This is from an guy i subscribe to..he writes about the music
industry and he is going after neil today...what do you think.

I would agre neil's prices are kind of out of the blue high!!!

read on..see what bob lefsetz has to say..and he does shy away from
peoples responses...and often he posts them...al kooper reads his
emails..
bob@...

here is what he wrote:

Did I miss a memo here? Or was I living under a rock? Has Neil
Young not been
touring for over a decade? Is he an unavailable recluse deigning to
come back
to society to let us hear "Heart Of Gold" one more time? Is he going
to play
the hits and only the hits? Giving the people what they want? ARE
YOU KIDDING
ME?



This has gotten out of control. Does Neil have terminal cancer? Is
this his
last tour EVER? There is no band, so it's not like we've got to see
him this
time for fear the original creation will never hit the road again.
Actually,
didn't Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young JUST hit the road?



This guy's been coasting on his reputation too long. Seen as a man
of the
people, it appears Mr. Young is only in it for himself. Furthermore,
what's
this ONE CD with each PAIR of tickets? You can't afford to give a
disc to
EVERYBODY? In a world where silver platters are essentially
worthless, where
you buy a hundred for FREE (with rebates), do costs really have to be
cut here?
Or is it assumed everybody going to see Neil is taking a date, whom
they live
with.



And there's no download. Because they don't sound fucking GOOD
ENOUGH for
Neil. Even though many of those who get the album will rip it to
iTunes as
soon as they get home, so they can transfer it to their iPod and
listen in
their car or in the gym... WHAT PLANET IS THIS GUY LIVING ON?



You can be iconoclastic if you're not fucking with me. But these
ticket prices
are an INSULT! Never mind $257 for the best seats in L.A., you've
got to pay
$132 in PORTLAND! I guess they're richer in Seattle, with all that
Microsoft
money, because there the price is $157. Or if you're really lucky,
you live in
Denver, where you get a break, the most expensive ducat is $104.
BEFORE THE
TICKETMASTER FEE!



An act's worth depends on its fanbase. You have to nurture it,
respect people,
make them feel they're along for the ride with you. At these prices,
people
feel like they're being held up at gunpoint. And, NOT EVERY NEIL
YOUNG FAN
RAPED AND PILLAGED AND IS NOW RICH!



Only Neil is rich. But obviously, he needs more.



Bob Dylan is a famous breadhead, but he doesn't charge these prices,
not even
close. WITH Elvis Costello, the top ticket is $65.50 in Portland.
And Dylan
is coming off a number one album and critical kudos. For that price,
you may
not care that he mangles the old material. You're privileged just to
be there.
And maybe, you'll enjoy it too. (In truth, that's Portland MAINE,
not Oregon,
but even in Chicago, Dylan and Costello are only charging $87, while
Neil Young
is charging $157! At the SAME THEATRE!)



Actually, I enjoyed Neil Young's "Greendale" album. And tour too.
But it
wasn't sold out. It's not like there's a shortage of tickets to see
the man.
Hell, tickets are available EVERYWHERE for this tour.



Just because everybody else is doing it, that doesn't mean you should
too. How
many shows do you think people are going to go to if a couple has to
drop
nearly five hundred dollars to attend? Yup, you've got to park,
you've got to
eat, buy some merch...



This is not Led Zeppelin. They were always into the money. And they
haven't
been on tour since the SEVENTIES! They can go on the road and charge
all they
want, it's a once in a lifetime event.



But not Neil Young. He's still recording music. He wants us to care.



Neil, you should be ashamed of yourself.



Blame your manager, your agent, the promoter... But if you're savvy
enough to
comment on the war in Iraq, you can't really be that out of touch
with the
consumer. You want the buck to stop with Bush, then the buck stops
here with
you. Positively insane.



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