A political, social, and ecological album: The Monsanto Years will be released on 16 June, but the album’s title talks turkey. Neil Young has always been on the front line to raise fans’ awareness on environmental and sustainable farming issues and, after having taken a stand against large oil companies in Canada, he now rails against the chemical giant leader in the development of genetically modified seeds and pesticides.

 

The Canadian icon rocker revealed he was working on The Monsanto Years in January, during an interview with Rolling Stone executive director Nathan Brackett, who thought it was a joke. But it’s all real; in effect, Young posted the upcoming album news on his official Facebook profile.

 

 

Alongside the new album, recorded together with the Promise of the Real – band composed by Lukas and Micah Nelson (Willie Nelson’s sons), a U.S 11-date tour is planned in July, part of it with the Band of Horses.

 

Some songs were debuted at a surprise concert on 16 April at the California’s SLO Brewing Company of San Luis Obispo. Some of the album track titles include “Rock Starbucks”, “Monsanto Years”, “Too Big to Fail”, and “Seeds”.

 

Monsanto is one of the most influent multinationals of agricultural biotechnologies worldwide. Over the last few years, several studies demonstrated the link between cancer and the active ingredients used in Monsanto’s products (such as glyphosate, the main component of the popular weed killer Roundup, patented by Monsanto since 2001), as well as the relationship between bees and butterflies deaths and pesticides.

 

 

Given the influence of Monsanto on governments, Neil Young’s protest is likely to not go far. But we all know that the public opinion is what matters the most, and Monsanto knows it, too, as to invest millions of dollars in eliminating labeling of foods containing GMO ingredients in California and the United States.

 

Feature image: Matt Furman for The Wall Street Journal

Tradotto da Camilla Soldati