The marvelous Bruce Side-man Nils is finally starting to show some age...I love Nils and some of his solo stuff wasn't bad...Neil I thought he lost his mind..But look how forward this was..WE are in the age of Britney never getting a real note on record...Vocoder Last decades auto-tune..
AWESOME,...my favorite NEIL YOUNG Album,..Kraftwerk would be Proud,..so creative and futuristic...why did Geffen sue Neil over this?..just because he didn't understand it?..so much for letting Your labels artists express themselves..
Is that Ben Keith on the organ? Whose the long haired guy behind what appears to be an upright piano? I see Molina, Nils, and Palmer..this may have been made as some kind of "up yours" to David Geffen, but man was it out there at the time...I bought the album after seeing it in the window of a Madison, Wi, record store near the campus. Worked for a computer company at the time, and it was a prelude of things to come...love the line "I need you, like ugly needs a mirror"...Sample and Hold.
@silvanski You're welcome! I used to think it was the Moog because the Moog has a switch that's labelled "Sample/Hold" and 'Trans' features the song "Sample and Hold". This teaches me that just because an artist has a track that seems to be named for an instrument or something on that instrument doesn't mean that it is. One can have nothing to do with the other!! Of course none of this would have ever happened IF they just mentioned the vocoder used on the album equipment list!!
@silvanski Anyway I found-out the correct vocoder by looking it up in the book 'How to Wreck a Nice Beach' by Dave Tompkins. It mentions an individual named Kai Krause going to Neil Young's studio at Half Moon Bay and selling Neil his Sennheiser Vocoder. Kai also taught Herbie Hancock how to use his Senn.
@brajtnerinjo I read somewhere that the musical direction Neil took with Trans was done in part to spite his old record company, who were expecting a more traditional Neil Young album. But it's a great album nonetheless
And one last thing, the band he has with him on this tour is great - you've got Ralph Molina from Crazy Horse on the drums, Bruce Palmer from Buffalo Springfield on bass, and Nils Lofgren (E Street Band) on rhythm guitar - I'm not an E Street guy but Nils is the MVP of this concert, just look at his funny dance moves and they gave him the real high-pitched vocoder mic.
There's also a great moment during Like A Hurricane where Neil's tie interferes with his guitar solo..find a copy while you can!
I saw the Berlin Trans concert on HBO when I was land locked in Kans in 81 or 82 and have been trying to get a copy of it ever since.. my cassette is really worn out LOL
@Krist138 You can get the whole thing on DVD, I have it, I ordered it online...it's a frickin great concert thats for sure!
I think the Trans songs are greatly improved by the more traditional instrumentation going along with the synths and vocoders, in fact this version of Computer Age is one of the fave Neil songs. Plus the concert has great rockin versions of non-Trans classics like Cinnamon Girl and My My Hey Hey, plus an acoustic interlude with Needle and the Damage Done among others.
Funny thing is its just vocoder and a synthesizer, pretty much everything else is traditional rock and roll instrumentation and its all live. Compared to an average pop "live" performance these days, this is pretty old-school. This was probably only shocking or controversial to some people because its Neil, and the vocoder takes the focus away from the lyrics. Still I think the message gets across
I saw thisTRANS tour at Madison Square Garden and it was AWESOME..Neil Rocked that night, this song in particular..It was new, kinda strange, and very contraversial album. Typical Neil!! AWESOME..Thanks for the post/memories, silvanski..
@VoiceEncoder I also thought for sure that it was the Moog Vocoder...but I read in Dave Tompkin's book 'How to Wreck a Nice Beach' that it is the Sennheiser Vocoder VSM201!!!
I know Neil Young probably wishes this period in his career had never happened, but I still love this stuff. That live in Berlin show was a favorite of mine as a kid.
@RRJackson I think Neil probably just wishes he hadn't done this tour - they lost a lot of money and had many technical difficulties. The vocoder was ahead of its time really - he first used it as a device to communicate with his disabled son - Neil is a groundbreaker!
so weird..30 yrs later and this song is damn near current with all the vocal effects going on,and at the time the album got him sued by his label lol
bloodsling 1 week ago
I was there as the guy who pulled the catering truck around the planet-part that is Europe. Love this track... bit of homage to Pacabelle me thinks
Davidindigitaland 1 month ago
RIP Bruce Palmer
clank4001 1 month ago
good song
TheCanadianoutlaw 1 month ago
2 people are living in the " Stone Age"
dockie1964 2 months ago 4
I seen this tour at madison square garden, nyc..Neil was amazing, I love Trans..Rock on Neil!
dockie1964 2 months ago
this is neil's best work, in my mind. deserves far more recognition
SuperParadox13 2 months ago 2
The marvelous Bruce Side-man Nils is finally starting to show some age...I love Nils and some of his solo stuff wasn't bad...Neil I thought he lost his mind..But look how forward this was..WE are in the age of Britney never getting a real note on record...Vocoder Last decades auto-tune..
1stSaintsFan 3 months ago 2
Beautiful ever !
Thanks
123must 3 months ago
EVERY band should have a Nils Lofgren!
1884LCFC 4 months ago
This might be the greatest song I've ever heard.
LongLiveOx 4 months ago 2
AWESOME,...my favorite NEIL YOUNG Album,..Kraftwerk would be Proud,..so creative and futuristic...why did Geffen sue Neil over this?..just because he didn't understand it?..so much for letting Your labels artists express themselves..
LosAlamite 4 months ago
Is that Ben Keith on the organ? Whose the long haired guy behind what appears to be an upright piano? I see Molina, Nils, and Palmer..this may have been made as some kind of "up yours" to David Geffen, but man was it out there at the time...I bought the album after seeing it in the window of a Madison, Wi, record store near the campus. Worked for a computer company at the time, and it was a prelude of things to come...love the line "I need you, like ugly needs a mirror"...Sample and Hold.
billyboycapricorn1 5 months ago
Believe it or not, this was my introduction to Neil Young. I was 10...LOL!!!!
phatalbert73 6 months ago 2
How utterly incredible this performance is. Amazing footage.
WaxHeadroom 6 months ago
Sennheiser Vocoder VSM201 and NOT the Moog 16-Channel MBVO 327A Vocoder that I and others erroneously believed!!!
VoiceEncoder 7 months ago 4
@VoiceEncoder
Thanks for putting that straight!
silvanski 7 months ago
@silvanski You're welcome! I used to think it was the Moog because the Moog has a switch that's labelled "Sample/Hold" and 'Trans' features the song "Sample and Hold". This teaches me that just because an artist has a track that seems to be named for an instrument or something on that instrument doesn't mean that it is. One can have nothing to do with the other!! Of course none of this would have ever happened IF they just mentioned the vocoder used on the album equipment list!!
VoiceEncoder 7 months ago
@silvanski Anyway I found-out the correct vocoder by looking it up in the book 'How to Wreck a Nice Beach' by Dave Tompkins. It mentions an individual named Kai Krause going to Neil Young's studio at Half Moon Bay and selling Neil his Sennheiser Vocoder. Kai also taught Herbie Hancock how to use his Senn.
VoiceEncoder 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Sennheiser Vocoder VSM201, NOT the Moog 16-Channel Vocoder that I and others erroneously believed!!!
response007 7 months ago
wow, even neil young had a synth phase. ah the 80s
brajtnerinjo 8 months ago
@brajtnerinjo I read somewhere that the musical direction Neil took with Trans was done in part to spite his old record company, who were expecting a more traditional Neil Young album. But it's a great album nonetheless
Todeskaefer 5 months ago
Nils Lofgren - What an entertainer!
Viejoamigo 10 months ago 9
loved this
gerthie 10 months ago
SUCH a bad ass
fossilfuelmusic 10 months ago
before autotune was cool to use...
PieceofMindmusic 11 months ago
@PieceofMindmusic
Except this has nothing to do with Autotune.
Yootubebites 9 months ago
@PieceofMindmusic It's not autotune
MrTimothyWatts 8 months ago
@PieceofMindmusic It's a vocoder, dumbfuck.
Adrianovaz2007 8 months ago
is the guitar man nils lofgren?
giumar67 11 months ago
@giumar67
Yes that's Nils.
silvanski 11 months ago
what a great tune .
REGARDS
JIMMY
julyarchives 11 months ago
And one last thing, the band he has with him on this tour is great - you've got Ralph Molina from Crazy Horse on the drums, Bruce Palmer from Buffalo Springfield on bass, and Nils Lofgren (E Street Band) on rhythm guitar - I'm not an E Street guy but Nils is the MVP of this concert, just look at his funny dance moves and they gave him the real high-pitched vocoder mic.
There's also a great moment during Like A Hurricane where Neil's tie interferes with his guitar solo..find a copy while you can!
pancreaskid 1 year ago 2
I saw the Berlin Trans concert on HBO when I was land locked in Kans in 81 or 82 and have been trying to get a copy of it ever since.. my cassette is really worn out LOL
Krist138 1 year ago
@Krist138 You can get the whole thing on DVD, I have it, I ordered it online...it's a frickin great concert thats for sure!
I think the Trans songs are greatly improved by the more traditional instrumentation going along with the synths and vocoders, in fact this version of Computer Age is one of the fave Neil songs. Plus the concert has great rockin versions of non-Trans classics like Cinnamon Girl and My My Hey Hey, plus an acoustic interlude with Needle and the Damage Done among others.
pancreaskid 1 year ago
I bet the hardcore Neil Young fans were freaking out. "WTF is he doing!?"
SilentGunman 1 year ago
I played this song at my wedding when I married my DROID phone.
SilentGunman 1 year ago 24
@SilentGunman
LOL you made me laugh :P
WoodRatGirl 1 year ago
@SilentGunman
How romantic ;-)
silvanski 11 months ago
Funny thing is its just vocoder and a synthesizer, pretty much everything else is traditional rock and roll instrumentation and its all live. Compared to an average pop "live" performance these days, this is pretty old-school. This was probably only shocking or controversial to some people because its Neil, and the vocoder takes the focus away from the lyrics. Still I think the message gets across
zulu9876543210 1 year ago
I saw thisTRANS tour at Madison Square Garden and it was AWESOME..Neil Rocked that night, this song in particular..It was new, kinda strange, and very contraversial album. Typical Neil!! AWESOME..Thanks for the post/memories, silvanski..
dockie1964 1 year ago
Wooo ye , and a n early days Sony Video deck for that sound recording... what a long strange trip it was...
Davidindigitaland 1 year ago
Comment removed
VoiceEncoder 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@VoiceEncoder I also thought for sure that it was the Moog Vocoder...but I read in Dave Tompkin's book 'How to Wreck a Nice Beach' that it is the Sennheiser Vocoder VSM201!!!
response007 7 months ago
I know Neil Young probably wishes this period in his career had never happened, but I still love this stuff. That live in Berlin show was a favorite of mine as a kid.
RRJackson 1 year ago
@RRJackson I think Neil probably just wishes he hadn't done this tour - they lost a lot of money and had many technical difficulties. The vocoder was ahead of its time really - he first used it as a device to communicate with his disabled son - Neil is a groundbreaker!
cicadagodking 1 year ago 2