Neil Young

:For the former Canadian politician see Neil Young (politician)

Early years

Young was born in Toronto; his father was sportswriter and novelist Scott Young and his mother Rassy Young. Having first played in high school instrumental rock bands in Winnipeg (one of whom, the Squires, had a local hit with "The Sultan") he began to work the folk clubs of Toronto, where he befriended guitarist Stephen Stills.

Related Topics:
Toronto - Sportswriter - Novelist - Scott Young - Rassy Young - Winnipeg - Squires - Guitar - Stephen Stills

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In 1966, after an aborted record deal with the Rick James-fronted Mynah Birds, he and bass player Bruce Palmer relocated to Los Angeles, where he again met Stills. With the American Richie Furay they formed the Buffalo Springfield, taking their name from a manufacturer of heavy equipment such as steamrollers. Playing a mixture of folk, country, psychedelia and rock, and given a hard edge by the twin lead guitars of Stills and Young, the Springfield were a critical success, and the first record Buffalo Springfield (1967) sold well, supported by a hit single in Stills' political "For What It's Worth".

Related Topics:
1966 - Rick James - Mynah Birds - Bass - Los Angeles - Buffalo Springfield - Country - Psychedelia - Guitar

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During sessions for the follow-up, relations between the band deteriorated, with Stills and Young, the de facto leaders of the group, pulling in opposite directions. The tensions led to the abandonment of the record, provisionally titled Stampede, although some of the songs reappeared on Buffalo Springfield Again (1967). By then, Palmer had been arrested for possession of drugs and deported back to Canada, and Young had all but left the group; his compositions "Mr Soul", "Expecting to Fly" and the adventurous "Broken Arrow" are solo recordings in all but name. Despite that, the album was well received.

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Young's three songs on Buffalo Springfield Again can be seen as a model for his solo records. "Expecting to Fly" was a piece of confessional folk-rock, of a kind with many other records that emerged from the singer-songwriter movement. On the other hand "Mr Soul" was pure rock and roll driven by a fat guitar riff that owed more than a little to the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction". "Broken Arrow" was a lushly produced ballad, with a string arrangement of the kind Young's producer, Jack Nitzsche, would dub "symphonic pop". Along with country music, Young's solo career would tend to flit among these disparate forms.

Related Topics:
Folk-rock - Rock and roll - Rolling Stones - Satisfaction - Jack Nitzsche

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By 1968, the band had split up permanently. Due to contractual obligations, a final album comprised of previously unused recordings -- Last Time Around -- was released. At this point, Young had already signed a solo deal with Reprise records (home of his compatriot, Joni Mitchell, with whom he shared a manager named Elliot Roberts).

Related Topics:
1968 - Last Time Around - Joni Mitchell

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