Large swings in fortune are a common feature of popular music, particularly during the classic rock era. Neil Young faced more personal challenges than most others during this time period, and they play an important role in his story.
A candid songwriter, the Canadian has created many moments of intense introspection that examine the difficulties he has faced. Tonight’s The Night is widely regarded as his darkest and most powerful album. It’s the final installment in the ‘Ditch Trilogy’, which includes Time Fades Away and On the Beach the year before. The album’s title clearly describes the former Buffalo Springfield member’s personal situation at the time.
While the previous two albums in the ‘Ditch Trilogy’ are both profound expressions of grief, Tonight’s The Night is unquestionably the most overt. Although it was released in 1975, it was actually recorded two years earlier. Danny Whitten, Young’s close friend and Crazy Horse guitarist, died of a combination of diazepam and alcohol in November 1972, just months earlier. In June of the following year, another of Young’s close friends, roadie Bruce Berry, died of a heroin overdose, further exacerbating this period of extreme hardship.
Neil Young described Tonight’s The Night as “an OD letter” in his 1975 Rolling Stone interview. He explained, “Tonight’s The Night is like an OD letter. The whole thing is about life, drugs, and death. When we played that music, we were all thinking about Danny Whitten and Bruce Berry. Two close members of our unit who died from drug overdoses.”
Berry was a close friend of Young’s and an important part of his touring package. However, Whitten delivered the knockout punch, leaving an artistic void that has never found a replacement. He died the night after Young fired him during rehearsals for Time Fades Away because his addiction interfered with his ability to play.
Without Whitten, it’s safe to say that Young’s most important early releases would not have had the same impact on him or popular culture in general. These included Crazy Horse’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and After the Gold Rush. Members of his backing band and some of his former group CSNY performed this.
The cacophonous, dovetailing guitars on the 1969 release, exemplified by ‘Cinnamon Girl‘ and the title track, would become a trademark of his oeuvre and the defining feature of his pioneering sound. On top of these songs, he would build his entire career and become known as the ‘Godfather of Grunge’. Whitten was thus much more than just a guitarist or even a close friend. He was an artistic trailblazer in his own right. Possibly the most significant facilitator of Young’s journey, of which there have been many.
Whitten’s problems became apparent while recording After the Gold Rush. The initial sessions with Crazy Horse took place at Sunset Sound after the tour for Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Their guitarist’s failing health, however, hampered progress. They did, however, produce two album tracks: ‘I Believe in You‘ and ‘Oh, Lonesome Me‘.
Following these sessions, Young went on tour with CSNY, culminating in their iconic appearance at Woodstock. Shortly after, he resumed work on his new album, recording the Whitten song ‘Look at All the Things‘. He also composed two original pieces that went unreleased. Crazy Horse’s final collaboration with Whitten occurred during another session for the song ‘When You Dance, I Can Really Love’ at Young’s Topanga home studio. According to Young’s memoir Shakey, it marked the final time they collaborated. It represented Whitten temporarily putting himself together, including vocal overdubs. Unfortunately, he remembers, “He wasn’t lookin’ too good at that point.”
Unfortunately for Whitten, things worsened, and by the time Tonight’s The Night entered recording, Young and his immediate circle were still grappling with his death. The Canadian musician told Rolling Stone that the Tonight’s The Night sessions were the first time Crazy Horse had gotten together since Danny’s death. It was up to us to gather our strength to fill the void he had left. Bruce Berry, the other OD, served as CSNY’s roadie for many years. His brother Ken owns Studio Instrument Rentals, which is where we recorded the album.”
“There was a lot of spirit in the music we made,” he said. “I probably feel this album more than anything else I’ve ever done.”
Tonight’s The Night may have been born out of tragedy, but it is a spirited album from beginning to end, as well as a vivid journey into the minds of Neil Young and Crazy Horse at the time. The work, challenging as it is, showcases the strength of unity during adversity. It also highlights the resonance that Young can elicit from misfortune. Of course, it’s a difficult listen, but it’s one that rewards significantly.
