http://www.thedeal.com/dealscape/2008/05/lionel_and_neil_young_roll_dow.php
Here’s the link so you can go right to the story:
http://www.thedeal.com/dealscape/2008/05/lionel_and_neil_young_roll_dow.php
But there’s really nothing new in that story that hasn’t already been said elsewhere. I’m not a high end - high tech operator, so it doesn’t concern me so much, but what remains to be said is how Neil himself actually feels about all of this.
I don’t know Neil personally, but I do know his career. During the 1980’s when many wrote him off and stopped buying his records, I was still in the audience. And during that time he was playing a bunch of characters: computer-guy, rockabilly-guy, techno-guy, country-guy, big band guy. During the “Trans” period, at one concert there was a lot of booing when he played the computer songs… I cheered that much louder because of the booing. Other people around me thought I was nuts too.
Neil later said there was just too much going on in his life at the time, and so he hid behind all of those personas. He said they were all still him, but he could avoid some of the pain. And he’s always maintained the 1980’s music was as valid and as good as anything else he’s ever done. I personally agree.
Months ago on the Coilcouplers site there was something of a cryptic message about an impending storm that was on the horizon, that caused much discussion. I believe this financial restructuring of Lionel is what was being referenced, though no one knew it at the time. Now the Coilcouplers news page is black (conserving power) and Neil is busy… or maybe intentionally distracted… with other projects including a new album tentatively called “Toast.”
Even Young’s long-time manager has said Neil is pretty unpredictable and does what he wants, whether or not anyone else agrees. I would expect all the press releases to put a positive spin on the Lionel restructuring and Neil&
Neil’s got a couple things lined up just in case the train thing doesn’t work out:
http://www.neilyoung.com/news/index.html
Lou
I would expect all the press releases to put a positive spin on the Lionel restructuring and Neil’s new place in the company because I would guess they might just be a little worried themselves.
I think everyone will know how Neil’s exact involvement and how he feels about all of this, when he himself actually says as much.
I agree, before this went down Neil Young was on the OGR Forum everyday promoting Legacy… Now silence… I’m waiting for the Hi-Rail Times to light up again…
Actually, Neil Young and other Lionel employees’ active participation on the OGRR Forum ended long before the plan for Lionel’s exit from bankruptcy was crafted, much less announced. He and other Lionel people stopped participating actively when they realized they were going to be baited into arguments by certain individuals who wanted do their best to sabotage the introduction of Legacy and, in general, make Lionel look bad. Neil Young made a post to that effect himself. He actually used the word sabotage. That, unfortunately, is the state of the hobby as it now exists.
None of the major players in the industry want to participate on a forum where fellow travelers of their competitors can make rude, abrasive, or factually erroneous posts without fear of being censured or censored. The OGRR Forum is that kind of place in my view. The CTT forum ain’t perfect, but the moderators will not allow that sort of behavior, whether by good old boys, friends of the moderators, or not. I give CTT, Bob Keller et al., credit for that even handed and sensible moderation. Personally, I think Lionel and the other manufacturers would do much better posting here than on the OGRR Forum if what they want is civil, fair minded discussion promoting the hobby without any bias.
Why don’t you try and get that done? Thanks