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Re: Music Archives of Neil Young



More on the amazing Mr. Young.  The patented device permits his son Ben to operate a massive Lionel train layout in their home. Ben has extremely limited physical ability and the device appears to be operated with his mouth. Photos I have seen show the him essentially strapped to a board with a control level that he grips in his teeth. I am sure it is adaptable for other remote uses.

The train connection is also interesting-a true work of dioramic art, very beautiful and suggestive of the redwoods of northern California, but also with one section devoted to an dingy industrial area. Young says  it represents the environmental damage done by corporate America (seems he still believes in the lyrics he wrote for HERE WE ARE IN THE YEARS.)   

For Ben, the creation of the train layout sparked the highest level of physical motivation and mental stimulation that his parents had yet seen. It has been very positive therapy.  Neil has collected trains since he was a child. In addition to what most people think he might have done while on tour but off-stage  back in the '60's,  Neil spent at least part of his time in antique malls, flea markets, estate sales and garage sales buying Lionel trains which he says he "digs like you wouldn't believe."  

He entered into a partnership with Lionel Trains Inc. and developed a remote/wireless applications for Lionel operating systems.  About 4 years ago, Richard Kuhn sold Lionel Inc. to Neil Young and two other New York investment partners.   I don't know the current status of ownership.

 
>>> pdonahue@BOE.NYC.NY.US 08/03 3:03 PM >>>
Having heard on the radio this morning that Neil Young (CSNY, Crazy Horse,
Buffalo Springfield,.....) had a web site (who doesn't) I decided to pay a
visit. Among the many options was a visit to his archives. I thought it
would be various video/audio clips of his career but it was actually a tour
of his archives.

A video lasting several minutes panned from shelf to shelf revealing box
upon box of videos and reel to reel tapes organized by year. Most of them
had hand written labels, some crossed off and new information added. As the
camera moved down an aisle background audio played interviews or music from
that time frame. Occasionally a hand would pull a box from the shelf before
moving on.

The collection was huge, seemingly everything Neil ever did.

However, what I found most interesting was that the room did not appear to
have anything special in terms of ventilation or fire suppression or any of
those things that the members of this list would think to be essential.
Maybe the perspective that the video was shot from masked these things, I
don't know.

Neil Young is a gifted musician/singer/songwriter. Perhaps my favorite of
all time. It would seem, however, that he could use some help in preserving
his legacy.




Phil Donahue
Personnel Director/Records Management Officer
Board of Elections in the City of New York
42 Broadway 7th floor
New York, New York 10004
(212) 487-5340     fax (212) 487- 5349
pdonahue@boe.nyc.ny.us <  <mailto:pdonahue@boe.nyc.ny.us>
mailto:pdonahue@boe.nyc.ny.us>
http://www.vote.nyc <http://www.vote.nyc>

FISH HARD          <*(((><
SLEEP WHEN YOU ARE DEAD
RIDE TO LIVE    LIVE TO RIDE

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