Product Description

Scott Young chronicles his son’s early years in and around Toronto and Winnipeg and his rise from journeyman, musician to superstar in the 1960s and 1970s. The frequent occasions when Scott and Neil’s paths have crossed – from backstage meetings and family get-togethers to a sold-out appearance at Carnegie Hall – give a fascinating portrait of an enigmatic star.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2632688 in Books
• Published on: 1984-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 259 pages

Review
“A gem in the library of rock.”
—Edmonton Journal

“[Scott Young] is a wonderfully graceful writer and a skilled reporter…. Neil and Me is a universal book about fathers and sons and the pains and joys they bring to each other.”
—Vancouver Sun

About the Author
Scott Young, 1918–2005, had a distinguished career spanning six decades and including more than thirty-five books of fiction and non-fiction. He was one of Canada’s best-known sportswriters.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Astrid and I dined after my walk and then walked up the street from our hotel through the crowds outside Carnegie Hall who were imploring passers-by for tickets. One young man offered me a hundred dollars each for our five-dollar seats.

Inside, it was the classic youth scene of the time: blue jeans patched, tight sweaters over young bosoms. We sat, I guess, like visitors from another world. But once the place was dark, we all could see this dark form approaching the front of the stage and then the spotlight came on him: tall and thin, blue jeans, checked shirt, work boots, dark straight hair to his shoulders or beyond, two acoustic guitars on a rack beside a plain wooden chair, a concert piano at his left. Moving gingerly as if his back was bothering him. No music to play except the songs in his head, all his own.

He sings in a way that twists my heart. It is a strange feeling to be on one’s feet participating and then watching quietly a standing ovation for one’s own son, as happened several times to me that night. It was all new to my experience, but when I thought of certain incidents later there was some connection with the old feeling Neil had about Buffalo Springfield: that the people who loved them really owned part of them and had a right to assert that ownership. Once he introduced a new song as being one that he would do in a week or so for a Johnny Cash show in Nashville, and there was a single loud argumentative voice from the audience, “Why? Why with Cash, man?” When he played a piano introduction, people applauded as if they knew from the opening notes which song was to follow. After about the third time this happened he stopped after a few bars and said, “Y’know, about these piano intros — I don’t play so good. They’re all the same intro.... I just wanted to let you know that I know.” Laughter. Applause. Once he was applauded for rolling up his sleeve.

Maybe as part of his near-reverence for this hall where he was playing, he didn’t hesitate to instruct the audience on manners. At the end of each song there would be shouted (or screamed) requests for this song or that. He told the audience to hold it, “You don’t think I’d come to Carnegie Hall without planning? You're going to get all the songs you want to hear.”

Customer Reviews

Any true Neil Young fan shouldn't miss this.
This book depicts Neil's life as seen from the eyes of his father's. Early childhood stories quickly give way to Neil's first meeting with Stephen Stills in New York, the journey to California from Ontario, formation of Buffalo Springfield etc. Chocked full of trivia, who met who and why various bands were formed. CSN&Y years up through the tour with the Shocking Pinks (and Dad)in the early 80's. I couldn't put this book down. Rather than have a fatherly perspective, Scott Young tells this tale as a biography of his best friend. I highly recommend this book if you're into Neil at all, you won't be sorry.

Fascinating psychological artifact
The first thing you must know about this book: Scott Young adores his son. This adoration pours out in every mention of Neil, whether he's breeding chickens or playing Carnegie Hall. Whether the senior Young was quite so emotional about his other children or not, it's really touching.

The book is utterly unique, as far as I can tell: with the exception of A.A. Milne, fathers just don't seem to write biographies of their children, much less legendary newspapermen of exceedingly legendary rock stars. You do get the Neil Young story in this book, with most of the milestones carefully included, but it's far less interesting than the story of the Young family from its beginnings and its contortions and realignments over the years.

Don't pick this up because you think it will let you understand Neil Young -- even the most milquetoast of men is ultimately unfathomable to others, and NY's inner landscape is craggy and forbidding indeed -- but if you want an account of one family's life, go ahead!

It's appropriate to the man that the two worthwhile biographies (this, by Neil's father, and Shakey, by Jimmy McDonough) of Neil Young have extremely unreliable narrators. This isn't to say that either is intentionally deceptive or misleading, but both have such powerful feelings about Young that their books say more about who they see Neil as (Scott as the caring family man who wants simplicity, JMcD as a chronic deal-breaker and hellraiser) than who he actually is (somewhere in the boundary layer, I'd bet). It's something that Neil himself might well savor.

Hard to put down
This book is hard to put down. Scott gives a detailed description of his career, his relationship with Neil as a friend and as a son, Neil's rise to Stardom and plenty of interesting stories. It is a must for anyone wanting to explore Neil Young as a musician and as a person.