NEWS: Neil Young Protest Record Goes Online Friday

MUSIC: Neil Young Protest Record Goes Online Friday

In case you missed it before, Neil Young plans on releasing a protest album that will call for President Bush's impeachment, recorded over the course of either three days or two weeks (accounts differ) as a reaction to the escalating war in Iraq and other unsavory aspects of the Bush administration.



More information has come to light. In order to hasten the album's availability, it'll be released just as it was recorded: as quickly as possible. Starting this Friday (April 28th), you'll be able to register on NeilYoung.com in order to hear all ten tracks in their entirety. Online stores such as iTunes should start carrying it on May 2nd, with physical retail outlets to follow shortly thereafter. According to Billboard, Young's manager said, "Neil wants this album out there as soon as possible."



The man appears focused on ripping the president a new one with this album, but it's not all gloom and doom, according to Reuters:

Good or bad (we'll find out on Friday), this record demands to be heard.

im definitely going to be registering for a listen

same here!

As much as I appreciate Neil's sentiments (and this isn't directed solely at him), I can't help but wonder: where were all the protest songs during Bush's first term, back when this shit started?

Sweet!!!

Amen to that!

well, Oct. 04 would technically be the first term, I guess.

Well, and it's pretty pathetic that's the only one I can think of. I remember telling kitschy how W would be great for punk rock. Unfortunately the punks decided pissing and moaning about their dumbass myspace-relationships is more important than the disintegration of our country. Excuse me while I go weep in the corner.

I guess American Idiot would fit too (Sept 04). It's just amazing that the first musicians I remember saying (if not singing) anything bad about Bush were the freaking Dixie Chicks.

I got a chance to hear this album already. It RULES.

Well, Jeff Tweedy's been bitching about Bush since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Which came out in what, 2001? 2002?

Also, Eddie Vedder. Pearl Jam's Riot Act, anyone? Remember the hub-bub about "Bu$hleaguer"? That's another 2002 release. The Dixie Chicks spoke out in 2003, so that's two that spoke out beforehand. But earlier than that?

Well, do we count Jon Bon Jovi calling Al Gore "the President of the people" as a count against Bush? 'Cuz that itself would go all the way back to Inaguration Day 2001.

I do think that the earliest Bush II protest song we have is actually "Bu$hleaguer", though. Oh, that crazy Eddie Vedder. He was crazy like a fox, apparently.

It seems to me that Bush a) didn't really do anything until September 2001, b) was hard to criticize for a while thereafter, on account of the solumn mood in The States (almost like sibling infighting getting silenced during the mourning of a parent).

Actually he has spoken up before, and in concert changes lyrics to songs like Rockin' In The Free World relating to the shit. Also, the album/movie/theme tour for Greendale (story of a fictitious town and family) continued his political activism, as did his Rock the Vote gigs and many statements made during appearances with other concerned artists (e.g. Pearl Jam). My guess is that since other attempts didn't work, in typical Neil style, he's gonna try an in-your-face approach.
Here's the cover art for the album:


[Edited on Apr 24, 2006 by SocietysPliers]

If this is anywhere near as bad as Greendale, I'll stick to my vinyl copy of Harvest.

Get the link to listen to the album, as well as the lyrics and possibly chords/tabs as I figure them out here.

Okay, I've started posting the chords to the album