Odeon Budokan

Last updated
Odeon Budokan
NeilYoungOdeonBudokan.png
Live album by
Neil Young and Crazy Horse
ReleasedSeptember 1, 2023
RecordedMarch 1976
Venue Hammersmith Odeon, Nippon Budokan Hall
Length43:47
Label Reprise
Producer Neil Young, David Briggs, Tim Mulligan
Neil Young chronology
Chrome Dreams
(2023)		Odeon Budokan
(2023)		 Before and After
(2023)
Crazy Horse chronology
Chrome Dreams
(2023)		Odeon Budokan
(2023)		 Fuckin' Up
(2024)

Odeon Budokan is a live album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released on September 1, 2023, on American record label Reprise Records. [1]

Contents

The album features recordings from performances from Young's 1976 tour with Crazy Horse in support of Zuma. The tour was Crazy Horse's first with new guitarist Frank Sampedro. The first side features performances from the opening solo acoustic set at the Hammersmith Odeon on March 31, 1976. The second side features performances from the closing full band electric sets at the Nippon Budokan Hall on March 10 and 11, 1976.

Release

The album was first made available on CD in the Archives Volume II boxset released in 2020. The stand-alone 2023 release was made available only on vinyl. The album was nearly released in 2019 in advance of the second volume of Young's Archives series, but the artist chose to release Tuscaloosa instead. [2]

Odeon Budokan was first compiled for release in 1976 by producer David Briggs but was shelved in favor of other projects. [3] [4] It features the then-unreleased songs "Too Far Gone", "Stringman", and "Lotta Love". During the ending of "The Old Laughing Lady", Young sings additional lyrics, titled "Guilty Train", as he often did in 1976.

The Tokyo and London concerts featured on the album were also professionally filmed. [5] [6] A promotional video was made of the band performing "Like a Hurricane" in front of a wind machine at the Hammersmith Odeon. The video was presented on the television series The Midnight Special on June 10, 1977. [7] [8] [6] A video compilation of several other performances from the concerts has also appeared on bootlegs, with a different track list than the album. Two additional acoustic songs from the concerts appear on Disc 9 of Archives Volume II, "Midnight on the Bay" and a banjo take of "Mellow My Mind". The day after the live performance, overdubs were recorded in CBS Studios in London for "Stringman", which nearly saw release on Chrome Dreams in 1977.

Performances

Both sides of the album show Young and the band in good spirits. Responding to shouts of song requests from the audience during the solo set, Young responds that the audience should "elect a leader" to represent the group and agree on a single request. The second, electric side begins with the band and the audience making howls and other dog noises.

In interviews, the band recalls the tour fondly. In a 1979 Cameron Crowe interview for Rolling Stone, bassist Billy Talbot remembers: "We played England, Japan, everywhere except America. It was an idyllic time, man, Neil was just sparkling. We had a band again. I heard us playing like I knew nobody else could play. I just kept thinking...have we got a band or what? I don’t think we’ve come down from that tour yet. I have this tape from Japan. Compared to this tape, Zuma sounds like a bunch of guys sleeping in big, fat armchairs, smoking pipes. Whenever I feel down, I listen to that tape." Guitarist Frank "Poncho" Sampedro adds "Some shows Neil gets crazy with the guitar. Way crazy." [9] Sampedro recalls the reception of fans in Shakey: "Japan was unbelievable. They greeted us like the Beatles." [6]

In a 2020 Uncut interview with Michael Bonner, Sampedro recounts hallucinating during the March 11th performance in Japan: "Billy and I took acid at the last show at the Budokan. I said 'Don't tell anybody, just me and you, dude.' [10] He continues in a 2020 Aquarium Drunkard interview: "Billy and I both dropped acid because that night, after the show, we were flying to Copenhagen. We didn't want to carry any drugs with us and I had these two tabs of acid. We each took one. It was so funny...everything was starting to get crazy. Psychedelic patterns and shit flying around. I didn’t talk to anybody all night on-stage. I kept my eyes closed most of the time. Only a couple of times I opened them. The first time was horrific. I hit my guitar strings and I saw them bounce off the floor and up to the ceiling in rainbow colors. I was just like, 'Oh, shit.' I kept feeling them on my arm! The vibrations coming off the strings. [11] "We did 'Cowgirl in the Sand' and Billy and Ralph went up to sing the backgrounds. I opened my eyes and saw big mandalas comin' out of the back of both their heads, all these colors and shit. I couldn't even look up, I was so high. I'd hit the strings of my guitar: they were like eighty different colors, and they bounced off the floors and hit the ceiling. At the end of the second song Neil came runnin' over, stuck his head between me and Billy and goes, 'Man, we're psychedelic tonight!' I just looked at Billy, thinkin', 'He told him, he told him.' The whole rest of the night I don’t even think we made a mistake. It was unbelievable." [6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]

Allmusic rates the album with four out of five stars, saying that the album stands out among Young's archival releases, exemplifying how Young was operating at full force in multiple directions in the mid-70s. [13]

Track listing

All songs written by Neil Young.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The Old Laughing Lady"5:55
2."After the Gold Rush"4:29
3."Too Far Gone"3:17
4."Old Man"3:48
5."Stringman"3:45
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."Don't Cry No Tears"3:12
7."Cowgirl in the Sand"4:56
8."Lotta Love"2:57
9."Drive Back"4:37
10."Cortez the Killer"7:04

Personnel

Crazy Horse

Charts

Chart performance for Odeon Budokan
Chart (2023)Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [15] 45
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ) [16] 28

Related Research Articles

<i>Decade</i> (Neil Young album) 1977 compilation album by Neil Young

Decade is a compilation album by Canadian–American musician Neil Young, originally released in 1977 as a triple album and later issued on two compact discs. It contains 35 of Young's songs recorded between 1966 and 1976, among them five tracks that had been unreleased up to that point. It peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazy Horse (band)</span> American rock band

Crazy Horse is an American rock band best known for their association with the musician Neil Young. Beginning in 1969 and continuing to the present day, they have been co-credited on a number of Young's albums, with 15 studio albums and numerous live albums being billed as by Neil Young and Crazy Horse. They have also released six studio albums of their own, issued between 1971 and 2009.

<i>American Stars n Bars</i> 1977 studio album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

American Stars 'n Bars is the eighth studio album by Canadian folk rock songwriter Neil Young, released on Reprise Records in 1977. Compiled from recording sessions scattered over a 29-month period, it includes "Like a Hurricane", one of Young's best-known songs. It peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200 and received a RIAA gold certification.

<i>Comes a Time</i> 1978 studio album by Neil Young

Comes a Time is the ninth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, released by Reprise Records in October 1978. The album is largely performed in a quiet folk and country style. It features backing harmonies sung by Nicolette Larson and additional accompaniment by musicians that had accompanied Young on his commercial pinnacle, Harvest. Like Harvest, the lyrics to many of its songs are inspired by relationships. In his memoir, Waging Heavy Peace, Young describes Comes a Time as one of his best albums ever.

<i>Weld</i> (album) 1991 live album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Weld is a live album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse released in 1991, comprising performances recorded on the tour to promote the Ragged Glory album. It was initially released as a limited edition three-disc set entitled Arc-Weld, with the Arc portion being a single disc consisting in its entirety of a sound collage of guitar noise and feedback. Arc has since been released separately.

<i>Rust Never Sleeps</i> 1979 studio album with live recordings by Neil Young with Crazy Horse

Rust Never Sleeps is the tenth album by Canadian American singer-songwriter Neil Young and American band Crazy Horse. It was released on June 22, 1979, by Reprise Records and features both studio and live tracks. Most of the album was recorded live, then overdubbed in the studio, while others originated in the studio. Young used the phrase "rust never sleeps" as a concept for his tour with Crazy Horse to avoid artistic complacency and try more progressive, theatrical approaches to performing live.

<i>Arc</i> (Neil Young & Crazy Horse album) 1991 live album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Arc is an album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, recorded early 1991 and released in October 1991.

<i>Left for Dead</i> (Crazy Horse album) 1989 studio album by Crazy Horse

Left for Dead is a 1989 album released by the group Crazy Horse.

<i>Re·ac·tor</i> 1981 studio album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Re·ac·tor is the twelfth studio album by Canadian folk rock musician Neil Young, and his fourth with American rock band Crazy Horse, released on November 2, 1981. It was his last album released through Reprise Records before he moved to Geffen for his next five albums.

<i>Zuma</i> (Neil Young & Crazy Horse album) 1975 studio album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Zuma, the seventh studio album by Canadian/American musician Neil Young, was released on Reprise Records in November 1975. Co-credited to Crazy Horse, it includes "Cortez the Killer", one of Young's best-known songs.

<i>Ragged Glory</i> 1990 studio album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Ragged Glory is the 18th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, and his sixth album with the band Crazy Horse. It was released by Reprise Records on September 10, 1990. Ragged Glory was voted the 36th best grunge album of all time by Rolling Stone in 2019. A live recording of the album from November 2023 was released as Fuckin' Up in April 2024.

<i>Broken Arrow</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Neil Young with Crazy Horse

Broken Arrow is the 22nd studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, and his 8th with Crazy Horse, released in 1996.

<i>This Notes for You</i> 1988 studio album by Neil Young & The Bluenotes

This Note's for You is the 16th studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released April 11, 1988 on Reprise. The album marked Young's return to the recently reactivated Reprise Records after a rocky tenure with Geffen Records.

<i>Homegrown</i> (Neil Young album) 2020 studio album by Neil Young

Homegrown is the 40th studio album by Canadian-American Neil Young. It was released on June 19, 2020, by Reprise Records. The album consists of material recorded between June 1974 and January 1975. The album was recorded after the release of On the Beach and before the sessions for Zuma. Like those two albums, much of the material was inspired by Young's relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress, which was deteriorating in 1974. The album was compiled and prepared for release in 1975. Instead, Tonight's the Night was released in its place, and Homegrown remained unreleased for 45 years. It was finally set for release as part of Record Store Day 2020, amid Neil Young's ongoing Archives campaign. Its release was again delayed by Record Store Day's postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, before finally seeing release on June 19.

<i>Chrome Dreams</i> 2023 studio album by Neil Young

Chrome Dreams is the 44th album by Neil Young. It was first compiled as an acetate for consideration as an album for release in 1977. A copy of the acetate widely circulated as a bootleg in the decades prior to its release. The album was officially released on August 11, 2023 to universal acclaim from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Sampedro</span> American musician

Frank "Poncho" Sampedro is an American retired guitarist and member of the rock band Crazy Horse, known mainly for his longtime collaboration with singer-songwriter Neil Young. Sampedro has played and recorded with Young in many other configurations aside from Crazy Horse and earned co-writing credits on several Young songs. Out of all Young's musical collaborators, Sampedro has proven perhaps the most adept at working with the mercurial artist. "Most people turn a corner. Neil ricochets," says Sampedro.

<i>Psychedelic Pill</i> 2012 studio album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Psychedelic Pill is the 32nd studio album by Canadian / American musician Neil Young, released on October 30, 2012. It is the second collaboration between Young and Crazy Horse released in 2012 and their first original work together since the Greendale album and tour in 2003 and 2004. The album was streamed on Young's website on October 24, 2012, and leaked onto the Internet the same day.

<i>Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976</i> 2020 box set by Neil Young

Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976 is a 10-CD box set from American-Canadian folk rock musician Neil Young that was initially released in a limited deluxe box set on November 20, 2020. The release is the second box set in his Neil Young Archives series, following 2009's The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, and covers a three-and-a-half-year period from 1972–1976. The track list was officially announced on the Neil Young Archives site on September 20, 2020, with the first single, "Come Along and Say You Will", being posted to the site as the Song of the Day on October 14. The set then went up for pre-order on October 16, 2020, as an exclusive release to his online store, with only 3,000 copies being initially made available worldwide. After selling out the following day, Young announced several weeks later that a general retail version, as well as a second pressing of the deluxe box set, is expected to be released to market on March 5, 2021. This was followed by the release of a second single, "Homefires", on October 21, and a third, an alternate version of "Powderfinger", on November 3.

<i>Way Down in the Rust Bucket</i> 2021 live album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Way Down in the Rust Bucket is a live album and concert film from Canadian-American rock musician Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse, released on February 26, 2021. It is Volume 11.5 in the Performance Series of Neil Young Archives.

<i>Toast</i> (Neil Young & Crazy Horse album) Album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Toast is the 42nd album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young and Crazy Horse. One of Young's several "lost" albums, it was recorded in 2000-2001 but shelved in favor of Are You Passionate?, and was finally released on July 8, 2022. It is Volume 09 of Neil Young Archives' Special Release Series.

References

  1. ↑ Michael, Major. "Neil Young and Crazy Horse Release Vinyl Edition of 'Odeon Budokan'" . Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. ↑ Greene, Andy (2019-01-28). "Neil Young on His Archives Website, Future Releases and Crazy Horse's Return". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  3. ↑ Major, Michael. "Neil Young and Crazy Horse Release Vinyl Edition of 'Odeon Budokan'". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  4. ↑ "Odeon Budokan LP". Neil Young - Official Store. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  5. ↑ Greene, Andy (2021-10-21). "Flashback: Neil Young and Crazy Horse Play an Epic 'Down by the River' in 1976". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  6. 1 2 3 4 McDonough, Jim (2002). Shakey: Neil Young's Biography. Jonathan Cape. ISBN   978-0-224-06914-4.
  7. ↑ Little Feat "Midnight Special" Complete June 10, 1977 , retrieved 2023-10-20
  8. ↑ "Neil Young News: Rare Photo: Neil Young - Hammersmith Odeon, March 1976" . Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  9. ↑ Crowe, Cameron (1979-02-08). "Neil Young: The Last American Hero". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  10. ↑ Wilcox, Tyler (2021-01-04). "Neil Young – Archives Volume II: 1972-1976". Uncut . Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  11. ↑ "Frank "Poncho" Sampedro : The Aquarium Drunkard Interview". Aquarium Drunkard. 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  12. ↑ "Odeon Budokan - Neil Young, Neil Young and Crazy Horse". AllMusic . Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  13. ↑ "Odeon Budokan - Neil Young, Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Release Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  14. ↑ "Odeon Budokan". Neil Young Archives. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Neil Young with Crazy Horse – Odeon-Budokan" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 36. hét". MAHASZ . Retrieved September 14, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.