CSN ruined by overrated Young?

Big Generator

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I'd like to share a long-standing resentment toward that whiney guy with boney girl arms...Neil Young. Surely the decision to ask him to join Crosby, Stills and Nash ranks as the worst ever made in the history of rock.

The first album is a timeless classic...the chemistry was perfect...it was all going beyond everyone's wildest dreams...then it all went wrong. Young's ego and his flakey behaviour...and his failure to contribute more than one good song..threw the whole band out of kilter and they never quite recovered until they went back into the studio without Young in 1977.

But even then...the magic was never quite recaptured...Young had contaminated the band too much by this point. Just imagine how incredible CSN would have been in the early 1970s had Young stuck to recording his dreary solo albums.

Does anyone else feel the same way?
 

Music Wench

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Nope. I think Neil Young has put out a lot more quality items on his own than CSN has put out without him.

Don't get me wrong, I love CSN and CSNY but Neil Young has contributed more as a solo act and with Crazy Horse.

I also have more respect for CSN to think that Neil Young would have such an influence over them that all their efforts after him were contaminated by working with him. They all have their own back bone after all.
 

Big Generator

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Well, I'm not sure that Crosby and Nash had backbone re: Neil Young. But Stills certainly did and the feuding between Stills and Young did pollute the atmosphere of the band. Also - Young messed CSN around due to his ambivalence about being in the band...the worst example being the abandoned album in 1974.

I agree that Young's solo work was better. His songs for CSNY were useless. "Ohio" isn't bad - but aside from that his contribution was minimal.
 

Big Generator

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Also...I disagree re; your point about quality. The first CSN album is far better than any of Young's solo albums. Okay - Harvest was great - but other than that Young's albums are patchy and badly produced...and are totally overrated.
 

Big Generator

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

newdawnfades said:
I've never seen the appeal of Young. I do like some of CSNY's material. Even songs like Rockin' In The Free World doesn't do much for me.

It baffles me too. He can't even sing.
 

Music Wench

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Big Generator said:
It baffles me too. He can't even sing.
Guess you don't like Dylan very much either then, eh?
 
H

halcyon days

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

"The first album is a timeless classic..." no doubt about that Big Generator
 

Drummer Chris

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Hmmmmm, interesting question BG,
I do think CSNY would have been better without Young in the long run, they certainly might have released more material in the 70's.
The thing is, Neil joined the group after he had already released his debut solo album (which wasn't being received too well) in 1969 in time for the Woodstock Festival.
He had the freedom to come and go within the supergroup as he pleased, that was the agreement so it is odd that CSN just wouldn't make the '74 album without him.
I'd say they should have been smarter, hmmmm?
Even if Neil was writing with them for that album, they could have scrapped his ideas and just recorded their own.
Especially knowing how Neil already had a few smash albums of his own by that time, and that his solo career would probably be his main priority.
I guess that is why there is that ole expression about hindsight.
 

Reverend Rock

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Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Good grief...Deja Vu is my favorite album by the band in any configuration. But I will agree that Young's contribution to the other two "CSNY" studio albums seems to be a negative factor rather than a plus.

As for Neil Young as a solo artist, I agree with the wider consensus among rock fans that he is an important and influential artist. His limited musical and vocal chops notwithstanding, he has created a body of songwriting that has very much stood the test of time.
 

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