Neil Young - Landing on Water (ft. Mike Hsu and Luke Condon of the Long May You Young Podcast)

After helping mold and define the counter-culture of the late sixties and early 70s, Neil Young pulled an about face in the 80s, throwing his support behind Ronald Reagan, the war on drugs, and welfare reform. Tired of being pigeonholed, he shifted away from the socially conscious folk rock he was known for, releasing a series of headscratching albums that saw him experimenting with rockabilly, banjos and vocoders. Geffen Records became so fed up with his new direction that they sued him for 3.2 million dollars. On the Season 4 premiere of Make It Stop, we discuss the album that came on the heels of that court case's settlement -- 1986's Landing On Water. A bizarre amalgamation of all the worst that the 80s had to offer, the album explodes with ear splitting drums and tinny synths. There is nary a bass player to be found. Neil eschews both the personal and the political in most of his lyrics, instead settling into a banal sort of opacity. Joining the fray to try to make sense of it all are fellow Pantheon podcasters and longtime local legends Mike Hsu and Luke Condon, hosts of deep dive Neil Young podcast Long May You Young. Make It Stop is finally back, dear stoppies. If you missed the bickering and sniping and the endless war between the factions of pro-ska and pro-nu-metal as much as we did, then you're in for quite a treat! Part of the Pantheon Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices