Neil Young shares live Ohio video to protest against US gun laws

Neil Young has released a live video for his 1970 track Ohio as a protest against current gun laws in the US.

The video comes just ahead of the midterm elections in the country which are less than a week away, with Young issuing an accompanying statement to encourage people to vote.

In the statement, he also confirms reports from earlier this year that he had married his girlfriend Daryl Hannah.

Young says on his website: “Ohio was written back in 1970 after seeing the cover of a magazine with a young girl kneeling beside her fallen friend.

“When the National Guard murdered four students at Ohio’s Kent State University for protesting the Vietnam War, it was a pivotal moment in our history. It was a pivotal moment for me. Today we see what we have become.

“With no real laws protecting us from guns, and with politicians supporting the NRA because the NRA supports them, we are not well represented. Today’s students are brave, demanding change in violent times.”

Young adds: “We stand with them. They are us. We are them. This has been going on for far too long.

“My wife Daryl and I put this video together for you to reflect on. Support the students. Support our children. They want protection. Not more guns.

“Give us common sense gun laws that protect our people, in schools, in places of worship, in the workplace and on the streets. VOTE.”

Last month, Young revealed he would release the album Songs For Judy on December 14. It’ll feature a collection of live acoustic tracks which were recorded during Young’s 1976 solo tour across the US.

Songs For Judy is available for pre-order via the Neil Young Archives and Amazon.

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