Ai Weiwei Recording a Metal Album

The controversial Chinese artist and outspoken political dissident Ai Weiwei is planning to release his first heavy metal album – a decision that stemmed from boredom during his governmental detainment in 2011.

The sculptor and installation artist, who protests the Chinese government's human rights and democratic actions in his elaborate works, collaborated on the nine-song album with rock musician Zuoxiao Zuzhou. A friend, Zuzhou was questioned during Weiwei's detention by the Chinese government in 2011, reports the Guardian.

Elton John Dedicates Beijing Concert to Chinese Dissident

"To tell you the truth, I never listened to music. Then, during my detention, the guards were so bored they kept saying to me, 'Can you sing a song?'" Weiwei tells the Guardian. "After I came out, I realized I had never really listened to music or sung, so I decided to make an album. I know so many artists and musicians and they were really supportive."

Weiwei is working on his own cover art for the record, as well as a "softer" second album of love songs, though he admits he is unclear on how to release his music to the public. For advice on that, he says, he will turn to a high-profile supporter: Elton John, who dedicated a show in Beijing to the artist in November 2012.

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Ai Weiwei Recording a Metal Album

The controversial Chinese artist and outspoken political dissident Ai Weiwei is planning to release his first heavy metal album – a decision that stemmed from boredom during his governmental detainment in 2011.

The sculptor and installation artist, who protests the Chinese government's human rights and democratic actions in his elaborate works, collaborated on the nine-song album with rock musician Zuoxiao Zuzhou. A friend, Zuzhou was questioned during Weiwei's detention by the Chinese government in 2011, reports the Guardian.

Elton John Dedicates Beijing Concert to Chinese Dissident

"To tell you the truth, I never listened to music. Then, during my detention, the guards were so bored they kept saying to me, 'Can you sing a song?'" Weiwei tells the Guardian. "After I came out, I realized I had never really listened to music or sung, so I decided to make an album. I know so many artists and musicians and they were really supportive."

Weiwei is working on his own cover art for the record, as well as a "softer" second album of love songs, though he admits he is unclear on how to release his music to the public. For advice on that, he says, he will turn to a high-profile supporter: Elton John, who dedicated a show in Beijing to the artist in November 2012.

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Rolling Stones Recording in France

Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones

After months of speculation whether the Rolling Stones would record this year to mark their 50th anniversary, the band spent time in a Paris recording studio last week. The band was photographed exiting an unnamed studio on August 21st. Two days, later, Jagger tweeted a photo of himself in a studio surrounded by some very Stonesy items: cases of Fender amps, Telecasters, Stratocasters and several harmonicas. "Had fun in the Paris studio this week!" he wrote. 

Last week, the Stones also posted a cryptic image of animal eyes on their Facebook page, instructing fans to download the free "uView" app and point their phones at the screen. The eyes came to life and an animal growled while "Start Me Up" played.

It's at least the third time the band has gathered in recent months; they rehearsed in the New York area in late April. "We played everything, really," Keith Richards told Rolling Stone then. "We're just getting our chops together. It was like playing in the garage, a maintenance check, you know?"

The last day of the rehearsals was filmed by director Brett Morgen for a documentary chronicling the band's history to appear on HBO this fall. "Someone would mention a song, and within the second run they had nailed it," Morgen says. "Having screened through 50 years of material over the last six months, I would rank it up there with anything I've ever heard from them. They were extremely tight."

The band also gathered in London in July to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a photo exhibit. Before that meeting, Keith Richards told Rolling Stone the band would also use the time to discuss recording. "I'd love to get some tracks down and see what songs we've got. And that goes along with part of getting the band back together and getting things moving. So I'd love to cut some tracks, yeah." Asked if he saw himself writing one-on-one with Jagger again, Richards replied, "I have no doubt."

If the band is recording new material, it would be their first new songs since 2005's A Bigger Bang. (They've since brushed up a few old songs for 2010's Exile on Main Street and 2011's Some Girls reissue compilations).

Shows are on the horizon too. In July, Jagger surprised fans by mentioning in an interview with the London Evening Standard that the band would be playing live "in the autumn . . . You will definitely be seeing us all together soon. It's been great fun being back together and there are a lot of memories in here. I can't believe it's been 50 years. We've been hanging out together, seeing quite a bit of each other and we want to do some gigs."

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Rolling Stones Recording in France

Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones

After months of speculation whether the Rolling Stones would record this year to mark their 50th anniversary, the band spent time in a Paris recording studio last week. The band was photographed exiting an unnamed studio on August 21st. Two days, later, Jagger tweeted a photo of himself in a studio surrounded by some very Stonesy items: cases of Fender amps, Telecasters, Stratocasters and several harmonicas. "Had fun in the Paris studio this week!" he wrote. 

Last week, the Stones also posted a cryptic image of animal eyes on their Facebook page, instructing fans to download the free "uView" app and point their phones at the screen. The eyes came to life and an animal growled while "Start Me Up" played.

It's at least the third time the band has gathered in recent months; they rehearsed in the New York area in late April. "We played everything, really," Keith Richards told Rolling Stone then. "We're just getting our chops together. It was like playing in the garage, a maintenance check, you know?"

The last day of the rehearsals was filmed by director Brett Morgen for a documentary chronicling the band's history to appear on HBO this fall. "Someone would mention a song, and within the second run they had nailed it," Morgen says. "Having screened through 50 years of material over the last six months, I would rank it up there with anything I've ever heard from them. They were extremely tight."

The band also gathered in London in July to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a photo exhibit. Before that meeting, Keith Richards told Rolling Stone the band would also use the time to discuss recording. "I'd love to get some tracks down and see what songs we've got. And that goes along with part of getting the band back together and getting things moving. So I'd love to cut some tracks, yeah." Asked if he saw himself writing one-on-one with Jagger again, Richards replied, "I have no doubt."

If the band is recording new material, it would be their first new songs since 2005's A Bigger Bang. (They've since brushed up a few old songs for 2010's Exile on Main Street and 2011's Some Girls reissue compilations).

Shows are on the horizon too. In July, Jagger surprised fans by mentioning in an interview with the London Evening Standard that the band would be playing live "in the autumn . . . You will definitely be seeing us all together soon. It's been great fun being back together and there are a lot of memories in here. I can't believe it's been 50 years. We've been hanging out together, seeing quite a bit of each other and we want to do some gigs."

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Michael Franti and Spearhead Recording 'More Aggressive' New Album

Michael Franti of Spearhead performs at Brixton Academy, London. Amanda Rose/Photoshot/Getty Images

Michael Franti and Spearhead are currently working on their eighth studio album, and the frontman says it will be a bit of a sonic departure from previous Spearhead efforts. "This album is a lot harder and more aggressive," Franti tells Rolling Stone. "There are some songs that are just acoustic guitar and nothing else, but the ones that aren't like that are louder and at times more punk rock, with dance beats to them."

While the band hasn't decided on an album title yet, Franti says it will arrive sometime in the fall, with a to-be-determined lead single dropping in the summer. So far 35 songs have been recorded, and they'll eventually be whittled down to an album's worth of tunes. The album also promises to be a more collaborative effort.

"We're working with a lot of different producers on this record," says Franti. "Sly & Robbie, we're going to do some work with them. I've been producing a lot of stuff with my guitarist, Jay Bowman. But we've been collaborating with lots of different songwriters. This is the first time I've done this."

The singer-guitarist is also drawing his inspiration for the record from a higher place. "I've been inspired by viewing Earth from outer space," Franti explains. "When you see photographs of Earth, you think of it as a-single celled organism floating through the universe, and then you get in closer and you see all the joys and problems and the human relationships we have. Just the macro and micro perspective of the Earth and its politics right now." The theme is reflected in the title of one track, "Earth from Outer Space," while another tune called "11:59" is a "metaphor for where we're at in the world today, being at this precipice with so many big changes taking place," Franti says.

Fans won't have to wait as long to catch Michael Franti & Spearhead live, as they're planning to launch a tour this May and play dates throughout the summer festival season, followed by a proper headlining tour in support of the new LP. The constant gigging has been key to the success of Spearhead's last two albums, says Franti.

"We've just been out on the road, and a lot of our attention that has come to our band has been through word of mouth and social messaging," he says. "But in the past few years, we've had a few songs that were for whatever reason – and a surprise to us – played on the radio a lot. Radio still informs a lot of people about music. I think had it been five years before, those same songs wouldn't be played on the radio. The time has changed now, where the way people collect music through the Internet has broadened their taste. I think it's a really great time to be a musician today, and to be an independent musician like myself who can have the kind of successes that we had. We're just really fortunate."

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Michael Franti and Spearhead Recording 'More Aggressive' New Album

Michael Franti of Spearhead performs at Brixton Academy, London. Amanda Rose/Photoshot/Getty Images

Michael Franti and Spearhead are currently working on their eighth studio album, and the frontman says it will be a bit of a sonic departure from previous Spearhead efforts. "This album is a lot harder and more aggressive," Franti tells Rolling Stone. "There are some songs that are just acoustic guitar and nothing else, but the ones that aren't like that are louder and at times more punk rock, with dance beats to them."

While the band hasn't decided on an album title yet, Franti says it will arrive sometime in the fall, with a to-be-determined lead single dropping in the summer. So far 35 songs have been recorded, and they'll eventually be whittled down to an album's worth of tunes. The album also promises to be a more collaborative effort.

"We're working with a lot of different producers on this record," says Franti. "Sly & Robbie, we're going to do some work with them. I've been producing a lot of stuff with my guitarist, Jay Bowman. But we've been collaborating with lots of different songwriters. This is the first time I've done this."

The singer-guitarist is also drawing his inspiration for the record from a higher place. "I've been inspired by viewing Earth from outer space," Franti explains. "When you see photographs of Earth, you think of it as a-single celled organism floating through the universe, and then you get in closer and you see all the joys and problems and the human relationships we have. Just the macro and micro perspective of the Earth and its politics right now." The theme is reflected in the title of one track, "Earth from Outer Space," while another tune called "11:59" is a "metaphor for where we're at in the world today, being at this precipice with so many big changes taking place," Franti says.

Fans won't have to wait as long to catch Michael Franti & Spearhead live, as they're planning to launch a tour this May and play dates throughout the summer festival season, followed by a proper headlining tour in support of the new LP. The constant gigging has been key to the success of Spearhead's last two albums, says Franti.

"We've just been out on the road, and a lot of our attention that has come to our band has been through word of mouth and social messaging," he says. "But in the past few years, we've had a few songs that were for whatever reason – and a surprise to us – played on the radio a lot. Radio still informs a lot of people about music. I think had it been five years before, those same songs wouldn't be played on the radio. The time has changed now, where the way people collect music through the Internet has broadened their taste. I think it's a really great time to be a musician today, and to be an independent musician like myself who can have the kind of successes that we had. We're just really fortunate."

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Mark Ronson Discusses Recording New Song With Katy B for Global Olympic Ad Campaign

Mark Ronson signs the 'Beat Wall' during the launch of the Coca-Cola 'Move to the Beat' campaign for the London 2012 Olympic Games.Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Mark Ronson and athletics haven’t always mixed well. A year after moving from London to Brooklyn, the DJ, artist, and Grammy-winning producer managed to head in the wrong direction at a relay race during fourth-grade field day. He spent the final three years of elementary school saddled with the nickname "Wrong Way Ronson." More than a quarter-century later, Ronson will earn some redemption and be inescapably linked to this summer’s London Olympics after teaming with dance-pop singer Katy B to write "Anywhere in the World," the centerpiece of a global Coca-Cola ad campaign in which the musicians will also star.

Coca-Cola approached Ronson at his Brooklyn studio in the hopes of enlisting him to create a pop song built in part from samples of Olympic athletes in training. Best known for crafting warm, classicist sounds with Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Lily Allen, he wasn’t a natural choice to work with a dance star and innovative sampling techniques, but that’s exactly what drew Ronson to the project. "I'd kind of enjoyed the challenge of a different way of recording," says Ronson. "It's kind of a science project. That's what makes it fun to me. That's what stimulates my brain." (Ronson is also following in the footsteps of his stepdad, Foreigner’s Mick Jones; his band’s "Street Thunder" was the official marathon theme at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.)

Ronson himself was charged with selecting a vocalist, and in Katy B – fresh off the critical and commercial success of her On a Mission LP – he got his first choice. "I think Katy B encapsulates Young London in a way I never could," says the London native, who splits time between the U.S. and the UK. "She reps London harder than anyone song-wise since Lily Allen."

To provide the track’s unique rhythm, Ronson traveled the world and conducted field recordings of Olympian hopefuls: American hurdler David Oliver, British table tennis player Daruis Knight, Russian middle-distance runner Kseniya Vdovina, Mexican taekwondo practitioner Maria Espinoza, and Singaporean archer Dayyan Jaffar. "[The athletes] were excited but at the same time they are in the middle of training," says Ronson. "They're some of the most focused and determined people I've ever met in a way that makes musicians look like slackers. Which we are."

Despite the challenges of having an unfamiliar recording process imposed on him, Ronson – with help from longtime Olympics sound designer Dennis Baxter – found creative ways to capture everything from grunting to the distinctive sounds of a table tennis volley. Vdovina ran on a treadmill, with a microphone and a stethoscope attached; her heartbeat recorded at 120 bpm provides the literal pulse of the song.

Ronson, Katy B, and four of the five athletes recently staged a live performance of the song in order to film ads that will serve as the centerpiece of an extravagant Coca-Cola Move to the Beat™ London 2012 Olympic Games campaign. The resulting spot, filmed in the shadow of London’s Olympic Stadium, looks like a live-action Busby Berkeley musical with Ronson directing elaborate choreography designed to bring different elements of the track to life. Ronson will also have the honor of carrying the Olympic torch on part of its journey to the Opening Ceremony at East London’s newly constructed Olympic Stadium on July 27.

Coca-Cola has a long history with pop music, starting with the famous, Haskell Wexler-directed "Hilltop" ad that propelled "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" to the top of the charts in 1971. Even if "Anywhere in the World" doesn’t match that, songs linked to high-profile athletic competitions have fared well in recent years. Shakira’s "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)," written for the 2010 World Cup, hit Number One in more than a dozen countries. So too did Junkie XL’s remix of Elvis Presley’s "A Little Less Conversation" after it was featured in Nike’s 2002 World Cup ads. "This gives me an opportunity to have our songs played in places that have never heard of us," says Ronson. "The Coke people have always seemed dedicated to exposing talent that's not so obvious. They could have signed will.i.am. I feel pretty lucky that this is something I get to be part of."

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Mark Ronson Discusses Recording New Song With Katy B for Global Olympic Ad Campaign

Mark Ronson signs the 'Beat Wall' during the launch of the Coca-Cola 'Move to the Beat' campaign for the London 2012 Olympic Games.Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Mark Ronson and athletics haven’t always mixed well. A year after moving from London to Brooklyn, the DJ, artist, and Grammy-winning producer managed to head in the wrong direction at a relay race during fourth-grade field day. He spent the final three years of elementary school saddled with the nickname "Wrong Way Ronson." More than a quarter-century later, Ronson will earn some redemption and be inescapably linked to this summer’s London Olympics after teaming with dance-pop singer Katy B to write "Anywhere in the World," the centerpiece of a global Coca-Cola ad campaign in which the musicians will also star.

Coca-Cola approached Ronson at his Brooklyn studio in the hopes of enlisting him to create a pop song built in part from samples of Olympic athletes in training. Best known for crafting warm, classicist sounds with Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Lily Allen, he wasn’t a natural choice to work with a dance star and innovative sampling techniques, but that’s exactly what drew Ronson to the project. "I'd kind of enjoyed the challenge of a different way of recording," says Ronson. "It's kind of a science project. That's what makes it fun to me. That's what stimulates my brain." (Ronson is also following in the footsteps of his stepdad, Foreigner’s Mick Jones; his band’s "Street Thunder" was the official marathon theme at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.)

Ronson himself was charged with selecting a vocalist, and in Katy B – fresh off the critical and commercial success of her On a Mission LP – he got his first choice. "I think Katy B encapsulates Young London in a way I never could," says the London native, who splits time between the U.S. and the UK. "She reps London harder than anyone song-wise since Lily Allen."

To provide the track’s unique rhythm, Ronson traveled the world and conducted field recordings of Olympian hopefuls: American hurdler David Oliver, British table tennis player Daruis Knight, Russian middle-distance runner Kseniya Vdovina, Mexican taekwondo practitioner Maria Espinoza, and Singaporean archer Dayyan Jaffar. "[The athletes] were excited but at the same time they are in the middle of training," says Ronson. "They're some of the most focused and determined people I've ever met in a way that makes musicians look like slackers. Which we are."

Despite the challenges of having an unfamiliar recording process imposed on him, Ronson – with help from longtime Olympics sound designer Dennis Baxter – found creative ways to capture everything from grunting to the distinctive sounds of a table tennis volley. Vdovina ran on a treadmill, with a microphone and a stethoscope attached; her heartbeat recorded at 120 bpm provides the literal pulse of the song.

Ronson, Katy B, and four of the five athletes recently staged a live performance of the song in order to film ads that will serve as the centerpiece of an extravagant Coca-Cola Move to the Beat™ London 2012 Olympic Games campaign. The resulting spot, filmed in the shadow of London’s Olympic Stadium, looks like a live-action Busby Berkeley musical with Ronson directing elaborate choreography designed to bring different elements of the track to life. Ronson will also have the honor of carrying the Olympic torch on part of its journey to the Opening Ceremony at East London’s newly constructed Olympic Stadium on July 27.

Coca-Cola has a long history with pop music, starting with the famous, Haskell Wexler-directed "Hilltop" ad that propelled "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" to the top of the charts in 1971. Even if "Anywhere in the World" doesn’t match that, songs linked to high-profile athletic competitions have fared well in recent years. Shakira’s "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)," written for the 2010 World Cup, hit Number One in more than a dozen countries. So too did Junkie XL’s remix of Elvis Presley’s "A Little Less Conversation" after it was featured in Nike’s 2002 World Cup ads. "This gives me an opportunity to have our songs played in places that have never heard of us," says Ronson. "The Coke people have always seemed dedicated to exposing talent that's not so obvious. They could have signed will.i.am. I feel pretty lucky that this is something I get to be part of."

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Creed Recording New Album, Revisiting Their Past on Tour

Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti of Creed perform in Tinley Park, Illinois.

Creed are simultaneously looking back and ahead these days. While the band is hitting the road April 13th in Chicago for a month-long tour that will find them playing their first two albums, My Own Prison and Human Clay, from start to finish, the band is also well into working on a new album, their first since 2003's Weathered. 

"We spent about three to four weeks together jamming and writing new material," frontman Scott Stapp tells Rolling Stone. "We feel five [new songs] have the symmetry and continuity within themselves and will make the record. So if you want to look at it from that perspective, we’re halfway there."

Right now there is no timeline for the record, though Stapp says, "We could begin tracking as soon as March, and [if that happens] of course we’ll have a record out this summer." Regardless, the whole band is in agreement that the top priority is making the best record they can. "We’re gonna continue to write until we feel we have the strongest, best album we’ve ever done. That’s our goal. If it takes all year to do that and the album doesn’t come out until next year, then so be it."

Given their excitement about the new record, is there a chance the band could preview some new material on the upcoming tour? "We would love to. If we get it where it needs to be, we'll definitely play it," guitarist Mark Tremonti says.

Tremonti agrees with Stapp's assessment that they have about five tracks locked in to make the record. "There's two that you might hear on the radio," he says. "There's one heavier, high-energy type of tune. And there's kind of a moodier, slower, longer finger-picked song, like 'Faceless Man.' It's kind of all over the place, but we're very happy with what we've got so far."

There will also be some clues to the new album in the older material when the band revisits the first two albums on their upcoming tour. "It just reminds you to not overcomplicate things," Tremonti says. "We'll stick to making a record formed around these big melodies that I think were always kind of the essence of the band."

Adds Stapp: "As we’re going through this material, jamming and stuff, I think it brings back the memories of how things were before the success – our relationships and how we looked at what to do, an appreciation for it all. It’s definitely rubbing off on the new music."

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Creed Recording New Album, Revisiting Their Past on Tour

Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti of Creed perform in Tinley Park, Illinois.

Creed are simultaneously looking back and ahead these days. While the band is hitting the road April 13th in Chicago for a month-long tour that will find them playing their first two albums, My Own Prison and Human Clay, from start to finish, the band is also well into working on a new album, their first since 2003's Weathered. 

"We spent about three to four weeks together jamming and writing new material," frontman Scott Stapp tells Rolling Stone. "We feel five [new songs] have the symmetry and continuity within themselves and will make the record. So if you want to look at it from that perspective, we’re halfway there."

Right now there is no timeline for the record, though Stapp says, "We could begin tracking as soon as March, and [if that happens] of course we’ll have a record out this summer." Regardless, the whole band is in agreement that the top priority is making the best record they can. "We’re gonna continue to write until we feel we have the strongest, best album we’ve ever done. That’s our goal. If it takes all year to do that and the album doesn’t come out until next year, then so be it."

Given their excitement about the new record, is there a chance the band could preview some new material on the upcoming tour? "We would love to. If we get it where it needs to be, we'll definitely play it," guitarist Mark Tremonti says.

Tremonti agrees with Stapp's assessment that they have about five tracks locked in to make the record. "There's two that you might hear on the radio," he says. "There's one heavier, high-energy type of tune. And there's kind of a moodier, slower, longer finger-picked song, like 'Faceless Man.' It's kind of all over the place, but we're very happy with what we've got so far."

There will also be some clues to the new album in the older material when the band revisits the first two albums on their upcoming tour. "It just reminds you to not overcomplicate things," Tremonti says. "We'll stick to making a record formed around these big melodies that I think were always kind of the essence of the band."

Adds Stapp: "As we’re going through this material, jamming and stuff, I think it brings back the memories of how things were before the success – our relationships and how we looked at what to do, an appreciation for it all. It’s definitely rubbing off on the new music."

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Neil Young Recording New Album With Crazy Horse

Neil Young jams with Crazy Horse guitarist Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro in Hong Kong in November 2003.RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images

Neil Young is recording a new album with Crazy Horse, according to a post on Young's fansite Thrasher's Wheat – and now confirmed by Rolling Stone: "It's looking good," a representative for Young says. According to the fansite report, Young shared the news over the weekend at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, at an event with Jonathan Demme to promote their new movie Journeys. The audience "erupted in applause" when Young said that he was working with Crazy Horse again. Multiple fans subsequently posted on Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina's Facebook wall to ask if the news was true. His response: "Yes!" 

Young began playing with the garage rock band in 1968 and they back him on many of his greatest albums, including Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Zuma, Rust Never Sleeps and Ragged Glory. Their last album was the 2003 rock opera Greendale, though it didn't feature guitarist Frank "Poncho" Sampedro. The band (including Poncho) toured with Young in 2003 and 2004 to support the disc, though they haven't played together since the tour ended March 21st, 2004 at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. This has been the longest time Young has gone without performing with the group since their formation, though Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina played with Young on his 2007 disc Chrome Dreams II and the first few legs of the supporting tour. He was replaced by drummer Chad Cromwell in the summer of 2008 for unknown reasons.

The full line-up of Crazy Horse hasn't backed Young on an album since Broken Arrow in 1996, though they did record an LP in 2000 called Toast that Neil opted to shelf. "It's great rock & roll, very moody, kind of jazzy," Young told Rolling Stone in 2008, who was then contemplating a release of the disc. "It's really dark. It's got everything that the best Crazy Horse albums have had. It won't be the most commercial Crazy Horse album ever out."

In that same interview, we asked Neil if he had any desire to work with Crazy Horse again. "I'm not thinking about that right now," he said. "We'll just see what happens. Something might happen. You never know. Or something else we don't even know about could happen, and that would be really good, rather than go back. But if the vibe's right to go back and grab what's back there and yank it into the future, that's a big job."

According to the report on Thrasher's Wheat, Young said that he's already recorded one album with Crazy Horse and another is in the works. It's unclear if Toast is the finished album. There's word of a spring release for the album, but don't get your hopes up too high. Things change very quickly in the world of Neil Young. Remember that 30-date Buffalo Springfield that was supposedly happening this year? 

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Neil Young Recording New Album With Crazy Horse

Neil Young jams with Crazy Horse guitarist Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro in Hong Kong in November 2003.RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images

Neil Young is recording a new album with Crazy Horse, according to a post on Young's fansite Thrasher's Wheat – and now confirmed by Rolling Stone: "It's looking good," a representative for Young says. According to the fansite report, Young shared the news over the weekend at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, at an event with Jonathan Demme to promote their new movie Journeys. The audience "erupted in applause" when Young said that he was working with Crazy Horse again. Multiple fans subsequently posted on Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina's Facebook wall to ask if the news was true. His response: "Yes!" 

Young began playing with the garage rock band in 1968 and they back him on many of his greatest albums, including Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Zuma, Rust Never Sleeps and Ragged Glory. Their last album was the 2003 rock opera Greendale, though it didn't feature guitarist Frank "Poncho" Sampedro. The band (including Poncho) toured with Young in 2003 and 2004 to support the disc, though they haven't played together since the tour ended March 21st, 2004 at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. This has been the longest time Young has gone without performing with the group since their formation, though Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina played with Young on his 2007 disc Chrome Dreams II and the first few legs of the supporting tour. He was replaced by drummer Chad Cromwell in the summer of 2008 for unknown reasons.

The full line-up of Crazy Horse hasn't backed Young on an album since Broken Arrow in 1996, though they did record an LP in 2000 called Toast that Neil opted to shelf. "It's great rock & roll, very moody, kind of jazzy," Young told Rolling Stone in 2008, who was then contemplating a release of the disc. "It's really dark. It's got everything that the best Crazy Horse albums have had. It won't be the most commercial Crazy Horse album ever out."

In that same interview, we asked Neil if he had any desire to work with Crazy Horse again. "I'm not thinking about that right now," he said. "We'll just see what happens. Something might happen. You never know. Or something else we don't even know about could happen, and that would be really good, rather than go back. But if the vibe's right to go back and grab what's back there and yank it into the future, that's a big job."

According to the report on Thrasher's Wheat, Young said that he's already recorded one album with Crazy Horse and another is in the works. It's unclear if Toast is the finished album. There's word of a spring release for the album, but don't get your hopes up too high. Things change very quickly in the world of Neil Young. Remember that 30-date Buffalo Springfield that was supposedly happening this year? 

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