Neil Young: Harvest Time with Tyler Wilcox

07/18/23 • 64 min

Today's episode is about "Harvest Time" (Neil Young, 2022), which consists of footage shot by Neil and his crew between January and September 1971 during the creation of his acclaimed and beloved album "Harvest". Our Very Special Guest is Tyler Wilcox, who plays in the band Prairiewolf (check out their self-titled album out now!), curates the excellent Doom & Gloom From the Tomb site (a selection of rad bootlegs + other music), and writes for Aquarium Drunkard, among other accomplishments. Tyler is a real deal Neil head.

Harvest Time is, if we're not screwing this up, the first documentary we've reviewed that was directed by the artist in question. It's totally verite style - there's no latter-day commentary. Everything you see and hear was created in 1971. We follow Neil as he jams on the Harvest tunes at the Broken Arrow Ranch with his recently-assembled band the Stray Gators, in the studio as he records harmonies with Crosby, Stills, and Nash (in various combinations), as he tries to get the London Symphony Orchestra to get into his groove, and as he stumbles into a Nashville radio station to discuss the then-upcoming album (and the film itself).

Harvest Time is a portrait of a pivotal time in the career of one of the most legendary musicians in rock history. If you abandon the idea of a conventional narrative and just hang back and enjoy the music and the vibes, it's really something.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Previous Episode

Gimme Danger - Iggy & the Stooges with Dan Koch

Today's episode is about "Gimme Danger" (Jim Jarmusch, 2016), which is about Iggy & the Stooges. It's a rags-to-more rags story. We are all at least halfway to Jarmusch-heads. And of course we all love Iggy & the Stooges. If you care about punk rock, or any kind of rock, or music, or just watching Iggy, an extremly articulate and thoughtful person, discussing the fascinating events of his life while surrounded by his laundry, this is the movie for you.

Plus: Iggy roasts "Marrakesh Express"! Ron Asheton's phone call with Moe Howard! Mike Watt! And were the Stooges the second-ever jam band? Our Very Special Guest is Dan Koch of the podcast Pretty Good Vibrations. Pretty Good Vibrations analyzes and celebrates pop and rock music and its crucial role throughout our lives. We super highly recommend PGV.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Next Episode

Grateful Dawg with Brian Weinstein of Attendance Bias

Today's episode is about "Grateful Dawg" (Gillian Grisman, 2000), which chronicles the friendship and artistic collaboration between Jerry Garcia and David Grisman.

Our Very Special Guest is Brian Weinsten of the podcast Attendance Bias. Brian was nice enough to have us on his show and we're returning the favor.

Grateful Dawg is very much a family affair - the director's father is David Grisman, other family members appear in the show, and it features cinematography by Justin Kreutzmann, son of Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann.

Garcia and Grisman connected in the 60's around the time the Dead was starting to take off. They had a bluegrass band together, Old and In the Way. After that band fell apart, they lost touch for years. The film goes through that history but focuses primarily on the period of time between their reconnection in the late 80s and Garcia's death in 1995. During that time, playing music with Grisman and spending time with Grisman's family and fellow musicians was a respite from the strain of being "Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead". The film captures revealing moments of Jerry away from the spotlight and (as we explain) contains several musical performances presented in full, along with the absolutely hilarious 1991 music video for Garcia/Grisman's cover of the blues classic "The Thrill Is Gone". It's a great hang.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt