Neil Young Uses a Flip Phone

He recorded demos using "this old, y'know, whatever it was, black thing"

BY Alex HudsonPublished Sep 21, 2022

Jack White has often made headlines with his famous lack of (and then apparent acquisition of) a cellphone. But during White's recent appearance on Rick Rubin's Broken Record podcast, it was actually special guest Neil Young who said something charmingly retro about cellphones: he revealed that he still uses a flip phone.

During White and Rubin's conversation, Young stopped by the studio and discussed his 2021 album Barn. He said, "I was walking along, whistling, and I heard this — I said, 'Thats the same song I was whistling yesterday. I don't know what it is.' So I got out my flip phone and recorded it."

He then recorded the ideas for the 10 songs on Barn in a similar manner. He added, "It was so cool, going through the trees and singing into this old, y'know, whatever it was, black thing."

A vintage Nokia? A still-cutting-edge Motorola Razr? We're not sure, but it's wonderful that Neil Young is using a phone that's as classic as he is.

Hear Young's discussion with White and Rubin in the Broken Record episode below. Young joins the discussion around the 55:35 mark.


Also, check out a solo performance of White's Entering Heaven Alive track "A Tip from You to Me" from the episode.

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