Nash on Leaving the Hollies, Dylan and Starting CSN 

Nice fellow. Met Graham at a couple concerts. Very down to earth and friendly. Graham, you still owe me that Dylan shirt.

Love The Hollies - they have a Sound all of their own - you know it’s them as soon as the first notes are sang ❤️👍😊

The Hollies turned out most of the hits with Graham Nash still in the mix. But my three favorite Hollies songs came after he left: He Ain't Heavy, Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress and The Air That I Breathe.

I love the Hollies. Nash's solo "Songs for Beginners" is one of my all time favorite albums. Obviously, he did some brilliant work with CSN/Y. I think his strength was in his vocals, esp harmonies. Listen to him soar in "I Can't Let Go." Incredible! And he developed into a superb songwriter. No question. Moving on to CSN was the right choice. Having said all that, I saw him (2016?) and then read his autobiography. I don't think much of him as a man. He supports a lot of worthy causes, but his ego is huge, and he rationalizes away a lot of bad behavior. A lot. Nobody's a saint, it's true, but he doesn't deserve a pass bc he's an artist either. Just my long opinion. I still listen to and love the music! It makes me happy; lifts me up. No illusions though.

No complaints. CSNY and The Hollies are both in the Hall of Fame

Thank you Mr. Nash for these honest words. In my life I always missed the point to change and rearrange my life and my music.That's why I'm still standing at the same place. If I only had made my decisions just like you did. Who knows.....

The original mix of The Hollies-Blowin' in The Wind" with Graham Nash's harmony vocal was released on a single in Sweden and (possibly) West Germany, and on The Hollies' EMI 6-CD boxed set "The Long Road Home", Actually, for this song, the Graham Nash & Terry Sylvester harmony vocals sound very similar.

Graham Nash was blessed to hold down 2 huge jobs in the music business with great aplomb......for which the world is eternally grateful......

Capturing lightening in a bottle is many times a single lifetime event. How brave it was for Nash to let go and trust his musical talent instincts to join Crosby and Stills! Love the Hollies, but thank you for your musical genius and the joy you brought to the world under CSN!!

You were just ready to move on. Both bands were great with their writing. Nash, you really wrote some outstanding songs!💥

A really amazing and wonderful story...those harmonies!!❤

I love The Hollies! Thanks for sharing

THEY take it to the next level !!

Thank you for following your ❤️ And giving me and my generation and the next generations timeless music. Carry On. 😚 Ps. As I write this the beautiful soul of David has gone on his journey. Go join the great gig in the sky...as it were.

Luv this. It must have been painful. Nash did the right thing even if it ended up being wrong. As we know his decision was gold.

He’s a very important figure in rock history. To paint it any other way, one would have to be in denial. He’s part of so many things that paved the way for modern music. Hope the best for him and I hope he knows he’s appreciated. It’s a very unforgiving business. GN kept the CSN boat afloat for years after it would have sunk on its own. Hollies had the huge hits in the 70’s, they were smart to choose those songs... Luck and talent are two things you had to have to make it back then because it was easy To get lost in all the confusion of the times. To not give LUCK as big of a ‘thank you’ as much as the talent and songs, is not being intellectually honest. Without luck, we would have never known many of the artists we do. I like that GN knows he was part of a group of people who rode the crest of the wave and enjoyed the credit and success of it. Many folks just as talented who were there contributing during those important days will never be known beyond the individuals they helped and inspired.

King Midas is a fabulous song that deserved much better. It's also notable that the Hollies' recording is about 40 seconds shorter than other versions.

Great story

King Midas in Reverse is a masterpiece

The Hollies!!! Wow what a Class act........perfect sound and proud to say from GB.

Good choice, Graham! Hard as it was, CSN was phenomenal! Nothing ever came close ... until CSN&Y ;)

A Manchester Lad. Honest and true! I'd say they don't make 'em like that anymore. But they do!! Xx

Graham Nash, if nothing else, was an integral part of two acts that had the most distinctive harmonies ever. The Hollies had a bunch of hits co-credited to Nash; they were far between when he left. Conversely, Nash had few and far between major tracks with CSN but was a necessary part of their sound. By the way, does your favorite band of the last 30 years have an IDable harmonic style?

Ah Grahm. I love you Sir you have always put forth your best effort. I understand completely.

He is great, still looks great at his age, too.

I really enjoy listening to Graham Nash. He was connected to so many people and sounds of my life.

and we're glad you did

I love King Midas in Reverse

I wanted to know if he also felt the Hollies were not evolving musically very well. Because some of their songs imo needed a bite of rock. King Midas in Reverse was one of my favorite Hollies songs. Tony Hicks was probably responsible in their sense of direction. Their direction seemed to be more kid friendly and for business. One cannot blame wanting to stay afloat, but you should take chances. I'd love to know.

I will assert this as a huge. die-hard Hollies fan. Those 5 gentleman, with their vocals, whining 'right-on' harmonies, their writing, guitar/bass/drumming interlocking motifs, were all unbeatable!! They never really got their due desserts, and the respect they should've gotten during their tenure! Sure, Graham Nash has to sincerely make a judgement call, follow his heart, and start that supergroup with Stills & Crosby. But the Hollies, surviving as they did, got Terry Sylvester, a stalwart in his own right from the Swinging Blue Jeans..good singer, good rhythm guitarist..but he's no Graham Nash!! The early musical marriage of Allan Clark & Graham Nash was,a,match made in Heaven in my honest opinion..It never really should have been divested!! I'm Sam Burkes lll, prof musician since about 1968-69. Huge Brit Invasion fan, heavy on these guys, The Beatles, Searchers, Who, et al. Thank you for the opportunity to comment vehemently!

Ahh Graham. I go back many many years as a Hollies fan in fact as far as "Stay" along with a couple of other favourites, How do you do it by Gerry & The Pacemakers and the Beatles single Please Please me. Graham had always been the "talkative Hollie" and watching his interviews over the years it always strikes me that its Grahams way or the highway, its always about Graham. His early work with the Hollies, most of his harmony work was sublime and always reminded me of a medieval minstrel, just a little humility by the man would not have gone amiss. Anyway, the Hollies "died" for me when Allan Clarke could no longer do the business, I even remember a Graham comment about them "having the audacity to have a number 1 after I left ! " ...kinda says it all for me.

That was a badass move. I like the Hollies but when Graham layered their voices correctly, Crosby Stills and Nash were amazing.

00:50 if you look back to the music of that era, songs that landed in the top 20 (top 5 esp) would get so overplayed that many wonderful songs became nauseating to hear, like the wonderful song and arrangement of Debbie Boone's _You Light Up My Life._ Wonderful, beautiful song that got so over played many local/wedding/party bands began to refuse to play it because it had become too saccharine. There were many musicians who preferred to have a song hit #20 than #1, often the lower rated songs would stay on the charts longer, and in the long run sell more. As far as the $$$, record companies have always been crappy about paying their talent for records sales, musicians traditionally made more from the record-related concerts than the sales from the records themselves~ to the shame of the industry. Other than the songs writers band members rarely got big money just from records sales.

One thing Graham Nash can say is he was not only part of the California folk rock scene..he was also part of the british invasion..not many people can say that

All parties benefited greatly from Graham leaving The hollies. He is a true artist, knowing where he needs to go and going there.

Furthermore, another reason could have been that in Nash's last year with the group , the stage presentation had the hollies back in suits. Ya' know with black jackets or White jackets which is what managers would do to present a group like Brian Epstein did. but if look around their gigs in 1967 we saw them dressed in their personal attire Hippie gear. So I bet you Graham was pissed off that the hollies went back to wearing suits like they're early 63-65 days.

The Hollies' version of 'Teach Your Children' stands up very well against the CSNY version, it could totally have been their song if they'd just placed more faith in Graham.

Graham Nash is an excellent singer/songwriter, musician and photographer.

@Ciudad Bs As!!! @La Profe!! Que bailo!!!! Todo el tiempo!!! Cuando los veo!!! Y aparecieron otros que no conocia!!!! De los 70!!! Aleluya!@Son mis King !! Thank @Allan CLARKE!!!!❤😂😂 Sesn Felices!❤❤❤❤❤❤

Espero lean este texto!!❤

I have to agree with Graham's assessment of the Hollies' version of Blowing in the Wind--more than a bit schmaltzy and borrowing inappropriately from Stevie Wonder's more low key and more effective version. The whole Hollies Dylan album is way overcooked. However, I must also agree with the Hollies' producer that Graham's Marrakesh Express is just not strong enough for a Hollies recording. Crosby, Stills and Nash had unique, skillfully blended harmonies, but I found their material weak from the Suite: Judy Blue Eyes get-go. And, yes, I saw and heard them in person at their first public performance at the LA Greek Theatre , and couldn't rate them anywhere near the Hollies. Of course, the general public didn't agree with me. It wasn't the first time or the last.

The Hollies were still living in 1963 British Invasion time frame and Nash was doing much more radical stuff. He also loved the California sound and had made friends with the Turtles the Mamas and Papas, the Doors and or course the Byrds. He was dating Joni Mitchall and love the California sun. The Hollies represented dard dreary England and the British Invasion sounds while Crosby and Stills represented a new birth. Sure it was heard leaving his childhood friend Alan Clark and the band and his way of life but look at the vast differences by what CSN was doing and what the Hollies were doing. CSN was a voice of a generation and neither the Hollies, Byrds or Buffalo Springfield were int eh same category as them. The Hollies rebounded in the 70s so losing Nash was not a band killer so they moved on while the Byrds and Springfield were no more.

21 top ten hits and then it was broken by “ if I needed someone” I remember! You can’t do an album of Dylan songs when the Byrds had already recorded some and no one who could do them better or come close

With all these musicians, there was a desire to take things to the next level, and change was beckoning! Look what happened to Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys when they hesitated to let Brian take the band to the next level. With that Dylan album, The Hollies were headed toward the same dead end that claimed The Dave Clark Five and Herman's Hermits. You had to roll with the changes and find your own voice in that late '60's period.

Nash! Is there no beginning to his talent?

And thank fucking god you did follow it!

interesting

The way l am read this news

Old Nasher never gives Tony Hicks Bobby Elliott & Eric Haydock the credit they so rightly deserve. Fantastic musicians. Watch some of their early live performances & Nash's guitar isn't even plugged into an amp.

Is that a scar on his neck? It looks like stitches. Never seen that before.

Oh well.

This should tell you where the land lies in attitudes and intentions. What a break for the Hollies Nash left, sooner would have been better. He obviously wanted to run the show from every angle, all the time. Team playing was only a short-term thing with him. Anyone not seeing his increasing childish interruptions and disruptions toward the end there - on live performances - is blind or insensitive. Allen clearly had the signature voice and the leadership skills. There actually wasn't enough room for the both of them, since Nash couldnt yield the front. His bad behavior had less negative effect I am sure, because of Allen's larger, more mature heart and caring about the whole and the individuals involved. You're the better man, Allen Clarke! Anyone with any doubt has this negative, defensive diss after all these years as proof. Big baby. I don't follow CS, et al - did they let Nash run the show, have his way? Why the cheap shots and digs after all this time? Sour grapes, clearly. While Nash's influence may have largely secured those early pop hits, three in particular following with Allen were weightier and higher charted than all those early ones put together. Allen brought quality compared to the earlier thinner quantity.

I'm a Hollies junky ,..I can't get enough of my fix of the Grahm years ,... but then ( weirdly ) they somehow get EVEN BETTER LATER ??????

he was the best with the hollies but with crosby stills and Nash he was no 3

The Hollies best albums were when Graeme was in the band.

I think Graham sounds very bitter in this interview. Strange, as it was with the Hollies where he really made his name. I wonder why after all these years, he is still talking about the Hollies when his time with them was quite short compared to the many other musicians/singers who came after him in the band. There is no denying his harmonies were good, but other singers in the group have stepped in to his shoes, and done the job just as well. I watched Alan Coates singing "Butterfly" live in concert, and it was just as good as Nash's version. Almost all groups change personel over the years, even the Beatles changed their drummer! Graham decided he wanted to change direction, and that is up to him, but please don't keep on harping on about it Graham after all these years. The Hollies continue touring to this day, and they are still a fabulous live act, I have my tickets for October 2020 and can't wait! To me their biggest loss was when Allan Clarke retired, his lead vocal was so distinctive, but just to throw us all a curved ball, he comes back in 2019 and records a new album. Good on you Allan great stuff. Interesting video, but he does keep going on about it, doesn't he.

Hollies would've succeeded with or without him. Graveyards are full of indispensable men.

I get the feeling that Graham Nash is not an easy person to get along with...

i think the hollies had run their course by the time graham left. if you don't evolve you die as a band. also think of how many artists didn't have number one hits, but are still respected today, hendrix for example, and how many number one artists are forgotten. was the starland vocal band really the best new artist of '74?

yeah, a Dylan song in that time period would have been terrible imo....

king Midas wasn't all that, Bob Dylan sucks, but Nash was such a major role in the Hollies sound, oh & love his book!!!

Graham never DID have much sense picking friends after he left the Hollies.

Didn’t Graham have a bad marriage?

As good as The Hollies are, they were never going to be better than The Beatles,no chance,or The Rolling Stones for that matter, England also had The Who and The Kinks, great bands, but no body could top The Beatles, they were writing their own songs from the beginning, each Beatles single and b-side was written by Lennon and McCartney or later Harrison, not even The Rolling Stones could do that,in fact The Stones took Lennon/McCartney's 'I wanna be your man' as a single,I believe the Hollies took George Harrison's 'If I needed someone' for a single. I like some of the Hollies songs,King Midas in reverse is a good track,also On a carousel, but I don't blame Graham Nash for leaving and making a classic album with Dave Crosby and Stephen Stills,then on their second album, Deja-Vu, they brought in Stephen Stills' friend from Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young,an absolutely brilliant guitarist, and an exceptional songwriter,he went on to have the most success, and longevity, with classic albums like 'Everybody knows this is nowhere, After the Goldrush, Harvest,On The Beach,Rust Never Sleeps, and he's still going now. The Hollies had some good hits, not always written by themselves, but they were never going to complete with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Who, The Kinks,so I respect Graham Nash for following his heart and forming Crosby, Stills and Nash. ✌️

The hollies did great when he left….would have been worse if clarke had left

Your 'fit' changes over time. You may not fit in the same place for a lifetime or a full career.

He left out the part where he was having a fling with Mama Cass, got into drugs, and she introduced him to Crosby and Stils.

The Bob Dylan album was a bad idea= at the time.

He left The Hollies because they wanted to to a Dylan cover album yet they never did. Doesn't make sense.

Personally I preferred the Hollies over CSN. CSN were pandering to the Hippy culture. When I heard Almost Cut My Hair I almost threw up.

HE DID NOT MENTION THAT OUTSIDE OF THE STUDIO MOST OF THEM COULD NOT HOLD A TUNE I saw them live in the early sixties and they sounded nothing like their records

I have never liked CSN or CSN&Y!

I love Graham Nash from the bottom of my heart but The hollies is too much better than CSN and leaving the hollies was the worst mistake

Just an old guy still talking about something from 1969. I do not even think (or care) about my career end in 2002. Get over it Graham and if you can't then I'm sure your garden needs some attention.

I have a feeling this guy is really difficult to deal with professionally

King Midas didnt go anywhere because it sucked. An album of Dylan songs would have made them look like copycats. How could he leave Allan! They were almost kin

The Hollies were better without him and so was CSNY. Hey didn't need this average hack, just a hang around guy in band in which the other members were way better than him.