Neil Young clearly is using media widely and wisely with this project. The varied releases at different times over the past few years have given Neil many opportunities to continue to get his urgent message out. Greendale is really a call to action, pointing out political corruption and urging people to take a stand. It also encourages people to be kinder and appreciate life's simpler pleasures. In addition to the electric Greendale CD and movie, Neil released a live acoustic version and studio outtakes DVD, and the aforementioned 304-page companion book released by Sanctuary Publishing. Young also toured extensively in 2004 in support of the album with an ambitiously entertaining theatrical stage production of Greendale.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine Mr. Young was asked if the youth of today could relate to this record.

"I don't think they'll ever get to hear it. The whole system of getting music around has passed me by. I don't fit into that anymore," Mr. Young stated before describing why this generation should be interested in hearing this record. "The energy in the last couple of songs ["Sun Green" and "Be the Rain"] - that's youth rising out of this. It hasn't gotten to the point where things have started moving yet, but this period is the biggest breeding ground for revolution in this country since the mid-Sixties. I don't think there's been a more ripe time for a generation to come along and rebel against all this."

Protecting Alaska is an important part of the Greendale story and it is a relevant issue as George W. Bush takes office for a second term. The President is determined to open up the Artic Refuge for oil drilling, claiming that it will reduce America's dependency on foreign oil. Yet, many experts believe that the Refuge will only provide the United States with a six-month supply and forever destroy the wilderness and wildlife.

In the making of the Greendale DVD, Neil states that it was not his original intention to write an album that would become a film. The songs evolved over time. Each day in the studio, Neil would present a new story. Billy and Ralph did not know in advance what they would be playing. Ideas grew and Greendale and its characters came to life. The music works well in both electric and acoustic formats. The galloping force of Crazy Horse on the electric version energizes this rocking yet insightful CD.

The film featured many of Young's family and friends. Neil explains that there were no scripts, they would arrive at the set and just go, somewhat similar to his music creating process. Young used a Super 8 camera and some of the shots are a little out of focus in the familiar Shakey Pictures style. The Greendale CD is the soundtrack and the storyline for the movie. The characters often speak the words from the songs and no great pains are taken to synchronize them but it does work. Neil's passion for old cars is incorporated into some of the scenes in the film.

The DVD starts with the credits and still shots of places in the film, along with the hand drawn map that appears on the CD cover. ‘Falling From Above' is the introductory song to some of Greendale's key characters. Grandpa Green speaks his mind and shares his gems of wisdom such as "a little love and affection in everything you do makes the world a better place, with or without you".

"Double E" opens with Sun Green working on a paper for school, spread out on her bed are books about saving wilderness and how to use the media. She is writing a report on Alaska. There are general observations about loving parents not letting their child spread her wings and change comes slow to the country.

In the next few clips, Sun is moving bales of hay as her father Earl paints and a weathered Captain Green warns his crew about The Devil in Greendale. The Devil lives in the jail, walks through walls and dances around in his red coat and shoes. Oddly enough he looks like Jed Green. The subtle humor in the movie includes a scene with the devil leering at the Greendale cheerleaders who are rooting for the "Fighting Demons".

"Leave The Driving To Us" shows Jed trafficking drugs and getting busted by Officer Carmichael who Jed ultimately kills. The song takes an interesting turn as Young questions the Patriot Act and warns against potential tyrranical-leaning legistation such as the TIPS program. Neil raps about "leave the driving to us because we will be watching you no matter what you do and you can do your part by watching others too". Grandpa comments on world events observing how "some people have taken pure bullshit and turned it into gold".

"Bandit" features Sun still moving bales of hay and some seedier sides of Greendale. A guitar string is completely out of tune on this slower-tempoed number yet the message is hopeful that "someday you'll find everything you're looking for".

"Grandpa's Interview" is a commentary on how invasive the media can be. Reporters are harassing Grandpa for an interview about his relative Jed. Grandpa wants nothing to do with them stating that it he is not obligated to talk to them and that the only good shows on TV are shows like Leave It To Beaver. Grandpa confronts the media on the front pouch but collapses. Grandpa "dies like a hero fighting for freedom of silence, trying to stop the media." In the meantime, The Devil is attempting to hitch a ride to Alaska.

After Grandpa's funeral, Grandma encourages Sun to go out and see the world. As she leaves Greendale the camera pans to a green field revealing Sun's message that she had made with the hay bails — a "no war" statement with a circle and slash through the word "war". Next, Sun activism has taken a more dangerous and depserate turn. She has chained herself to an eagle in the lobby of Power Co. She is speaking out against the energy crisis in California, communicating though a megaphone saying "hey, Mr. Clean, you're dirty now too".

After that incident, which gets plenty of news coverage, the FBI is following Sun. She meets her soulmate Earth Brown in a music club featuring the red hot Imitators. Brown is on his way to Alaska and invites her to join him. Earth warns her that Mother Earth has many enemies and that there is much work to be done. They return to her room to get her cat but the innocent feline has been shot by the feds. The FBI searched her room and planted a bag of pot there but things got confused and the charges get dropped.

Sun and Earth are heading north but he freaks out with bad dreams of Mother Earth being destroyed. Brown runs off leaving Earth to fight for Alaska. Yet, she is not alone. In 'Be The Rain' all the characters from Greendale, including the cheerleaders now dressed in camouflage, are on stage. Sun has her megaphone, shouting out the woes of the earth. The song is a spirited cry for action "We have a job to do – save mother earth". 'Be The Rain' is a high energy, anthem that should be a concert staple for years to come, if Young elects to do so.

The DVD is entertaining and a visual vehicle for telling the Greendale story and to convey Neil's deeper concerns about politics and the environment. The Greendale CD is powerful in its simplicity and is musically sound. If you're of this generation and you're looking for a modern day cause, go on out, pick up a copy of Greendale, join the green army and weld yourself to your region's equivalent golden eagle because "we've got a job to, we've got to save Mother Earth."

Related Links: For more information on Neil Young and Greendale and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- NeilYoung.com | Buy The Movie | Buy The Book | Buy The CD v.1 | Buy The CD v.2

(Originally Published on February 14, 2005)