It was a meeting of the musical minds at Book Expo America yesterday (June 6) in New York City. A sold-out crowd of approximately 1,100 people were fortunate enough to watch punk-rock icon Patti Smith interview legendary rocker Neil Young. The duo engaged in an in-depth discussion about music and the impact that technology has had upon making music.

Naturally however, Smith took the opportunity at having one of music’s greatest songwriters at her side to pepper him with questions about his newest album, ‘Americana’ (read Ultimate Classic Rock’s review here), as well as his upcoming memoirs, ‘Waging Heavy Peace,’ scheduled for release by Blue Rider Press in October.

Young told Smith that he views ‘Waging Heavy Peace’ as more of a diary as opposed to being strictly a memoir.

“I would write what I was thinking,” he explained to Smith, who agreed with him, adding, “There’s no barrier between the reader and you. I really felt you were talking to me. You were, right?”

During the course of the conversation, Smith took the opportunity to praised ‘Waging Heavy Peace’ for its nonlinear narrative structure, telling Young, “It’s not chronological, but memory is not chronological.”

Neil Young & Crazy Horse recently announced a 23-city tour across North America, starting Oct. 3 in Windsor, Ontario, wrapping up on Dec. 4 in Bridgeport, Conn. Patti Smith will serve as the opening act on the second leg of the tour.

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