Neil and Me

by Scott Young

Neil's father Scott chronicles his son's life and musical career, from his early days growing up in Canada to his present status as a rock legend

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Canada, Memoir, Biography Memoir

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1986

About the author

Scott Alexander Young was a Canadian journalist, sportswriter, novelist and the father of musician Neil Young. Over his career, Young wrote 45 books, including novels and non-fiction for adult and youth audiences.

Reviews

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably unique in the world of rock memoirs, "Neil and Me" is a bio of an artist written by his own father -- and, until the publication of Jimmy McDonugh's "Shakey" in 2003, probably even the definitive one. "Neil and Me" is incredibly warm when covering Neil himself, but rather dry when detailing Neil's music otherwise, especially the sex/drugs/rock & roll aspects of his career. For better or worse, "Shakey" both fills in the missing pieces (especially in regards to Neil's mother, Rassy) and supplants "Neil and Me" to the point where much of Young the Elder's book becomes redundant. Still, Scott Young (a well-renowned Canadian sportswriter) finds a way to sustain the intimacy long after Neil moved out, mainly because they remained close, and never feels exploitative.

[Rustinhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daddy went walkin'...

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the paperback version of this book and did a reread of the e book version. Scott Young was an eloquent writer and writes both softly and vividly about his famous son. It is an enjoyable and pleasant read for any fan.

The only issue was the e book contains many typographical errors. An annoyance.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's written by his dad who is a writer. Pretty easy read, flows well and is interesting.

[Jeff Keehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a moving story of a father and son whose imperfect relationship was still much better than most. Neil always called his father 'daddy' and that speaks volumes about how he felt towards his father. The parents divorced while Neil was still a child but Scott paid his alimony and kept in close touch with his two sons from that marriage. Neil's older brother Bob tried to become a professional golfer but never quite made it, which is true of most golfer who try to make that leap. Scott, though he was very busy writing for a living, attended many of Neil's concerts and kept close track of his son's accomplishments. He was a proud father. But more than that, he loved to spend time with his son and his son's family. We get an inside look at how life was for Neil and Pegi after she gave birth to Neil's second son with cerebral palsy. Neil had a long relationship with the actress Carrie Snodgrass which produced the first son with cerebral palsy. Neil never shirked his duty to those two sons. I recall seeing Scott interviewed for the film The Year of the Horse by Jim Jarmusch. He talked about how Crazy Horse had gotten better and better the more they played. And he would know because he attended many concerts. This is not a biography of Neil Young. It is the story of a family and how Neil's success fit into the bigger picture. Scott mentions a funny incident that occurred when he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, along with Bobby Hull. Hull made a joke about being referred to as the father of Brett Hull, who had by that time eclipsed his career in hockey, and he added that Scott Young, a well known sports and fiction writer was now known as the father of Neil Young. These were two very accomplished men who had been outdone by their progeny. The book really includes only glimpses of Neil at work and at home. But the back story is worth the read.

[Anthony Gargiulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable read. Probably most enjoyed if you're a NY fan, though there are some universal themes like father & son dynamics and family tensions & relationships.

[Matt Durant · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting g POV that only Neil's father could have. Some gem stories in here.

[Mark Thurston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up in the Omemee area and a fan of Neil I really enjoyed this book. A father's insight on a great artist.