“People are under the impression that I’m a brooding recluse,” Neil Young once said, comparing his character to Wuthering Heights‘ stoic antihero Heathcliff. In the same breath, he explained that these descriptions likely come from his knack for not going out of his way “to be seen,” though in reality, he always possessed a disinterest in anything other than his own creative interests.
“I only care about the music,” he said elsewhere, making his perceived disgruntled demeanor seem more like a man who knows what’s worth his time and what isn’t. From his studio approach to his unwavering dislike of Spotify, Young has a specific kind of drive that comes directly from within, blossoming into different variations of quiet confidence, with a hardened exterior that’s as sure as it is unassuming.
It’s easy to try to get a good grasp of Young’s mannerisms and opinions by observing his demeanor in interviews, but perhaps even more telling is his presence in the studio. After all, it’s a place where the art speaks for itself, often filling in the gaps where Young pulls back from offering simple takes on the state of music or its role in contemporary society.
Perhaps that’s because, for the most part, Young thrives on capturing moments and raw feelings, especially those that evade easy description or simplistic language. Sometimes, this means focusing on the sonic appeal of a record itself, and how making something sound “nice” can provide a gateway to other emotions and experiences, becoming layered without overly intending to be.
Other times, this means presenting everything inside in its rawest form, allowing stories and memories to speak for themselves, even when they seem difficult to showcase or experience from the outsider’s perspective. After all, this was the case with Tonight’s the Night, the album that saw Young creating what he described as an “OD letter” about “life, dope, and death.”
Writing with Danny Whitten and Bruce Berry constantly in mind, the record came together on the precipice of pain, of losing people to drug abuse, and grappling with varying feelings in the aftermath, from knowing he would never truly understand what pushed them into such darkness to forever navigating despair and discomfort. In Young’s view, the album cut the deepest compared to any other material he had ever worked on.
“I’m not a junkie, and I won’t even try it out to check out what it’s like,” Young explained to Rolling Stone. “But we all got high enough, right out there on the edge, where we felt wide open to the whole mood. It was spooky. I probably feel this album more than anything else I’ve ever done.” It’s no surprise, then, that the musician also described the record as the best he’s ever done.
“The album Tonight’s the Night is the best I have ever made,” he wrote in the Dutch liner notes of the album. “It’s recorded live,” he continued, “and it’s the most honest thing I have ever done. The guys I’m playing with at the moment make me feel relaxed, and that’s why I can be so honest. But I think the public thinks I’m trying to trick them.”
Tonight’s the Night is no doubt a difficult listen in some places more than others, but it speaks from a soul that seeks to face tragedy and suffering without necessarily the need to make sense of it. Of course, it’s human nature to attempt to, but that’s besides the point with this piece of art. After all, Young is nothing if not authentic and honest, and this record is the pinnacle of that very quality.
