Rock Docs Podcast: Neil Young: Harvest Time, with guest Tyler Wilcox

It’s rare for an episode of Rock Docs to not cover a subject that’s legendary on some level—after all, you have to be kind of a big deal for someone to make a documentary about you—but this is still a big one: Neil Young. Your hosts, David Lizerbram and Andy Keatts, get to discussing Harvest Time, which was in fact directed by Neil himself.

Harvest Time follows Neil during the making of his legendary 1972 album Harvest (one of Treble’s Top 150 Albums of the ’70s), captured between January and September of 1971. The film is entirely in the verité style, featuring no contemporary voice over or commentary, and everything you see in the film was captured in 1971. Harvest Time showcases Neil jamming with the Stray Gators at the Broken Arrow Ranch, recording harmonies with Crosby, Stills, and Nash (not always all at once), working with the London Symphony Orchestra, and discussing the album (and film) on a radio station in Nashville. It’s less a straightforward documentary than an opportunity to sit back and soak in the vibes and enjoy the music.

This week’s guest is Tyler Wilcox, curator of Doom and Gloom from the Tomb, contributing writer at Aquarium Drunkard, performer in the band Prairiewolf, and someone who’s been known to spend a bit of time with the music of Neil Young. Hear the episode below, and check out the trailer for the film, which is only available via the Neil Young Archives.