Neil Young: Harvest Time with Tyler Wilcox

Rock Docs

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