Crazy Horse guitarist Frank ‘Poncho’ Sampedro would love Neil Young and Crazy Horse to play a farewell tour – but he doesn’t think he can talk Young into it.
He’s looking forward to retirement and says he’s not worried about his life ending. But he accepts his colleague is a completely different type of person.
Sampedro, 65, tells Uncut: “He’s speeding up while the rest of us are slowing down. I feel as if I could walk out in front of my house and put up a sign that says ‘mission accomplished.’ But he doesn’t feel that way.
“Here’s the difference: Neil is ready to live until he’s 100-and-something years old, and I think I’m going to die when I’m 73. I’m happy with it – I’ve abused myself so bad. It’s cool; I’ve lived a great life.
“It makes him shiver. He’s like, ‘No, man, just take care of yourself. You can live a long time.’ He refuses to accept it, whereas I just accept that that’s what’s going to happen. I can’t do all the shit I did and expect it not to happen!”
Young keeps himself busy with his music, his Pono player, his Lincvolt electric car project and a number of ecology campaigns. Sampedro reflects: “I can’t help but look him in the face and say, ‘Neil, you’re a great songwriter. I think you should keep writing songs and stay out of business.’
“But at the same time, if he can make a difference, if he really did change something, more power to him. I understand all the problems; I don’t know where to find the solution.”
The guitarist admits he doesn’t know if any Crazy Horse activity is in the pipeline. But he says: “I certainly hope so. My hope is that Neil writes a bunch of songs and in January, February, we start recording, and we go on a big tour.
“I always want to call it a farewell tour. But I don’t think Neil would ever accept that. I like to live in a perfect world – we had a farewell tour and got to say goodbye to all the people. I don’t know how to put it in words; like a Frank Capra movie, a big happy ending.”
