Woodstock veteran Graham Nash on Vladimir Putin, climate protests, artificial intelligence – and how to hold on to hope.
Among the moments that defined the zeitgeist of a generation at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, along with Jimi Hendrix’s national anthem splintering and country Joe McDonald’s call for swearing, was the performance of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. They sang love and protest songs with a melt-in-your-mouth chorus and fern forests of guitar chords that set the tone for the next decade. At the time, Graham Nash had just left his pop star life in England, where he was with the hollies secured the top chart positions. He met David Crosby and Stephen Stills at a party in Joni Mitchell’s backyard in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles. They sang a bit and suddenly there were these soaring harmonies. When Stills’ ex-bandmate Neil Young joined them after the first album, a super group was born. David Crosby died in January and a new album by 81-year-old Nash will be released on May 19. It’s all back on “Now” (BMG) – the love and protest songs, the strumming guitars and Graham Nash’s granite-melting voice. time for a call.