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"Electronic" Neil Young's vision - how was one of the most unconventional Trans albums of 1982 created?

"If something's wrong, it's the mixing," Young himself said of his work. "We had a lot of technical problems on this record."

The story behind Neil Young's Trans album: idea, recording, success

"Trans." - Twelfth studio album by musician, singer and songwriter Neil Young. The record came out at the end of 1982 of the year, thus becoming a gift to all the fans at the Christmas! Although... it's hard to call this album a "gift": inspired by new wave and strong vocoder, the album has long divided fans and critics into two camps... Its electronic sound has confused many fans. It can rightly be said that. "Trans." - it's one of the most twisted moves ever. Neil Young in his entire career.

"This is one of my favourite albums ever," Young said grimly, holding the cover of 'Trans' up to the camera during a 2012 interview. - If you listen to it now, you'll find a lot more meaning here than you did then..."

And indeed, as you get older. "Trans." became more triumphant and unusual... Well: we offer to recall the history of this extraordinary record, as well as to talk about the meaning embedded in it.

Deeper backstory

Neil Young
Neil Young

When you're listening "Trans."you really only hear about two-thirds of it. Only six of the album's nine songs were intended for the present project. The other three came from a completely different album, which was about young love and ancient civilisations. It was to be called Island in the Sunbut Geffen Records quickly talked me out of it Yang from this concept...

В 1982 year Neil Young left Reprise Records, with whom he had been working with since the release of his debut album, to come under the wing of Geffen Records, the label founded and owned by David Geffen. Young's contract guaranteed him a million dollars per album, as well as full creative control over his work. Today, Trans is often referred to "Young's pure synth-pop album."but that's not quite true. In fact, there's some keyboards and a great guitar band. Crazy Horse! The ex-bassist also appears here Buffalo Springfield Bruce Palmer and "Mr Soul". - a song about disregarding rock glory 1967 But what Trans really didn't have was the recognisable voice of Neil Young himself. The vocoder converted all his vocals into robotic form. However, it was perfect for a concept album about humanity facing the digital age... At the same time - it immediately threw fans out of their comfort zone and pretty much doomed the album's chances at radio.

Neil Young holds his son Ben in his arms.
Neil Young holds his son Ben in his arms.

Since Yang didn't give interviews at the time, he never explained the backstory of the album: but if he had, many fans probably would have taken it to heart at the time. They didn't know that Young's son, Ben.The songs he wrote expressed his frustration with the process, as well as the very sounds the machines were making. Yes, Young was pushed in such a bold direction by the electronic experiments of a German band KraftwerkBut more importantly, he felt that it fully reflected his attempts to communicate with his son.

"At the time, he was just trying to find a way to talk, to socialise with other people... That's what Trans is. That's why on this tape you don't know what I'm talking about. That's the feeling I had when I was interacting with my son..."

Fear of the digital age

Neil Young
Neil Young

Like so many other albums. Neil Young, "Trans." full of mysteries and unanswered questions.....

"If something's wrong, it's the mixing," Young himself said of his work. "We had a lot of technical problems on this record."

Accordingly, most of the "Trans." concerns man's struggle with technology. In a song called "Computer Cowboy (AKA Syscrusher)." is about a team of computer crooks robbing a bank, with Young's voice lowered to a digital noise canceller. В "We R in Control" a chorus of robots listing aspects of everyday life - traffic lights, the FBI, even air currents - in which humans no longer have a say. Thematically, these songs - with their dystopian images of a world controlled by screens and numbers, where people have everything at their fingertips but remain miserable nonetheless - got old pretty quickly. Regardless of what format you listen to the album in (and it still hasn't been released on compact disc in the U.S.A.), you feel like you're listening to it from a passing car's tape recorder. Even with long-time collaborators such as producer David Briggs, guitarist Ben Keith and the drummer Ralph Molinathese songs bear very little resemblance to Young's classic work. 1970-х years.

Track list

Neil Young...
Neil Young...

Album opener "Little Thing Called Love" became one of the few times Young released an individual hit single. In the track, he notes that "only the blues brings you love..." И "Computer Age.", и "We R In Control" speak of the fears of the digital age with ominous crackling chords and mocking non-human voices.....

"Little Thing Called Love"

"Computer Age."

"We R in Control"

"Transformer Man"

"Computer Cowboy (AKA Syscrusher)."

"Hold On to Your Love"

"Sample and Hold"

"Mr Soul"

"Like an Inca"

Conclusion

You shouldn't think that "Trans." is devoid of humanity because "Transformer Man" Considered one of the most emotionally open songs in the catalogue Yang. Lyrically, the composition sends out love and support Benowho is a "transformer man" addressing the world: "Transformer man / Unlock the secrets / Let's throw off the chains / That hold you down". Even the vocoded score has painful and very human connotations here... What happened next is already the stuff of legend.

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