Eight years after retiring from touring due to his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, Neil Diamond will be releasing a brand new full length on May 8.
In 2018 the superstar singer/songwriter confirmed his battle with the degenerative neurological condition, yet marking the pair’s third project together – following 2005’s 12 Songs and 2008’s Home Before Dark – Diamond will drop Wild At Heart LP featuring songs created during his studio sessions with producer Rick Rubin.
In a statement about the new collection the 85-year old said “My work with Rick was a labor of love, and I’m so gratified that these songs will finally be set free into the world to complete our trilogy of work.”
Featuring 10 songs that blend archived material with newly completed recordings, Neil’s new album will contains nine previously unreleased songs as well as an alternative version of ‘Forgotten,’ which was featured on Home Before Dark.
During a 2023 CBS Sunday Morning interview, the Brooklyn born native revealed it took him several years to fully accept his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, explaining:
“When the doctor told me what it was, I was just not ready to accept it. I said: ‘Oh, OK, I’ll see you whenever you want to see me, but I have work to do, so I’ll see you later’ …” “I think this has just been in the last few weeks. But somehow, a calm has moved in and the hurricane of my life and things have gotten very quiet.” “And I like it. I find that I like myself better. I’m easier on people. I’m easier on myself and the beat goes on and it will go on long after I’m gone.” “I’m still doing it [accepting the condition] and I don’t like it. OK, so this is the hand that God’s given me and I have to make the best of it. And so I am.” “There’s no cure, there’s no getting away from it. You can’t just say, OK, enough already, let’s get back to life. It doesn’t work like that. But I’ve come to accept what limitations I have and still have great days.”
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Alexander Gresbek