Neil Young - Ragged Glory Live

Various Dates and Venues - CD-R2

Here’s the concept: Neil welcomes in the ’90s with the Horse! I remember buying this CD when it hit the stores, though I’m not sure of the exact release date (9-Sep-1990, 11-Sep-1990, 22-Sep-1990 or 11-Oct-1990, according to various sources). After Bridge 4 on 26-Oct-1990, Neil & Crazy Horse played just 2 gigs in November. On the 12th they played The Mountain House in Woodside, CA (for which no tape has surfaced). Then, on the 13th was the now legendary performance at The Catalyst Club in Santa Cruz. 8 of the 10 songs on the newly-released album were given rousing renditions. This includes the only known live tape of “Over and Over”. The sound quality is damned good, either a solid A or even an A+, depending on how strictly you grade!  I’ve rearranged those 8 songs into the album’s running order, along with the only live electric version of “White Line” of which I’m aware (sound quality is rougher, but still listenable), and a solo-pump organ “Mother Earth” from ’99 (sound quality is comparable to The Catalyst: A/A+). This is a pretty full disc (77+ minutes).

Disc 2 contains the bonus/alternate tracks.  “Don’t Spook The Horse” was the tongue-in-cheek extra from the “Mansion On The Hill” CD-single. Here it is presented from one of only 3 known live performances (all from July 1997). Sound quality is again A/A+. “Country Home” dates back to the mid-’70s, so here’s a very nice soundboard from 1976. “White Line” has only been played 4 times live (the electric version on Disc 1, and 3 solo-acoustic versions). This is the “Bernstein Tapes” version from ’76. “Fuckin’ Up” is actually the most often performed song from the album, although solo-acoustic versions are rather rare. Here’s a great one from ’92. “Love To Burn” is presented with Booker T & The MG’s, and Neil’s guitar just might’ve been on fire (sound quality is pristine, as well)!!! Be forewarned: “Farmer John” is LOUD! (A+ sound, too.) Next up is a rare gem, a solo/piano version of “Mansion On The Hill” (sound note: Neil’s voice, piano & harmonica are very good—too bad the St. Louis dorks near the taper couldn’t stop talking to each other). “Days That Used To Be” is presented in its original form: solo-acoustic during the end of the Bluenotes days (sound quality: A/A+). Finally, I give you 2 amazing performances from the first 2001 ‘warm-up’ show: a long, meandering, let-the-guitar-noise-wash-over-you “Love And Only Love” and a fantastically noisy “Fuckin’ Up” (sound quality: A/A+). Disc 2 clocks in at about 69 minutes.


Tracklist:
Disc 1
01. Country Home
02. White Line
03. F*!#in' Up
04. Over and Over
05. Love to Burn
06. Farmer John
07. Mansion on the Hill
08. Days That Used to Be
09. Love and Only Love
10. Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)
Disc 2 – Bonus/Alternate Tracks
11. Don’t Spook The Horse
12. Country Home
13. White Line (acoustic)
14. F*!#in' Up (acoustic)
15. Love to Burn
16. Farmer John
17. Mansion on the Hill (piano)
18. Days That Used to Be (acoustic)
19. Love and Only Love
20. F*!#in' Up


Venue/Date Info:
Disc 1
01. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
02. Inn of the Beginning, Cotati, CA: 1975-12-20
03. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
04. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
05. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
06. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
07. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
08. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
09. Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz, CA: 1990-11-13
10. Aerial Theatre, Houston, TX: 1999-06-01
Disc 2 – Bonus/Alternate Tracks
11. Portland Meadows, Portland, OR: 1997-07-13 (Late)
12. Auditorium Theater, Chicago, IL: 1976-11-15 (Late)
13. Tarrant County Convention Center, Ft. Worth, TX: 1976-11-10
14. Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA: 1992-03-20
15. Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: 1993-07-05
16. Superdome, New Orleans, LA: 1994-09-18
17. Riverport Perf. Arts Center, St. Louis, MO: 1992-09-13
18. Jones Beach Music Theater, Wantagh, NY: 1988-08-27
19. Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA: 2001-01-10
20. Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA: 2001-01-10


Line-up Info:
01-09, 11, 12, 16, 19 & 20 with Crazy Horse
10, 13, 14, 17 & 18 Solo
15 with Booker T & The MG's