CSN ruined by overrated Young?

[Music Wench]

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.

I agree with you on Deja Vu. But I don't think he was necessarily a negative factor on the other two CSNY albums but I do think they weren't as good as other efforts by CSN or just Neil Young by himself.

Neil is my favorite liberal curmudgeon. LOL While he may not be a great guitarist and his voice leaves a lot to be desired, as the good Reverend has stated, his body of work is timeless. He's also still crafting beautiful songs. Prairie Wind is probably my favorite album from last year. Even when his singing ballads, Neil Young rocks!!!

 

[Big Generator]

Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Guess you don't like Dylan very much either then, eh?

I can't deny his talent and influence - but no, I'd never listen to any of his records.

 

[Big Generator]

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.

I know - it's so baffling and frustrating - why oh why didn't CSN stand up to Young and go ahead with the '74 without him. A major factor was Still's cocaine addiction in '74 - which was the reason why Young stormed out of the sessions.

There's definitely a sense that CSN didn't fully believe in themselves (whereas Young did) and I suppose this shouldn't be a surprise given that Crosby and Stills were such raging addicts...and Nash was...well, just too nice for his own good.

But hey...after Young walked out of the Stills/Young tour in '76 CSN did manage to pull off their last great album.

 

[Big Generator]

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.

I love Deja Vu too - but Young's contribution wasn't great onj this album either. "Helpless" wasn't bad...but who can remember the others he wrote?

 

[Reverend Rock]

Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

I love Deja Vu too - but Young's contribution wasn't great onj this album either. "Helpless" wasn't bad...but who can remember the others he wrote?

Me, of course...and I think "Country Girl" is fantastic.

 

[AboutAGirl]

Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Yes Country Girl is totally excellent. And so is Everybody I Love You (two songs put together, one by Neil and one by Steve).

I tend to like CSN, CSNY, and the solo careers of all 4 of them quite a bit. But as awesome as many CSN & CSNY songs are, I don't think any of them can compare to Cowgirl In The Sand or The Last Trip To Tulsa. Neil's my home boy, my main man. I don't think his albums are badly produced at all... in fact I'd have something to say against the production of CSN albums if anything. I think Daylight Again, although a wonderful album, suffers from a moderate amount of overproduction. I like raw things, like Bob Dylan's debut album and one of my favorite Neil albums Time Fades Away. I think the best produced albums are the ones that are touched up to perfection but don't sound like they are. I do think production and studio skills are an extremely important part of music, but if you make it sound like there's a cushion of studio power over every note then the album loses a lot of power, IMO. But I've gone off on a tangent....

 

[algernon]

Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

For me, Crosby Stills and Nash sound completely dated...stuck in the sixties. Young's solo work holds up better.

 

[Music Wench]

Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

For me, Crosby Stills and Nash sound completely dated...stuck in the sixties. Young's solo work holds up better.

Agreed! I still love their music but Neil's work holds up so much better. I can still listen to Harvest and it feels like it could have been released last year.

 

[Spike]

Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

I guess I don't buy the basic premise that CSN was "contaminated" by Young. IMHO, the first CSN and Deja Vu are both timeless classics. But I don't see any logical reason to blame Young for the fact that CSN were never able to recreate the magic of their first album without him.

Let me suggest something different. After the success of the two albums referenced above, all four of them released solo albums. IIRC, Stills's first two solo outings were good, but not huge commercially. Crosby and Nash released albums -- both solo and together -- that were craftsmanlike and boring. IMHO, it was Young who enjoyed the greatest success both artistically and commercially as a solo artist in the first half of the 70s.

So here's my question for the group:

In hindsight, would Crosby, Stills and Nash have enjoyed greater success in the 1970-1975 period if they had focused all of their creative energies on group activities rather than each trying to make it as a solo artist?

Spike

 

[AboutAGirl]

Re: CSN ruined by overrated Canadian?

Wow good point, Spke!

My favorite songs on Crosby's classic If I Could Only Remember My Name are the ones which have other members of the group contributing. 4 Way Street is definetly one of my favorite live albums. It has awesome solo songs like Love The One You're With and Right Between The Eyes.