Comment of the Moment: Dallas Taylor ... Gone, Forgotten, and ... Remembered

Dallas Taylor: 1948 - 2015
Music Scene - 1970
Photo by Jeff Allen

The Comment of the Moment is from "Dallas Taylor: 1948 - 2015" by Moonmaid:

Dallas' sound was so unique - it really was at the heart of that band's rhythm. He partnered with Stills at the creation of CSN and apparently was opposed to Neil Young joining the band, believing (correctly as it turned out) that given Stills and Young's past acrimonious history, egos would flare and overtake the music, which up to then had been sort of a hippie feel-good lovefest. Young and Stills again battled, and apparently Young wanted to quit the band mid-tour in 1970, but the record company execs convinced him to stay. However, Neil insisted that Stills fire Dallas Taylor (although Stills rehired him for Manassas shortly afterward)and he did.

Dallas went on to play very well for a few years with Manassas and Bill Wyman and even Van Morrison at Montreaux 1974 (check out the YouTube video of song "Bulbs" to see some amazing drumming and a great song), but his addiction spiraled out of control, and he became a total mess for several years, culminating in a 1985 suicide attempt, which triggered his sobriety and new career as an addiction counselor and interventionist.

CSNY rallied to Dallas' benefit in 1990 when he needed an expensive liver transplant, and they played together at a benefit concert in Santa Monica, and talked like they all had rediscovered their deep friendship. But then Dallas wrote a brutal memoir in 1994, pulling no punches in describing not only his own behavior, but the depravity of the late 60s and early 70s rock scene, including the whole CSNY tale from his point of view. It apparently so pissed off CSNY that he became persona non grata, and they even erased his back screen door image from the box set CSN album photo.

As a longtime fan, it's a shame that none of the CSNY members have seen fit to comment on Dallas' passing. That band had such an amazing chemistry when he was drumming; he and Stills really sparked each other. It was not the same music afterward. I saw how David Crosby referred to Dallas a few years back as "a drummer who played on some early albums", which seems nearly criminal, considering that those two albums are what makes the band important in rock history. Addicts in recovery usually pull no punches in talking about their past behavior, and after reading that book, I understand why CSNY were pissed off (he talks about them sharing girlfriends and doing boatloads of drugs and the whole dissolute LA 1970s rock star lifestyle), but to try to erase this bandmember's accomplishments and not even mention him upon his passing seems wrong to me.

Thanks Moonmaid! Sadly, it does seem that Dallas' passing will fade away quickly... gone and forgotten.

In loving memory of Dallas Woodrow Taylor Jr. 

(Session Drummer; Associated Acts: Clear Light, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, Steven Stills, Manassas) 

April 07, 1948 – January 18, 2015 RIP

More on Dallas Taylor: 1948 - 2015.

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