FuzzBob wrote:

sandinojones wrote:There's something glorious about a record that's such a high-wire act like this: to my ears Neil et. al. seem like they're barely able to keep it together at all, much less able to produce a record of such heart-breaking honesty and astounding beauty.


From the Liner Notes: (translated from Dutch. (WTF??? ) )

"The death of Neil's discovery and friend, Danny Whitten seems to have affected him deeply. Since 'The Needle & the Damage Done' most of Neil's songs about Danny's death reflect his guilt complex. Neil seemed to fall back into an even deeper depression. Then he began drinking, became sentimental and generally intolerable for anyone who had anything to do with him. It's said that those around him treated him with great caution for fear of provoking him, causing him to retreat and become a recluse. During this evening at the Rainbow, Neil makes particular reference to Miami Beach where he was safe from external influences and where a highly emotional and introverted process went its course

Neil was most likely battling a major cocaine habit during those years, too.

Legend has it that, during the editing of Neil Young's performance on The Last Waltz, Neil Young was wired for sound had a huge stalagtite-like coke booger hanging out of his nose, which Martin Scorsese had to Rotoscope out of the film involving great time and expense. Ever notice how the camera angles on Neil are weird during the entire segment?