EXCLUSIVE: Bluesfest Director Says Neil Young Still Hasn't Given A Reason For Cancelling Oz Tour

Neil Young fans were left devastated last year when the Canadian music legend abruptly called off his Australian tour, originally scheduled to go ahead this April. 

Young has still not publicly commented on why the tour was axed and speaking exclusively to The Music today, Bluesfest director Peter Noble said he is yet to be given a reason either. 

"Everybody knows Neil Young cancelled," Noble said.

"Nobody knows why he cancelled, because he didn’t go out and talk to his fans and tell them why he made that decision."

The Bluesfest 2017 bill is still stacked with big names despite Young's exclusion, which includes Patti Smith, Courtney Barnett, Santana, Zac Brown Band and The Lumineers. 

Meanwhile, Noble revealed his desire to book Midnight Oil for a future Bluesfest appearance following news that the iconic band will embark on their first world tour in over 15 years. 

The veteran promoter also claims that frontman Peter Garrett actually promised Midnight Oil's first gig would be at the Byron Bay festival should they reunite. 

"You never can trust a politician," Noble laughed. 

"But good on them. Australia needs artists who represent what great music is about. Using the arts for what it is – a vehicle for change.

"A lot of people want to use the arts as some sort of ego gratification or things that are not about being creative. When you see something like Midnight Oil coming back, I think it's just a great shot in the arm for the Australian music industry that one of our great bands is happening again.

"I want them at Bluesfest, I really do. I've been talking to them for years about it… I'm sure we’ll talk about next year, we don't have much room left [for this year]."

Bluesfest 2017 goes down at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm from 13-17 April. 

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