Bands to Watch is a brand new addition to the UKFests site. As the festival season is quickly approaching us, each Friday we will be taking a look at a band or solo artist which will be doing the UK festival rounds this year. Last week we took a look at the vibrant electro-indie-pop sensation Friendly Fires. This week we are taking a look at the Canadian singer Neil Young.

Neil Young has had a long and extensive music career as a band member, soloist and a song writer and he has even taken his hand to film directing in years gone by. Neil’s first successful band was Buffalo Springfield which he formed with four other guys. However, after two successful albums the band did not last long (only 2 years) due to strained relationships with management and members within the band.

After the split of Buffalo Springfield, Young pursued a solo career and signed with a record label which helped him release two albums: ‘Neil Young’ and ‘Everyone Knows This Is Knowhere’. Shortly after the release of his second solo album Young joined Crosby, Stills & Nash to form Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The band had already released an album and Young was originally offered a position as a sideman, but agreed to join only if he received full membership which led to the name change. After a few releases the band split and Neil went back to his solo career.

This year, Neil Young has returned to the UK shores to perform in several different UK Festival events, the largest of which is the daddy of festivals, Glastonbury. Neil will also be playing at the Isle of Wight festival and Hard Rock Calling in June.