David Crosby

Nitefly

CoolCat said:

A sad loss to the world of music.

R.I.P.

CSN & CSNY were part of my music education during my teenage years.

Absolutely this.

"Wooden Ships" is a terrifying masterpiece.

RIP David.

idiotwind

I'm a big Byrds fan, but never really clicked with CSN(Y) - I think I don't like Graham Nash.

He was a total ass in the Byrds, but he was the fire to McGuinn's ice (I guess that makes Gene Clark lukewarm water?) which helped push them forwards.  His harmonies and great rhythm playing are all over a lot of music that I really love.

JezWynd

axisus said:

I'll be honest, I don't know his music at all. He had such an iconic look though. Always full of opinions as well! 

I was surprised to read that average male age in the US is 74.5. Over there 81 would be a decent innings although in the UK average is just over 82.

Never to late to start...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lk2KHajp4Y

His post recovery biog is a good read, he was fast friends with Mama Cass, they were a wild pair.

Blueingreen

Not a bad innings for a guy who lived the way he did. The type of abrasively egotistical character I'd loathe if I had to deal with them in real life but he could also be generous, perceptive and refreshingly honest and from a safe distance I found myself liking him.  I liked some stuff by The Byrds and CSN(Y) without being a big enough fan to really know how much of it was down to Crosby.

Always thought there was a kind of parable in the story of CSNY, all these competing egos in their heyday, each to some degree convinced they were the one who mattered, and then 3 of them had decades to process  the public having overwhelmingly decided that Neil was the one who mattered. I don't say that as a big Neil Young fan personally, I just found it fascinating how it played out.

 I remember reading an interview with Stills where he was asked about the possibility of CSN touring again and he said they could only do it if Neil agreed: it read almost like a plea to Neil.  He said they could make big money if it was CSNY but if it was just CSN they couldn't make the numbers add up.  That had to sting given their early history where Stills thought it was basically his band.

rlw

Very sad.  A great singer and songwriter and, often, a wonderful human being.  He lived life to the full and probably enjoyed every minute of it.  RIP Croz.

CharlieShaw

Deja Vu is a great album.

EricTheWeary

Sky Arts just shown an old documentary about CSNY and so many songs I know even though I wouldn't say I knew much about Crosby at all. BBC 4 showing a short concert later (although nothing yet for Jeff Beck or Terry Hall that I've spotted, surely much more stuff in their archive). 
But David was such a recognisable figure. The word hedonistic never far from his name so maybe a surprise he made it this far. RIP. 

ICBM

Legend.

There isn't really any other word that does him justice.

RIP

Neckwringer

Love the Byrds stuff and he also did more to promote the sale of personal fire extingishers than anyone....

UnclePsychosis

Any pointers as to where to start with Crosby? 

I'm a big Neil Young fan and have (a couple of??) CSN(Y) compilations like "So Far" but never got any further than that. There's almost too much stuff. 

DrCornelius

Neckwringer said:

Love the Byrds stuff and he also did more to promote the sale of personal fire extingishers than anyone....

I’d say Richard Pryor would have disagreed with you there !

88CuzJ

UnclePsychosis said:

Any pointers as to where to start with Crosby? 

I'm a big Neil Young fan and have (a couple of??) CSN(Y) compilations like "So Far" but never got any further than that. There's almost too much stuff. 

His solo album ‘If Only I Could Remember my Name’ is worth a listen. Jerry Garcia plays lead guitar on it and it’s got guest appearances from Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and members of Santana, Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service throughout. It’s basically one big hippie jam album. Great piece of art.  

With Graham Nash the albums worth a listen in my opinion are ‘Wind on the Water’, ‘Whistling Down the Wire (not sure if this one is on streaming services but it’s worth hunting down to listen to) and ‘Graham Nash and David Crosby’. All really good albums that I’d probably listen to in that order. The best of the best LA session guys on each one such as Russel Kunkell on drums, Leland Sklar on bass and David Lindley on guitar. Brilliant lineup on each album. 

With CSN I’d listen to the couch album which is the first one released in 1969. Can’t really say more about this album that’s already been said. Probably one of the best albums of all time. Defined a generation. And finally with CSN I’d listen to the boat album which is titled ‘CSN’ released in 1977. Absolute masterpiece with the mid-70s slick production really suiting the boat rock sound of the mid-70s. 

Enjoy! Wish I could listen all over again.

Whilst you’re at it check out Stephen Stills first two solo albums and the first Manassas album he did. He was the real genius behind it all in regards to CSN etc IMO. And definitely the most talented. Hendrix and Clapton along with Booker T, Ringo and John Sebastian guest on the first album! ‘Stills’ released in 75 is also brilliant. 

If you like that Buffalo Springfield are also brilliant. Young and Stills band before CSN. Oh yeah, and the Byrds with Crosby being a member before CSN too!

Cheers! 

UnclePsychosis

Cheers.

I have some Buffalo Springfield kicking about somewhere too. Need to dig that out. 

rlw

All of the last four or five albums have been really good and very worthwhile checking out.