Neil Young and Crazy Horse
„Rust Never Sleeps“
Black Vinyl, Reissue, Remaster 2017 (1979). Folk / Rock

A lot has been said about this album, so why another review? Because I've never really thought about it and I like Neil Young's music (alone or with Crazy Horse). As a prog-head, I like "Rust Never Sleeps" because of its unusual style. Part live songs, part studio, and Side A is acoustic music. In contrast, Side B features electric guitars. Regardless it's the lyrics that captivate me. Whether folk or rock, Neil Young can do it.

The idea for "Rust Never Sleeps" comes from the advertising slogan of the company Rust Oleum. Perhaps Young was asking himself where he wanted to go musically? "Rust" in his own music in the face of punk, or evolve further? Is that why side A is folk and side B features distorted electric guitars? I know this interpretation and don't even want to try to develop my own. 

I'd rather stick to my highlights: every single song, the album as a whole is a work of art. "Pocahontas," "Powderfinger," "Out of the Blue," and "Into the Black" are my top picks. The remaster sounds very good; the LP sits flat. "Rust Never Sleeps" belongs in every good record collection, regardless of whether it's the original or the remaster. If I had a list of my most important albums, this one would be in the top 100. "Rust Never Sleeps" is part of the culture. "This is the Story of Johnny Rotten."

Neil Young: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Frank Sampedro: Guitar
Joe Osborn, Billy Talbot: Bass
Carl T. Himmel, Ralph Molina: Drums
Nicolette Larson: Vocals

The photos are all from my LP. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.

No AI was used in the making of this Review.
©12.06.2025