Disc end Music Echo-January 10, 1970 13

In Britain this week: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, who played a sell-out concert in London on Tuesday; and joni Mitchell, friend of the group and one ..._ . of the world's best contemporary folk singer­ songwriters. Disc meets the visitors ...

GENTLE, shy Joni MitcheU you, and I also think it takes some of the dynamics from flew into London last week JON/: iWY you. with her friends, Crosby, "I'm very possessive about Stills, Nash and Young, to my own art-I think everyone do her last concert for a is. I know how I want it to be PERSONAL and I have a very total picture long, long time. of it. It's expanding now and Since fame caught up with I can see other instruments. I her and propelled her to be­ can't write music. though, I come one of America's top LIFE/SA sing different parts into a tape three female folk-singers - recorder. If I had two years along with Joan Baez and ofl I'd probably go back and Judy CoUins--Joni has been SHAMBLES' learn composition. fighting a losing battle against Unlike Joan Baez and Judy time. With constant touring Collins, Joni is not a great she finds she has no time for demonstrator for peace. by Caroline Boucher "I'm interested - everyone her home or for her writing, wants peace-but it's like some and a long rest is vastly over­ people go to church on Sun­ due. one of my songs, so she asked days and some don't, but they're "I would like the luxury of me down as her guest which still Christians. a day with nothing to do, so was so generous." "I feel that a lot of people I could wake up and say Unlike Judy, who now ap­ actively working for peace do 'what shall I do today?' It's pears in concert with a small it for the wrong reasons-they been years since I could do backing group, Joni still pre­ are saying 'look at me, I'm that," said Joni, smiling rwr· fers to accompany herself. working towards peace', and they are abusing the word. vously. "I think a backing only She was talking at a party waters it down," she says. Joni's concert is at London's given in her honour by her "Other people onstage take Albert Hall on January I7. Try record company in London. some of the responsibility from to go. Her spirit is refreshing. Joni Mitchell amves m England with ex-Hollie Graham Nash Dressed in a long green skirt It is somehow a frightening posi­ with a green velvet top and her tion, and they feel its responsibility. long fair hair in pigtails, Joni The1r position is in many ways looked 10 years younger than comparable to that of the Beatles her official 26. On her left-band a year or two ago. was a collection of cameo America may turn into The fact that the group are so big goes a long way to prove that rings which she twisted as she are still excited about what they're America is still a place where bi_~: apologised for smiling ("I al· doing: creative forces can be born. Thts ways smile when I'm nervous"). "If you remember, we weren't has come about, says Cr lSby, be· Her manager, a hippy happy going to be a group," says cause of a backlash escalated by American named Elliot, kept Graham. "But one morning it the war and the underlying exist­ popping up at her elbow to a bloodbath, says just got out of hand, and because ing violence in America. we have always believed in pre­ "The worse things get in help out and bring ginger wine. senting the album sound on stage, .America-and they ARE getting "I need a rest," explained we had to augment the people on worse-then the more powerful Joni. "I'm going through a the session into the act-and be­ the good creative force gets. As change as an artist. I'm begin· come a group. the extremes widen so some things ning to write on the piano After only one album by the improve. That's why Woodstock which is a much freer instru­ David Crosby original three members, the sound was so wonderful-all those people changed. Many people think this gathered in one place and not one ment, and I want to learn the was wholly due to Neil Young. iota of violence. concertina and the violin. by Penny Valentine "Of course our sound changed," " In Britain there's a stream of ''True I've bad two weeks ONE OF the most exciting and creative groups to come says David. "Neil's influence is creative music, but it isn't pro· ofl between three weeks of out of America in the last year-Crosby, Stills, Nash and amazingly strong. He'd be a pelled as quickly as in America be­ touring, but when you know on Tuesday night- was a sell-out. strong influence in a dog fight! The cause things a reo 't so bad here. Young-may be living in Bri~in by next year. And they new album we're just finishing is you're going back on the road will be only the spearhead of a vast exodus of American But despite this,_Jlley find them­ At least the British Government there's so many things to do-­ selves changed. 1ney are today one we like to think of as the first represents the people-and now youth and talent. ostensibly a group - something by a new group. And if we can with votes at 18 it's more likely every minute becomes vital­ they swore they'd never be, hav­ maintain this marvellous air of to be so. and my writing sutlers. As a T bere was once a song tbat Paul Simon sang tbat went: "We're ing all just emerged from . un­ excitement and involvement on " In America, government people woman I have a responsibility off to look for America . . . " America-supposedly tbe land happy group scenes. And they every album, then it's wonderful. would sooner Jock themselves ip to my home and it takes me a of opportunity and the Good Life. Supposedly. Because today also find themselves in a position So from the original conception their homes than face problems. week to get the house re­ America is a sad and frightened country. And tbe America of the of reflecting the fears and des­ of the group, Crosby, Stills and The young are frustrated because perking. young is non-existent. pair of all American youth. Nash have moved a long way. they're not stupid. They can see There are signs, many people believe, that soon American will explode They arrived last week and Has their immediate success the blood bath coming and there's "My personal life is in a surprised them? shambles, and it's bard on me inwaltlly into a bloody battle-and when that happens all the creative settled in a luxurious fiat in Ken­ nothing in their power to stop it. forces will flee to Britain and Canada. sington. Today there are "six of "Not really," says Graham. "Of "We've had three of our best knowing I'm not giving any­ Politics and ; pop music have never been far from each other. Music them-three more than the orig­ course, success is nice but I'm leaders mown down in front of our thing to people I love." has afways been a reflection of the times we live in. And the musicians inal plan. There is the added force happiest just seeing the 17,000 eyes. John Lindsay (Mayor of Home for Joni is a boose of purveyors of that reflection. of Neil Young, drummer Dallas smiling faces we get at concerts. New York) is about the only per­ her own in Laurel Canyon, near Like Paul Simon. Crosby, Stills Taylor and bass player Greg "It's important right now to son worth voting for, and I fear Los Angeles. and Nash went to look for Reeves. Greg. who had still not make people smile and still keep they'll get rid of him soon. The "Most of my friends are America. arrived on Thursday ("He just them thinking. There is so much situation is getting out of hand. I last met them before they set happens to have missed the plane black around-the war in Vietnam, "The sad thing is that the youth musicians- l'm not very social. stuff like that- that we do have I'm a very solitary person, even out- at the beginning of last for the second da¥ running," 'Neil of America is blamed for every· year. There was an air of exciting Young remarks dnly), was respon· a duty to say things on stage. But thing. Yet the kids we know LOVE in a room full of pt>ople I feel wann comradeship, an air of ad­ sible for a lot of the excellent bass at the same time our songs don't America. They believe in the Con­ completely alone. You need venture. work on Tamla Motown records. take on the form of protest. You stitution and the Bill of Rights. solitude to make anything Two weeks later they were to Dallas-in C-n-W check shirt, with can't do it. Protes t songs don't They just don't believe in what's artistic. You need the focus return to America. "We knew," dark powerful face--once accom­ work. happening now. How can they which you can't have sur­ says Graham Nash now, "that the panied John Sebastian. Neil, They just work against them­ believe in Vietnam, the murder rlhmded by people." time was right to present them skinny in white shirt and a com­ selves. You blow the whole thing. at home? with a force both creative and pulsive boiled egg eater, was with So our songs are grey rather than "Civil war is. I think. nearer Nevertheless, between tours positive." Stephen Stills in Buffalo Spring­ black or white. The kids in than Mr and Mrs America want Joni bas managed to write many He was ri~ht. And nowhere field. America know we think the way to believe. Wholesale slaughter­ beautiful songs that have been BUT in Amenca could they have Apart from occasional verbal they do. and l'm just working out which recorded by so many other found their voices and music so battles between David and Stephen, So Crosby, 'Stills, Nash and way to jump to miss the bullets. people that even if you don't readily acceptable. Today they are little has changed. They still pick Y ouog find themselves the most "Of course the American young know Joni Mitchell you will acclaimed as the biggest thing to up their guitars and play while formative group in America-and will split. They bear no arms and certainly know some of her have hit the American scene, and they're talking, bang on a piano possibly the world. The{ repre­ no malice to their neighbour. songs. One that she should be CROSBY: "War is near" their one a ranee in Britain- and beat out drum rh ms. They sent a new, young race o people. They'll-go to Canada and Britain." justifiably proud of is "Both Sides Now," sung by many­ most notably Judy Collins. "When I first started Judy Collins was a great influence on me, so of course I was so pleased when she sang that. But she was really beautiful to me two years ago at the New­ port Festival. She was singing·