Hey everybody, hope everyone enjoyed the second official episode of Golden Rawk!
This week I talked about Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. This was probably one of the most influential country/folk rocks bands of the later half of the 20th century. As a matter of fact, each member has been inducted into the hall of fame at least twice! An important aspect to remember when talking about CSNY is the fame that each member had already gotten when the group was founded. Graham Nash had been with the Hollies, Stephen Stills and Neil Young with Buffalo Springfield, and David Crosby with the Byrds.
The fact that each member had an entourage before their formation meant that there was a wide variety of genres and ideas floating around, when they did combine. This can be heard in iconic songs such as Suite Judy Blue Eyes, that combines the lyrical work of Buffalo Springfield with the harmonic vocals of the Hollies, and the laid back guitar riffs typical for The Byrds. This combination proved a recipe for success, as the group pumped out album after album, even while recording independently
Aside from releasing these successful records, the group remained active on stage. The second gig they ever played was Woodstock (in front of 500 000 people)! When trying to pull a massive 1974 doom tour, the band lost control and veered off into the less beautiful parts of rock. Not only did three of the members rely on the fourth (Neil Young) to pull songs out of his back pocket while on stage, but they were deep into drug abuse. This caused Crosby Stills and Nash to be robbed blind by their entourage of Groupies and Road-managers.
Since then, the rumours around CSNY have settled down! In fact, they often reunite and tour North America. With some luck, they might play a concert near you.
Thanks for listening to this week’s episode, and I hope to see you out again on Monday
This is Golden Rawk!