Watch Neil Young Busk The Street Of Glasgow In 1976

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On April 2, 1976, Neil Young flew to Glasgow, Scotland with his backing band Crazy Horse. His record company hired director Murray Grigor and cinematographer David Peat who waited at the airport for him. Interestingly though, both Grigor and Peat had little idea who Young was. They basically didn’t know what to expect and so upon meeting Young, they asked him what he wanted.

The legendary rocker only told them to give him “some funky shit footage”.

So the local camera crew did just that, they followed him and his entourage around. Grigor told Open Culture, “Our filming got off to a tricky start. When Neil and the band finally made it to their lunch in the Albany Hotel’s penthouse, one of them set fire to the paper table decorations, which we filmed. ‘Just like Nam,’ another one said as he warmed his hands over the small inferno lapping up towards the inflammable ceiling.”

Grigor further recalled, “Neil and the band were all stoned out of their skulls.”

After leaving the the Albany Hotel, Young casually asked someone on the street: “Excuse me. Could you tell me where the Bank of Scotland is?” And that’s where they went.

Grigor explained, “It was entirely Neil’s idea to flop down at the entrance to Glasgow’s Central Station and then wait and see who would recognize him.”

As you can see on the footage, Young sat down on the pavement, took out his banjo and harmonica, and performed for the passersby. Watch it below.