Greendale (album)
Encyclopedia
Greendale is the name of an album, movie and graphic novel by Neil Young
. As the twenty-seventh album by Neil Young, Young and Crazy Horse
's Greendale, a 10-song rock opera
, is set in a fictional California seaside town. Based on the saga of the Green family, the "audio novel" has been compared to the literary classics of Thornton Wilder
's Our Town
and Sherwood Anderson
's Winesburg, Ohio
for its complexity and emotional depth in exploring a small town in America.
Greendale combines numerous themes on corruption, environmentalism and mass media consolidation into relevant post-9/11
art. The album, concert, film and DVDs have produced a vast divergence of critical opinion ranging from being called "amateur" to being voted as one of the best albums of 2003 by Rolling Stone magazine
music critics.
The CD was originally released with a DVD of live "Neil-only" acoustic performance of the Greendale material from Vicar Street
, Dublin, Ireland
. In 2004, the CD was released with a new DVD containing a live performance of Neil Young and Crazy Horse. A DVD-Audio
version was also released, with both Advanced Resolution Stereo and 5.1 Surround sound
mixes, and a video of "Devil's Sidewalk" from the film. In late 2004, the feature length DVD with actors lip-synching
the material was released.
As of 2011, it is the last Neil Young album to feature Crazy Horse, and his ninth with that band.
NOTE: Though an active member of Crazy Horse, Frank Sampedro
agreed to sit out the sessions for this album as Neil Young felt that the material called for one guitar only. Sampedro did, however, join the band for the ensuing concert tours.
adaptation of the album with the same title. According to writer Joshua Dysart
, Neil Young is directly involved in the project. Greendale graphic novel
(ISBN 1-4012-2698-1) was released in June 2010, with Cliff Chiang
providing the art.
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
. As the twenty-seventh album by Neil Young, Young and Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse (band)
Crazy Horse is an American rock band best known for its association with Neil Young. It has been co-credited on a number of albums throughout Young's career and has released five albums of its own.-Early years:...
's Greendale, a 10-song rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
, is set in a fictional California seaside town. Based on the saga of the Green family, the "audio novel" has been compared to the literary classics of Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes, one for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and a National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.-Early years:Wilder was born in Madison,...
's Our Town
Our Town
Our Town is a three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder. It is a character story about an average town's citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives...
and Sherwood Anderson
Sherwood Anderson
Sherwood Anderson was an American novelist and short story writer. His most enduring work is the short story sequence Winesburg, Ohio. Writers he has influenced include Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, J. D. Salinger, and Amos Oz.-Early life:Anderson was born in Clyde, Ohio,...
's Winesburg, Ohio
Winesburg, Ohio (novel)
Winesburg, Ohio is a 1919 short story cycle by the American author Sherwood Anderson. The work is structured around the life of protagonist George Willard, from the time he was a child to his growing independence and ultimate abandonment of Winesburg as a young man...
for its complexity and emotional depth in exploring a small town in America.
Greendale combines numerous themes on corruption, environmentalism and mass media consolidation into relevant post-9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
art. The album, concert, film and DVDs have produced a vast divergence of critical opinion ranging from being called "amateur" to being voted as one of the best albums of 2003 by Rolling Stone magazine
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
music critics.
The CD was originally released with a DVD of live "Neil-only" acoustic performance of the Greendale material from Vicar Street
Vicar Street
Vicar Street is a concert and events venue in Ireland, located on Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Its capacity allows for 1,000 people for seated performances, and 1,500 people for standing gigs...
, Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. In 2004, the CD was released with a new DVD containing a live performance of Neil Young and Crazy Horse. A DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not intended to be a video delivery format and is not the same as video DVDs containing concert films or music videos....
version was also released, with both Advanced Resolution Stereo and 5.1 Surround sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
mixes, and a video of "Devil's Sidewalk" from the film. In late 2004, the feature length DVD with actors lip-synching
Lip sync
Lip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
the material was released.
As of 2011, it is the last Neil Young album to feature Crazy Horse, and his ninth with that band.
Track listing
All songs written by Neil Young.- "Falling From Above" – 7:27
- "Double E" – 5:18
- "Devil's Sidewalk" – 5:18
- "Leave the Driving" – 7:14
- "Carmichael" – 10:20
- "Bandit" – 5:13
- "Grandpa's Interview" – 12:57
- "Bringin' Down Dinner" – 3:16
- "Sun Green" – 12:03
- "Be the Rain" – 9:13
Personnel
- Neil YoungNeil YoungNeil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
: guitar, organ, harmonica, vocal - Ralph MolinaRalph MolinaRalph Molina is an American musician, best known as the drummer for Neil Young's backing band Crazy Horse.Born in Puerto Rico, Molina has been a member of Crazy Horse since they were formed in 1962 as Danny & the Memories. He has remained throughout the band's many personnel changes, and has...
: drums, vocal - Billy TalbotBilly TalbotBilly Talbot is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist of Crazy Horse.-Music career:Born in New York City, Talbot started his musical career singing on street corners at the age of 14. He moved to New Jersey with his family the next year, and by 17 he had moved to...
: bass, vocal - The Mountainettes:
- Pegi Young: vocal
- Nancy Hall: vocal
- Twink Brewer: vocal
- Sue Hall: vocal
NOTE: Though an active member of Crazy Horse, Frank Sampedro
Frank Sampedro
Frank "Poncho" Sampedro is an American guitarist and member of the rock and roll band Crazy Horse, known mainly for its longtime collaboration with singer-songwriter Neil Young....
agreed to sit out the sessions for this album as Neil Young felt that the material called for one guitar only. Sampedro did, however, join the band for the ensuing concert tours.
Comics adaptation
In 2007, Vertigo Comics announced the production of the comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
adaptation of the album with the same title. According to writer Joshua Dysart
Joshua Dysart
Joshua Dysart is an Eisner Award-nominated, New York Times Best Selling American comic book writer known for dark themes, humanist horror and a fascination with the roots of violence...
, Neil Young is directly involved in the project. Greendale graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
(ISBN 1-4012-2698-1) was released in June 2010, with Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang is an American comic book artist. Formerly an assistant editor at DC Comics, he is now an illustrator, best known for his work on Human Target, Beware the Creeper and Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre. A recent project has been the Dr...
providing the art.