Cheap Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History (Book) Discount Review Shop
"Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History"
Written by Daniel Durchholz & Gary Graff
(Voyageur Press, 2010)
---------------------------------------------
This is an impressive, lavishly designed coffee-table book devoted to the career of rock iconoclast Neil Young, from his early garage-rock roots in Canada through his LA rockstar years and more recent elevation to grunge-rock elder. The book mixes a linear historical narrative with sidebars about various feuds, love affairs and creative ventures, as well as testimonials from numerous musicians who express their appreciation for Young's talent and artistic integrity. There are also copious photographs and an astonishing array of Neil Young memorabilia -- ticket stubs, showbills, concert posters, highschool photos and other obscure items -- all drawn together in a well-designed graphic format. Predictably, the writing lapses into rock journalism formulae, but nonetheless I found it cogent and engaging -- I hadn't expected to read the book from start to finish, but was pleasantly pulled in, and certainly learned a lot about Young's career and creative arcs. (He was a Reaganite conservative in the 1980s? Who woulda thunk it?) It's a very good overview of a very complicated person, and is fairly honest and critical in its appraisal of his artistic triumphs and shortfalls.
This book will inevitably be compared to Jimmy McDonough's 2003 biography, "Shakey" (which I haven't read) but I don't think there's any need for a competition between the two; this tome is impressive in its own right, and will definitely please many a fan, particularly with the strong visual design and extensive archival materials. Check it out. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue book reviews)
Cheap "Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History (Book)" Discount Review Shop
