Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Good question, Tony. It's one that I pondered at the very beginning of
the process back in 1981. At that time, CSN was in the middle of
piecing together the "Daylight Again" album. Neil was deep into this
solo trip and, in an interview with David Gans for The Record, said:
"Neil Young from the sixties and early seventies was like Perry Como.
That's the way I look at it. If I was still taking that seriously, I'd
be where Crosby, Stills & Nash are today." 

CSN was emerging as the enduring entity, while, back then, it appeared
that CSNY might never come together again. The legacy was CSN, not
CSNY. After talking to each of the guys about it, focusing on CSN made
the most sense and felt right. Croz was happy with the focus being on
the trio. And early in the process, Stills said, "This is a book on
CSN, right? Let Neil write his own book." In some conversations I had
with Cameron Crowe at that time, he was still contemplating writing an
expansive book on Young. But then his "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
film became a hit and he left journalism behind (aside from the sundry
article) for a career as a screenwriter and director. I've often wished
Cameron had made time for the book. I'm sure it would have been vastly
different from Jimmy McDonough's Shakey.

Of course, even when the decision was made to focus on CSN and our
deal with St. Martin's was cut, I certainly planned to cover Buffalo
Springfield, CSNY, Stills-Young and the various Y "walk-ons," etc. And
Henry had boxes and boxes of great photos of Neil with the guys over
the years. I just wasn't going to trace Young's life, from childhood to
the present. I was hoping to get more commentary from Young about his
work with Stills and CSN. But Elliot Roberts blocked several attempts.
I didn't have a chance to sit down with Neil for an extensive interview
until 1988.

So, looking back, I'm happy the book concentrated on CSN. It felt
right then, and it feels right now.
  

    
I recall the unhappy moment of learning that the CSNY box set, which I had 
been in on the planning stages of for a week of fun in Los Gatos, was 
suddenly going to be a CSN box set with only a couple of Y tracks, 
following some managerial decision.  Neil has always retained the right to 
tell the other guys to go play by themselves, or with, when it served him 
and his considerable muse.
  

    
Re: the CSN Box set 

It was certainly a loss for fans that unreleased CSNY tracks such as
"Pushed It Over the End" and "Human Highway" were not included (one
reason given, by Elliot Roberts, that Neil was "saving them" for his
own box set). Of course, with Neil's Archives, Part I on perpetual
hold, those and other CSNY gems remain unreleased more than 10 years
later.

Re: Y and CSN

Neil is certainly the wild card. But I'm not certain he's ever told
CSN to "go play by themselves," it's more likely he's said, "I'm
playing by myself." But the end result is the same.

Pressing past Neil's unpredictable nature, CSN has managed to stay
relatively active (at least as a live act) and, of course, it was CSN
not CSNY that was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame  in
1997.
  

    
"Then why is Garcia on pedal steel identifiable in just a few notes, as he
 was on every other instrument?"

I had to read the liner notes to find out that it wasn't just Stills
dabbling.   But then I was listening to a lot of Tom Brumley, Norm Hamlet,
Sneaky Pete, and Red Rhoades before I moved up here.    I dabbled in it
enough myself to recognize the pedal pushes.  There were a few years
there when there were more pedal steels in LA than there were Moogs.
Weirdest damned instrument I ever played.    But seriously, I believe the
only reason it sounds distinctive is that it's part of our social
soundtrack.    And believe me, I'm not slagging Garcia.   I think he pulled
off some nice licks and added a nice signature to the song.   But he was no
steel player and would have bee the first ta admit it.  You'll notice he
didn't go much further on it, and I suspect that it's because he realized
that if he was going to be a great steel player, he'd have to give up being
a great six-string player.
  

    
Dave --

The CSN Biography has been such strong book, and I believe very well
respected by both artist and  fan alike. I'm surprised that I haven't
been able to find anything else written by you...

Have you done anything since CSN and do you have any projects on the
burner? Who's your next subject?
  

    

Just to add a touch of perspective on the subject of Neil Young:  I was
thumbing through an old high school yearbook from 1967, and ran across
some pictures from a concert at my high school featuring the Sir Douglas
Quintet and Buffalo Springfield.  Among the pictures is one of a very
young Neil Young, with bangs, muttonchop sideburns and a jacket with very
long fringe.  The caption reads "A member of Buffalo Springfield sings his
rendition of 'For What It's Worth.' Buffalo Springfield is one of the top
singing groups today."
  

    
>The caption reads "A member of Buffalo Springfield sings his
rendition of 'For What It's Worth.' Buffalo Springfield is one of the
top singing groups today."

Cool, Linda. The yearbook caption writer, though, probably had no idea
that "For What It's Worth" is a Stephen Stills song, sung by Stills. 
Inquiring minds are curious if you saw Buffalo Springfield in concert
at your school.
  

    
>Have you done anything since CSN and do you have any projects on the
burner? Who's your next subject?

Well, I haven't written any other *books* since the CSN project. But,
interestingly enough, I wrote three record company Neil Young bios for
three of his releases in the late '90s. But most of time has been
devoted to my family (wife and son) and my "day job" (as a
writer/editor for in the Corporate Communications dept. for a major
entertainment company).

If I were to commit to a next subject, it would be Joni Mitchell. I
have periodically approached her (personally and through management),
receiving polite but firm declines. Joni is reportedly working on her
memoirs now, but I still think there is room for a biography that would
include not only her reflections and voice but insights and quotes
from others who have been close to her at various points in her life
(e.g. Nash, Croz, Henry Lewy, Larry Klein, David Geffen, Elliot
Roberts, etc.). The unauthorized Joni books that I have read are far
from definitive. So I know there is a story to be written. I have not
given up yet.

In addition, I may take a crack at developing some fiction ideas ...
It's primarily a matter of making time and committing to a schedule.
So, we'll see. 
  

    
Gee, Dave, what happened to baseball?:-)
  

    
I used to wqtch the Buffalo at Hullabaloo.    And damn, they were LOUD.
But I went out and got a 6120 within a month of the first time I saw them.
  

    
Dave, hope you keep asking Joni about a bio opportunity. I think you'd
do a great job. And yes, although her memoirs would be compelling, it
would be nice to have the balance provided by a more objective book,
including the commentary of those who have known her. And we could
count on you not to overemphasize her faults!

One more question: Is Neil really as strange as he comes across in
McDonough's bio?
  

    
I once came across a guy who had soundboard tapes of the Springfield from 
various LA shows.  I was unable to convince him to let me have them  :-)
  

    
Soundboard tapes from that era would be fascinating if only for the fact
that PAs were so terrible that the vocals were buried much of the time.
  

    

>Inquiring minds are curious if you saw Buffalo Springfield in concert
>at your school.

You bet!  Although the Sir Douglas Quintet were the headline act.  (And 
Jerry Mathers was the MC.)
  

    
Mary E. wrote:

Gee, Dave, what happened to baseball?:-)

I'm still a fairly passionate fan ... of the San Francisco Giants.
Living 3,000 plus miles away makes it hard to go to many games (thank
goodness for ESPN and ESPN2). I've only been to the Giants' Pac Bell
Park once -- last October when I was in Palo Alto for my 30th high
school reunion -- and saw Barry Bonds launch homers #71 and 72.

The emotional charge of being in a sold out ball park when a home run
is hit (particulalry by Willie Mays in the '60s and Barry Bonds in the
'90s) sparks a similar adrenilin rush in me as being 10th row center at
Madison Square Garden when the intro to "Almost Cut My Hair" begins,
and Stills and Young begin their electric guitar dance.

Barb-albq wrote:

>One more question: Is Neil really as strange as he comes across in
McDonough's bio?

My personal experiences with Neil Young are fairly limited. Even
though I was around his Ducks scene in Santa Cruz in 1977 -- meeting
and having some beers with Sandy Mazzeo, Jeff Blackburn and Tim
Mulligan several times -- Neil was always off somewhere else. Though I
was lucky to see him on stage -- about ten feet away -- with The Ducks
on three occassions.

I met Neil for the first time backstage at Irvine Meadows in the early
'80s when I drove down to the concert with Graham Nash and Mac
Holbert. It was during his Dan Clear/Shocking Pinks tour. Graham
introduced me after he had walked on 20 minutes earlier and sang "Ohio"
with him. He actually said,"Hi, I'm Neil." Maybe he didn't think I
knew who he was with his hair slicked back, wearing a pink sports
jacket.

Numerous requests to land an interview with Neil finally came through
in 1988 -- during his Blue Notes phase and the making of American
Dream. I was picked up at the SF airport by one of his ranch hands
named "Bob," who drove me to a deserted restaurant parking lot in La
Honda. A few minutes later, Neil drove up in a '50s Cadillac, extended
a hand and said, "How ya doin'?" He had on reflector sunglasses; and
even though our conversation took place in his car, in the shade, he
never took of his glasses once!  

As for Neil being strange? That wasn't my experience. I thought he
took my interview with him very seriously. He was relaxed, candid and
often pretty funny. He also talked with affection and pride about CSNY
that day. Too bad American Dream got produced to death and the songs
weren't better. Neil seemed into it -- from what I could tell.

As for the Neil portrayed Shakey, I think Jimmy may have played up
Neil's quirkiness and peculiarities.  And he chose to focus on some of
his more out-there habits. But, in many of the quote blocks -- where
Jimmy did not intrude -- he shows a lot of love and compassion for
people, I think. And when Jimmy asked what he felt what most attractive
he sees in a woman (or something to that effect), he said, "Kindess."
And in the end, I think Neil's relentless dedication to his own career
came through strongly in the book, and he has created an incredible
body of work that I visit frequently. 

Even though I'm a huge fan of CSN, I probably have just as much
passion and appreciation for Neil's music. One day I'll listen to the
'77 CSN album and Manassas, the next day I'll listen to Tonight's the
Night and Silver & Gold. So, despite my disappointment with how often
Neil may have deprived us of more CSNY, I don't hold it against him.

digman wrote:

>I once came across a guy who had soundboard tapes of the Springfield
from various LA shows.

Wow! Would love to hear that, though Joel Bernstein claims he was
unable to find any live Buffalo Springield that he (or Neil) felt was
good enough quality to include on the Springfield Box Set -- which I
love to death. What a treasure trove of unreleased tracks --
particularly "Down, Down, Down," "We'll See" and "So You Got A Lover." 
 

 
  

    

> As for Neil being strange? That wasn't my experience. I thought he took my
> interview with him very seriously. He was relaxed, candid and often pretty
> funny.

That was my experience in '82, too.
  

    
Regarding the quote from Shakey that I was looking for in my previous
post, then mangled with typos and didn't remember correctly ... it
follows below ...

McDonough: ...I mean, what sort of beauty in a woman do you respond
to?

Young: Kindness. Not a word you hear very often, is it?
  

    
Gracias. I'm also one of those who love CSN-Y and the members in all
their combos/solos. You're right about Neil coming across much better
in the actual quotes than the stories. And "strange" isn't necessarily
a negative thing in my book!

PS I also got to see Willie Mays hit a homer, but it was at Wrigley
Field, home of the Cubs, and the crowd was not very happy....
  

    
The highlight of American Dream, for me, was <croz's> "Compass," one of 
the most important songs he ever wrote, with Neil's harmonica shivering 
the flesh off your bones.  *That* song was produced just fine.
  

    
Dave --

I don't know if I read this somewhere, heard it somewhere or we maybe
even discussed it at some point, but am I correct that at one point
during the process you were invited to join CSN on tour?

Did it really rain bras and panties?

Did you get to play percussion? Maybe mix in your harmonies?

Seriously. If this is true, can you share a little about the
experience?
  

    
God, I must have missed the bra and panty days.  Nowadays, when a roadie 
brings <croz> a note from a fan into the dressing room, Nash mutters,
"Another paternity suit!"

<grin>
  

    
digaman wrote ...

>"Compass," one of the most important songs he ever wrote, with Neil's
harmonica shivering the flesh off your bones.  *That* song was
produced just fine.

Agree about the production, lyrics and performance of "Compass,"
Steve. Too bad the rest of American Dream was not produced with this
approach in mind. "Night Song," for example, has a great Stills melody
line, Young harmony and some spirited guitar work; but these strengths
got buried by synths and assorted other tracks. 
  

    
Yeah, at the second Chicago show (after the Fla father daughter
reunion) Croz was giving his standard intro to Our House about how 30
percent of the women had lost their virginity to that song and Nash
chimes in, "yeah, and Crosby impregnated them."

Croz actually went side stage to hide in the shadows. Man were they
laughing.

Funny.
  

    
E-mail from Ernie Osborne:

"digaman" wrote...
>The highlight of American Dream, for me, was <croz's> "Compass," one of
>the most important songs he ever wrote, with Neil's harmonica shivering
>the flesh off your bones.  *That* song was produced just fine.
 
Hi,
Compass wasn't my favorite on that record--very close--but I second the
rest of your point of view.  The apparent novice "reviewing" American
Dream for Rolling Stone all but called Crosby mentally incompetent for
writing that song--really out-of-line, and what a creep.  But no matter,
the song's a gem.
 
My favorite song on the record was Soldiers Of Peace--especially the
vocal passion in the chorus--my skin tingles just thinking about
it--regardless of the fact I thought the production was a bit
heavy...  My disappointment in the writing on the album was what I saw as
the lack of compelling Stills compositions--this from a Stills freak,
though.
 
Ernie
  

    
cmf/tony b. wrote ...

>Am I correct that at one point during the process you were invited to
join CSN on tour? >Did it really rain bras and panties? >Did you get
to play percussion? >Maybe mix in your harmonies? >Seriously. If this
is true, can you share a little about the experience?

Well, Tony, it is true that during the course of compiling content and
photos for the CSN biography, Henry Diltz and I were invited on tour
with group for a week of shows in the Midwest in the fall of 1982.
Didn't see any bras and panties getting tossed on stage nor revealed
backstage, to be honest. "Almost Famous," it was not. But when CSN
rolled into cities, there was love all around among the clusters of
fans who lingered for a glimpse, an autograph or a word of thanks.

Between shows, each of the guys traveled on their own bus. Henry and I
spent time on each of them. Random memories circle through my brain.

Crosby's bus, at that time, was the the quietest, with Croz, Jan, a
friend named Armando Hurley, the driver, then me and Henry. David,
sitting amidst large pillows, spun one wonderful tale after another, on
into the night (early morning, actually), then he suddenly announced,
"I'd sure like some ice cream." Of course, we were in the middle of
Iowa farm country, with nothing but blackness on both sides of the
highway. As if Croz knew it was coming, a roadside Stop 'n' Shop
suddenly appeared ahead. The bus pulled in and Croz himself exited the
bus in search of a quart of ice cream. I went with him. I still
remember the look on the clerk's face; it was like he was struck dumb
when he saw Croz, didn't know what to say, packed up the ice cream and
just stared in amazement as we got back on the bus. Croz was cackling
wildly. Ice cream never tasted so sweet.

The Nash bus, with road manager Mac Holbert, soundman/engineer Stanley
Johnston, Bob Hurwitz (tour accountant) and a couple of friends along
for the ride, was rockin' with Elvis music the night we were on it.
Graham was reading the Albert Goldman book on Elvis at the time and
kept reciting passages, adding, "If this is true, Elvis was into some
weird shit, man." That night we talked a lot about his early days as a
musician and the Hollies. He said they'd been on his mind a lot lately,
that he was re-connecting with his roots. "I've always heard that you
can't go back, you shouldn't go back ... but I want to see if there's
anything still there." Within a few months, Nash would reunite with his
old band, The Hollies, and complete the "What Goes Around ... " album.
It was a fairly brief reunion, but it was interesting to see Nash act
on his impulse rather than just let it go. Many of the prime memories
from his early days, shared on that bus ride, ended up in the book.

Traveling with Stills like being in a musician's club house ... at
least the night Henry and I were on board. There was marathon poker
game going (with Stills, Mike Finnigan and Michael Stergis throwing
waded up bills in clump between them). After a few bad hands, Stills
flung the cards away and picked up an acoustic guitar. For the next
hour and half, Stills picked a series of patterns and chords that
evolved into "From Gray to Green." By this time, Henry had fallen
asleep. When we arrived at the hotel, Stills barked, "Fall out, Diltz."
Henry awakened with a start and we followed Stephen into his hotel
room. For the next four hours, from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., Stills kept
playing, this time on his electric guitar (an old Fender Esquire),
singing some Rolling Stones songs with Henry (I added some nylon guitar
rhythm), before noodling around on a few blues figure that evolved
into "Right By You.' Switching gears, Stills launched into another set
of changes and began growling "Think about love," over and over.
Another new song was emerging before my eyes. The next night, backstage
after the soundcheck, Stills suddenly yelled, "Dave Zimmer. Where's
Dave Zimmer?" I was within earshot and went to see him. "You remember
the song I was playing last night? The last one? What was I singing?"
The phrase "Think about love," had been branded into my brain. When I
told him what I remembered, he snapped his fingers and said, "That's
it," then ran off, guitar in hand. The song never emerged on any album.
For all I know, Stlls never finished it. I hope he did, because its
beginnings had the ring of a classic.

Sorry to have rambled on here, but when my mind shot back to the that
1982 tour, those are the memories that bubbled up today. And no, I
didn't sing harmony or play percussion with CSN on stage, but I got to
"jam" with Stills a little bit and wouldn't trade that week of
experiences for anything.