Say what you will about Neil Young, but he’s not afraid to put his money where his mouth is. Since the days when he wrote “Ohio” to protest the murder of Kent State students by National Guard troops – “Tin soldiers and Nixon coming / We’re finally on our own / This summer I hear the drumming / Four dead in Ohio” – Young has never shied away from making his feelings known publicly.
This week, Young reiterated previous statements asserting that, because Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, his music will not be available via the online merchant. To wit: “Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire backer of the president,” Young posted on his website. “My music will never be available on Amazon, as long as it is owned by Bezos.” Young went on to say, “My position is unfortunately harmful to my record company in the short term, but I think the message I am sending is important and clear.”
And while he was at it, Young addressed the situation surrounding the United States’ recent lusting for Greenland, offering complimentary subscriptions to his online archives to all 56,000 or so residents of the autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
To complete the Neil Young recap, we will note that, earlier in the month, Young posted on his website, “Wake up people! Today The USA is a disaster,” adding that Donald Trump is “destroying America bit by bit with his staff of wannabes, people with no experience or talent, closet alcoholic wife beaters, inexperienced leaders who only know how to lie to keep favor with the Trump falseness so they can hold their unearned positions in his inept government, a Congress full of Republicans acting like idiots with no conscience…”
But gee, Neil, what’s really on your mind?
Ticket Alert
Classic rock bands aren’t the only ones who continue to soldier on with only one or two (sometimes none) of the original lineup still on stage. Old-school LA punks Black Flag will perform at Warehouse Live on Wednesday, April 8, with founding member and guitarist Greg Ginn leading a trio of new (as of last year) musicians. Tickets are on sale now, with a BOGO option for standing-room ducats. And since many the band’s original fans now have physiological issues due to all that moshing back in the day, VIP tables are also available, though I can’t think of anything less punk rock than that.
Dead and Company had already announced the end of the band’s touring days prior to Bob Weir’s recent passing, and it appears that the Tedeschi-Trucks Band is poised to assume the recently vacated mantle of premier jam band. With a new album (Future Soul) set for release this spring, the TTB will begin an extensive tour with a ten-concert residency (most shows are already sold out) at New York’s Beacon Theatre in March.
From there, the band will crisscross the country, winding up the tour with a run at the Chicago Theatre in late October. Whew! Numerous presales for the TTB show on Friday, April 17, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion are in progress, with the general ticket sale set for this Friday.
Dave Matthews generally tours the nation’s amphitheaters (aka sheds) during the summer months, and he often begins his trek at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. This year is no exception, as Matthews and his band will use their concert on Friday, May 8, at the Pavilion to kick off their cross-country jaunt. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 20.
The ASAP Mob was a rap / video / fashion collective formed in Harlem in 2006. All of the group’s members adopted “ASAP” handles: ASAP Rocky, ASAP Yams, ASAP Bari, ASAP Illz et al. Of this group, ASAP Rocky has enjoyed the most success, as a rapper, an entrepreneur, a producer, a fashion designer, a model and an actor. Tickets are on sale now for Rocky’s concert on Saturday, June 20, at Toyota Center, part of his “Don’t Be Dumb” tour. Words to live by.
The Fray started out as a Christian rock band, with several of its members attending the same Christian school in Denver. However, by the time of The Fray’s debut album in 2005, a shift away from strictly Christian themes had occurred, with the band believing that God had called them away from the religious camp and into the “secular market.” Who knew that God was an A and R man with savvy marketing instincts? Presales for The Fray’s concert on Friday, July 31, at the 713 Music Hall get underway on Thursday.
Concerts This Week
Bob Schneider has been a Texas favorite since his days fronting Joe Rock Head, the Ugly Americans and the Scabs in Austin during the ‘90s. These days, Schneider pursues a more singer-songwriter-ish direction, combining genres including rock, folk, country and funk. And did we mention that he is also an author and visual artist? Catch him on Thursday at the Mucky Duck.
San Antonio’s Two Tons of Steel rolls into the Duck on Friday. While you could call the band’s sound “cowpunk,” there is more to it than that, as front man Kevin Geil and his cohorts crank out a distinctive mix of honky-tonk, rockabilly and country, all delivered with a punk sensibility. We’re talking some serious high-energy music here, so get ready and buckle up.
Guitarist Alan Haynes has been playing the last Saturday of the month at the Big Easy for several (many?) years now, and with good reason. His career spans five decades, with stints in the house bands at Houston’s Texas Opry House and Austin’s Antone’s, and he has slapped leather on stage with everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Johnny Winter to Albert Collins. Suffice it to say that Haynes is the real deal. Get there early, because the place will fill up.
Like many younger artists, Rezz first gained notice after posting her music on SoundCloud and other online platforms. This, along with recognition from fellow DJ Skrillex, led to a deal with DeadMau5’s Mau5strap label. How to describe her sound? Well, Rezz says that her music is “eerie, grungy, dungeon sounds.” Yep, that about covers it. Catch Rezz in action on Saturday at the 713 Music Hall.
This article appears in Private: Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2026.