Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the First Big Stadium Tour - WSJ

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - London, Sept. 14, 1974
Photo by Joel Bernstein
(Click photo to enlarge)

Another set of interview on the upcoming CSNY 74 box set. Interview with all remaining principals except Mr Stills & Mr Young including Mr. Crosby, 72, Mr. Nash, 72, tour photographer Joel Bernstein, 62, and tour recording engineer Elliot Mazer, 72.

From WSJ by Marc Myers: (Thanks Raincheck & Dan1!)

Mr. Nash: During the tour, Neil's album "On the Beach" was released and he began traveling separately in a mobile home and then a bus. It was typical Neil. [Mr. Young wasn't available to comment for this article.] The timing of its release was probably part of the reason he did the tour. But Neil also was our conscience. One night after a show, we all went back to our hotel suite where we had the entire top floor. It was decadent. Every night there were huge plates of food set up, like cold lobster for dozens of people. Neil was disgusted by the excess. There were even pillows embroidered with Joni's tour logo as well as china and luggage. Hey, we didn't ask for all that. This soured Neil a bit and, in retrospect, he was right.

Elliot Mazer: It was Neil's idea to start recording the tour in August '74. I had already recorded Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Neil and others, and once everyone was on board, I went to see CSNY at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. Then I recorded them in Landover, Md., Chicago and Wembley Stadium near London—which make up 35 of the 40 tracks in the new box set. I used two 16-track Ampex MM-1000 tape machines and a Neve 8016 console, with 36 mics on stage and two mics on booms in the audience about 100 feet from the stage. I wanted to capture the music as if you were up there sitting in a recliner, but also grab the magic of the audience.

Mr. Crosby: The most memorable moment for me was the Aug. 8 concert at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, N.J. While we were on, President Nixon went on TV and said he was resigning the next day. When we heard backstage, we went bonkers. Graham announced it to the audience and the place went completely up for grabs. It was a moment of complete and utter joy, that a dark cloud was finally lifting and everyone there had somehow been a part of it. We immediately performed my "Long Time Gone."

More of interview and photos at WSJ.

Also, see Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Live 1974 Box Set Details Announced.

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