Friday, September 15, 2017

Graham Nash: Wild Tales

Wild Tales: A Rock and Roll Life by Graham Nash, 2013

I’ve been reading a few rock star memoirs recently and this one by Graham Nash was one of the best. Wild Tales: A Rock and Roll Life, 2013. Nash is very good at telling a story. His descriptions of the early career of The Hollies and the British Invasion was fascinating as was his accounts of his years with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. He was especially good at describing the animosities and conflicts within the group. I also thought he did a wonderful job talking about his relationship with Joni Mitchell and her subsequent illness. I have the recent biography of Joni Mitchell and will be reading it soon.

We saw Graham Nash in concert recently on his concert tour a few months after reading his book. It was a great show with just him and a supporting guitarist. He played the wonderful concert venue at Asbury Hall where he was also a very entertaining storyteller between songs.

I had also seen him in concert with CSN&Y in Chicago in 1970 at one of the shows used in the Four Way Street live album. I then saw him one more time with CSN&Y in 1974 in Philadelphia at the Spectrum which was one of the last rock shows I’ve seen in any arena sized venue. I just stopped going to those big stadium and hockey arena concerts. I haven’t been to any more over the years and have instead preferred to see performances in clubs, theaters and occasional small outdoor concerts. Seeing Graham Nash at Asbury Hall was the perfect venue.

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