A beautifully written, if nostalgic, piece with a couple of Stones references, some interesting observations about musicians with great longevity, and many reflections and memories that resonate with me - an American fan "of a certain age."

Ain't It Always Stephen Stills

Thanks for posting. Very nice read.

thanks, fine piece on Stephen Stills.

not sure I want to read that book, but that article is great.

Stephen Stills and Judy Collins are performing in Atlanta tonight.

and... I wonder if Bill Wyman really wanted to 'join Manassas' ?

was he that frustrated or did he just like that band? that first album is great.

A great read. Thanks for the post.

Stephen's the man

Excellent piece.
What did Keith mean when he said 'Stephen Stills doesn't know how to do drugs.'

Quote
duke richardson
that first album is great.

Yeah, the first CSN album is Stills' baby.

Quote
pmk251

Quote
duke richardson
that first album is great.

Yeah, the first CSN album is Stills' baby.

yes it is.

I was referring to the first Manassas album, which Bill played on..only one track i think..

if you like CSN you'll love this, if you havent heard it...

[www.youtube.com]

Quote
wonderboy
Excellent piece.
What did Keith mean when he said 'Stephen Stills doesn't know how to do drugs.'

Perhaps he didn't 'manage' his cravings very well?
The two don't seem to get on. I remember in Greenfield's book of the 1969 tour, has Keith bad mouthing a certain guitarist (no name mentioned).
Maybe they fell out over drugs....and girls.

i think Stills was coming for Keith wasn't he? in Greenfield's book.. there was some part about an un-named guitarist who was mad at Keith..

[www.iorr.org]

-Reminds when I couldn`t figure out where the song "A Horse With No Name" came from, after seeing the movie "Marrakesh Express" in the 90s. They didn`t get permission to include it in the soundtrack CD. It wasn`t Neil Young. Was it Stephen Stills? Was it Manassas? No! It was a band called America. I used to notice even songs I didn`t like back in the 70s. However, this one passed me by, but "wow!" how it struck me 25 years later...

stills was the man until the late 70's

Quote
noughties
-Reminds when I couldn`t figure out where the song "A Horse With No Name" came from, after seeing the movie "Marrakesh Express" in the 90s. They didn`t get permission to include it in the soundtrack CD. It wasn`t Neil Young. Was it Stephen Stills? Was it Manassas? No! It was a band called America. I used to notice even songs I didn`t like back in the 70s. However, this one passed me by, but "wow!" how it struck me 25 years later...

A lot of people thought that "Horse With No Name" was a Neil Young song when it first came out.

In the same vein, here's a now-forgotten song that was an AM hit with a CSN sound to it:
[www.youtube.com]


I disagree with Stills being "the man" until the late 70's. In 1973 after the second Manassas album flopped, he fled back to the sure-fire CSNY for the 1974 reunion/stadium tour. That was probably the last time he was credible.

His two albums on Columbia in '75 had a few moments ("As I Come Of Age" with CSN vocals and Ringo on drums is a standout) but overall he was in a holding pattern and didn't live up to the promise of his earlier work.

Stephen's songs on the Stills-Young Band album in '76 were wretched, pretentious, and for me, unlistenable. It's like a vertical drop in artistic quality, and just godawful compared to Young's tunes (which apart from "Long May You Run" weren't even first-rate Neil).

The CSN album/comeback tour in '77 was very weak tea compared with their first album 8 years earlier. They updated their sound--that cocktail lounge electric piano solo in Still's "Dark Star" kind of says it all: it was the start of their "Vegas years."


It's too bad because at their peak CSNY were untouchable. You see the performance footage of them in 1970 in Journey Through The Past, and they are like four kings.

Stills WAS The Man back then. What the heck happened to the guy?? Drugs? Ego? Or a toxic combo of the two?

When The Eagles came along in '72 they were another wanna-be CSNY, but nowhere near their stature. They weren't fit to shine their shoes.

Look how it ended up.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-10 03:10 by loog droog.

Quote
loog droog

I disagree with Stills being "the man" until the late 70's. In 1973 after the second Manassas album flopped, he fled back to the sure-fire CSNY for the 1974 reunion/stadium tour. That was probably the last time he was credible.

I agree with you, loog. Stills was definitely oozing talent and credibility, but, since 1974's CSNY Tour, unlike his bandmate, Neil, outside of his association with Crosby (the single-most overrated rock star in history) and Graham Nash, since 1974, he has been (gasp!) irrelevant.

One thing that came out in recent years that is indispensable Stills is his Just Roll Tape, which really demonstrates his talent.

stonesstein

Kick me like you did before
I can't even feel the pain no more
Rocks Off, 1972

I love his vocals and acoustic guitar on CSN's Dark Star from '77.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
duke richardson
thanks, fine piece on Stephen Stills.

not sure I want to read that book, but that article is great.

Stephen Stills and Judy Collins are performing in Atlanta tonight.

and... I wonder if Bill Wyman really wanted to 'join Manassas' ?

was he that frustrated or did he just like that band? that first album is great.

Great band, Manassass. Every piece was part of a good chemistry; with good musicianship, not big soloists. Perkins and Stills prob. the best. Taylor a very underrated drummer. I always love bands who take the percussion dept serious. Either with 2 drummers, or with a fulltime perc. player. Joey Lala was very, very good on most of his instruments and his parts; I just always thought he was a lousy Conga player.

Bill used several of those guys on his early solo albums. I can't see him joining such an American outfit for the long term. He'd have been miserable very quickly. Wasn't it he who was always looking for 'proper Mint-jelly" or something like that?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-10 04:05 by Palace Revolution 2000.

I always liked the song Change Partners: [www.youtube.com]

Is that Jerry Garcia on guitar?

Quote
loog droog

Quote
noughties
-Reminds when I couldn`t figure out where the song "A Horse With No Name" came from, after seeing the movie "Marrakesh Express" in the 90s. They didn`t get permission to include it in the soundtrack CD. It wasn`t Neil Young. Was it Stephen Stills? Was it Manassas? No! It was a band called America. I used to notice even songs I didn`t like back in the 70s. However, this one passed me by, but "wow!" how it struck me 25 years later...

A lot of people thought that "Horse With No Name" was a Neil Young song when it first came out.

In the same vein, here's a now-forgotten song that was an AM hit with a CSN sound to it:
[www.youtube.com]


I disagree with Stills being "the man" until the late 70's. In 1973 after the second Manassas album flopped, he fled back to the sure-fire CSNY for the 1974 reunion/stadium tour. That was probably the last time he was credible.

His two albums on Columbia in '75 had a few moments ("As I Come Of Age" with CSN vocals and Ringo on drums is a standout) but overall he was in a holding pattern and didn't live up to the promise of his earlier work.

Stephen's songs on the Stills-Young Band album in '76 were wretched, pretentious, and for me, unlistenable. It's like a vertical drop in artistic quality, and just godawful compared to Young's tunes (which apart from "Long May You Run" weren't even first-rate Neil).

The CSN album/comeback tour in '77 was very weak tea compared with their first album 8 years earlier. They updated their sound--that cocktail lounge electric piano solo in Still's "Dark Star" kind of says it all: it was the start of their "Vegas years."


It's too bad because at their peak CSNY were untouchable. You see the performance footage of them in 1970 in Journey Through The Past, and they are like four kings.

Stills WAS The Man back then. What the heck happened to the guy?? Drugs? Ego? Or a toxic combo of the two?

When The Eagles came along in '72 they were another wanna-be CSNY, but nowhere near their stature. They weren't fit to shine their shoes.

Look how it ended up.

see I happen to think the 1975 album is the 2nd best solo album he did and that illegal stills is also strong. the issue with illegal stills was that it ended up getting rushed due to the stills-young band release. the 2nd manassas album had some bad production and a few bad choices but its strong stuff. go check out the release PIECES and the songs "like a fox", "witching hour", and "high and dry". these were songs that for whatever reason did not make the cut for the 2nd album.


as far as the 1977 CSN album and the stills-young band releases. they seem to divide fans. they are either loved or hated. some people say that most of the weaker neil young tunes make the album seem weaker than it really is.

here are some great stills songs though that were released AFTER 1977
-thoroughfare gap
-lowdown
-wounded world
-Spanish suite
-southern cross
-daylight again
-war games
-got it made
-haven't we lost enough
-it won't go away
-only waiting for you
-no tears left
-virtual world
-don't want lies
-roadhouse


check out the 2 great recent albums by the band THE RIDES that stills is part of.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-10 06:36 by keefriffhard4life.

Quote
stonehearted
I always liked the song Change Partners: [www.youtube.com]

Is that Jerry Garcia on guitar?

jerry Garcia plays pedal steel guitar on that and on the CSNY tune "teach your children"

Quote
keefriffhard4life

Quote
stonehearted
I always liked the song Change Partners: [www.youtube.com]

Is that Jerry Garcia on guitar?

jerry Garcia plays pedal steel guitar on that and on the CSNY tune "teach your children"

As well as Graham Nash's "I Used to Be a King", and it adds SO much emotion to the tune.

I Used To Be A King




_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
duke richardson

Quote
pmk251

Quote
duke richardson
that first album is great.

Yeah, the first CSN album is Stills' baby.

yes it is.

I was referring to the first Manassas album, which Bill played on..only one track i think..

if you like CSN you'll love this, if you havent heard it...

[www.youtube.com]

The Manassas album has quite a few parallels with Exile on Main Street. A double that was released more or less in the same week, it has four distinctly different sounding sides and a strong country influence.

It's also a totally absorbing listen and one that reveals its treasures slowly, with each subsequent listen. I consider it to be a masterpiece.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-10 12:05 by Silver Dagger.

Quote
keefriffhard4life

Quote
loog droog

Quote
noughties
-Reminds when I couldn`t figure out where the song "A Horse With No Name" came from, after seeing the movie "Marrakesh Express" in the 90s. They didn`t get permission to include it in the soundtrack CD. It wasn`t Neil Young. Was it Stephen Stills? Was it Manassas? No! It was a band called America. I used to notice even songs I didn`t like back in the 70s. However, this one passed me by, but "wow!" how it struck me 25 years later...

A lot of people thought that "Horse With No Name" was a Neil Young song when it first came out.

In the same vein, here's a now-forgotten song that was an AM hit with a CSN sound to it:
[www.youtube.com]


I disagree with Stills being "the man" until the late 70's. In 1973 after the second Manassas album flopped, he fled back to the sure-fire CSNY for the 1974 reunion/stadium tour. That was probably the last time he was credible.

His two albums on Columbia in '75 had a few moments ("As I Come Of Age" with CSN vocals and Ringo on drums is a standout) but overall he was in a holding pattern and didn't live up to the promise of his earlier work.

Stephen's songs on the Stills-Young Band album in '76 were wretched, pretentious, and for me, unlistenable. It's like a vertical drop in artistic quality, and just godawful compared to Young's tunes (which apart from "Long May You Run" weren't even first-rate Neil).

The CSN album/comeback tour in '77 was very weak tea compared with their first album 8 years earlier. They updated their sound--that cocktail lounge electric piano solo in Still's "Dark Star" kind of says it all: it was the start of their "Vegas years."


It's too bad because at their peak CSNY were untouchable. You see the performance footage of them in 1970 in Journey Through The Past, and they are like four kings.

Stills WAS The Man back then. What the heck happened to the guy?? Drugs? Ego? Or a toxic combo of the two?

When The Eagles came along in '72 they were another wanna-be CSNY, but nowhere near their stature. They weren't fit to shine their shoes.

Look how it ended up.

see I happen to think the 1975 album is the 2nd best solo album he did and that illegal stills is also strong. the issue with illegal stills was that it ended up getting rushed due to the stills-young band release. the 2nd manassas album had some bad production and a few bad choices but its strong stuff. go check out the release PIECES and the songs "like a fox", "witching hour", and "high and dry". these were songs that for whatever reason did not make the cut for the 2nd album.


as far as the 1977 CSN album and the stills-young band releases. they seem to divide fans. they are either loved or hated. some people say that most of the weaker neil young tunes make the album seem weaker than it really is.

here are some great stills songs though that were released AFTER 1977
-thoroughfare gap
-lowdown
-wounded world
-Spanish suite
-southern cross
-daylight again
-war games
-got it made
-haven't we lost enough
-it won't go away
-only waiting for you
-no tears left
-virtual world
-don't want lies
-roadhouse


check out the 2 great recent albums by the band THE RIDES that stills is part of.

And don't forget Treetop Flyer.

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
keefriffhard4life

Quote
loog droog

Quote
noughties
-Reminds when I couldn`t figure out where the song "A Horse With No Name" came from, after seeing the movie "Marrakesh Express" in the 90s. They didn`t get permission to include it in the soundtrack CD. It wasn`t Neil Young. Was it Stephen Stills? Was it Manassas? No! It was a band called America. I used to notice even songs I didn`t like back in the 70s. However, this one passed me by, but "wow!" how it struck me 25 years later...

A lot of people thought that "Horse With No Name" was a Neil Young song when it first came out.

In the same vein, here's a now-forgotten song that was an AM hit with a CSN sound to it:
[www.youtube.com]


I disagree with Stills being "the man" until the late 70's. In 1973 after the second Manassas album flopped, he fled back to the sure-fire CSNY for the 1974 reunion/stadium tour. That was probably the last time he was credible.

His two albums on Columbia in '75 had a few moments ("As I Come Of Age" with CSN vocals and Ringo on drums is a standout) but overall he was in a holding pattern and didn't live up to the promise of his earlier work.

Stephen's songs on the Stills-Young Band album in '76 were wretched, pretentious, and for me, unlistenable. It's like a vertical drop in artistic quality, and just godawful compared to Young's tunes (which apart from "Long May You Run" weren't even first-rate Neil).

The CSN album/comeback tour in '77 was very weak tea compared with their first album 8 years earlier. They updated their sound--that cocktail lounge electric piano solo in Still's "Dark Star" kind of says it all: it was the start of their "Vegas years."


It's too bad because at their peak CSNY were untouchable. You see the performance footage of them in 1970 in Journey Through The Past, and they are like four kings.

Stills WAS The Man back then. What the heck happened to the guy?? Drugs? Ego? Or a toxic combo of the two?

When The Eagles came along in '72 they were another wanna-be CSNY, but nowhere near their stature. They weren't fit to shine their shoes.

Look how it ended up.

see I happen to think the 1975 album is the 2nd best solo album he did and that illegal stills is also strong. the issue with illegal stills was that it ended up getting rushed due to the stills-young band release. the 2nd manassas album had some bad production and a few bad choices but its strong stuff. go check out the release PIECES and the songs "like a fox", "witching hour", and "high and dry". these were songs that for whatever reason did not make the cut for the 2nd album.


as far as the 1977 CSN album and the stills-young band releases. they seem to divide fans. they are either loved or hated. some people say that most of the weaker neil young tunes make the album seem weaker than it really is.

here are some great stills songs though that were released AFTER 1977
-thoroughfare gap
-lowdown
-wounded world
-Spanish suite
-southern cross
-daylight again
-war games
-got it made
-haven't we lost enough
-it won't go away
-only waiting for you
-no tears left
-virtual world
-don't want lies
-roadhouse


check out the 2 great recent albums by the band THE RIDES that stills is part of.

And don't forget Treetop Flyer.

I'm not a big fan of treetop flyer

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
duke richardson

Quote
pmk251

Quote
duke richardson
that first album is great.

Yeah, the first CSN album is Stills' baby.

yes it is.

I was referring to the first Manassas album, which Bill played on..only one track i think..

if you like CSN you'll love this, if you havent heard it...

[www.youtube.com]

The Manassas album has quite a few parallels with Exile on Main Street. A double that was released more or less in the same week, it has four distinctly different sounding sides and a strong country influence.

It's also a totally absorbing listen and one that reveals its treasures slowly, with each subsequent listen. I consider it to be a masterpiece.

Completely agree -- Manassas, along with Exile and Layla, the troika of sprawling double LP masterpieces from the early 70s. And like the other two, one I still listen to with regularity.

Stills is a fascinating character to me. He is sometime set aside in terms of importance relative to Neil Young for one, but he came across as the leader and driving force of his early bands. When I saw the '74 CSNY tour he was clearly the spokesman. The precipitous drop in the quality of his music after that time would seem to be a clear statement on the effect of drug use, but is anything that simple? That he is a "survivor" is great -- he seems to be a bright, humorous, even decent guy in interviews.

As a side note, anyone seen "Autism, the Musical" which includes Stills and his son Henry?

Captious chaps: "In Keith's hotel suite, he and Steve Stills got into an argument about nothing and drew knives, but it was all front and the whole thing fizzled out." — Bill Wyman's ROLLING WITH THE STONES, p. 397



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-11 07:07 by Title5Take1.

Quote
Wry Cooter
Completely agree -- Manassas, along with Exile and Layla, the troika of sprawling double LP masterpieces from the early 70s. And like the other two, one I still listen to with regularity.

Stills is a fascinating character to me. He is sometime set aside in terms of importance relative to Neil Young for one, but he came across as the leader and driving force of his early bands. When I saw the '74 CSNY tour he was clearly the spokesman. The precipitous drop in the quality of his music after that time would seem to be a clear statement on the effect of drug use, but is anything that simple? That he is a "survivor" is great -- he seems to be a bright, humorous, even decent guy in interviews.

As a side note, anyone seen "Autism, the Musical" which includes Stills and his son Henry?

His first two solo albums and the first Manassas record are all sooooo good. Plus, he's the generator of one of my all-time favorite quotes about Neil Young:

“We’ve played that note, can we move on, Neil?” Stephen Stills says with a laugh over the phone as he recalls playing with Young.

Neil has, especially recently, said some awfully nice things about Stephen, about how much he learned from him, in what esteem he holds his musicianship.

Quote
Wry Cooter

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
duke richardson

Quote
pmk251

Quote
duke richardson
that first album is great.

Yeah, the first CSN album is Stills' baby.

yes it is.

I was referring to the first Manassas album, which Bill played on..only one track i think..

if you like CSN you'll love this, if you havent heard it...

[www.youtube.com]

The Manassas album has quite a few parallels with Exile on Main Street. A double that was released more or less in the same week, it has four distinctly different sounding sides and a strong country influence.

It's also a totally absorbing listen and one that reveals its treasures slowly, with each subsequent listen. I consider it to be a masterpiece.

Completely agree -- Manassas, along with Exile and Layla, the troika of sprawling double LP masterpieces from the early 70s. And like the other two, one I still listen to with regularity.

Stills is a fascinating character to me. He is sometime set aside in terms of importance relative to Neil Young for one, but he came across as the leader and driving force of his early bands. When I saw the '74 CSNY tour he was clearly the spokesman. The precipitous drop in the quality of his music after that time would seem to be a clear statement on the effect of drug use, but is anything that simple? That he is a "survivor" is great -- he seems to be a bright, humorous, even decent guy in interviews.

As a side note, anyone seen "Autism, the Musical" which includes Stills and his son Henry?

I have always seen 'Manassass" in that league too. I love those successful double albums. I alwys throw in 'London Calling', "Quadrophenia", and the Led Zep one.

anyone else check out the release PIECES? such great stuff. that should have been the 2nd manassas album and stills should have worked on more new tunes for the another release. to me DOWN THE ROAD is only 1/2 good

Quote
Wry Cooter

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
duke richardson

Quote
pmk251

Quote
duke richardson
that first album is great.

Yeah, the first CSN album is Stills' baby.

yes it is.

I was referring to the first Manassas album, which Bill played on..only one track i think..

if you like CSN you'll love this, if you havent heard it...

[www.youtube.com]

The Manassas album has quite a few parallels with Exile on Main Street. A double that was released more or less in the same week, it has four distinctly different sounding sides and a strong country influence.

It's also a totally absorbing listen and one that reveals its treasures slowly, with each subsequent listen. I consider it to be a masterpiece.

Completely agree -- Manassas, along with Exile and Layla, the troika of sprawling double LP masterpieces from the early 70s. And like the other two, one I still listen to with regularity.

Stills is a fascinating character to me. He is sometime set aside in terms of importance relative to Neil Young for one, but he came across as the leader and driving force of his early bands. When I saw the '74 CSNY tour he was clearly the spokesman. The precipitous drop in the quality of his music after that time would seem to be a clear statement on the effect of drug use, but is anything that simple? That he is a "survivor" is great -- he seems to be a bright, humorous, even decent guy in interviews.

As a side note, anyone seen "Autism, the Musical" which includes Stills and his son Henry?

I saw Stills at the Shepherds Bush Empire about 6 years ago and he was truly amazing. Yes, he was still recovering from recent surgery but boy can that guy play. And I have to agree that as much as Young gets all the kudus in CSNY Stills is the master orchestrator and driving force behind the band.

Quote
Hairball

Quote
keefriffhard4life

Quote
stonehearted
I always liked the song Change Partners: [www.youtube.com]

Is that Jerry Garcia on guitar?

jerry Garcia plays pedal steel guitar on that and on the CSNY tune "teach your children"

As well as Graham Nash's "I Used to Be a King", and it adds SO much emotion to the tune.

I Used To Be A King

btw songs with jerry on pedal steel

-Jefferson Airplane “Volunteers” 1969 ‘The Farm’
-Crosby Stills Nash & Young “Déjà Vu” 1970 ‘Teach Your Children’
-Grateful Dead “Workingman’s Dead” 1970 ‘High Time’ ‘Dire Wolf’
-Jefferson Starship “Blows Against the Empire” 1970 ‘Have You seen the Stars Tonight?’
-It’s a Beautiful Day “Marrying Maiden” 1970 ‘It Comes Right Down to You’
-Grateful Dead “American Beauty” 1970 ‘Candyman’ ‘Brokendown Palace’
-Brewer and Shipley “Tarkio” 1971 ‘Oh Mamma’
-David Crosby “If Only I could Remember My Name” 1971 ‘Laughing’ ‘What are Their Names’
-Graham Nash “Songs for Beginners” 1971 ‘I Used to be a King’ ‘Man in the Mirror’
-Stephen Stills “Stephen Stills2” 1971 ‘Change Partners’
-Bob Weir “Ace” 1972 ‘Looks Like Rain’
-Rowan Brothers “The Rowan Brothers” 1972 ‘Mama Don’t you Cry’
-Jerry Garcia “Garcia” 1972 ‘To Lay Me Down’ ‘The Wheel’ ‘Late for Supper’ ‘Spidergawd’
-Graham Nash and David Crosby “Nash/Crosby” 1972 ‘Southbound Train’
-Paul Pena “New Train” 1973 ‘Venutian Lady’
-Link Wray “Be What You Want To” 1973 ‘Tucson Arizona’ ‘All Cried Out’ ‘Riverbend’
-Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, David Freiberg “Baron Von TollBooth and the Chrome Nun” 1973 ‘YourMind Has Left Your Body’