Neil Diamond Premieres "Pretty Amazing Grace" On Amazon, Rick Rubin Continues Saving The Music Biz One Neil Diamond Record At A Time
Putting a spin on "Amazing Grace," the king of fencing and those Hot August Nights premiered the first material from his forthcoming 27th studio album Home Before Dark. The song's nothing to write Home Before Dark about, but it's good to see he still (sorta) has his hair: Check it out here. It was shot live just for Amazon, and will be up for a week. Neil kinda looks like a wax figurine. The new Diamond had us thinking about that mammoth NY Times Magazine article where, after taking a job as co-head of Columbia records, Rick Rubin, is set up as the savior of the music biz. Remember, he produced Diamond's last album 12 Songs (and also does the new one). At one point in the piece, he talks about how Columbia screwed up 12 Songs' sales flow...
Via NY Times:
"The CD debuted at No. 4," Rubin told me at Hugo's, still sounding upset. "It was the highest debut of Neil's career, off to a great start. But Columbia -- it was some kind of corporate thing -- had put spyware on the CD. That kept people from copying it, but it also somehow recorded information about whoever bought the record. The spyware became public knowledge, and people freaked out. There were some lawsuits filed, and the CD was recalled by Columbia. Literally pulled from stores. We came out on a Tuesday, by the following week the CD was not available. Columbia released it again in a month, but we never recovered. Neil was furious, and I vowed never to make another album with Columbia."
Home Before Dark is out 5/6 on, umm, Columbia.
Posted at 1:41 PM in Video
Tags: Neil Diamond | Rick Rubin
cant wait! 12 songs was really great, especially the brian wilson version of 'delerious love'.
GIVE 'EM HELL NEIL!!!!
(our first date was a neil show and we kept screaming this over and over)
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It was that very same Spyware that kept me from buying Kate Bush's "Aerial" CD.
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rubin also produced the new Ours record that comes out next week. and its fantastic
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12 Songs was a great album.I lost my beloved dog at around the same time,and Evermore touched me man.Hell Yeah did.One of Neil's new songs is a duet with Natalie Manes of the Dixie Ducks.While I would have prefered that Neil duet with Cat Power instead,the Manes duet should be lovely.
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There's two Heartbreakers on it, so it can't be bad.
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Neil Diamond and the Heartbreakers.See in the video that
along with Neil,Matt Sweeney of Zwan is also playing the geetar.Neil looks good for that age.
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Neil Diamond and the Heartbreakers.See in the video that
along with Neil,Matt Sweeney of Zwan is also playing the geetar.Neil looks good for that age.
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I'm disappointed that Neil Diamond hasn't been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Based on the many famous songs he has penned, he should definitely be inducted.
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I'm disappointed that Neil Diamond hasn't been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Based on the many famous songs he has penned, he should definitely be inducted.
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Funny how the Crock and Roll Hall of Lame do no see fit to induct Neil (and his 40 years of music,including some great rock music) but they induct Madonna as soon as she is eligable.Now,I like Madonna and own a few of her albums.But she has never been rock n roll.And judging by Hard Candy,she is not about to be a rock n roller now.
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Hell Yeh and Evermore best tracks on 12 songs.Hell Yeh is Neil,s "My way" and would have made a great single. The album is 90% all good but those two tracks shine out the most for me.Cant wait to hear Neil live in June!! He is the Messiah of concert performers.Seen him 3 times since the mid 70,s. Chilling out for me is a good bottle of red and Neil Diamond on my headset.Can,t beat that combination when I need to wind down.Thanks Neil for being here during my lifetime. Millions before and after have not and will not be so lucky!!!
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Hey, Neil sounds really great in this piece. You are one cool dude still!!!
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I can't wait for Niel Diamonds new CD to hit Nairobi Kenya, I heard his song Amazing Grace on Idols and was blooown away. I have been a Neil Diamond fan for many years!!!
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