Neil Diamond teams up with Rick Rubin for new album

trackaghost · #1 09-29-2005, 07:02 AM

Why did no one tell me this????!!!!

The new album is called 12 Songs and is out on November 7 (my birthday - thanks Neil!) by the way.

Diamond Teams With Rubin
Pop legend returns to songwriting roots on upcoming set

Rick Rubin is hoping to do for Neil Diamond what he did for Johnny Cash. The producer -- who revived the Man in Black's career in the Nineties with the Grammy-winning American Recordings series -- has revealed to Rolling Stone that he is producing Diamond's next album, the follow-up to 2001's Three Chord Opera.
"I've always been a fan. We got to meet and talk, and it just kind of happened," Rubin says of the project, which he hopes will be out by year's end. "We've done all the basic tracks, and we're gonna go from there."

The record will mark a slight change in direction for Diamond, moving away from his recent, lavishly arranged crooner material to his stripped-down singer-songwriter style of the late Sixties. "This is more of a songwriter's album than a singer's album," says Rubin.

Diamond made his name almost forty years ago penning such anthems as "Kentucky Woman," "Sweet Caroline" and "Cracklin' Rosie." The Monkees scored a Number One hit with Diamond's "I'm a Believer" in 1966, UB40 did the same with "Red, Red Wine" in 1988 and Urge Overkill's rendition of "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" was the leftfield hit from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack in 1994. Cash and Rubin worked up a cover of Diamond's "Solitary Man" for 2000's American III: Solitary Man.

Rubin hopes the record will underscore Diamond's reputation as one of pop's greatest songwriters: "He deserves it more than anyone."

Diamond is currently on tour in Australia. He will then travel to Europe before beginning a U.S. trek in July.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/sto...s-player=false

skcin · #2 09-29-2005, 08:22 AM

I had heard about it, but I had no clue when it was being released. Happy birthday to YOU!

shackin'up · #3 09-29-2005, 08:29 AM

Well, That IS spectacular news!!!! I really hope Rick will be able to get some rockguitar in the mix and give the man his balls back. His voice still has it, his approach towards the popstructures hasbn't for years and years.

Thanks Sharon, the last three weeks you and some others have definately refueled my Ledge-addiction. I was busy with a cold Turkey but i'm hooked again.

shackin'up · #4 09-29-2005, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Why did no one tell me this????!!!!

I'm sorry dear I didn't know until this post!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Rubin hopes the record will underscore Diamond's reputation as one of pop's greatest songwriters: "He deserves it more than anyone."

Now there's truth in one line. It's a blizzard through my spine.

hayley · #5 09-29-2005, 09:37 AM

I figured you knew about it ? We're all excited about it. I think it's going to break Neil to hipsters in the way Rick did it for JC.

It was originally supposed to be out in October but they bumped it to November... I can't wait to hear it.

Livia · #6 09-29-2005, 11:03 AM

WILD!

gldstwmn · #7 09-29-2005, 12:24 PM

Now this should be interesting.

trackaghost · #8 09-29-2005, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shackin'up

Thanks Sharon, the last three weeks you and some others have definately refueled my Ledge-addiction. I was busy with a cold Turkey but i'm hooked again.

Ha! I knew I'd do it some how

trackaghost · #9 09-29-2005, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayley

I figured you knew about it ? We're all excited about it. I think it's going to break Neil to hipsters in the way Rick did it for JC.

It was originally supposed to be out in October but they bumped it to November... I can't wait to hear it.

I don't know how I missed it, but I'm really excited too

Here's the sleeve:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ima...507846&s=music

hayley · #10 10-14-2005, 11:44 AM

I heard a ton of new info on this album today, which is why I'm bumping this thread... what excites me the most is that two of the backup musicians for the entire album are Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench.

Also, there's a duet with Brian Wilson, a bonus track called "Delirious Love."

Jyqm · #11 10-14-2005, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Why did no one tell me this????!!!!

I thought everybody knew...

I'm very excited about this, as well. Rick is a fabulous producer capable of so many different things. I'm hoping for something about half-way between Cash's American Recordings and Jay-Z's "99 Problems." Intimate with teeth...

As somebody else mentioned, this could very well get some hipsters into Diamond. He's already teetering pretty close to the edge of acceptance thanks to his appearance in Saving Silverman.

Let's do it, Neil. I think a lot of people are excited to take this trip with you.

I'm a bit nervous about this "content/copy protection" thing, though, and the album is a Sony release. I damn well better be able to rip it to my iPod: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=music

Jyqm · #12 10-14-2005, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayley

I heard a ton of new info on this album today, which is why I'm bumping this thread... what excites me the most is that two of the backup musicians for the entire album are Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench.

Both of whom played quite a bit on most of Rubin's albums with Cash...

Quote:

Also, there's a duet with Brian Wilson, a bonus track called "Delirious Love."

I think the bonus track will only be available on the digipak versions of the CD, which sounds great to me. I prefer digipaks to jewel cases anyway.

Livia · #13 10-14-2005, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayley

I heard a ton of new info on this album today, which is why I'm bumping this thread... what excites me the most is that two of the backup musicians for the entire album are Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench.

Also, there's a duet with Brian Wilson, a bonus track called "Delirious Love."

Sweeeet!