Neil Young: Live Rust

This was, I think, the first Neil Young album I heard. A classic case of Older Brother Syndrome — in this case Richard Smith's brother, who gave him Live Rust some time during 1979, by which route Neil's music was introduced into my life.

This album defined the repertoire of his songs that everyone knew at school. I thought it was OK, but it was by no means love at first listen: another two years passed before I got one of his albums myself.

I mentioned before how every Crazy Horse live album seems to feature Cortez the Killer and Like a Hurricane, but this was the first to do so, so these are the benchmark versions. I may also have said that I expect to be underwhelmed, or even slightly bored, by hearing the hoary old chesnuts again. But, no, once again I get drawn in and enjoy them — those guitar solos that manage to do avant-garde squawking while still swinging, like some genetic splicing of Derek Bailey and Steve Cropper. I can't get enough. When it hits the mark, I just want those sections to go on and on.

In fact, though I was short of time, I had to dig out the Rust Never Sleeps DVD and watch a few of the songs again. I checked and Like a Hurricane is at least two minutes longer on the DVD — more solo!

I can't remember when I finally bought my own copy of Live Rust, but it was purely for the purpose of filling out the collection, because I already knew it so well I scarcely needed my own copy. It is still in its cellophane wrapper, so it's gatefold sleeve has never been unfolded.

MusicBrainz entry for this album