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Neil Young’s Biggest Fan Speaks: “His Voice Is Haunting,” Says Donald Trump

12/18/08, 10:45 am EST

Photo: Kohen/Wireimage

Two years ago we noticed the bizarre trio of Patti Smith, Salman Rushdie and Donald Trump rocking out to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the first two rows of Madison Square Garden. Last year, the Donald was sitting upfront for Young’s solo show at the United Palace Theater and on Monday Trump was again grooving to Neil at the Garden. We gave Trump a call yesterday to discuss.

“He’s got something very special,” Trump says. “I’ve listened to his music for years and I’ve seen him before that, but I went to the concert where they were honoring Bob Dylan years ago at Madison Square Garden [Bob Fest 10/16/92] and Neil got up and totally brought the house down. There was nobody close. He’s performed for me at my casinos over the years and he just brings it down. I’ve met him on occasions and he’s a terrific guy.”

Does Trump have a favorite Neil Young song or album? “It’s sort of all favorite,” he says. “I like the older stuff better, which is typical with a lot of artists — hence the famous Ricky Nelson song ‘Garden Party.’ I like all his songs, you know, ‘Rock and Roll’ — just great stuff. His voice is perfect and haunting. He’s 63 and I don’t think it’s changed. It’s more important than his playing, ’cause you have so many great players — but there’s just one voice like that. Whatever the hell ‘it’ is, he’s got it.”


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Comments

The Graveyard | 12/18/2008, 2:46 pm EST

AND he’s developing an innovative electric car. Is there nothing he can’t do??

T in California | 12/18/2008, 3:59 pm EST

The Trump doesn’t remember any songs or albums because he doesn’t know any. The donald is a little man with a little heart, whereas NY is all heart living a life full of meaning. Stay home donald, it’s all lost on you.

Padre | 12/18/2008, 5:14 pm EST

Neil is a true “original”!!!

go forward BP!!

Beanie | 12/18/2008, 5:17 pm EST

Chumps

green | 12/18/2008, 5:29 pm EST

No dissent…thank you!!!!

BP

Matt | 12/18/2008, 6:23 pm EST

Neil is unto himself the apex of all that is beautiful rock, folk, punk, country, experimental, alternative and grunge, combined into a perfect package of creativity, social awareness, and just plain uber-coolness.

RTickle | 12/18/2008, 10:30 pm EST

T in FORnia..lighten the f*ck up..jeez..
Was front and center at Allstate in Rosemont(ChiTown)… NEIL is the center and the universe expands exponentially in all directions from HIM.
Amazing show.. I think # 13 for me, but I quit counting.. the 22-year-old kid next to me, has a band called “Post Historic”… he was slack-jawed. It was a gift from the time/space continuum.
Thanks Neil & Pegi & Ben & Rick & Terry & Anthony… and Donald, next time mention “Danger Bird”.

harpo | 12/19/2008, 1:35 pm EST

Neil continues to just get better….meanwhile chumps like Dickinson and Taibbi cost RS big cred points!!!!

Jungleland2 | 12/19/2008, 3:50 pm EST

I hate when a “fan” can’t pick a song (for me: Needle and The Damage Done,Mr. Soul, For The Turnstiles, Ambulance Blues, Sleeps With Angels, Buffalo Springfield Again)

It is cool that The Donald is a fan of Neil though

Rickpbloomps | 12/19/2008, 4:05 pm EST

The answer is clear… No he is not neils biggest fan. Not even close. Sure its cool he digs good tunes but lots of people like Neil. Besides you know who else has become a regular at his shows also? ME! Am I his biggest fan? hell no ther are some devoted people out there, but I have a feeling I’m more familiar with him than the tv star you like so much.

Boyda | 12/19/2008, 4:47 pm EST

Cowgirl in the Sand.

Query | 12/19/2008, 5:21 pm EST

Why is it cool that Donald Trump is a fan?

blindriv3r | 12/19/2008, 6:48 pm EST

He is a phony..’Rock and Roll’?….I had to resist the urge to punch him as he walked by me, leaving a Neil show during the last song, in order for his entourage of mafioso types and fancy ladies to get out of there unhindered

green jeans | 12/19/2008, 8:35 pm EST

TRUMP should fund Neil’s electric car conversion experiment.

RTickle | 12/20/2008, 2:00 pm EST

absolute apologies to CHAD CROMWELL.
{who the hell is Terry?}
oops.
and how about “Motion Pictures” as the BEST mellow-Neil ever?
Any takers?

Texas Dave | 12/20/2008, 4:16 pm EST

Is this article about me? The guy who has a room devoted to recordings by Neil Young, live shows and studio outtakes from 1963 to the present and who has seen him perform on the order of 70 times? No? Oh, never mind.

shakey thunder | 12/20/2008, 5:35 pm EST

i agree rtickle. motion pictures.
is the best mellow Neil ever.
closely followed by anything he’s
given us off of that unreleased home-
grown album.
fuckin’ a pardon my heart.
shakey fans come in all shapes and
sizes.
nice to know he’s got fans that high up in the richer echelons of
society.
keep on rockin’ in the material
world don.

thatgirlinnewyork | 12/20/2008, 7:48 pm EST

neil is a true patriot of his adopted country. i was reminded of this at the monday show at the garden. when a 63-year old man who’s suffered a brain aneurysm and can recover enough to carry a 2-hour frenzy of guitar licks and prolific lyrics, we all need to take a look at what we think is “possible at (our) age”.

can’t talk about that show without saying that jeff tweedy and wilco broke my heart with their impassioned opening for neil.

the fact that young is now in the position to audition for a label is pretty rich, however–the man doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore, yet he does so with aplomb and grace. bless you, neil!

timmaayyyy | 12/21/2008, 2:01 am EST

Donald Trump at a Neil Young show? I guess since Neil doesn’t play private parties for the Hamptons summer set he has to go be amongst the commoners. And he couldn’t mention a favorite song!? Reminds me of when Sarah Palin was asked what newspapers she reads.
Hey Donald, if you’d have said “y’know I just don’t know why Neil won’t put out Time Fades Away on cd, I love that disc” I might actually like you.

'Rock And Roll' man? | 12/23/2008, 3:15 pm EST

“He’s performed for me at my casinos over the years and he just brings it down.”

yeah, it’s just so fantastic that Donald likes Neil Young. But what douche Trump is. He has to make everything about himself.

hal | 12/24/2008, 12:00 pm EST

Has Trump EVER listened to the lyrics, i.e. comprehended in any meaningful way, what Neil, Graham & Dylan are saying about HIM, his lifestyle, class, pro-war and anti-people politics and business practices? He’s a pig with lipstick and a awful hair styling. He & Blago share a barber?

VC | 12/26/2008, 11:42 pm EST

Neil is JUST AS MUCH a Capitalist as Trump is… too many of you guys have the “hippie colored glasses on to see that though… $300 mezzanine seats? $45 t-shirts..c’mon..there IS NO DIFFERENCE You libs are all hipocrates

Hey | 12/27/2008, 1:57 pm EST

Texas Dave, are you married to Tammy?

jg | 1/6/2009, 3:50 pm EST

Does anyone know if the new Neil Young “Sugar Mountain Live at Canterbury House” CD/DVD set really has a video of him actually performing the songs or is just an audio performance with a still frame of Neil? All I get on my TV and computer is a picture of Neil while the songs are playing??

jg

puremorning | 1/9/2009, 5:34 pm EST

SPEAKINOUT!

mnamzloh | 1/10/2009, 11:09 pm EST

Hey JG, I get the same thing. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be that way or what. And you VC, somebody crap in your oatmeal? Jeez, lighten up man or your gonna give yourself a dis-ease.

Johnny Royale | 1/14/2009, 4:44 pm EST

Who cares what this douche thinks? Why even bother printing this?

Mojo Beauxdein, Tampa | 1/24/2009, 9:59 pm EST

Why does The Don garner press like this. He’s become a parody of himself. He’s just a successful real-estate agent attempting to be hip and gain some sort of street creds. While I may not worship Neil to the degree of some, I can at least name my favorite songs: Down By The River, Needle & Damage Done; Old Man. Donald – you’re fired.

JL | 1/31/2009, 5:48 am EST

“It’s sort of all favorite”

So the guy listens to a greatest hits compilation twice a year. Rolling Stone, thank you for providing me aspiring news!

colin | 3/4/2009, 8:19 am EST

The Trumpster resembles some little old granny who goes into a record store to buy a present for her grandsons’ birthday and asks the assistant:
“Do you have any pop music?”

Anonymous | 5/12/2009, 9:12 pm EST

its better to burn out than it is to rust.

Hans van Rijn | 10/28/2009, 1:32 pm EST

I hope he will perform in Europe in 2010 again ! It’s amazing !

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