Times are cruel, my friends. My biggest hero makes me sell my most treasured possession. In order to keep track of all the records that Neil Young keeps churning out, I have to sell the autograph he gave me in 1989. On the sleeve of the rarest of his records: the Japanese-only Eldorado. I love music, and a lot of musicians. But Neil is, by far, the best. I have been following him since Déjà vu was released. I got it on musicassette, which was completely worn out after a year. Could not stop playing it. CSNY were awesome. But the songs, voice and guitarplaying of Neil topped it all. So I delved into him. Got the previous Springfield-albums. And bought everything he released since then. And yes, including some bootlegs, that means 208 albums. Of which many are double or triple. Do I need to explain the love? His wonderful songs, the beautiful lyrics, his passionate personality, his awesome work for the environment, his schizophrenic guitarplaying: moody acoustics or whailing and screaming solo’s. His guitar can caress and kill. Boy, this is the man! I have been, literally, to every (European) tour of his since 1976. All festivals (he has been to many Torhout/Werchters and Rosskildes), the strange one in de Amsterdam Opera house, the one where we were not allowed to stand up, leave, smoke or drink a beer (the Greendale tour). Being Dutch I always also went to Belgium and many German concerts. Never, never disappointed. Of course I have his Pono-device, am a member of his wonderful Archives-community, and have his two archive-boxes, in several versions. But lately he got me into trouble. Since he sold the rights of his catalogue, that company floods us with releases. Different vinyl-colours, extra tracks, archived material. Hardly a wek goes by without another outing. Currently he has trhree series running. Official Bootlegs (OBS), Special Releases (SRS), Archives (PS). Plus the ‘normal’ new stuff. And a lot of them come in varieties, boxed, or with dvd’s. My god. This is undoable on my little pension-income. Time for drastic measures. In the eighties I was a music journalist. Interviewed everybody from Abba to Zappa. And yes, finally I got to meet Him. It was in the prestigious Amstel Hotel. We talked for (exactly) twenty minutes, then Elliot Roberts knocked on the door. That was the end. He accompanied me to the hallway, where more people were waiting. They wanted his autograph. I had not dare to ask before. But now I flipped out my most precious possession of those days. Remember the Eldorado album? That was something else. Consisted of only five songs (cocaine eyes, on broadway…) and only released in Japan, on CD. Nowhere else available (then...) It cost me a fortune, but I got one. Neil smiled when he saw it, gave an appreciative nod and signed. It has been, literally, in my vault since. And Neil? Upon leaving somebody asked him ‘whether he liked opera’, which was the fad then. “Sure”, he said, with a devious smile. “Whenever I pass a pizzeria, I hum along.” I have not met him since, but am left with the proof of that get-together. It is now to be yours. Check the pics. It is in mint condition, as is the box and the CD. It will be wrapped with care, send by registered to sign-for mail. And I will do my best not to stain it with tears. It feels like selling my soul. But hey, it will be wisely spent. More Neils… Eldorado Label: Reprise Number: 20P2-2651 Format: cd Released: 1989 Condition sleeve: as new Condition vinyl: as new Included: Autograph!