Neil Diamond to mix legendary fan favorites and new tunes at Qwest
He’s sold more than 115 million albums in the 42 years since his first hit. He’s penned anthems regularly sung by thousands at places such as Boston’s Fenway Park. And he’s performed to sold-out arenas for decades.
But Neil Diamond never had a No. 1 album until “Home Before Dark” hit the top of the charts late last month.
“I didn’t actually think it was my first No. 1,” the 67-year-old Diamond said in a Tuesday telephone press conference. “I thought for sure I’d had a No. 1 album sometime along the way. I thought ‘Hot August Night’ made it to No. 1. Then I was told it only made it to No. 2 …
“I’m told I’m the oldest performer in Billboard charts ever to have a No. 1 album, which amazes me. I don’t feel that old. But it’s nice that in this market full of young people, that seems to be aimed at young people, an old geezer can come along and knock some of them off their perches.”
“Home Before Dark” is the second stripped-down, acoustic guitar-based album that Diamond has made with producer Rick Rubin, the man who is credited with creating Johnny Cash’s late career renaissance by marketing the Man in Black to a younger, hip audience as well as his old fans.
Asked if he was attempting a similar marketing ploy, Diamond bluntly replied, “No,” then expanded his answer:
“I like the way I was invented originally,” he said. “I’ve kind of gotten used to it. This is just another step. I’ve been taking steps from the beginning. It’s me. I’m not reaching out for anybody except the audience who wants to listen. I’m not doing anything logical, anything planned out.”
That said, Diamond has done some planning in order to incorporate a few songs from “Home Before Dark” into his legendary show, which will stop at Omaha’s Qwest Center on Thursday for the third show of his North American tour.
“I don’t do them as sparse or as spare as they are on the new album, maybe with the exception of ‘Home Before Dark,’” he said. “They seem to fit very well. The audience responds to them very well. They seem to like them.”
Diamond knows how the new songs go over because he’s already toured Europe this year. Now he’s playing places he likes in the United States, mixing his classics and fan favorites with his new material.
There are a half-dozen songs that Diamond feels he has to do at every show. That list includes “America,” the ballpark anthem “Sweet Caroline,” and the finale “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.”
“I’ve always closed my shows with ‘Brother Love’ because it says so many things for me,” he said. “It kind of sums up who I am and what my feelings are about people, that they can be the best.”
Along the way, Diamond knows that the crowd will be singing along to songs such as “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Cherry Cherry” and “Solitary Man,” his first hit from back in 1966.
“As long as they know I’m the main singer, they can do with the songs what they like,” he said of the singalongs. “I’ve heard some pretty horrid notes out there.”
Fan ownership of his songs is somewhat of a tradeoff for Diamond, who credits his audience for the energy he has brought to his shows over more than four decades.
“The secret is the audience,” he said. “It’s got very little to do with me. They establish the atmosphere and the ambiance. I reflect it. I want to do a show as well as I can, sing as well as I can. But the energy comes from the audience.”
Diamond said he plans to take a tour around the globe over the next few months. But beyond that, he has made no plans for a third collaboration with Rubin or anything else.
“I’m so much into this project now — the touring, the completion of the album — I haven’t sat down and logically thought about where I want to go next,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy the wonderful fallout from the album and all the wonderful responses to the tour. I’m going to enjoy them, then think about what I’m going to do next. But you can bet it will be something with music.”
Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.
But Neil Diamond never had a No. 1 album until “Home Before Dark” hit the top of the charts late last month.
“I didn’t actually think it was my first No. 1,” the 67-year-old Diamond said in a Tuesday telephone press conference. “I thought for sure I’d had a No. 1 album sometime along the way. I thought ‘Hot August Night’ made it to No. 1. Then I was told it only made it to No. 2 …
“I’m told I’m the oldest performer in Billboard charts ever to have a No. 1 album, which amazes me. I don’t feel that old. But it’s nice that in this market full of young people, that seems to be aimed at young people, an old geezer can come along and knock some of them off their perches.”
“Home Before Dark” is the second stripped-down, acoustic guitar-based album that Diamond has made with producer Rick Rubin, the man who is credited with creating Johnny Cash’s late career renaissance by marketing the Man in Black to a younger, hip audience as well as his old fans.
Asked if he was attempting a similar marketing ploy, Diamond bluntly replied, “No,” then expanded his answer:
“I like the way I was invented originally,” he said. “I’ve kind of gotten used to it. This is just another step. I’ve been taking steps from the beginning. It’s me. I’m not reaching out for anybody except the audience who wants to listen. I’m not doing anything logical, anything planned out.”
That said, Diamond has done some planning in order to incorporate a few songs from “Home Before Dark” into his legendary show, which will stop at Omaha’s Qwest Center on Thursday for the third show of his North American tour.
“I don’t do them as sparse or as spare as they are on the new album, maybe with the exception of ‘Home Before Dark,’” he said. “They seem to fit very well. The audience responds to them very well. They seem to like them.”
Diamond knows how the new songs go over because he’s already toured Europe this year. Now he’s playing places he likes in the United States, mixing his classics and fan favorites with his new material.
There are a half-dozen songs that Diamond feels he has to do at every show. That list includes “America,” the ballpark anthem “Sweet Caroline,” and the finale “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.”
“I’ve always closed my shows with ‘Brother Love’ because it says so many things for me,” he said. “It kind of sums up who I am and what my feelings are about people, that they can be the best.”
Along the way, Diamond knows that the crowd will be singing along to songs such as “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Cherry Cherry” and “Solitary Man,” his first hit from back in 1966.
“As long as they know I’m the main singer, they can do with the songs what they like,” he said of the singalongs. “I’ve heard some pretty horrid notes out there.”
Fan ownership of his songs is somewhat of a tradeoff for Diamond, who credits his audience for the energy he has brought to his shows over more than four decades.
“The secret is the audience,” he said. “It’s got very little to do with me. They establish the atmosphere and the ambiance. I reflect it. I want to do a show as well as I can, sing as well as I can. But the energy comes from the audience.”
Diamond said he plans to take a tour around the globe over the next few months. But beyond that, he has made no plans for a third collaboration with Rubin or anything else.
“I’m so much into this project now — the touring, the completion of the album — I haven’t sat down and logically thought about where I want to go next,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy the wonderful fallout from the album and all the wonderful responses to the tour. I’m going to enjoy them, then think about what I’m going to do next. But you can bet it will be something with music.”
Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.
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