One of my ten favourite albums of 2017 comes from 1976, Neil Young‘s home studio recording „Hitchhiker“, raw, vulnerable. On that night in California, I‘d like to have been Dean Stockwell, the actor, aside from David Briggs at his favourite mixing console, the only witness. Neil Young was in a special mood, drinks, weed, a broken heart, everyone knows something like that. If you listen carefully, during a small passage, Briggs puts some reverb on the voice, making it sound even more ethereal. I see wooden furniture in the surroundings, an old record player, a Judy Collins album on the turntable, silent of course, collecting dust, not even one, two candles burning in the front room. The electric light has been turned down low, thatˋs enough. An audiophile delight, pure intimacy. Now, from the archives, three more Neil Young albums from early days, live, on solo flight. Isn‘t it strange I cannot wait to have „Royce Hall, 1971“ in my hands and on the record player. „All seats reserved at 2,50 Dollars.“ Know all the songs, but Neil, well, fine humour, stories to tell, changing undertones from night to night.