Can You Imagine?

I'm not a big fan of biographies, autobiographies, or memoirs. As a general rule, I take my art as I find it, having discovered in the past that "seeing behind the curtain" can be disappointing. Art may be inextricably tied to the experiences of the artist, but that doesn't mean I want to know all the intimate details about what sort of person he or she is. 

However, once in a while I'll dip into something in that genre that I think will be special. Neil Young's memoir, Waging Heavy Peace, was one such occasion and I am glad I took the plunge. I enjoyed hearing Neil's insights and stories; it was like getting a letter from your favorite "out there" friend. There were lots of enjoyable and interesting moments, but this story alone was worth the reading: 

One day when Young was down with the flu, he was playing around on his guitar. The guitar was tuned to a rather unusual tuning and  . . . almost before he knew it, he'd written "Cinnamon Girl." Then he changed the tuning to another he liked to work in, and a little bit later, he'd written "Down by the River." Another tuning change, a little more playing time, and "Cowgirl in the Sand" was also written. He attributes this incredible burst of creativity to the semi-delirious state produced by the flu.  

But seriously? Can you imagine having three great songs like those on your resume -- and having written them in one sitting? Flu or not, the mind boggles.