March 26, 2009 12:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Neil Young Archives Volume 1 1963-1972 Out June 2 On Blu-ray, DVD and CD

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Neil Young's highly anticipated collection Archives Volume 1 1963-1972 will be released June 2 on Reprise Records. The box set is the most innovative compilation ever assembled, focusing on the life of one of the most original musical artists of the rock era. It features new technology to follow Young's career, and will be available in three different formats: Blu-ray, DVD and CD.

The Blu-ray edition presents the new technology of an interactive platform with music, video and text, and allows for material to be added later via the internet. The Archives, like Neil Young himself, is breaking brand new ground for how music can be presented.

Neil Young's Archives series is something music fans have been talking about for years. In many ways, the technology had to be invented before the release could happen. And now that it is ready for release, it is part of what the future of music will be. Jim DeRogatis of the Chicago Sun-Times recently heard and viewed the Archives in Austin at the South X Southwest conference and wrote: "Not only is it absolutely amazing, it quite possibly is a model for the only kind of recorded product that independent and chain stores alike will still be selling in the post-CD future." Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune observed, "The Archives appears to be nothing less than revolutionary in how it will present an artist's back catalogue."

Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972 will be available in three different formats. The ultra deluxe Blu-ray set features ten discs that span the first decade of the artist's career, starting with his high school band the Squires and moving all the way to the unreleased film "Journey Through the Past." Included in these years are previously unreleased songs, outtakes and live tracks from Young's various groups Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Crazy Horse. Blu-ray audio is presented in ultra-high resolution 24-bit / 192 kHz stereo PCM state-of-the-art master quality sound, while audio in the DVD edition includes ten discs presented in high resolution 24-bit / 96 kHz PCM audiophile quality sound. The CD edition is eight discs presented in standard resolution 16-bit / 44 kHz stereo PCM CD quality sound.

An interactive timeline feature allows the viewer to follow the entire life of the singer-songwriter, and presents never before seen memorabilia, handwritten lyrics, letters and other historical documents that add up to Young's life story. No other collection has ever taken such an extensive look as the artist developed their music, and all the events occurring that influenced the songs. It adds up to being a groundbreaking audiobiography of Neil Young's life.

The Blu-ray and DVD editions are sold in a durable custom display box that houses a lavish 236-page full-color hardbound book that features additional archival materials, a tapes database and detailed descriptions of the music and artwork, a foldout Archives poster, a custom keeper for the 10 sleeved discs and more. The CD edition is sold in a custom disc keeper for the 8 sleeved discs and a descriptive booklet.

Pre-orders at http://www.neilyoung.com will include a free preview version (called Disc 0) to be sent out before the June 2nd release date, along with an exclusive 7" single of the early songs "Aurora" and "Mustang."

Neil Young Archives is an ongoing series that will continue through the entire career of rock's most enduring artist. Nothing like it has been achieved before, and as new developments occur they will no doubt be incorporated into future volumes of the Archives. It is the technical heart and musical soul of everything Neil Young has created.