Neil Young Friends
(... and former friends, too)
Greendale at Radio City Music Hall, New York City, - March 18, 2004 photo by Thrasher
“To all the good friends I've known”
(from Harvest Moon's ONE OF THESE DAYS)
Neil Young has made many friends over the years in the studio and along the road. Many of those friendships, such as David Crosby, Steven Stills, & Graham Nash are well documented. Other stories are just waiting to be told.
In terms of musical collaborations with many of the greats like Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam and Joni Mitchell, see Neil Young's influences page.
Neil's friendship with his guitar technician Larry Cragg goes back many years. It is Larry who nurses Neil's guitar "Ol Black" back into shape after string ripping encores.
Jack Nitzsche is well known as the producer arranger on the masterpiece "Broken Arrow". Crazy Horse roadie, Willie "Baby John" Hinds was quoted in Shake! magazine saying: "Crazy Horse in Jack Nitzsche's mind was an American Rolling Stones."
So here are a couple of articles on Neil's acquaintances (... and former friends, too).
From UK Magazine Record Collector (September 2001), David Crosby had this to say about Neil Young:
For more on David Crosby [search].
Graham Nash on Neil
From The fab.net, an interview with Graham Nash on recording American Dream with Neil Young:
From the book Crosby Stills Nash......& sometimes Young by Herman Verbeke, Graham Nash comments on working with Neil:
From an interview with Graham Nash by Debbie Kruger (November 1999), Graham Nash comments on the chemistry with Neil:
I spent one morning at breakfast with Neil on Bleeker Street in New York City and when we were finished I was completely sold on Neil joining. He was incredibly funny and very committed to music. He wanted to be a full member of the band with equal billing etc. This made sense to me and so we became CSNY.
Neil’s effect on the band was immediate and very fulfilling. He adds a certain edge to the sound and, of course, he is an incredible musician. We became a better band because of the inclusion of Neil Young.
Q: The harmonies on the album definitely have a different texture to past CSN and CSNY recordings. I like one of your comments in the official bio, about the edge that Neil’s singing brings, about how “Neil’s not into perfect – he’s into making you feel.” Can you elaborate on that?
GN: Neil always prefers earlier takes of songs. He believes, as we all do, that after 6 or 7 performances of any song that you begin to perform it rather than feel it. We would rather have ‘feeling’ than perfection."
And finally, the most legendary Graham story involves visiting Young's ranch where they were on a boat on the lake. They were listening to music being amplified through speakers in the main house (left channel) and a barn (right channel). When asked how it sounded, Neil replied "More Barn!". For more, see More Barn! page.
For more on Graham Nash [search].
ONE OF THESE DAYS (from Harvest Moon)
“To all the good friends I've known ”
COCAINE EYES (from Freedom)
“Scored some friends along the way ”
PHILADELPHIA (from Soundtrack)
“I've got my friends in the world, ”
WE NEVER DANCED (from Life)
“We were more than friends ”
THRASHER (from Rust Never Sleeps)
“How I lost my friends I still don't understand. ”
THRASHER (from Rust Never Sleeps)
“Down the windy halls of friendship ”
DANGER BIRD (from Zuma)
“'Cause you've been with another man (long ago in the museum with his friends.)”
BANDIT (from Greendale)
“can't go to your friends ”
TWO OLD friends (from Are You Passionate?)
“And they said goodbye like two old friends ”
DIFFERENTLY (from Are You Passionate?)
“That my friends would turn to foes ”
WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY (from Mirror Ball)
“Though my friends say don't look back ”
I'M THE OCEAN (from Mirror Ball)
“I got my friends ”
CAN'T BELIEVE YOUR LYIN' (from This Note's For You)
“My friends all tell me I have been a fool ”
FEEL YOUR LOVE (from American Dream)
“I think of our old friends, I count my enemies. ”
HARD LUCK STORIES (from Landing On Water)
“You just count on your old friends. ”
WEIGHT OF THE WORLD (from Landing On Water)
“I never trusted my friends or my girl ”
HILLBILLY BAND (from Old Ways)
“My friends all tell me ”
COASTLINE (from Hawks And Doves)
“You're my best friends in between ”
LITTLE WING (from Hawks And Doves)
“All her friends call her Little Wing ”
SUGAR MOUNTAIN (from Decade)
“But all your friends are there ”
WILL TO LOVE (from American Stars'n'Bars)
“And I repeat myself till all my friends are gone ”
SADDLE UP THE PALOMINO (from American Stars'n'Bars)
“Since she came to town all my friends are gone, ”
DRIVE BACK (from Zuma)
“Let me hide you From yourself and All your old friends ”
LOOKOUT JOE (from Tonight's The Night)
“They're all your friends, you'll come to love 'em ”
HAWAIIAN SUNRISE (from On The Beach)
“And my friends have much to spread around, ”
ON THE BEACH (from On The Beach)
“I head for the sticks with my bus and friends, ”
ALABAMA (from Harvest)
“Make friends down in Alabama. ”
THE LOSING END (WHEN YOU'RE ON) (from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere)
“So I talked to some old friends for a while before I wandered off alone. ”
WHEN IT FALLS, IT FALLS ALL OVER YOU (from Early Songs)
“He used to pick his friends. ”
LIVE TO RIDE (from Harvest Moon)
“He was, he was a friend of mine ”
PRIME OF LIFE (from Sleeps With Angels)
“Are you feeling all right, my friend? ”
FIELD OF OPPORTUNITY (from Comes A Time)
“I don't have any answers my friend ”
RAZOR LOVE (from Silver & Gold)
“Imagination is my best friend ”
TRUTH TO BE KNOWN (from Mirror Ball)
“Saw your friend working in this hotel ”
DAYS THAT USED TO BE (from Ragged Glory)
“'Cause there very few of us left my friend ”
CRIME IN THE CITY (from Freedom)
“His best friend was the robber ”
SIXTY TO ZERO (from This Note's For You)
“His best friend was a robber ”
DOGHOUSE (from This Note's For You)
“I was out with a friend of mine ”
THE ROAD OF PLENTY (from Life)
“You think I'm your old friend ”
HOLD BACK THE TEARS (from American Stars'n'Bars)
“Hello, my old friend. ”
BARSTOOL BLUES (from Zuma)
“Once there was a friend of mine ”
AMBULANCE BLUES (from On The Beach)
“And there ain't nothin' like a friend ”
DON'T BE DENIED (from Time Fades Away)
“Well pretty soon I met a friend, ”
ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART (from After The Goldrush)
“I have a friend I've never seen ”
AFTER THE GOLDRUSH (from After The Goldrush)
“I was thinking about what a friend had said"
THE LAST TRIP TO TULSA (from Neil Young)
“The coroner was friendly ”
CARMICHAEL (from Greendale)
“said the widow's best friend Anne, ”
GOIN' HOME (from Are You Passionate?)
“Dropping in on you, my friend, is just like old times ”
INTERSTATE (from Broken Arrow)
“The fox goes looking for a friend ”
BIG TIME (from Broken Arrow)
“Talkin' bout a friend of mine ”
THROW YOUR HATRED DOWN (from Mirror Ball)
“Will never touch a friend ”
PIECE OF CRAP (from Sleeps With Angels)
“Got it from a friend ”
TRANS AM (from Sleeps With Angels)
“An old friend showed up at the door ”
TRAIN OF LOVE (from Sleeps With Angels)
“We come and go that way, my friend ”
BLUE EDEN (from Sleeps With Angels)
“We come and go that way my friend ”
STRINGMAN (from Unplugged)
“There is no dearer friend of mine ”
OLD KING (from Harvest Moon)
“That old King was a friend of mine ”
FROM HANK TO HENDRIX (from Harvest Moon)
“Like a long-lost friend ”
WHITE LINE (from Ragged Glory)
“That old white line is friend of mine ”
HAWKS & DOVES (from Hawks And Doves)
“But for you don't push too hard my friend. ”
KANSAS (from Tonight's The Night)
“ and your friendly body lying ”
TIRED EYES (from Tonight's The Night)
“He was a friend of yours. ”
L.A. (from Time Fades Away)
“There'll be a friend of mine ”
A MAN NEEDS A MAID (from Harvest)
“I was watching a movie with a friend. ”
EVERYBODY I LOVE YOU (from Déjà Vu)
“When you hate yourself, my friend. ”
ROUND & ROUND (IT WON'T BE LONG) (from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere)
“And you see your best friend looking over the end and you turn to see why, ”
Jammin' with Neil Young - Musicians Connected and Influenced by Neil's Music
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