Neil Young - Always Rockin' in the Free World

Originally when I decided to write about music, I had this plan that I was going to start with the first band that influenced me the most at my earliest age and work my way up to my current influences. This morning I decided I'm going to jump ahead, just a little. Don't worry, I know you're all dying to know about this band that got me started on this massive love affair with music and I promise you I will get to them. You'll either love them or make fun of me because of it. I'm good either way.

Neil Young. Godfather of Grunge. Hopefully you've heard of him. I was 13 when I discovered his music and as you can probably imagine, I was a weird kid. I wasn't interested in what most kids my age were interested in. I was always about the music, but I didn't listen to what other kids my age were listening to. I was way ahead of my time in the music I listened to. I'm still weird, just to set the record straight.

"You can't listen to Neil Young when you're 13, it's like having sex when you're 5. You're just not ready for it yet." A quote by my best friend in music school, 1997.

The very first time I heard a Neil Young song was when I was watching a Bon Jovi documentary and they did a cover of "Rockin' in the Free World." I knew it wasn't a Bon Jovi song, and I had to immediately find out whose song it was. Back then, there was no internet or Google so I called the local radio station and asked them - I sung them some of the words. They told me who this genius was, asked me my age and thought I was cute. I guess not too many 13 year old girls were calling their local radio station and asking about Neil Young. I asked my big brother to buy me a Neil Young tape. He came through as he always did and he handed me a copy of "Freedom".

I remember I couldn't wait to listen to it. I popped in the tape and just sat there and listened. Looking back, I probably had no idea what I was listening to, but I was mesmerized. That guitar sound, that voice - it was unlike any of the music that I had listened to up until that point. It was that day I decided Neil Young was going to be my musical hero. Here we are, nearly 20 years later and he still is and he still continues to blow my mind.

I experienced my first Neil Young and Crazy Horse concert in 1996 on the Broken Arrow tour. August 25, 1996 to be exact. My brother, being a great big brother again took me to the show. The night before the concert I couldn't sleep. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. We got to the venue right when the doors opened and I pretty much ran to my seat. My heart was racing, I was shaking and I thought I was going to throw up. Sitting in our seats, it seemed I was waiting for days for him to come on. When he finally took the stage, I couldn't control myself and I started crying. Nothing hysterical, just a few tears of joy. I was 17 years old, the youngest one there and sang every single song. I will never forget that concert. I've been fortunate enough to see Neil Young several times since and he remains my hero.

Here is the set list to that first show. I still remember where we sat, what I was wearing and how I was feeling.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Saratoga Performing Arts Center 8/25/86

Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)

Pocahontas

Big Time

Slip Away

Welfare Mothers

The Needle And The Damage Done

Heart of Gold

Cinnamon Girl

F'n Up

Cortez The Killer

Music Arcade

Like A Hurricane

Sedan Delivery

Dangerbird

Thank you, Canada, for giving us Neil Young.