Feuding with a Hero [VIDEO]

When half a million people showed up to Yasgur's farm in 1969, Neil Young refused to be allowed to be filmed for the movie. While on tour with Stephen Stills in 1976, he suddenly instructed his bus driver to take him home and left a note for his one-time Buffalo Springfield bandmate that read: "Dear Stephen, funny how some things that start spontaneously end that way. Eat a peach. Neil." Cold stuff.

Neil does thing his way for his reasons and for that, I can't commend him enough. He still writes prolifically and is an outspoken environmentalist. In recent months, he has even filed for divorce from his wife of thirty-six years and is reportedly dating actress and fellow 'outdoorsy type' Darryl Hannah. That's his business, but maybe shows his devotion to his cause. I've seen him a few times in recent years and he spends some time discussing the 'war on oil' and the evils of fossil fuels and all that. He even stopped selling merchandise at his shows that is not organic and has given proper laundry instructions on how to wash clothes in a 'green' fashion.

Really? You're telling me how to wash clothes now? If I wanted to be nagged about something, there is no shortage of people I could call. Thanks, but zip it. Line drying clothes always looks romantic and nice on TV. In real life? Your Fruit of the Looms are like coarse sandpaper. Your Levi's provide all the comfort of a canvas tent loosely wrapped against your legs. How 'bout this? You line-dry Neil and I'll machine dry.

It's no secret that he also has other passions such as model trains. He is heavily involved with Lionel Trains and has designed special controls for his handicapped son to use. Neil is also a car enthusiast. When he took off from Canada in the mid-60s for California he did so in Mort II, a 1953 Pontiac hearse. He has himself a nice collection of vintage vehicles. He even keeps old junkers around for spare parts. It's hard not be jealous.

In recent years, Neil has been promoting his LincVolt, a 1959 Lincoln Continental convertible that is powered by a combination of ethanol from Biomass, electricity, E-85, and gasoline. Yes, gasoline. That's ok; you gotta do what you got to do. I think it's a great idea and I'm in favor of finding something better, economical, and more stable. That's not my problem. My beef is that how can a guy who has been driving (and still drives) cars that get ten miles per gallon for fifty years preach to me about what I drive? He can't, that's how.

This year alone Neil has done an acoustic solo tour and a European tour with Crazy Horse. The solo acoustic show I saw at the Chicago Theater in April was one of the best I've ever seen. He also took LincVolt on a North American tour, showcasing it's enviro-friendly attributes among other things. I'm not being very controversial when I say that Neil Young is a great example of an individual who can do many things. Make beautiful ballads, howl feedback for weeks with Crazy Horse, stick it to the man with CSNY, create the Bridge School for disabled children, organize Farm Aid, help develop new technologies for his sweet '59 Lincoln, and many other things. He released his autobiography Waging Heavy Peace in 2012 and is putting out a car-themed book this fall.

Telling me how to wash my clothes and shaming me over my choice of vehicle is not among those things. Now, please don't tell Neil I said this. He'll never talk me to then.