Neil Younger has mentioned he received’t carry out at this yr’s Farm Assist occasion due to his ongoing considerations over COVID-19.
Younger confirmed the information in response to a fan letter on his Neil Younger Archives web site that mentioned: “I’m not prepared for that but. I don’t suppose it’s secure within the pandemic,” he wrote, including, “I miss it very a lot.”
The veteran artist co-founded the yearly profit live performance to assist American farmers. He additionally pulled out of final yr’s occasion because of his ongoing considerations concerning the pandemic.
This yr’s occasion takes place on September 24 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The road-up contains the likes of Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Band, Margo Worth, Sheryl Crow, and extra.
Younger has not carried out in public since 2019. His newest feedback echo ones made in December of final yr, when he mentioned he wouldn’t be returning to touring till COVID-19 was “beat” and the pandemic was over. “I don’t care if I’m the one one who doesn’t do it,” he mentioned throughout an interview with Howard Stern.
Final yr, Younger additionally known as on promoters to cancel “super-spreader” gigs whereas a pandemic was nonetheless ongoing. “The large promoters, if they’d the notice, may cease these reveals,” he wrote in a weblog submit on his web site. “Stay Nation, AEG, and the opposite massive promoters may shut this down if they may simply overlook about earning profits for some time.”
Earlier this month, Younger and Loopy Horse launched their album Toast. The album was initially recorded by Younger and the band in 2001 earlier than being shelved.
In response to Younger, Toast is “an album that stands by itself in [his] assortment”. He cited the report’s melancholic tone as a purpose why it by no means left the studio, explaining in final Might’s aforementioned weblog submit: “In contrast to another, Toast was so unhappy that I couldn’t put it out. I simply skipped it and went on to do one other album instead. I couldn’t deal with it at the moment. 2001.”
He went on to say that the report was “a couple of relationship”, chronicling a very bleak level in its dissolution. He continued: “There’s a time in lots of relationships that go unhealthy, a time lengthy earlier than the break up, the place it dawns on one of many individuals, perhaps each, that it’s over. This was that point.
“The sound is murky and darkish, however not in a foul manner. Fats. From the primary observe, you may really feel the disappointment that permeates the recording… These songs paint a panorama the place time doesn’t matter – as a result of the whole lot goes south. A woman is misplaced in her automobile. The darkish metropolis surrounds her – previous current and future. It’s a scary place. You be the choose.”
