil?

 

 

And Neil, who was out on his little lake in a boat, replied: "MORE BARN!" One of my favorite NY anecdotes.

 

Now, wait a minute, m. rushton ... you're saying that you yourself heard this in person?! Do tell!

Posted on: 30 December 2013 by joerand

By coincidence I just got Neil Young Live at Massey Hall for xmas. He talks about his ranch during the concert so it makes sense that he would have a barn. The concert was in 1971 and Harvest was released 1972, so the story by m.rushton seems to check out. I have to conclude it's all factual.

 

Besides calling for "More Barn" I understand Neil could also fine-tune the sound by adding or removing hay bales in the hayloft. Neil was often heard to be calling "More grass!" during the recording.