I have been following Ruth Rollin at Red Tattoo in Leeds for the last couple of years on Instagram and seen how her work has developed and finally decided to choose her to do my tattoo. I asked Ruth to add in a stylised Broken Arrow to add further context to Neil Young, it was an early song title and the name of his ranch in Northern California.
Have to say the whole process was made as simple as possible though the actual tattooing was getting pretty uncomfortable towards the end of the two hours, though given the amazing detail of the work it was well worth it. This will be my only tattoo and has added significance for me, given I was born on the Chinese year of the horse. It's a tribute to my favourite musicians and a personal gift to myself to mark my 50th year on the planet.
I've been a Neil Young fan since around 1986, though didn't get to see him in concert until 1993 in Paris. I have seen him 18 times since, should have been 20 but I had two concerts cancelled for illness (Neil in 2002 with flu in Brixton and Liverpool in 2013 due to Poncho's broken hand). Here a list of the gigs I have attended.
Mr. Soul / The Loner / Southern Man / Helpless / This Note's For You / Motorcycle Mama / Like A Hurricane / I Believe In You / Love To Burn / Separate Ways / Powderfinger / Only Love Can Break Your Heart / Harvest Moon / The Needle And The Damage Done / Live To Ride / Rockin' In The Free World // (Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay / All Along The Watchtower
Mr. Soul / The Loner / Southern Man / Helpless / Like A Hurricane / Motorcycle Mama / Love To Burn / Separate Ways / Powderfinger/ Only Love Can Break Your Heart / Harvest Moon / The Needle And The Damage Done / Live To Ride / Down By The River // (Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay / All Along The Watchtower // Rockin' In The Free World
Mr. Soul / The Loner / Southern Man / Helpless / Like A Hurricane / Motorcycle Mama / Love To Burn / Separate Ways / Change Your Mind / Powderfinger / Only Love Can Break Your Heart / Harvest Moon / The Needle And The Damage Done / Live To Ride / Rockin' In The Free World // (Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay / All Along The Watchtower
Big Green Country / Song X / Act Of Love / Downtown / Mr. Soul / Scenery / Comes A Time / The Needle And The Damage Done /Don't Let It Bring You Down / Mother Earth / Throw Your Hatred Down / Cortez The Killer / Powderfinger // Rockin' In The Free World/ Like A Hurricane
Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Down By The River / Powderfinger / Big Time / Slip Away / The Needle And The Damage Done /Sugar Mountain / Heart Of Gold / Cinnamon Girl / F*!#in' Up // Cortez The Killer / Music Arcade / Like A Hurricane // Sedan Delivery /Dangerbird / Rockin' In The Free World
Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Bite The Bullet / Barstool Blues / Big Time / Pocahontas / Roll Another Number / Slip Away / The Needle And The Damage Done / Long May You Run / Four Strong Winds / Cinnamon Girl / F*!#in' Up // Cortez The Killer / Music Arcade / Like A Hurricane // Welfare Mothers / Dangerbird / Sedan Delivery
Sedan Delivery / Piece Of Crap / Love And Only Love / I've Been Waiting For You / Standing In The Light Of Love / Goin' Home /When I Hold You In My Arms / From Hank To Hendrix / Don't Let It Bring You Down / Pocahontas / After The Gold Rush / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Gateway Of Love / Powderfinger / Like A Hurricane // F*!#in' Up / Cortez The Killer / Cinnamon Girl
Don't Cry No Tears / I've Been Waiting For You / Love And Only Love / Piece Of Crap / Goin' Home / When I Hold You In My Arms /From Hank To Hendrix / Don't Let It Bring You Down / Pocahontas / After The Gold Rush / Only Love Can Break Your Heart / Standing In The Light Of Love / Gateway Of Love / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Like A Hurricane // F*!#in' Up
Don't Cry No Tears / I've Been Waiting For You / Love And Only Love / Piece Of Crap / Goin' Home / When I Hold You In My Arms /From Hank To Hendrix / Don't Let It Bring You Down / Pocahontas / After The Gold Rush / Standing In The Light Of Love / Gateway Of Love / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Like A Hurricane // Sedan Delivery / Rockin' In The Free World / F*!#in' Up
Falling From Above / Double E / Devil's Sidewalk / Leave The Driving / Carmichael / Bandit / Grandpa's Interview / Bringin' Down Dinner / Sun Green / Be The Rain // Lotta Love / Expecting To Fly / Old Man / Don't Let It Bring You Down / Harvest Moon / Cortez The Killer / After The Gold Rush // Heart Of Gold
2008-02-14, Le Grand Rex, Paris, France
w/ Ben Keith, Rick Rosas, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young
w/ Ben Keith, Rick Rosas, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young
From Hank To Hendrix / Ambulance Blues / Sad Movies / A Man Needs A Maid / No One Seems To Know / Harvest / Journey Through The Past / Mellow My Mind / Love Art Blues / Don't Let It Bring You Down / Cowgirl In The Sand / Out On The Weekend // Mr. Soul /Don't Cry No Tears / Dirty Old Man / Spirit Road / Bad Fog Of Loneliness / Winterlong / Oh, Lonesome Me / The Believer / No Hidden Path // Cinnamon Girl / Like A Hurricane
2008-03-11, Manchester Apollo, Manchester, England
w/ Ben Keith, Rick Rosas, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young
w/ Ben Keith, Rick Rosas, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young
From Hank To Hendrix / Ambulance Blues / Sad Movies / A Man Needs A Maid / Stringman / Try / Harvest / Love In Mind / Mellow My Mind / Love Art Blues / Don't Let It Bring You Down / Helpless / The Needle And The Damage Done / Heart Of Gold // Mr. Soul / Dirty Old Man / Spirit Road / Down By The River / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Too Far Gone / Oh, Lonesome Me / Winterlong /Powderfinger / No Hidden Path // Roll Another Number
2008-03-12, Manchester Apollo, Manchester, England
w/ Ben Keith, Rick Rosas, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young
w/ Ben Keith, Rick Rosas, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young
From Hank To Hendrix / Ambulance Blues / Sad Movies / A Man Needs A Maid / No One Seems To Know / Harvest / Journey Through The Past / Mellow My Mind / Love Art Blues / Love Is A Rose / Old Man // The Loner / Dirty Old Man / Spirit Road / Powderfinger / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Too Far Gone / Oh, Lonesome Me / The Believer / No Hidden Path // Cinnamon Girl / F*!#in' Up /Tonight's The Night // The Sultan
Love And Only Love / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere / I've Been Waiting For You / Spirit Road/ F*!#in' Up / Oh, Lonesome Me / Mother Earth / The Needle And The Damage Done / Unknown Legend / Heart Of Gold / Old Man /Get Back To The Country / Words / No Hidden Path // A Day In The Life
Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Mansion On The Hill / Are You Ready For The Country? / Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere /Pocahontas / Words / Cinnamon Girl / Mother Earth / Don't Let It Bring You Down / Comes A Time / On The Way Home / Burned /Heart Of Gold / Old Man / Down By The River / Get Behind The Wheel / Rockin' In The Free World // A Day In The Life
Love And Only Love / Powderfinger / Psychedelic Pill / Walk Like A Giant / Hole In The Sky / Comes A Time / Blowin' In The Wind /Singer Without A Song / Ramada Inn / Cinnamon Girl / F*!#in' Up / Surfer Joe And Moe The Sleaze / Mr. Soul / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) // Rockin' In The Free World
Love To Burn / Surfer Joe And Moe The Sleaze / Psychedelic Pill / Walk Like A Giant / Hole In The Sky / Heart Of Gold / Blowin' In The Wind / Singer Without A Song / Ramada Inn / Cinnamon Girl / F*!#in' Up / Cortez The Killer / Mr. Soul / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) // Powderfinger
Love And Only Love / Powderfinger / Psychedelic Pill / Walk Like A Giant / Hole In The Sky / Heart Of Gold / Blowin' In The Wind /Singer Without A Song / Ramada Inn / Cinnamon Girl / F*!#in' Up / Mr. Soul / Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) // Roll Another Number / Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere In case you are wondering the best Neil gig I attended was in Paris on Valentines Day in 2008 with my wife, we had front row seats for a very special gig. My favourite Crazy Horse gig was in Glasgow in 1996 with my good mate Mark Golley.
