CSNY did not start as a supergroup, but as the years have rolled by, they are now considered one. The reason for this unofficial title is sheerly due to the hoards of talent that all shared the stage in their heyday. Graham Nash, Neil Young, David Crosby, and Stephen Stills were and still are some of the greatest musicians of all time. However, talent, and too much of it, always comes at a cost.
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In 1970, Neil Young made CSNY into CSN. Shortly after Young’s departure, the band broke up altogether, and without surprise, it had to do with the egos present. Frankly, this is a story that is as old as rock ‘n’ roll itself. Although, according to Graham Nash, it only got worse when Neil Young joined the band.
Graham Nash Speaks Candidly About CSNY’s Issues
In an interview with the Guardian, Graham Nash divulged all the elements that led to Neil Young’s departure as well as the break-up of CSNY and CSN. In the early days of CSN, Nash stated that they “Were in heaven.” Although, when drugs, egos, and sex started to intermix with the music and their relationships, it all started going downhill.
Nash recalls one incredibly convoluted love circle between him, Stephen Stills, and Rita Coolidge. Essentially, Stills and Nash battled over the “We’re All Alone” singer and let their masculine possessiveness get the better of them. In retrospect, Nash divulged, “Now this was pure toxic masculinity. Completely.” When asked about this “toxic masculinity” in regards to it being in the whole band, Nash replied, “Absolutely. And it became more evident when Neil joined.”
To Graham Nash, the reason Young amplified the pre-existing toxic masculinity is simply due to his selfishness. Nash stated, “I’ve got utmost respect for him” but “You can put a European tour together with a crew of 25 people and then a week before he says: ‘Nah, I don’t feel like it’, so all those people are now out of a job.” “Neil knows what is best for Neil,” concluded Nash.
Other than Graham Nash’s comments about Young’s selfishness, he didn’t divulge too much regarding Young’s direct amplification of this surplus of toxic masculinity. Though, as we know, Nash and Stills often competed with each other over guitar solos, and Nash testified to that fact by stating, “I’ve stood in the middle of Stephen and Neil countless times.” This toxic masculinity Nash speaks of surely wasn’t the only reason for the band’s demise, though, it was certainly one of them.
Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images
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