I’ve written before about how much I love Neil Young’s music and how much I love his work with the band Crazy Horse. In particular, live shows with Crazy Horse are some of Neil’s best work. With the recent release of their live album Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Way Down in the Rust Bucket, my love for Neil with the Horse has grown even more solid. The band’s 1990 iteration during this album featured Billy Talbot on bass, Ralph Molina on drums, and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro on guitar.

Warm-up for the Arena Tour

This album was recorded during a warm-up show for the live tour and road work following the album “Ragged Glory.” It was recorded in the fall of 1990 at Catalyst, a northern California 800-seat club. To see a Hall of Fame musician with a band of this stature, in such a personal and intimate venue is very rare. I once saw Bob Dylan play a tiny club in Little Rock, Arkansas, when ticket sales were so light at a larger venue. But, this show at Catalyst was class Neil and Horse in that it was unpredictable and feels like it could go off the rails at any time. Yet, it’s clear that the band was happy to be be back together and that the overall mood was loose and light.

Album Highlights

Highlights to me include some obscure tunes like “Homegrown” and “Let’s Roll Another Number for the Road.” Classics like “Cinnamon Girl,” “Like a Hurricane,” and “Cortez the Killer” do not disappoint, either. However, there is new material at the time, which is clearly being road-tested to see what stands up. These new songs include “Ragged Glory” cuts “Fuckin’ Up” and “Mansion on the Hill.” This new material fits well into the show and the Horse seems to be, as usual, feeding off Neil energy and enthusiasm for the material.

The setlist seems to be designed for dedicated fans of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, not the typical tour crowd that comes out expecting to hear the hits. This is great for Neil-philes like myself, as it gives other material a chance to breathe and be heard. One obscurity that is particularly awesome on this show is “Danger Bird” from the album Zuma.

Recommendation

Even those that may be new to Neil Young and Crazy Horse will find this album enjoyable. I highly recommend that you give it a listen. Take a chance to sit back and listen to musicians actually enjoying themselves. It’s a reflection of what concerts used to be. It also reminds me how much I love live music and how much I miss it. Check out Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Way Down in the Rust Bucket. You won’t be disappointed.