When Neil was still playing around Toronto, his friend sent me a tape for advice. I told him that Neil was very special but he needed more time and should get out of Toronto and head to New York or L.A. He headed to L.A. When the Buffalo Springfield formed, they hung out at my New York office when they were recording their first album and played their day's work on my good (for the times) record player. I heard the final mix on For What It's Worth before anyone outside of their record company and Producer. I was the guest Editor of a song magazine called Topic at the time and I was the first to print a Neil Young song - Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing - which contains the line "Who's putting sponge in the bells that once rung". Needless to say I have been a Neil Young fan since his early days and I'm proud to have been of some modest help. Lily and I are especially impressed with his concentrating on and following the music without the usual music biz bullshit. He has kept himself pure and whole. He is the only one of his generation to not sell out. Hell, even Dylan did commercials for Cadillac and Victoria's Secret. Neil's secret is he listens to his heart and follows his music muse.
When I tried to get to see him after the concert, his security dude wouldn't tell him that my wife and I were standing there. I couldn't get pass the asshole, who was doing his job a lot over the top. I told him I've known Neil for many years and that he would be glad to see us, but the dude kept saying he's heard that story many times before. All he had to do was to stick his head in the bus door and ask; he did a serious disservice to me and Neil. I hope Neil discovers that Lily and Herb Gart tried to pay their respects in Atlanta.