John Einarson - Neil Young: Dont Be Denied--The Canadian Years

by John Einarson

Published by Iconoclassic Books atSmashwords

Copyright 1992, 2012 by John Einarson

ISBN: 978-0-9869257-6-4

This ebook is licensed for your personalenjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away toother people. If you would like to share this book with anotherperson, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Ifyoure reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was notpurchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.comand purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard workof this author.

Iconoclassic Books

www.iconoclassicbooks.com

All photos courtesyof The Shakin'All Over Collection unless otherwisespecified.

Cover art designed by Rick Baverstock.

This book is a serious biographical study ofNeil Young's years in Canada. The quotations of lyrics from songscomposed by Neil Young and copyright by his publishers is intendedto illustrate the biographical information presented by the authorand thus constitutes fair use under existing copyright conventions.Every effort has been made to notify the publishers of these songsthat the lyrics have been quoted in this context by the author.

Neil Young arriving at Winnipeg's Blue NoteCafe on June 27, 1987.

Neil Young defined himself and his career duringhis formative years in Canada. Since then he has been reviving,refining, and recreating those early themes and styles. Neil playedin Canada for five years, most of that time in Winnipeg-based bandsfrom 1961-1965 followed by a handful of engagements in Fort William(Thunder Bay) and Toronto over an eight-month period, serving hismusical apprenticeship with rock bands in local community clubs andcoffee houses. During these seminal years, his songwriting andguitar playing talents were first nurtured along with a drive tosucceed. When I first interviewed Neil in 1986 for a bookentitled Shakin' AllOver that I wrote on the 1960s rockscene in Winnipeg, I was struck by his clear recollections ofpeople, places, and events from his Canadian years. That formativeperiod holds many warm memories for him. Further discussionsrevealed the previously undocumented yet pivotal stage of hiscareer performing in Fort William as well as the true story of themonths of frustration he experienced while trying to perform inToronto. When I asked him why so little mention is ever given tothose Canadian years, he replied, "No one ever askedme!"

Neil Young's roots arefirmly planted in Canadian soil. He has never failed to acknowledgehis bond to Canada. Despite residing in California since 1966 herefuses to relinquish his Canadian citizenship. "I'm still proud tobe a Canadian. I still feel that someday I could go back and livein Canada. Its my roots. Tome, Canada is my family, where I grew up, memories of being youngand being open to ideas. And then tryin to get outta Canada because it was limiting. Once you get to theUnited States you find out how beautiful Canada is and what it hasto offer natural resources that are awe-inspiring. So Im proudto be Canadian but I dont let it hold me back. Part of the planet,not part of the nation.

This is the story of Neil's formativemusical years in Canada.

When we're jamming in our neighborhood,

The girls are dancing and they sure lookgood.

'Cause we're out there like the very firsttime.

We're prisoners of rock 'n' roll.

PRISONERS OF ROCK 'N' ROLL, 1987

The now-defunct Blue Note Caf inWinnipeg, Manitoba was a favorite after-hours hangout for localmusicians and friends who congregated in the tiny Main Street clubwhen their gigs were completed. By staying open until past 3 a.m.,the club often played host to major concert attractions who justwanted to relax after their Arena or Concert Hall performances. RodStewart and his band went to the Blue Note following their show atthe Arena. So did David Bowie's band. Axl Rose and Slash from Gunsn' Roses once dropped by. Impromptu jam sessions were the regularfare after midnight and anyone could take the stage or sit in.Bowie's band held court for two hours playing old favorites intothe wee hours. The club's reputation had been built on this powerto attract rock stars and on the willingness of management toserve drinks after hours while the bands played on.

On the evening of Saturday, June 27,1987, a party of middle-aged, conservatively dressed couplesentered the club well after midnight. They were in the company of atall, dark-haired man, approximately the same age as the rest ofthe party but with long hair, T-shirt, and a black leather jacketlooking decidedly out of place in their company. The waiter attheir table took little notice of their faces. "Just some yuppies,"he thought as he approached them. One of the party had aproposition for the waiter. If his friend could be allowed toperform, would the drinks be free? The waiter thought for a moment.For Bowie's band or Rod Stewart, sure, but who are you guys? "I'llhave to check with the boss," was his reply. Not bothering to lookup from his duties at the bar but always eager for a jam session,owner Curtis Riddell nodded his approval. The first round was free,the waiter told the awaiting table, but the second round was halfprice if he sounded okay.

The long-haired member ofthe party, the one who was so out of place among the others,strapped on a Telecaster guitar and was joined on the cramped stageby two of the middle-agers, both balding and paunchy, one on drumsand the other on bass guitar. Stepping to the microphone the manwith the Telecaster announced, "Hi. We're The Squires and this isour first gig in twenty years." And as the group lurched into theold rhythm and blues chestnut, BabyWhat You Want Me to Do , Neil Young &the Squires were back in 1964 once again. Needless to say thedrinks were free for the next two hours as Neil and his oldWinnipeg buddies, those middle-aged rockers with him, relived fondmemories of a carefree time when they all shared a dream to becomerock 'n' roll stars.

For Neil Young, that entireweekend was a journey through his past. Over a whirlwind two dayshe attended both his old high school reunion and a reunion of hiscontemporaries on the 1960s Winnipeg music scene. But the highlightwas that night at the Blue Note. On stage again with Ken Koblun onbass and Bill Edmondson behind the drums, Neil led the band as hehad done so long ago through many songs from their old repertoire.Throughout the entire evening, Neil couldn't stop grinning. Hookinga harmonica into a holder around his neck, he launchedinto Hi HeeledSneakers . Introducing that old blues tune,he said, "Here's another one that sounds just like the last one."Midway through the number, Neil missed a verse and called out tothe table of friends, "Hey, does anyone remember the words?" Bill,obviously rusty on the drums, was having problems keeping up withNeil's enthusiasm. "Hey Bill," shouted Neil back to him, "come on,we've got plenty of other drummers here!" And indeed they had.Among the party were three more ex-Squires drummers along with twodrummers from rival 1960s bands. Someone in the audience, having bynow recognized who was before him on stage, called out for the rockanthem Down By theRiver . "We don't know that one," Neilsmirked. "Some other guy did that one."

Some other guy had indeeddone that song, Neil Young the rock legend. On stage here was NeilYoung, the skinny kid from the Crescentwood neighborhood who tookhis guitar wherever he went and could play Farmer John better than anybodyelse on the local community club circuit. That was the Neil Youngwho played the Blue Note that night. Later that same year, inspiredby that jam, Neil organized his own ten-piece rhythm and bluesgroup, dubbing them The Blue Notes. "Obviously, that jam at theBlue Note Caf had something to do with it," heconfesses.