Neil Young's Journey Through The Past

 

Waging Heavy Peace
, is exactly the kind of autobiography you would expect Neil Young to write. His pros are poetic without being pretentious and his words are heartfelt. Though the chapters are not chronological, they all fit together. For instance, he has a chapter about coming to California in search of Stephen Stills in the pre-Buffalo Springfield days. In the next chapter, he gives an interesting juxtaposition of past and present by skipping to how Stills and his relationship is today. Throughout the book, readers learn much about his approach to songwriting and the stories behind many of the bands he has been a part of. In addition, Young provides insights into his interests outside of music, such as film, model trains and cars. Yes, there is a lot about cars and his experiments in converting classic automobiles into eco-friendly modes of transportation. He frequently rants about how much audio quality is lost by selling music digitally and through mp3. However, he offers solutions through his music company, Pono. All in all, Waging Heavy Peace is an enjoyable read. Young has created a poignant self-portrait that really lets readers see the man behind the music.

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