Continuing the windfall from last year's Stackpole-Cardillo-Keating quasi-Iona Prep Class-of-'85 reunion, here's a couple straight-up classic rock medium-deep album cuts for you:
First off, we heed the great unwritten Commandment: "Honor thy Neil Young", with a Crazy Horse-style take on "The Loner", originally off his first solo record and rocked up a bit more on "Live Rust": a solid end-of-the-'60s four-on-the-floor stomper and a good excuse to break out a double dropped D tuning and the tremolo pedal. Say no more!
Second off is "Naked Eye", a favorite Who song of mine since way back; specifically the "Who's Last" "farewell tour" era of '82. Having been raised in the post-Keith Moon era, we had to dig back through the "Hooligans" and "Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy" compilations as jumping-off points to the rock operas and the classic LPs, and eventually the woolier "Odds and Sods" type scraps, one of which contained the original "Naked Eye" demo (with, I presume, Pete playing the drums). Despite the lack of a definitive release, though, the Who kept going back to this one, and in very consistent fashion. The '70 Isle of Wight version with Moonie on drums is not too different from the demo, nor is the '82 version with Kenny Jones and a generally much less chaotic (i.e., stiffer) band. I thought it was on the "Who's Last" release but having checked the internets, perhaps I had my high school version taped off a radio broadcast. Seems likely. But the song wouldn't have had much competition in being the standout track on a basically posthumous live album cash-in. Still, even in '82 the Who were totally bringing this song. Us three fellows? Probably less so. Still, it's closest you'll get to actually sitting with me and Stag and Dillo in that basement, working out the song, trying to stay on the same page and step out a bit without totally falling apart. So it's a loose version, and I'd say "in progress" but ain't nothing progressing. But why not document and beam it out there anyways? Root for the home team in their moment of need (2:45)! Wonder how their parents put up with all the same length and dynamics and noodling, only performed with less musical and editing ability!
jk
The Loner (Neil Young +/- Crazy Horse): https://app.box.com/s/p5kgbs5nntwsn8znkamx
Naked Eye (the Who): https://app.box.com/s/mu1i7u7lh2qlf4fg7e9z
